An Update From The Democratic National Convention
http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2012-09-06/update-democratic-national-convention
Bill Clinton and others take the stage, and the spotlight’s on the middle class as President Barack Obama prepares to accept the party's nomination for a second term. Diane and her guests discuss the latest from the DNC in Charlotte, N.C.
Guests
Ron Elving
Washington editor for NPR.
Elizabeth Williamson
reporter for The Wall Street Journal.
Susan Page
Washington bureau chief for USA Today.
Comments
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Rather than standing up for the President, Dems have been running away from him in fear of Tea Party type wrath.
After all of the pundits, assistants, economists, think tankers and fact checkers, why did it take Big Bill to do the math and set the record straight?
Kathleen,
Regarding your statement, 'Will be voting for Obama but not putting in the literally close to a thousand hours for him the last time around.'
Understand and agree. But reality is that, believe it or not, things could actually get worse. And will under Romney/Ryan. Voting doesn't have to be FOR someone, it can be AGAINST someone or something, too. I'm voting against things getting worse, I'm voting for Obama.
WillC:
Answer to your question 'why did it take Big Bill to set the record straight?': same reason it should've been Hilary in 2008. Like them or not, the Clintons get it, and Hilary is what the country needed then, and now. A majority of Americans disagreed in 2008, obviously, so it's the road not taken, but I think things would be better now, had Hilary been elected. I'm not saying perfect, I'm saying better.
Obama is a fine person, just not right for these times. Even Andrew Young said this in 08.
That said, yes, I'm voting for Obama, because R/R will finish the place off for good.
How about Elizabeth Warren? Man, she was really on the war path last night!
Indie Lady7: "Also, I feel they are beating a dead horse in terms of constantly investing in an educational system that doesn't work." Well, where I am in Fl. teachers' unions are almost non-existent. What is hurting the system here is "No child left behind," teaching to the test (FCAT), and cutting back on the important extracurricular departments like music and art. Last but not least Fl is almost at the bottom of the barrel on per student expenditures. Essentially we get what we pay for and underpaying teachers, putting very little money into the classrooms for resources and smothering teachers with gov't paperwork is bogging the system done.
To those complaining and sneering about Pres. Clinton speaking at DNC, I ask:
Why shouldn't he...?
He is a popular former president, now an elder statesman, he believes in the core principles of the Democratic Party that he served in and, he's just damn good at what he does! You're all making up your own justification for finding fault with it.
I think the snipes at Clinton come more from envy, as do the snipes at Pres. Obama. The Republicans needs to do some soul-searching. They are not very admirable characters.
Mimi Stinson wrote: "Indie Lady7: "Also, I feel they are beating a dead horse in terms of constantly investing in an educational system that doesn't work." Well, where I am in Fl. teachers' unions are almost non-existent. What is hurting the system here is "No child left behind," teaching to the test (FCAT), and cutting back on the important extracurricular departments like music and art. Last but not least Fl is almost at the bottom of the barrel on per student expenditures. Essentially we get what we pay for and underpaying teachers, putting very little money into the classrooms for resources and smothering teachers with gov't paperwork is bogging the system done."
I too have a background in education. While I agree with you on No Child Left Behind, and is the primary reason why I no longer desire to teach, my reasoning stems from seeing "Stupid In America". Check it out on YouTube.
I do agree that standardized testing does not determine how a child is learning. They are culturally biased and are given to every child regardless of developmental level. My frustrations in terms of many unions is that there are a plethora of bad teachers who are allowed to remain teachers due to tenure, and in order to get rid of them, there are school districts that have to go through many hoops in order to do so. This is also something seen on "Stupid In America".
I am a proponent of school choice. I don't have any children, but if I did, my choice would be to homeschool them--which is legal in all 50 states.
af64: Yes yes, but then they'd have to have souls to search, wouldn't they?
Pretty simple, really, just follow the money. To the Caymans, and Switzerland, and and and...
IndieLady, you quit teaching over a YouTube video? Well... that's probably a good thing then.
@JaneFact:
No, I gave up because of NCLB.
The video on YouTube (which is actually an 20/20 John Stossel documentary made in 2005) made me doubt the true intent of many teachers unions.
Also, my question is how can we be the world's superpower when we are at the near bottom of academic achievement amongst developed countries? It has been that way for YEARS...WAY before Obama took office. What is going wrong? Why do we still have students graduating from high school not knowing how to read? Why is there an influx of ADD, AD/HD, and ODD diagnoses among many children, and the only cures appears to be an IEP and a medicinal cocktail or two. And the lack of resources are not to blame. Before the T-Party took over and before the various state budget cuts, resources didn't appear to be a problem.
What an inspiration he was last night!
Sing Along Everybody - a onea and a twoa
Hey now baby, get into my big black car
Hey now baby, get into my big black car
I wanna just show you what my politics are.
I'm a political man and I practice what I preach
I'm a political man and I practice what I preach
So don't deny me baby, not while you're in my reach.
I support the left, tho' I'm leanin', leanin' to the right
I support the left, tho' I'm leanin' to the right
But I'm just not there when it's coming to a fight.
Hey now baby, get into my big black car
Hey now baby, get into my big black car
I wanna just show you what my politics are. (Cream - Politician)
I'm guessing that between Bill Clinton's speech and the video tribute to Ted Kennedy (where parts of Romney's mid-90s debate with Kennedy was aired), Romney's strategists are stunned enough be knocked over by an empty chair!
http://beyond-the-political-spectrum.blogspot.com/
@IndieLady7
"No, I gave up because of NCLB.
The video on YouTube (which is actually an 20/20 John Stossel documentary made in 2005) made me doubt the true intent of many teachers unions."
Though I agree that not all unions act in the best interest of everyone all the time (they help their own members first and the school second), teachers' unions are fighting a losing battle that needs winning. I have quite a few close family members struggling to pay bills because (despite being in a union) their wages and benefits shrink yearly despite completing higher education degrees, spending personal money on their classroom, spending extra time with kids, etc. Some have considered falling back to being a waitress because the pay can be about the same (no joke, and this is for an otherwise rich school district). It's a bad time to be a teacher in this country.
However, ask yourself the true intentions of privatizing education in this country? Stock holders and profits will always come before the children and CERTAINLY before the teachers themselves.
Eric Zehnder wrote: "Though I agree that not all unions act in the best interest of everyone all the time (they help their own members first and the school second), teachers' unions are fighting a losing battle that needs winning. I have quite a few close family members struggling to pay bills because (despite being in a union) their wages and benefits shrink yearly despite completing higher education degrees, spending personal money on their classroom, spending extra time with kids, etc. Some have considered falling back to being a waitress because the pay can be about the same (no joke, and this is for an otherwise rich school district). It's a bad time to be a teacher in this country.
However, ask yourself the true intentions of privatizing education in this country? Stock holders and profits will always come before the children and CERTAINLY before the teachers themselves."
Note, I said I'm for school choice--which does not indicate that I'm for flat-out privatizing education. I believe parents should be more proactive in their children's education when the current education system is not working.
While there are many good teachers out there who do spend their own money on their classroom, spend time doing lesson plans AND with the kids--who really care, that still doesn't answer my question in terms of why achievement of American students are at the near bottom amongst other developing countries. Unfortunately, NCLB doesn't give much leeway in terms of teachers spending that time--as the focus is not on educating the student but to prep students for the standardized test.
CONT'D
Eric Zehnder wrote: "Though I agree that not all unions act in the best interest of everyone all the time (they help their own members first and the school second), teachers' unions are fighting a losing battle that needs winning. I have quite a few close family members struggling to pay bills because (despite being in a union) their wages and benefits shrink yearly despite completing higher education degrees, spending personal money on their classroom, spending extra time with kids, etc. Some have considered falling back to being a waitress because the pay can be about the same (no joke, and this is for an otherwise rich school district). It's a bad time to be a teacher in this country.
However, ask yourself the true intentions of privatizing education in this country? Stock holders and profits will always come before the children and CERTAINLY before the teachers themselves."
I am a firm believer that good teachers should be commended for doing good. While I also understand that it is tough being a teacher at times, I also believe that sometimes the arbitrary parties (i.e. unions) can take away from that--as it appears that their primary concern is about money and tenure. Please check out "Stupid In America". There is a charter school that's not unionized, but the teachers are doing a wonderful job and the students are learning. While people work to make a living, I thought people became teachers for the sake of teaching children...and for the love of children--NOT becoming demanding of their salary and threatening to walk out of the classroom if they don't get their way.
No doubt, the Unemployed wish the Obama Administration could have produced more Jobs, but there must be many who are extremely grateful for the Unemployment Compensation that was fought for by the President and bitterly opposed by the Republicans.
I've been unemployed with a Family to take care of and it's impossible to describe the desperation that begins to consume one as one sees the last of the Family's assets disappear.
The film, "The Bicycle Thief" comes close, but there was a reason for that suffering- Europe in ruins after years of brutal War.
There is no explanation nor obvious justification for that kind of suffering being inflicted on decent Americans.
Monte Haun mchaun@hotmail.com
A nation divided against itself cannot stand--Abraham Lincoln
As relevant today as it was in his day.
Regardless of which ticket wins the Presidency, things will be, sadly, status quo at least for quite a while.
You can see from many of the conservative bloggers that they want NO part of compromise or any other synonym involving cooperation. It will be what senate candidate Murdoch indicates: he and his ilk will only inflict their own will on everyone else.....even on those in his own party that are slightly moderate.
If that is the case, perhaps the Dems have at least learned the methods to obstruct the most devastating of Romney-Ryan's plans.
Karma rules.
Remember when Republicans opined for fairness to billionaires when Senator McConnell, their leader in the Senate, said it wasn't “fair” to deny the top economic stratum tax cuts, “just like everybody else”. Senator McConnell opined for understanding and fairness for those on Wall Street who hoodwinked America. .
The Senator from Kentucky knows the answer to the question, "What if a Kentucky distiller was selling 50 proof bourbon as 100 proof?" Justice would be swift and certain. Yet, those who equated Junk Bonds to AAA Bonds were considered paragons of the free enterprise system and should be left untouched? Is fleecing people out of their homes and municipalities out of their securities innocuous and fair business practice? No calling for swift and certain justice here by Senator McConnell. Republicans were against Shared Responsibility for ALL. McConnell, Boehner, and Cantor were mum on fairness by not calling for these same economically elite share responsibility in tackling America's crisis. Instead, middle and lower classes should shoulder the burden by reducing their opportunities and lowering their standard of living..
In contrast, the President set up an Agency to protect everyone from flimflam artists while promoting middle class opportunities. How? Think of Red lining. Red lining was a practice by banks which prevented Blacks and other people with backgrounds connoting "economic instability" from getting bank loans. Now the banks have expanded the red lining practice to include a large economic stratum, the middle and lower classes. Families with two income earners are denied loans for mortgages and their small businesses. The President's new Consumer Protection Agency will stop the costly red lining practices that limit access to capital.
Shared responsibility and fair access to capital will drive our economy upward; not the social engineering that benefits aristocrats.