Thank You America

[minnowsoaker]

I just wanted to add something that sadly has seemed to have been forgotten in these times of political correctness. Something that was very important to our founding fathers, in fact our nation was founded on these beliefs, but is getting whittled away a little more every day by our liberal law makers.....IN GOD WE TRUST!

[CrappieHound]

It's not being whittled away...it's just been replaced with , "IN GOV'T WE TRUST".

The Hound

[gabowman]

Hey don't blame it on me.

Ditto Ragfly. Evwen though Obama wasnt my choice for President I will support whomever becomes our President until he/she give me a reason not to. I guess time will tell whether the choice was a good one or not, regardless whether history was made or not.

[Slipped Cork]

SlippedCork...it's really not the public's fault that they feel that way. They have no idea how much most school systems have been handcuffed by the State and FED's.

In this day and age, teacher's are expected to make sure that there is 100% attendance at school. Teachers are also expected to make sure that student's that come to school with improper clothes get them and if they are hungry feed them. THEN at 8 PM start teaching. If a student is reading on a 2.8 reading level, that is no big deal, you should be able to teach them what the word CNIDARIAN means in the 6th grade.

That's just a start.

Saying all that, I am confident in my abilities to teach and I accept all impossible challenges and expectations that the uneducated put in my way. I will take your child into my room and give them the best possible care and education that I can.

The Hound

My wife loves her job and loves being with children all day. That being said she is expected to work miracles with all children. I dont see how you all do it. I hear her complaints about exactly what you stated above. She brings her papers home to grade and enter into her computer most nights because her planning is not long enough. Man I bet reaper or myself wouldnt last a day in that enviroment.

[CrappieHound]

It isn't for everyone but I love it! I get bored easily and this is just one place that will not let that happen. Data says that teachers answer around 1,000 questions a day! Try that! LOL

I'm not trying to beat on anyone here, but percieved reality is very different from actuality.

The Hound

[SpeckWick]

Big government is never a good thing. That seem to be the liberal agenda, and according to Obama's words in the past, it seems to be his as well. Let's hope he turns out like most presidents in the past and moves more towards the center as time goes on. That he surrounds himself with the right kind of people who remind him that a lot of conservative states flipped for him and need to represented in his policies. The guy wants to be re elected in 2012, so I doubt he and the liberals in Congress will move too far left too quickly, I hope. Or maybe I should hope they do. then we will get a bigger conservative swing in two years and then get a real conservative Republican candidate for President in 2012. We'll see soon how things are likely to go as Mr.Obama chooses his cabinet. Anybody who read my rants on Monday knows how I feel about the guy, and that hasn't changed. He is to be my president, like it or not, so I am trying my best to move on with a little hope. But this bad taste in my mouth makes that tough.
As for the school thing, I have been a little displeased over the teaching methods myself. I don't blame the teachers. My oldest son is in second grade, and the local public shool system has implemented some new ways of teaching the kids the same things we all learned in school. I look at his homework, and I'm lost. I know how to reach the answers, but not how to do it their way, if that makes any sense. I think it's called "Everyday Math". I talked to his teachers the last two years and they didn't seem all to thrilled about the new methods themselves, But that's the way they've been told to do it. If they are going to reinvent how things are taught, maybe we should have school for the parents to teach the new way too. I don't envy the positions you teachers are put in with the way things have to be done and trying to deal with all the things that should be taken care of at home. But I definitely have great respect for those of you who don't let those things stop you from teaching our children.

[CrappieHound]

Thanks Speck....truth be told I do it for the "money" and the "fame". :D

The Hound

[Slipped Cork]

The Kentucky Education Reform Act Heres a link about what KY teachers have to deal with if anyone cares.

[rapman1]

I bet you made more money this last 8 years than any time in your life. Just a guess...Am I right? I see a President who has kept this great nation safe from attacks on our own soil

minnowsoaker...glad to see we agree that this is a phenomenal country and that we can both disagree and still be civil.

the last eight years have been the worst financially for my wife and i. actually, the last seven. the company i worked for froze our pensions, gave us a lousy 401k that had underperforming choices, dismantled our healthcare to the tune that it cost thousands for our daughter's birth, and then when the company went bankrupt, i lost tons of company stock and saw my 401k pretty much wiped out. not good financially.

the worst attack on the contigious u.s. happened on bush's watch. he was in office a good eight months, sitting on the same info that slick willy had, but nothing was done. and then, instead of going after bin laden en masse, when we had a good idea where he was in afghanistan, we instead used "faulty intelligence" and attacked iraq. hmmmm

now if you want to blame the current financial crisis on the democrats and their failed economic policies concerning the housing market, i challenge with this:

President Bush's "America's Home Ownership Challenge" pushed the private lending sector (as well as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac) to make more than 5.5 million new minority and low income mortgage loans. To meet his challenge to the private lending industry, twenty four of our largest banking and lending companies pledged to make 1.1 trillion dollars in low income and minority loans.


• From Bush Administration’s White House Press Release entitled, "Focusing on the Nation’s Priorities – Meeting America’s Housing Needs": In 2002, the President issued America’s Homeownership Challenge to increase first-time minority homeowners by 5.5 million through 2010. ... In 2006, 31 percent of those using FHA mortgages were minorities purchasing their first home. The 2008 Budget continues Administration efforts to modernize FHA by improving its ability to reach traditionally underserved homebuyers...


• While in Georgia in 2002, Bush made a speech in which he directly stated, "One of the barriers to homeownership is the inability to make a downpayment. And if one of the goals is to increase homeownership, it makes sense to help people pay that downpayment. ...Fannie May and Freddie Mac, as well as the federal home loan banks, will increase their commitment to minority markets by more than $440 billion.


• On December 16, 2003, President Bush signed into law the American Dream Downpayment Act of 2003, which will help approximately 40,000 families a year with their down payment and closing costs, and further strengthen America’s housing market. This legislation complements the President’s aggressive housing agenda announced in 2002 to dismantle the barriers to homeownership. (From White House Press Release "American Dream Downpayment Act of 2003 – Expanding Homeownership Opportunities for All).


• The Republican administration had HUD offer "zero down payment" mortgages, and risky 3, 5, and 7-year adjustable rate mortgages.


• Of course, these goals were reiterated in the 2004 GOP platform: The most significant barrier to homeownership is the down payment. We support efforts to reduce that barrier, like the American Dream Downpayment Act and Zero Downpayment Mortgages.


• It was the Gramm Leach Bliley Act that allowed banks to deal in mortgage-backed securities. Without passage of the GLBA by a Republican-controlled Congress, the subprime mess couldn't have happened. Chief architect of the GLBA? John McCain's economic adviser, Phil Gramm. Yes, that Phil Gramm. The GLBA was passed on a vote split along party lines (John McCain voted "aye," by the way).


and by the way. i voted for bush the first time. i am not a lib. i thought he would keep his word on challenging roe vs. wade, but not once was that challenge made.

will obama keep his word...i have been voting too many years to believe anything coming from politicians. however, when traffic stops moving, it is sometimes better to find a new road.

i say give the guy a chance.

and thank you for the chance to reply.

[Outlaw1&2]

I think teaching children starts at home,if parents of these children were half as dedicated as the teachers we have,this country would be a lot better off. As far as Obama, I am trying to keep an open mind and willing to give him a chance to earn my respect. So we shall see.