Now that Betsy DeVos is no longer a national scourge and ironic choice for federal education secretary, she has returned to Michigan and reset her sights on attacking public education in Michigan. Her Let Kids Learn campaign is nothing less than a Trojan horse for school voucher. Vouchers themselves are Trojan horse for tax breaks for the wealthy.
Michigan’s voters have rejected voucher campaigns twice already. Betsy and her family have restructured vouchers into “opportunity accounts” into which private donors or corporations can pay into these accounts, fund a child’s education, and receive a tax break on the account. Guess who has the money to fund expensive private education? If you guessed wealthy folks like Betsy DeVos and her family…congratulations! You nailed it!
These accounts are simply a sleight of hand to allow the wealthy to pay less taxes than they already do. Is anyone actually worried that families, such as DeVos’ are struggling so mightily to make ends meet that they need another tax break? Well, in case you are worried that maybe poor Betsy might have to suffer without freeloading some more on American taxpayers, you can sign a petition to help ease her troubled lifestyle.
Because most Americans are generous, even though they are not wealthy, we project similar values onto folks like Betsy. Too often those of us who actually have to work for a living believe that Betsy and her ilk actually give a damn about their fellow Americans. Not so. Betsy was born into wealth and married into more wealth. Like the blue-bloods and royals of centuries past, Betsy believes she is special, privileged, and entitled to treatment that allows her to be untroubled by the burdens of normal Americans. You know, troubles like paying taxes into the society that allows her to live her pampered lifestyle.
Michiganders need to not be fooled by Betsy’s latest assault on public schools. Let Kids Learn is another craven attempt by a spoiled, wealthy greed monster and her family to turn into law yet another tax break for the wealthy.