It appears a dose of reality is needed as a specific cure for the disease of Republican mis-information?

>"Why on God's green earth should a service be considered "more accountable" because there is an elected body associated with it? Is this what experience tells us?"

Yes, in fact this IS what current experience tells us. The attorney presenting the case for vouchers, Clint Bolick has said the regulation of voucher schools "should be limited. It should not include any state oversight of curriculum, personnel or administration." In other words "we don't want anyone looking over our shoulders, we want the uncontested right to teach whatever we want, use whatever sort of person we want, with no checks on the operation."

Yes, I do think the system of public education is "more accountable."

In Milwaukee, home of the oldest and largest voucher program, accountability is so lacking that NO data have been collected from voucher schools for the past six years. No one knows how students in voucher schools are performing academically. We have to accept their opinion they are doing well.

Because voucher schools are private constitutional rights like due process are not applicable. Voucher schools can suspend or expel students at will.

>"I could go into statistics, and other long-winded things on the voucher concept...."

Anecdotal tales of token examples of self serving situations fall far short of being legitimate data collection, so there in no need for you to get long-winded here.

>"Opponents of vouchers have one overriding fear...."

This opponent of vouchers has the overriding fear that extreme right wing conservatives will have their way and do to public education what Reagan did to aircraft controllers.

Difficult for me to understand how a real conservative would want the public to subsidize his choice to send his kid to a private, religious school.

It would be funny if it didn't serve to drain public funds from where they are so badly needed in public education.

The greatest problem seems to be in the schools in the cities. Did you ever check the tax rolls in these cities? Look at how much property is owned by the Catholic church alone--and removed from the tax rolls.

>"Does this tell you anything at all?"

Yes, indeed it does!!!!