John McCain Administration Would Throw in the Towel on Public Education

September 4, 2008 by Pelikan · 6 Comments
Filed under: Education, John McCain, Presidential Campaign 2008 

From Sen. John McCain’s acceptance speech at the RNC in Minneapolis:

When a public school fails to meet its obligations to students, parent — when it fails to meet its obligations to students, parents deserve a choice in the education of their children. And I intend to give it to them.

Some may choose a better public school. Some may choose a private one. Many will choose a charter school. But they will have the choice, and their children will have that opportunity.

If a public school is failing doesn’t it deserve to be reformed?  Just because we have let what used to be a crown jewel in the American experience — public education — fall on hard times, doesn’t mean we abandon this noble cause.

Public schools, a quality public education - these things are the great equalizers in the United States.  A quality education used to be a hand up that both parties agreed on.  The Republican abandonment of public education has taken yet another step forward with the nomination of McCain.  It wasn’t enough to give the whack jobs Sarah Palin, let’s trash public education.

Public funds, public resources, public officials’ time - if spent on education - should be spent on improving public schools. How many charter schools in Ohio have lived up to their promise?  A few have, but many have essentially turned in to financial boondoggles which struggle to stay open.  Parochial Schools?  Many of them offer a quality education and if I had children, I wouldn’t hesitate to send my child to one.  But, I don’t want my tax dollars spent in a church. 

The Republican Party is not putting ‘Country First’ with the abandonment of public education and the subsidizing of churches and private enterprise educational experiments.

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Video: John McCain Acceptance Speech RNC

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Full Text: Sen. John McCain Accpetance Speech Republican National Convention 2008

September 4, 2008 by Pelikan · 2 Comments
Filed under: John McCain, Presidential Campaign 2008 

(CNN) — Sen. John McCain spoke to the Republican National Convention on Thursday night. Here is the text of that speech:

McCain: Thank you. Thank you all very much. Thank you.

Tonight, I have a privilege given few Americans: the privilege of accepting our party’s nomination for president of the United States. Read more

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Transcript: Sen. Lindsey Graham Speech to Republican National Convention 2008

(CNN) — Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina spoke to the Republican National Convention on Thursday night. Here is the transcript of that speech.

Graham: Thank you very much. Ladies and gentlemen, this speech is for the troops. Read more

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Will Republicans Opt for More Hate vs. Hope Tonight?

What is it with these people?  Are they all idiots?  Does every Jack and Jill in the Hall at the RNC actually think that there is room in these United States — that there is any consideration in the idea that is ‘America’ — for some of us not to be patriot-worthy — because we disagree with them?

I’m speaking of the “Country First” signs being waved around in the martial mob that is the conclave in Minneapolis-St. Paul. 

The implied message behind the mob is that if you aren’t there waving the sign with them – or just cheering at home — you don’t put your country first.

Well, this proud Navy veteran who was for the Iraq war before we legalized torture and found out the neocons cooked the intelligence books would just as soon piss in the Republican Party’s general direction (and all over one of those stupid fucking signs) than listen to one more straw-man building, country-dividing, fundie pandering line of BS from this convention.

I feel better now.

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Wednesday Late Nite News – Strickland Releases Economic Plan, Tommi Dorris, Parole Board, GOP, Barack Obama, Tave Zelman, Karl Rove

Ohio News

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Full Text: Sarah Palin, Vice Presidential Acceptance Speech, Republican National Convention 2008

Text of Republican vice presidential candidate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin’s speech to the Republican National Convention on Wednesday, as prepared for delivery:  (Source: AP)

Mr. Chairman, delegates, and fellow citizens: I am honored to be considered for the nomination for vice president of the United States … Read more

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Video: Sarah Palin, Vice Presidential Acceptance Speech, Republican National Convention, Minneapolis

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Video: Rudy Giuliani Speech RNC

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Transcript: Rudy Giuliani Speech Republican National Convention 2008

(CNN) — Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani addressed the Republican National Convention on Wednesday. Here is the text of that speech:

Giuliani: Thank you very much, and good evening. Almost exactly one year ago today, during a presidential debate in Durham, New Hampshire, I said that, if I weren’t running for president, I’d be supporting John McCain. Read more

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Full Text: Mike Huckabee Speech Republican National Convention 2008

Source: AP

As much as I appreciate the opportunity to speak tonight, I really was originally hoping for the slot on Thursday called the acceptance speech. But I am delighted to speak on behalf of my 2nd choice for the Republican nomination for President, John McCain — a man with the character and stubborn kind of integrity that I want in a President. Read more

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Video: Mike Huckabee Speech Republican National Convention 2008

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Full Text: Mitt Romney Speech Republican National Convention 2008

Text of former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney’s speech Wednesday to the Republican convention, as prepared for delivery: (Source: AP)

For decades, the Washington sun has been rising in the east — Washington has been looking to the eastern elites, to the editorial pages of the Times and the Post, and to the broadcasters from the coast. Read more

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Video: Mitt Romney Speech to Republican National Convention 2008

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Sneak Peek: Sarah Palin Speech Excerpts - RNC

Released by Republican National Convention:

SAINT PAUL, Minn. - This evening Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, the Republican Party’s vice presidential nominee, will address the 2008 Republican National Convention. Excerpts from the governor’s remarks, as prepared for delivery, are below.
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