LONG TIME COMING :

A Promise Long Deferred : Voucher verdict decides an issue as old as King George. (Daniel Patrick Moynihan, July 1, 2002, The Washington Post)

As a member of the subcabinet I was asked if I could work out some language for the 1964 Democratic Party platform. I was joined by the inventive commissioner of education, Francis Keppel, and the irrepressible Msgr. Francis T. Hurley, later bishop of Alaska. Our text went into the platform unchanged:

"We believe that education is the surest and most profitable investment a nation can make. Regardless of family financial status, therefore, education should be open to every boy or girl in America up to the highest level which he or she is able to master. . . . New methods of financial aid must be explored, including the channeling of federally collected revenues to all levels of education and, to the extent permitted by the Constitution, to all schools."

The Elementary and Secondary Education Act was signed by Lyndon B. Johnson on April 9, 1965. Federal funds began to flow. But Catholics in Catholic schools got nothing but an occasional trailer for St. Agnes or whatever, where students could learn physics without papal meddling. But little else. We broke our word.

But that is behind us! Ahead are troubles, to be sure. Our country has all manner of religions; Arlington Cemetery has 33 denominational headstones. But at least the Democratic Party can claim to be prophetic and support school vouchers.

If they weren't so beholden to the Teachers' Union and the godless, this would be a great issue for Democrats. It's interesting to read Moynihan's history of the idea. Posted by Orrin Judd at July 6, 2002 11:43 AM