Patterico's Pontifications

9/7/2009

Text of Obama’s Speech to Students

Filed under: Education,Obama — DRJ @ 10:16 am



[Guest post by DRJ]

President Obama has posted the text of tomorrow’s speech to students. His speech is inspirational and has a worthwhile message. I’m sure he will deliver the speech well and I hope the students listen to his message.

I wish President Obama had mentioned the teachers’ responsibility to thoroughly understand and teach their subjects rather than simply saying their job is to inspire students to learn, but admittedly this is a speech about students and not teachers. (Although Ed Morrissey points out you could call it a speech about Obama given how many times he mentions himself.)

I’m sure some liberals will view this as vindication that conservatives were wrong to object to President Obama’s speech. I’m sure some conservatives will view this as proof that public pressure helped stop controversial statements from being included in Obama’s speech. We’ll never know for sure, but hopefully we can agree it’s a good message to tell students they need to work hard and get a good education.

— DRJ

279 Responses to “Text of Obama’s Speech to Students”

  1. Yay! From each according to his ability!

    We need every single one of you to develop your talents, skills and intellect so you can help solve our most difficult problems. If you don’t do that – if you quit on school – you’re not just quitting on yourself, you’re quitting on your country.

    […]

    Because when you give up on yourself, you give up on your country.

    I’m a gonna have the bestest year ever! Me and America both!

    happyfeet (6b707a)

  2. I would normally think that the President would not have gotten political with students…but he certainly seems “tone deaf” on a number of issues since the election. Thus, I think that the controversy did in fact get things toned down. And they should be toned down, because (sorry about this) it doesn’t “take a village” to raise a child. Many parents are quite concerned about this kind of thing.

    At the same time, I have two young sons, and there are many issues in the classroom where politics intrudes (and in a one-sided way). This is because, naturally, many of the teachers are left of center and are quite sure they are correct.

    Fortunately, my sons talk to me about this kind of thing, and I do my best to give both sides. I don’t call people who disagree with me politically “stupid” or “ignorant” or whatever. I do my best to present both sides in an age appropriate fashion.

    It would be nice if more teachers did that. But at least my worries about this keep me more involved. Some parents just dump their kids off and go do their own thing.

    Eric Blair (721b15)

  3. “…Because when you give up on yourself, you give up on your country…”

    Boy, that souring rhetoric is going to cause the drop-out rate to plummet (38% in the LAUSD – 58% @ Jefferson HS in L.A.)!

    AD - RtR/OS! (fad78f)

  4. does the original study guide match this speech? Not so much really.

    happyfeet (6b707a)

  5. Its always a pleasant surprise when a committed lefty swings towards the right and endorses some of what the right rightly belives to be true.

    GM Roper (85dcd7)

  6. I hope you’ll all wash your hands a lot

    And don’t forget to clean behind your ears!

    Official Internet Data Office (4e6ad1)

  7. When the original teaching materials/study guide went out, it was clear that Obama and/or his minions were doing what they could to develop the Obama personality cult. Then the teaching materials were changed. Good. As long as we’re vigilant, I thought perhaps we can keep these guys under control.

    Now this speech. I was not too put off by Obama’s mentioning his personal history or that of his wife’s. But, lo and behold, Obama himself still is pushing the personality cult:

    Your families, your teachers, and I are doing everything we can to make sure you have the education you need to answer these questions. I’m working hard to fix up your classrooms and get you the books, equipment and computers you need to learn. But you’ve got to do your part too. So I expect you to get serious this year. I expect you to put your best effort into everything you do. I expect great things from each of you. So don’t let us down – don’t let your family or your country or yourself down. Make us all proud. I know you can do it.

    Ira (28a423)

  8. That the study guide does not match the speech content certainly is a huge clue that some content disappeared.

    SPQR (26be8b)

  9. Jesus: Where are thine accusers woman?
    Woman: They are all gone, my lord.
    Jesus: Neither do I condemn thee. Go and sin no more.

    The Emperor (0c8c2c)

  10. “souring”, well from some perspectives it does leave a bad taste; but, it should have been “soaring”.

    AD - RtR/OS! (fad78f)

  11. Go and sin no more.

    That’ll be the day!

    AD - RtR/OS! (fad78f)

  12. good catch Ira… the theme seems to be to underscore the desired conflation of the little student individual with the state. That’s so… great.

    Is it just me or does Obama seem like he needs a hobby or something?

    happyfeet (6b707a)

  13. I’m sure some liberals will view this as vindication that conservatives were wrong to object to President Obama’s speech. I’m sure some conservatives will view this as proof that public pressure helped stop controversial statements from being included in Obama’s speech. We’ll never know for sure, but hopefully we can agree that it’s a good message to tell students they need to work hard and get a good education.

    DRJ, I’m afraid we know and it’s much to painfully obvious, that the GOP once again has egg on it’s face. And now the whole country sees it. So once again it’s marginalized and made itself embarrassingly irrelevant. There is no plausible deniability here, you people followed the wingnuts into a great big paranoia tinged idiocy, yet again.

    ONe more reason this administration, after months of trying to get a bipartisan approach to health care reform is just going to do it on its own and the GOP is simply going to be seen as obstructionist and morally and intellectually bankrupt.

    But, yes, we CAN all agree that personal responsibility is a good thing. Now how about you and the crew take some personal responsibility ans admit this whole kerfuffle over Obama’s speech to schoolchildren was a wast of everyone’s time?

    Assclown doodyheads (2be977)

  14. Welcome, Assclown doodyheads. We can always use another clown.

    DRJ (3f5471)

  15. Comment by AD – RtR/OS! — 9/7/2009 @ 10:51 am
    Don’t be such a pessimist, AD. Have some faith! People change. 🙂

    The Emperor (0c8c2c)

  16. If personal responsibility is so neat why didn’t Barack Obama’s fat-assed illiterate UAW thug pals not have to take a pay cut after driving GM into bankruptcy?

    happyfeet (6b707a)

  17. Obama’s speech to schoolchildren was a wast of everyone’s time

    Especially the schoochilren’s I think.

    happyfeet (6b707a)

  18. The text is not particularly offensive to me (there’s one passage smuggling norms about the role of government, and another hooray-for-me passage, but it’s not awful). But the content is only one element; to me the giving of the speech is inherently offensive, as it uses kids as props.

    Ken (aaf7b2)

  19. I had a hobby once, of building models out of kits. I spent hundreds of my hard-earned lawn-mowing dollars buying modeler’s cement and model kits from two companies, Revelle and another one (I forget the name) which went out of business while I was still throwing my money around. While the now-defunct company had instruction sheets with diagrams and words, Revelle’s instruction sheets were diagrams only. No words.

    Looking back, and knowing the state of functional illiteracy permitted by high schools, I have to wonder if those words in the instructions had anything to do with it.

    (Of course, I was one of those evil junior high students who built models of warships and warplanes.)

    Maybe Obama could pick up another hobby I once had, crocheting afghans.

    John Hitchcock (3fd153)

  20. Now if all you haters will be humble enough to apologize to your President for misunderstanding and misjudging his intentions. Apologies are expected in the comments that follow this.
    Start your comment by saying. “I was wrong about the President’s good intention. I apologize…” then make your comments.

    The Emperor (0c8c2c)

  21. I was wrong about Lovie’s level of integrity. I apologize for accusing it of having minimal integrity when, in fact, it has less-than-zero integrity.

    John Hitchcock (3fd153)

  22. Study hard for your country… the red, white, and the blue. It’s Barack Obama who’s asking, so your mother will approve.

    Tomorrow you’ll be organizing; you’ll need to know Alinsky’s rules. So do it for your country, your country wants you to.

    happyfeet (6b707a)

  23. Welcome, Assclown doodyheads. We can always use another clown.

    Comment by DRJ — 9/7/2009 @ 11:06 am

    She writes as she scurries off to check the ip address. (HA, just joshin’ DRJ…you can take a little ribbing right?)

    Assclown doodyheads (2be977)

  24. Absolutely. Can you?

    DRJ (3f5471)

  25. Comment by John Hitchcock — 9/7/2009 @ 11:23 am
    How predictable John. It is clear that humility and candor is not one of your strong suits.

    The Emperor (0c8c2c)

  26. F.Y.I. It might be noted that providing EDUCATION is NOT mandated in the U.S. CONSTITUTION.

    Young Students in a classroom environment are a captive audience
    and are highly impressionable …….. whether a democrat or a republican this IS common knowledge ……

    And if it is so important to send a message to school children, why not deliver at FOOTBALL, BASEBALL, HOCKEY, SOCCER BASKETBALL games….there the WHOLE FAMILY can be exposed to “WORDS OF WISDOM”

    and, WHERE are the ‘controls’ on EXECUTIVE pay for SPORTS, MEDIA, and ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY CORPORATIONS CEOs and leading FIGURES? Why only the AUTO, INSURANCE, BANKING,
    and assorted ‘BIG BUSINESSES’ targeted ???

    MANY unanswered questions continue to be avoided … but HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL!

    Dale Rice (06f6d8)

  27. “. . .marginalized and made itself embarrassingly irrelevant”

    You mean, like Van Jones?

    ” . . GOP is simply going to be seen as obstructionist”

    By Chris Matthews? The GOP doesn’t have enough members in Congress to obstruct anything.

    ” . . .this administration, after months of trying to get a bipartisan approach to health care reform is just going to do it on its own”

    Do you feel lucky today, punk? Well, do you?

    Official Internet Data Office (a6cae9)

  28. People change…but politicians don’t!

    AD - RtR/OS! (fad78f)

  29. Lovie, my candor is indeed my strong suit. My humility, on the other hand, is a work in progress (not to be confused with “progressives” who are still-closeted marxists). I say what I mean and I mean what I say, often to the detriment of my own goals. And my irony and sarcasm contains a strong flavoring of my candor. You might want to find another way to insult me, Lovie Dearest.

    John Hitchcock (3fd153)

  30. I wonder what the first speech looked like? After all if I was President I would have put the speech on the website the first day the people started complaining. The negative commments would have ended right then and there. Why wait until the day before the speech. hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. Did someone have to write a new speech?
    My children are out of school, I am in school and I have to listen to the Obama praise all day long. We don’t start until the 9th. yea for me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    susie (a79735)

  31. There is something fundamentally creepy about clowns.

    JD (07af0d)

  32. Comment by happyfeet — 9/7/2009 @ 11:24 am

    Nice Grease reference. 🙂

    Stashiu3 (ed6467)

  33. “Now how about you and the crew take some personal responsibility ans [sic] admit this whole kerfuffle over Obama’s speech of schoolchildren was a wast[sic] of everyone’s time?”

    You are assuming that Obama made no changes to any draft of the speech which might have easily contained more of the political quackery in it that parents feared. He could have easily felt the backlash and concern and modified it, omitting anything less than the inspirational because he knew it would further polarize people.

    I won’t assume, if you won’t. And if he didn’t change anything, hats off to him for being sensitive to parental concerns, and if he did change it, hats off to the Americans who made their voices heard and to a president, who not only heard but listened.

    Dana (863a65)

  34. I wonder what the first speech looked like? After all if I was President I would have put the speech on the website the first day the people started complaining. The negative commments would have ended right then and there.

    No, instead, “the negative comments” flew out of the collective ass of the GOP in a Sh*tstorm of paranoia and judgement, once again loudly displaying its ahem agenda (yes, I denounce you) and poverty of spirit and plain ole negativity and fear. The party in the mirror is ugly…ugly…ugly….

    You mean, like Van Jones?

    Hmmm….I thought you said the Republicans didn’t have enough votes to be obstructionists? Funny how that happened after a certain assclown loudmouth on the Fear News Network made it such a big turd of BS.

    You can take Van Jones, we’ll take Health Care Reform with a Public Option and a GOP that lost the battle and suffer ever greater marginalization.

    You people are playing checkers (albeit loud aggressive sour grapes shoot yourselves in the foot checkers) chess with an administration that is playing chess.

    Anyhow, still waiting for that much touted GOP sense of morality and “personal responsibility” and an apology towards our commander in chief, voted in by a huge majority of the American people, I might add.

    Anyhow, I work here is done(~wink~). It’s like shooting fish in a barrel. Ta ta, amigos.

    Assclown doodyheads (2be977)

  35. “I’m sure some liberals will view this as vindication that conservatives were wrong to object to President Obama’s speech.”

    Whatever. Liberals have all kinds of odd views.

    It’s still a misuse of the taxpayer’s money. And, since some of that money is mine (or it was ’til the I.R.S. took it), I strongly object.

    Dave Surls (c9eba9)

  36. A huge majority of what? 4 percent? And, that “shooting fish in a barrel” idea got blown out of the water on that famous Mythbusters show. As long as the fish stay a foot or so beneath the surface, they’re safe from your pellet gun.

    John Hitchcock (3fd153)

  37. Barack Obama’s trillion dollar deficits are going to teach the chilren’s more about personal responsibility than his cheesy dirty socialist pep talk I think.

    Barack Obama is making these poor kids personally responsible for paying taxes no one ever imagined they would be paying until Barack Obama turned out little country into a third world joke of a dirty socialist backwater.

    happyfeet (6b707a)

  38. What the Hell is wrong with assclown? oh never mind I should have realized “assclowm” is a code word for Democrat.

    susie (a79735)

  39. Obama and his Speech I, I and I and I and I and I and I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I. Seventeen minutes, kids will be snoozing in about 5 minutes. So much for motivation!!!!!!!!!!!!

    susie (a79735)

  40. assclown writes: “…after months of trying to get a bipartisan approach to health care reform …”

    and with that phrase, shows how well named he/she is. That’s the kind of pure invention that so well identifies today’s Obama cultist. Flat out making stuff up.

    Any fish shooting that has occurred are purely self-inflicted GSW.

    SPQR (26be8b)

  41. The tone of the trolls is interesting. I wonder if the assclown really thinks all these things are going to come to pass. Triumphalism is OK after the game (although it could lead to a punch in the mouth) but triumphalism before the game often makes the triumphalist look pretty foolish.

    Mike K (d016a9)

  42. Wouldn’t this be a perfect time to release his transcripts and demonstrate that, like Rowlings and Jordan, Obama overcame early failure and rejection and found his way to Harvard and the White House.

    Spunky (b24209)

  43. The tone of the trolls is interesting. I wonder if the assclown really thinks all these things are going to come to pass. Triumphalism is OK after the game (although it could lead to a punch in the mouth) but triumphalism before the game often makes the triumphalist look pretty foolish.

    Comment by Mike K — 9/7/2009 @ 12:41 pm

    Here’s the thing Mike. Sarah Palin is the gift that just keeps giving to this president and his administration, and before you get all up in arms about ‘What the hell does she have to do with this etc….etc,’ let me explain:

    The only time I saw the Obama campaign stumble during the run up to the primaries and the general election was when Sarah Palin was chosen to be McCain’s VP the day after the end of the DNC. They really didn’t have a strategy for how to deal with her and there was a wave of excitement that seemed like it would undo everything, including the expected Democratic landslide of wins expected in November. The Obama campaign message began to waver and sound confused and nervous. And they were…indeed they were, for about 2 weeks there it looked like their momentum was done, but then something amazing happened.

    Sarah Palin began to give interviews. Or actually she attempted to give interviews Gibson, Couric etc. And it all became clear as to what they, meaning the Obama campaign had to do and it was in one word: Nothing. In fact, even less than nothing, they had to stay as clear of her as possible and simply let the voting public see her and and hear her speak. And show her for the ignorant, uninformed, unqualified joke that she was.

    The reason I bring this up is that I think they learned a valuable lesson from that experience. In essence never underestimate your opponents ability to beat himself.

    There are two competing bills for health care reform from the House and the Senate,, as well as a vague wishlist of sorts that the WH has right now, but they’ve (the WH) have mostly let the competing factions duke it out, let the GOP lawmakers look like weak hypocrites who follow the lead of idiots like Rush and Beck, and allow disruptive insane interruptions and spectacles at the Town Halls….got all the crazies out spouting off and not even knowing what they were talking about with their OBama-nazi signs and inarticulate retarded carrying on and screaming and hollering and whatnot. Also the blue dogs have been identified now, and they’re in a much weaker position than anyone realizes. They go against the president on this and they’re done. D-O-N-E. As are the GOP, and they don’t know it yet either. Health care costs start coming down and they will (even on the barest of a program that at leasts stops insurance co.’s from not giving coverage to those with existing health issues) it won’t matter. Obama and the Dems who voted for it and perhaps Snowe, will get the credit for it.

    2010 is going to be a major cleaning of house. GOP will lose more seats in both chambers, blue dogs who went against the bill will be in trouble. I guarantee that.

    It hasn’t been pretty, and the crazy factor that’s been ratcheted up in this country is truly frightening, but there’s no other way I could see that this bill would’ve passed otherwise.

    I may be completely wrong and Obama is going to fold like a house of cards on Wednesday, but I just don’t see that in the man. Health care reform is some shape or form is going to happen. It might not be perfect but the first step will be put in place and there’s no turning back.

    As for all the complaints of socialism and communism and other ignorance. News flash, the Republicans and Wall Street have put this country in hoc to a COMMUNIST NATION called CHINA. Seems to me that label doesn’t mean jackshit to the right-wing in this nation if it means $$$$. Which indeed makes them whores.

    Assclown doodyheads (2be977)

  44. First, another driveby troll (I found the business of checking ISPs telling). I particularly liked the triumphalism in the face of some interesting poll results, and also the “bipartisan” commentary.

    Um.

    Then, today’s nominee for the unintentional hilarity award:

    “…It is clear that humility and candor is not one of your strong suits…

    Wow. Just wow.

    Eric Blair (721b15)

  45. Actually, the latest troll is just some undergrad (it is Labor Day, and no classes are in session).

    The majority of what he wrote was designed to get people to respond with anger. On so many levels.

    Tiresome.

    Eric Blair (721b15)

  46. I, I, I, I, I

    Ay-yi-yi-yi-yi

    steve miller (c5e78c)

  47. I promise to help Obama by washing my hands.

    Alta Bob (e53677)

  48. I might take a whole shower even.

    happyfeet (6b707a)

  49. There is much animosity in the words of both right and left bloggers. All of you make me sick, if no one plays together, we will all perish together.

    the hun (ee1301)

  50. “public pressure helped stop controversial statements”

    Statements that were roughly identical to what Daddy Bush said in ’91

    “Let me know how you’re doing. Write me a letter. I’m serious about this one. Write me a letter about ways you can help us achieve our goals.”

    Republican goals?

    Indoctrination!!

    jW Democrat (1e4a3b)

  51. This country was not built upon a left or right foundation.
    Thomas Jefferson was a progressive for his age.
    Lincoln, the first GOP president, also liberal for his age.
    What is a name, we are all in this shit hole together.

    the hun (ee1301)

  52. jwDemocrat, you didn’t know until today exactly what the speech would consist of. It could have easily been dramatically changed over this past week as the concerns grew.

    Why not give the President credit for being sensitive to the American public, one way or the other, and at least in this instance, not being tone deaf? Don’t you think he deserves that benefit of the doubt?

    Dana (863a65)

  53. Barack Obama turned out little country into a third world joke of a dirty socialist backwater” happyfeet
    This country is what you make of it happyfeet.
    Don’t shame yourself by disrespecting our nation because you dont approve of obama policy.
    I dont like it either, nor did i like W,
    but i never thought of moving.

    the hun (ee1301)

  54. hun:

    There is much animosity in the words of both right and left bloggers. All of you make me sick, if no one plays together, we will all perish together.

    If you believe in capitalism, it’s competition and not “playing together” that will save America. If you don’t believe in capitalism then you’re at the wrong place.

    DRJ (3f5471)

  55. Evidently you can’t please people who voted overwhelmingly for change, but don’t want it. For people who value our freedom, except freedom of speech with those that you don’t agree. The need for quality education, but whose comments only show their stupidity. It’s not really about Obama you know, it’s about the GOP power base’s hidden agenda to regain power of this country. To take us to unnecessary way and kill our children…rather than hold them accountable for their own success and lives. You may not like the man our President is, but to spew back water ignorance weakens us all and proves that we are small minded ugly Americans to the rest of the world. You disgust me.

    Lucy (3ada0e)

  56. I’m not moving but also I’m not in denial that our little country’s a big losery mess with the finances of a blow your dick for a dollar crack whore and what can’t even drill its own oil or build a nuclear plant and what can’t even build a car without dirty socialist subsidies. What a joke.

    and for those of you who still think we’re from england… we’re not.

    happyfeet (6b707a)

  57. Just let him give the speech. Its not like he gonna tell the children to quit school, and join the army. You need a High School Diploma or a(n) GED to join now a days.
    Instead of people protesting and what not. go find a job it bad enough that the U.S is in debt. Let him do what hes gotta do.
    He went to school, he finished school and look at him now. Hes the president of the United States

    I’m 21yrs old and I drop out when I was 19. I went back to school so I can make something of myself. Thats not the kind of speech parents and teacher would want for there kids to hear.

    Enrique (47e420)

  58. yes, Lucy. The important thing is that we don’t let our third world dirty socialist devolution affect our self-esteem.

    All chilrens can learn.

    happyfeet (6b707a)

  59. Lucy,

    You are clearly upset that people have criticized President Obama but remember Obama himself said it’s okay to criticize Republicans and their “tired old theories.” Surely you don’t think that’s a one-way street?

    Also, you’ve really come to the wrong place if you think the people here “voted overwhelmingly for change.” And did you mean “spew back water ignorance” or “spew backwater ignorance”? If the latter, I have a feeling that’s your way of saying we’re all just ignorant rednecks.

    DRJ (3f5471)

  60. How long until the hun descends into abject partisan hackery like JW Dem?

    I am curious, JW (not that you have ever answered a direct question) but how is it that you claim to have known the content of the speech since you started commenting here on this topic? The content was not made available until today.

    I will not even bother pointing out the multitude of differences between what Bush said on a televised address on CNN and what Barcky and his minions at the DOE wanted to do directly into every classroom in the country. You have your memes and talking points, and are just being a good footsoldier, following orders.

    JD (329841)

  61. Statements that were roughly identical to what Daddy Bush said in ‘91

    I guess you missed the uproar back then, huh?

    Scott Jacobs (d027b8)

  62. Oh, I missed Loosey. That should be painful.

    JD (329841)

  63. Read what our President will speak to our school children tomorrow and think it will be inspiring for many. My own children ranging in age from 14 to 29 were so involved in this last presidential election due to the appeal that President Obama has and the history making that this election did that I can’t think of anyone, anywhere who could help make a more positive impact. Many times as parents we can tell our children over and over something but as soon as it comes from another source that’s when they take action.I am proud of our President, my children are proud of our President and this makes us all proud to be an American. I have not felt either for quite sometime. Bravo Mr. President, continue to reach-out to all Americans of all ages, a great leader for a great country.

    virginia (f05aa7)

  64. Virginia could you maybe sound more like a fascist State-worshiping dork? I’m sorry your children didn’t listen to you, but you are something of a dipstick generally I think. But if you think America kids are such losers that they need the “positive impact” of a banal PSA from a goof-ass dirty socialist douche that’s burdening their futures with unimaginable debt than I think it’s no wonder your kids ignored you.

    happyfeet (6b707a)

  65. oh. *then* I think it’s no wonder your kids ignored you I mean.

    happyfeet (6b707a)

  66. to DRJ
    Our country was founded on the principals of democracy and many personal freedoms.
    Capitalism is an economic policy, not a form of governance.
    American business can compete to the benefit of the public 🙂
    And at the same time our congress can work together to the benefit of the public 🙂
    get it?

    the hun (ee1301)

  67. oh. also *America’s kids* that should be.

    I’m going to go get a Jamba and pretend I live in a capitalist country.

    happyfeet (6b707a)

  68. “We’ll never know for sure…”

    Never know what now ?
    Oh yeah, the suspicion that a US President was going to try to convert everyone to communism in a nationwide speech to school students.

    Maybe that was just about to happen until some crazy people wrote crazy things in their web diaries and then it didn’t, just at the last minute.

    Yeah, that’s just like quantum theory ain’t it. We can never be completely sure.

    It’s times like these I feel sorry for all the 9/11 Truthers I’ve berated over the years for living in a self-concocted fantasy world where everything that occurs reinforces their beliefs and nothing challenges them. It’s not like they’re out of the ordinary in that regard, is it.

    Kilo (ead1b3)

  69. happyfeet, pull your feet out of your ass and stop being such a negative prick towards other
    who have different beliefs than you.

    the hun (ee1301)

  70. no.

    don’t wanna.

    happyfeet (6b707a)

  71. hahahahaha, you’re funny.
    🙂

    the hun (ee1301)

  72. What if we’re ALL wrong.
    The history books will look back at this period and say…..
    well, i guess books can’t say anything, can they?

    the hun (ee1301)

  73. “Actually, the latest troll is just some undergrad (it is Labor Day, and no classes are in session).”

    As opposed to everyone else that posts from work.

    imdw (017d51)

  74. … and kill our children …
    — Lucy

    … drop out of school and join the Army …
    –Enrique

    You have attacked me and you have attacked my daughter on a very personal level. Do your own blasted research before spewing your ideologically-requred falsehoods and personal attacks.

    Or, better yet, like Obama said, “(my opponents should) just shut up.”

    John Hitchcock (3fd153)

  75. … and kill our children …
    — Lucy

    … drop out of school and join the Army …
    –Enrique

    You have attacked me and you have attacked my daughter on a very personal level. Do your own blasted research before spewing your ideologically-required falsehoods and personal attacks.

    Or, better yet, like Obama said, “(my opponents should) just shut up.”

    John Hitchcock (3fd153)

  76. It is time that someone explained to the children that an education is important and that minding their elders, teachers, and stop whining and blaming some one else for their failure be made known to them. Everyone is responsible for their own success and failure, but instead teachers are blamed or the parents. I have to agree that there are some parents that don’t take the time to be responsible for their kids. However a kid is not a kid forever and should take responsibility for themselves instead of feeling sorry and whining and taking the easy way out. Anyone can be anythibg they want to be here in America. But you have to take responsibilty for yourself in order to get there and not expect to be given something for nothing.

    Ofelia (e4f6c4)

  77. sticks and stones may break your bones
    but words will never hurt you Hitchcock

    the hun (ee1301)

  78. Ophelia, are you a dem or rep?
    i can’t tell because what you said was pretty smart.
    probably an ind.

    the hun (ee1301)

  79. marco

    the hun (ee1301)

  80. You got it ( excuse the pun) hun.

    Ofelia (e4f6c4)

  81. “Let him do what hes gotta do.”

    I’m all for letting the president do what he has to do, but giving pep talks to school children is NOT part of his duties, and the Obama administration has spent a ton of time and money on this…and I don’t like it.

    Let them spend the time and money on killing terrorists in Afghanistan which is part of the duties of the POTUS.

    Obama can give his life story and inspirational messages to the kiddies once he’s out of office…on his own dime.

    Dave Surls (c9eba9)

  82. yeah well, smart stuff is boring, try to be
    a little more crude, like…
    some of the other folks on this post.
    tell us how you really feel.

    the hun (ee1301)

  83. Dave Surls, Art I clause II of the constitution
    reads, ” The potus shall, when deemed apprpriate
    by the aformentioned Article, give the kids a pep talk now and again”
    Duh you stupid shit.

    the hun (ee1301)

  84. der ain’t nuthin rong wit tellin
    da kids ta be stayin n skool

    the hun (ee1301)

  85. Laura Bush defends Obama school speech
    Posted: September 7th, 2009 04:36 PM ET

    Former first lady Laura Bush is defending President Obama’s decision to address the nation’s school children.

    WASHINGTON (CNN) — Former first lady Laura Bush is defending President Obama’s decision to address the nation’s school children, telling CNN Monday that it is “really important for everyone to respect the President of the United States.”

    “I think that there is a place for the President of the United States to talk to school children and encourage school children, and I think there are a lot of people that should do the same,” she told CNN’s Zain Verjee, in an interview set to air Monday on The Situation Room. “And that is encourage their own children to stay in school and to study hard and to try to achieve the dream that they have.”

    The former first lady said she believed criticism of the speech had arisen because of the accompanying lesson plans. If parents are opposed to the address, said Bush, “That’s their right. You know that certainly is the right of parents to choose what they want their children to hear in school… (But) I think it’s also really important for everyone to respect the President of the United States.”

    Does she think it’s fair to criticize Obama, as some have, by labeling him a socialist? “I’d have no idea whether it’s fair, do you think I thought it was fair when President Bush was criticized — not really. So, I guess not,” she responded.

    Bush said that she thought “really safe congressional districts” had contributed to political polarization. “That’s just a fact of life in American politics and …I’m sure President Obama didn’t expect it to be that way. But you know — it is that way, and I think all of us need to do what we can to come together on issues.”

    The former first lady added that she thought both Obama and her successor, Michelle Obama, had done good jobs since moving into the White House.

    But she also said former Vice President Cheney, who has been an outspoken critic of the Obama administration’s security policy, “has every right to speak out, and I appreciate that he is defending the Bush administration and his administration.”

    “But George as a former president chose not to speak out,” she added. “He thinks the president deserves the respect and the no second-guessing on the part of the former president… he didn’t like it when he was criticized by former presidents and that’s what he has chosen to do.”

    She said her husband and his former vice president still speak “occasionally.”

    Now that is one woman with class and candor. You should all listen to her more.

    The Emperor who feels marmosets need respect too. (0c8c2c)

  86. polo

    hf (9bda9c)

  87. I feel that Obama has enough guts to tell the kids what some others wish they had or could. He is not the first president to address kids in school. He just makes more sense because he is speaking in plain ENGLISH and not trying to do a wishy washy address to look good. If kids had a firmer backbone to make them responsible there wouldn’t be so many dropouts. Maybe this will be a turning point for many. Maybe it will just not mean a lot and they will still drop out and be failures. But you can’t blame Obama for trying to make them see that responsibility is a big factor in whether you succeed or not.

    Ofelia (e4f6c4)

  88. Hey, “the hun” (self-described barbaric person), check out my “raise up a child” article I wrote about how I raised my own child, who happens to be in the US Army and spent 15 months in Iraq guarding prisoners and agrees with the rest of the hundreds of soldiers she sees every day that Obama and the whole Obama Nation have less-than-zero respect for the US military. Then, after reading that, and after knowing that the members of the military KNOW BEYOND A SHADOW OF A DOUBT that Obama, et al disrespect and despise the US military, spread more of your bovine biproduct.

    John Hitchcock (3fd153)

  89. Lovie, stop using words you don’t understand, like “candor.”

    John Hitchcock (3fd153)

  90. the bottom line is: He has lied to us in the past and we don’t trust him. Period. His hangs out with the wrong people, he’s a bully, he’s arrogant, and his “girl’ is a loud mouth overbearing woman with a chip on her sholder. I don’t want my child hanging out with people like that. President or not.

    PoloGirlGetsIt (44c741)

  91. I don’t like polo or water polo, both are cruel to horses, but I like PoloGirl because she gets it.

    John Hitchcock (3fd153)

  92. thank you hf (finally)
    and to emperor:
    thank you for that sensible injection of info
    into the ramblings of a bunch of bumbling bafoons
    reaching for anything to condemn the pres on.
    pick your battles!

    the hun (ee1301)

  93. Criticize Teh One and all of the mendoucheous twatwaffles come out, every time.

    JD (329841)

  94. Oh, crud, wonder if I can get all the Pepsi off my screen now. Nobody, but nobody, values lovie’s comments. And here is a self-avowed barbarian thanking lovie. Quite the hilarity.

    John Hitchcock (3fd153)

  95. Johnjohnjohn
    I’m on your side you dip.
    i love and respect all members of the armed service
    (including my brother who is in an undisclosed location
    in afganistan)
    i’m a hun by birth not by nature (hungarian)

    the hun (ee1301)

  96. #74: I think I struck a nerve there.

    Eric Blair (0b61b2)

  97. Who is lovie?

    the hun (ee1301)

  98. Thanks Hun.
    Still waiting for that apology, John. But I am not holding my breath.

    The Emperor who feels marmosets need respect too. (0c8c2c)

  99. Do we really think the children will stay in school because the president said so or because they want to be someone they can be proud of? It all boils down to how much does a person want to give to succeed. Obama wanted to become president and he is. How many votes did he get from all the ones making comments now? Does he care what we comment? Ha Ha I doubt it.

    Ofelia (e4f6c4)

  100. the hun #67:

    Capitalism is an economic policy, not a form of governance.
    American business can compete to the benefit of the public 🙂
    And at the same time our congress can work together to the benefit of the public 🙂
    get it?

    Yes, I understand your point. Here’s mine: Capitalism works because it makes people/businesses compete. In general, those who provide the best products or services (let’s call them the “good” businesses) will survive while the others won’t (the “bad” businesses). The good businesses may borrow ideas from the bad businesses, but the point is to let them compete and see who prevails. The end result is often that someone wins and someone loses, so it’s not always pretty or pleasant but ultimately it produces a better result.

    Sometimes we subsidize businesses because they are nice guys or for some reason other than they produce a good product or service. When we do that, we are acting in an anti-capitalist manner. In that case, our system makes the “good” businesses help the “bad” businesses. There may be a good reason for doing that but it doesn’t produce the most efficient and beneficial products and services, although it can make more business owners and workers feel good about themselves.

    The same is true for government, which is basically in the idea business. If we have a government that fosters competition in ideas — including at the legislative level — then beneficial, efficient and useful ideas will ultimately prevail over less worthy and inefficient ideas. Granted, it may not always be a pretty or pleasant process. However, if our primary goal is for everyone to agree and get along, we will end up with compromises based on what makes people feel good and not based on what works.

    DRJ (3f5471)

  101. Reinforcement, encouragement, teaching and stressing accountabiity and responsibility, and leading by example are important when raising our children to be responsible adults. There is nothing wrong with the President giving a speech to our school children.These people will become the leaders of our country tomorrow. Even if just one child is motivated by what the President says, then he has been successful. At least he is coming forth as an example vs. shooting from the hip. So what if the speech was changed or “fine-tuned”; let’s consider what the heart of the message is all about. Through all of these complaints, no one has stated who they would rather have speak to these children or suggested what they would like to see be said or stressed. Why not give the students the choice of whether or not they want to hear his speech? This man has only been in office 8 months (and he was voted in by the people!) so come on people, let’s give him a chance. He did not make the mess he walked in to and no one person can unilaterally bring an entire country down in the period of 8 months. Do you really think his opponent could have/would have done much better in this short period of time with as big of a mess we are in? We chose this man to be our leader, so let’s allow him to do that instead of setting up road blocks to everything he proposes or does.

    L. Elbe (ab9e7d)

  102. DRJ:
    I mostly agree with you. well, probably 100%, I think you misunderstand me.
    I am not promoting feel good policy. I am afraid, however, that the polarization
    of our two parties goes too far in the competition area, and less in the compromise area.
    cases in point. medicaid reform, social security reform, and immigration reform.
    all which got nowhere in the past 4 years because our politicians cared more about
    strengthening the position of the party and not the public.
    so i think that in all the competeing, alittle getting together is needed

    the hun (ee1301)

  103. There is another Moronic Convergence in the making here …

    JD (329841)

  104. L. Elbe:

    He did not make the mess he walked in to and no one person can unilaterally bring an entire country down in the period of 8 months.

    So Bush can single-handedly make a mess but Obama can’t? That doesn’t compute, although I do think obligating government to spend $9T in the 10 years is a good start.

    Do you really think his opponent could have/would have done much better in this short period of time with as big of a mess we are in?

    Yes. Bush didn’t obligate government to spend $9T or push massive health care reform. This is Obama’s and the Democrats’ mess.

    DRJ (3f5471)

  105. mar co

    the hun (ee1301)

  106. The predictable call for compromise/bipartisanship after calling people that disagree with it bumbling bafoons (nice spelling).

    JD (329841)

  107. drj
    l elbe did not say bush created the whole mess
    dont fight over things that arent there

    the hun (ee1301)

  108. the hun,

    Thanks for discussing this. In my view, the more polarized we are on an issue, the more we need vigorous debate to expose all the issues and — most of all — we need to let people experiment with solutions. Don’t we know more about what works and doesn’t work in health care because of the Tennessee and Massachusetts experiments? Much of what they tried didn’t work but some things did.

    Thus, I don’t think the answer is for everyone to seek common ground. I think the answer is different, competing ideas — just like in the business marketplace.

    DRJ (3f5471)

  109. Did “Lucy” ever come up with the original TANG documents so that Gunga Dan can come in from the cold?

    AD - RtR/OS! (fad78f)

  110. hun, “lovie” is emp, formerly known as Love2008, a known troll, but one that shows its trollish nature in more of a passive-aggressive format instead of speaking with candor, although it can accidentally show candor on occasion. But never intellectual honesty.

    John Hitchcock (3fd153)

  111. “giving of the speech is inherently offensive, as it uses kids as props.”

    Really? And where was President Bush on 9/11? In a classroom, maybe, using “kids as props”?

    Christ, what a bunch of freakin’ hypocrites.

    Less than 24 hours until he turns your kids into zombies that attack you…

    BOO!

    JEA (0b90bc)

  112. Comment by L. Elbe — 9/7/2009 @ 4:17 pm
    You are wasting your time talking to these blood hounds. They know the truth. Just that it’s better to be cynical and bitter. If Obama were to become a Republican, they would still attack him. It’s really not about what he does, it’s about who he is.

    The Emperor (0c8c2c)

  113. I’m not fighting, the hun, I’m competing in the marketplace of ideas.

    DRJ (3f5471)

  114. the call for compromise is to the elected officials who vote on the bills.
    the baffoon comment is for idiots like you JD who don’t read my comments
    yet feel entitled to mock them.

    the hun (ee1301)

  115. “I’m all for letting the president do what he has to do, but giving pep talks to school children is NOT part of his duties, and the Obama administration has spent a ton of time and money on this…and I don’t like it.”

    Next thing you know he’s gonna play golf and invent a ‘western white house.’ How uppity.

    imdw (e66d8d)

  116. Lovie, perhaps you missed it. I did apologize. You can find my apology here.

    John Hitchcock (3fd153)

  117. imdw,

    You probably should stick with the Western White House slam because Obama’s been playing an awful lot of golf.

    DRJ (3f5471)

  118. Comment by JEA — 9/7/2009 @ 4:35 pm

    Bush was not making a nation-wide address on 9/11.
    The fact that he was in a FL classroom when the IslamoFascists attacked us is coincidental, not material.
    He could have been anywhere.
    And you, are still a moron!

    AD - RtR/OS! (fad78f)

  119. BS, honey. Elbe specifically used the Leftist meme of shooting from the hip. Now, it is possible that Elbe was referring to Clinton, Berger, Pelosi, and Reid, but that would require a complete suspension of disbelief.

    JD (329841)

  120. i dropped the “the”. it was annoying me.
    sorry DRJ, compete/fight/debate, whatever.
    i just want us to read everything we write and not assume that hidden between the lines
    is a secret william buckley or michael moore.
    average americans are more middle of the road than that.

    hun (ee1301)

  121. to drj #108
    in your veiw then, the dems have the majority which they won thru cometition
    and they want to experiment . so get ready for obamacare because all your vigorous debate
    is falling on their deaf ears.

    hun (ee1301)

  122. Comment by JEA — 9/7/2009 @ 4:35 pm

    JEA, there is a big difference between the President reading a book to a class of 25 schoolkids and the President commandeering classroom time for a nationwide audience of schoolkids of all grades. Especially when the same President is sinking in the polls yet is on the eve of beginning a campaign for one of the most massive federal programs ever concocted. Deep down you probably understand this, but your Obama-worship clouds your judgement.

    JVW (d1215a)

  123. Palin glorifies teen pregnancy and the right nominate her for “sainthood”. Her back and forth with Levy Johnson is shameful. Our president tries to really help children and he’s criticized harshly…..accused of brainwashing children….What do you think that picture of Palin’ pregnant teen daughter at the RNC convention put in the brains of our children? George Bush, Sr. asked the same question about helping him when he was president; where was the outrage? The negative folks are just looking for reasons to criticize our President. When George W. Bush was not supported, they called Americans unpatriot. The hypocrisy is astonishing…..The right has no moral high ground left. Just look at the poor role modeling that was set forth during the month of August. Now they cricize?

    Lisa (fa7cdc)

  124. hun,

    I believe L. Elbe was referring to Bush. Is that right, L. Elbe?

    DRJ (3f5471)

  125. so get ready for obamacare because all your vigorous debate is falling on their deaf ears.

    Rasmussen says otherwise,

    Public support for the health care reform plan proposed by President Obama and congressional Democrats has fallen to a new low as just 42% of U.S. voters now favor the plan. That’s down five points from two weeks ago and down eight points from six weeks ago.

    A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that opposition to the plan has increased to 53%, up nine points since late June.

    More significantly, 44% of voters strongly oppose the health care reform effort versus 26% who strongly favor it. Intensity has been stronger among opponents of the plan since the debate began.

    Guess what’s accounting for that dip in support? Hint: see bolded.

    Dana (863a65)

  126. If Al Capone read the speech would it sound just as it does. Let us not forget that Obama is a socialist-left-leaning-radical who has for the better part of his youth AND adult life consorted with and participated with know thugs, radicals, extremists, and hard core socialist communists.

    Nobody I know, of a sound mind and worth-while moral character, would or will allow their children to latch on to a low-life role model for leftist radicals such as Obama. Not Al Capone, and certainly not Barrack Obama.

    AdrianS (05cc1b)

  127. One more reason to not have the republicans in power.

    lou (ba9cf4)

  128. dana:
    i was refering to the congressional democrats themselves in having deaf ears.
    besides, rasmussen and gallup have also found large descrepancies in the % of support depending on how the healthcare reform policies are worded.
    the pollster’s language influnces these outcomes.

    hun (ee1301)

  129. Adrian, you may not know any of them, but 63 million voted for this man.
    please dont forget that or downplay the importance, in america, of elections.
    it is what sets us apart from the barbarians at the gate

    hun (ee1301)

  130. besides, adrian, you are retarded. im not replying to you again. “socialist communists
    i guess thats like different from like uhh those democratic fascists?

    hun (ee1301)

  131. AD – RtR/OS – I’ll refrain from calling you what I really think you are.

    The conservative anger on this suject is outright stupidity.

    You just hate Obama, so everything he does is criticized. Lile the rabid libs who criticzed every little thing Bush did – you two groups are EXACTLY alike.

    JEA (0b90bc)

  132. Lisa, Sarah Palin has not glorified teen pregnancy. Why are you lying about Sarah Palin? Do all Obama supporters think that lying about others is a good strategy to cover up when Obama has screwed up?

    SPQR (26be8b)

  133. STFU wingerNazis. They One. Deal. And you better watch out, or some drive-by Leftist will call you a Bafoon.

    JD (329841)

  134. hmm, rabid libs and extremely angry conservatives exactly alike?
    JEA, I think they are equally ignorant but you kinda sound like one of those libs
    who fought bush tooth and nail

    hun (ee1301)

  135. I love it when JEA tries to claim some faux-moral-high ground where everyone else is the evil partisan.

    JD (329841)

  136. ooohhhhhh!
    JD, you can’t drop that bafoon thing, can you?
    I swaer it was a typo. An acident, i proomise.
    🙂

    hun (ee1301)

  137. also, no nazi comments please, by left or right.
    that always leads down a bad path in a debate.

    hun (ee1301)

  138. hun, since Democrats used the nazi metaphor for 8 years, why should it suddenly now be off limits?

    SPQR (26be8b)

  139. Never did – thought Bush was a LOUSY President, but I never disrespected him. And since you know nothing about me – STFU

    JEA (0b90bc)

  140. anyways, why are we talking about sarah palin
    she ruined Mccain’s campaign, republicans everywhere should forget about her.
    it takes more than energizing the base to win a national election.
    particularly when the base is under such a small tent.

    hun (ee1301)

  141. hun:

    please dont forget that or downplay the importance, in america, of elections.
    it is what sets us apart from the barbarians at the gate.

    Tell that to Honduras. Better yet, tell the Obama Administration.

    DRJ (3f5471)

  142. SPQR
    I heard alot about bush these last 8 years, and the nazi crap seems to have sprouted recently.
    i never said it was okay for them either.

    hun (ee1301)

  143. hun #123:

    You may be right, in which case we’ll see how ObamaCare turns out. We usually learn more from our failures than our successes.

    DRJ (3f5471)

  144. “I love it when JEA tries to claim some faux-moral-high ground where everyone else is the evil partisan.”

    You are the little, trained puppets for the Republicans, just like ultra-libs are for the Democrats. Both parties can count on their well-trained lapdogs, and whenever they blow their whistles, you dance like the sad marionettes you are.

    JEA (0b90bc)

  145. THERE’S DRJ! man i thought i lost ya.
    but why tell the obama admin. they know the importance of elections, it’s the only thing obama ever did right.

    hun (ee1301)

  146. To SPQR: A picture is worth a thousand words. Palin didn’t have open her mouth. Her actions (blessing of it) spoke for her. Name one teen that believes “do as I say” THEY WATCH WHAT WE DO. Come on!!!! You know this. Unfortunately, many young will brand the right as hypocrits b/c of Palin. Talk to some teens about it. Their biggest issue is hypocrisy. I have nothing against Palin, I just know teens.

    Lisa (fa7cdc)

  147. hun:

    I heard alot about bush these last 8 years, and the nazi crap seems to have sprouted recently.

    Are you actually saying that the Nazi references started with the Obama Administration and not the Bush Administration? If so, you are either very young or not a serious debater.

    DRJ (3f5471)

  148. Comment by JEA — 9/7/2009 @ 5:07 pm

    You just hate Obama
    That pretty much sums it all up. Pure hatred. These were the same folks who opposed him as a candidate. Even going as far as calling him a terrorist-sympathizer. Now he’s president, did anyone think all that hatred will just evaporate? That would be naive. Yes there are those who have legitimate cause to oppose him. That is the beauty of democracy. But in the mix are haters, disguising as mere political opponents. They are the real danger to this country. But they will lose at the end.

    The Emperor (0c8c2c)

  149. Bush was an average President (and definitely NOT conservative) and every liberal in the SF white pages lied about him every chance they got. Drive-by media (you know, those dieing newspapers and those cable outlets being clobbered by Fox every day, every week, every month) lied about Bush every chance they got. Obama ran on the undefined terms “Change, Hope” and against a “GWB 3rd term” despite McCain being a leftist-hugging, left-leaning RINO. And still, Obama had only a 4 point edge on McCain once all the votes (including ACORN fraud votes) were counted.

    Now, even with all of the state-run media, as the drive-bys are now accurately coined, in his pocket, Obama has still sunk beneath GWB’s polling numbers, with the drive-bys fully against him and frequently lieing about him.

    Go figure.

    John Hitchcock (3fd153)

  150. Lisa,

    If it’s all about what we do and not what we say, then I assume you oppose Obama for associating with Jeremiah Wright for 20 years, right?

    DRJ (3f5471)

  151. DRJ
    Do we learn from our failures?
    Vietnam?
    Iraq?
    History repeating itself.

    hun (ee1301)

  152. Nazi Non-sense!!! It was non-sense when leveled against Bush and it’s non-sense leveled against Obama. It’s a below-the-belt tatic and no on with any real sense should really believe this crap about either of them. Grow UP!!!! It’s mean and intended to demean and show hatred.

    Lisa (fa7cdc)

  153. hun, if you think the nazi metaphors about Bush are “recent” then you were not really paying attention.

    I also find your little “small tent” line fairly ridiculous since we are seeing what Obama’s “big tent” gets us allowing communists like Van Jones in the administration.

    SPQR (26be8b)

  154. DRJ #149
    sorry i meant in the last couple of years in bush’s term.
    i’m old enough to remember voting for him i 2000 and regreting it.

    hun (ee1301)

  155. Hey, lovie, what do you call someone who spends years developing associations with and collaborating on programs with a known terrorist and cop-killer-type? In my book, that makes him a terrorist-sympathizer if not an outright terrorist himself. Obama made his bed but you, lovie and other libturd loons, don’t want him to lie in it.

    John Hitchcock (3fd153)

  156. #98:

    But I am not holding my breath.

    Good, why not grab a bag of carbon monoxide to go along with that?

    #93 JD:

    Criticize Teh One and all of the mendoucheous twatwaffles come out, every time.

    We are awash in a mendoucheness of twatwaffles acting like retarded marmosets.

    Makes my brain hurt, cause I can’t scroll past it fast enough not to suffer blunt force trauma from stupid.

    EW1(SG) (edc268)

  157. DRJ, I’m glad you asked. A few statements were taken out of a bigger discussion and blown up. I am no fan of Wright’s, but before you judge, get the whole sermon and look at the man’s life’s work instead of the little bit you might have heard from the media. Do your homework.

    Lisa (fa7cdc)

  158. Lisa, Sarah Palin’s actions? Really? Exactly which teens did Sarah Palin make pregnant? This ought to be an interesting biology lesson.

    That’s all you’ve got to support your lies about Sarah Palin? All you are doing is showing your hatred. Which is ironic isn’t it given your diatribe above?

    SPQR (26be8b)

  159. As the grandma of two elementary aged girls, I can pretty much guarantee they will have lost interest after about 90 seconds. TOTUS may have a way with words, but POTUS reading them will not impress young children.

    PatAZ (9d1bb3)

  160. Lisa, Jeremiah Wright’s lifework is fanning racist hatred. He’s well known for spreading the black theology and the “whole sermon” is full of it.

    SPQR (26be8b)

  161. SPQR
    the small tent line wasnt a joke.
    in fact most republicans agree that the reason they were
    clobbered in 06 and 08 is because their party has become too exclusive as opposed to inclusive, hence the term small tent.
    but, as you accuratly point out, the big tent has its disadvantages as well, but it won the dems a majority, didnt it
    once again, between 2000 and somewhere in the middle of bushs second term, i didnt hear the nazi crap, sorry i guess i was masturbating alot

    hun (ee1301)

  162. DRJ – Barcky only likes democracy when his fellow travelers are in charge. It is a pretty safe assumption that you are giving hun the benefit of the doubt up to this point. We have seen this type before.

    When I get on my computer tomorrow, I am going to search for all of the respectful comments JEA made about Bush.

    JD (329841)

  163. The Emperor:

    But in the mix are haters, disguising as mere political opponents. They are the real danger to this country.

    If you really believe this, then I assume you also believe that left-wing Bush haters are equally dangerous to this country.

    DRJ (3f5471)

  164. hun, actually “most republicans” don’t agree with your claim.

    And yes, I guess you were doing that a lot. Have you stopped yet?

    SPQR (26be8b)

  165. Hun, re: VietNam and Iraq

    Try again. “We” learned in VietNam not to let libturds refuse to allow our military to cross an imaginary line to go after people who are killing us. “We” learned in Iraq that the Iraqi people want us there (read “Love My Rifle More Than You,” written by a self-described liberal). I have plenty of second-hand information about Iraq. In case you haven’t heard yet, my daughter spent 15 months in Iraq, guarding prisoners. I have information regarding those prisoners’ statements straight from my daughter. And I have information regarding commonplace Iraqis straight from soldiers, enlisted and officer, due to my travels to visit my daughter.

    And I have the video of proud Iraqis with blue fingers who got to vote for the first times in their lives. And I have the video of a crying Iraqi man, who said, “I don’t know what freedom is, but thanks to you [the US, government and military] my son will.”

    Again, try again.

    John Hitchcock (3fd153)

  166. Criticizing Palin for her daughter’s preganancy is ridiculous. I’m not a fan, but even the best parents can wind up with a pregnant teenager. I commend them for their handling of the situation.

    JEA (0b90bc)

  167. The amusing thing, JEA, is that Lisa somehow thought that the ridiculous attack on Sarah Palin made her, Lisa, look smarter for some reason.

    A rather obvious fail.

    SPQR (26be8b)

  168. EW1 – Between lovie, JEA, honey, virginia, lisa, and the rest, the Moronic Convergence is in full effect. I will give huney credit for being civil, but it is as transparent as clean glass.

    JD (329841)

  169. Lisa,

    Jeremiah Wright preaches that the government invented AIDS to kill blacks, a belief he has reiterated even after Obama was elected. Is that the homework you wanted me to do?

    DRJ (3f5471)

  170. DRJ, you beat me to that, I was holding out for the next cycle of Lisa’s comments to bring that one up.

    Well, now I’m sure that Lisa can tell us how the “whole sermon” somehow changes that accusation of Wright’s about AIDS …

    SPQR (26be8b)

  171. to spqr 166
    the smart members of the GOP do. and i dont mean that as an insult. its just true. almost every demographic voted dem past two times, cant argue wit dat.

    to john 167
    in 10-20 years we’ll talk about iraq and seeif we made things better in the long run
    i know we didnt for the vietamese.
    also look at the regional issues that have developed in the region. not just the freed iraqis.
    AND WHEN SIR can you impose real and lasting freedom on a populace by militarily force, hahahahaha

    hun (ee1301)

  172. He is your President now John. Show your respect.

    it is really important for everyone to respect the President of the United States.” Laura Bush.

    The Emperor (0c8c2c)

  173. Sorry, SPQR. I’m usually better at being patient and restrained.

    DRJ (3f5471)

  174. JD, how dare you call me huney
    only my transgender vegan life partner can use that term!

    hun (ee1301)

  175. SPQR. Who said that Palin got anyone pregnant? I said that putting her daughter on that stage was poor role-modeling for teens. No one can get around that.

    As far as Wright goes, I don’t care what’s said about him. I am not a supporter of his. I am not convinced, but I won’t even call you wrong though….B/C

    No matter what I say or what the President does you will see it as wrong. I Accept that of you.

    Lisa (fa7cdc)

  176. hun, so you abandoned your claim that “most republicans” agree to now that the “smart republicans” agree.

    You really don’t have a clue about any Republicans, do you? First of all, the same number of Republicans voted for GOP candidates this last election cycle as previous ones. The issue is independants and the GOP lost independants because the GOP in Washington had lost touch with GOP principles. Not this silly “tent” crap you’ve invented.

    When can you impose real and lasting freedom by military force? You don’t have any clue about history do you? Ever hear of World War II? the Korean War? Freedom has been “imposed” scores of time by force.

    Sheesh, get a clue.

    SPQR (26be8b)

  177. i always liked laura

    hun (ee1301)

  178. <Many student need to hear this speech and some will fulfill their promise to themselves, their families, to you, Mr. President and this country. On behalf of my students, Yea for our President.

    memie (33dd7f)

  179. Lisa, so the way to deal with teen pregnancy is to ostracize or even disinherit the teen? Any other action is supporting teen pregnancy?

    You really haven’t thought this through, have you? You just thought you’d spout off some hatred and try to cover up with some pathetic excuses, didn’t you?

    And now you are running away from Wright, after a pathetic half-hearted attempt to claim that we did not understand him. That’s really pathetic, Lisa, but hilariously it was exactly what Obama did.

    The bottom line Lisa is that you have opinions that you can’t defend for any length of time at all. Those are pretty shallow opinions, aren’t they?

    SPQR (26be8b)

  180. whoa! SPQR, settle down. Im sorry, when i said almost every demographic voted dem, i didnt mean republicans voted dem, i meant, most females, hispanics, ages 18-24; those demographics.
    also, the tent terminology is not mine it goes back in american political lingo to pre civil war, i heard it in am hist classes.

    hun (ee1301)

  181. Comment by meme…

    Very good. You go to the head of the class. Too bad William Jefferson Blythe Clinton isn’t President as you go to the head of the class.

    John Hitchcock (3fd153)

  182. hun, that’s interesting because you evidently did not learn anything else in history classes.

    SPQR (26be8b)

  183. oh, and WWII and korea were wars to protect an existing group of free countrys that were threatened by the iron curtain and hitlers germany,
    i know my history and i know that overthrowing a dictator and replacing him does not equall freedom.
    reagan got credit for defeating socialist russia by isolating them , not by going to war

    hun (ee1301)

  184. And the descent continues …

    JD (329841)

  185. how the fuck is WWII like Operation Iraqi Freedom?
    fuck man we have some ignant folk here

    hun (ee1301)

  186. Trust me, ages 18-24 don’t include many deep thinkers. They represent people who have had all those years of heavy “education” in primary, secondary, post-secondary schools and not much time to think for themselves, and not much desire to think about “boring political” stuff. Not all of them, but an overwhelming majority of them.

    It’s the 18-24 group being force-fed libturd agenda for hours on end, days on end, years on end that have large sectors up in arms.

    John Hitchcock (3fd153)

  187. “and im proud to be an american, cause at least i know im free”

    hun (ee1301)

  188. hun, you don’t know your history at all. What are Japan and Germany today? D-e-m-o-c-r-a-c-i-e-s.

    Also, force liberated several democracies that had been occupied by Germany and Japan. Why do you look up some of their names? I’ll give you a start: the Netherlands.

    SPQR (26be8b)

  189. #185

    i know my history

    Obviously not very well.

    And Reagan defeated the Soviet Union by making it very clear that he was willing to go to war, for freedom.

    EW1(SG) (edc268)

  190. No kidding, JD. hun might wan to consider a return to self-abuse because at least then he knew what he was doing.

    SPQR (26be8b)

  191. If you really believe this, then I assume you also believe that left-wing Bush haters are equally dangerous to this country.

    Comment by DRJ — 9/7/2009 @ 5:36 pm
    Yes DRJ. All forms of hatred is bad for any country. And it’s good to point out that I was a strong supporter of Bush. My conservative background may have something to do with it. People should support their CIC. Republican or Democrat. Hatred is dangerous. Right-wing or Left-wing.

    The Emperor (0c8c2c)

  192. ALMOST ALL DEMOGRAPHICS voted dem in 06 and 08,
    WHY JOHN HITCHCOCK? do you latch on to a single phrase in my post and miss the whole point, are you stupid or do you just dont care what the facts are. LOOK IT UP YOURSELF

    hun (ee1301)

  193. SPQR, it was demeaning to put the young lady on the stage w/that boy (see how that’s turned out)…..

    And DON’T through that “hatred” crap at me. I don’t hate anyone. I set out to make a point about influencing teens. That’s all.

    I’m not running away from Wright. I just don’t agree with you. Your use of him, does not dilute my point. I see what you’re doing and I’m not going there with you.

    Lisa (fa7cdc)

  194. Every last one that comes here with that sanctimonious babble like huney started off with, given time, inevitably devolves into standard Leftist boilerplate blather. Retarded marmosets, and all.

    JD (329841)

  195. hey, hun, why didn’t the seasoned-citizen demography, a demography locked up, sewn up by the Democrat party, vote for Obama? He got less than half their votes. Look it up. And I bet if you find a demography of military personnel, you’ll find they were strongly anti-Obama.

    Another thing for you to look up, hun, is the polling that shows people who voted Democrat in 2008 thought Republicans had control of Congress, while those who voted Republican knew Democrats had control of Congress. I wonder why that is.

    John Hitchcock (3fd153)

  196. reagan continued what truman started, that what felled the iron curtain,
    and for you to continue to compare japan and germany in WWII to iraq in 2003 is silly,
    im obviously not getting my point across,
    forcing a people who fundamentally do not accept our values to adopt our system of gov.
    will not work in afgan, nor in iraq. watch and see.

    hun (ee1301)

  197. Lisa, you have eyes but you don’t see. You have ears but you don’t hear.

    John Hitchcock (3fd153)

  198. You were a “strong supporter” of Bush, The Emperor? That must explain why you filled a thread with comments ridiculing him.

    You don’t seriously believe we’ll swallow that BS?

    SPQR (26be8b)

  199. what the fuck is the seasoned citizen demography, do you mean old people.

    hun (ee1301)

  200. “We will begin bombing in 15 minutes.” And all the libturds ran wild, pulling their hair out.

    John Hitchcock (3fd153)

  201. Lisa is full of hate hate angry hate for Sarah Palin, and that is abundantly clear to even a piece of gravel.

    JD (329841)

  202. well guys, sorry, i gotta go mow my grass, but this has been fun. even though we didnt convince eachother of anything
    at least we all know about all those crazy people out there.

    hun (ee1301)

  203. hun, you don’t think that Iraqis or Afghans can value freedom? That’s pretty racist of you, isn’t it?

    SPQR (26be8b)

  204. libturd is a demeaning term john.
    please dont use that.

    hun (ee1301)

  205. just not what we think of as freedom spqr
    it is not rascist to suggest that our culture are very diff

    hun (ee1301)

  206. Lisa, you don’t agree with me about Wright but you have no explanation for his actual statements.

    That leads me to believe that the reason you “don’t agree” with me about Wright is because your opinion of Wright exists only because you are ignorant of the actual controversy. In other words, you don’t know Wright at all, all you know are some shallow talking points designed to keep you from thinking about Wright and what it says about Obama that he sat in that church listening to Wright’s racism without reaction.

    Your opinions still appear to be quite shallow.

    SPQR (26be8b)

  207. I learned something while going through boot and ait: Salute the rank and not the person. I have no reason to respect Barack Hussein Obama, the lieing Socialist, racist, anti-American “special bodily fluid repository.” He is the President of the US. I have never used the libturd line “he’s your president, not mine” and I will never use that line. But I do not now, nor will I ever have respect for a racist, marxist, terrorist-loving, lieing, special bodily fluid repository like BHO.

    John Hitchcock (3fd153)

  208. hun, it is racist to claim that others cannot value freedom. And that’s what you’ve done.

    SPQR (26be8b)

  209. Lisa, did the government create AIDS to attack Blacks?

    SPQR (26be8b)

  210. Lisa was overcome with the vapors when Teh One’s biceps handed a microphone to his little girls at the DNC convention

    JD (329841)

  211. whatever, fuck you and you and you and you and you,
    im out

    hun (ee1301)

  212. “You probably should stick with the Western White House slam because Obama’s been playing an awful lot of golf.”

    It’s not a slam. It’s what we expect: Uppityness.

    imdw (f02745)

  213. oh. I got all excited cause I thought it was for reals Lisa but it’s just some goofball.

    happyfeet (71f55e)

  214. hun, I will continue to use the term “libturd” because it is very fitting. I refuse to use, and am offended by, the term “libtard” which is the only other term which may fit. But “libtard” is offensive because it demeans mentally-retarded folk and not a certain set of liberals (who deserve demeaning).

    John Hitchcock (3fd153)

  215. Note how imdw starts calling Barcky uppity, some kind of racist codeword, but we are the racists.

    JD (329841)

  216. Let me get this straight…having compassion for a pregnant teen is hatred?? Feeling sorry for her was mean…Being concerned about the minds of other teens….evil. To what low will you stoop? It is you who refuses to see or hear. Simply, compare that to the text of President Obama’s speech. NO CONTEST. No cause for the outrage. All of your wrong, hateful remarks won’t change that or sidetrack me.

    Don’t deflect your hatred onto me. Good night and be honest with yourself about the hatred in your heart. Lord open their eyes that they may hear from you. Convict the hatred in their hearts.

    Lisa (fa7cdc)

  217. Hi Lisa you know what are tasty are Pop Tarts and if you save the foil wrappers you can make a hat!

    happyfeet (71f55e)

  218. Lisa, given your hypocrisy in the topic, I doubt I’ll be taking any direction from you.

    Again, did the government create AIDS to target Blacks?

    SPQR (26be8b)

  219. “But George as a former president chose not to speak out,” [Laura Bush] added. “He thinks the president deserves the respect and the no second-guessing on the part of the former president… he didn’t like it when he was criticized by former presidents and that’s what he has chosen to do.”

    Just as surveys indicate higher percentages of conservatives than liberals are more generous in donating their time and money, I’m not surprised that a former president of the right would be more proper and dignified (and decent) in the matter of presidential etiquette and choose to zip his lips regarding his successor.

    Too bad the no-class leftys that are Bill “BJ” Clinton and Jimmy Ass-Backwards Carter have their own version of how a former president should or should not flap his gums.

    Mark (411533)

  220. Lisa,

    I’m puzzled by your argument. You clearly view Palin as using her pregnant teenage daughter to appeal to anti-abortion advocates. Let’s assume that is true. How is it not also true that Obama used Jeremiah Wright and his church to further his own career, only to discard Wright when his views were unacceptable to most Americans?

    Surely you can’t honestly argue that Obama didn’t benefit in his elections from being a member of Wright’s church or that he didn’t know what Wright thought — Wright had expressed these views for years and was well-known and outspoken in Chicago. In addition, Obama was close to Wright, naming him as his spiritual mentor and the minister with whom he prayed pray privately before he announced his Presidential candidacy in Springfield.

    Most important, unlike Palin, Obama chose to associate with Wright. Palin’s daughter is part of her family. We don’t get to choose our family members and we can’t control everything they do. But Obama chose his minister, knowing full well what he stood for and all the baggage that went along with those beliefs.

    DRJ (3f5471)

  221. Lisa – You really would have preferred it had the Palin family hidden Bristol away in shame unril she delivered her baby, wouldn’t you, demonizing teen pregnancy and encouraging more abortions. That’s your real goal isn’t it? You think Bristol should have had an abortion rather than carrying her baby to term, and Sarah as well with Trig. You’re just another baby murdering lib afraid to say what they really mean.

    daleyrocks (718861)

  222. Is this some sort of troll Woodstock ? DRJ are they all coming from one ISP ? I think the stupidity quotient just spiked.

    Simply, compare that to the text of President Obama’s speech. NO CONTEST. No cause for the outrage. All of your wrong, hateful remarks won’t change that or sidetrack me.

    Don’t deflect your hatred onto me. Good night and be honest with yourself about the hatred in your heart. Lord open their eyes that they may hear from you. Convict the hatred in their hearts.

    Comment by Lisa

    Does anybody know what that is supposed to mean ?

    Jeez !

    I just got back from the wine country and am not yet ramped up to deal with idiots.

    Mike K (2cf494)

  223. DRJ, did I mention how glad I am you’re back? You are much more diplomatic than am I and your statements of fact are couched in a much more disarming and friendly fashion. My candor is far too “in your face.”

    John Hitchcock (3fd153)

  224. Lisa – I agree with you about Rev. Wright. If you ignore his bigotry, anti-semitism, conspiracy theories, outright zaniness, redistributionist philosophies, his church has done some good things.

    daleyrocks (718861)

  225. Well, we can’t criticize the POLICIES of the President, for that means we are only against his policies because he’s Black; it has nothing to do with the fact that he is spending the country into BK, his knowledge of History and Economics is abysmal, he supports totalitarian regimes overseas that are opposed to U.S. policies and works against long-time allies who support democracy, and that he demonstrates all of the characteriestics of a Marxist sychophant, if not a fanatic – but then, he was raised by Marxists, so go figure.
    Yeh, I guess I have an unreasonable opposition to the President and his Administration; but, I can assure you, it has nothing to do with the fact that he’s half-Black.

    AD - RtR/OS! (fad78f)

  226. “You just hate Obama”

    As a person, he seems like a pretty decent guy, good family man, and all that.

    As a politician…he sucks, big time.

    But, this has nothing to do with hatred or love.

    I just oppose the federal government spending taxpayer money on stuff that is none of the federal government’s business.

    That’s all.

    Dave Surls (c9eba9)

  227. SPQR/happyfeet/JD—don’t you know? SPQR brought it up, I didn’t. I was taught that it is silly to follow the foolish in their folly. That being the case, I’ve chatted with each of you too long. Good night and God Bless!!!! I wish you all the best. (I’m adult enough to do that.)

    Lisa (fa7cdc)

  228. Lisa, we tried to engage you on the topics that you chose.

    You failed to back up your claims.

    SPQR (26be8b)

  229. You don’t seriously believe we’ll swallow that BS?

    Comment by SPQR — 9/7/2009 @ 6:13 pm
    (Chuckles.) Is that all you have? Whats the matter? Running out of debunking ammunition? If all you could find was comments I made about Bush’s “Bushisms”. Comments made purely for comic relief, you have nothing. Hint: Read through the whole thread, especially my comments. You will find the truth you seek.

    The Emperor (0c8c2c)

  230. The Emperor, here’s a hint: until you back up your accusations against me, you are a sack of crap.

    SPQR (26be8b)

  231. I do not feel triumphant about the released remarks; it only confirms that the President is not as nutty as Jim Greer thinks:

    As the father of four children, I am absolutely appalled that taxpayer dollars are being used to spread President Obama’s socialist ideology. ….

    http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2009/09/02/2050250.aspx

    Greer now says it’s “a good idea” and will even let his children be exposed to it. He might have sounded a little less hysterical if he just waited.
    http://www.examiner.com/x-15870-Populist-Examiner~y2009m9d7-Republican-leader-to-let-his-children-watch-Obama-school-speech

    One President who used a speech for political purposes was Ronald Reagan in 1986; and to his credit Ed Morrissey at Hot Air has posted excerpts from that speech, which goes far beyond education (in fact, it barely mentions education at all) and advocated his Administration’s policies on foreign affairs, defense, and taxes. If the reaction to a speech that no one had seen the text to is to assume the worst, can you imagine the reaction to an Obama speech similar to Reagan’s?

    Or do the objections to to indoctrination not both ways?

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

    Hot Air: http://hotair.com/archives/2009/09/07/obama-school-speech-released/

    Deepthought (2defe2)

  232. Shallow puddle returns spewing the same BS. It is like IMP in that it simply recycles its prior idiocy.

    JD (329841)

  233. Comment by SPQR — 9/7/2009 @ 7:08 pm
    Shifting the goal post again, SPQR? Typical.

    The Emperor (0c8c2c)

  234. #216 happyfeet:

    Hi Lisa you know what are tasty are Pop Tarts and if you save the foil wrappers you can make a hat!

    Thanks, feets! I needed a break from marmosets jumping off the short bus.

    “Lisa,” your comments are so shallow as to indecipherable. You spew a bunch of bile and hatred, and tell us you aren’t going to “follow” to a place you led to?

    If this is the liberal mind at work, ….

    EW1(SG) (edc268)

  235. Oh, and happyfeet? Instead of foil wrappers from Pop Tarts, I recommend Velostat®.

    EW1(SG) (edc268)

  236. Comment by SPQR — 9/7/2009 @ 7:08 pm

    You’re being very dismissive, and disrespectful, towards sacks.
    Is there a story there?

    AD - RtR/OS! (fad78f)

  237. Yes, everybody, read everything lovie wrote, going back to the first time lovie posted anything. You will find in lovie the very passive-aggressive trollish nature lovie wants to ascribe to people who actually have brains and common sense. You will find the very lack of candor lovie ascribes to me.

    John Hitchcock (3fd153)

  238. Don’t forget, lovie, that a large portion of regulars have had to suffer through your anti-intellectual tripe for a distended period of time.

    John Hitchcock (3fd153)

  239. JH, why do you hate us so?
    To have us go back and read every bit of gibberish the troll-bot has spewed would be a Human Rights violation of Geneva proportions.
    We barely pay attention to the fly-specks she leaves currently, and you want us to go back a sort through all that guano?
    What did we ever do to you?

    AD - RtR/OS! (fad78f)

  240. That’s cool but there’s a recession on, Mr. EW1(SG)… the Pop Tart foil is both economical and stylish.

    I was thinking though you know what’s gonna suck is those kids what hear the dirty socialist Words of Inspiration… and still fail. Zomg! You know if that happens they might as well drop out and get their fast food on cause what kind of loser hears the Glorious Words and still fails? Extraordinarily stupid losers I think.

    happyfeet (6b707a)

  241. I think I meant to italicize *both* not *economical* …

    that looks stupid

    happyfeet (6b707a)

  242. #245 happyfeet:

    I think I meant to italicize *both* not *economical* …

    Consider a happy accident of punctuation, it follows that since there is a recession then the economy of Pop Tart foil should be emphasized, as well as mentioning its stylishness.

    However, I am sure that should we stimulate the economy by investing in the more effective Velostat®, we end the depression recession much sooner. Maybe even a “Cash for Crowns” program to trade in that old fashioned tinfoil beanie for a new Velostat® bowler?

    EW1(SG) (edc268)

  243. Comment by John Hitchcock — 9/7/2009 @ 7:25 pm
    You suck. You know that? You must get that a lot.

    The Emperor (0c8c2c)

  244. @125 — Comment by Lisa — 9/7/2009 @ 4:46 pm

    Palin glorifies teen pregnancy and the right nominate her for “sainthood”.

    Wow, this is different — two unsupported assertions, two falsehoods and a strawman-fallacy in one sentence.

    Her back and forth with Levy Johnson is shameful.

    No reasons given — incapable, scared, or lost? Besides, so what; Mr. Obama is the President, not Mrs. Palin.

    Our president tries to really help children and he’s criticized harshly…..accused of brainwashing children….

    Feel free to read the original homework assignments from the Obama Administration, which you conveniently did not even mention. Note the service to President Obama passages and the references to him.

    What do you think that picture of Palin’ pregnant teen daughter at the RNC convention put in the brains of our children?

    …that Mr. and Mrs. Palin are loving parents; cute daughter, cute baby? Of course there are predators out there that attacked this family (especially the Palin Children and Grandchild) and tried to put horrid images and falsehoods into the minds of Americans of all ages. Hopefully most American-parents (at least the smart ones) saw right through those tactics and expressed to their children that attacking and smearing innocent people is wrong — regardless of party.

    George Bush, Sr. asked the same question about helping him when he was president; where was the outrage?

    Perhaps there was no initial attempt at indoctrination? Not sure — I am not familiar with the speech you sourced…oh, source please. I know, facts are hard, but try please (and forgive me for not taking your word for it).

    The negative folks are just looking for reasons to criticize our President.

    Not certain who the “negative folks” are, but as strawmen I can see why their opinions are important to you.

    BTW: our country currently has an apologist President and a First Lady who has only recently been proud of her country; talk about extraordinary negative.

    When George W. Bush was not supported, they called Americans unpatriotic.

    Wow another strawmen-fallacy (what is that — three now?).

    The rest of your commentary is based on your prior unsupported assertions, strawmen-fallacies, and blatant falsehoods; thereby revealing an unoriginal and somewhat uninformed rant — emotional and quasi-entertaining, yes, but divorced from rational thought and reasoned positions.

    But don’t let any of that bother ya. Just keep believing.

    Pons Asinorum (59e897)

  245. “Note how imdw starts calling Barcky uppity.”

    Dubya too!

    imdw (b62539)

  246. Patterico, DRJ, & Co.,

    Why don’t we you just close comments for a couple days or something? Read through this thread and tell me it was ultimately productive or edifying in any way.

    Leviticus (f0edf9)

  247. Good night and be honest with yourself about the hatred in your heart. Lord open their eyes that they may hear from you. Convict the hatred in their hearts. Comment by Lisa

    Does anybody know what that is supposed to mean?
    Comment by Mike K

    Well, I think so. I believe she’s projecting her own guilt — and what she’s really all about — onto others, particularly her political opposites. As such, I have to again post the following, a salute to the real nature — the real heart — of a typical “lefty”:

    Liberal Scrooges
    By Peter Schweizer, spectator.org, June 2008

    Samuel Johnson once reported on a man who was privately stingy but publicly touted the merits of sharing. Dr. Johnson said sarcastically that the man was a “friend of goodness.” What he meant was that flesh-and-blood goodness is very different from supporting “Goodness” in the abstract.

    Many modern liberals like to openly discuss their altruism. Garrison Keillor explains that “I am liberal and liberalism is the politics of kindness.” But it rarely seems to turn into acts of kindness, especially when it comes to making charitable donations.

    Consider the case of Andrew Cuomo, current New York Attorney General and advocate for the homeless. He has, according to his website, “compassion toward the most vulnerable of us.” And this is how the New York Times described the courtship of Kerry Kennedy (of guess which family): “Ms. Kennedy-Cuomo, 43, said she fell in love with Mr. Cuomo, 45, when he took her on a tour of a homeless shelter on their first date and agreed to fast for the labor leader Cesar Chavez.”

    But that advocacy should not be confused with actually giving to the less fortunate. Cuomo was a homeless advocate throughout the 1990s, but according to his own tax returns he made no charitable contributions between 1996 and 1999. In 2000 he donated a whopping $2,750. In 2004 and 2005, Cuomo had more than $1.5 million in adjusted gross income but gave a paltry $2,000 to charity.

    Cuomo made no charitable contributions in 2003, when his income was a bit less than $300,000.

    CUOMO IS NOT alone in this Scroogery of course. Barack Obama has a rather poor track record when it comes to charitable contributions. He consistently gave 1 percent of his income to charity. In his most charitable year, 2005, he earned $1.7 million (two and a half times what George W. Bush earned) but gave about the same dollar amount as the President.

    The last two Democratic Party nominees for President have come up short on the charity scale. Al Gore has been famously stingy when it comes to actually giving his own money to charities. In 1998 he was embarrassed when his tax returns revealed that he gave just $353 to charity.

    Gore’s office initially defended the action, claiming that the Gores had often given “food and clothing to the homeless.” But when no one showed up in cast-off clothes, Gore’s spokesman Chris Lehane offered a typical “friend of Goodness” response saying that you could only “truly judge a person’s commitment to helping others” you needed to see “what they have done with their lives.” In other words, politics was charity work.

    Senator John Kerry likewise has a poor record. In 1995 he gave zero to charity, but did spend $500,000 to buy a half stake in a seventeenth century painting. In 1993, he gave $175 to the needy. Later, of course, Kerry married the rich widow Theresa Heinz, and today is active in charitable causes using the Heinz foundation as his vehicle.

    Senator Ted Kennedy has clearly relished his role over the years as a liberal Robin Hood. He once told Al Hunt of the Wall Street Journal, “I come from an advantaged life, and I’ll be goddamned if I’m going to get re-elected to the U.S. Senate by taking food out of the mouths of needy children.” But this should not be confused with Senator Kennedy actually giving much money to needy children.

    Kennedy’s tax returns are obviously a closely guarded secret. But when he chose to run for President in the 1970s, he released some of them. With a net worth of more than $8 million in the early 1970s and an income of $461,444 from a series of family trusts, Senator Robin Hood gave barely 1 percent of his income to charity. The sum is about as much as Kennedy claimed as a write-off on his fifty-foot sailing sloop Curragh.

    Robert Reich, once Bill Clinton’s Secretary of Labor and now a professor at Berkeley, has been outspoken about how greedy conservatives are. Conservatives believe in “reviving social Darwinism” and because of conservatives, “America has placed too high a value on selfishness.”

    But when he ran for governor of Massachusetts in 2002, he was all but forced to release his tax returns. It’s not a pretty picture. Reich’s 1040 reveals an income of more than $1 million, much of it giving speeches to corporations and universities for up to $40,000 a pop. He contributed just $2,714 to charity, or .2 percent of his income — note the decimal — and not all of that was cash. Part of it was the value of a donation of a used drum set to an organization called City of Peace.

    Jesse Jackson has often claimed that he operates from a “liberal spirit of compassion and love” while conservatives are “heartless and uncaring toward the silent poor.” But according to his publicly-released tax returns, he regularly donates less than 1 percent to charity.

    Jackson and his family have also established a charitable foundation called the Jackson Foundation to support the underprivileged. According to tax records, the foundation board is controlled by family members and they receive large contributions from corporations. In 2004, for example, they collected $964,000 from corporations like McDonald’s, Anheuser-Busch, and GMAC.

    When asked on the tax form to described “direct charitable activities,” the foundation responded: “none.” From the close to million dollars collected, they gave away only $46,000 to a couple of colleges. The Jackson Foundation spent nearly twice that amount — $84,172 — on a “gala celebration” in honor of — you guessed it — Jesse Jackson.

    NOR IS THIS liberal tightfistedness anything new. The greatest liberal icon of the 20th Century is Franklin Delano Roosevelt. He is regarded by many on the left as the personification of charity and compassion, but FDR actually has a slim record when it comes to giving to charity.

    Roosevelt had an average income of $93,000 ($1.3 million in today’s dollars) but gave away about 3 percent of his income to charity. In 1935, during the height of the Great Depression, when people really could have used it, he donated just 2 percent.

    This evidence of liberal hypocrisy is damning enough, but what really amazes is how poorly these liberals do in comparison to so-called “heartless conservatives.” President Ronald Reagan, for instance, was often called heartless and callous by liberals. Unlike Roosevelt or JFK, Reagan was not a wealthy man when he became president. He had no family trust or investment portfolio to fall back on.

    And yet, according to his tax returns, Reagan donated more than four times more to charity — both in terms of actual money and on a percentage basis — than Senator Ted Kennedy. And he gave more to charities with less income than FDR did. In 1985, for example, he gave away 6 percent of his income.

    George W. Bush and Dick Cheney have continued this Reagan record. During the early 1990s, George W. Bush regularly gave away more than 10 percent of his income. In 2005, Vice President Dick Cheney gave away 77 percent of his income to charity. He was actually criticized by some liberal bloggers for this, who claimed he was getting too much of a tax deduction.

    The main point of liberal compassion appears to be making liberals feel good about their superior virtue. Such are the rewards of being a “friend of goodness.”

    Mark (411533)

  248. “Sometimes we subsidize businesses because they are nice guys”

    I think you should stop using The Onion as a news source.

    Kilo (ead1b3)

  249. #252:

    I think you should stop using The Onion as a news source.

    You have a better explanation of the fiscal stupidity surrounding the financial and automotive industries?

    EW1(SG) (edc268)

  250. AD, #240, in the building alliances thread, lovie accused me of being paid to comment here, and refuses to back up the slander or retract it. Hence, the correct description of lovie as a sack of crap.

    SPQR (26be8b)

  251. Didn’t Gephardt and the Dems hold hearings about the speech Bush gave in 1991?

    JD (b537f4)

  252. Comment by Leviticus — 9/7/2009 @ 10:39 pm

    In plain English, “(my opponents should) just shut up.” — Barack H Obama

    John Hitchcock (3fd153)

  253. Yup, the Dems held Congressional hearings about the evil Bush speech in 1991. F*cking hypocrites.

    JD (3ab713)

  254. C’mon, JD. It’s different when there is a “D” after their name.

    Eric Blair (61adfe)

  255. Read through this thread and tell me it was ultimately productive or edifying in any way.

    It could’ve been edifying, but the Troll infestation came quickly and did not subside until challenges to logic and reasoning fell on deaf ears. The only weapon these mouth – breathers have in their meager arsenal is thread – jacking.

    Dmac (a93b13)

  256. IOW, if we had more folks who tried to use their brains to debate instead of spewing bile from their enormous spleens…well, you get the idea.

    Dmac (a93b13)

  257. Dmac, are you attacking people who have nasal-tract defects?

    John Hitchcock (3fd153)

  258. …only when their nasal passsages get so backed up with mucus that it starts to infect their cranial capacity.

    Dmac (a93b13)

  259. Oh, so you’re calling them “little snots.” I get it. And I agree.

    John Hitchcock (3fd153)

  260. “261.IOW, if we had more folks who tried to use their brains to debate instead of spewing bile from their enormous spleens…well, you get the idea.”

    – Dmac

    Yeah. I do. And I agree.

    Leviticus (f0edf9)

  261. Favorable review of Obama’s school speech from an unlikely source: Newt Gringrich.

    Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich defended President Barack Obama’s speech to school children Tuesday, urging “every child” to read the remarks.

    “It’s a good speech,” Gingrich added. “I recommend it to everybody if you have any doubts. I would love to have every child in America read it, think about it, and learn that they should stay in school and they should study.”

    While I disagree with most of his positions, Gingrich is one of the few Republican leaders who doesn’t have knee-jerk reactions to everything.

    http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0909/26865.html

    Deepthought (90bf08)

  262. Newt Gingrich is a climate change pansy. Also he’s a fat-assed has-been. And he cheats on his wife. He’s a detriment to the Republican party. This is why the dirty socialist media loves to give him air time.

    happyfeet (71f55e)

  263. […] Text of Obama’s Speech to Students (patterico.com) VN:F [1.6.4_902]RATE THIS POST!please wait…Rating: 0.0/10 (0 votes cast)VN:F [1.6.4_902]Rating: 0 (from 0 votes) Sphere: Related Content […]

    In Case You Missed It - The Rantings of a Cranky Parkinsonian (e18092)

  264. happyfeet, you’re right.

    A new class of Republican is being created in the current crucible. We don’t need to go back to the leaders of 1994. If the media loves a republican, that’s a warning sign for sure.

    Juan (bd4b30)

  265. […] Comments Looking at DRJ’s post over at Patterico’s and Paul’s and John’s on Power Line, I see that once again, […]

    Schoolhouse Crock | America Watches Obama (4ab9a2)

  266. […] Text of Obama’s Speech to Students (patterico.com) […]

    Obama “kids” speech :slashingtongue (f51989)

  267. Deepthought’s next deep thought will be its first.

    JD (d3f3ab)

  268. Comment by SPQR — 9/8/2009 @ 6:24 am

    Hence, my oblique point that a sack of crap (fertilizer) is much more valuable to society than lovie.

    AD - RtR/OS! (13c1a1)

  269. Some things never change around here.

    TLove (93fd57)

  270. TLOVE !!!!! How is one of my favorite dirty little socialists? 😉

    JD (979402)

  271. Hi JD! I’m well.

    TLove (93fd57)

  272. Good to hear. Did you ever find another lawyer-type job?

    JD (e4e95a)

  273. Welcome back, TLove. Did I ever make an indecent proposal to you?

    nk (df76d4)

  274. I am back to work. And no nk. 🙂

    TLove (93fd57)


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