Of Common Core, Electability and the Meet & Greet

   We traded thoughts on Common Core and electability at tonight's candidate meet & greet. I and Raymond Poole each wooed the delegates by walking the aisles, Poole with the benefit of a sign. Bruce Cutler had the benefit of a booth.

   While Cutler appears to have a little better advantage, financially, and has a polished website,  I came away it will  not be enough for him to win outright in convention, though it might be enough for him to take the nomination if it goes to a primary. (We shall see.) Poole now appears to me to have ever bit as much chance in convention, and probably more.

   I can only wonder about my own chances -- and hope. 

   I came away thinking my appeal for votes on the abortion issue achieved nothing, or at least not much. It is as if the delegates were saying, "All right, everyone is against abortion (in this party), but there is nothing you will be able to achieve on that national issue at the state level."

   (Ah, my friend, I say, there is. Please let me do this thing.)

   Common Core? That seems to be as big an issue this campaign cycle as anything. 

   Someone once said that that government which governs least, governs best, and my reply to that is that, no, that government that governs wisest, governs best. To govern wisely, you have to consider each issue, and study it before you decide. And, well, I haven't finished doing that with Common Core, yet.

   But, I have concluded one thing: Each teacher should be making the decision, supposing we give Common Core a green light, at all. Let the teacher decide which programs are to be used. In business settings, it is considered good management to give the person charged with a program free rein to use their own ideas, instead of micromanaging them. That same principle should be applied to our schools. If you have a good teacher who has his or her own ideas, give the teacher free rein. Let the teacher run his or her own program, instead of taking programs handed down from above. The teacher is much more likely to teach with passion if it is something of his or her choosing instead of something handed down from above.

   I've been thinking that whatever candidate the party chooses, with help from the party, he should be able to take the seat away from the Democrats. This is a Democrat-leaning district, though. Shawn Bradley lost in his effort to take it away from Democrat Tim Cosgrove four years ago. Imagine that: former NBA player and BYU great Shawn Bradley, running as a Republican -- in the state of Utah -- lost. (Maybe District 44 really isn't in Utah, I don't know.) Say what you will about how he didn't campaign, still the fact remains, he lost.

   The last person I spoke with tonight persuaded me that even party money behind whichever of the three of us is chosen might not be enough. Guess we shall see.