January 26, 2008

Phillies: Make Washington, D.C. a Model City

Worcester, MA — Libertarian Presidential candidate George Phillies today called on Congress to honor its responsibilities to the city of Washington, DC.

«According to the Constitution, Congress serves as the D.C. legislature,» he observed. «It’s time they did the job right.»

«The first step to a good life is a good education, whether from public, private, or home schooling,» Phillies said. «The D.C. school system is one of the most expensive school systems in the country, but it’s certainly not one of the best.» According to the Quality Counts Report published by Editorial Projects in Education and quoted in the Washington Post, DC ranked below all fifty states in education performance and policy. This, in spite of the highest average teacher salaries in the country and the highest per student expenditure in the nation according to the NEA’s website. «Congress tries to solve this problem the way it tries to solve every problem,» quipped Phillies. «By bombing it with money.»

Instead of harassing local school boards across America whose schools are outperforming those in DC, Congress should stay at home and take responsibility for fixing Congress’s own school district, the D.C. public schools. «How will we know the schools are better? When the children of Senators and Representatives attend them.»

Phillies addressed DC unemployment, as well. «All too many Washingtonians are unemployed,» Phillies noted. «6.1% unemployment isn’t the worst in the country, but it’s unacceptable. Congress should get out of the way of private enterprise, which creates real jobs for real Americans. There’s no sensible reason to harass people who want to drive a jitney, braid a neighbor’s hair, or watch a neighbor’s children during the day. All that government regulation has a bad effect. Too many Americans speak in terms of getting a job from someone else rather than making a job for themselves. Away from Capitol Hill, Washington is full of hard working, good Americans. Congress should make sure that their neighbors in DC are not denied the job opportunities that only small business can provide.»

The Libertarian hopeful, recently endorsed by Outright Libertarians, the largest LGBT Libertarian organization in the country, also called upon Congress to get out of the marriage business, not just at the federal level but in DC where they act as the legislature as well. «Across merica, the definition of marriage hasbecome a point of bitter contention. DC should offer a standard civil union contract, capable of binding amendment, that would cover not only marriages as defined by the individuals involved and their private beliefs, but also other similar relationships, for example, elderly friends who want iron-clad assurance that if they are incapacitated their medical care decisions will be made by someone they know and trust.»

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Contact Information:

Carolyn Marbry, Press Director pressdirector@phillies2008.org

(510) 276-3216

George Phillies for President 2008 http://ChooseGeorge.org