Okay... we've officially hit a point where the GOP is "off their rocker".
President Obama plans to give a little pep-talk to school kids next week as they return to school.
His plan is to talk about staying in school, working hard, and achieving educational goals.
Sounds good right? I would like my kids to hear that positive message.
Nope,
Florida Republican Party Chairman Jim Greer issued a press release Tuesday slamming the plan, saying he is "absolutely appalled that taxpayer dollars are being used to spread President Obama's socialist ideology."
Seriously? I don't even know what to say here.
If President Bush had been thoughtful enough to do this, I'd have been thrilled. I'll even give him the benefit of the doubt that he had talked about the importance of exercise to children, if I remember correctly... I don't think that's an indoctrination to the conservative agenda.
The fact is that no matter what this president does, the GOP will be against it. President Obama has a long standing record of fighting for Education. Let's see the GOP try and step up and do something to help kids graduate besides taking away sex education.
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May I post a link to this? Seriously, I can't say it any better!
Absolutely!!!
It doesn't matter if Obama is acting like Mother Teresa, the conservatives are going to find something to bitch about. That's their nature.
President George H.W. Bush made a similar address to schools in 1991. Like Obama, Bush drew criticism, with Democrats accusing the Republican president of making the event into a campaign commercial.
In many ways, it wasn’t simply the address that rankled conservatives, but a pair of proposed lesson plans, for young students and middle- to high-schoolers. The initial classroom activities made available on the Education Department’s website were characterized by Malkin as having an “activist bent.”
Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0909/26744_Page2.html#ixzz0Q8nnc5dn
Patrick,
Maybe us liberals were irritated with Bush addressing schools because he never took education seriously and partied his way thru school.
It was embarrassing to watch Bush speak to any group of people.
He was the most inarticulate President we've ever had...and it's not like he wrote his own speeches, he just needed to read them properly.
Obviously, that was too hard for him.
The Shrub's father actually DID do this when he was President. With the difficult job our teachers have, with the challenges schools have with budgets being cut drastically and students coming to school with more and more issues at home, God forbid the President should support the message of setting goals and staying in school! Because, by golly, the commie idea of an educated populace isn't in our American philosophy!!! Oh, uh, wait a minute...it's one of the major tenets of our democracy. I guess the GOP right-wing nutters forgot...
I simply cannot believe that they're allowing their idiocy to show so blatantly! Great post, Jen!
MG,
At least Bush did not have lesson plans for the kiddies to go along with his speeches.
Also why show this speech in classrooms why not show it in the evening while the kiddies are home with their parents?
As a side note MG, while Obama can talk (give ya that) he is a typical politician that has mastered talking out of the side of his mouth. Parents not the government need to emphasis that education is important to the kiddies. Every time government steps into an arena be it health, education, etc. they do a half assed job.
What's wrong with doing an interactive speech and getting people and kids involved?
It's amazing at the memory skills of most conservatives.
Bush's speeches were embarrassing. My 16 year old used to count how many times he said, "ummmm" and paused to appear to be 'thinking'. Constipation maybe?
Don't be giving Bush any props about education. His administration damaged our public school system more in 8 years that any known President. His 'no child left behind' has stripped our the most needy school districts of teachers, money and education. Job well done from a former Yale flunky!
I'm just glad I don't have to sit through any more of Bush's public addresses. My 11 years is a better public speaker.
Don't you agree that Bush was just Cheney's little sock puppet?
Your so right girl (MommaP) god forbid we give support to our public schools!!
We wouldn't want to be educating anyone except the rich. It's not in our best interest to educate people, then they might start thinking for themselves!!!
I hope we can reverse the damage of Bush's 'no child left behind' which has left behind every minority district in shambles. Good job.
What's wrong with doing an interactive speech and getting people and kids involved?
People? The kids are being targeted not the parents.
If he was targeting parents and the kids I would be all for it :-)
I didnt give Bush props regarding education. I totally agree NCLB is a complete failure, teachers now teach for the tests and that is all. But lets agree at least that the public education system in this country (majority of the area) is a failure and was a failure even before Bush started this NCLB crap.
As long as parents regardless if they are piss poor or uber rich do not instill the fact that education is important in their kids a large majority of kids will not want to learn or excel in school. The problem starts in the home and is further exasperated in the schools. I think government should get the heck outta the education business!
I hope we can reverse the damage of Bush's 'no child left behind' which has left behind every minority district in shambles. Good job.
It is not just the minority districts that NCLB has effected totally effected the suburbs too.
Perhaps if this country stopped insisting that every child needs a college education and realized that some kids are not college material but trade school material we could finally get the education system moving in the right direction.
His 'no child left behind' has stripped our the most needy school districts of teachers, money and education. Job well done
Oh that explains why Obama sends his girls to private schools and does not utilize the local public school system =)
The kids are being targeted not the parents.
Targeted? He's not trying to prep them for gestapo school, he's telling them how important an education is. Seriously. Lighten up. If it was any other president - when it was any other president - nobody got so up in arms.
Actually Sue another President did do this (talk to kids) and the other side did raise a fuss.
Who gives a shit Patrick?
Shouldn't school children be addressed and told/shown what the President (any President) plans to do with education?
It concerns them.
And they're a hell of a lot smarter than anyone gives them credit.
Who gives a shit Patrick?
I dont know who does?!? I just like to point out Obama is not getting any special treatment regarding his speech, similar outrage has been shown to past presidents too.
Shouldn't school children be addressed and told/shown what the President (any President) plans to do with education?
Sure but that is not what Obama talked about now is it?! Reading a copy of the speech it was a rah-rah for staying in school, taking education seriously etc.
Oh yes Patrick, what kind of conspiracy theory are you hatching today?
Obama's trying to turn all school children into mindless socialist minions?
Please, it was a fucking speech.
Give it up already.
Sounds to me like a slow news week, and the GOPers and conservative right wingers were taking a break from their media circle jerk.
Oooooh, did you keep your kids home from school? Or call the school to complain?
MG-
Lucky me my kids did not start school till yesterday.
And your right it was just a fucking speech, nothing special (yawn).
Now make sure your kids teachers follow those lesson plans and write the President letters and whatever other bullshit they suggest =)
Oh and MG I was not one that touted a "conspiracy" theory I simply pointed out the facts that Obama was not the only president to be criticized for this type of speech.
Golly Gee who gives a hoot, a large majority of kids I am sure either did not watch it or feel asleep during it =)
That lesson plan thing was nonsense.
The actual question about "helping the President" was..
How can you help the President meet his goal of having (whatever % - don't know exact #) of students graduating by 2020?
That's a reasonable question to ask... nothing sinister there. Of course it had to be made to sound devious.
Jen,
At this point I think anything our president does/says will be attacked because it boils down to racism. I look at my congressional representative, Dana Rohrabacher, and he features a video clip of Glenn Beck on his official website. How more racist can you get?
Good blog. I found you through Momma Politico. I'll keep reading and I'm happy to know I'm not alone. I, too, want to hand my children a better world than the one I am seeing now.
Ah Patrick, ye of the hidden Blogger profile. Show yourself--unless you have something to hide.
It is racism, Patrick. Glenn Beck is a racist and his attacks on our president are racially motivated. Joe Wilson's response was knee-jerk racism.
For once, we have an educated, intelligent, well-spoken president who is genuinely interested in bettering our country. I don't know about you, but those are qualities I want in my leader.
Margaret-
My response was a "general" response to Obama supporters. Not everyone that disagrees with Obama is racist (is the point I was attempting to make)
There are some out there that do not support Obama that are racist but lets not lump all us non-supporters with the racists.
For once, we have an educated, intelligent, well-spoken president who is genuinely interested in bettering our country. I don't know about you, but those are qualities I want in my leader.
We have a President that can read a TelePrompTer well, well educated, ok if you say so--an IVY education does not guarantee intelligence , interested in bettering our country I can agree with Just not how he is going about it.
Jen - Right on.
I found some fun stuff here on this issue. That's my way of coping with all the boggarts involved - shouting "Riddikulous!" There's also some good serious commentary.
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