The article in the News and Observer about graduation rates is just one of the many articles that have been published lately showing that schools are just convenient tools for local politicians to get their name in the paper and try to increase their power. It also shows the arrogance of both the Wake County School Board and Wake County Commissioners. Neither side has a claim to righteousness in the battle over school funding. I am sick in tired of the scare tactics used by both sides to try to gain power and prestige in positions where the welfare of their citizens should be the highest priority. This is only one of the many battles being waged in Wake County and Raleigh in which people are making outrageous claims to gain political capital. Think about the people you serve not your own egotistical desires.
Archive for the 'politics' Category
I am puzzled over the allegations of sexism many Hillary Clinton supporters have been making the past week. Many have said the media is responsible for the comments. I am wondering where the are the examples? I watch Foxnews, MSNBC and CNN fairly regularly. I don’t see any of sexism. I have seen people question her ability based on voting and past performance. I have seen people question her personality and integrity. I have seen many reports along those lines. But I have also seen similar reports about the other candidates. I am worried that the race will devolve into a scenario where any criticism of Clinton will be termed sexist. Just as any criticism of Obama is considered racist. I believe that voting records in all levels of government and business dealings, and even personal relationships should be open for discussion. They all give us insight into the type of person the candidates are. To deem a legitimate questions racist or sexist because of the person they are directed at is dishonest and disingenuous.
And to answer some specific allegations about Obama, the church he attends is a legitimate target. The preaching at the church and the tolerance he gives to the messages shows the type of person he really is inside. Just like Bill Clinton lying under oath showed the type of person he was. If I was involved in a church where constant hatred or racism was being taught I should be questioned about it, because I have aligned myself with an organization that is questionable. I am not as concerned about friends candidates have. There were many friends I have had whose politics I despised but they were nice people. That is different. But, if I align myself with an organization then there is valid criticism.
If you watched the rules committee meeting yesterday dealing with delegates from Michigan and Florida I think you got an entertaining show and possibly a look at the fracturing of a party. The only way I foresee the Democrats unifying is if either candidate drops out and urges their supporters to support the other one. But neither candidate seems willing to do that right now.
The Democratic parties in the Michigan and Florida also need to be commended for bringing this about. They are like petulant children who purposefully knocked over their milk thinking that it would be okay, someone else would clean it up. When they realized no one else was going to grab a rag to wipe up the milk, they began crying over the fact they had no milk any more. They tried to get an adult to clean up the milk, but the adult could only get half the milk back into the cup. But they are still crying because they didn’t get all their milk back.
A novel concept I had not heard yet was the Republicans made us do it. That was the cry from Florida. Blame it on the Republican legislature. But I had never once heard that as a reason the primaries were held early in the state. It seems they are grasping at straws to find someone to blame, other then themselves.
I watched the speech Rev. Jeremiah Wright gave to the Detroit chapter of the NAACP and the Q&A session he had at the national press club. I have to say I don’t understand what is so controversial about the NAACP speech. It poked fun at people and he seemed to be in good humor. I agreed with most of what he said about seeing people as different not deficient. I think some of what is being shown about him is being overblown. Do I agree with everything he had to say? No. There needs to come a day when people place their hope in the future not chain themselves to the past. It takes everyone changing their hearts and minds though. I hope that part of his message is not overlooked. Of course, I also hope he heeds his own words.
The other day I noticed that the ban on new garbage disposals and the maintenance of old ones has been lifted by the city. I guess the true winner here are the terrorists…
I wrote an earlier post making the point that Raleigh was thinking about easing up water restrictions since Falls Lake has begun to fill. Well I actually think they implemented a sensible plan (I know shocking to think I think Raleigh is being sensible.) The council has place increments for water restrictions to be eased. If the Lake is 90% full or higher then Stage 1.5 restrictions will be eased. If the lake falls between 75%-90% then stage 1.5 restrictions will be reimplemented. If it falls below 75% then Stage restrictions will be reimplemented. They haven’t gone past that yet but they are working on Stage 2.5 and Stage 3 restrictions if need be.
Chelsea Clinton has been campaigning for her mother for a while now. She was asked a question that referred to her mothers response to the the Monica Lewinsky scandal and comments Hillary Clinton made after the scandal broke. The question was not about the scandal it self but the conspiracy ideas Clinton put out afterward. I do not think it was an invalid question. Here are some videos about it.
This is the student who asked the question explaining why he asked it.
This is the news report with Chelsea Clinton’s response.
“Where’s the shared sense of sacrifice?” asked council member Rodger Koopman, an Air Force veteran, “If you do support the troops, be willing to suck it up just a little bit.”
If you give up go to this link to find out.
Recently it has been revealed that Barack Obama’s pastor, Rev. Wright has some very divisive racial views. He attacks white Americans and advocates a new separation of the races. Obama has been a member of this man’s church for twenty years or more. He claims Rev. Wright is has been his spiritual mentor for many years. He also claims he did not know Wright’s views and had never heard him speak the way he did about whites.
It would be the height of ignorance to believe Obama did not know his pastor’s racial views. To accept the premise of Obama’s ignorance leads to only one conclusion, Obama is so naive and blind to those around him that he would not make a good leader. It is like Ulysses S. Grant. He was a great leader but was not aware of the corruption of his friends. We can ill afford another president of that caliber.
The proper conclusion to draw is that Obama knew about his pastor beliefs. That leaves you with one of two conclusions, either he believes the same way Rev. Wright believes or he is truly is a tolerant man who looks past his friends flaws. If he believes Rev. Wright’s hat speech then he is unfit to be president as he will find a majority of the people of this nation repugnant. If he is truly tolerant of other people’s opinions then he may be a decent leader but would invite similar controversies in the future. Again, the nation would be in a situation where every move the President makes will be questioned because of his associates (see Tony Rezco).
This commentary by Hendrik Hertzberg offers an interesting idea for John McCain’s running mate. One I would have never thought of. The second half of the article talks about Condoleezza Rice as perfect running mate for McCain.
Personally I would love to see J.C. Watts get into the picture. He is conservative, speaks his mind, and would be historical, he’s black.