Just a few little unbiased notes about the debate:
How could anyone vote for Bush when his saving grace for domestic issues is his ridiculous No Child Left Behind plan? Let's review how this plan works: the schools that can get kids to pass a standardized test get more money, a "bonus," while the schools that have problem kids, kids who need more help because they can't pass a standardized test, get nothing. The idea, of course, is that if schools get less money they'll work Harder! Competition, yeah, that's the ticket! Except, if schools don't have the resources to help problem students, how are things supposed to improve? This plan only increases the gap between the haves and the have-nots: the schools in the richer neighborhoods are able to provide more for students while the schools in the poorer districts continue to struggle fruitlessly. Go ahead, read more about it.
Well, Bush doesn't see it this way, mostly because he is a talking head, a puppet. In fact, he thinks that this plan is the answer to every federal problem EVER. When asked what he would say to someone whose job was outsourced, Bush referenced the Plan to end all Plans: "I went to Washington to solve problems. And I saw a problem in the public education system in America." No, darling, we're not talking about public education.
Regarding minimum wage: "But let me talk about what's really important for the worker you're referring to. And that's to make sure the education system works. It's to make sure we raise standards. Listen, the No Child Left Behind Act is really a jobs act when you think about it. The No Child Left Behind Act says, 'We'll raise standards. We'll increase federal spending. But in return for extra spending, we now want people to measure -- states and local jurisdictions to measure to show us whether or not a child can read or write or add and subtract.'" Ok, so when people make more money they pay more taxes but...uh, so are you going to raise the minimum wage?
In response to Kerry's response about appointing new Supreme Court judges, when he then blasts Bush's not funding No Child Left Behind: "Two things. One, he clearly has a litmus test for his judges, which I disagree with. And secondly, only a liberal senator from Massachusetts would say that a 49 percent increase in funding for education was not enough. We've increased funds. But more importantly, we've reformed the system to make sure that we solve problems early, before they're too late. He talked about the unemployed. Absolutely we've got to make sure they get educated. He talked about children whose parents don't speak English as a first language? Absolutely we've got to make sure they get educated. And that's what the No Child Left Behind Act does." Well, no, it doesn't.
Regarding building community: "The No Child Left Behind Act, incredibly enough, was good work between me and my administration and people like Senator Ted Kennedy." Ah yes. The Kennedy factor. So all your Republican cronies are rich and happy and bonding properly, but what about the rest of the nation YOU RIDICULOUS DOLT?
Also, in regards to how faith affects policy decisions: "I believe that God wants everybody to be free. That's what I believe. And that's been part of my foreign policy. In Afghanistan, I believe that the freedom there is a gift from the Almighty. And I can't tell you how encouraged I am to see freedom on the march." I'm sorry, is there or is there not a separation of church and state, such that it's un-American -- that is to say, against the Constitution -- to allow your faith to affect policy decisions? Also, I must have missed the memo when God said, "Hey George, play me!" Telling another country how to run itself isn't exactly encouraging freedom, now is it? In fact, that seems kind of tyrannical.
Here is the right answer (right because I say so) to the question, "Is homosexuality a choice?": it doesn't matter. Equal rights shouldn't have anything to do with the color of your skin, your genitals, your religions beliefs, or your sexual preferences.
Full transcript here.
My coworker brought his toddler in today and I LOVE HER. She's fucking ridiculously cute. I want to extract the cuteness out of her and distribute it in pill-form so that the whole world can be that cute.
one year ago today: "We are shit out of luck."
two years ago today: "inside jokes are the best until no one else gets them ever." and "i hate it everywhere." and "this is a good place to gain sanity / this is a bad place to gain sanity."
three years ago today: "life goes from shit to giggles when you put on oasis, red lipstick, style your hair in a 60s helmet, and take izones of yourself dancing around the room"