What Does Money Buy?

Oregon teachers' unions spend $347 per teacher for union activities such as combating ballot initiatives that would weaken their stance or cause a reduction in their benefit packages. This compared with the national average of $22, we are #1 on this measure!

This is more than the $250 tax credit permitted teachers for purchase of classroom supplies. I suppose people make choices with their discretionary income.. Or do they?
* A lack of resources combined with a commitment to your students, results in buying classroom supplies (I would too).
* Union pay - well ok fair share (where you don't have a choice in paying union dues if your group is represented), and the CAPE (additional political action contributions you can sign up for).

Lets compare these choices: one is constructive participation in the learning process. One is purely political - protecting the status quo: tenure not merit pay, endless ESL at the expense of other academic programs. So my kid, going to public school (unlike candidate Kitzhaber's son..), is not able to take Calculus BC AP, so that my landscaper's kid can get several years of ESL math.

Is this the way to build our economy? What does money buy you = lobbyists lobbyists lobbyists. They don't always look like the well-heeled fast-talking types lining the hallways of the Capitol building in Salem. Sometimes they look like your kid's classroom teacher. But the effect is the same. Money buys influence.

I wonder - if I was a landscaper would I want my kid to have 3 years of ESL math - or a chance to take more AP classes as a senior. These aren't even choices that parents are making. Money seems to be making these choices.