“Traditional” Values?
Joni Woolf is one of my favorite people. A writer and editor, Joni has blazed more trails for women than I can count. For years, Macon was Joni's home, but recently, she moved back to her beautifully renovated farm house in Schley County. During her tenure in Macon, Joni served was one of the founders of Macon Magazine, served on planning and zoning, worked tirelessly for the Tubman Museum and back before women were allowed to be members of the Chamber of Commerce started a separate organization just for women business owners. Yesterday, she put pen to paper to challenge none other than Glenn Beck to come clean about exactly which "traditional values" he's talking about. The piece is on the op-ed page of the Macon Telegraph, and here's a tease. It's well, well, worth the "click."
What ‘traditional values’?
I read with interest the story of Glenn Beck’s march on Washington and how he and his crowd of loyal supporters want us to return to “traditional values.” Now I’m wondering just which traditional values he wants to return to:
The traditional value from our recent history that let white men lynch a black man for whistling at a white woman, then go to the church the next Sunday morning with his family, like any good upstanding citizen might do?
Or the traditional value that allowed early-20th century industrialists to work men, women and children in sweat shops, cotton mills and coal mines for whatever amount they wished to pay, with no insurance coverage, no safety regulations, no vacation time and an almost guaranteed early death?
Or perhaps the traditional value that enabled the magistrates in colonial Massachusetts in the 17th century to hang those who were accused of witchcraft? Or crush them to death with stones if they refused to ‘confess?’....
Okay, I couldn't help it. The rest is below the fold, with her permission:
Promote me or I’m dropping out?
The worst political reporter in Georgia digests Nathan Deal’s initial education plans:
Republican gubernatorial hopeful Nathan Deal wants to let teachers decide when to give required standardized tests in their classrooms and to promote students midyear if they're ready. […] Deal also said he favors greater efforts by schools to tackle childhood obesity by serving locally grown vegetables and requiring more daily exercise.
That’s pretty thin gruel for a subject that consumes 56% of the states budget (pdf warning), in a state where teachers are being furloughed. Although, for someone who has devoted a paltry 137 words to education on the “vision” section of the campaign site, assuming any expectation at all for Deal on this subject is kind of silly. For comparative purposes, Deal devoted 341 words to illegal immigration – something he would have very little influence over.
On the substance, though, the early promotion idea feels at best irrelevant and at worst just plain stupid as a formal policy statement. For instance, my wife and I had our oldest daughter promoted a grade level over a decade ago after moving into a new school district. The old district had a split curriculum, and our daughter was going crazy covering the same materials she had already learned. If the local school systems have that flexibility today, exactly what does Deal’s plan do?
Also, the rationale as described in the article - to keep kids from becoming disinterested and dropping out – doesn’t apply at all (to my situation or the 5th/6th grade example Deal himself uses in the story). Actually, I could think of a number of reasons that cause kids to drop out of school, and being too smart for the grade level doesn’t seem likely to be on the list. Perhaps I’m just missing something.
If this is a preview of what to expect when Deal brings “teh educashun”… color me unimpressed.
Fighting Dems 2010?
Remember the "Fighting Dems"? Back in 2006, there was a movement spearheaded by Markos Moulitsas et al promoting military veterans (most of them OIF and OEF vets) running for Congress. Granted, only 5 of the House candidates won, but that cohort notably included folks like Joe Sestak, Tammy Duckworth, and Jim Webb, all of whom have gone on to do some pretty big things.
But what about now? The other day, Julianal discussed Congressional candidate Tommy Sowers, a great candidate running for the House in southeastern Missouri. I mentioned it in the comments there, but I'd like to reiterate that right here in metro Atlanta, we have our very own Doug Heckman. Continue reading→
Certainly Not
The RGA is investing hundreds of thousands of dollars on television advertising in Georgia, so you'd think that every word, every frame, every image was carefully chosen, not only the actual content but the the feelings and associations the images and words evoke.
Nevertheless, I'm sure they meant no harm in their latest creation when they referenced an iron "fist" and thin "skin." I mean, they waited ten full seconds before referencing "skin" for goodness sake, and there just aren't all that many ways to say sensitive, touchy, tender, vulnerable, hyper-sensitive or easily hurt. We should just cut them a break.
And with that whole fist thing, I'm sure that they did not intend that viewers think of this:
Certainly not.
The Daily Deal
Old and new tax questions dog GOP governor hopeful Nathan Deal
Taxpayers foot Nathan Deal’s security detail
Deal's Attorney: No Grand Jury
And the hits just keep coming.
Tommy Smith
He's been diagnosed with plantas fascitis in both feet. From Facebook: "It is very painful but seems a little better. Keep me in your prayers."
This isn't life threatening but having sever pain anytime you walk can't be fun. Hopefully he recovers quickly.
Who Will Be Our Sarah?
I know you just threw up a little bit, but read this piece, and then tell me - who will be our Sarah Palin?
Here's a tease:
Sure, the Grizzlies sound somewhat progressive on paper. But from their opposition to reproductive rights to their work against health care reform and labor policies that would empower American women, their ideas are just antiquated clichés dressed up in designer suits. Like Ms. Palin herself, their talk about being “mama bears” and “tough as an ox ... wearing lipstick” simply reduces female candidates’ political prospects to maternal worth and sex appeal.
Here’s your chance to help pick up seats in the GA House
Join Red Clay Democrats at the Fundraiser for the House Democratic Caucus
Featuring lawyers running for the House of Representatives, including Red Clay endorsed candidates Elena Parent, Stacey Evans and Scott Holcomb.
When: 6 – 8 p.m., Monday, August 30 Where: Loews Atlanta Hotel in Midtown
Georgia Forward
The state’s economy: ‘Two Georgias’ is one too many
It will take courageous leadership in all quarters to get Georgia to that spot. During the meeting, GeorgiaForward attendees placed leadership first among the issues requiring improvement.
Georgia sorely needs leaders who can transcend political and geographic divisions. Transformative thinking is necessary ...
The Casey Cagle Way
Dear Carol,
This would be a great clip for an ad:
The best candidate money can buy. It’s Ok!
Of course the alternative for you prospective candidates is to be ...
President Carter wins release of Aijalon Mahli Gomes from North Korea
Roughly 15 minutes ago, at the request of President Carter, and for humanitarian purposes, Mr. Gomes was granted amnesty by the chairman of the National Defense Commission, Kim Jong-Il,” the Carter Center said in a statement. “It is expected that Mr. Gomes will be returned to Boston, Mass., early Friday ...
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