Nashville News Blog

"And so, my fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for me." Barry O.

Not quite Kennedy, is he?

There are no adults left in the republican party, no one to offer a sane, responsible, intelligent position on things like birthers, deathers, speechers, etc. The republican leadership has been cowered into submission by the hate radio types. Has Billy Bob Corker figured out who is president yet?

The nurses are looking for you, Randal.

Have you guys actually read the Lesson Plan?

Here:

http://www.ed.gov/teachers/how/lessons/prek-6.pdf

"What can I do to help the President? What does the President want me to do? What does he want my teacher, parents, etc to do?"

Students should: “Write letters to themselves about what they can do to help the president. These would be collected and redistributed at an appropriate later date by the teacher to make students accountable to their goals.”

Notice it also asks: “what can you do to help the president" not, “what can you do to help your country."

This new facet of the Cult of Personality is not earth shattering, nor is it the proverbial "Straw." It is merely another push to love our dear leader. This is simply how the current administration functions. We knew this when we held our noses and cast our ballots.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqcPA1ysSbw&feature=player_embedded

Be sure to say your Pledge.

A better question might be what can we do to help you Randal? Because it sounds like you need help pretty bad.

This is ALMOST funny. Rants against kid talk of "helping our President" and volunteered Hitler quotes from paranoid crypto-fascists who just a year ago were regularly referring to THAT President as "Our Commander in Chief"...

These people may not want to have elections--but we had one.

That's right Studs - our last commander in chief who during his school speech asked kids to donate a dollar to help school kids in Afghanistan. No politics there. Or Reagan who during his school speech talked about tax cuts and nuclear proliferation. No politics there.

Randal, have you read the lesson plan that you put a link to? It doesn't ask "what can I do to help the president?" And even if it did, the speech will say what the president wants them to do is do well in school, what is so wrong with getting kids to think about what they can do to help themselves do well in school?

I would encourage everyone in Williamson County (who has any sense left) to contact Dr. Heath, (acting super of the system) and let him know how ridiculous the current policy is. I'll try to get some contact info up soon.

This is not a new thing at all. George H.W. Bush made two televised speeches to students. Reagan made one. George W. Bush asked students to donate money to Afghan children after we went to war.

Look for the education quotes from W. It was an amazing eight years!

http://politicalhumor.about.com/od/bushquotes/a/dumbbushquotes.htm

Really, I have no dog in this hunt.

I do think that it is curious that the current administration continues to drop the ball on issues as simple as making a speech to America's school children. Does anyone remember any outrage against Bush or Reagan when they addressed our kids? No, because they were clear in their message and stay far from hot topics. Regan didn't address abortion and Bush didn't talk about them "evil" homosexuls.

Go ahead and read the text of Reagan's last speech to the kids.

http://www.reagan.utexas.edu/archives/speeches/1988/111488c.htm

Except for a bit of "Say No to Drugs" silliness, the discussion was very patriotic and inconsequential. The questions were hard and topical.

I have yet to read the text of the upcoming speech. We will see if Rahm and Co. can reach the same low bar set by Reagan. I have my doubts.

We like gumption, and we make hefty servings of it.

Marvin,

Page 2 of the first .pdf.

"Write letters to themselves about what they can do to help the President. These would be collected and redistributed at an appropriate later date by the teacher to make the students accountable....."

Little steps, simple steps, and down the road we go.

Karl was correct.

http://www.conservativeusa.org/10planksofcommunism.htm

It just takes "10 Little Steps."

Silly Little Jamesela,

I know for a fact that neither you nor any of the other nattering naybobs on this site have read the speech.

How's that? Barry's boys haven't posted the text yet. They are probably running around the Oval Office, red ink in hand, trying to turn this blunder into a easily swept away distraction.

Good catch, GL.

Looks like someone got smart and edited the link.

Here is the original text. See page two.

http://www.docstoc.com/docs/10582301/President-Obama%E2%80%99s-Address-to-Students-Across-America-September-8-2009

Oh my, Foxy,

Who is the liar now?

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2009/09/obamas-back-to-school-message----scribbled-with-some-controversy.html

"In an acknowledgment that the Department of Education provided lesson plans written somewhat inartfully, surrounding the President Obama’s speech to students next Tuesday, the White House today announced that it had rewritten one of the sections in question."

No apology necessary. One would think that in this day and age, our leaders would vet EVERYTHING before they posted it to the never forgetful Internet.

Randal--have you even read the lesson plans you posted? The phrase "help the president" is no where in the document.

You might want to see a doctor about those delusions.

Jamesela, GL, are you SURE you guys aren't working for the GOP?

Why else would you keep pitching softballs that directly attack the credibility and competence of the current administration?

The Lesson Plan was changed after a groundswell of outrage. The Whitehouse acknowledges this.

http://blog.heritage.org/2009/09/03/politicizing-the-department-of-education/

"On Wednesday evening however, the administration edited part of the pre-k-6 lesson plans after public outcry about enlisting children’s participation in political activities. The original lesson plan asked children to “write letters to themselves about what they can do to help the president.” It has since been changed to say “Write letters to themselves about how they can achieve their short-term and long-term education goals.”"

Actually Randal, GHW Bush did face some complaints about his using his address to students as a political tool.

Jesus.

I clearly remember watching Reagan's address to schoolkids on CSPAN in 1988; in the Q&A, he even covered the national debt, taxes, and gun control -- at the time controversial topics, all.

It no more turned me into a raving conservative than my repeated viewings of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy turned me gay.

The only parents who have a problem with a sitting President wanting to address schoolkids about education are probably embarrased by or masking over the fact that they've raised kids incapable of rational thought. Quit treating kids like they're a bunch of shrinking violets.

I think the most problematic part of this whole thing is the idea that if you don't like the president or something he is doing that you just get to opt out of it. I think that's a troubling message to send to school kids.

There were many things done with my tax dollars, in my name as a U.S. citizen, under G.W. Bush that I did not agree with and I protested where I could, wrote to lawmakers to make my feelings known, etc. But in the end it's part of living in a democratic society - you can't just obey the laws you agree with or follow the rules you like.

These teabaggers, birthers, and other unstable raving lunatics and the talk show hosts who are encouraging them are like children testing their boundaries. They will push and push to see how far they can go and how much they can undermine the credibility and authority of a democratically elected President. Pull your kids out of school because the President of our nation is addressing them? When in history would this ever have been considered a rational thing to do?

Dissent is one thing, disagreeing with your government is completely rational and should be encouraged in a democracy - but things like refusing to deploy overseas in a war because you claim the President isn't American and doesn't have authority to order you to war? Things like standing outside a Presidential speech with a loaded gun and sign about watering the tree of liberty? Saying that you don't want the leader of our country talking to your child in school? It's a public school, run by the freaking government and he's the leader of the government - what's inappropriate about that?

It's all madness, completely crazy and surreal and I just can't fathom why not just citizens but lawmakers and "leaders" of the Republican party think this is an acceptable way to debate issues in this country.

"Demoralize the enemy from within by surprise, terror, sabotage, assassination. Stamps are ideal for this purpose." - Adolph Hitler

"One man with a stamp can control 100 without one." - Vladimir Lenin

The hatred is especially scary considering the ignorance and the shrill level. Decent Republicans (are there any left?) better get this under control before the nuts go ballistic.

I consider my self a good person. But i truly do not like this man, I wish he would just go away. He is going to destroy this country. Why in god's name did he become president. He is literally killing this country before our very eye's.

What?

You are lying, Randall. Ronald Reagan spent a large portion of a speech to schoolchildren talking about his views on taxation. It was blatantly political.

Jeff Woods overdosed on his meds again. He describes conservative talk radio listeners as "zombies." We listen to conservative talk radio because we agree with a certain viewpoint and can get hard news that groupthink media suppresses, such as Obama's sleazy Chicago friends. These talk shows do not tell anyone what to do, unlike Obama, who has plenty of unwelcome advice for us freemen. Because we do not conform to Dear Leader's plans for a Worker's Paradise, he has now apparently turned his attention to the next generation. OK, Jeff, you can go back to your sitcom now.

The video of schoolchildren singing a song of praise to Obamalamadingdong is creepy. This is right out of Mao Zedong's little red playbook. Did Reagan or Bush I/II ever have schoolchildren sing songs about them, complete with ASL choreography? This is an act of violence. This is Mao's revolution.

Joe, most kids love Obama, regardless of their parents/grandparents shouting. In fact, it drives them to him. They see him without a racial prejudice as a Dad with two children about their own ages. He won,fair and square, so get over it. The more you disparge him, the more kids, who are shrewd judges of character, like him.

What's amazing is that these crazies are so insecure in their parenting that they think 15 minutes with Obama on TV will ruin all the values they've instilled since birth.

And aren't these the same people that claim they're being denied free speech because they can't disrupt health care reform town hall meetings? Are these same people now denying free speech to the president? Are they denying the right for their children to hear free speech as well? Or only if they don't agree....then it's not free speech, it's indoctrination.

Wonder what John Harwood, long-time Wall Street Journal White House correspondent, has to say -
http://bit.ly/etrWs

(Harwood joined The Wall Street Journal in 1991 as White House correspondent. He subsequently covered Congress and national politics, and became the Journal's National Political Editor in 1997. In 2006, Mr. Harwood joined CNBC, and a year later began writing for The New York Times.)

You got that right, President Davis.

Secession again!

Why are we still at war? Why do we still have the NSA illegal wiretaps, the wars, the bailouts, open borders, phoney war on terror, a contiuation of the Bush doctrine, an economy in freefall????
This is what we need to be talking about!!!!!

"Why are we still at war? Why do we still have the NSA illegal wiretaps, the wars, the bailouts, open borders, phoney war on terror, a contiuation of the Bush doctrine, an economy in freefall????
This is what we need to be talking about!!!!!"

Obama like Bush is just another puppet for the mega banks and the military industrial complex but if you figure this out, you are a racist

RH, you don't know what the term groupthink means, so I hereby sentence you to Wikipedia so you can do some l'arnin'. One of the hallmarks of groupthink is the desire to suppress dissent and criticism. Conservative talk radio IS dissent!

sueyyyy says that we should be childlike in our trust of Obama. I am not a child, and neither are you. You should have a healthy mistrust of anyone who wields power, unless you like being a slave or a lapdog.

NotJoe confuses conservatives with Republicans. I am NOT A REPUBLICAN! I am a conservative with strong libertarian views. You can be sure I do not advocate lawbreaking by government officials, regardless of affiliation. BTW it is only natural to hate that which is bad for you.

apokeintheeye thinks allowing my children to watch a videotaped speech should cause no harm. Parenting is not a democracy, and my children will learn my values, not the government's. You would do well to remember Nazi Germany, where children turned their parents in for candy.

Hey Randy. Saw your e-mail about "Obama's Muslim stamp" to "indoctrinate" our citizens.

Now, I know that the truth and the facts mean othing to hate-filled ignorant racists assholes, like you Randy. But here's a fact for you:

The Muslim holiday stamp is not new, and it wasn't "ordered" by President Obama.

In fact, the stamp was first issued in 2001, and was reissued in 2002, 2006, 2007 and 2008. I believe that Bush was President in all of those years. But eve he didn't "order" the stamp. Stamps go through a lengthy approval process that doesn't include the President. The US Postal Service is a government corporation, and it is not a part of the Executive Branch of Government.

According to the USPS, the stamp: “commemorates the two most important festivals— or eids — in the Islamic calendar: Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. On these days, Muslims wish each other ‘Eid mubarak,’ the phrase featured in Islamic calligraphy on the stamp. ‘Eid mubarak’ translates literally as ‘blessed festival,’ and can be paraphrased as ‘May your religious holiday be blessed.’"

Gee, that's just terrible, isn't it.

But the facts don't matter to a lying, racist, idiot asshole like Randy. Much better to foster anti-Muslim hate and throw in some hate for the President along with it. Typical right-wing crazy.

Children are very impressionable at that age and are not able to discern complex issues as such. As Michelle Malkin researched, 'Obama served with Weather Underground terrorist and neighbor Bill Ayers on the Chicago Annenberg Challenge education initiative. Downplaying academic achievement in favor of left-wing radical activism in the public schools is rooted in Ayers' pedagogical philosophy. Obama served as the program's first chairman of the board, while Ayers steered its curricular policy. The two oversaw grants to welfare rights enterprise ACORN and to avowed communist Michael Klonsky -- a close pal of Ayers and member of the militant Students for a Democratic Society. SDS served as a precursor to the violent Weather Underground organization. As investigative journalist Stanley Kurtz reported, Klonsky and Ayers teamed up on the so-called "small schools movement" to steer schoolchildren away from core academics to left-wing politicking on issues of "inequity, war and violence."
This is why informed parents do not trust the Educator-in-Chief and his "comrades."'

By the way, education is not listed as one of the functions of the Federal Government in Art.1, Sec.8 of the Constitution.

Anonymous - I wouldn't call anything Michelle Malkin writes "research"....

And now the problem isn't just the President of our nation talking to school kids, but education itself? Oh wow, good luck with that one. Good luck raising the next generation of leaders in this country if you view the entire education system as a socialist plot to take over the country.

"Birthers vs 9/11 truthers

I could not read all 75 posts but did note Conspiracy Buff holding forth. Assuming he does not watch FOX, I wondered if he missed that Obama communist pal, now ex-Czar Van Jones, interest in the 9/11 truthers? "

Van Jones was a truther. This could get interesting, seeing how Joe Bieden was said to be a major player. I bet the media doesnt march him out and ask him about it

Since education is not one of the roles of the Federal Government according to Art.1, Sec.8, it is reserved for the states and or the people according to the 10th amendment. The particulars in context with the general phrase, 'general welfare' define this term. Madison in Federalist Papers No. 41 agrees. Obama is illegally involving his office with education. Consider a statement by Michelle Malkin,

'Obama served with Weather Underground terrorist and neighbor Bill Ayers on the Chicago Annenberg Challenge education initiative. Downplaying academic achievement in favor of left-wing radical activism in the public schools is rooted in Ayers' pedagogical philosophy. Obama served as the program's first chairman of the board, while Ayers steered its curricular policy. The two oversaw grants to welfare rights enterprise ACORN and to avowed communist Michael Klonsky -- a close pal of Ayers and member of the militant Students for a Democratic Society. SDS served as a precursor to the violent Weather Underground organization.

As investigative journalist Stanley Kurtz reported, Klonsky and Ayers teamed up on the so-called "small schools movement" to steer schoolchildren away from core academics to left-wing politicking on issues of "inequity, war and violence."'

Given those ties, I would have fears of my child being indoctrinated by an illegal effort by the President.

It does not matter what Obama talks about because according to U.S. Code 20, Section 3403, the Secretary of Education, or any officer, is forbidden to engage in "any direction, supervision, or control over the curriculum, program of instruction, administration, or personnel of any educational institution, school, or school system."

Not behind:

Please don't confuse poor Charles and Howard any further. It's hard enough for them to think with their head up their ass.