So, dear NHGOP, let me pose the following question to you: HOW MUCH DOES AN “ADEQUATE” TEACHER COST? And now, dear NHGOP, a follow-up question: IS DETERMINING THE COST OF AN “ADEQUATE” TEACHER A LEGAL QUESTION OR A POLITICAL QUESTION?
And before you answer, dear NHGOP, consider that the people of New Hampshire may, and probably do, value “adequate” police protection, “adequate” firefighting, “adequate” roads, “adequate” sanitation, etc., etc., etc. every bit as much, and in some cases more … than an “adequate” education. And what that means, dear NHGOP, is that the cost of an “adequate” teacher CANNOT be determined in a vacuum … i.e., in a courtroom … it must be done in the context of all our other needs and wants: police, fire, roads, sanitation, etc.
In other words, dear NHGOP, to cut to the chase … the cost of an “adequate” education … is OBVIOUSLY and UNDENIABLY a political question—a question to be determined at the ballot box. And when the judiciary overrides the people’s determination of how much to spend on public education versus police, firefighters, etc., etc. … WHICH, DUMMIES, IS EXACTLY WHAT THE CONVAL LITIGATION ENTAILS … then the judiciary is attacking our democracy.
No question that the above will be met with scorn and a smirk from the NHGOP leaders: “the difference is that an adequate education is a ‘constitutional right.'” Yup … and, if you believe that, you probably also believe that Obamacare reduced the cost of your healthcare, that we are days away from finding the WMDs in Iraq, and that the COVID vaccines “work.” In other words, you are a lemming, incapable of independent thought … and simply believe whatever the authority figure tells you to believe.
How much to spend on public education is … for the reasons shown above … OBVIOUSLY AND UNDENIABLY a political question. To reiterate: if a court decrees that “adequacy” is not being “fully funded” then the Legislature must, in response, either raise taxes or cut spending elsewhere, right? Well … if you responded “right” … then you have conceded that the court is setting tax policy and determining spending priorities. These are political questions, not legal questions.
BUT, our feckless, useless NHGOP treats the abnormal … courts setting tax policy and determining spending priorities, WHICH ARE ACTUAL ATTACKS ON DEMOCRACY … as normal.
