Robert Robb wants to know why silly voters do not like vouchers

Here is Robb's latest column from the Arizona Republic addressing the lack of support for vouchers. He thinks the evidence is pretty clear that vouchers are a really good thing. I won't address the specifics of the information he cites, but I will explain to him why voters don't like vouchers.

In in a nutshell Mr. Robb, voters do not trust your party when it comes something as important as education. People will gamble on a lot of things when it comes to government policy, but gambling with your child's future and education is a hard sell. There is also the problem that most people see through the disingenuous motives of many voucher supporters. I do not think you could deny that at least a portion of the coalition built up around vouchers has only two goals: ending free public education and breaking teachers unions.

Your coalition lacks the earnestness to make vouchers work. You don't believe that government can do anything right and your party is far too concerned with think tank theories to fashion a pragmatic solution in the likely possibility that your program will not work as advertised. In short, your party has lost its credibility. The Democratic Party has some issues around credibility as well, but right now voters trust us more. If we can clean up some of the mess created by your party, maybe, just maybe we can regain some of the trust lost during your party's reign.

If you want vouchers, here is my suggestion for you and your party. Make something work. Prove to voters that your party can do something right. Be earnest about wanting to improve peoples lives and admit that vouchers may not be a magic bullet. Make sure voters know that no matter what you will find a way to provide their child an education (even if vouchers don't work). Maybe then voters would support your idea...