In my deep memories of elementary school and junior high I had remembered listening to Presidents Reagan and Papa Bush speak to all of us on television. I had recently doubted those faint memories as I told myself that surely those two Presidents must not have spoken to school children. After all if they had attempted to speak to school children their conservative base must have decried the "indoctrination" of school children and threatened to pull their kids out of school in response. It turns out I was wrong on both fronts. Presidents Reagan and George H. W. Bush did in fact speak to school children in national addresses, and conservatives at the time did not react the same way t...

In my deep memories of elementary school and junior high I had remembered listening to Presidents Reagan and Papa Bush speak to all of us on television. I had recently doubted those faint memories as I told myself that surely those two Presidents must not have spoken to school children. After all if they had attempted to speak to school children their conservative base must have decried the "indoctrination" of school children and threatened to pull their kids out of school in response. It turns out I was wrong on both fronts. Presidents Reagan and George H. W. Bush did in fact speak to school children in national addresses, and conservatives at the time did not react the same way they are reacting to the Obama school address.

In the video below Fox News (known for their liberalism) reports that both Reagan and Bush addressed the nation's schoolchildren. Now conservatives may claim that the situation was different in that the Reagan and Bush addresses were non-partisan. First, most of the objections I have seen about the Obama address are not about the content of his message but rather the whole idea of students being "forced" to listen to the President. Second, President Obama's address much like that of Reagan and Bush is being previewed as a politically neutral message about hard work, setting educational goals, and staying in school.

Please, please, President Obama. Do not indoctrinate our "American Exceptionalism" students to set educational goals, stay in school, and work hard.

Why has the conservative right become so irrational today?

Surely this irrationality has to be based in something.

A great part of Reagan's address to school children was a policy speech: he touched on tax cuts, government spending, national defense, and foreign policy. Get a load of this bit:

We've been trying very hard in Washington to make America even more economically fit by really overhauling our entire tax structure.

When we came into office, the top personal tax rate that the Federal Government could put on your income was 70 percent.

Now, you can understand, I think, that if you were getting up in those brackets -- there were 14 different tax brackets, depending on the amount of money in each bracket you ear...

A great part of Reagan's address to school children was a policy speech: he touched on tax cuts, government spending, national defense, and foreign policy. Get a load of this bit:

We've been trying very hard in Washington to make America even more economically fit by really overhauling our entire tax structure.

When we came into office, the top personal tax rate that the Federal Government could put on your income was 70 percent.

Now, you can understand, I think, that if you were getting up in those brackets -- there were 14 different tax brackets, depending on the amount of money in each bracket you earned. And when you could look and say, ``If I earn another dollar, I only get to keep 30 cents out of it,'' you can imagine the lack of incentive there.

Well, we lowered it to 50 percent, and the economy really took off. Now we're trying to lower it yet again so that families can keep more of their money and so the national economy will be lean and trim and fit for the future.

Is that an inspirational talk with students or a stump speech?

From the Washington Post, published Friday, October 4, 1991:

Democrats assailed the Bush Administration today for spending $26,750 in taxpayer money to hire a production company that oversaw President Bush's telecast from an eighth-grade classroom here to schoolchildren around the country on Tuesday. The money came from the Education Department's salary and expense budget. As a result, Representative William D. Ford, the Michigan Democrat who heads the House Education and Labor Committee, demanded that Education Secretary Lamar Alexander appear before the committee to defend his "spending scarce education dollars to produce a media event." And the House majority leader, Richard A. Ge...

From the Washington Post, published Friday, October 4, 1991:

Democrats assailed the Bush Administration today for spending $26,750 in taxpayer money to hire a production company that oversaw President Bush's telecast from an eighth-grade classroom here to schoolchildren around the country on Tuesday. The money came from the Education Department's salary and expense budget. As a result, Representative William D. Ford, the Michigan Democrat who heads the House Education and Labor Committee, demanded that Education Secretary Lamar Alexander appear before the committee to defend his "spending scarce education dollars to produce a media event." And the House majority leader, Richard A. Gephardt of Missouri, said, "The Department of Education should not be producing paid political advertising for the President." The President's spokesman, Marlin Fitzwater, responded by denying that Mr. Bush's talk to the schoolchildren had been a political event and calling the criticism "nonsense."

That has nothing to do with math, grammar, civics, spelling, general science or geography.

Uhm ...

global warming is real

It's science and it is real.

that not recycling is a crime

That would be health and science and while my personal opinions on recycling effectively leave this to question you certainly cannot be saying that recycling in and of itself is bad?

SUV's are unpatriotic

Environment and health (and science). SUV use an exorbitant amount of fossil fuels and the reasoning people object to using smaller and more efficient cars is laughable (not safe, "I'll drive what I want", "there's plenty of oil", etc)

Ameri...

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That has nothing to do with math, grammar, civics, spelling, general science or geography.

Uhm ...

global warming is real

It's science and it is real.

that not recycling is a crime

That would be health and science and while my personal opinions on recycling effectively leave this to question you certainly cannot be saying that recycling in and of itself is bad?

SUV's are unpatriotic

Environment and health (and science). SUV use an exorbitant amount of fossil fuels and the reasoning people object to using smaller and more efficient cars is laughable (not safe, "I'll drive what I want", "there's plenty of oil", etc)

America is just as bad as every other country on the planet

I take it you haven't been looking at the statistics where America rates against other countries in pollution, education, economy, employment, industry, etc?

I see. You are simply a hypocrite. It's okay to bash a president whose politics YOU don't like

Of for the .... at least get your own argument. And using you tube as a source? Are you shitting me?

And AGAIN, because you lack the capability to get this through your thick skull - when Bush was in office and people disparaged him it was because we were crying out against his corruption and atrocities - your sniveling little group are whining because you lost the election.

Really, it is as simple as that. Get a damn spine, accept what a decrepit group you support, admit that people like Hannity, Beck, Limbagh, and the sort are nothing but bald faced liars (death panels, birth c...

I see. You are simply a hypocrite. It's okay to bash a president whose politics YOU don't like

Of for the .... at least get your own argument. And using you tube as a source? Are you shitting me?

And AGAIN, because you lack the capability to get this through your thick skull - when Bush was in office and people disparaged him it was because we were crying out against his corruption and atrocities - your sniveling little group are whining because you lost the election.

Really, it is as simple as that. Get a damn spine, accept what a decrepit group you support, admit that people like Hannity, Beck, Limbagh, and the sort are nothing but bald faced liars (death panels, birth certificates, mulsim, racism, etc etc ad nausuem) and that you people have been doing nothing but whine, bitch, complain, fabricate, lie, harangue, and block any real American progress this country has seen in the last 60 years.

If you don't like it then find REAL and TRUTHFUL arguments against - but don't think for a moment you are going to be accepted as anything but liars when you make your crap up.

Of for the .... at least get your own argument. And using you tube as a source? Are you shitting me?

Did you bother to see what it was? Or where it came from? Just showing you that I wasn't the first or only to use those terms.

And AGAIN, because you lack the capability to get this through your thick skull - when Bush was in office and people disparaged him it was because we were crying out against his corruption and atrocities - your sniveling little group are whining because you lost the election.

Why are so many liberals such pompous pricks? Are you saying the left wasn't upset that Bush won? Give me a freaking break. The left invented whining, crying, and ...

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Of for the .... at least get your own argument. And using you tube as a source? Are you shitting me?

Did you bother to see what it was? Or where it came from? Just showing you that I wasn't the first or only to use those terms.

And AGAIN, because you lack the capability to get this through your thick skull - when Bush was in office and people disparaged him it was because we were crying out against his corruption and atrocities - your sniveling little group are whining because you lost the election.

Why are so many liberals such pompous pricks? Are you saying the left wasn't upset that Bush won? Give me a freaking break. The left invented whining, crying, and suing over lost elections. The left bashed Bush because they didn't like his politics. And the right doesn't like Obama's politics. But that just won't fit into your little world view where everyone who disagrees with you is a big dumb, red neck, racist. And as long as the left considers socialism as progress then there will be those of us on the right who will be standing in the way of that progress.

was because we were crying out against his corruption and atrocities - your sniveling little group are whining because you lost the election.

People like this who are either completely blind and think the agenda is pure and patriotic, OR they know what it truly is and don't realize it's extreme dissonance to the spirit of this nation, OR they are fully aware of its extreme nature yet are behind it anyway, are completely hopeless, no matter which of the 3 possible camps they fall into. No ammount of exchange or discourse with them will cause the needed brain shift to more normal perceptions where they would sense true shock at the nature of the people in power.

The only option...

was because we were crying out against his corruption and atrocities - your sniveling little group are whining because you lost the election.

People like this who are either completely blind and think the agenda is pure and patriotic, OR they know what it truly is and don't realize it's extreme dissonance to the spirit of this nation, OR they are fully aware of its extreme nature yet are behind it anyway, are completely hopeless, no matter which of the 3 possible camps they fall into. No ammount of exchange or discourse with them will cause the needed brain shift to more normal perceptions where they would sense true shock at the nature of the people in power.

The only option is defeat, there is no engaging. They accept nothing that diverts from the brainwashing they underwent at university.

Here's what's really creepy.

And do you know what the administration is calling the "community service" organization the president wants kids to join? The "USA Freedom Corps"! That's right -- "Corps"! It's a civilian fascist army! You don't believe me? It's right there on the section of the White House Web site specifically dedicated to children!

No, wait -- it's on the archived Bush administration White House site for children.

It was Bush, so there was no indoctrination going on there, no sirree. Nor was there any indoctrination going when -- at a time when the White House was trying to brand Bush's foreign policy with the name "Freedom Agenda" -- the ...

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Here's what's really creepy.

And do you know what the administration is calling the "community service" organization the president wants kids to join? The "USA Freedom Corps"! That's right -- "Corps"! It's a civilian fascist army! You don't believe me? It's right there on the section of the White House Web site specifically dedicated to children!

No, wait -- it's on the archived Bush administration White House site for children.

It was Bush, so there was no indoctrination going on there, no sirree. Nor was there any indoctrination going when -- at a time when the White House was trying to brand Bush's foreign policy with the name "Freedom Agenda" -- the White House kids' site offered a "freedom timeline" that attempted to link the "American Response to Terrorism" to stories about U.S. history touchstones such as the Underground Railroad, the Statue of Liberty, the March of Dimes, and the Berlin Airlift.

The Bush gang's supplemental educational materials encouraged teachers to tell kids how those historical touchstones "relate to today's efforts to preserve freedom." They also encouraged classes to "explore the biographies" of Bush and Cheney.

None of this generated criticism, and because Bush was a Republican, this doesn't count as an effort to "indoctrinate" children.

The "progressives" have been using school children for their crazed policies for years and years now. indoctrinating good little ecoNazis who inform on their parents and who write letters of support to make sure their teachers get raises.

Of course, the original instructions for the educrats included having children write letters explaining how they could "help the president", to have their little charts and posters that would track thier activity in making sure they did what the President instructed them to do.

All that has been expunged down the memory hole - but just looking at the outraged reaction that someone might dare keep their children from listening to The Messiah - and immedia...

The "progressives" have been using school children for their crazed policies for years and years now. indoctrinating good little ecoNazis who inform on their parents and who write letters of support to make sure their teachers get raises.

Of course, the original instructions for the educrats included having children write letters explaining how they could "help the president", to have their little charts and posters that would track thier activity in making sure they did what the President instructed them to do.

All that has been expunged down the memory hole - but just looking at the outraged reaction that someone might dare keep their children from listening to The Messiah - and immediately calling it racist - only shows how desperate you are getting.

Next thing you know you will be invoking Jesus in a non-denigrating way. Wait! His Holiness has already done that with health care.

The sad fact is that there are racist organizations that are loving the ability of the lunatic fringe to allow them free reign for them to voice their bigotry. I think the Bad Astronomer puts it succinctly :

Of course, there is a lunatic fringe in this country who will go ballistic about Obama no matter what he does; these are the ones saying the speech is indoctrinating children into accepting his socialist health care plan that will mutilate puppies and convert our elderly into Soylent Green. These people may be rabid racists, or simply mentally unbalanced, but we know for a rock solid fact that these people are utterly, completely wrong. Whatever you want to call them, it’s clear ...

The sad fact is that there are racist organizations that are loving the ability of the lunatic fringe to allow them free reign for them to voice their bigotry. I think the Bad Astronomer puts it succinctly :

Of course, there is a lunatic fringe in this country who will go ballistic about Obama no matter what he does; these are the ones saying the speech is indoctrinating children into accepting his socialist health care plan that will mutilate puppies and convert our elderly into Soylent Green. These people may be rabid racists, or simply mentally unbalanced, but we know for a rock solid fact that these people are utterly, completely wrong. Whatever you want to call them, it’s clear they are so far from the norm of the American people that they can’t even see the horizon from where they are. Simply reading the speech transcript shows that simply and clearly. But it’s also a fact that this subset of the population will always be with us.

Perhaps not all of the Obama haters are not racist, but you can bet that all racists are Obama haters. And because of the mindless hatred or intolerance (to political ideals) that the right is currently fostering it is creating, if not a breeding ground, certainly an open field of acceptance to the racist agenda.

And in the end we can see the ridiculous position that Obama critics took with their threats that the President would use the opportunity to create Brown shirts or to push his politics on the minds of children.

Again. I say you should be feeling a bit ridiculous by now. It is these incidences that keep cropping up were the conservative right has made astounding claims that were shown to be blatantly false yet showing no regard for integrity or honest to admit that they were wrong and often continue to push this kind of garbage even in the face of reason.

And then they wonder why they are disparaged or treated with contempt by their opposition.

Sorry, but 9/11 was just what it was, a terrorist attack. But the tragedy didn't end there. It was exacerbated by Bush who used the pain and suffering to get our armies over to an unjustified war in Iraq. But his oil buddies over there surely appreciated us coming over to protect their oil fields.

As for those that perpetrated 9/11, they were an inconvenience so were ignored so that Bush could line feathered pockets.

Perhaps you should pray to Obama CR? You keep calling him Messiah and His Holiness. As this entire clip points out, your bunch is nothing but a lot of hot air and lies and it doesn't surprise me that now you are exposed for the idiots you are you have to resort to ad hominem....

Sorry, but 9/11 was just what it was, a terrorist attack. But the tragedy didn't end there. It was exacerbated by Bush who used the pain and suffering to get our armies over to an unjustified war in Iraq. But his oil buddies over there surely appreciated us coming over to protect their oil fields.

As for those that perpetrated 9/11, they were an inconvenience so were ignored so that Bush could line feathered pockets.

Perhaps you should pray to Obama CR? You keep calling him Messiah and His Holiness. As this entire clip points out, your bunch is nothing but a lot of hot air and lies and it doesn't surprise me that now you are exposed for the idiots you are you have to resort to ad hominem.

Maybe you'll learn a lesson from this? Don't make ridiculous claims that are so easily disproved? Like death camps, brown shirts, birth certificates, socialism, and school propaganda?

Nah, I doubt your kind has the intellect to learn from past embarrassments.

Dammit. I just spent a good half hour going point by point through the examples you provided and then clicked on the "close tab" and lost it all in one click. Sigh.

Basically the first 2 links bring up the same things Obama has said, producing the same statistics and suggestions of increasing health care, insuring all Americans, etc and doing it without raising taxes or gov't spending, which Obama also discussed and agreed with. The second also delved into abortion and religious issues that really have no basis in reality and in which Obama refuted.

The 3rd suggested business Association Health plans (also calling for insurance for all Americans) but it is really nothing more than yet one ...

Dammit. I just spent a good half hour going point by point through the examples you provided and then clicked on the "close tab" and lost it all in one click. Sigh.

Basically the first 2 links bring up the same things Obama has said, producing the same statistics and suggestions of increasing health care, insuring all Americans, etc and doing it without raising taxes or gov't spending, which Obama also discussed and agreed with. The second also delved into abortion and religious issues that really have no basis in reality and in which Obama refuted.

The 3rd suggested business Association Health plans (also calling for insurance for all Americans) but it is really nothing more than yet one more insurance policy. Businesses already ban together and take on the same policies in order to gain bargaining points and this article does nothing to explain how it will cover Americans without jobs or those who's companies choose substandard insurance plans.

The 4th discusses reducing frivolous lawsuits, which Obama agreed with to a point. He explained that simply reforming medical law suits was not a "silver bullet" that would fully fix the problem but was only one facet the problem.

The 5th link came up as "forbidden"

The 6th link had false information in it. Obama's plan leaves the choice to the citizen. It does not force people into government run health care, it does not eliminate health coverage for millions of people, does not limit choices, and it certainly doesn't make the government in control of your health care. The 2nd and 3rd point was affirmed by Obama (Americans choose the plan that best suits them and push more preventative medicine). It then goes into a tax scheme (which has failed for the last 60 years), admits it won't cover all Americans but "reduces the number of uninsured Americans", and then expounds upon many things to make health care better for Americans which Obama also discussed and explained in his speach.

(cont)

The 7th talks about pretty much the same stuff as above - "if you like it you can keep it", "choice and coverage", and "coverage of chronic and pre-existing conditions". It also discusses a pooling mechanism (similar to #3) and controlling cost (which is counter to the republican claim of government sticking its fingers into medicine). It makes a few other claims (reminiscent of a paid for television add on tv) without providing any explanation (probably more tax cuts for the rich)

The 8th is pretty funny. It hits a few more strawmen with claiming Obama is advocating gov't run health care, that bureaucrats will make medical decisions, and then from there pretty much goes onto what looks lik...

The 7th talks about pretty much the same stuff as above - "if you like it you can keep it", "choice and coverage", and "coverage of chronic and pre-existing conditions". It also discusses a pooling mechanism (similar to #3) and controlling cost (which is counter to the republican claim of government sticking its fingers into medicine). It makes a few other claims (reminiscent of a paid for television add on tv) without providing any explanation (probably more tax cuts for the rich)

The 8th is pretty funny. It hits a few more strawmen with claiming Obama is advocating gov't run health care, that bureaucrats will make medical decisions, and then from there pretty much goes onto what looks like the republicans are actually complaining about - a tightly woven system of government checks and controls to fix all the health care problems. It runs the same "keep government out of medicine" theme through the 31 examples, but ironically its solution is requires strict government controls.

The last one basically mimics what Obama already talked about.

So what you posted was republican ideas that basically mimic what Obama said, then some of them even argue against some of these ideas and cry about government run health care while at the same time calling for more government run moderation and control.

And through it all they are just ideas with no discussion or explanation of implementation. Other than the often cited tax cuts.

You know what? Not one Republican vote is required to pass anything His Holiness wants and desires (today anyway). What's all the whining about Republicans oppposing the enslavement of all Americans to the whipping post of government? You want to screw the 80% of Americans who have and are happy with their health insurance - go to it. You're so all fired sure that the 50-60 million Americans who would immediately lose their private insurance and be kicked into the loving arms of their government (with the efficient of FEMA and the customer service of the DMV) will love you for it? Its all yours. Go. We await their cries of joy at the loss of care, loss of coverage, increased cost, and...

You know what? Not one Republican vote is required to pass anything His Holiness wants and desires (today anyway). What's all the whining about Republicans oppposing the enslavement of all Americans to the whipping post of government? You want to screw the 80% of Americans who have and are happy with their health insurance - go to it. You're so all fired sure that the 50-60 million Americans who would immediately lose their private insurance and be kicked into the loving arms of their government (with the efficient of FEMA and the customer service of the DMV) will love you for it? Its all yours. Go. We await their cries of joy at the loss of care, loss of coverage, increased cost, and overall hassle that the government always gives its subjects.

This post is about how the default position of any Obamatraon regarding an opponent is racism.

And you yourself prove it by already calling me a racist without knowing one thing about me. Do you know if I'm black? or Hispanic? or Muslim?

Nope - just "you are a racist or you support them".

Gutless, Mindless Obamatrons

The republicans haven't refused to work with Obama, Obama and the democrats have refused to work with republicans. Republicans have been locked out of meetings and their proposals are never heard. It was Obama who said "I won" when republicans tried to negotiate with him on his porkulus bill. And where did the idea that we need huge bills that cover every aspect come from in the first place? All these bills accomplish is being havens for pork, earmarks, and unpopular ideas that are unable to stand on their own merits (like the public option). Why won't they write up bills that cover the areas on which they agree and pass them quickly? The only reason is because they aren't interested in comp...

The republicans haven't refused to work with Obama, Obama and the democrats have refused to work with republicans. Republicans have been locked out of meetings and their proposals are never heard. It was Obama who said "I won" when republicans tried to negotiate with him on his porkulus bill. And where did the idea that we need huge bills that cover every aspect come from in the first place? All these bills accomplish is being havens for pork, earmarks, and unpopular ideas that are unable to stand on their own merits (like the public option). Why won't they write up bills that cover the areas on which they agree and pass them quickly? The only reason is because they aren't interested in competition or lowering prices or real reform, they are only interested in moving us closer to a single payer system.

I just thought to myself. Wow, we haven't even examined any of the text of this communist indoctrination that parents had to protect their children from hearing from our first African-American President of the United States.

Lets look at some of the speech. Those of you easily manipulated, or easily swayed by suggestive speech may want to go watch a Glenn Beck tear-jerker episode instead.

Indoctrination follows:

I've talked a lot about your government's responsibility for setting high standards, supporting teachers and principals, and turning around schools that aren't working where students aren't getting the opportunities they deserve.

But at the end of the day, w...

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I just thought to myself. Wow, we haven't even examined any of the text of this communist indoctrination that parents had to protect their children from hearing from our first African-American President of the United States.

Lets look at some of the speech. Those of you easily manipulated, or easily swayed by suggestive speech may want to go watch a Glenn Beck tear-jerker episode instead.

Indoctrination follows:

I've talked a lot about your government's responsibility for setting high standards, supporting teachers and principals, and turning around schools that aren't working where students aren't getting the opportunities they deserve.

But at the end of the day, we can have the most dedicated teachers, the most supportive parents, and the best schools in the world - and none of it will matter unless all of you fulfill your responsibilities. Unless you show up to those schools; pay attention to those teachers; listen to your parents, grandparents and other adults; and put in the hard work it takes to succeed.

And that's what I want to focus on today: the responsibility each of you has for your education. I want to start with the responsibility you have to yourself.

Every single one of you has something you're good at. Every single one of you has something to offer. And you have a responsibility to yourself to discover what that is. That's the opportunity an education can provide.

Maybe you could be a good writer - maybe even good enough to write a book or articles in a newspaper - but you might not know it until you write a paper for your English class. Maybe you could be an innovator or an inventor - maybe even good enough to come up with the next iPhone or a new medicine or vaccine - but you might not know it until you do a project for your science class. Maybe you could be a mayor or a Senator or a Supreme Court Justice, but you might not know that until you join student government or the deba