education

The Republican Party Establishment In Panic: Jeb Bush, George Will, Haley Barbour

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The Republican Party Establishment is fully aware that the party is doomed if it follows the crazy path being tread by Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum, Newt Gingrich, and Ron Paul.

These candidates are absolutely a calamity big time.

Mitt Romney spends time talking about the height of the trees in Michigan; the fact that his wife has two Cadillacs; the concept that he likes firing people; jokes about being “unemployed”; suggests a tax plan that would be worse than that under George W. Bush in cutting taxes on the wealthy; and continues to say that the auto industry bailout was a bad idea even though it saved between one and two million jobs.

Rick Santorum talks about Satan taking over America; attacks public education and higher education as promoting secular humanism; advocates the end of contraception availability to women; condemns homosexuality in the most extreme language; advocates religion in government; and calls for war on Iran immediately.

Newt Gingrich says that Barack Obama is dangerous to American security; calls for immediate action on Day One to wipe out everything Barack Obama has promoted; calls for a moon colony despite no funds available for it anytime soon; brags about his own brilliance and intellect and knowledge; has no shame about his moral lapses; and enjoys stirring a “hornet’s nest” and being a “flame thrower”.

Ron Paul calls for the elimination of the Federal Reserve; the immediate withdrawal of our troops from all nations overseas; the ending of five federal government agencies; is for massive immediate cuts in the federal budget;
believes in no regulation of corporations; and is a total advocate of libertarianism.

All four are a true disaster, and we have heard the lament from Establishment figures.

Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush deplores the promotion of fear and emotion; while George Will, of ABC’s THIS WEEK and also a Washington Post columnist, states that none of the candidates have made a good case for the nomination; and former Mississippi Governor and Republican National Chairman Haley Barbour also is critical of the performance of the candidates for the Republican nomination.

Whether anything can be done to avoid electoral disaster is very hard to predict at this point, but a sense of foreboding is clearly evident in Republican circles!

The Republican War On America Since Obama Became President

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In the three years since Barack Obama became President in January 2009, the Republican Party has done everything possible to make Barack Obama “a one term President”, as Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell declared in 2009.

They have been proud of their efforts, so it is time to show how they have worked against the interests of the American people as they have fought against Obama and his initiatives.

MoveOn.org has made up a list of the “wars” waged by the GOP, and they are worthy to note.

The Republicans have waged war against the reproductive rights of women.They have declared war on child labor laws, unions and collective bargaining rights; war against marriage equality for gay men and women; war on science, the environment, and public health; war on education; war on historical truth, promoting mythological revisionism; war on immigrants; war on the Islamic world; war on the right to vote; war on racial desegregation; war on National Public Radio and PBS; and finally, war on Barack Obama, claiming he is born in Kenya, is a Muslim, is a Socialist, is a Fascist, and other lies and deceptions to vilify a President worse than anyone since Abraham Lincoln, including even a much vilified President, Richard Nixon.

With this record, they want us to give them power to go backwards on so many social areas, economic policy, and foreign policy. Forward looking people cannot allow this to happen!

The Poor Often Forgotten: The White Underclass

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Whenever there is discussion of the problem of poverty, the tendency of most people is to assume that poverty is found only in the city ghettos across the country, and that poverty is found only among African American and Hispanic and Latino communities.

The thought that there might be millions of white poor people in rural areas and in the suburbs, particularly since the Great Recession hit in 2008, which has caused the loss of more jobs and foreclosure of homes on a massive basis than ever in the past 80 years, has not been generally recognized.

Many of the white poor are single mothers with children, but also includes families where both mother and father have lost their jobs, and also people in their 50s and 60s who are unlikely ever to get a full time job ever again, sadly, and also senior citizens and the disabled who are in a terrible state of affairs when it comes to medical care and having adequate money for food and other necessities.

Of course, there are minorities in the same boat, but in actuality, there are many more forgotten whites than minorities. And instead of the Republican Party being willing to recognize this reality, instead they love to use the race card to imply that the vast majority of poor are nonwhite, when just the opposite is the case.

The growing income inequality and education gaps are the true crisis for America’s future, and we do not see the Republican Party willing to address this truth, but instead utilize fear and hysteria to keep many whites from voting for the party who really cares about their future, the Democrats under Barack Obama!

Barack Obama’s State Of The Union Address: Powerful, Inspirational, Visionary!

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President Barack Obama reminded us tonight of how he inspired us when he ran for President in 2008.

His speech was powerful, inspirational, and visionary, and he made it clear that he was willing to fight for what he believed in, if the Congress continued to stand in the way of progress and change. He would take action in areas where there is stalemate, by use of his Presidential powers.

He pointed out how the economy is improving; how we are more respected around the world; how we have greatly lessened the danger of terrorism; and the work that must be done, regarding education, infrastructure spending, and other initiatives to continue the expansion of the American economy.

He gave tribute to Americans who have sacrificed for our country, particularly in the military, and called for “fairness” when it comes to tax rates and to share in the responsibilities of being American citizens. And he called for opportunities for young immigrant children who only want the chance to prove their commitment to the only country they remember, by getting a university education or serving in the military,and thereby gaining the chance for citizenship.

He called for a sense of renewed commitment, and a shared one, in the future of our nation, which he said can never be regarded as having passed its peak, but still has greatness in its future if we all do our part in advancing America.

The speech made one proud that Barack Obama has been our President for the past three years, and it marks the inception, more formally than before, of the Presidential Election campaign of 2012!

A Major Positive For Barack Obama In 2012: The Hispanic-Latino Vote

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Many Hispanics and Latinos are unhappy with President Barack Obama, due to the deportation policies of the administration, seen as considerably tougher than under George W. Bush; and to the continuing economic difficulties faced by them, a higher unemployment rate than whites.

But yet, it seems clear from a survey of the Pew Hispanic Center that Hispanics and Latinos will back Obama by 2-1 over any Republican opponent.

The reason is the constant anti Hispanic and anti Latino statements of Republicans running for the Presidency, and the Republican membership of Congress.

Also, jobs, education and health care matter most to Hispanics and Latinos, and on all three, the GOP is seen as unfriendly and antagonistic to the values and concerns of those groups.

John McCain received 31 percent of the Hispanic and Latino vote in 2008. George W. Bush had done better, with about 40 percent. It seems clear that whoever the Republican nominee is, he is unlikely to get much more than 20 percent, if that.

And only Cuban Americans are likely to vote in the majority for the Republican nominee for President, while Puerto Ricans, Mexicans, and other Central and South American Hispanics will certainly back Obama overwhelmingly!

The Republican Motivation For Power: Take Away Human Rights Already Granted!

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America has developed over the past two centuries into a republic promoting democratic values and the advancement of human rights.

The Republican Party of 2011-2012, however, is making clear its desire to TAKE AWAY human rights already won over the past two centuries, with blood, sweat and tears!

We have seen the acquisition of voting rights in the 15th, 19th, 23rd, 24th, and 26th Amendments, as well as with the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and yet now, the Republican Party in many states is working very hard to LIMIT the right to vote by unreasonable limitations that particularly affect African Americans, Hispanics and Latinos, college students, the elderly and the poor of all races!

Women have gained the right to control their own privacy, including control of their own bodies, through a Supreme Court decision in Roe V. Wade in 1973 and other Supreme Court decisions and legislative actions, and yet now in many of our states, the attempt to take away women’s rights, including the right of abortion, is being fiercely waged, including encouragement of violence against abortion providers and closing down of locations where a woman can pursue her reproductive rights.

Gay men and lesbians have gained the right to serve in the military openly, be married in several states, adopt children in most states, and have other basic human rights, but now the move is on to take away these rights so hard fought for!

Working people, both immigrants and those born in the US, have fought for labor protection and representation through formation of labor unions, which have now been undermined for decades, and the attempt to impoverish workers by corporations and their Republican allies is in full development!

This has been a land of immigrants, and yet the Republican Party of today believes in polarizing Americans against undocumented immigrants who they would support deporting in the millions, even with the fact that 98 percent of them have committed no crime beyond entering the nation in an illegal manner, and just want the opportunity to work toward eventual citizenship through learning English, paying fees, and waiting patiently in line for the “American Dream”, and yet now work at low wage jobs that no Americans wish to fill, particularly in agriculture, retail, and home and hotel services.

Americans in general have been able to see improved educational opportunities, better health care, and opportunities for better housing and safer environment and consumer protection due to past Democrats and moderate Republicans working to better conditions for the middle class and the poor, but now the goal of the GOP is to take away these advancements and simply promote the interests of the top one percent and the corporations that sit on money, refuse to hire, and instead use government money that saved them to give bonuses to overpaid, under worked executives, and to lobby corrupt politicians who do their bidding!

Will the nation at large continue to accept an opposition party that works to DENY all of the progress on voting rights, women’s rights, gay rights, labor rights, immigrant rights, and the advancements for the middle class and poor gained over two centuries?

Only if the people are appealed to based upon ignorance, emotion, prejudice, and manipulation! For the future of America, this cannot be allowed to happen, as it will undermine the social fabric of America for the long haul!

Florida Governor Rick Scott Pitting Educational Funding Against Medicaid!

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Florida Governor Rick Scott, a favorite of the Tea Party crowd, has made a bad name for himself among many Floridians who wish they could remove him from office, but so far an attempt at a recall vote has gone nowhere, unlike what Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker is facing.

After gutting educational funding in the first year of his term, now he is calling for $1 billion increase in support for the educational system under the college level, but still would leave Florida behind its all time high funding, and leave Florida one of the worst states in education support and educational results.

But what he is also doing is pitting education, the future of the young, versus Medicaid, the health care system that comes to the support of the poor, the chronically ill, disabled, and elderly.

So he is showing no conscience about the most vulnerable among us, while suddenly trying to make himself look good on education.

It is immoral and unethical for Governor Scott to be calling for drastic cuts in Medicaid spending ($2 billion), while creating the image that he cares about education!

Hopefully, the Republican controlled legislature will NOT agree to such drastic cuts in Medicaid spending, as to attack the most vulnerable among us is totally unacceptable!

Reflections On The Pearl Harbor Anniversary

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The History Channel tonight presented an exceptional two hour program on the 24 hours after Pearl Harbor, and how Franklin D. Roosevelt learned about and handled the matter up to the declaration of war on Japan precisely a day after the attack.

It made this author wonder about how much is taught about Pearl Harbor in the schools of America. This is such a path breaking event, a turning point in our history, unmatched since the attack on Fort Sumter which stared the Civil War, and only matched since by the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.

How many students would know what Pearl Harbor represents, and would know that Japan was the nation which attacked us? How many would realize the importance of World War II, and know all the “players” in that war, including FDR, Winston Churchill, Joseph Stalin, Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini, and Emperor Hirohito?

It is horrifying to think of the historical ignorance of America, not only of this event, but of all of the events and facts of American history and government which are needed for citizens to be knowledgeable enough to be good citizens and intelligent voters!

Education MUST be the prime way for this country to prosper and advance into the future, but instead, we are seeing educational cutbacks all over the nation!

This is, therefore, a time to mourn, not just for the victims of Pearl Harbor, but for ourselves as a nation which is poorly informed, which affects our politics and our hopes for a better America in the future!

Barack Obama Invokes Teddy Roosevelt And The “New Nationalism” Of The Progressive Party Of 1912

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President Obama invoked Teddy Roosevelt and the “New Nationalism” program of the Progressive Party of 1912 in a speech today at Osawatomie, Kansas, the site of a speech by the former President in 1910, setting the standard for his later third party run for President in 1912.

Called a socialist, a radical, and even a Communist by many conservatives a century ago, President Theodore Roosevelt promoted a very advanced series of ideas out of office, more than when he was in, including the end of child labor, equal pay for women, a minimum wage, a social insurance program including social security and health care, a progressive federal income tax, and reforming the political system.

His program, known as the “New Nationalism” became the forerunner of much of the “New Freedom” of Woodrow Wilson, the “New Deal” of Franklin D. Roosevelt, the “Fair Deal” of Harry Truman, the “New Frontier” of John F. Kennedy, and the “Great Society” of Lyndon B. Johnson.

Obama talked of the need for a strong middle class and a raised standard of living, and the need to regulate corporations and to raise taxes as other Presidents have done, in order to promote a “fair shake” for everyone, giving everyone “equal opportunity” to succeed.

Obama emphasized that major tax cuts for the rich had led to greater inequality, lower creation of jobs, growing deficits, and the collapse of the American economy in the past ten years. He declared that “trickle down economics” had never worked in the past successfully, and that assertive actions by government were necessary to promote a bright future for all Americans.

He called for more investment in education, research, technology, infrastructure, and manufacturing, rather than in banking and finance which leads to phony manipulation of financial figures and causes financial “bubbles”!

His speech, as usual, was well delivered, and was designed to inspire the American people to take on the struggle that was fought during the Progressive Era by Theodore Roosevelt to promote a bright future for America!

And remember that Theodore Roosevelt was a Republican who believed in the role of government to make a better society, something regrettably not the viewpoint of the transformed Republican Party of today, which speaks only for the wealthy and the corporations, and spends time dividing people and gaining support based on social conservatism issues, including gay rights, abortion rights, gun rights, illegal immigration and affirmative action. Meanwhile, the lives of the masses of Americans who vote on their emotions, rather than their reason, for the GOP, does not lead to better lives for those people!

Newt Gingrich: Flip Flopper Par Excellence!

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Many political observers have pointed out that Mitt Romney, the former Massachusetts Governor, is a “Flip Flopper” on almost every issue, which he most certainly is!

But his new major rival, Newt Gingrich, who is surging in the polls, has also proved to be a major “Flip Flopper” par excellence.

He has changed his views on:

1. Climate Change
2. Paul Ryan’s plan for Medicare
3. Mandates for Health Care legislation
4. Libya Policy
5. Education Reform
6. The Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP)
7. His religious beliefs
8. His Views on Lobbying and Earmarks
9. His opposition to torture
10.His views on the environment

Gingrich has proved that there is no issue that he will not change his views if it will advance his lust for power and influence and public attention. He is a man without principle except his own advancement!