FEATURED JOBS
Comments (0)In a summer filled with political machinations, shenanigans and hypocrisy I thought nothing more could surprise me—let alone take my breath away.
I was wrong.
The latest act of political defiance finds parents boycotting President Obama’s webcast to school children because of its message—or, as they label it, propaganda—which is “Stay in school and study.” It is beyond my comprehension.
Let’s recap this summer of disbelief. First, there were the “tea- parties.” It was unclear as to what their purpose was, but it was clear that the limited number of attendees were angry and not very good spellers, as evidenced by their protest signs. Fox News sent correspondents around the country to witness this “growing political unrest,” but that fizzled—especially when the free food at the events ran out. Texas governor Rick Perry stepped into the vacuum and explained the tea parties were about secession, but that didn’t even fly in the Lone Star State.
Then came the controversial financial stimulus package, which was viewed by its opponents as the final push over the economic cliff on which our country was poised. According to its opponents, passing such legislation and expenditure would be the death knell of the U.S. For those keeping track, the market closed over 9200 last Friday—up from its low of 6700 less than six months ago. Granted, the American economy is not fixed—unemployment rose to 9.7 percent last week, but the country is not plummeting into the next Great Depression.
The political hypocrisy is that many of the opponents of the stimulus, while voting against it, were securing earmarks for their constituencies (you know who you are, Senator McConnell). And now as the money is being doled out, governors such as Bobby Jindal—who all but said he wouldn’t take the money last spring—are personally signing and handing out the government checks to much fanfare as if it was not only their idea to do so, but also their personal funds they were gleefully distributing. All that’s missing is Bobby and his ungrateful peers donning red suits, white beards and exclaiming “Ho, Ho Ho.”
Then came our collective trip to Wonderland with healthcare reform and town hall meetings. While smiling seductively like the Cheshire Cat, the mega-insurance companies with their money, lobbyists, experts and friendly politicians led us down into the rabbit hole of fear and loathing. Any reform was yet another step towards the evils of socialism and Big Brother. Death Panels would be formed deciding who lives and who dies—the latter usually being grandmas everywhere. No one would be safe once reform began.
Ignoring the fact that America’s healthcare system is the most expensive in the world yet is ranked 37th by the World Health Organization, angry Americans took to the streets—well, actually to town hall meetings. Yelling screaming, name-calling and temper tantrums became the norm.
It appears some Americans are extremely proud of being 37th, so much so they’ll fight over it. Iowa’s Senator Grassley, thought to be a reformer, took his jacket off, read from his script and showed his true colors. He too is a proud member of “Team 37.”
Personally, I became somewhat confused when I heard—repeatedly—senior citizens angrily protesting that they “didn’t want the government getting their hands on their Medicare” because such a slippery slope could only lead to Social Security. Maybe these elderly folk can’t read the signature on their benefit checks—or the return address.
During all this, South Carolina governor Mark Sanford—Mr. Family Values himself—disappeared for five days to cry with his mistress in Argentina while another Family Values advocate, Nevada senator John Ensign, ‘fessed up to an extra-marital affair with one of his campaign staffers, who was married to one of Ensign’s top advisers and who received a very shrewdly calculated $96,000 gift from Ensign’s parents. Now that’s an extended family! Unfortunately, this whole affair becoming public disproves the adage, “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.”
And now the latest controversy is over President Obama’s webcast to our school children. It seems that some parents are concerned that—well, it’s really not clear what they’re concerned about.
There was a proposed lesson plan included with the announcement of the webcast, including some homework. That’s been removed. There was concern about what the president might say and so a copy of his text has been provided. But these concerned parents and pundits will not be fooled. These tried-and-true patriotic Americans are keeping their children home or at least out of the school room where the webcast will be broadcast because they firmly believe it’s safer than having their children see and listen to our president. Now that’s a strong parental message to pass along.
I firmly believed some issues were fairly straight-forward and black and white for Americans or have I—I’m mixing my metaphors here—just put my foot in it and opened the proverbial can of worms? I honestly thought we were better than this. Obviously, we’re not smarter.
