The White House - Press Office - MEDIA ADVISORY: President Obama to Speak Directly to Students in National Address on Educational Success »
Posted By Klarissa 2 months, 3 weeks ago in News[See my comments below and see if you agree with this program.]
As children across America go back to school, President Obama will deliver a national address directly to students on the importance of taking responsibility for their success in school on Tuesday, September 8th at 12:00 PM EDT at Wakefield High School in Arlington. In advance of this address, the Department of Education is providing resources developed by and for teachers to help engage students and stimulate discussion about persisting and succeeding in school.
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Klarissa
Berkeley conservative. Don't ask to be my friend unless you have a real bio.Eat your dessert first, life is uncertain. Bridge player, water ...
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Klarissa2 months, 3 weeks ago
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LEAD & MANAGE MY SCHOOL
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Letter From Secretary Arne Duncan to School Principals
August 26, 2009
Dear Principal:
In a recent interview with student reporter, Damon Weaver, 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. The President will challenge students to work hard, set educational goals, and take responsibility for their learning. He will also call for a shared responsibility and commitment on the part of students, parents and educators to ensure that every child in every school receives the best education possible so they can compete in the global economy for good jobs and live rewarding and productive lives as American citizens.
Since taking office, the President has repeatedly focused on education, even as the country faces two wars, the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression and major challenges on issues like energy and health care. The President believes that education is a critical part of building a new foundation for the American economy. Educated people are more active civically and better informed on issues affecting their lives, their families and their futures.
This is the first time an American president has spoken directly to the nation's school children about persisting and succeeding in school. We encourage you to use this historic moment to help your students get focused and begin the school year strong. I encourage you, your teachers, and students to join me in watching the President deliver this address on Tuesday, September 8, 2009. It will be broadcast live on the White House website www.whitehouse.gov 12:00 noon eastern standard time.
In advance of this address, we would like to share the following resources: a menu of classroom activities for students in grades preK-6 and for students in grades 7-12. These are ideas developed by and for teachers to help engage students and stimulate discussion on the importance of education in their lives. We are also staging a student video contest on education. Details of the video contest will be available on our website www.ed.gov in the coming weeks.
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-
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jovial2 months, 3 weeks ago
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http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements...
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FTA:
"President Barack Obama plans to speak to the nation's schoolchildren on Sept. 8. According to the U.S. Department of Education, the speech will be about "the importance of persisting and succeeding in school," and the department is offering classroom materials to "engage students and stimulate discussion on the importance of education in their lives."
You might think that would be a harmless topic, and that people across the political spectrum could agree on the importance of education.
Not so for the Republican Party of Florida, though, which released a statement "condemning President Obama's use of taxpayer dollars to indoctrinate America’s children to his socialist agenda."
"As the father of four children, I am absolutely appalled that taxpayer dollars are being used to spread President Obama's socialist ideology," said Jim Greer, party chairman, in a news release.
"The idea that school children across our nation will be forced to watch the President justify his plans for government-run health care, banks, and automobile companies, increasing taxes on those who create jobs, and racking up more debt than any other President, is not only infuriating, but goes against beliefs of the majority of Americans, while bypassing American parents through an invasive abuse of power," he added.
"The Democrats have clearly lost the battle to maintain control of the message this summer, so now that school is back in session, President Obama has turned to American’s children to spread his liberal lies, indoctrinating American’s youngest children before they have a chance to decide for themselves," he concluded.
The release, which we received via e-mail, told us to click a link to learn more about Obama's speech."
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jovial2 months, 3 weeks ago
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"That took us to the U.S. Department of Education Web site, where Secretary Arne Duncan wrote that the speech was about "the importance of education."
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"The President will challenge students to work hard, set educational goals, and take responsibility for their learning," Duncan wrote. "He will also call for a shared responsibility and commitment on the part of students, parents and educators to ensure that every child in every school receives the best education possible so they can compete in the global economy for good jobs and live rewarding and productive lives as American citizens."
We asked the Republican Party of Florida for evidence that Obama intended to discuss health care, banks, automobile companies or taxes with the nation's school children. They couldn't point us to anything.
A spokesman said the party was particularly concerned about the study questions the department had provided. "The goal of these materials is to tell students why they should support President Obama in his overall agenda," said Katie Gordon.
"If the former administration had done something like this, the media would be handling this a lot differently," she added.
We reviewed the study materials but didn't see any mention of controversial issues, let alone any attempt to indoctrinate students in socialism. The pre-K through 6th grade materials said the main ideas of the speech would be "citizenship, personal responsibility, civic duty." The materials for high schoolers mention "personal responsibility, goals, persistence."
We searched previous media reports to see if former President George W. Bush ever gave a nationwide address to school children, but based on our search, it appears he did not. He did, however, regularly visit individual schools and discuss the importance of education with students."
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jovial2 months, 3 weeks ago
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"We wondered whether we should give Greer latitude for legitimate commentary on Obama's speech. But he crossed a line when he said that Obama intended to discuss "plans for government-run health care, banks, and automobile companies" and other policy matters not germane to education. That is factually incorrect, and the party could not offer any support for the statement. For raising the specter of socialist ideology and indoctrination, the party takes its claim to an additional, absurd level. We rate the Republican Party of Florida's statement Pants on Fire!"
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Klarissa2 months, 3 weeks ago
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PreK?6 Menu of Classroom Activities: President Obama’s Address to Students
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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? -
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Klarissa2 months, 3 weeks ago
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During the Speech:
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• 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. -
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Klarissa2 months, 3 weeks ago
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After the Speech:
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• 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 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. -
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Klarissa2 months, 3 weeks ago
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Extension of the Speech: Teachers can extend learning by having students
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• 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. -
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Klarissa2 months, 3 weeks ago
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My comments:
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First, since when does the federal government tell teachers what to teach. That is a state's right.
Second, the teachers are already burdened with directives, and now the President of the United States wants the teachers to take on his pet project (political project, get them before they are 7 years old?)
Third, most schools have a civics course that teaches about the constitution and the bill of rights. I think that is the first priority, there are only so many teaching hours in a day.-
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Progressive2 months, 3 weeks ago
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"First, since when does the federal government tell teachers what to teach. That is a state's right."
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Where does it say this is mandatory?
"Second, the teachers are already burdened with directives, and now the President of the United States wants the teachers to take on his pet project"
Gee, let's not have the little buggers think the President wants them to value education!
Third--would this bother you if it happened during the last administration--instead of Bush reading "My Pet Rabbit" or whatever it was during the terrorist attacks on 9/11? -
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Dionys2 months, 3 weeks ago
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"My comments:
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First, since when does the federal government tell teachers what to teach. That is a state's right"
First -- where does it say that teachers have to follow this plan or what they should teach? Nowhere? Oh. Just more fearmongering. I see.
"Second, the teachers are already burdened with directives, and now the President of the United States wants the teachers to take on his pet project"
See above, Re: not being required.
"Third, most schools have a civics course that teaches about the constitution and the bill of rights. I think that is the first priority, there are only so many teaching hours in a day."
If that's your priority, then teach your children yourself. Because I have a feeling your understanding of the constitution and bill of rights isn't that of most educated people. So you're bound to be upset should anyone teach them unless they stick with your dogmatic interpretation. -
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Tangent0012 months, 3 weeks ago
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"First, since when does the federal government tell teachers what to teach."
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Bush did, with the passage of NCLB. Also, Bush had a web site with teacher's guides very similar to the one Obama released for his address.
Teachers aren't required to participate. -
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wtagg2 months, 3 weeks ago
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I think there is trouble when a state accepts federal funds for education. It is like when a bank loans you money for your home improvement based upon requirements and a blueprint. They become a stake/share holder. Stake/share holders have say in what happens. It would be better if the state would keep the funds to use as they see fit. The state would need to be able to meet certain federal education standards to maintain some sort of equality in education benchmark. That is where I think it gets dicey.
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hocposts2 months, 3 weeks ago
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My school district tried to "opt out" the last time we were "encouraged" to watch an Obama related program. Our district administrators made a local decision to not show the program because it would interfere with current planned curriculum. I can tell you first hand we were villified and berated by all local media outlets and pounded until we submitted. So instead, parents who chose not to allow Obama any opportunity to speak about his "opinions" and choose to teach their children their own views are required to separate their children during the event. I am so sick and tired of the media and left coast celebrities trying to deify Obama and his family...
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Wolfie20072 months, 3 weeks ago
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Progressive2 months, 3 weeks ago
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Dionys2 months, 3 weeks ago
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"I've already heard that some schools will not be participating in the propaganda indoctrination."
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Calling it propaganda indoctrination (which, by the way, isn't proper English -- thus demonstrating the need for education) is.. well.. propagandistic indoctrination. -
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vor2 months, 3 weeks ago
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What typical garbage from a neocon. And you would "indoctrinate" them in the doctrine of total war and teach them to bleat along to the Two Minute Hate which Limbaugh, Beck and their ilk have stretched into a 24 Hour non-stop marathon. Champion the rich, ridicule the poor. And God (whichever hate mongering version you pray to) forbid we have a black President.
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So the duly elected President of the United States can't speak to school children? And you dare call yourself an American? That goes for the whole lot of you.
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Wolfie20072 months, 3 weeks ago
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Klarissa2 months, 3 weeks ago
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mntnman444Comment removed: Spammer, Hard Banned20 Replies
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KJeffVComment removed: Hard Banned10 Replies
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JoeModerate2 months, 3 weeks ago
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Why don't we see what the contents of the message is before we (pre)judge.
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Our country is pretty far down the world list on math and science. Maybe this "propaganda indoctrination" about staying in school and applying yourself is long overdue, and hopefully it will help us in the long run maintain our greatness. -
all2funComment removed: Hard Banned25 Replies
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rbiii2 months, 3 weeks ago
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Oh, and let's not forget the real kicker:
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Having the kids ask what they can do to "help the President" on September 8th and then a speech to Congress (on primetime) pushing for the statist health care reform bill.
Hmm... NAH! It's just a coincidence.-
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Tangent0012 months, 3 weeks ago
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As I understand the timeline, the address to the schools was planned at least as far back as when Obama did the interview with that young boy.
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September 9 was chosen for the Health Care address because it's the day after the Congress reconvenes.
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icono12 months, 3 weeks ago
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Good post K.
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where I live a lot of parents are threatning to not send their kids to public school on that day. Around here that probably means that approx 50 to 55% of the public school population will be out with the '0Bama flu' that day. Which means that the areas public schools will lose money because of low attendance.
The majority of parents see 0Bama's upcoming speech to the ps students as invasive and more of an indoctrination attempt by 0Bama and the Dems than a selfless educational tool.-
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Tangent0012 months, 3 weeks ago
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"Which means that the areas public schools will lose money because of low attendance."
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What? I didn't realize schools were paid daily based on attendance.
"The majority of parents see 0Bama's upcoming speech to the ps students as invasive and more of an indoctrination attempt by 0Bama and the Dems than a selfless educational tool."
Have any data to back up that claim?
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rbluev772 months, 3 weeks ago
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Obama needs to lay-off the kids. Adolph Hitler did the same thing when he saw his socialist dream crumbling before him. He turned to the kids wanting them to fight for his failed, sick, ideology. To hell with Obama, his socialist czars, his evironmental special interest cults, and those democrats who march in lockstep with the radical left-wing creep.
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Jaydee19582 months, 3 weeks ago
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He are some questions that children should also be asking?
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Mr. Kenyan where is your birth certificate?
If you were born in Hawaii, why did both Kapiolani and Queens medical center claim that you were born in their institutions?
How can anyone be born in two different hospitals Mr. Usurper.
Where in the Constitution does it give the "acting" president the authority to appoint Czars and give them not only money but power to shread the Constitution?
If you support the 2nd amendment Mr. O'bama, why would this country need a civilian army as strong as our military: question who are they going to fight?-
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Tangent0012 months, 3 weeks ago
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"If you were born in Hawaii, why did both Kapiolani and Queens medical center claim that you were born in their institutions?"
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They didn't. There have been articles that have variously referred to one or the other, but Obama himself says it was Kapi'olani.
Presidents have been appointing 'Czars' for decades. They are essentially policy advisers tasked with a single particular issue and have no power to enact laws.
"...why would this country need a civilian army as strong as our military..."
Obama is NOT forming a 'civilian army'. The reference was made in a speech about the importance of volunteerism. It was a metaphor.
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Jaydee19582 months, 3 weeks ago
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Why would I need to get an education Mr O'bama? Your giving out free money, food and health care to the unemployed and uneducated. So, if I work I have to pay taxes. If I dont I stand to be taken care of for FREE. Which should I choose Mr. Obama. Work and pay or Sit on my duff and be taken care of?
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german-shepard2 months, 3 weeks ago
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No, he only gave out the free money that GW had already relegated to the big banks. When he saw they weren't being up front and honest with their gift, he started to put restrictions to it. The money he gave to the auto companies is almost all paid back.
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You speak as though you don't work and don't pay taxes at present. Does that mean that you are a fraud? -
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Tangent0012 months, 3 weeks ago
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"...basic reading, writing and arithmatic [sic] skills keep falling..."
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Um, no. The latest SAT scores have shown incremental gains in all three areas.
"Why is there no testing for teacher competency?"
Obama supports merit-based pay for teachers, I'm guessing there will be some upcoming legislation to address this, but it's probably on the back burner for now.
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mkaygirll2 months, 3 weeks ago
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B Obama NEVER asked MY permission to talk to MY children! While I STILL have my freedoms, I WILL be exercising them. My children will NOT be attending school that day to hear anything spewing out of his mouth. They will have to be dealing with Obama and every horrible thing he and his czar's have done to this country soon enough. I will NOT make them listen to it before then. He may say it's about education, but we true American's are opening our eyes to what's actually happening. He and his czar's need to remember, THEY WORK FOR US, WE DON'T WORK FOR THEM!! B Obama, you've poked the bear, we're waking up. This is not hate, this is pure anger. And if you can't see the writing on the wall, you need to educate yourself on the freedoms of the Constitution again. These freedoms and rights will be gone soon unless we collectively say "NO MORE". I will do all I can to protect the rights and the future of my children!!
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bigG2 months, 3 weeks ago
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He is the President of the United States whether you like it or not.
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BTW, where was your anger when the last Adminstration wiped their collective backsides with the Constitution?
Quit listening to RL and Beck - it would do you some good. -
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