Giuliani Calls for School Vouchers; also for no Palestinian state

Giuliani today discussed education while campaigning in New Hampshire, specifically supporting school vouchers, which seems to be on its way to becoming a political issue in the general election:

“How is it that we have the best higher education in the world and a weaker K-through-12 system?” Giuliani said. “What’s the difference? Why does one operate so well and the other not nearly as well? American higher education is based on a quintessential American principle - choice.”

As mayor of New York, Giuliani backed vouchers for private and parochial schools in the face of opposition from his own schools chancellor.

“I’d give parents control over their children’s education,” Giuliani told the audience of about 150 people at a solar power products plant. “We’ve got to have competition operating. If we don’t do that, our education system is going to deteriorate.”

This site has a nice history of Giuliani’s history on education, including trying in vain to take over the city school system (Bloomberg succeeded in that effort) and saying that the city system ought be ‘blown up.’

Earlier in the week, Giuliani published an essay in Foreign Affairs magazine. The reviews in general have not been kind, suffice to say. The most sanguine criticism I have read is that the essay seems to be a stump speech, not a serious academic effort. On the stump in Iowa, I would not think twice about some of the things Giuliani says. But in a foreign affairs essay it raises serious practical issues, even among Republicans.

But, in terms of election year politics, perhaps the most intriguing part of the essay is this section where Giuliani makes the case against developing a Palestinian state right now:

America has a clear interest in helping to establish good governance throughout the world. Democracy is a noble ideal, and promoting it abroad is the right long-term goal of U.S. policy. But democracy cannot be achieved rapidly or sustained unless it is built on sound legal, institutional, and cultural foundations. It can only work if people have a reasonable degree of safety and security. Elections are necessary but not sufficient to establish genuine democracy. Aspiring dictators sometimes win elections, and elected leaders sometimes govern badly and threaten their neighbors. History demonstrates that democracy usually follows good governance, not the reverse. U.S. assistance can do much to set nations on the road to democracy, but we must be realistic about how much we can accomplish alone and how long it will take to achieve lasting progress.

The election of Hamas in the Palestinian-controlled territories is a case in point. The problem there is not the lack of statehood but corrupt and unaccountable governance. The Palestinian people need decent governance first, as a prerequisite for statehood. Too much emphasis has been placed on brokering negotiations between the Israelis and the Palestinians — negotiations that bring up the same issues again and again. It is not in the interest of the United States, at a time when it is being threatened by Islamist terrorists, to assist the creation of another state that will support terrorism. Palestinian statehood will have to be earned through sustained good governance, a clear commitment to fighting terrorism, and a willingness to live in peace with Israel. America’s commitment to Israel’s security is a permanent feature of our foreign policy.

This would seem to be an issue that could become a platform perhaps for his party in the next election. There are favorable reviews already up of it, including at the National Review. I can’t imagine that Democrats would look forward to defending Palestinian statehood in a national election, although Bush’s acceptance of that policy might make it slightly easier, though more risk politically.