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the perils of being a moderate

My left-wing progressive friends feel disenchanted with Obama. The slogans of hope and change have run dry and they're confused by a president who has failed to pass health care reform, continues to pursue war and has bailed-out large corporations rather Read More...
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2010 03 12

John Spencer

11 Comments

don't lecture me on "hard times"

This post was inspired by another post from The Doc Is In I'm tired of the moralizing, condescending tone of the financial gurus who make claims like, "We all got ourselves into this mess. Now we all have the face the consequences." Or even the Pollyanna Read More...
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2009 12 18

John Spencer

2 Comments

a quick example of why politicians don't get it

A few points: 1. I don't deny that schools can be wasteful in the administrative level. However, the waste comes from the micromanaging at the state and federal levels. I'd love to get rid of achievement specialists and curriculum specialists and any Read More...
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2009 12 5

John Spencer

5 Comments

for what it's worth

For what it's worth, we shouldn't be rebuilding other nations when we are struggling to keep ours intact. This isn't isolationism, it's just the reality we face. For what it's worth, changing the name from No Child Left Behind to Race to the Top is like Read More...
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2009 11 25

John Spencer

2 Comments

the most neglected subject

In teaching about the functions of government, a boy raises his hand and asks me about the political parties. "I just want to make sure I have this straight. Republicans are the ones who believe that climate change is make believe and Democrats are the Read More...
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2009 11 21

John Spencer

8 Comments

democracy inaction

I get it. The ballot contained only one measure. I understand that people are busy. There's a world series and a reality television show and club soccer games and Happy Hour. People are tired. Companies are squeezing the productivity out of the workforce Read More...
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2009 11 3

John Spencer

0 Comments

the cleanest way to murder millions -- or how to get a nice guy to participate in genocide

I'm studying World War II in college when Wayne the Preindustrial Poet says to me, "Genocide isn't new. Deliberately destroying an entire race is as old as recorded history. A simple glimpse at Lamentations reminds me that, before we even had aqueducts Read More...
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2009 10 20

John Spencer

4 Comments

Obama's Speech to Children

I find it interesting that Americans seem more concerned with Obama's speech to students than they are about the educational policies of the current and previous administration. People have sent me e-mails about the "indoctrination" and "brainwashing" Read More...
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2009 09 5

John Spencer

10 Comments

Graven Images: A Post About Arne

I love to sketch things when I'm bored. I draw during staff meetings all the time. I've always been real self-concious about it, because I can draw and paint, but I'm not so great with doodles. Despite this, I'm going to start posting my "graven images" Read More...
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2009 07 1

John Spencer

2 Comments

my own political contradictions

It's easy for me to criticize Republicans for inconsitency. The same people who, two years ago, told me to show some respect for the Commander in Chief now rail against him and claim him as the anti-Christ. The same pundits who say the government is trying Read More...
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2009 06 14

John Spencer

5 Comments

the value of humor

I just finished watching an episode of Daily Show and I'm continually shocked about how much better they do at telling the news than anything else on television. At first I used to say, "It's great they could be so profound despite being humorous." Now, Read More...
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2009 04 29

John Spencer

2 Comments

Why isn't he in prison?

In reading about Tom Daschle's tax evasion issue, it makes me wonder, "Why is anyone who commits fraud, lies about taxes or takes money from lobbyists allowed to serve ANYWHERE in the government." If I wouldn't elect a schoolboard member who refuses to Read More...
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2009 01 31

John Spencer

1 Comments

mixed feelings about the new president

I was excited when Obama pledged to get rid of Gitmo. It's nice to have a president who can distinguish between interrogation and torture. Similarly, I was pleased to see Obama's call for bipartisanship reform of the financial institutions. I genuinely Read More...
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2009 01 25

John Spencer

0 Comments

palinocracy

It's interesting that Palin has gone on the attack against Obama for attempting to "spread the wealth." Apparently, his plan to tax the richest of the rich and provide tax cuts for the middle class amounts to socialism. Palin has a point. It seems unfair Read More...
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2008 11 1

John Spencer

5 Comments

being there

I'm re-reading Being There, by Jerzy Kosinski. The main premise is that the media takes a retarded gardner and makes him into a potential presidential candidate. He becomes an icon, a product of a culture of amusement. In many respects, it seems loosely Read More...
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2008 09 27

John Spencer

11 Comments

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