No Child Left Behind…..except Elmo

Ahh, yes. Just when I really need a vacation. Just when I’m looking for someone to be mean too, for an excuse to be all grumpy, it’s handed to me on a silver platter.

Once again, the hypocrisy of the Republican party, starting with the moron leading the pack, our very own President, is just outrageous.

Think back, way back, deep into your memory from years ago when this man residing in the White House, acted like a good Republican, and spread his family values around town by means of leaving no child behind.

Yes, how very Republican to care about children and their growth and development. It’s so obvious how much the Republican party cares about children and families – I mean, our federal policy for maternity leave ranks what, third lowest in the world, before some under developed African nations. How many children and mothers live below the poverty line and have no access to housing and health-care? Let alone education.

And yet, this man stands up and claims that he cares about education, he cares about family values. Better not let anyone have access to abortion, better not let teens have access to condoms – let’s instead focus on religion and God….

BUT – let’s also do away with funding for PBS – let’s take away Sesame Street – because we care about kids and values.

Seriously.

Again – who voted for this man, and can you tell me why? And actually face yourself in the mirror with any dignity when you do?

Not only do kids across the United States adore the characters on Sesame Street and actually learn by watching it, kids around the world benefit from this programming. While our President is busy sending Karen Hughes around the world in a failed attempt at mending fences and spreading democracy, Sesame Street is being watched on television screens across the Middle East and providing some level of education for little girls and boys. Not to mention, leaving behind a positive impression of what comes out of America. Is it possible that Big Bird is a better diplomat than Karen Hughes? I think so.

Click here if you’re interested in a posting from USAID’s site about Sesame Street in Egypt, a country where millions of poor little girls only receive three years of education. Sesame Street is viewed by almost 90% of children in those rural areas, providing them with an invaluable opportunity to learn: http://www.usaid.gov/stories/egypt/ss_egypt1.html

Once again, our president is talking out of both sides of his mouth. His family values clearly means – let’s cut educational programming and funding for kids across the country and the world.

Unless you are really in an even worse mood than me, I encourage you to click here and sign the petition to keep the funding for PBS and Sesame Street:

http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/organizationsORG/momsrising/signUp.jsp?key=2004