Gentlemen: Start Your Engines- Here We Go Again!!

I hope everyone enjoyed that hot summer recess from all the health care hoopla. It was a nice break knowing that no matter how much people hollered, nothing was getting passed, no bills were going to get written and no one was working on the matter- well kinda nice. So now congress is headed back, refreshed and ready to figure out what to do about health care reform and the President is two steps ahead of them.

On Tuesday, the President will address the youth of America- emphasizing the importance of education, studying hard, being a productive member of society, and respecting their teachers/ parents.

What? Why? And why now? Oh that's right- his approval rating is slipping because of all this health care non-sense. Only 55% of Americans 'approve' of how Obama is doing in the office of the Presidency. Something MUST be done- hum, should he feed the homeless? maybe play baseball with some orphans, oh oh I got it- he'll address the kids in his most dynamic and charismatic way- that'll get them coming back. Ohhhhh and we'll do it on the first day back at school- get started running.

With this brilliant plan in place, I think Obama's team tended to forget how controversial his policies are at the moment. Although his message is said to be 'health care' free and not out to push any political agenda- this is ALL the president is concerned about right now. He stays popular, his policies get passed. This is not to say that the very unpopular previous president got stupid legislation passed even with an approval rating of around 35%- Obama can only be effective if he is liked.

One of the arguments I heard on the radio today is that it is up to the teachers to lead meaningful and well organized discussions with their students- to digest what is said so that the students have a well-rounded unbiased opinion of politics- what the administration forgets is on the first day of school the teachers just met their students, they are trying to establish a report, their lesson plan and rules, and the last thing they want to think about is coming up with a new discussion based on a speech they are going to be able to read the day before? Effective, very effective :/ Even if the best and brightest teachers lead very meaningful discussions that speak to their students, at the end of the day they go home to their parents...

This is where the educated meaningful understanding conversation should take place- at home. However, some parents are outraged that the President of the United States of America wants to address their kids- how dare he push his political agenda on our youth, he is just trying to recruit them to convince their parents to give 47+ million people a chance to live a healthy life without crushing medical bills. That socialist prick!!

Well there you go, that's the answer- shield your children from any opinion that is different from your own- other opinions are dangerous and might lead to questions and we just can't have that coming out of our school children.

On the morning of 9/11 I walked to my friends house down the street- at this time I found out that a plane had flown into one of the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center- not really knowing what that was being 14 years old- we hoped into the car and got to school. Everyone was a bit of a buzz but I made it to my first class at 8am. Our English teacher had made the educated decision that education was more important than watching whatever was going on in the news. We did our lesson plan and about 50 minutes later when we were let out of class, we were the only ones in the quad. Everyone else was in their classrooms glued to the television as they watched the destruction continue. I ran to my next class and got caught up on what was going on- after about an hour I called my dad to come pick me up and take me home, bursting into tears in the car.

I will never forget that day and I will never forget my teachers decision to choose education over the news, especially that event. At the time I'm sure he did not realize the magnitude of the situation and might regret the decision as well but it will always effect me.

Obviously this is a very different situation but my point is that if we shield our youth from politics and the outside world, it is only harming them and if anything disconnecting them from politics. This isn't China. This opportunity- although very political to improve Obama's ratings before congress goes back into session to debate health care- is a great opportunity for the youth of America to finally have a role model who isn't looking to wage an unjust undemocratic greedy war.

So he'll give his speech, some kids will still have ignorant parents, and some teachers will have great discussions with their new students- starting the year off strong. Then congress will be back in session and we'll see how it all goes- health care? no health care? public option? no public option? It'll be interesting and we'll be around to watch what happens :)