Origins Of The Latest Rightwing Freakout
I find the crazification of the Republican Party both depressing and sad. The latest rightwing freakout about President Obama speaking to schools started with Jim Greer, the chair of the Florida Republican Party:
Apparently in the midst of some kind of breakdown, Florida’s Jim Greer is throwing a tantrum over this.
The chairman of the Republican Party of Florida on Tuesday issued a statement to “condemn President Obama’s use of taxpayer dollars to indoctrinate America’s children to his socialist agenda.”
Jim Greer also accused President Obama of “using our children as tools to spread liberal propaganda.”
Greer’s hysterical press release, which doesn’t appear to be a joke, went on to argue that the president will force children to “watch the President justify his plans for government-run health care.” The Florida GOP chairman called Obama’s speech “infuriating” and “an invasive abuse of power.” He added that the president “has turned to American’s children to spread his liberal lies.”
Yes, the Republican Party’s worst nightmare has come true. We have a president who is not only a Democrat and who can sell Democratic ideals, but one who is also black. I don’t know how else to explain the extreme freakout and hysterical reaction. They want to make sure the kids aren’t “infected” or something.
Well, maybe Greer is so afraid of Obama indocrtinating schoolchildren because that’s what he does. Yes, that’s right, Greer has spoken to schoolchildren about the differences between Democrats and Republicans (you’ll find this incredibly charming):
Obviously, for sane people, the claim itself is ridiculous. What we didn’t know at the time was that it was also remarkably hypocritical. The Orlando Sentinel’s Scott Maxwell had an important column today.
There once was a political operative who loved to tell crowds he had a simple way of explaining to children the difference between Republicans and Democrats.
“Republicans get up and go to work,” he would tell his son. “Democrats get up and go down to the mailbox to get their checks.”
This man not only talked to his son about Republican values, he went into public-school classrooms and talked about them as well.
That man is Jim Greer — the same Jim Greer who, as chairman of the Republican Party of Florida, just threw a nationwide hissy fit, claiming that the classroom is no place for politics and Barack Obama’s “indoctrination.”
One Seminole County mother, Barbara Wells, remembers the day Greer spoke to her son’s sixth-grade class. “My son said he made some sort of Hillary Clinton joke,” she recalled.
But you know what? Wells didn’t pitch a fit. She didn’t call up the local TV station to scream about Republican indoctrination. Instead, she advised her son: “Whatever you are told in life, remember there are two sides to every story.”
Greer argued on Thursday, “Before anybody talks to my children from a political perspective, I want to know what they have to say.” Of course, the administration is letting school districts know exactly what the president will say the day before his remarks. And how about Greer? Did he run his pro-Republican message by parents and school officials before he talked to school kids?
“That was different,” Greer said.
Yes, Jim Greer, IOKIYAR! It’s o.k. if President George H.W. Bush speaks to schoolchildren about his administration’s education policies and even asks them to write a letter about how they can help the president.. It’s o.k. if President Ronald Reagan talks to schoolchildren about the importance of low taxes. What we’re seeing is called projection.
I’m not sure why we’re supposed to take Republicans seriously as a party right now. They seem to be dedicated to making sure that nothing gets done and projecting insane fears to the American people. I understand that some people are afraid during this era of change. I don’t understand why Republicans would want to make things worse by feeding this fear. I guess they think it will help them electorally but just once could they actually try to put country first?
Tags: President Obama, Republican Crazy
The Republican Party is a joke wrapped up in a farce inside a parody. (Apologies to Winston Churchill.)
“Yes, the Republican Party’s worst nightmare has come true. We have a president who is not only a Democrat and who can sell Democratic ideals, but one who is also black. I don’t know how else to explain the extreme freakout and hysterical reaction. They want to make sure the kids aren’t “infected” or something.”
by discounting legitimate concerns about this admin’s (dare i say it) “collective” background, and constantly going to race, you damage your ability to make a more intelligent observation.
So, rj, you discount the virulent racism displayed by many of the protestors?
UI the classroom address protesters? And if you’re changing the topic to health care reform protesters to fit your “racism” argument, “many” is still a gigantic exaggeration. “Handful” would be more fitting.
yep, racism exists in every corner of the world. you want real racism? try any suburb of tokyo, for example.
but i would focus instead on the face value of what the chairman said, since this administration has given room to be concerned. i believe floridians are perfectly comfortable with liberal dems. regrettably the current admin has a) surrounded itself with some fairly dubious people, b) lies about it, and then c) gets upset when said lies are pointed out.
for the record, i am niether dem or rep, although i have been both, years ago. i consider myself libertarian (but apparently not a steve newton libertarian).
by discounting legitimate concerns about this admin’s (dare i say it) “collective” background, and constantly going to race, you damage your ability to make a more intelligent observation.
Since there is no “collective” background — tho I get your raison d’etre falls apart with out this — you will be in a position to comment on intelligent observations here when you actually have a few.
I saw that article about Greer and apparently he is just fine when repubs speak to classrooms, but not so happy when dems do. Even tho the repubs are busily spreading propaganda. Anderson Cooper took apart this guy on CNN — here.
Right, rj, you’re not a Republican, you only use Republican talking points. I’m not sure about your crack about Florida. The guy is the head of the FL GOP. I never said this is all FL’s fault.
I’m sorry if Republicans can’t see how they are just hurting themselves by not getting rid of the bad people in their ranks. They should get rid of the liars and the racists. Instead they defer to them (Limbaugh and Beck). Since they won’t disown them and all the supposed leaders of the GOP kiss Rush’s rear end I have to assume that they agree with him.
Yes, there are many racists. Dubious people – they’re called Democrats.
Indeed, the unhinged reaction to a cautious centrist like Obama makes me think it’s something more than his politics. Really – the ground the Republicans are staking their claim on is that some people don’t deserve health care?
no collective background? please explain this. it could have several meanings.
wrt dems or repubs talking to classrooms, i made my view clear in the other threads. neither should be allowed.
“Right, rj, you’re not a Republican, you only use Republican talking points. I’m not sure about your crack about Florida. The guy is the head of the FL GOP. I never said this is all FL’s fault.”
which points are repub talking points?
wrt the ‘crack’ about florida, it was meant to illuminate the fact that even if the gop official, or his followers, are ‘virulently racist’, most of florida is not.
wrt to bad people in the rnc, you are correct. they exist, and they should not be allowed to hold office or speak officially. same goes for the democrats. you can’t actually prevent people from ‘joining’ the party, as far as i recall.
“Indeed, the unhinged reaction to a cautious centrist like Obama makes me think it’s something more than his politics. ”
cautious centrist?
Laugh of the Day “a cautious centrist like Obama”. You mean one who appoints communists like Van Jones.
I have no problem with the President speaking to school children. I am old school on this. When the President speaks, in our house everyone gets quiet and listens. We then discuss what he said. As an American I do not believe that we need to accept the white house line, but we should give our President the respect of an hearing.
The problem that I had was his underlings trying to use it as a recruitment tool. That is not worthy of our Republic and is the tool of dictatorships. The WH has reversed them do to the out cry. I bet the President was not even aware of the curriculum proposal. If I am proven wrong, then I will have a problem with the President. I presume innocence. The proposed Dept. of Education guidelines which encouraged children to write papers on how they can help the President is unconstitutional.
RDave, could not disagree more. the exec office should focus on its relationship to 1) the congress, and 2) the electorate. spending time cultivating young students is not the best use of time. and its creepy, whether rw or lw.
wow, let me amend that last comment to
“the exec office should focus on its relationship to 1) the congress, and 2) the electorate. spending time cultivating young students is not the best use of time. and its creepy, whether rw or lw.”
i am using a handheld and apparently sometimes not seeing the entire post on the screen. sorry.
The President serves all of the people not just the electorate. Encouraging children to value the education money we spend and apply themselves is in the public interest. I can’t think of a President in my life time except maybe Nixon who did not spend time in classrooms speaking to children. Reagan and Bush actually did national addresses. I would much rather have President Obama going around trying to inspire children that they have their destiny in their own hands than going around imposing a socialist agenda.
If I had my way, I would send him around to the schools for the rest of the year.
When I was in 5th grade, I remember St. Ronnie being piped into my classroom so he could tell us all how awesome tax cuts for the wealthy will be for my electrician dad and RN mom!
Shut up, hypocrites.
I posted the text of the Reagan speech before and apparently a directly ideological speech like this one is just fine.
you are correct, niether lw or rw should be allowed.
we all should be taught at a young age to despise the president; don’t wait until there is enough data to make a proper assessment of president’s actions.
Just hate, yo!
if you are responding to my last post, i must say your response is massively non-linear. but as this blog doesn’t work quite right on my handheld, i’m really not sure.
I would ask why shouldn’t it be allowed? Should not children be exposed to a variety of ideas? It is bad enough some people want to protect children for the mention of GOD. Should children now be protected from the President? I think it is good to expose children to a variety of ideas. That is why I don’t have a problem with the basic concept. It is part of our American tradition. Children memorized Washington’s farewell address and Lincoln’s Gettysburg address. Those were definitely ideological.
wasn’t address to anyone in particular, rj.
You might be surprised, but I don’t support any sort of policy speech to kids, regardless of the president giving it.
And as I’ve said, I wish that Obama would instead scheduled a speech on the American form of government for Constitution Day — and unfunded federal mandate imposed upon schools at the behest of Kleagle Robert Byrd (D-KuKluxKlan). Such a speech would have provided actual academic content rather than a pep talk at a time that I really need every instructional minute I can get for my course’s content.
The reason for this reaction is simple; the people are already tiring of BO’s shtick.
“The reason for this reaction is simple; the people are already tiring of BO’s shtick.”
Bullshit, as usual. Back it up with data and we’ll talk.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjsH5mT33Pg
FREAK OUT!