As a species, are humans getting dumber, or does instant access to information just make it seem that way? A couple of stories in today’s news have me pondering pandering as what was once journalism jigs toward justification with revenue being the mighty motivator.
Starting with all the flap over the President of the United States addressing the nation’s school children, I admit to being aghast. Although I agree that it was totally wrong for Dan Quayle to insist kids spell potato incorrectly, the country’s leaders are supposed to be role models, inspirational … every kid has the potential to be, etc. … and it is rather the job of the President to LEAD, even kids.
This article from the Heritage Foundation takes issue with that whole ‘leadership’ thing, apparently, reducing the office of the President to a political entity without merit .
Parents across the country have raised alarm about President Obama’s planned “back to school” address to American students. When the Department of Education released a lesson plan that included asking youngsters—how can you help President Obama?—parents’ concern that their children were being “organized” for political purposes was justified.
Helping the President is now a bad thing that children are to be turned away from, protected from the idea of? There’s a concept history will not take kindly to.
I won’t bother making too much of a point about the fact that math skills seem to be lacking at the Heritage Foundation … “This year, American taxpayers will spend $10,000 per-student on the average students’ public school education this year. A kindergartener starting school this year can expect to have $100,000 spent on his or her education.” … but will say that $7,692.31 per child per year is peanuts.
Considering the fact that Americans spent more than $66 billion on soft drinks in 2004 … and probably more than that in 2008 … that less-that-ten-grand (do the math) sounds meager.
And speaking of how things sound …
Yet for millions of kids, this six-figure investment will lead to dismal results.
doesn’t sound good. Turn it around, however, and talk about the millions of kids who make the most out of under-funded education, graduate from high school, go through college, establish successful careers, head up companies, raise families and keep the world spinning and the picture shifts from a boo hiss to hearty hoorays accompanied by no few thank-our-lucky-stars.
Arguments over a Presidential address to American children should have been nothing more than a tempest in tepid tea, sour grapes grumbling from some of those who didn’t get enough votes to be running the show right now. Contrary to the general welfare, however, the rabble raises revenue so rates regurgitation.
Of course, this isn’t only an American phenomenon. Over in Europe, they’re getting the short end of the stick from the press as it goes to great lengths to make a tall tale out of French President Sarkozy’s stature … as if his wife wearing flats proves he’s a heel when it comes to running a country.
The BBC headlines the story, “Sarkozy height row grips France”, and if that’s not insulting … even to the French (which might very well be the point, since this is from the BBC) … well …
Mass media … short on substance, but long on prevarication. Why? Because it sells.
We’ll be shortchanged as long as we keep buying it. Shouldn’t we have loftier goals?
A collection of my short stories:
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Paradise Preoccupied 
The level of hatred, bigotry and meanness is at an all time high here. I can not remember when I’ve seen such stupidity. This is not something that can be changed with logic unfortunately. When Jean Genet covered the Democratic Convention in Chicago he was quoted as saying “I can not wait to see this all in ruin.” Perhaps that is what it will take.
Ruin was very close to the case after the ’68 convention, if I recall correctly, and a stupid, useless war was ended because of that.
I must be missing something here. It’s no secret I’m a Republican but when our nation elected Obama, I agreed to give him a fair shake and send all the good vibes I could so that he might actually do what he’d promised he would. His spending spree had me nervous from the get go but I figured I just needed to sit back and wait. After all, Rome wasn’t built in a day.
Screw the political bullshit spewing forth from within the beltway!
I think it is admirable that President Obama would take the time to speak to America’s youth. I read the address. It was positive, motivational, engaging, empowering and allowed many youngsters to connect with a man in a position that they might not otherwise.
This may be TMI but Bill Clinton is the reason I’m a Republican. Barack Obama may just be the one person who might sway me to vote Democrat.
All those folks who have their panties in a bunch over the President talking to their children are probably the same people who believe that the average American should have no say in their government.
My opinion: Fuck ’em.
Keep up the good work, Mr. President.
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Here is what I had to say in the local paper…http://gasconadecountyrepublican.com/content/view/2340/52/
Of course the publisher argued with me the day I brought it in, held the letter back for a week, and then he archived it asap. If you look through the rest of the site you can gage what kind of crap-fest I live in around here.
The school did show the speech a week later. They claimed that the did not have “enough warning,” about the content. Please! I took the liberty of calling the White House and the Fed. Dept. of ED, who said they were notified by email August 24th, and we all know it was online t look over. I guess it takes some people 2 weeks to read a few paragraphs, all the more reason the President (or anyone) should be telling these hillbillies to stay in school.