Free to Choose by Milton Friedman

In Ronald Regan’s speech, “A Time for Choosing” he starts by saying that for most of his life he was a Democrat and that “I have recently seen fit to follow another course. He then goes on to talk about the economy saying that the tax burden is one that no nation in history has ever survived. He then goes on to illustrate with facts saying that “Every 37 cents out of every dollar earned in this country is the tax collectors share, and yet our government continues to spend 17 million dollars a day more that the government takes in.” He also says that that out of the last 34 plus year 28 of those have not seen a balanced budget. Additionally the treasury only has 15 million dollars in gold and that 27.3 billion dollars of that is claimed by foreign governments. He then switches gears talking now about preserving peace and asking how can we preserve peace when the country is engaged in war in South Vietnam. He asks the if they (The Democrats) “ Mean peace, or do they mean we just want to be left in peace.” Saying that anywhere there are Americans fighting and dying there can be no real peace. He makes this point to say that peace is not just given it has to be earned and that there are always people out there that desire nothing more than to see our country and the rest of the free world in flames or under their heel. Regan then changes gears again and talk about how the American system of government is the most original plan in the history of the world. He

The idea of school vouchers sounds like a wonderful idea to get children the best possible education, until the issue is analyzed more closely. In reality, this system is hurting more children than the ones that they are helping. The people and institutions that do not support the use of vouchers believe that by taking away funds from the already failing public school system, it is causing a decrease in the level of education for children in public schools. With new initiatives like the “No Child Left Behind” campaign causing and the greater demands on teachers and children there is not room for a cut in funding (Traub 13). There are also increasing amounts of standardized tests, with guidelines that teachers

This paper argues that school vouchers can have a tremendous impact on incentives and performances Depends on the type of voucher. Two types exist. The ‘voucher shock” and the “threat of vouchers.” Many people are against school vouchers. The argument is that the vouchers are a violation of constitutional rights. That spending funding and forcing schools to behave a certain way is unethical. However, many are supportive of the school voucher program. Parents feel that if a school is not up to par perhaps loosing students and perhaps closing the doors is the best choice. Many believe that children have a right to education and to decide exactly how the citizens tax dollars toward education are being spent and if the youth are educated properly.

Co-chair of California Republicans, Ronald Reagan, in his speech, “A Time for Choosing”, talks about assisting the Barry Goldwater campaign, switching from Democrat to Republican, motivating the public to vote for Goldwater/choosing for what’s right, how the government is taking away freedom and explaining the wrong things and changes in the government. Reagan’s purpose is to tell that, in 1964, it’s time for a change in America and to choose a campaign that will benefit the public. He adopts different moods by the way he talks and his body language, as well as different tones. Reagan’s purpose is to convince the voters that there will be a change in America and that the Goldwater campaign including his self are equal to U.S. citizens. Logos, ethos and pathos are used throughout the speech. In addition to rhetorical devices, Reagan uses anecdote, epistrophe, metaphors, similes, schemes and tropes.

Since the 1980s, charter schools have allowed families to exercise school choice, a practice that had begun a few decades earlier when parents preferred to control their children’s education because of religious views or racial prejudices. As dissatisfaction with the performance public schools grew during the late 20th century, parents called on government to subsidize an arrangement where children could receive adequate education outside of the traditional public school system. Thus, two major school choice devices emerged: charter schools, privately run schools that receive public funding, and tuition vouchers, which cover some or all of tuition at participating private schools.

Smith, Morgan. “School Choice and Vouchers.” The Texas Tribune. N.p. 1 June 2015. Web. 8

The Democratic Party strongly opposes the school voucher system promoted by the Republican Party. Vouchers take away federal funding from the school systems and in turn private schools will benefit by getting the highest performing students and the families with the most ability to pay for their children’s education. Instead of vouchers, we propose that federal funds be used to reduce class size, which would stimulate student participation and individualized attention.

For many years, children from all walks of life have dreamed of going to good schools and making something of themselves by gaining a good education. This is where vouchers come in, but what use are they if private schools do not lead to a better education? Vouchers have been used in schools since the 1950’s so families can send their children to private schools. Voucher systems in the United States of America have been limited to Indiana and Louisiana, Milwaukee and Cleveland because of all the controversy surrounding private school vouchers. Since the 1980’s, people have argued whether or not vouchers are beneficial or detrimental. Democrats say that voucher systems will not solve all problems in the

Inspired by lectures given in 1956 and compiled for publication in 1962, Milton Friedman’s Capitalism and Freedom addresses important modern economic issues ranging from the distribution of income to the role of government in education (Friedman vii). According to The Times Literary Supplement, Capitalism and Freedom was “one of the most influential books published since the war” (TLS). In the seventh chapter of Capitalism and Freedom, Friedman addresses the role capitalism and economic freedom plays in the reduction of discrimination against individuals belonging to particular religious, social, and racial minority groups (Friedman 108). Friedman’s argument concerning the power of capitalism and economic power is supported particularly in the increased mobility of African Americans following World War I and II despite the “temporary interruption” displayed by collectivist trends following 1945 (Friedman 11). African Americans, with newfound economic power, were able to curtail coercive political power held by whites. However, Friedman fails to properly address the chain of events which allowed for the establishment political freedom in the African American community. Despite economic freedom granted following emancipation, African Americans were unable to translate economic freedom to political freedom because laws in place to protect civil liberties were not enforced. World War I provided unprecedented economic opportunities for African Americans. Labor shortages provide

This article provides a counterexample as to how the voucher system does not put an end to the public system. The article states that the voucher program makes the public system more competitive because they have to compete for students. The article counters its’ counterexample with the claim that public schools do not lack competitive drive, but the resources needed to stay competitive, recourse that are being given to religiously affiliated

Unions, public school authorities, and legislators have even more successfully resisted even successful school vouchers that provide scholarships for parents to send their children to independent or parochial schools. The advantages of vouchers are that they largely bypass the dysfunctional regulations and practices of the public sector and allow parents to choose the schools most suitable for their children, which they best know and care about.

Income inequality is a phenomenon that is undeniably real in our current world, and more specifically, the present United States. Canon describes how the gap between the elite and the poor has been consistently growing for many years and continues to widen (189). Whether the differences between the top and the bottom are a threat to current society is another story. Does income inequality undermine a democracy? Ray Williams argues that societies are strongest when they have a higher rate of equality while George Will challenges that inequality is the very basis of what make democratic processes. A. Barton Hinkle takes a Libertarian approach to the idea that inequality is threatening to democracy and how it can be fixed. Some threats that each article addressed were economic impacts, civility, and fairness. Overall, there is a definite need to evaluate whether the United States democracy is being threatened due to the continuous rise of the elites and the fall of the working class.

Imagine going to school and finding half of your friends are moving to different schools because they have qualified for a school voucher. It’s difficult to see them go because you have known them all your life. It’s also difficult to watch them attend the school which everyone knows in your community is known to better than the one you are currently attending. Questions are also brought up to your mind with school vouchers. Students who don’t qualify may ask themselves am I put into a disadvantage because my friends are attending a school, which is known to better than mine? Did my friends choose to attend this school or were there parents up to it? These questions can cause a dilemma to the students and their families. There are

School Choice has gained popularity recently and shows potential in beneficial alternative options. The first supporting reason showing this, how vouchers put educational choices for children in the hands of the people who care the most; the parents. (Charlotte, Hays n/a) Evidence showing how the statement is true is the voucher program was developed in the 1980s to give low-income families more choice in where their kids go to school. Upper class families already have this choice. Therefore, the original voucher program got designed specifically for the choice of the parents. Having this option of vouchers, allow parents to be guides with power to where they so

Prevalent flaws within most modern democracies are evident in their social and economic systems. One such problem, in a system that advocates freedom to do whatever you please, is the consequential wealth disparity (Wong, Oct. 24 lecture, tutorial). Aristotle once said that, “democracy is the form of government in which… the free are the many and the rich are the few”. This highlights a paradox of democracy in that it attempts to be equal to all, yet often the rich will get richer and the poor will get poorer, and an increasing wealth divide will influence governance. Constant writes (pg. 12), “wealth is a power more readily available at any moment… more