A few days ago I learned of plans for a live speech from President Obama to the schoolchildren of the U.S. scheduled for Tuesday, September 8th at 12 noon EST. The people of Croydon need to be aware of this event and make an informed decision of if and how our school should participate.
A lot of garbage news comes from both ends of the political spectrum, so I waited until I had verifiable sources. Upon discovering a description of the event from the U.S. Department of Education's own website (http://www.ed.gov/admins/lead/academic/bts.html), I reviewed their literature. (NOTE: Contents of this website have changed since my initial review of September 2nd).
As a parent, a citizen, and a Croydon school board member, I believe that participation in this event is NOT in the public interest. At a minimum, the speech should be videotaped and reviewed before being provided to our students. Parents must be informed and given the option of excusing their children from the viewing.
Conservative pundits have published plenty of strong condemnations, many of which evoke the personality cults of infamous historical figures. Rather than dive into the slippery slope, I would like to present the case against showing this video using the DoE's own documents as evidence of the inappropriate nature of this event.
1) Federal Meddling In Education
Even if the speech, its contents, and its timing were in no way questionable, this speech is an act of federal interference in our educational system. If the teacher were planning to teach Marine Biology, why allow the federal government to preempt that plan? Why replace Johnny's jellyfish lesson with Obama's speech? Educational fundamentals are much more important than anything the President might say.
2) No Review
To my knowledge, this speech is live and neither parents, teachers, nor administrators have any foreknowledge of its contents. What other part of our curriculum operates with so little review? Would we allow any other adult to address the classroom with so little understanding of what they intend to say beforehand? Would we distribute textbooks to the children before seeing what is in them?
3) Age Appropriateness
According to the DoE this speech is targeted for pre-K through 12th grade. How is this possible or appropriate? Would we have 18-year olds watching Blue's Clues? Would we ask our six-year olds to read the Federalist Papers? One of the few messages I know of that can target such a broad range is good old-fashioned propaganda, which brings me to my final point.
4) Cult of Personality
Yes, I must go here because the DoE documents go here as well. The DoE website provides two sets of instructions for pre/post speech classroom activities. Suggested activities for the younger children include:
"What specific job is the President asking me to do?"
"Are we able to do what President Obama is asking of us?"
"Is he asking anything of anyone else?" (This includes parents)
And my personal favorite:
"Why is it important that we listen to the President and other elected officials, like the mayor, senators, members of congress, or the governor?"
The intent may be innocent, but phrases such as this are quite familiar to students of 20th century history.
I urge members of our community to learn about this event and decide for themselves. I have contacted board members and the Superintendent to determine whether Croydon was planning to participate. I have yet to receive an answer.
It is inappropriate for the President to expect Croydon to grant him unfettered, unreviewed access to our school and the students.
Jim Peschke
Member
Croydon School Board
Friday, September 4, 2009
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Obama Speech To The Students - September 8th
DOE Press Release
"President Obama announced that on September 8 — the first day of school for many children across America — he will deliver a national address directly to students on the importance of education.
……
This is the first time an American president has spoken directly to the nation’s school children about persisting and succeeding in school."
If this was President Bush doing the same, asking the students to Pledge to President Bush would the schools allow it? Please watch one of the videos that has been presented in some schools. At first it is tame, than they pledge to democrat agendas, than they ask people to pledge to serve the President. As Americans we pledge to serve our Country and protect the Constitution not Pledge to a President whether they be on the right or the left.
Here is part of the suggested program.
PreK-6 Menu of Classroom Activities:
President Obama’s Address to Students Across America
Produced by Teaching Ambassador Fellows, U.S. Department of Education
September 8, 2009
Before the Speech: Teachers can build background knowledge about the President of the United States and his speech by reading books about presidents and Barack Obama and motivate students by asking the following questions: Who is the President of the United States? What do you think it takes to be President? To whom do you think the President is going to be speaking? Why do you think he wants to speak to you? What do you think he will say to you?
Teachers can ask students to imagine being the President delivering a speech to all of the students in the United States. What would you tell students? What can students do to help in our schools? Teachers can chart ideas about what they would say.
Why is it important that we listen to the President and other elected officials, like the mayor, senators, members of congress, or the governor? Why is what they say important?
During the Speech: As the President speaks, teachers can ask students to write down key ideas or phrases that are important or personally meaningful. Students could use a note-taking graphic organizer such as a Cluster Web, or students could record their thoughts on sticky notes. Younger children can draw pictures and write as appropriate. As students listen to the speech, they could think about the following: What is the President trying to tell me? What is the President asking me to do? What new ideas and actions is the President challenging me to think about?
Students can record important parts of the speech where the President is asking them to do something. Students might think about: What specific job is he asking me to do? Is he asking anything of anyone else? Teachers? Principals? Parents? The American people?
Students can record any questions they have while he is speaking and then discuss them after the speech. Younger children may need to dictate their questions.
After the Speech: Teachers could ask students to share the ideas they recorded, exchange sticky notes or stick notes on a butcher paper poster in the classroom to discuss main ideas from the speech, i.e. citizenship, personal responsibility, civic duty.
Students could discuss their responses to the following questions: What do you think the President wants us to do? Does the speech make you want to do anything? Are we able to do what President Obama is asking of us? What would you like to tell the President?
Teachers could encourage students to participate in the Department of Education’s “I Am What I Learn” video contest.
On September 8th the Department will invite K-12 students to submit a 2 video no longer than 2 min, explaining why education is important and how their education will help them achieve their dreams. Teachers are welcome to incorporate the same or a similar video project into an assignment. More details will be released via www.ed.gov.
Extension of the Speech: Teachers can extend learning by having students
Create posters of their goals. Posters could be formatted in quadrants or puzzle pieces or trails marked with the labels: personal, academic, community, country. Each area could be labeled with three steps for achieving goals in those areas. It might make sense to focus on personal and academic so community and country goals come more readily.
Write letters to themselves about what they can do to help the president. These would be collected and redistributed at an appropriate later date by the teacher to make students accountable to their goals.
Write goals on colored index cards or precut designs to post around the classroom.
Interview and share about their goals with one another to create a supportive community.
Participate in School wide incentive programs or contests for students who achieve their goals.
Write about their goals in a variety of genres, i.e. poems, songs, personal essays.
Create artistic projects based on the themes of their goals.
Graph student progress toward goals.
The letter from Arne Duncan was sent to Principals bypassing school boards. Why? In the letter he states the following.
"On behalf of all Americans, I want to thank our educators who do society's most important work by preparing our children for work and for life. No other task is more critical to our economic future and our social progress. I look forward to working with you in the months and years ahead to continue improving the quality of public education we provide all of our children." Sincerely, Arne Duncan
I am sorry but isn't this the parents job. His quote reminds me of another quote.
"The education of all children, from the moment that they can get along without a mother's care, shall be in state institutions at state expense." - Karl Marx
Here is another Mom's take of the whole situation, if you can watch the three videos imbedded in the post.
Cathy
Spelling and grammar errors as well as typos are left as an exercise for my readers.
"President Obama announced that on September 8 — the first day of school for many children across America — he will deliver a national address directly to students on the importance of education.
……
This is the first time an American president has spoken directly to the nation’s school children about persisting and succeeding in school."
If this was President Bush doing the same, asking the students to Pledge to President Bush would the schools allow it? Please watch one of the videos that has been presented in some schools. At first it is tame, than they pledge to democrat agendas, than they ask people to pledge to serve the President. As Americans we pledge to serve our Country and protect the Constitution not Pledge to a President whether they be on the right or the left.
Here is part of the suggested program.
PreK-6 Menu of Classroom Activities:
President Obama’s Address to Students Across America
Produced by Teaching Ambassador Fellows, U.S. Department of Education
September 8, 2009
Before the Speech: Teachers can build background knowledge about the President of the United States and his speech by reading books about presidents and Barack Obama and motivate students by asking the following questions: Who is the President of the United States? What do you think it takes to be President? To whom do you think the President is going to be speaking? Why do you think he wants to speak to you? What do you think he will say to you?
Teachers can ask students to imagine being the President delivering a speech to all of the students in the United States. What would you tell students? What can students do to help in our schools? Teachers can chart ideas about what they would say.
Why is it important that we listen to the President and other elected officials, like the mayor, senators, members of congress, or the governor? Why is what they say important?
During the Speech: As the President speaks, teachers can ask students to write down key ideas or phrases that are important or personally meaningful. Students could use a note-taking graphic organizer such as a Cluster Web, or students could record their thoughts on sticky notes. Younger children can draw pictures and write as appropriate. As students listen to the speech, they could think about the following: What is the President trying to tell me? What is the President asking me to do? What new ideas and actions is the President challenging me to think about?
Students can record important parts of the speech where the President is asking them to do something. Students might think about: What specific job is he asking me to do? Is he asking anything of anyone else? Teachers? Principals? Parents? The American people?
Students can record any questions they have while he is speaking and then discuss them after the speech. Younger children may need to dictate their questions.
After the Speech: Teachers could ask students to share the ideas they recorded, exchange sticky notes or stick notes on a butcher paper poster in the classroom to discuss main ideas from the speech, i.e. citizenship, personal responsibility, civic duty.
Students could discuss their responses to the following questions: What do you think the President wants us to do? Does the speech make you want to do anything? Are we able to do what President Obama is asking of us? What would you like to tell the President?
Teachers could encourage students to participate in the Department of Education’s “I Am What I Learn” video contest.
On September 8th the Department will invite K-12 students to submit a 2 video no longer than 2 min, explaining why education is important and how their education will help them achieve their dreams. Teachers are welcome to incorporate the same or a similar video project into an assignment. More details will be released via www.ed.gov.
Extension of the Speech: Teachers can extend learning by having students
Create posters of their goals. Posters could be formatted in quadrants or puzzle pieces or trails marked with the labels: personal, academic, community, country. Each area could be labeled with three steps for achieving goals in those areas. It might make sense to focus on personal and academic so community and country goals come more readily.
Write letters to themselves about what they can do to help the president. These would be collected and redistributed at an appropriate later date by the teacher to make students accountable to their goals.
Write goals on colored index cards or precut designs to post around the classroom.
Interview and share about their goals with one another to create a supportive community.
Participate in School wide incentive programs or contests for students who achieve their goals.
Write about their goals in a variety of genres, i.e. poems, songs, personal essays.
Create artistic projects based on the themes of their goals.
Graph student progress toward goals.
The letter from Arne Duncan was sent to Principals bypassing school boards. Why? In the letter he states the following.
"On behalf of all Americans, I want to thank our educators who do society's most important work by preparing our children for work and for life. No other task is more critical to our economic future and our social progress. I look forward to working with you in the months and years ahead to continue improving the quality of public education we provide all of our children." Sincerely, Arne Duncan
I am sorry but isn't this the parents job. His quote reminds me of another quote.
"The education of all children, from the moment that they can get along without a mother's care, shall be in state institutions at state expense." - Karl Marx
Here is another Mom's take of the whole situation, if you can watch the three videos imbedded in the post.
Cathy
Spelling and grammar errors as well as typos are left as an exercise for my readers.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Follow-up to Obama's Address and Healthcare Canadian Style
Yesterday, I posted some links to Obama's presentation to students in Public Schools across America. I found a couple of follow up posts, the first appears on Michelle Malkin's website and the second story appears on Electric Venom. I opt for keeping children out of school because it sends a message to both the school district which will lose funds if your child is out of school and the President because you are saying you do not want him indoctrinating your children.
Photoshop: Leo Alberti
There has been a lot of talk about health care lately. HR 676 was a house bill was a straight-up Canadian-style single-payer system that puts everyone in a government plan. It was DOA but there were 86 co-sponsors to the Bill. I believe people should be aware of this and the Representatives who supported this Bill.
Rep Abercrombie, Neil [HI-1] - 2/11/2009
Rep Baldwin, Tammy [WI-2] - 1/26/2009
Rep Becerra, Xavier [CA-31] - 3/17/2009
Rep Berman, Howard L. [CA-28] - 1/26/2009
Rep Bishop, Sanford D., Jr. [GA-2] - 2/23/2009
Rep Brady, Robert A. [PA-1] - 2/11/2009
Rep Brown, Corrine [FL-3] - 3/3/2009
Rep Capuano, Michael E. [MA-8] - 2/23/2009
Rep Christensen, Donna M. [VI] - 4/21/2009
Rep Chu, Judy [CA-32] - 7/31/2009
Rep Clarke, Yvette D. [NY-11] - 1/26/2009
Rep Clay, Wm. Lacy [MO-1] - 1/26/2009
Rep Cleaver, Emanuel [MO-5] - 2/23/2009
Rep Cohen, Steve [TN-9] - 1/26/2009
Rep Costello, Jerry F. [IL-12] - 2/3/2009
Rep Cummings, Elijah E. [MD-7] - 2/23/2009
Rep Davis, Danny K. [IL-7] - 1/26/2009
Rep Delahunt, William D. [MA-10] - 1/26/2009
Rep Dicks, Norman D. [WA-6] - 6/15/2009
Rep Doyle, Michael F. [PA-14] - 1/26/2009
Rep Edwards, Donna F. [MD-4] - 1/26/2009
Rep Ellison, Keith [MN-5] - 1/26/2009
Rep Engel, Eliot L. [NY-17] - 1/26/2009
Rep Farr, Sam [CA-17] - 1/26/2009
Rep Fattah, Chaka [PA-2] - 2/11/2009
Rep Filner, Bob [CA-51] - 2/11/2009
Rep Frank, Barney [MA-4] - 1/28/2009
Rep Fudge, Marcia L. [OH-11] - 6/2/2009
Rep Green, Al [TX-9] - 2/23/2009
Rep Grijalva, Raul M. [AZ-7] - 1/26/2009
Rep Gutierrez, Luis V. [IL-4] - 1/26/2009
Rep Hare, Phil [IL-17] - 6/11/2009
Rep Hastings, Alcee L. [FL-23] - 2/23/2009
Rep Hinchey, Maurice D. [NY-22] - 1/26/2009
Rep Hirono, Mazie K. [HI-2] - 2/23/2009
Rep Holt, Rush D. [NJ-12] - 6/12/2009
Rep Honda, Michael M. [CA-15] - 2/11/2009
Rep Jackson, Jesse L., Jr. [IL-2] - 3/5/2009
Rep Jackson-Lee, Sheila [TX-18] - 1/26/2009
Rep Johnson, Henry C. "Hank," Jr. [GA-4] - 2/3/2009
Rep Kaptur, Marcy [OH-9] - 1/26/2009
Rep Kennedy, Patrick J. [RI-1] - 2/23/2009
Rep Kildee, Dale E. [MI-5] - 2/23/2009
Rep Kilpatrick, Carolyn C. [MI-13] - 1/26/2009
Rep Kucinich, Dennis J. [OH-10] - 1/26/2009
Rep Lee, Barbara [CA-9] - 1/26/2009
Rep Lewis, John [GA-5] - 3/17/2009
Rep Loebsack, David [IA-2] - 3/24/2009
Rep Lofgren, Zoe [CA-16] - 5/20/2009
Rep Lujan, Ben Ray [NM-3] - 3/24/2009
Rep Maloney, Carolyn B. [NY-14] - 2/23/2009
Rep Markey, Edward J. [MA-7] - 6/12/2009
Rep Massa, Eric J. J. [NY-29] - 1/26/2009
Rep McDermott, Jim [WA-7] - 1/26/2009
Rep McGovern, James P. [MA-3] - 3/3/2009
Rep Meek, Kendrick B. [FL-17] - 3/24/2009
Rep Meeks, Gregory W. [NY-6] - 1/26/2009
Rep Miller, George [CA-7] - 3/19/2009
Rep Moore, Gwen [WI-4] - 2/11/2009
Rep Murtha, John P. [PA-12] - 7/9/2009
Rep Nadler, Jerrold [NY-8] - 1/26/2009
Rep Napolitano, Grace F. [CA-38] - 1/26/2009
Rep Norton, Eleanor Holmes [DC] - 5/20/2009
Rep Olver, John W. [MA-1] - 1/26/2009
Rep Pastor, Ed [AZ-4] - 3/19/2009
Rep Payne, Donald M. [NJ-10] - 3/3/2009
Rep Pingree, Chellie [ME-1] - 1/26/2009
Rep Polis, Jared [CO-2] - 1/28/2009
Rep Roybal-Allard, Lucille [CA-34] - 3/30/2009
Rep Rush, Bobby L. [IL-1] - 2/23/2009
Rep Ryan, Tim [OH-17] - 3/5/2009
Rep Schakowsky, Janice D. [IL-9] - 2/23/2009
Rep Scott, Robert C. "Bobby" [VA-3] - 2/23/2009
Rep Serrano, Jose E. [NY-16] - 6/9/2009
Rep Thompson, Bennie G. [MS-2] - 2/23/2009
Rep Tierney, John F. [MA-6] - 1/28/2009
Rep Tonko, Paul D. [NY-21] - 1/26/2009
Rep Towns, Edolphus [NY-10] - 3/31/2009
Rep Velazquez, Nydia M. [NY-12] - 2/23/2009
Rep Waters, Maxine [CA-35] - 3/19/2009
Rep Watson, Diane E. [CA-33] - 1/26/2009
Rep Weiner, Anthony D. [NY-9] - 7/9/2009
Rep Welch, Peter [VT] - 2/23/2009
Rep Wexler, Robert [FL-19] - 2/11/2009
Rep Woolsey, Lynn C. [CA-6] - 1/26/2009
Rep Yarmuth, John A. [KY-3] - 2/23/2009
Thank you to Angela Young Lash for this information.
Cathy
Spelling and grammar errors as well as typos are left as an exercise for my readers.
Photoshop: Leo Alberti
There has been a lot of talk about health care lately. HR 676 was a house bill was a straight-up Canadian-style single-payer system that puts everyone in a government plan. It was DOA but there were 86 co-sponsors to the Bill. I believe people should be aware of this and the Representatives who supported this Bill.
Rep Abercrombie, Neil [HI-1] - 2/11/2009
Rep Baldwin, Tammy [WI-2] - 1/26/2009
Rep Becerra, Xavier [CA-31] - 3/17/2009
Rep Berman, Howard L. [CA-28] - 1/26/2009
Rep Bishop, Sanford D., Jr. [GA-2] - 2/23/2009
Rep Brady, Robert A. [PA-1] - 2/11/2009
Rep Brown, Corrine [FL-3] - 3/3/2009
Rep Capuano, Michael E. [MA-8] - 2/23/2009
Rep Christensen, Donna M. [VI] - 4/21/2009
Rep Chu, Judy [CA-32] - 7/31/2009
Rep Clarke, Yvette D. [NY-11] - 1/26/2009
Rep Clay, Wm. Lacy [MO-1] - 1/26/2009
Rep Cleaver, Emanuel [MO-5] - 2/23/2009
Rep Cohen, Steve [TN-9] - 1/26/2009
Rep Costello, Jerry F. [IL-12] - 2/3/2009
Rep Cummings, Elijah E. [MD-7] - 2/23/2009
Rep Davis, Danny K. [IL-7] - 1/26/2009
Rep Delahunt, William D. [MA-10] - 1/26/2009
Rep Dicks, Norman D. [WA-6] - 6/15/2009
Rep Doyle, Michael F. [PA-14] - 1/26/2009
Rep Edwards, Donna F. [MD-4] - 1/26/2009
Rep Ellison, Keith [MN-5] - 1/26/2009
Rep Engel, Eliot L. [NY-17] - 1/26/2009
Rep Farr, Sam [CA-17] - 1/26/2009
Rep Fattah, Chaka [PA-2] - 2/11/2009
Rep Filner, Bob [CA-51] - 2/11/2009
Rep Frank, Barney [MA-4] - 1/28/2009
Rep Fudge, Marcia L. [OH-11] - 6/2/2009
Rep Green, Al [TX-9] - 2/23/2009
Rep Grijalva, Raul M. [AZ-7] - 1/26/2009
Rep Gutierrez, Luis V. [IL-4] - 1/26/2009
Rep Hare, Phil [IL-17] - 6/11/2009
Rep Hastings, Alcee L. [FL-23] - 2/23/2009
Rep Hinchey, Maurice D. [NY-22] - 1/26/2009
Rep Hirono, Mazie K. [HI-2] - 2/23/2009
Rep Holt, Rush D. [NJ-12] - 6/12/2009
Rep Honda, Michael M. [CA-15] - 2/11/2009
Rep Jackson, Jesse L., Jr. [IL-2] - 3/5/2009
Rep Jackson-Lee, Sheila [TX-18] - 1/26/2009
Rep Johnson, Henry C. "Hank," Jr. [GA-4] - 2/3/2009
Rep Kaptur, Marcy [OH-9] - 1/26/2009
Rep Kennedy, Patrick J. [RI-1] - 2/23/2009
Rep Kildee, Dale E. [MI-5] - 2/23/2009
Rep Kilpatrick, Carolyn C. [MI-13] - 1/26/2009
Rep Kucinich, Dennis J. [OH-10] - 1/26/2009
Rep Lee, Barbara [CA-9] - 1/26/2009
Rep Lewis, John [GA-5] - 3/17/2009
Rep Loebsack, David [IA-2] - 3/24/2009
Rep Lofgren, Zoe [CA-16] - 5/20/2009
Rep Lujan, Ben Ray [NM-3] - 3/24/2009
Rep Maloney, Carolyn B. [NY-14] - 2/23/2009
Rep Markey, Edward J. [MA-7] - 6/12/2009
Rep Massa, Eric J. J. [NY-29] - 1/26/2009
Rep McDermott, Jim [WA-7] - 1/26/2009
Rep McGovern, James P. [MA-3] - 3/3/2009
Rep Meek, Kendrick B. [FL-17] - 3/24/2009
Rep Meeks, Gregory W. [NY-6] - 1/26/2009
Rep Miller, George [CA-7] - 3/19/2009
Rep Moore, Gwen [WI-4] - 2/11/2009
Rep Murtha, John P. [PA-12] - 7/9/2009
Rep Nadler, Jerrold [NY-8] - 1/26/2009
Rep Napolitano, Grace F. [CA-38] - 1/26/2009
Rep Norton, Eleanor Holmes [DC] - 5/20/2009
Rep Olver, John W. [MA-1] - 1/26/2009
Rep Pastor, Ed [AZ-4] - 3/19/2009
Rep Payne, Donald M. [NJ-10] - 3/3/2009
Rep Pingree, Chellie [ME-1] - 1/26/2009
Rep Polis, Jared [CO-2] - 1/28/2009
Rep Roybal-Allard, Lucille [CA-34] - 3/30/2009
Rep Rush, Bobby L. [IL-1] - 2/23/2009
Rep Ryan, Tim [OH-17] - 3/5/2009
Rep Schakowsky, Janice D. [IL-9] - 2/23/2009
Rep Scott, Robert C. "Bobby" [VA-3] - 2/23/2009
Rep Serrano, Jose E. [NY-16] - 6/9/2009
Rep Thompson, Bennie G. [MS-2] - 2/23/2009
Rep Tierney, John F. [MA-6] - 1/28/2009
Rep Tonko, Paul D. [NY-21] - 1/26/2009
Rep Towns, Edolphus [NY-10] - 3/31/2009
Rep Velazquez, Nydia M. [NY-12] - 2/23/2009
Rep Waters, Maxine [CA-35] - 3/19/2009
Rep Watson, Diane E. [CA-33] - 1/26/2009
Rep Weiner, Anthony D. [NY-9] - 7/9/2009
Rep Welch, Peter [VT] - 2/23/2009
Rep Wexler, Robert [FL-19] - 2/11/2009
Rep Woolsey, Lynn C. [CA-6] - 1/26/2009
Rep Yarmuth, John A. [KY-3] - 2/23/2009
Thank you to Angela Young Lash for this information.
Cathy
Spelling and grammar errors as well as typos are left as an exercise for my readers.
Croydon 9.12 Meeting Tonight at 6:30 p.m.
Tonight there will be a 9.12 meeting at 6:30 if you are interested in attending please email me at george@joltmail.com or call me at 863-7613 for details.
Cathy
Cathy
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
President Obama to Address Students on September 8th - Indoctrination?
There are a number of sites reporting that President Obama is going to address students on September 8th. If you do not want your child seeing this video ask for your child not to be present during the presentation.
We must not forget about the Hitler Youth.
Cathy
Spelling and grammar errors as well as typos are left as an exercise for my readers.
Quote of the Day - Karl Marx - The education of all children, from the moment that they can get along without a mother's care, shall be in state institutions at state expense.
We must not forget about the Hitler Youth.
Cathy
Spelling and grammar errors as well as typos are left as an exercise for my readers.
Quote of the Day - Karl Marx - The education of all children, from the moment that they can get along without a mother's care, shall be in state institutions at state expense.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Re-write the constitution why?
The following is long read but a must read. Self explanatory.
Cathy
Spelling and grammar errors as well as typos are left as an exercise for my readers.
BARACK OBAMA AND HIS ALLIES ARE TRYING
TO CHANGE THE U.S. CONSTITUTION:
HELP US STOP A NEW CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION!
Dear Friend,
Barack Obama and his allies are trying to change the U.S. Constitution WITHOUT FOLLOWING THE AMENDMENT PROCESS -- in fact, they're trying to rewrite the ENTIRE CONSTITUTION -- and they're close to succeesing!
What would you think if an amendment to the U.S. Constitution was introduced by liberal Democrat Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, which repealed the First Amendment in the Bill of Rights -- taking away our right to Free Speech?
What would you think if an amendment to the U.S. Constitution was introduced by liberal Democrat Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, which repealed the Second Amendment in the Bill of Rights -- taking away our right to Keep and Bear Arms? (A right that the U.S. Supreme Court recently upheld!)
"That could never happen," you say. "No one would allow it!" Right? Well...
Did you know that there are TWO ways that our Constitution can be changed? And did you know that Pelosi, Reid and Barack Obama are using the less well-known way, without having to actually introduce amendments?
IT'S TRUE -- and WE have to stop it NOW!
One way to change the Constitution is to go through the amendment process -- a long and tedious process requiring two-thirds of both houses of Congress to pass an amendment, and then three-fourths of the states to ratify it.
That means a "super-majority" of our representatives at the National and State levels would have to be in favor of the amendment -- which safeguards us from the possibility of really "bad" amendments.
BUT... there is one other way that our Constitution can be changed... and it DOES NOT require all of those elected representatives to be in favor of it. It's called a Constitutional Convention, and all that it requires is 34 states to ask Congress to call one.
In fact, right now, all that is needed is for two more states to ask for a Constitutional Convention... and the basic law of the land could be changed forever by Barack Obama, Nancy Pelosi, and Harry Reid!
WE NEED YOUR HELP, RIGHT NOW, TO STOP BARACK OBAMA
AND HIS ALLIES FROM CHANGING THE U.S. CONSTITUTION:
CLICK HERE NOW!
Most people don't realize that Article V of the Constitution requires Congress to call a new Constitutional Convention (a "Con Con") if two-thirds (or 34) of the states request it. We've only had one other "Con Con" in our history: the one where the original Constitution was written in 1787!
The language of Article V is mandatory: it says that Congress "shall call a Convention for proposing Amendments" whenever requests are received from two-thirds of the states. Note that the word "amendments" is used in the plural. These are the only instructions we have about a Constitutional Convention. There are no other rules or guidelines.
We don't know how a Constitutional Convention would be apportioned, or how the delegates would be elected. We don't know what rules the Convention would operate under. We don't know whether changes to the Constitution could be proposed by a simple majority, or would require a super majority, of those attending. We don't know if the agenda could be limited or would be wide open to any proposal.
We don't know ANYTHING about how a Con Con would work -- which means that it will come down to Congress setting the rules!
And Congress is controlled by the most radically liberal Democrats in American history! Is that who we want to be in charge of a new Constitutional Convention?
Do we want BARACK OBAMA, NANCY PELOSI, and HARRY REID to completely rewrite our most basic document of law?
WE NEED YOUR HELP, RIGHT NOW, TO STOP BARACK OBAMA
AND HIS ALLIES FROM CHANGING THE U.S. CONSTITUTION:
CLICK HERE NOW!
The fact is, under the vague language of Article V, a Constitutional Convention cannot be limited. It would be wide open, and able to consider ANY change in the Constitution that was proposed!
Former U. S. Supreme Court Chief Justice Warren Burger once said, "There is no effective way to limit or muzzle the actions of a Constitutional Convention. The convention could make its own rules and set its own agenda."
The Stanford Law School Professor whose case-book is used in the majority of U.S. law schools, Gerald Gunther, said that, even if Congress tried to limit the Convention to one subject, the delegates could decide for themselves that the Convention "is entitled to set its own agenda."
This means that, even if supporters of a "Con Con" claim that the convention would only cover one issue -- whether it's a balanced budget amendment or removing the requirement that to be eligible to serve as President, one must be a "natural born citizen," or anything else -- there is NO WAY to stop the Convention from changing EVERYTHING that we hold dear in America!
Barack Obama and his far-left supporters would be able to get THEIR people appointed as delegates to the Convention, so that THEIR agendas would be the Convention's agenda, and THEIR plans for socialism in America would come to pass.
Say BYE-BYE to the First Amendment's freedom of speech -- Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity could be taken off the air.
Say BYE-BYE to the Second Amendment's right to bear arms -- a total gun ban could be the law of the land!
Say BYE-BYE to the Constitution's requirement that to serve as President a man or a woman must be a "natural born citizen"!
You KNOW that's what they'll do if given the chance -- and we're only TWO STATES AWAY from seeing a Constitutional Convention convened!
You see, Article V says that it takes a request from two-thirds of the states to force a "Con Con" -- but it doesn't say there's any time limit on getting to that total!
Thirty-two states have already issued a call for a "Con Con" over the last few decades, including Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and Wyoming.
It only takes 34 states to REQUIRE a Constitutional Convention be convened!
Some states, like Georgia, Virginia, and others, have since voted to "rescind" their call for a "Con Con" -- BUT no one is sure whether those "rescission" votes are actually Constitutional...so the danger is REAL!
WE NEED YOUR HELP, RIGHT NOW, TO STOP BARACK OBAMA
AND HIS ALLIES FROM CHANGING THE U.S. CONSTITUTION:
CLICK HERE NOW!
The United States Justice Foundation is launching a major campaign to STOP a "Con Con" from taking place -- WE MUST CREATE a tremendous outpouring of publicity and public scrutiny to be given to this danger, so that Barack Obama and his radical liberal allies can't "sneak this past us" without anyone noticing, until it's too late. Right now, our staff is conducting legal and historical research, and preparing legal opinions, to submit to every state legislature, if necessary, and we'll be offering to represent any state, or state legislator, in fighting the Con-Con based on those documents.
We're also going to be leading a grassroots effort to attack this issue at both the state and federal levels: At the state level, leading the charge in every state to either NOT VOTE for a "Con Con" (if they haven't voted yet) or to RESCIND their past vote in favor (if they have). And, at the federal level, we'll be mobilizing citizens across the country to contact their Representatives and Senators to DEMAND that they come out, NOW, and announce their support for a state's right to rescind, and that they won't support a call for a "Con-Con." In addition, we'll be calling on the Attorney General of the United States, and the Attorney General of each and every State that has passed a "Con-Con" resolution, to issue an official Opinion on the legality of rescission.
THIS DANGER IS REAL. The Constitutional Convention of 1787 was called for the exclusive purpose of amending the Articles of Confederation. Once the Founding Fathers assembled in Philadelphia, however, they threw out the Articles of Confederation and wrote an entirely new Constitution, and even changed the ratification procedure so they could get it adopted more easily. The 1787 Convention is the only precedent we have for a national Constitutional Convention.
There's no guarantee that all of the changes to our Constitution passed at a Constitutional Convention would need to be ratified by 34 states this time -- if a "Con Con" can change our structure of government as defined in Articles I, II, and III, of the Constitution, then it can also change the Article V requirement that three-fourths of the states are needed to ratify any changes. The Convention of 1787 reduced the number of states required to ratify a change from 100% of the states to 75%, and a Convention today could "follow their example" and reduce it further, to 66%, or 60%, or even 51%!
WE MUST NOT LET THIS HAPPEN!
There's very little time to ramp this project up to FULL SPEED -- we need to raise at least $100,000 to prepare and distribute legal opinions, lobby state legislators and begin our grassroots activism campaign this coming month. Please, CLICK HERE NOW to make your best possible donation, and let's STOP Obama, Pelosi and Reid from ripping our Constitution to shreds, and re-writing it to their own socialist goals!
Sincerely,
Gary Kreep, Executive Director
United States Justice Foundation
P.S. President Barack Obama has already expressed his belief that the U.S. Constitution needs to be interpreted in the context of current affairs and events. Can you imagine what he and his supporters would DO to that document if given the chance to re-write it completely? Our Bill of Rights could disappear overnight!
In fact, all the way back in 2006, Obama already had his lawyers researching how someone could get around the eligibility requirements to serve as U.S. President -- these people simply don't CARE about whether we preserve the supreme law of the land!
Remember -- when the last Constitutional Convention met in 1787, the original goal was to amend the Articles of Confederation. Instead, delegates simply threw them out and wrote a whole new Constitution.
That's EXACTLY what Obama, Pelosi and Reid would do this time -- but this time, the result would destroy our freedoms. Please, CLICK HERE NOW to help us STOP them. Thank you!
WE NEED YOUR HELP, RIGHT NOW, TO STOP BARACK OBAMA
AND HIS ALLIES FROM CHANGING THE U.S. CONSTITUTION:
CLICK HERE NOW!
To donate by check, make payable to:
United States Justice Foundation
932 D Street Suite 1
Ramona, CA 92065
Cathy
Spelling and grammar errors as well as typos are left as an exercise for my readers.
BARACK OBAMA AND HIS ALLIES ARE TRYING
TO CHANGE THE U.S. CONSTITUTION:
HELP US STOP A NEW CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION!
Dear Friend,
Barack Obama and his allies are trying to change the U.S. Constitution WITHOUT FOLLOWING THE AMENDMENT PROCESS -- in fact, they're trying to rewrite the ENTIRE CONSTITUTION -- and they're close to succeesing!
What would you think if an amendment to the U.S. Constitution was introduced by liberal Democrat Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, which repealed the First Amendment in the Bill of Rights -- taking away our right to Free Speech?
What would you think if an amendment to the U.S. Constitution was introduced by liberal Democrat Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, which repealed the Second Amendment in the Bill of Rights -- taking away our right to Keep and Bear Arms? (A right that the U.S. Supreme Court recently upheld!)
"That could never happen," you say. "No one would allow it!" Right? Well...
Did you know that there are TWO ways that our Constitution can be changed? And did you know that Pelosi, Reid and Barack Obama are using the less well-known way, without having to actually introduce amendments?
IT'S TRUE -- and WE have to stop it NOW!
One way to change the Constitution is to go through the amendment process -- a long and tedious process requiring two-thirds of both houses of Congress to pass an amendment, and then three-fourths of the states to ratify it.
That means a "super-majority" of our representatives at the National and State levels would have to be in favor of the amendment -- which safeguards us from the possibility of really "bad" amendments.
BUT... there is one other way that our Constitution can be changed... and it DOES NOT require all of those elected representatives to be in favor of it. It's called a Constitutional Convention, and all that it requires is 34 states to ask Congress to call one.
In fact, right now, all that is needed is for two more states to ask for a Constitutional Convention... and the basic law of the land could be changed forever by Barack Obama, Nancy Pelosi, and Harry Reid!
WE NEED YOUR HELP, RIGHT NOW, TO STOP BARACK OBAMA
AND HIS ALLIES FROM CHANGING THE U.S. CONSTITUTION:
CLICK HERE NOW!
Most people don't realize that Article V of the Constitution requires Congress to call a new Constitutional Convention (a "Con Con") if two-thirds (or 34) of the states request it. We've only had one other "Con Con" in our history: the one where the original Constitution was written in 1787!
The language of Article V is mandatory: it says that Congress "shall call a Convention for proposing Amendments" whenever requests are received from two-thirds of the states. Note that the word "amendments" is used in the plural. These are the only instructions we have about a Constitutional Convention. There are no other rules or guidelines.
We don't know how a Constitutional Convention would be apportioned, or how the delegates would be elected. We don't know what rules the Convention would operate under. We don't know whether changes to the Constitution could be proposed by a simple majority, or would require a super majority, of those attending. We don't know if the agenda could be limited or would be wide open to any proposal.
We don't know ANYTHING about how a Con Con would work -- which means that it will come down to Congress setting the rules!
And Congress is controlled by the most radically liberal Democrats in American history! Is that who we want to be in charge of a new Constitutional Convention?
Do we want BARACK OBAMA, NANCY PELOSI, and HARRY REID to completely rewrite our most basic document of law?
WE NEED YOUR HELP, RIGHT NOW, TO STOP BARACK OBAMA
AND HIS ALLIES FROM CHANGING THE U.S. CONSTITUTION:
CLICK HERE NOW!
The fact is, under the vague language of Article V, a Constitutional Convention cannot be limited. It would be wide open, and able to consider ANY change in the Constitution that was proposed!
Former U. S. Supreme Court Chief Justice Warren Burger once said, "There is no effective way to limit or muzzle the actions of a Constitutional Convention. The convention could make its own rules and set its own agenda."
The Stanford Law School Professor whose case-book is used in the majority of U.S. law schools, Gerald Gunther, said that, even if Congress tried to limit the Convention to one subject, the delegates could decide for themselves that the Convention "is entitled to set its own agenda."
This means that, even if supporters of a "Con Con" claim that the convention would only cover one issue -- whether it's a balanced budget amendment or removing the requirement that to be eligible to serve as President, one must be a "natural born citizen," or anything else -- there is NO WAY to stop the Convention from changing EVERYTHING that we hold dear in America!
Barack Obama and his far-left supporters would be able to get THEIR people appointed as delegates to the Convention, so that THEIR agendas would be the Convention's agenda, and THEIR plans for socialism in America would come to pass.
Say BYE-BYE to the First Amendment's freedom of speech -- Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity could be taken off the air.
Say BYE-BYE to the Second Amendment's right to bear arms -- a total gun ban could be the law of the land!
Say BYE-BYE to the Constitution's requirement that to serve as President a man or a woman must be a "natural born citizen"!
You KNOW that's what they'll do if given the chance -- and we're only TWO STATES AWAY from seeing a Constitutional Convention convened!
You see, Article V says that it takes a request from two-thirds of the states to force a "Con Con" -- but it doesn't say there's any time limit on getting to that total!
Thirty-two states have already issued a call for a "Con Con" over the last few decades, including Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and Wyoming.
It only takes 34 states to REQUIRE a Constitutional Convention be convened!
Some states, like Georgia, Virginia, and others, have since voted to "rescind" their call for a "Con Con" -- BUT no one is sure whether those "rescission" votes are actually Constitutional...so the danger is REAL!
WE NEED YOUR HELP, RIGHT NOW, TO STOP BARACK OBAMA
AND HIS ALLIES FROM CHANGING THE U.S. CONSTITUTION:
CLICK HERE NOW!
The United States Justice Foundation is launching a major campaign to STOP a "Con Con" from taking place -- WE MUST CREATE a tremendous outpouring of publicity and public scrutiny to be given to this danger, so that Barack Obama and his radical liberal allies can't "sneak this past us" without anyone noticing, until it's too late. Right now, our staff is conducting legal and historical research, and preparing legal opinions, to submit to every state legislature, if necessary, and we'll be offering to represent any state, or state legislator, in fighting the Con-Con based on those documents.
We're also going to be leading a grassroots effort to attack this issue at both the state and federal levels: At the state level, leading the charge in every state to either NOT VOTE for a "Con Con" (if they haven't voted yet) or to RESCIND their past vote in favor (if they have). And, at the federal level, we'll be mobilizing citizens across the country to contact their Representatives and Senators to DEMAND that they come out, NOW, and announce their support for a state's right to rescind, and that they won't support a call for a "Con-Con." In addition, we'll be calling on the Attorney General of the United States, and the Attorney General of each and every State that has passed a "Con-Con" resolution, to issue an official Opinion on the legality of rescission.
THIS DANGER IS REAL. The Constitutional Convention of 1787 was called for the exclusive purpose of amending the Articles of Confederation. Once the Founding Fathers assembled in Philadelphia, however, they threw out the Articles of Confederation and wrote an entirely new Constitution, and even changed the ratification procedure so they could get it adopted more easily. The 1787 Convention is the only precedent we have for a national Constitutional Convention.
There's no guarantee that all of the changes to our Constitution passed at a Constitutional Convention would need to be ratified by 34 states this time -- if a "Con Con" can change our structure of government as defined in Articles I, II, and III, of the Constitution, then it can also change the Article V requirement that three-fourths of the states are needed to ratify any changes. The Convention of 1787 reduced the number of states required to ratify a change from 100% of the states to 75%, and a Convention today could "follow their example" and reduce it further, to 66%, or 60%, or even 51%!
WE MUST NOT LET THIS HAPPEN!
There's very little time to ramp this project up to FULL SPEED -- we need to raise at least $100,000 to prepare and distribute legal opinions, lobby state legislators and begin our grassroots activism campaign this coming month. Please, CLICK HERE NOW to make your best possible donation, and let's STOP Obama, Pelosi and Reid from ripping our Constitution to shreds, and re-writing it to their own socialist goals!
Sincerely,
Gary Kreep, Executive Director
United States Justice Foundation
P.S. President Barack Obama has already expressed his belief that the U.S. Constitution needs to be interpreted in the context of current affairs and events. Can you imagine what he and his supporters would DO to that document if given the chance to re-write it completely? Our Bill of Rights could disappear overnight!
In fact, all the way back in 2006, Obama already had his lawyers researching how someone could get around the eligibility requirements to serve as U.S. President -- these people simply don't CARE about whether we preserve the supreme law of the land!
Remember -- when the last Constitutional Convention met in 1787, the original goal was to amend the Articles of Confederation. Instead, delegates simply threw them out and wrote a whole new Constitution.
That's EXACTLY what Obama, Pelosi and Reid would do this time -- but this time, the result would destroy our freedoms. Please, CLICK HERE NOW to help us STOP them. Thank you!
WE NEED YOUR HELP, RIGHT NOW, TO STOP BARACK OBAMA
AND HIS ALLIES FROM CHANGING THE U.S. CONSTITUTION:
CLICK HERE NOW!
To donate by check, make payable to:
United States Justice Foundation
932 D Street Suite 1
Ramona, CA 92065
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Defending the New Hampshire Advantage Pork Roast
Yesterday the Peschke Family attended the Defending the New Hampshire Advantage Pork Roast in Rochester, NH. We have never attended before but the place was packed, unlike any other event of this type that we had been to in the past. Despite what the pictures look like a few hundred people were in attendance.
While we were at this event, Carol Shea-Porter had events in Manchester and Portsmouth. It does not appear that all the conservatives or liberty minded activists were at the Pork Roast, according to the Union Leader Shea-Porters event was heated and tempers flared over the proposed federal healthcare plan. The Concord Monitor also reported on the Shea-Porter event, this article does provide information that was not in the Union Leader article.
Quote of the Day: "To compel a man to subsidize with his taxes the propagation of ideas which he disbelieves and abhors is sinful and tyrannical. " - Thomas Jefferson
Cathy
Spelling and grammar errors as well as typos are left as an exercise for my readers.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)