By Ben Velderman
EAGnews.org

TRENTON, N.J. – New Jersey’s powerful teachers union has struck again.

Gov. Chris Christie told reporters at a recent news conference that Democrats – the political soldiers serving the nation’s teacher unions – have successfully prevented a $2 million private school voucher program from being included in the latest state budget.

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The Democrats are so strongly opposed to helping disadvantaged children escape from lousy public schools that they wouldn’t even consider the plan, reports NJ.com.

“I think it’s awful that they’re unwilling to do it. I think you all know why they’re unwilling to do it,” the governor said.

Yes, we do.

Like most Democrats throughout the U.S., New Jersey’s left-leaning politicians are financially and politically beholden to the teacher unions.

The unions, in turn, derive their money and power from their monopoly over public education.

As long as the unions’ monopoly is protected, the Dems can expect a pretty good financial support from election to election.

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It’s a vicious little cycle, but it’s also surprisingly fragile.

If students are given vouchers, many of them will leave their dysfunctional public schools for high-quality private schools. That would result in fewer dues-paying union teachers and less money in the union coffers.

The Democrats can’t afford to let that happen.

Democrats and union leaders are so desperate to protect their racket that they’ve willing to sacrifice children’s futures and leave them stuck in miserable schools.

How they’re able to sleep at night is anyone’s guess.

The only positive news from Christie’s news conference was his promise to keep pushing for vouchers.

“We’ll come back and have that fight next year,” he said.

And if Christie is re-elected in November – as the polls currently suggest  – he just might have enough political capital to make it happen in 2014.