I’m Thinking of a State (Part 2)

The Springfield News-Leader jumps on the bandwagon and publishes a fanciful vision of a future Missouri:

I recently asked a group of fourth grade students what they would vote for if children could vote. Their answers were so simple and yet so profound. They said they want to be the smartest they can be when they leave school. They want time to play, time to read and food and medicine for those who are hungry or sick. Children want things to be fair. They want to be safe. They want everyone to get what they need. And they want us to protect the Earth.

The op-ed talks about the "common good" and argues for more spending on public schools and government programs. But it inadvertently points out the problem with this approach:

Would we underfund education if we knew it was our child who would not receive the educational intervention she needed?

Would we fail to fund health care for children if we knew it was our child who could not see a doctor if he were sick?

The answer, of course, is "no." And that’s why it’s important to put parents in charge of their children’s education and health care. When parents get to make choices for their children, they have their best interests at heart.