George H.W. Bush: “All right, I'll give you an example. That's a great idea. Now I'll give you an example. We know that our schools have to…”

“All right, I'll give you an example. That's a great idea. Now I'll give you an example. We know that our schools have to improve. If we're going to compete, they've got to improve. I believe competition can be a force for good in education, just as it's been a force for greatness in American industry. Earlier this year I sent a proposal to Capitol Hill, a ``GI bill'' for kids to give States and localities the flexibility to allow parents, not government, to choose the schools their kids attend, public, private, or religious. A few weeks ago this came before the gridlocked Congress, a brandnew proposal, and they killed it. Why did this great idea fail? It failed, according to news reports, because the Democratic leadership did not want to give me credit for a new idea in education. Now, that is not progress. That is gridlock, and they are doing it to the taxpayer in this country. Let me be a little more specific. I'm a little tired of Congressmen that talk one way in Michigan and vote different in Washington. I'll give you an example. One of those Democratic leaders that blocked this new proposal in education is named Congressman Ford, Bill Ford. He has stood against school choice and just about every education reform I have put forward. And what's worse, Governor of Arkansas agrees with him. Audience members. Boo-o-o!”