Does the Left now want to ban private education?

     The February 1, 2012 edition of the Lynchburg News and Advance published a letter to the editor that suggests it would be a good thing if private schools were banned "so the rich would be forced to invest in the public system." http://www2.newsadvance.com/news/2012/feb/01/letters-editor-wednesday-february-1-2012-ar-1653362/ The writer, Mr. David McLoughlin of Forest, attributes this notion to Warren Buffet, whom McLoughlin regards as "a wise old man with values."
     I did an Internet search to try to find the context for this idea attributed to Mr. Buffet. Apparently, in a conversation with Michelle Rhee, then chancellor of the abysmal District of Columbia public school system, Mr. Buffet said something to the effect that the public school disaster could be "easily" fixed by outlawing private education in the district. Whether or not this was a serious suggestion on Buffet's part is unclear. That McLoughlin thinks it is a good idea, I have no doubt.
     Consider what McLoughlin is suggesting: "to ban private schools so the rich would be forced to invest in the public system." One wonders if McLoughlin is aware of the constitutional guarantee of freedom of religion and assembly.
    What McLoughlin is proposing is a fascist state--a nation controlled from top to bottom by a tyrannical government. Yes, he wants a state where "the rich" will be "forced" to invest in something they might prefer not to invest in. Of course, they are already being "forced" through taxation to support public education, whether or not their own children benefit from those schools. But apparently this is not enough. No, McLoughlin wants a state where there is no choice in education, where the government closes private schools--an Orwellian state where persons are forced into conformity with the ideals of people like McLoughlin.
     I wonder into what other areas of society such "wisdom" might be applied? The Federal post office is struggling--well let’s just "ban" UPS and FedEx and "force" everyone to "invest" in the United States Post Office. Is Social Security broke? McLoughlin might suggest an easy solution--just outlaw private retirement investments and "force" more participation in the government plan.
     Of course, these notions are extreme, and would never be adopted by our government, would they? I am not so sure. In recent days the Obama administration has demanded that Catholic and other religious organizations, if offering health care benefits to employees, must provide contraceptive and sterilization coverage in health insurance plans. Of course, everyone knows this would violate fundamental teachings of the Catholic Church, and the consciences of many others as well. But those who craft such policies are not concerned with upholding the freedom of religion, but just the opposite. They know, if the Catholic Church is forced to comply, it will mean the end of Catholic hospitals, charities, and schools across this nation.
     What a few years ago would have been unthinkable is now near at hand. If those of the extreme left, like Mr. McLoughlin have their way, freedom in America will one day be a thing of distant memory.