Author Archives: Michael Froomkin

Got my first piece of 527 propaganda in the mail today, from an outfit that calls itself All Children Matter. It seems to be an outfit that supports state subsidies to privatize schools, be it vouchers, charter schools, or tax credits, bankrolled by a former President of Alticor Inc. — parent corporation of Amway.

Schooling being a traditionally state and local issue, the mailing exhorts me to vote for G.W. Bush for President, because, er, why exactly? Bush “believes that education is the key to opportunity”? Is there anyone who doesn't?

Or am I supposed to believe that Kerry “opposes equal opportunity in education”? Because he opposes tax credits for private schooling? Which by definition only go to those who pay taxes? Which means that there would be no benefit for poor people, and less money raised to pay for public schools, which puts the lie to “equal opportunity in education”.

It's actually a surprisingly ineffective mailer, notable only for what must be the single most unflattering picture of Kerry I've ever seen, making him look like a survivor in a disaster movie.

The version of my name on the flyer suggests they may have sent it to people who subscribe to the Economist rather than to everyone in the area. In case anyone cares, I've put up a pdf of both sides of the glossy thing: Side one and side two (cropped to cut off my address, not that you couldn't find it online in about three seconds if you really wanted to).