As Obama's approval rating continues to dwindle, and the health care debate further shreds his proposed Health Care Reform, it seems the President is looking for a clean start. Widespread dissention has shown that a majority of the American people are not interested in quietly surrendering health care to the Feds. Whatever your opinion of the Tea Party crowd is (I, for one, cannot stand them) they have made it abundantly clear to Obama and other Democrats that they will not be reasoned with.In this case, it's a good thing.
And could explain why Obama will address every K-6 public school student across America next Tuesday. This document, provided by the United States Department of Education, suggests that the speech will focus on one thing: obedience.
During Obama's speech, teachers are encouraged to ask their students to ponder things, like, "What is the President trying to tell me? What specific job is he asking me to do?"
"Why is it important that we listen to the President and other elected officials?"
I suppose the answers to these questions could make for far quieter Town Hall meetings in the future. Or render them obsolete. If the American people learn how to listen and obey, there won't be any need for discussion.
Not that there is any real discussion going on currently.
This is a page right out of Saul Alinsky's playbook, utilizing education to shape young minds toward political ends. Of course this has been going on in public education for quite some time (see: social studies, history, biology, etc.) but never with direct involvement from the President of the United States. And never with such a blatant call to civil obedience.
It will be interesting to see how frequent these addresses to American children become, and which direction they take. More interesting will be how parents react or, more to the point, whether or not they are even aware it is happening.
I actually thought the opposite, with the caveat of any sort of call for submission/obedience.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.truthvmachine.com/?p=11684
Having Emceed a Tea Party, I will have to say I am very much in agreement with the movement. Someone has to make a stand somewhere against what is going on in Washington DC. As for Obama, he is going to play from the Rules for Radicals playbook every chance he gets. Guy is completely dangerous for America.
ReplyDeleteThe original set up for this was a bit of a two staged magic act. The attempt was to distract everyone with the President's super-shiny acceptable speech addressing the children on the need for them to take personal responsibility for their education. All fine and good. Meanwhile they would have the teachers do the dirty work and push the compulsory service end. I suspect they didn't expect so much attention would be placed on the curriculum as they've recently bowed to pressures and changed the questions to actually reflect the material in the speech.
ReplyDeleteI for one have no problem with any President of the United States addressing the youth on their first day of school, as long as it doesn't become a regular aspect of the school day or a platform to push policy. After all it's the teachers job to push unpopular social agendas and you don't want to tick off their union.
On a contrarian note, I'll need an agreed upon definition of the "Tea Party Crowd" before I can join in your condemnation. As far as I can tell, said displays consist of a wide range of demographics from the mainstream to the kooky. If your main objection is to the base nature of public protesting I can sympathize. Anytime I see large groups of people standing around chanting or speaking in a like minded fashion I get a little uneasy, three degrees to a mob or a cult and all.
However I'm not sure if we're at a point yet where a purely reasoned and argued rebellion is possible. Is it necessary for us to utilize the available population that may agree with us for all the wrong reasons? Or must we wash ourselves of those that will not or can not get over their simple comprehensions of the arguments at hand?
The leaders of the American revolution clearly utilized the former in their fight, making use of simple arguments, propaganda and even bribery to get the necessary numbers on their side. William F Buckley on the other hand found a culling was needed in order to free the conservative movement from the disregarded fringes and bring about the Reagan Revolution.
Perhaps we'll have to find a middle ground between the two. The silent majority is ever shrinking and the left has no reservations about which fringe foot soldiers are aligned to their ever growing front line.
And I promise someday I'll get my responses down to one paragraph.
I suppose I shouldn't have spoken so generally about the "Tea Party Crowd". My limited experience has shown me nothing but people looking for an excuse to congregate, act somewhat unruley and, usually, consume alcohol.
ReplyDeleteBut I do know there are many people out there who are working hard to do good work and inspire thought.
@Evil_Con and Nathan, there isn't anything inherently wrong about the President addressing public schools. I think my apprehension (and the apprehension of many other Americans) stems from feeling like he has never been completely open about his political agenda. Given the connections he has or has had to radicals, people who explicitly point toward influencing school children for political ends, I'd say the reaction was not entirely without reason.
No...As far as I know, at the rally we had, no alcohol was consumed (In VA, open container in public is a very bad idea) and we pretty much just made opinions known on what was currently going on in Washington DC with our money and our rights. It was a good day. I was told around 300 or so attended (Small community)...It looked like alot more from the platform...Haha.
ReplyDeleteOn the speech, I have no problem with it, IF, like has already been stated here, it is not political in nature. From what I understand, the speech is suppose to be placed on the NEA website on monday for the public to be able to review. We shall see. Myself, I don't trust Obama on anything he says to this point.