By Neil the Ethical Werewolf Ezra has called for more progressive policy ideas, and one that I'd really like to see more discussion of is making publicly funded preschool available to all kids. The most obvious good thing about this is its potential as an educational improvement. The years before kids go into kindergarten are good times for them to learn all sorts of things, and it'd be nice to offer them an environment that will help with learning. If you're worried about inner-city highschool students being unable to do basic math, you might want to help them learn more at the beginning so the whole process of education can move forward. While going to college is in some part a positional good, going to preschool is an absolute good. Free preschool will also help parents "combine work and family and not go crazy," in Garance Franke-Ruta's memorable phrase, as it'll provide much-needed child care for working families. I also like it as an FDR-style public works program -- it creates preschool teaching jobs while doing useful stuff for the country.