RNC Chair Candidates Debate

Rebuilding the Party and Americans For Tax Reform hosted a debate today among the candidates for the RNC Chair:

You can read the bios on all the candidates HERE

No Child Left Behind Bears Fruit

Via The Evening Bulletin:

The 2007 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) found that U.S. fourth-graders jumped 11 points in math between 2003 and 2007.

The latest TIMSS report, the ongoing evaluation of education in 36 to 48 countries revealed that in 2007 the U.S. consistently rated at least in the top one-third and in some cases the top one-fourth of participating nations. The average U.S. fourth-grade math score was higher than those of students in 23 of 35 other countries and among eighth-graders was higher than students in 37 of 47 other countries.

“Today’s TIMSS results reconfirm what we have long known — if we set high expectations, our children will rise to the challenge,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings. “I am encouraged that U.S. students are improving, and particularly that many children who were once left behind are now making some of the greatest gains in math.”

Ms. Spellings credited the Bush administration’s “No Child Left Behind Act” as the reason for the improvement.

“[It] has focused our national conversation on objective results, and thanks to this law, we now have data to show how all of our students are performing,” she said. “In addition, we know from the National Assessment of Educational Progress that nearly one million more students have learned basic math skills since the law was passed.”

Since 1995, the TIMSS test has been conducted every four years among students in grades four and eight to evaluate their math and science skills. The project is coordinated by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement and the International Study Center at Boston College. A total of 36 countries participated in grade four and 48 countries at grade eight.

The findings of the TIMSS 2007 generally track those of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), also known as “The Nation’s Report Card.”

In the U.S., the TIMSS was conducted in the Spring of 2007 among a representative sample of 10,350 fourth-graders in 257 public and private schools and 9,723 eighth-graders attending 239 public and private schools.

Now this is CHANGE we can give to our future generation! Let us HOPE that the incoming administration does not break what has just been fixed in our educational system.

Skye is Going to the GOP Convention

I am happy to announce that I will be in the land of 10,000 lakes covering the GOP convention and reporting back to my readers my experiences during this dynamic event.

You can follow along on my journey here at MidnightBlue. I will also be cross posting my reports to Flopping Aces and Right Wing News.

Sunday’s With Ferris

As much controversy that McCain has stirred up in his political career, I have to say that we both are made from the same material when it comes to standing our ground on issues. It takes a certain strength of character to hold your ground when all around you are pressuring you to ‘change’. In both political and personal issues I’ve been challenged to modify my stance, yet I managed to hold my ground with dignity and class, and I am all the better for doing so. Ferris’s Back Channel essay highlights this characteristic of John McCain.

Kevin Ferris: Back Channels: He’s Brave and he’s Honest.

McCain’s own character and judgment were certainly influenced by his naval career and his years as a POW. Those experiences don’t automatically qualify him to be president, but they do spotlight the kind of integrity, courage and sense of duty that are needed in the Oval Office.

Start with courage.

That was the first answer I got at last week’s town-hall meeting when I asked a supporter why he backed McCain. One word. No hesitation. Courage. There have been no modern-day presidential candidates who were tested under such extreme circumstances as McCain during his years of imprisonment. The only other former POW who was president was Andrew Jackson, held as a teenager by the British during the Revolution. In Hanoi, McCain’s integrity and honor passed the tests. He fought back against his captors, despite repeated torture and solitary confinement. He refused an early release – and suffered for it. ,Here’s a man who saw evil face to face and stood up to it. He endured the worst that one human can do to another and survived. He understands and appreciates freedom as few can.

That courage has carried over into his political career, with his willingness to stand up for what he believes in, whether the issue is campaign-finance reform, immigration, or other topics that cause some Republicans to wince.

You can read the entire essay HERE

Why Vote Republican?

“Friends don’t let friends vote Democrat.”

As seen over at Chatterbox Chronicles:

This video certainly highlights the crass attitude of the Democratic leadership towards the Republican party. A fine example of politics at its worst. Who would be attracted to this type of leadership? What are the everyday, garden variety of Dems thoughts on politics and the nation in general?

A quick scan of the blog “The Smirking Chimp” revealed viewpoints that closely dovetail the Dem leadership, and are far more entrenched in vitriol. Below are some quotes I selected that really give a good feel of their point of view.

This is live and in living color, people:

“In the two years since the fraudulent defeat of John Kerry, we’ve unearthed an unholy arsenal by which that election was stolen.” Harvey Wasserman

“Recently, when Al Franken came to the Crest Theater in Sacramento, I was there with a large sign that said, “Impeach Bush.” When a couple of old guys (who wore the hats of WWII veterans) walked by me, one said, “Impeach? Hell, kill the b*stard!” Several people standing nearby broke out in laughter. I laughed too…” Stephen S. Peary

Boycott ExxonMobil – Buy CITGO. Go to the CITGO web page to locate a station near you. (Yes, CITGO is owned by Venezuela. Read Balles article for his comment on Chavez) – Sanford Russel

“And to think that such people call themselves “Christians”! Yeah, that REALLY SOUNDS JUST LIKE that “Christian love” that neocons are ALWAYS blabbing about! Never mind the fact that such “love” is only reserved EXCLUSIVELY for White, straight, monogamous, rich, uber-conservative, fundie Christians who worship El Chimpo and the ground he walks on like he’s the Second Coming of Christ, and who basically say “YES BUSH!! THANKS YOU BUSH!! CAN I PLEASE HAVE ANOTHER?!?!”. – Animal

There are days when I am embarrased to call myself a democrat. I cringed as I read posts on this blog – these are not my people, these are not my viewpoints. This hatred and rhetoric are not what the DNC was all about once upon a time. I honestly don’t know any other way the DNC can regain its sanity outside of a full regime change or exorcism. Paging Father Merrin- STAT.

Until the DNC can get its act together to produce viable alternative solutions to the various complex situations facing the United States, I will continue to support a strong Republican party and their candidates.