As a progressive Pennsylvanian and an educator, I was appalled by the budget proposal made by our brand spanking new Republican Governor, Tom Corbett, the other day. Corbett has proposed cutting funding to state supported colleges and universities by 50 %. Yes, you read that right: support reduced by half. I know that the administration at the university where I teach had a worst-case scenario for a 20 % reduction in state funding. But fifty percent? If he had any, the university's financial officer would be tearing his hair out right now.
Progressives do not need a whole lot of convincing that money for public education is a good thing. An educated electorate is more likely to be able to think and make reasonable choices, after all. The minds of the masses are enlightened! Doors are opened that would never have been noticed, leading to life-changing experiences! Etc!
That's all well and good if your state legislators are liberal Democrats who are swayed by such arguments. Indeed, it will probably not be necessary to argue at all to get a Democratic legislator in the side of adequate funding for education. I'm not so lucky. Both my Representative in the State Assembly and my Senator are Republicans. Despite efforts to unseat them, they remain entrenched. And so, it is necessary to fashion an argument that can appeal to Republicans. That is, one based on money.
It's hard to appeal to Republicans by appealing to their hearts because most of them seem to lack that particular organ. One has to be hard-headed and practical. And so, in my letter to my legislators, I have put the state economy front and center. Yes, the budget proposal gives all sorts of breaks to gas prospectors who frack and despoil groundwater. Yes, big business is left off the hook, etc, etc. None of those arguments is going to be effective, because they don't care about any of that. Indeed, they probably view these to be positive aspects of the budget proposal. But they might be swayed if they are led to consider the economic consequences to cuts in education.
I don't know if it will do any good, and I realize that my letter a bit longer than optimal, but I think the argument is a solid one. Here it is:
Dear Senator ___,
As your constituent, I urge you to oppose the cuts to state supported higher education in Governor Corbett's proposed budget. These cuts threaten to increase the cost of a college education so as to place it out of the reach for many poor and middle-class Pennsylvanians. As it is now, the number one cause for college students to drop out is that they can't afford to continue.
Reducing affordable access to higher education, as the proposed cuts would do, flies in the face of the goal of invigorating Pennsylvania's economy, for two reasons:
1. In order to compete in the economy of the 21st century, workers need skills that they learn in college. The Governor's proposed cuts will make it more difficult for Pennsylvanians of modest means to obtain those skills. With fewer potential employees, businesses that need highly skilled college graduates will bypass Pennsylvania as a place to locate in favor of a state where there are more college graduates with the skills they seek.
2. Most jobs in the private sector are created by small businesses, and the lion's share of small businesses are started by college graduates. Adopting a policy that reduces the number of college graduates in Pennsylvania will reduce the number of small business starts, and the number of new jobs as a consequence.
This is not even to mention the fact that those locked out of college by increased costs will have their earning potential reduced, making their lives more difficult.
Sound fiscal policy requires that one always thinks about the future, anticipating both potential dangers and opportunities. By such a measure, Governor Corbett's proposed budget is breathtakingly short-sighted. Providing adequate funds for higher education makes an investment that pays back many times the amount invested.
In conclusion, the cuts to higher education in the Governor's proposed policy are bad economics for Pennsylvania. I urge you to oppose these cuts, for the future of the state.
Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
If you are a Pennsylvanian who is represented in Harrisburg by a Republican or two, don't just give up! Express your distress over this budget proposal! If implemented in its current form, it will be an unmitigated disaster! But don't focus on the environment. Don't focus on the poor, or income inequality. Republicans don't care about any of that. And whatever you do, don't suggest increasing taxes on the wealthy! Such a mention will probably get your message sent directly to the circular file.
But if you can couch your argument in terms of the effect of the budget proposal on the economy, and your representative isn't a complete idiot (admittedly, a potential problem in many cases), then you might be able to persuade your Republican representative to do the right thing.
In any case, since both houses of the State Legislature are controlled by Republicans, persuading Republicans that this budget proposal is a bad idea is our only hope to at least mitigate some of it.