Obama to tell kids to stay in school

yes, we do know what is wrong with 'these people'. they're, no... WE'RE all alike. i'm neither a conservative or a liberal. it's not that easy.
we don't feel listened to, we feel powerless when another 'party's' administration takes over and we resort to yelling and bitching on both sides, never really listening to what we're saying, until we're at the edge and we plummet over into the depths of stupid.
we are all in this shit together and we can do a better job of getting to answers if we stop letting the fringes define us.

Thanks pakazak for your common sense. :)

I agree. Ignorance at it's peak performance working it's magic on the weak and feable minded. If it was an NRA speech on how we need to integrate weapons into our school systems I bet they wouldn't have made such a fuss. When did schools have the right to choose when the President can speak? I'm ashamed. Those people should be ashamed. Like him or not he was still elected and we are supposed to stand behind our president...I think it should be a yearly address to the students...to encourage this responsibility for their education...who is it harming exactly? What a silly thing to cause such controversy over. It just makes us look like fools.

A good way to weed out the hateful morons from the normal people who won't be spoon fed negativity like it's sugar.

Ya, preventative healthcare is exactly what people use instead of taking care of themselves. :sarcasm:

By your reasoning, people should just exercise to cure cancer. My thyroid problem is sooooo fixable if I just eat the right foods, too.

Nettle...you've bought into the pharm co propaganda if you believe that they are in the "healthcare" business to save lives. There is a cure for cancer...they don't want you to believe it because they would be out of business. As for the thyroid issue...it can be treated naturally. I was unfortunately too young to understand this before they killed off one of the most important glands in my body. I will forever be tied to the healthcare system because they failed to inform me that I had other less devastating options.

The best prevenative care you can do for yourself is to cook for yourself, grow your own produce, don't buy foods that have been genetically modified and don't allow doctors to hand out medicine like its candy. That will severally reduce your liklihood of developing Cancer. It's really that simple.

So what is this remarkable cure for cancer no one has ever heard of? And is it true that thyrotropin is found in nature and can be ingested?

Excuse me?

JohnA just got owned. Hilarious.

I'm not gay, okay. Someone wants to be gay, great, it's alright with me. But I'm not. I don't know what this has to do with Obama making a speech to the kiddies anyway, but Johnny don't swing that way and I don't appreciate the insinuation. Calling me gay is out of line, no need for insults.

As it is clear to see, at no point did I make a comment about your sexual orientation. Those are your words, not mine. And, as is it also clear to see, the comment relates to your credibility in framing yourself as a moderate, which you are not. If you do not like insults, then I would suggest you not use them.

If you say I said that, I will defer. I don't remember saying that, and I can't imagine the context, but if you say so I will believe you. I don't know what that has to do with Obama speaking to the kids. Since your own beloved Messiah is against gay marriage, I don't know how that would preclude one from being a moderate either. But as long as were clear on one thing. I'm not gay.

Not that there's anything wrong with that.

Honestly, I don't care what your sexual preference is. I do care though about being honest about what you represent. Furthermore, your implication that the president is my 'beloved Messiah' only proves my point further that you lean, obviously, to one side of the political spectrum as you have no idea what my political perspective is. A moderate, by definition, is able to view both sides fairly and objectively, so even if someone is against gay marriage, the have their reasons as to why they are as they have made the effort to thoughtfully consider that subject. Time and time again, you have proven yourself to be biased to a particular way of thinking, and, I just want you to be honest about that. If you feel/think/believe a certain way, have the fortitude and character to represent that truthfully, without the cheap declarations of saying what you represent, when your shared views clearly do not support that.

I am a moderate, I was for Hillary. I voted for Bill twice. I don't care if gays marry, why should straight people be the only ones to suffer. But seriously, if the majority of the people of a state are fine with it, it's OK with me what they want to do in that state. If you think I can't be a moderate because I disagree with the farthest left leaning President to ever occupy the White House, I'd say that says more about your biases than mine.

Hm, that last statement is insightful, because Hilary and Obama virtually ran the same campaign. If you consider Obama, ha, a leftist as you imply, then logically speaking you would feel the same about Hilary, which you profess you don't, which is an interesting point to say the least. And what makes Obama the 'farthest left leaning President to ever occupy the White House'? What part of his policy validates such a statement?

Oh my God, do you really want to relive the whole campaign? They were exactly alike, which is why the had the most highly contested primary in over 30 years, because they were exactly alike. That's why he wouldn't even consider her for VP, because they were exactly alike. That's the crap the likes of Howard Dean and Donna Brazile were throwing around because they were afraid Hillary's voters would leave the party (and a lot did). They knew the party was split so they started up this "they're just alike" bullshit. Well, it was bullshit then and it's bullshit now. Were you even alive during the nineties? See, we had these things called "balanced budgets" instead of spending money faster than we could print it. We did stuff like try to monitor terrorists that hated America instead of trying to make friends with them. Every part of his policy shows it, he's nationalized banks, car manufacturers, he's increased entitlement spending at an alarming and unstatainable rate. He wants to tax food, health care, energy, all with no incentives whatsoever. Please do not tell me you think they are just alike because that is very simply not true. Wow, he is your beloved Messiah, I knew it.

Not only do you have no idea what you are talking about, but your comparing Clinton's 8 year term to Obama 7 months in an attempt to prove Hilary's politics are different from Obama's? Ha, that doesn't make any sense, John. And no one is denying the campaign was intense, but it wasn't on the basis of perpendicular politics, so you're just wrong about that particular point. And it is simply ridiculous to compare Obama's presidency to Clinton's because Obama has only been office for 7 months and he inherited the economy from one of the worse administrations in history.

Furthermore every single part of your argument is riddled with ambiguity and just straight out lies. Friends with terrorists? Really? Show me one terrorist he's befriended. Increased entitlement spending? That's just nonsense. Taxing food, healthcare and energy? LOL, you simply have no idea what you're talking about. Do you even read his policies, or better yet his potential policies, because many just haven't been in-acted yet. More specifically, he wants to tax fast food to pay for healthcare, which I really don't have a problem with since I don't eat fast food anyway. The statement he wants to tax healthcare is ridiculous because one of the main points of his administration is lowering healthcare costs, so that's nonsense. The energy tax is the one exception because I'm not a big fan of that idea either. And the comment about nationalizing banks and car manufactures is just not true. Now we could argue about the bail outs, which actually happened, but neither of those industries have been nationalized, so that's just a straight out lie.

You can attempt to frame me and my politics as much as you want, but my opinions are here plain as day for anyone to see. Your problem is that you cannot see through your own bias to view a situation objectively, and then you insult and slander anyone who sees and comments on said bias. Finally, since we see your arguments against Obama are bogus, I ask again, what is your problem with Obama? His politics are very similar to Hilary, who is on his staff, who you claim to support. Stop throwing up lie after poorly worded lie and be honest.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15920730/
http://gothamist.com/2009/05/12/soda_tax.php
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/postpartisan/2009/02/obama_on_nationalizing_ban...

Just following the lead of the left, only these circumstances were different, The NEA changed the original motivation for the speech and removed the "how will you serve your president" part of the lesson afterwards.

Enlightening:

When Bush spoke to students, Democrats investigated, held hearings
By: Byron York
Chief Political Correspondent
09/08/09 7:11 AM EDT
The controversy over President Obama's speech to the nation's schoolchildren will likely be over shortly after Obama speaks today at Wakefield High School in Arlington, Virginia. But when President George H.W. Bush delivered a similar speech on October 1, 1991, from Alice Deal Junior High School in Washington DC, the controversy was just beginning. Democrats, then the majority party in Congress, not only denounced Bush's speech -- they also ordered the General Accounting Office to investigate its production and later summoned top Bush administration officials to Capitol Hill for an extensive hearing on the issue.

Unlike the Obama speech, in 1991 most of the controversy came after, not before, the president's school appearance. The day after Bush spoke, the Washington Post published a front-page story suggesting the speech was carefully staged for the president's political benefit. "The White House turned a Northwest Washington junior high classroom into a television studio and its students into props," the Post reported.

With the Post article in hand, Democrats pounced. "The Department of Education should not be producing paid political advertising for the president, it should be helping us to produce smarter students," said Richard Gephardt, then the House Majority Leader. "And the president should be doing more about education than saying, 'Lights, camera, action.'"

Democrats did not stop with words. Rep. William Ford, then chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, ordered the General Accounting Office to investigate the cost and legality of Bush's appearance. On October 17, 1991, Ford summoned then-Education Secretary Lamar Alexander and other top Bush administration officials to testify at a hearing devoted to the speech. "The hearing this morning is to really examine the expenditure of $26,750 of the Department of Education funds to produce and televise an appearance by President Bush at Alice Deal Junior High School in Washington, DC," Ford began. "As the chairman of the committee charged with the authorization and implementation of education programs, I am very much interested in the justification, rationale for giving the White House scarce education funds to produce a media event."

Unfortunately for Ford, the General Accounting Office concluded that the Bush administration had not acted improperly. "The speech itself and the use of the department's funds to support it, including the cost of the production contract, appear to be legal," the GAO wrote in a letter to Chairman Ford. "The speech also does not appear to have violated the restrictions on the use of appropriations for publicity and propaganda."

That didn't stop Democratic allies from taking their own shots at Bush. The National Education Association denounced the speech, saying it "cannot endorse a president who spends $26,000 of taxpayers' money on a staged media event at Alice Deal Junior High School in Washington, D.C. -- while cutting school lunch funds for our neediest youngsters."

Lost in all the denouncing and investigating was the fact that Bush's speech itself, like Obama's today, was entirely unremarkable. "Block out the kids who think it's not cool to be smart," the president told students. "If someone goofs off today, are they cool? Are they still cool years from now, when they're stuck in a dead end job. Don't let peer pressure stand between you and your dreams.

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it wasn't 8 years - don't re-write history. The big difference is that Bush brought it on himself with by launching a pointless war in Iraq and his lackluster response to Katrina among many other things.

Obama has barely been in office and some people have been criticizing him before he even got in

Thank you sir.

I'm not a conservative or republican. I didn't want my kids listening to a speech from the most marketed president in history. The main reason was because he was initially supposed to have them write a letter to him telling how they could help him.
If parents aren't in support of a president's agenda, then why should they have to allow their children to write letters telling how they can help that agenda?
I read the speech that the white house rewrote and it was fine. Very neutral, good message for kids.

BTW, just because I STRONGLY oppose Obama doesn't mean I am a republican or conservative. I am fully aware of the loss of freedom under the Bush Administration.
Maybe you should start thinking about it and asking yourself if your missing something instead of getting sucked into the fake political party system?
Spend some time researching and forget what party you "associate" yourself with and you might be surprised at what you find out about our country..
just some advice from a fellow american who did just that, and was shocked at the hidden truth behind our government.

You're right remanns, "the speech was fine". So all of the parent's paranoia was for nothing. It was a general statement about succeeding in life. There was no problem to begin with. As the administration aid said "This is just silly".

Danterola
I would like you to point out where exactly i said anything about political parties. Where did i say that anyone was a Republican? Where did i say what party i was on? Where did i even say anything about politics?
I only said that depriving kids from some old fashion encouragement form someone successful is unfair!

I think you should think about what your typing before you post it where the public can see it.

The same. Any other grilling so DeliatheArtist can vote that up to? Funny how you didn't even discuss the issue at hand regarding the school system and the reasons why students quit it which is what I basically was talking about. I'm sorry it irks you that everyone's world doesn't revolve around Obama and that everyone doesn't need him to live their lives. And in all honesty, I haven't respected a president of this country since JFK. They are all players. And even though I respect Mr. Gore, I don't idolize him like you and others seem to do with Obama's every word. It mattered not who gave the speech, my opinion stiill stands. You can tell students to stay in school, but you must give them a reason to.

"I'm sorry it irks you that everyone's world doesn't revolve around Obama and that everyone doesn't need him to live their lives."

Jan, you're way off base. It's like you didn't even read eldamon's comment.

Jan, you are one defensive, argumentative individual. How does what I said relate to what you responded to and why did you view it as an attack. You seem to assume you are the only one that can admire someone while everyone else must idolize. Is it not possible for someone to feel about President Obama the way you feel about Mr. Gore?

Barring the fact President Obama accomplished what Mr Gore couldn't and did something few even imagined possible in the process, the man does have a few redeeming and admirable qualities. Why do you feel the need to arbitrarily oppose him out of hand? Are JFK and Mr Gore the only politicians that measure up to your superior and unyielding standards? What do JFK and Mr Gore have in common the President Obama lacks pray tell?

Is there a limit to the number of good role models a child should have? It is very good for any child to have two parents that take the time to be role models in their children's lives but what about those not as fortunate? What about the single parents or the child that just needs that one spark, that one push in the right direction to make the difference. Surely a word from a charismatic leader that has done something never done before and thought all but impossible could be inspirational to some if not your children.

, he is not a role model for my child. No president ever was. I was speaking for myself. I don't really want to now go back and forth with you while you beat me over the head for giving an opinion simply because I didn't fawn over Obama. As I stated it is all well and good to tell students to stay in school, but give them a reason.

give them a reason? You're not going to get a good job without a high school degree. Even most vocational jobs require schooling.

If schools were "interesting" they might cut out stuff that people need to know whether they like it or not.

Education/learning is not teaching people what they want to know but teaching them what they need to know.

How DAREEE Obama have the AUDACITY (of hope) too tell MY CHILD to stay in school! My child will do what he wants when he wants. HAULIN' ASS AND TAKIN' NAMES, BUDDY!!!

And how DAREEEE Obama tell MY CHILD to wash his hands! It's My child's FREEDOM CHOICE to get H1N1 whenever he wants, and give it to anyone whenever he wants BY GOD!!!!

ARGHHHHH!!!!!!! ANGER!!!!!

lol

HIDE THE KIDS!

amen. shut the tube off, step away from the idiocy.

People, like myself, where annoyed when the idea of the speech was first leaked to the press, because the speech was at first going to ask children what they could do to "help" the president.
Now, I am not a republican or a democrat, but I strongly oppose the bailouts, cap and trade, and the social healthcare bill. I don't want my kids writing about how they can "help" with any of those issues.
That is what the big deal was about. People like myself did not want our kids to get pulled in to the most marketed president in US history's little self promotion.
Once the white house realized the trouble the original speech was causing they rewrote it.
I read it, and I had no problem with my kids listening to Obama speak about education.

what?

clayj is rewriting history thinking its ok to disrespect Obama because some people disrespected Bush. However it wasn't for 8 years and Bush earned it whereas Obama hasn't had time yet

living on the meager scraps of society doesn't do enough. Plus clearly growing up poor would make anyone cynical to the "dream", with the exception of a few talented kids the rest see it as something meant for the higher classes and are ultimately demoralized. No commercial, celebrity, etc can make some kid born into poverty suddenly believe he has the same shot in life as say a Hilton child. History already shows that to be true..

holy crap and this isn't the onion? Now were are those "gumshoes" from carmen san diego game show, they can figure this out...

HAHAHAHHAHA.... that lady is stupendous!!! I love her so much. she is doing a female reenactment of glenn beck, except she hopes the audience can see past her B.S.. love it!

I havent laughed that hard sense I saw Clerks 2 the first time.
"Obama says he wants kid to study hard which, which we all know is a slippery slope to becoming a NAZI!!"

"He wants a place where kids can check out books, FOR FREE! SOCIALISM!!"

How can the government possibly hope to put EVERY american child into a government run building five days a week. That is absurd. Our government can't do anything except cocaine. There is no way the American People would allow such socialism as free public schooling. If you cant afford education you should get a job, just like nature intended. I dont want my check going to educate some one else's kid.

"There is no way the American People would allow such socialism as free public schooling."

Well... it's been happening for hundreds of years, so I don't think you have the most reasonable response there. And America is riddled with socialistic aspects (welfare, Medicare/Medicaid, Social Security), yet the only time anyone has ever seemed to notice it is when Obama decided to add a few more.

that was sarcasm fuck tard

calm down CalParr, you realize on the internet, the tone of your voice cannot be heard unless you webcam it? I also began reading your post as if it was serious. You'd be surprised how many people on here actually post and express views just like the one posted. Horrifying, but true.

What's sad is sarcasm is totally ineffective these days because right-wingers are really THAT DUMB.

There is no absurd extreme that a person can go to in order to make it seem like your are kidding, because somewhere, on some talk radio show, there is some blowhard who is more absurd, and more extreme, and he really means it.