Republicans don't want Obama talking to children?

[mcnabb]

I don't have a problem with Obama speaking to students, cause if I was a kid it would have been cool to see the President Address us. I will say I don't like that the Department of Education is getting themselves into this conversation, because it looks alittle political, whether it is or not.

Just give to context to the situation, if George Bush Sr. addressed the nation in 1991, I was in Highschool, and I can't remember it at all! Obama and Conservatives maybe wasting their time on both fronts.

[TheBigDave]

Originally Posted by kvrdave

It is generally the ones opposing those in power that do it. So I agree. Right now it is the right. But I had to put up with the left doing it for so many years that I am loving this.

I've gotta admit, after 8 years of Bush bashing, I'm loving it too.

[Brack]

Originally Posted by kvrdave

It is generally the ones opposing those in power that do it. So I agree. Right now it is the right. But I had to put up with the left doing it for so many years that I am loving this.

so how was the left guilty of the things they were opposed to?

[Brack]

Originally Posted by Rockmjd23

I don't have a problem with what Obama is doing, but it is absurd to compare it to W's photo-ops with pre-schoolers.

I know, that one was a completely worthless idea.

[General Zod]

Originally Posted by Brack

I do love the "see, look, they're just as bad as we are" routine that is so common with the right. they didn't learn anything from themselves then, even worse.

Did they call Bush I a socialist?

You said democrats didn't complain when George W. did it. I told you George W. never did it. Over the weeks you've made up many facts to make your points and while most people ignore it.. I'm just not that nice.

Both sides do the "just as bad as we are" stuff. I never said either side was right or wrong instead I called it "Crap" from both sides in my first post. I guarantee you if W. had wanted to do this the Democrats would have yelled and screamed just as much as the Republicans today - and so it will go on the next time a president wants to do it. Neither side is going to "learn anything". It's politics man.

[Brack]

Originally Posted by General Zod

You said democrats didn't complain when George W. did it. I told you George W. never did it. Over the weeks you've made up many facts to make your points and while most people ignore it.. I'm just not that nice.

I didn't make up facts, I just wasn't being specific enough I suppose, my apologies.

Originally Posted by General Zod

Both sides do the "just as bad as we are" stuff. I never said either side was right or wrong instead I called it "Crap" from both sides in my first post. I guarantee you if W. had wanted to do this the Democrats would have yelled and screamed just as much as the Republicans today - and so it will go on the next time a president wants to do it. Neither side is going to "learn anything". It's politics man.

That's also the common rebuttal for this. "It's politics." No it isn't. What policies are being discussed?

Did they call Bush I a socialist?

[General Zod]

Originally Posted by Brack

I didn't make up facts, I just wasn't being specific enough I suppose, my apologies.

You did but I wouldn't expect you to admit it.

Originally Posted by Brack

That's also the common rebuttal for this. "It's politics." No it isn't. What policies are being discussed?

Did they call Bush I a socialist?

Politics is not just discussing policies. Accusing the other side of doing mischievous things is, unfortunately, all part of it.

I don't know what they called Bush I. This was almost 19 years ago and to be honest there's not as much information out there about what was said. However here's some of what was said:

Dick Gephardt: "The Department of Education should not be producing paid political advertising for the president, it should be helping us to produce smarter students, And the president should be doing more about education than saying, 'Lights, camera, action.'"

Congresswoman Patricia Schroeder said it showed "the arrogance of power," and that the White House should not be "using precious dollars for campaigns" when "we are struggling for every silly dime we can get" for education.

And I don't hear anyone calling Obama a socialist because he wants to address these children. They are calling him a socialist because he is pushing socialist policies and a socialist agenda. If he doesn't like the label he should change his direction.

[Brack]

Originally Posted by General Zod

You did but I wouldn't expect you to admit it.

I really was just talking about Bush talking to school children. If you don't believe me, I don't know what to tell you.

Originally Posted by General Zod

Politics is not just discussing policies. Accusing the other side of doing mischievous things is, unfortunately, all part of it.

I don't know what they called Bush I. This was almost 19 years ago and to be honest there's not as much information out there about what was said. However here's some of what was said:

Dick Gephardt: "The Department of Education should not be producing paid political advertising for the president, it should be helping us to produce smarter students, And the president should be doing more about education than saying, 'Lights, camera, action.'"

Congresswoman Patricia Schroeder said it showed "the arrogance of power," and that the White House should not be "using precious dollars for campaigns" when "we are struggling for every silly dime we can get" for education.

And I don't hear anyone calling Obama a socialist because he wants to address these children. They are calling him a socialist because he is pushing socialist policies and a socialist agenda. If he doesn't like the label he should change his direction.

That's not what I consider politics, I don't care about your definition.

How is Obama controlling means of production?

[crazyronin]

Originally Posted by Brack

Did they call Bush I a socialist?

"That fucking pinko?"

[CRM114]

Originally Posted by Groucho

There's all kinds of outrage in Utah. Parents and administrators are FURIOUS about this. Of course, if George Bush wanted to read "My Pet Goat" to the kids they'd be creaming their pants at the opportunity to broadcast that.

Do parents in Utah no teach their children to respect the President of the United States? This country has gone insane.

Everyone knows how I felt about George Bush but I would never be upset if my child listened to THE PRESIDENT speak.

[CRM114]

Originally Posted by dork

Oddly, the following part seems to be missing from the helpful link above:

Because writing a letter to President is ...? Help me out here.

[CRM114]

Originally Posted by General Zod

Yes this isn't the first time a president has addressed children in school and yes the Democrats thew a complete fit when Bush wanted to do it in 1991. It's just stupid "The president wants to push his Democrat/Republic agenda on my children!" crap.

I think all could have been avoided if they simply sent a copy of the text to the schools so that parents could read it ahead of time. Once they saw it wasn't political and just a "Study hard. Help make this a better country.." type stuff I don't think there would have been this outrage. Instead it was very sparse on details and yes they did put in a line about Obama "telling children what they can do to help the president" and what in the world does Obama need help with right now? Healthcare? Bailouts? So that's why, I think, people freaked out about this so much.

Like I said it's silly. I don't think he would dare push any sort of agenda with the speech (If he does he's really stupid) so I say just calm down and let the guy have his 15 mins with the kiddies.

Are you serious? He is THE PRESIDENT speaking to CHILDREN. What could he possibly say that would be controversial? There is no Santa? Hey kids, guess what your mom and dad are doing when you are sleeping?

[General Zod]

Originally Posted by CRM114

Do parents in Utah no teach their children to respect the President of the United States? This country has gone insane.

Everyone knows how I felt about George Bush but I would never be upset if my child listened to THE PRESIDENT speak.

I'm with you. I think it's a good thing.

Like I said had they been more detailed about what he was going to say (like release a transcript) it would probably make those that were concerned about what he was going to say feel more at ease. I mean look at it this way if Bush were busy trying to push through his patriot act through congress and it was turning badly and he said "I want to talk to the Children" I could understand some major concern for those who opposed the bill that he was going to try to convince their children to help push his agenda. But, stepping back, I don't think Bush would have done that and I don't think Obama is going to do that. I just have more faith in the office I suppose than the wackos in Utah or wherever else that would seriously think the Obama is going to ask kids to push for health-care program. Come on.

Edit: I just answered your last question. While I could come up with all sort of "What he could possibly say" stuff.. I don't think he would say any of it. I don't like Obama's direction of things but I feel he's got the best interest of these kids at heart in this situation. Something I think everyone should be giving him the benefit of the doubt on.

[zombeaner]

Originally Posted by wendersfan

That's a little different then. It's still crazy, but different.Since a lot of this seems to be happening in Texas you might be on to something.

I am a student teacher in Texas, and I haven't actually checked if my school is showing the address. I certainly hope so. The school I work in, in Dallas ISD is about 95% ethnic minority students, mostly black and Latino. They would benefit greatly from this, not only because of the "stay in school" message, but because of the person from whom the message is coming. The school is also 93% lower income families, and many ethnic minorities in lower income situations are not too fond of white people in power, to an exaggerated degree. I believe that they have reason to be distrustful, but I think that many of the parents may stress it more than they realize. Having a person of authority, who has succeeded, and who looks like them telling them the benefits of staying in school and working hard may just have a positive effect. I can almost guarantee that the parents of the students in my school wouldn't object.

[classicman2]

Maybe someone can explain it to me.

What is the big deal about this? Isn't it much ado about nothing?

[General Zod]

Just paranoid extremists afraid that Obama is just to try to push some agenda.. When it comes extremists I always recommend ignoring them.

So yes

[Brack]

They are calling him a socialist because he is pushing socialist policies and a socialist agenda. If he doesn't like the label he should change his direction.

I still fail to see how Obama's trying to control the means of production of all major industries.

[zombeaner]

Originally Posted by classicman2

Isn't it much ado about nothing?

Yes.

[crazyronin]

Originally Posted by CRM114

Because writing a letter to President is ...? Help me out here.

No problems, but they did go overboard with some of the after-speech classroom materials

[TheBigDave]

Wait 'til you see the summer school program.

[Tommy Ceez]

Originally Posted by classicman2

Maybe someone can explain it to me.

What is the big deal about this? Isn't it much ado about nothing?

oh I think you know

[John Drake]

If Dubya were to have insisted on addressing schoolchildren, with his Department of Education issuing a set of questions asking why it was important to listen to the president, the day before he was schedule to address the nation on the importance of going to war with Iraq, would anyone have objected?

[JasonF]

Originally Posted by kvrdave

Obama plans to hold a large scale audio format/lecture for children, presumably to let them know why our race is superior, the danger of the Jews, etc.

Do people not understand just how horrific the Nazis were? Lately -- the past decade or so -- it seems like people throw around comparisons to Hitler as if the Holocaust were just something mildly bad, and not evil on an unprecedented scale. I mean, I get that people want to paint the other side as bad, but there's regular bad and there's genocide bad, and the two are nowhere near the same league.

Bah. Ignore me. I'm just pissy that we live in a world where Pat Buchanan can write a column blaming Poland for forcing Hitler to invade them without any repercussions to his media job.

[JasonF]

Originally Posted by Ky-Fi

This is rather notable---that so many parents nationwide would be opposed to having their children hear a speech from the President of the United States. I'm not sure there's too much of a precedent for that.

President Reagan and the first President Bush both did it. To be fair, there was a lot of carping from Democrats when President Bush did it. It was silly then and it's silly now. He's the President of the United States. f course he should be able to give a speech to schoolkids.

I think there's just huge distrust of Obama from a lot of sources, and I think there's good reason for that. A prime example would be gay marriage. Obama has come out and said that he thinks marriage should be between a man and a woman. Does ANYONE on this forum, even JasonF, really believe that that's Obama's true feeling on the matter?

He's a churchgoing black man. It's certainly not implausible. But it's one thing to think the guy is shading his positions for public consumption (I'm sure he is -- everyone does). It's another thing to think that if he talks to your kid for 15 minutes he's going to ... I don't even know what people think he's going to do. Convince them all to go Helter Skelter on their parents?

[TheBigDave]

Originally Posted by JasonF

I'm just pissy that we live in a world where Pat Buchanan can write a column blaming Poland for forcing Hitler to invade them without any repercussions to his media job.

I'm pretty sure Buchanan has photos of Immelt & Zucker in a compromising position.