Change Or Chains?

Seems that our newly selected President has a new web site. I find it appalling that he wants to require all Children that are in Middle and High School to do 50 hours of Community Service, you know, like what we have here in Delco for "minor crime" offenders? Don't believe me? Read on: America Serves "When you choose to serve -- whether it's your nation, your community or simply your neighborhood -- you are connected to that fundamental American ideal that we want life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness not just for ourselves, but for all Americans. That's why it's called the American dream." The Obama Administration will call on Americans to serve in order to meet the nation’s challenges. President-Elect Obama will expand national service programs like AmeriCorps and Peace Corps and will create a new Classroom Corps to help teachers in underserved schools, as well as a new Health Corps, Clean Energy Corps, and Veterans Corps. Obama will call on citizens of all ages to serve America, by setting a goal that all middle school and high school students do 50 hours of community service a year and by developing a plan so that all college students who conduct 100 hours of community service receive a universal and fully refundable tax credit ensuring that the first $4,000 of their college education is completely free. Obama will encourage retiring Americans to serve by improving programs available for individuals over age 55, while at the same time promoting youth programs such as Youth Build and Head Start. If I remember my history right, didn't Hitler start his "Hitler Youth Movement" in the same fashion, by rewarding those who "serve their community"? And to think I was all in a bunch when I heard that Bush wanted all children to have mental health screenings.. Cheers.

Worthy read on a Saturday afternoon

I was flipping thru my favourite rag today and came accross the below article. Charlie is yet another Delconian that has waken up to the facts that the MSM has been trying to hide for years. Read on... Unqualified candidate now our president By Charlie Rodgers, Times Guest Columinst By CHARLIE RODGERS Times Guest Columnist Trying to explain how myself and millions of other Americans feel about President Bush is a little risky. I have to be careful what I say, use only polite criticism, and keep away from strong expletive. I have to carefully measure every word — I don’t want Bush’s law firm (U.S. Department of Justice) charging me with sedition or treason, and waiting for the FBI or CIA or even the Texas Rangers to come knocking at my door. Of those three agencies, I fear the Texas Rangers most, and the thought of being hauled back to Houston for a fair trial (and sentencing). But … what the hell, here goes. My opinion of Bush started forming back when he was considered the presidential nominee for his first term. Ron Reagan, President Reagan’s son, made this under-publicized comment: “George Bush is totally unqualified to be president, and everyone around him knows it.” Well, we all know that Bush won the nomination and was elected fairly. Right? Ron’s opinion didn’t count all that much. His opinion was framed when George W. and was in D.C. as part of the vice president’s family. Using that license, that authority, his antics became the subject of insider gossip. So much that his daddy had to chastise him. It didn’t take any research for Ron to come up with his opinion — he and other White House people were cautioned about this sophomoric prankster, they just had to listen. The stories flew around the capitol, mostly true, some not. No door was closed to little George. He assumed the authority of his father’s office and nobody dared challenge him. His foolish antics were tolerated, because he was the son of our safely presumed next president. The things he did are a classic example of authority gone wild. He had Texas longhorns installed on the hood of a government-leased limo. Ran up a $750 bill for dinner and drinks at a D.C. restaurant with a Texas oil man. “Send the bill to the vice president’s office,” he said, and walked out giggling. “Ordered” the USMC band to play “The Yellow Rose of Texas” three times at his daughter’s high school sleepover, forcing the band to cancel other scheduled events and flying them at taxpayers’ expense to Texas. When his father became president, Dubya’s authority increased and rumors multiplied. Then George senior lost to Bill Clinton when he ran for a second term, and Washington exhaled — Dubya was going home. Then he became governor of Texas. Under Karl Rove’s direction, his campaign committee tore into Ann Richards’ with half truths and innuendo, all lubricated with millions in oil money. With that victory, his ambition soared, with Rove to guide him: “Why not, president?” The best advice from Karl had to be: “Drop the cowboy image, take the hat off, take the boots off. It works great in Fort Worth, but it won’t play in Detroit. Then we’ll play up the Texas Air National Guard stuff, the glamour of the ‘Fighter Pilot’ picture.” As the story goes, his flying skills were barely minimal. His hand/eye coordination and depth perception were borderline “qualified.” His father urged the examining board to “give the boy a chance.” They did, they qualified him for flight school — and with that they consigned two multimillion dollar F14s to the scrap heap. One hard landing, nose gear first and skidding to a stop past the runaway and the other, a pancake landing collapsing the main gear and spinning across the concrete into a hangar door. In spite of his failures (but through “administrative urging”), George graduated from flying school as a “Fighter Pilot.” Great campaign stuff. You know the story. He lost the popular vote but won the Supreme Court vote (5 to 4) and became our president. Then the tragedy of the Twin Towers in New York. As President Bush was in the center of a half circle of school children, supposedly teaching them something, an aide came in, whispering in his ear. “Our country is under attack.” The president sat there, looking bewildered for almost 10 minutes. When asked by a reporter why he took so long to respond, he said with a look tenderness: “I didn’t want to alarm the children.” After he and Dick invaded Iraq and the WMD fiasco and the mushroom cloud speeches, the staged aircraft carrier landing where he played “Top Gun” in his flight suit with his helmet under his arm. With that phony “Mission Accomplished” banner in the background, his speech writers came up with some great lines. One of my favorites is: The camera zooms in for a waist up shot, he leans his shoulder forward, and says sternly: “I will protect the American people.” And the audience goes wild. Then that great applause line that he’s used countless times: “The world is better off without Saddam Hussein.” I can’t help but think, if he could have pulled it off, he’d have strapped Saddam’s body across the hood of his land rover and drove through the streets of Crawford shouting, “This is the guy who tried to kill mah daddy.” Then the Harriet Miers misfire and her famous line: “He’s the most brilliant man I’ve ever met.” Whew! Can you imagine her with all that eye makeup sitting on our Supreme Court? There’s so much more about our “Fighter Pilot” president, his personality quirks, his flexible conscience, and far too much more to mention here. If Ron Reagan’s opinion had gotten more national notice, maybe things would be different. Remember when he said, “George Bush is totally unqualified to be president and everyone around him knows it.” Too bad that not enough people heard him. Charlie Rodgers is a resident of Norwood.