Political Children's Books for Democrats

Recently, Stumped Speech reviewed a highly irresponsible children’s book, Help! Mom! There are Liberals Under my Bed! Partisan not in the youthful values of sharing and honesty, but of low taxes and a hands-off government, the conservative book was disheartening to those who plan on raising their children to have open minds and to perhaps think for themselves.

Not to be outdone, a sister book was published in the same year by a relative unknown, Jeremy Zilber, called Why Mommy is a Democrat.

Unlike the liberal-bashing in Help! Mom!, this book takes a more positive tone, emphasizing why Democrats are good. Mommy is a squirrel with a healthy, happy young brood. Each page is a lesson in why one should be a Democrat: “Democrats makes sure everyone always has enough to eat, just like Mommy does. Democrats make sure everyone plays by the rules, just like Mommy does.”

The gross over-generalizations are paired with dreamy color pencil drawings of the squirrel children playing games, going to the doctor and cleaning up after themselves, all under Democrat-momma-squirrel’s watchful eye.

The book would seem rather underwhelming and droll if it weren’t for what is going on outside the window of the squirrel family’s tree house. A homeless man wearing a baseball cap with an American flag on it encounters presumed Republicans acting counter to what Mommy and the good Democrats do.

On the page where we learn that Democrats make sure no one fights, just like Mommy does, we see the homeless man reading a newspaper with the huge headline, “WAR!” On the page where children can find out that Democrats make sure everyone is treated fairly, a fat, well-dressed couple stroll by the homeless man, ignoring him with upturned noses. The wealthy sir is trailing money and carrying a newspaper headline touting the latest tax refund.

While slightly less pervasive, the subliminal message is clearly present: Republicans are the evil antithesis of Democrats. (The children often play with donkey toys.) And of course, the overt message is that Democrats rule and Republicans drool, because Democrats are, you know, nice. They are warm and fuzzy, like Mom. 

While slightly more heartwarming as a bedtime read than the depressing story and scary drawings in Help! Mom!, Why Mommy is a Democrat is no less of a detriment to young minds, contributing only to their closing.

Fortunately, a movement large enough to get these two books noticed outside Rush Limbaugh has not yet sprung up. The question is, does the political mind warping of our children stop with simple literature? We already have religious-themed cartoons, so what next, The Justice League goes partisan? The name is already ripe for the political picking. I don't doubt that someone will snatch that up and attempt a re-branding.

Issue Comparisons #1 - Picking, Choosing and Labeling

I am in the process of reading through the issue statements posted on the three leading presidential candidates' websites. But before I get to that, two things are immediately telling: what issues are absent from the platforms of each candidate and how each issue is labeled. Here is what you can find on each candidate's website (wording their own):

Sen. John McCain

Economic Stimulus Plan
McCain Tax Cut Plan
Government Spending, Lower Taxes and Economic Prosperity
Straight Talk on Health System Reform
Strict Constructionist Philosophy (unique to McCain)
Human Dignity & the Sanctity of Life
Lobbying & Ethics Reform
Commitment To America's Service Members: Past And Present
Education
National Security
Stewards of Our Nation's Rich Natural Heritage
Protecting Second Amendment Rights (unique to McCain)
America's Space Program (unique to McCain)

Sen. Hillary Clinton

Strengthening the Middle Class
Providing Affordable and Accessible Health Care
Ending the War in Iraq
Promoting Energy Independence and Fighting Global Warming
Improving Our Schools
Fulfilling Our Promises to Veterans
Supporting Parents and Caring for Children
Restoring America's Standing in the World
A Champion for Women
Comprehensive Government Reform
Strengthening Our Democracy
Reforming Our Immigration System
An Innovation Agenda
Creating Opportunity for Rural America

Sen. Barack Obama

Civil Rights
Disabilities
Economy
Education
Energy & Environment
Ethics
Faith
Family
Fiscal
Foreign Policy
Healthcare
Homeland Security
Immigration
Iraq
Poverty
Rural
Service
Seniors & Social Security
Technology
Veterans
Additional Issues

Clicking on a candidate's name will take you to the Issues section of their presidential website.

Talk to the hand

Here's one reason students Barack the vote: respect

The Obama, John McCain, Ron Paul, and Mike Huckabee campaigns in Washington and Idaho treated young journalist-bloggers from the University of Washington like pros. The Hillary Clinton campaign couldn't be bothered.

By David Domke

http://www.crosscut.com/2008-election/11938/

The D’Oh! Factor - First Installment

Courting super-delegates goes grassroots 

My roommate just forwarded me an email that she received from the Clinton campaign. It has started a new website about super delegates, perhaps because they aren’t happy about Sen. Barack Obama cold-calling delegates himself. The message begins:

“There are a number of misconceptions about the role that delegates will play in this election, so we've launched a new website, the Delegate Hub, to help you cut through all the myths about the race for delegates.”

The message continues:

“It's important that we respect the independent judgment of automatic delegates, who have the responsibility of casting a vote for the candidate they believe is best qualified to be president.”

That paragraph was immediately followed by this link (which I found rather humorous):

“Click here to send a note to local automatic delegates telling them why you support Hillary, and why you think she will be the best leader for our party and our nation.”

On the main page, you will find five facts about Democratic delegates. The last two are the following:

“FACT: Florida and Michigan should count, both in the interest of fundamental fairness and honoring the spirit of the Democrats' 50-state strategy.

FACT: There is a clear path to an overall delegate majority (pledged + automatic) for Hillary Clinton after all states have voted -- with or without Florida and Michigan.”

As one who intends to make a career out of facts, I can tell you that those don’t quite fit the standard definition.

When they say it just because it sounds good

Clinton's Cojones

One of Sen. Hillary Clinton’s favorite sound bites is to say that America needs someone who is ready to be commander in chief on day 1. Just last night, in the face of her Wisconsin defeat, she had this to say:

"Both Senator Obama and I would make history. But only one of us is ready on day one to be commander in chief, ready to manage our economy, and ready to defeat the Republicans. Only one of us has spent 35 years being a doer, a fighter and a champion for those who need a voice. That is what I would bring to the White House. That is the choice in this election."

Despite her rhetoric, the Senator from New York should know that the president is only commander in chief of the armed forces, and not of the economy or the citizenry.

Article II, Section II of the U.S. Constitution refers to Presidential Powers:

The President shall be commander in chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the militia of the several states, when called into the actual service of the United States; he may require the opinion, in writing, of the principal officer in each of the executive departments, upon any subject relating to the duties of their respective offices, and he shall have power to grant reprieves and pardons for offenses against the United States, except in cases of impeachment.

He shall have power, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, to make treaties, provided two thirds of the Senators present concur; and he shall nominate, and by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, shall appoint ambassadors, other public ministers and consuls, judges of the Supreme Court, and all other officers of the United States, whose appointments are not herein otherwise provided for, and which shall be established by law: but the Congress may by law vest the appointment of such inferior officers, as they think proper, in the President alone, in the courts of law, or in the heads of departments.

The President shall have power to fill up all vacancies that may happen during the recess of the Senate, by granting commissions which shall expire at the end of their next session.

Being Presidential – the candidates on Castro

Summaries of today’s press releases

Obama calls for political prisoners to be released and says that if Cuba takes steps toward becoming a democracy, then the U.S. must be prepared to normalize relations with it.

“Today should mark the end of a dark era in Cuba's history. Fidel Castro's stepping down is an essential first step, but it is sadly insufficient in bringing freedom to Cuba.”

Clinton put out the longest piece. She also calls for the release of political prisoners. Clinton says she would engage Latin America and Europe, enabling the U.S. to pursue an active policy in helping to bring freedom, democracy and opportunity to Cuba.

“The American people have been on the side in the Cuban people's struggle for freedom and democracy in the past and we will be on their side for democracy in the future.”

McCain also calls for the release of political prisoners, but expands his call to demand that Cuba legalize all political parties, labor unions and free media, and to schedule internationally monitored elections. He says Cuba’s transition to democracy is inevitable and the U.S. must help spark the revolution.

"Today's resignation of Fidel Castro is nearly half a century overdue. For decades, Castro oversaw an apparatus of repression that denied liberty to the people who suffered under his dictatorship.”

Paul weighed in a day late, calling for the removal of trade embargoes against Cuba. He believes the opening of free markets could push Communism out of the Western Hemisphere.

"Free trade and the open exchange of information are the best tools America has to combat international tyranny."

It might be Democrat v. Democrat in November

“In the election last night, sound bites and personality profiles finished a strong first and second. Real issues, which came in at a distant third, might drop out of the race.”

In the race for media attention, both Democratic candidates are scoring sweeping victories. For the week of February 11 to the 17th, Hillary Clinton has snagged headlines twice as often as McCain has, and slightly more than her rival Barack Obama (a two percent difference).

Despite winning 57 percent of the political stories, the tone of pieces highlighting Clinton was generally more negative than stories about Obama.

The media, as it is wont to do, has all but ignored Huckabee. He may be refusing to back down, but major news organizations don’t seem to care and do little more than afford him the occasional pat on the head. His percent of the campaign stories for the week was a dismal ten percent – his highest in the past month. (The week before Super Tuesday, Huckabee was all but forgotten, with only three percent of news stories going to him.)

Cable television news spent 62 percent of airtime waging their tongues about the elections. Radio came in second place with a slightly less pervasive 46 percent of their coverage going toward the candidates.

Anchors continued their fair and balanced use of biased language. Instead of saying by how much Obama was ahead of Clinton, or that a Clinton supporter was considering switching, Katie Couric said that “a chill went through Hillary Clinton's campaign today” during a Feb. 15 newscast.

And so went the week.

Source: PewResearch.org

Political Children's Books for Republicans

Forget those touch-feely children's books about teaching kids to be nice to each other and listen to their parents - now you can start on their political indoctrination early!

There is disturbing evidence out there that becoming an adult doesn't ensure maturity. Political elections drive home this unfortunate reality. If adult partisan politics, name calling, narrow-mindedness and the repetition of empty messages aren't strong enough for you, then we can ensure it will get worse by raising our children to do the same.

One of the many books from such authors is the God-fearing, liberal-smearing Help! Mom! There are Liberals Under my Bed! written by the former co-captain of South Carolina's Security Moms for Bush, Katharine DeBrecht. 

The book illuminates the old saying that people should never discuss religion or politics if they want to keep the conversation civil. Apparently, we should be indoctrinating our children to put thoughtfulness and tolerance aside, and instead distrust other people and other ideas based on labels. The book is disheartening, especially for someone who realizes they are going to be getting old and needing care when the children having these books read to them at night are coming into political power.

(Next week: Equally fair and unbalanced criticism of another irresponsible book, Why Mommy is a Democrat.)

The story is about two young boys who want a swing set, but their parents are making them work for it because "having everything given to them would not make them feel good about themselves." Thanks to the boys' entrepreneurial spirits, they decide to take life's lemons (there is a tree in their backyard that was provided by God) and start a lemonade stand. 

Early on, the book seems fairly benign, other than a huge picture of President Reagan hanging on the wall in the boys' home. The book is idyllic, as most children's books are, where mom is attractive and sweet and the boys play baseball, say their prayers at night and never fight. The boys even decide to save some of their profits for shoeless children.

The story changes when the brothers dream about an adventure to "Liberaland." The drawing is striking, full of businesses called K-Marx, Spend-Bucks Coffee, It Takes a Village Daycare and Duey Taxim & Howe LLP. The boys work hard in Liberaland to set up their lemonade business.

"And then one day, a liberal appeared." Like Midas and gold, everything a liberal touches (in the book) goes to rot.

From there, the book becomes blatantly bigoted, railing against taxes and regulation. Senators Ted Kennedy and Hillary Clinton make cameos as town rulers who are there to tax the boys' profits, take down the photo of Jesus they put on their lemonade stand, harangue them for not following the law that children must eat their vegetables and pass a law that limits the sugar content of the lemonade, thereby ruining it. 

In the end, the liberals declare that the boys are charging too much and pass a law (which is named rather obviously after several prominent democratic leaders) that makes the lemonade stand the property of the town. The liberals buy dustpans for the shoeless children, hang a photo of a big toe (which never made sense) where the photo of Jesus was and charge an inflated price for the lemonade. 

At the very end, the liberal characters are profiled. For example, Mayor Leach (who looks just like Ted Kennedy), was said to have earned his millions the old-fashioned way, by marrying into it (a stab at John Kerry). His three children attend the Elite Academy for Special People and he takes half of everyone's money to build roads and bridges named after him. 

The world in this book is black and white, painting all liberals as tax-mongering, Jesus-hating people who want to legislate businesses into the ground. The not-so subtle subtleties in the drawings are even more telling than the actual story. There is often someone sitting on the bench by the lemonade stand reading a newspaper with a ridiculous headline such as, "Sneeze and Gas Tax Enacted." The liberals are all unattractive, and at one point make the boys cry. 

The book was written in 2005, but it reminds us how election season brings out inflamed passions, which often lead to irrationality. There is nothing for a child to learn from the story but the ignorance, intolerance and pettiness of some adults.  

 

For more, see the Washington Post's "Raising a Political Bigot."

Definitions of Liberal, from the American Heritage College Dictionary:

(You should read it, because this took a long time to copy out of my dictionary!)

1a. Not limited to or by traditional, orthodox or authoritarian attitudes or dogmas; free from bigotyry.  1b. Favoring proposals for reform, open to new ideas for progress, and tolerant of the ideas and behaviors of others; broad-minded.  1c. Of, relating to, or characteristic of liberalism.  1d. Of, being, or characteristic of a political party founded on or associated with principles of social and political liberalism.

2a. Tending to give freely; generous.  2b. Generous in amount; ample. 

3. Not strict or literal; loose or approximate.  

4. Related to or based on the traditional arts and sciences of a college or university curriculum.

5a. (Archaic) Befitting a lady or gentleman.  5b. (Obsolete) Morally unrestrained. 

Your Fellow Citizens Offer Food for Thought

Comments on some of washingtonpost.com's politics blogs. The respondents have a tendency to start fighting with each other. NOT edited for grammar, spelling or content; NOT chosen for any (partisan) reason other than they were interesting:

"I'm a white male republican from Texas, now living in Colorado. I've voted Republican in every election for the past 20 years. This election, I plan on voting for Obama. But if Hillary is the nominee, I will vote for whatever schmuck the Republicans put on stage. I believe Republicans--and even some independents and democrats--will come out in droves to make sure we don't have another Clinton in the White House."

________________________________________

(A response to another comment:) "MSNBC, but that's not the only place I have seen that doc....and apology? Who do you think your are? Why don't you address the real questions? You don't? Do you have NARCISSISTIC PERSONALITY DISORDER? This party is divided? We in Illionois know in terms of just the amount of work OBAMA has done in Illinois, he has worked less that any of the three candidates (no show and no voting). Those of us not from Chicago, have been watching him...he has not kept a singel campaign promise to us. He talked change, and yes it go him elected in Illinois, of course when Jerry Ryan's exhusband had to drop out of the race because of a sex scandal he pretty much ran unopposed. He's not had to do any work, he's not paid his dues, you have to earn peoples respect...A lot of people would cross the Republican line not to vote for him...."

________________________________________

"Faux (Fox) News referred to McCain as a [Democrat]. If that's true, Ron Paul could be a D or a pygmy head hunter from Papua, New Guinea."

________________________________________

"As a resident of Washington State, it was nearly impossible to find a can of whoop-ass I needed for a Saturday backgammon tournament. I heard that the Obama team had gone through the state, and had bought every single can of whoop-ass it could get its hands on, a rumor substantiated by caucus results throughout the nation. Why doesn't the Post tell its readers in the Potomac area that they will not be ablr to get their hands on any cans of whoop-ass over the next few days, not even the 64 ounce ones sold at Costco?"

________________________________________

"Hillary's voice is one that represents all of America. Not just the poor or uneducated as most have been misled to believe, my wife and I hold six degrees. The media's sexist bias and misinformation campaign is afraid to give her a voice and ask the tough questions of her opponent, notice how the media handles Obama with kid gloves? They don't even give her equal air time and resort to personal and family insults."

________________________________________

"Bad enough to have all this fear-pushing from the Clinton Camp during the Primaries,
But then, you have to Fear the Republicans,

THEN, Back to fearing the Terrorists,
the Chinese,
the Immigrants,
the Economy,
H5n1,
Sars,
AIDS,
Serial Killers,
Chinese Toys,
The Planet,
Killer Bees,
And Finally, the Old Standby,
Barack Obama (as the BoogyMan)

What a bunch of Chickens."

One Night in Primary Land

Overheard at Washingtonpost.com on February 5th.
Your thoughts?

Of course it's a horse race. I don't understand why everybody objects to that. - Benjamin Bradlee, former Executive Editor of the Washington Post.

This is an election campaign; it's called a race for a reason. - Leonard Downie, Jr. Executive Editor of the Washington Post

Character matters and character is action. Reading the long stories - there are books on all of these people (and by the candidates) - that's the answer, not in the daily scrub of did so-and-so snub so-and-so." - Bob Woodward