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THE Gun Toting Liberal Reaches Out To His Fellow Commentators -Slash- Co-Bloggers And Readers To Furnish Their Opinions On Any Of The Above Or Anything Else Political One Wishes To O-Pine On…
Hey everybody, it’s Labor Day (not “Management Day” as President Obama put it today) and it’s time to celebrate another year of this country’s existence whether you are a laborer or a manager. Despite the fact this is another day of celebration for our nation, there are STILL some newsworthy items worth covering. As always, I’ll pick a couple of items interesting ME out and give a brief commentary and it’s up to you to either take the bait or toss something else out for debate altogether.
That said, I’ll start the ball rolling now before turning the keys over to you all…
GREEN CZAR?
If we didn’t know before, we all know now who President Barack H. Obama had appointed to the role of “Green Czar”; the shockingly foul-mouthed (YouTube) Van Jones. He resigned in shame, of course. And if that wasn’t controversial enough, some people are claiming Mr. Jones wasn’t properly vetted by the administration because he’s a “9/11 Truther” according to Slate’s Kausfiles. As Mickey Kaus points out, the petition he signed a few years back was a demand for an inquiry into whether or not then President Bush had used 9/11 as an excuse to go into Iraq, NOT whether or not the man sat back and allowed the Twin Tower bombings to occur so he could go into Iraq.
Let’s get this straight — Van Jones should have NEVER been appointed to a “Czar” position, nor should anybody else have. We don’t need Czars running our country and I was shocked enough when President “Surge” W. Bush started appointing Czars during HIS tenure reign of the Royal Palace White House. If nothing else, perhaps this will work toward a much closer look at what exactly a “Czar” appointee IS and whether or not the whole concept is even remotely Constitutional in the first place. While I have my doubts, the concept doesn’t seem very “American” but that’s just MOI.
OBAMA SPEECH FOR SCHOOL KIDS?
Speaking of President Barack H. Obama, for the life of me, I cannot understand why public schools and their administrations are getting so bent out of shape over THIS planned speech to our schoolchildren tomorrow. The man is our president and he WON the election. Get over it, folks. The president is not attempting to indoctrinate school kids into his far-left, commie, socialist slightly-right-of-Former-President-Bush’s ideology. Even if he was, isn’t that what right-leaning parents are for? To educate their children as to the “far-right-truth”? That’s how it worked when I was a child and see how that turned out?
Annnnnnd, now it’s YOUR turn. Back to you, my friends.
***
Some of the furor over the “speech” seems to have died down. I was somewhat surprised at how mad some people were. I fully expect some to overreact and suggest that it was indoctrination, as some people refer to public schools a gov’t indoctrination centers. I suppose that these people are going to see indoctrination no matter what the president says. As for the actual speech, it seems to be of the ‘work hard and you will succeed’ variety. I don’t see much in terms of left-wing brainwashing.
I also think that the critics are being a little too optimistic (or pessimistic, depending on your viewpoint) as to the power of a televised speech given to schoolchildren. I think Obama is a great speaker, but face it. Most kids are probably not going to pay attention and I doubt Obama will have any more luck with indoctrination than did Reagan or Bush (the Elder), who also addressed the children of America.
I have a school age child and am pretty neutral about the whole thing. I see it as time that could probably be better spent doing something more productive, but it doesn’t really bother me. I am confident of my ability to better indoctrinate my child than the President. It is a moot point, though, as my child’s school does not have cable, so they won’t be showing the speech.
As with everything its all perspective.
When Bush was in office the left saw EVERYTHING he did as evil, worthless and an attempt to ram his far right agenda down our throats. He was Evil incarnate. See Bad Dogs Post for proof if you doubt this.
Now that a far left president is in office he is nothing but Evil incarnate to the right. He is attempting to ram down our throats his far left agenda.
Funny how that works.
Its all about perspective. When I was working Near San Antonio Texas doing some experimental drilling back in the early 90′s I got to experience first hand how those illegal aliens slipped right over our borders and like locusts swarmed our lands. I was aghast and the vision of them swarming accross our compound in the middle of the night has never left me. Night after night after night for 51 days I watched the freight train coming south and going northwest. Not a few. a LOT!
My persepctive of Illegal immigration was forever changed those 51 days. Its all about perspective. When we talk about illegal immigration I have first hand experience of what people are talking about…..them slipping over the border in the middle of the night….Others just see it on TV and it doesnt seem so bad. Its all about perspective. When you see a MOB of people knowingly breaking the law….its all about perspective.
The furor speech is political tit for tat. Here is an article showing how the Dems reacted to the school speech given by HW Bush.
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/blogs/beltway-confidential/When-Bush-spoke-to-students-Democrats-investigated-held-hearings-57694347.html
From the article:
“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.”
It is all about power and the manipulation of facts. As it is often said….In politics perception is reality.
GTL,
What are you thoughts on Obama’s primetime healtcare speech?
It seems to me that the left is ready to pounce on Obama if the public option is not part of the bill that reaches his desk – or worse, if Congress fails to get a bill done. Of course, the right is going to pounce on Obama no matter what – but that’s not the subject of this post.
If healthcare reform bombs (or gets watered down, or whatever depending on your political POV), is this really Obama’s fault? Not that I can be accused of being an O’Bomber apologist, but why can’t the Congresscritters just do their jobs and make the laws? Do we really want a President (of either party) who controls both the Executive and Legislative branches via the bully pulpit? What about those 3 branches of GOVT anyway?
While I really don’t support Obama on most issues (including healthcare reform), I don’t see why it was wrong for him to outline his general vision (as he did) and then let the Congress do its job and hammer out the details (which they seem to be doing – badly).
The left, in my independent right winger political thinking, needs to nail their Congresscritters if this thing bombs for them. Why bash your Pres (who will be here for 3 more years) on something that’s not his responsiblity?
Steve
@SJ, I think two large parts where his rush to get something, anything, done RIGHT NOW! And then Nancy promising to fast track whatever it was with almost no time for study. “Trust us! We know what is best for you!”
As I have metioned a few times, Bush took about a year to “rush” into war in Iraq, and this whole health care deal has the potential to cost much more in terms of lives lost and dollars spent. So why isn’t it a “rush” to try to push this through in a few weeks as Nancy had rashly promised?
And, starting with an attempt to modify the Articles of Confederation, it took about 6 months to come up the the farily short doccument we call the Constitution. But now they want to push a bill of over 1000 pages through quickly?
Throw in the arrogant, elitist attitudes and pontifications by the likes of Nancy, Harry, Barney, and some of the other top dems and people really get their backs up.
@SJ, I am still open-minded on the healthcare reform — we need it but not as currently proposed — we do need more discussion and number crunching on it. Debate and taking our time is important. The closest I can come to giving you an answer would be fairly much mirrored by Senator Franken’s responses to angry Tea Party movement folks — Video Here
@The GTL™,
The rush was because Obama and the democrats knew they might very well loose the majorities they now enjoy by 2010. They plan on ramrodding their agenda through as fast as they can while they can. They expected the GOP to protest….they said so what we can deal with the GOP. They expected FOX news to protest….so what Faux news is a joke. They had the MSM on their side….all was going according to plan and then suddenly something strange in America happened.
The ordinary citizens rose up and revolted….this honestly has set them back and got them scratching their heads.
Because the ordinary citizen know what I know…….
Cap and trade and health care is going to bankrupt us because I dont care how much kool aide you’ve been drinking…..you aint EVER…going to have the government create a program that will PAY FOR ITSELF…EVER! NEVER EVER!! In your dreams if you even believe that it will remotely not cost us 100 trillion dollars in the next century…..
Reform yes!!! Absolutely….paid health care for millions and millions……….not without bankrupting this nation without a decade long move to making it happen.
Van Jones is a racist wacko. It wasn’t just the 9-11 Truther status that led to his resignation, it was also all the other baggage he was carrying. Either he was never vetted, the vetters were completely incompetent, or Obama wasn’t concerned about the issues raised by Van Jones’ baggage.
I agree aboout the entire ‘czar’ issue. Either eliminate them, or force them to go through a congressional confirmation process. They are obviously being used now to bypass the process that is designed to insure our leaders are (or at least appear to be) somewhat trustworthy.
Regarding Obama’s speech to our children, most of the uproar was not necessarily based on what Obama’s teleprompter was going to say, but the Kool Aid that was to be served before and after the speech. Including, but not limited to, an assignment that each child write a one-pager describing how he/she can help Obama.
Maybe its just me, but I was under the impression that the President was supposed to serve the people. Apparently Obama and his cronies seem to think the children of America are there to serve him.
Hey, Joe Lovell, if you’re out there did you see the news story about some guy in Pennsylvania shooting his neighbor’s house with a cannon. When I first heard it I thought it must be you, then I heard it was in PA.
@Fandb,
Joe wouldn’t shoot anything that only weighed two pounds. Now if the neighbors house had been shot with a twelve pound projectile, I’d suspect Joe.
@Chuck,Well, @ FandB first. Yeah, I saw that. A ricochet that hit a house about 400 yards away. I’m betting that he has been shooting into that same hill/bank/berm for years with no problem.
Chuck, 9.2 pounds. 3 inch rifle, not a 12-pounder Field Gun, Model 1857 (4.62″ bore. You can damn near sleep in the tube) smooth bore.
@Fandb, Obama, June 09 “Lobbyists won't find a job in my White house” We can just call them “czars”; and nobody will notice.
Just in case you didn’t catch it. Far from accusing Obama of indoctrination in his speech, Rush Limbaugh said the words in Obama’s speech were good. Of course then he accused Obama of not meaning any of it and saying Obama’s message of kids taking responsibility should be broadened and given to adults and is the exact opposite of Obama’s programs of being dependant on government and not taking self responsibility.
Gun Totin’ Left ?
What I’m reading here is not anywhere near the Left. You should rename to GT Blue Dog…i.e. liberals in name only. Maybe liberal about a few inconsequential issues, but conservative for everything important like racism, social justice, humanity, morality, ethics, and world perspective.
The real Left is pissed, and we know we can tote too. I’m fingering my Glock and dreaming of putting the entire Fox “News” lineup in my sights.
I have dreamed that ignorance will eventually be overcome by truth and education, but obviously I will not see it in my lifetime.
America is a perverse abomination of the framework set up by the Founding Fathers.
Wake up people!!
@Slick, HEH… SLICK! Jeez, dude — you just give PROOF to the fact liberalism and conservatism lies in the eyes of the beholder/judge. I’ve been called everything from a Marxist to a frigging Neocon over the years and yannow — if your prevailing fantasy involves blowing away a bunch of folks @ FNC who for the most part (aside from O’Reilly, Hannity, etc.), simply read teleprompters, you’ve got a serious screw loose and I hope the FBI catches you before you do any harm. Did you know Shepard Smith is a Liberal? Did you know Greta Van Susteren is a Liberal? Did you know “Campaign Carl” is a Liberal? Google it. You do what you gotta do to make a living in show biz, bro.
I think you need to spend a few more minutes browzing the archives (5 years of ‘em) then come back to me and tell me I’m a typical “Blue Dog”. But hey — that’s just MOI
@The GTL™,
okay…I admit I had a knee-jerk blurb fest back there. Don’t worry man, my gun only goes off in the depths of my brain. No postal tendencies here.
Even if they only read teleprompters, their shear lack of conscience about what comes out their pieholes is much worse than just verbal diarrhea because it inflames people. Is that where we’re at….just inflame the ignorant for some kind of ratings number?
When I see guys strutting – and I mean strutting – around at a venue where the President is…I get a little cuckoo. That’s not about the 2nd Amendment. I’ve seen a President blown away, and attempts at 2 others, and Martin Luther King and Bobby Kennedy. I’m NOT anti-gun…but I am anti-CRAZY.
I will check the archives…I am interested in discourse with people of mental substance. I wasn’t so much referring to you…it was more about some of the replies I saw…sorry to generalize about your ‘tude.
@Slick, ummm wow