Ken Blackwell had an interesting article today at the Patriot Post entitled “Will Colin Powell Give Obama a General Discharge?” The article highlights General Powell’s teetering support of President Obama based on his economic policies. Blackwell mentions another topic where Powell could make an impact within the Obama Administration, but instead he has been quiet on – school choice. He writes:
Gen. Powell is especially concerned about minority youth. Unemployment among black and Hispanic young people is above 20% in many urban barrios and inner cities.
"America is going to be a [majority] minority nation in one more generation. Our minorities are not getting educated well enough now. Fifty percent of our minority kids are not finishing high school. We’ve got to invest in education."
The general may be right about that. That’s why he could help minority youth by getting behind parental choice in education. The Obama administration took a razor to the District of Columbia’s Opportunity Scholarships. A mere $13 million dollars went to parents who chose successful schools for their poor and minority kids. Now, that program has been cruelly cut. If we had Colin Powell pumping for school choice, it would help him and help the children.
Why isn’t he pumping for school choice? He would certainly make a formidable advocate and do some good for the very kids he is passionate about. Juan Williams has demonstrated this isn’t a conservative vs. liberal issue. It’s a common sense solution.
Originally posted at The Innocence Blog
