No NH debate thread?

Parent Cafe
61

<p>MOM.</p>

<p>Love the idea, but what 22 yr old is willing to go to work in the worse schools? The pay has to be very high, and in the end the state has to carry the burden, not the fed., schools are stretched thin right now, the fed does not have the funds, where are they going to find the money, especially if we are also talk about univ. health care, ss., college subsidy, etc. without raising taxes.</p>

<pre><code>A voluntary nat. program, heck, who is going to going to do that?
</code></pre>

<p>We have a horrible socio-economical issue right now in our schools, the fed is the last thing we need to try to rectify the situation</p>

62

<p>Richardson can’t win b/c he does not have the media support, but I have yet to find someone who says he is not qualified, leaving me with the question what did he do wrong not to get America behind him?</p>

63

<p>Obama never said he wouldn’t raise taxes, tobascogal. He’s said he would raise them for the rich (or shift tax cuts). </p>

<p>Lots of 22-year-olds are choosing to go work in the worst schools. It’s called Teach for America. Somehow many of our best and brightest college grads are inspired to do so; perhaps Obama’s program would marry that inspiration with financial incentives for the best, experienced teachers (not those 22-year-olds) to choose to work there. Nobody says it will be easy to do the things he proposes. Nobody says it will be free either. But bulletandpima wanted some concrete examples of what Obama believes in, and those are a few. </p>

<p>Hayden, I really like your analogy of the architect/bricklayer. I agree with you. </p>

<p>As for Richardson, I get the impression that he doesn’t take himself seriously; he comes across as a little buffoonish at times. He’s got one of those resumes that looks perfect on paper but in the interview, something just doesn’t jive.</p>

64

<p>momof2inca, your comment on Richardson hits the nail on the head. He almost comes across as too nice. Remember Mo Udall? He was known for a very good sense of humor. When he ran for president he got nowhere. He then wrote a book called “Too Funny to Be President”. </p>

<p>Richardson doesn’t come across with gravitas either, although I think he is better than his TV persona. I have had the impression all along that’s he is running for VP. I like him a lot, but he’s not a #1 right now.</p>

65

<p>Hayden,
Yeah, I think I read somewhere that he and Clinton were very close (due to being in Bill Clinton’s cabinet) and that he just couldn’t sing her praises enough. So you may be right about the VP positioning.</p>

<p>Who would you like to see in the number 2 if Obama gets the nomination? Will he need to go with someone older/more experienced (i.e. Kennedy/Johnson and Bush/Cheney) or can he afford to take a chance on someone like Edwards? (Assuming Edwards doesn’t pull a rabbit out of his hat and win himself.)</p>

66

<p>Edwards, no. I can’t see Obama going there. And I would bet against Clinton being his choice - I don’t think he’d choose her, and she wouldn’t accept if he did.</p>

<p>I have this weird wish that will probably make most people cringe, and the others laugh. But you asked who I would like to see, right? So here goes: I’d like to see Gore as VP again. Whew, there. I actually said it. I can’t imagine anyone better equipped to step into the president’s shoes should the president be incapacitated. Do I think Obama would do it? No, probably not. </p>

<p>I can see Obama (and perhaps we’re getting waaayy too ahead of ourselves here!) choosing Richardson, or Mark Warner of Virginia.</p>

67

<p>Hmm… Warner is running for Senate and is supposed to win, think he’d abandon his campaign to be VP? I would say, yes. </p>

<p>As for Gore, you’re right about stepping into the #1 slot, but he may say “been there, done that” about running for VP. Still, interesting idea.</p>

68

<p>Momof2,</p>

<p>Richardson and Clinton were close, as he was on her husband’s staff for a bunch of years. However, I think that changed when he announced that he wants his supporters to back Obama if (I should say when, as his chances of staying in after NH) he gets out of the race. Lots of media outlets were reportingthat the Clinton camp was furious with him for what they saw as a lack of loyalty. </p>

<p>So no, I don’t think there will be any chance of a Clinton / Richardson ticket.</p>

69

<p>I heard Richardson strongly denied that he asked his supporters in Iowa to go with Obama. Has it been proved otherwise?</p>

70

<p>SO I didn’t read momof2incas post before I wrote this- but Im gonna post it anyway :)</p>

<p>Re Teaching.
We know many kids who have either applied for Teach for America and been denied because of so many budget cuts or have known college grads who have done it</p>

<p>[Who</a> Killed Teach for America? - TIME](<a href=“http://www.time.com/time/columnist/klein/article/0,9565,476274,00.html]Who”>http://www.time.com/time/columnist/klein/article/0,9565,476274,00.html)</p>

<p>However- for instance one young man- recently graduated from Macalester with a degree in political science wanted to “give back” while he mulled over whether to join the Peace Corp or go to law school.</p>

<p>He volunteered for two years with Teach for America and was assigned a public school in DC- if you are looking for a challenge in public school, you wouldn’t be amiss in starting there.</p>

<p>He knew it was going to be challenging, but he didn’t take into account that DC has vouchers, and private schools have much more leeway in who attends the school. Just a few months into the year, his classroom almost doubled, when the voucher kids, had to come back to the public school.
Insult led to injury when after his investment in the school system, the funding that had been promised to help repay his college loan disappeared.</p>

<p>However, just two years in DC schools motivated him to return to college and get an education degree- He is now teaching middle school in Seattle.
So yes- I think there are those who will step up when they see that they can make a difference for kids.</p>

<p>My older daughter is working with kids now & after high school, she worked for a year with Americorps- in a public magnet elementary school that serves the homeless kids in Seattle. It was tough- we are not really middle class but these kids faced issues that she had not. Knowing that your mother sold your medicine so she could buy drugs- & trying not to think about having to sleep under a bridge instead of a shelter, because they didn’t allow active substance users in the shelter & your mom couldn’t stay sober was a lot for a 10 year old to take on.</p>

<p>D wasn’t paid at all- she received an education voucher at the end of her year of service & during her year she recieved a very small stipend, but again- inspiring young people to volunteer right after college is a great way that they can give back & people who see what they can do for the larger community- stay involved.</p>

71

<p>"I am not relying on you or anyone else. Obama has missed 38% or 166 votes of 422 in this session. He is not a sr. member of any committees. He stated to Russert in Jan. 2007 that he had no intention of running and only to represent his state, yet here he is and what has he done for his state…at least Hillary kept her promise to NY and did not run during her first term. #56</p>

<p>You are asking us to now do your research, if you know it than prove it, otherwise you have lost any credibility with me"</p>

<p>My credibility with you is irrelevent to me. You are a hostile poster who is best to ignore. It is obvious our political views are at odds, and I am not here to amuse your desire to bicker. Nor do I have a need to prove anything.</p>

72

<p>Same response to #58.</p>

73

<p>hayden: Just a little correction here on your comment about Edwards (post #60). </p>

<p>In 2005, UNC-CH (where Edwards graduated from law school), launched the Center on Poverty, which was initiated and led by John Edwards.</p>

<p>

[UNC</a> News release – UNC-Chapel Hill creates Center on Poverty, Work and Opportunity; names former Sen. John Edwards as director](<a href=“http://www.unc.edu/news/archives/feb05/edwards020405.html]UNC”>http://www.unc.edu/news/archives/feb05/edwards020405.html)</p>

<p>Three months after he and Kerry lost their bid, he started the Poverty Center. He resigned as Director just last month. Here’s another article, written this month, that tells you a little more about the Center and Edwards’ work and contribution to that end. By the way, he was paid $40,000 a year as Director, and UNC did not pay his travel expenses.</p>

<p><a href=“http://www.newsobserver.com/643/story/532901.htm[/url]”>http://www.newsobserver.com/643/story/532901.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Here’s an excerpt:</p>

<p>

</p>

<p>Finally, if you think Obama gave that keynote speech at the 2004 Democratic Nat’l Convention simply for his health, you should think again. He’s been working on his campaign since then, if not long before. Has he done much else since then? He certainly hasn’t put much time in as a Senator, except to use it as a springboard to enter the presidential race.</p>

74

<p>i believe momof2 and hayden are on the right track.</p>

<p>“When I want to build a house, I first want an architect, not a bricklayer.”</p>

<p>YES</p>

<p>I am glad people are discussing this. Even though we might disagree, it is imperative that Americans, no matter their political and religious beliefs, work together to make this country better.</p>

75

<p>My niece spent two years after college traveling the country working with youth groups as part of a Catholic outreach program. She was paid a small stipend, plus some kind of room and board. Yes, some kids will do this kind of work. She’s now a principal at an inner-city school.</p>

76

<p>*In my post above, I meant to say that Edwards resigned a year ago last month (not last month). </p>

<p>The point is, anyone who is a viable candidate in NH today, has been running for President for quite a while, regardless of when he or she formally announced their candidacy.</p>

77

<p>

That’s my biggest reason for not supporting Obama. Whereas with Hillary, I think she may be just telling her “choir” what they want to hear when it comes to how she would deal with terrorists, I think Obama is naive enough to actually follow through with what he says he will do. That’s a fine and noble thought, but with it, one must be intellectually honest and admit that they are willing to let innocent people die because they didn’t do what was necessary to get the information to protect them. At some point theory and philosophy has to be weighed against pragmatism - Obama fails in that respect in my book.</p>

<p>On Richardson’s “experience” - he has been by far the most disappointing candidate in the race. A couple of years ago, before anyone had committed to run, I thought that he would be an excellent candidate, what with all of his “experience”. Now, after seeing him in the debates and botching question after question, I think his experience is on the same vein as Mike Brown’s. Can anyone honestly say that they would want Brownie to be responsible for their emergency response plan just because he has FEMA head on his resume?</p>

78

<p>Perhaps you could rise above “snide” and support your view.</p>

79

<p>More bad news for the Clinton campaign. However, I will be the first to admit that NH voters can be fickle and unpredictable. </p>

<p>I am not placing any bets yet!</p>

<p>[Obama</a> rockets past Clinton in New Hampshire - Boston.com](<a href=“http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/01/07/obama_rockets_past_clinton_in_new_hampshire/]Obama”>http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/01/07/obama_rockets_past_clinton_in_new_hampshire/)</p>

80

<p>What’s up with the new members of CC lately? Jumping right in with snide, nasty, and sometimes abusive posts (like the mess last night). I am seriously starting to wonder if there isn’t some truth to the speculation that new posters are old posters in disguise.</p>