ABSTRACT
The 2008 Republican platform echoed Democratic human capital goals in titling its education section: “Education Means a More Competitive America.”1 The necessity of education for global competition is captured in the opening lines of the platform’s education section: “Education is a parental right, a state and local responsibility, and a national strategic interest. Maintaining America’s preeminence requires a world-class system of education, with high standards, in which all students can reach their potential.”2
