Gloucester High School – No Room at The Student Day Care Center

An article in the Gloucerter Times reports that the High School Day Care is overflowing. With the recent national focus on this particular city in Massachusetts due to the discovery of a pact where 17 girls under the age of 16 became pregnant should not come as such as shock, considering the encouragement that is given minors in this state to procreate. The school principal credits the low drop out rate to the fact that there is a day care on campus for students. High School Day Care can be found in most city schools across the bay state, right next to the Planned Parenthood office (or health clinic) which hands out contraceptives. Now they are seriously asking; “What went wrong?” This is not exactly rocket science. The presence of a Day Care for students on campus only provides only provides encouragement for other teens, as they would tend too see pregnancy at 13 or 14 as “normal”. A baby, in this case, is not seen as a responsibility, rather as a cuddly new toy. Adolescent minds are not yet fully developed and are incapable of making the distinction to what is and what is not acceptable as a life choice.

The only reasonable option is stress to these students that a baby is a responsibility. In order to do this, the day care facility should be off campus. The notion that handing out condoms and birth control has curbed teen pregnancy is the state is absurd. (See rising teen pregnancy rates running across socio-economic lines). Sex education should include instructions on where to obtain said birth control, or other related services, not provide the aforementioned to students on campus. The practice of having on-site distribution of birth control has given permission, not protection to these students. Additionally, within this program, the consequences should be highlighted to both male and female teens. Understanding that there are risks of STDs, the risk of teen pregnancy affects both genders, young men should understand that there is no statute of limitations when it comes to child support. Those young women who think they will be able to continue onto higher education should be made to understand that yes, it is possible, but, that it may be difficult to pay off student loans, run a single parent household, hold a job and pay day care costs.

Suggestion: Move the day-care off campus – allowing teen mothers to continue their education, while deglamorizing the process for the rest of the student body. Alternately, provide a community service program for young teens, as a credit courses. Students would volunteer at local animal shelters and/or rescue league. This would fulfill the cute and cuddly requirement and instill a larger sense of responsibility.

The school districts will argue about expense, however, day care operation and the inclusion of the same at high schools and middle schools, are not free to the taxpayer. Additionally, the argument that an on-site daycare increases graduations rate is absurd. Urban Mass. State high schools show overall low graduation rates Mass DOE tables showing state municipalities reporting rates under 60%. What percentage of that statistic can be attributed to the side effects of rearing children at the age of 14 and being able to complete high school given the burden of parenting? To be fair, Gloucester has an impressive 84.8% graduation rate, which is above average, yet, with the Day care in place, it is still not a stellar performance. It should also be noted that those schools showing less than 80% graduation rates also have Day Care facilities installed on campus. Teaching responsibility to both genders with reasonable instructions on how to obtain all services currently being performed on campus, taking steps to deglamourize teen pregnancy by removing campus day care and condom distribution, would reap benefits to both the school district and the taxpayer in the long run. One should also consider the fact that this practice only serves to denigrate the female student - in that perfect course, where students are taught the ABC's of STD's, and the avoidance of teen pregnancy through the use of birth control, the inequality of the teen pregnancy process should be made clear. While the teen female must provide all care for the child - struggle through college - if able to attend and lower her expectations in general, the male student, although possibly faced with 18 plus years of child support payments, will go on to college, and generally have opportunities which will be denied the female.

Jeff Beatty - NECN Interview

Jeff Beatty, Republican Candidate for US Senate, had an interview this evening on New England Cable News Network.
Jeff demostrates his ability and willingness to take on incumbant John Kerry. Additionally, when asked what he could do for Massachsuetts as a junior senator(oppossed to the experienced John Kerry), Beatty revealed that in meetings (held earlier this week) in Washington, he was assured that Massachusetts would not go wanting should Kerry be retired. Additionally, he pointed to Kerry's overall lackluster performance in promoting the Baystate, in introducing legislation and in showing up for Intelligence Committee Meetings (absent 80% of the time). The lastest Suffolk University Poll indicates that 51% of the states electorate agrees.

Philadeplphia – All Eye’s on Kerry’s Woes and Polls

John Kerry is, indeed, a national figure within the Democrat party, a post on Philly Blogs was less than kind to the Baystate’s Junior Senator. Kerry supporterse made light of the Suffolk Univesrity Poll and pointed to a June 1, Rasumussen Poll (featured prominently in most news sources as the reason Kerry will hold onto his seat)that gave a slightly different take on Kerry's position. What surprises is the venom towards Kerry that can be found outside his “home” state.

The Rasmussen Poll taken on June 1st came as a surprise to residents of the state - the Suffolk University Poll, not so much. Kerry, due to the fact that he is a national figure, and important to the Democrat Party because they hold a narrow margin in the Senate and rely heavily on Joe Lieberman at this point, need Kerry to maintain his seat - especially in light of the fact that Kennedy's illness is going to eventually leave another gap in the defensive line. The notion that polls are accurate with 500 respondents asked leading questions is somewhat remarkable, to say the least. Large polling firms are hired to conduct polls; the questions are formulated in such a way as the outcome is most often predictable. What makes the Suffolk poll seem less skewed is the fact that they did not name an alternative to Kerry, (as in, if the election were held today, would you vote for: a, b, c), and that they released the percentages of independent voters (the largest voting block in Massachusetts). What outsiders do not see, when looking at the political make-up of the state is the fact that the state is not heavily Democrat, as widely reported, it is indeed heavily Independent. This trend has grown over the past 4 years, with both Democrat and Republican Party losing equal numbers of registered voters (also not widely reported in the press - the focus being on the Republican losses). The reason that there is a majority of Democrat office holders is simply that they continue to run unopposed. The Republican Party has not, in the past, invested in Massachusetts candidates; suddenly however, there is a greater interest in the state. Jeff Beatty, the Republican candidate is on a non-stop campaign tour across the state - his focus in on those independents and disenfranchised Democrats - add to that - he is a credible candidate. (Although the press and the Democrat party point out that since he lost one race in one small congressional district, (which also happens to be where a majority of the state's registered democrats reside), Beatty is a weak candidate.) Kerry must fight a two-front war in order to maintain his seat. This is one instance where the bets are off the table on Kerry. Watch Massachusetts closely - this is the bastion of the Progressive think which has spread through the Democrat party like a cancer, the traditional rank and file Democrats are the same ones who pushed for O'Reilly (a Progressive), at their convention - it was a clear message to Kerry and to the party as a whole - from inside the Party. Kerry may have problems in the primary - never mind the general election.

Democrat National Committee – Googling for Cindy McCain? - Do as We Say - Not as We Do.

DNC looking for Dirt on McCain Snapshot of Tracking Software Log

One would think that after all the calls to leave Michelle Obama, alone, that the party promoting change would offer the same courtesy to Cindy McCain – not so. Apparently the DNC is googling for anything that will denigrate the McCain’s, specifically photographs. Meanwhile, the Obama campaign (or DNC), is attempting image control – going so far as to openly discriminate against Muslim’s to make it happen article AP News. At a recent rally in Michigan, women wearing headscarves were removed from camera view. The party of unity and inclusion? Barack Obama, the young political hack from Chicago, has a lot of nerve calling for change and unity.

Campaigns are supposed to get dirty, and of course, that is anticipated, regardless of which party is looking for dirt on an opponent, the “dirt” that they find, and how that particular dirt is spun to make an opponent or in the case of this years election, one opponents spouse, look bad. What is patently ridiculous is that one party, with the full backing of the press, is suggesting that Michelle Obama is untouchable. Further, the Democrat campaign with her husbands permission, are turning her into a Stepford wife to insure that she remains photo friendly.

John Kerry – Suffolk University Poll – Time for Retirement

A poll released by Suffolk University on June 16, suggests that John Kerry, who has held his Senate seat in Massachusetts for 24 years, may be facing an uphill battle this November. In a poll of 500 voters across Massachusetts, 51% want a change, while only 38% thought he should be re-elected. This is not a significant change from a 2007 university poll in which 37% thought Kerry should hold onto his seat.

The poll, according to the Gloucester Times did not mention an alternate to Kerry. The Times article focused on Kerry’s Democrat rival Ed O’Reilly, who will face Kerry in the September primary. Kerry is expected to handily beat O’Reilly in that contest due to his significant cash on hand. Should John Kerry manage to win the primary, he would then face Republican Candidate Jeff Beatty. Beatty, who has strong grassroots appeal, which incidentially runs across party lines, is the first credible candidate to challenge Kerry in over a decade. Although major media outlets are not giving Beatty a second glance, and/or downplaying the significance of his candidacy, the fact remains that he is ultimately qualified and more to the point: “likable” - Kerry is not.

What will be the biggest factors in this predictable upset in November? One is the fact that the largest block of voters in the State of Massachusetts are registered Independents and those are the voters calling for change. Additionally, infighting within the state Democrat Party over Kerry’s support of Barrack Obama may play a more significant outcome in the primary as well as the general election. Massachusetts Democrats voted overwhelmingly to support Hillary Clinton in the February primary and those voters are apparently still resentful, despite the call for party unity. (Look at the outcome of the State Convention.) Additionally, money is not always a factor in a campaign, although it is widely reported as the key to the win, one only need look at Iowa where Mike Huckabee, former Arkansas Governor, swept the state after investing only $90,000. Huckabee continued to win larger southern states with the same budget scenario. Therefore, it is not the cash on hand, that will determine future elections - rather it is the grassroots effort put forth by a campaign that will make the difference. The grassroots candidate, Beatty, will fare well against a weak Kerry.

Michelle Obama – Makeover Madness

The New York Times is introducing the New, improved Michelle Obama (from the Gawker, NY) today. Apparently, women are subject to makeovers, especially when their husbands are in a spotlight position, specifically when that position is within the ranks of the Democrat party. The makeover should come as no surprise. Hillary Clinton’s campaign coverage focused not on her policy, rather what she wore, how she spoke, her makeup, her hair style, ad nausea. The question is: how long are women going to allow themselves to be made over in order to complement a man? With no sympathy from this particular quarter for Ms. Obama, it still rankles that as a woman, she is expected to toe the line, not be herself, but be a version of a woman that completes some absurd notion of feminism written by a party that is also supposed to be for women. The concept that the Democrats are friendly towards the gender is patently absurd. With only one issue on the platform that deals with women at all, it is amazing that the party still maintains a large percentage of women within its ranks. These ladies need to understand that pro-choice can have another meaning, and that is a choice to take their business elsewhere and vote against a party that promotes re-defining women to fit a particular mold.

Who’s polling who? WSJ/NBC Poll and Obama Lead

Time (in partnership with CNN), ran a story this past weekend on a recent WSJ/NBC poll that shows Obama leading McCain by 6 points. In retrospect, one would expect Obama to gain in points, especially after clinching the nomination, but the lead of 6 points overall, is not exactly a stunning bump. What might be suspect about this particular poll is that it trends predictable compared to past electoral makeup’s with Obama leading among women, blacks, Catholics and Independents and McCain among whites, males and superman woman and evangelicals. What is most interesting however is that the poll indicates Obama with a hefty advantage among Hispanic voters, 68 to 28% in favor of Obama?

The question is - which 500 New Yorkers, or San Francisco, or Los Angeles residents did they query for this particular poll?

Perhaps they should be polling in Massachusetts, where the general public is the exact demographic one finds allegedly backing the Democrat party. Generally, Hispanics are conservative, and that will be the group to watch this election cycle. Women are another wild card this time around. CNN commentators and college students do not represent the majority of women. Women in the Bay state are still a bit put off by Obama, and a bit angry at those elected officials that immediately jumped aboard the Obama express, after the vast majority of the state (with the exception of college enclaves) voted Clinton.

One longs for the most accurate poll, one that included 20,000 or 30, 0000 respondents, not the 500 or 1000 random registered voters used in polls by a variety of “news” organization to try and sway the general public. Watch the Vegas Line, the smart money is on McCain, with demographics that have traditionally trended Democrat crossing party lines. It will be the independents or unenrolled voters in this election cycle – and although NBC polls indicate Obama is making inroads in that group – it is a group that McCain has owned since he took to the Senate floor.

McCain on the Move - The Energy Man

McCain at Townhall Meetings, Union Leader, NH

Yesterday, John McCain called for a lift on the offshore drilling ban, indicating individual states should make the decision to drill or not to drill. Finally, someone is suggesting something tangible in response to the current surge in oil prices that will certainly cripple those states that experience the global warming trends of freezing temps from October to April. The Obama camp responded in a predictable manner – opposition to US drilling offshore or anywhere for that matter. Funny thing is that offshore drilling does take place, within 90 miles of the US coastline - not by US companies, but by Cuba off the Florida coast. Apparently, Cuba is in no danger of any political attacks from the Progressive Obama camp – not being politically expedient.

McCain also supports a gas-tax holiday, although he hasn’t brought that up recently, he should hammer home energy concerns hard, especially in areas that will be most affected immediately following the general election in November.

Move on.org, the right hand of the Obama machine, is set to run attack ads against McCain’s Iraq position. It’s a good thing that Move on is giving the Democrat Party a helping hand, considering they are facing budget shortfalls for their Denver convention. With all the spin coming from the DNC as to the lack of funds McCain may or may not have, it is ironic that they are the ones having problems funding the big party. Or is it? The big money Clinton supporters have not yet dished out a dime to support the DNC. George Soros may have to continue to bail out Obama and the party he chooses to run.

It boils down to who the electorate is going to trust the most, in the final analysis, much the same way it broke down in 2004. At that time, the press and the pundits were convinced that John Kerry would lead the march to the white house on the Iraq war theme and the general population disenfranchised with George W. Bush. Swift boat ads aside, John Kerry was not a popular guy, but he did have one thing, experience. He sat in that Senate seat for more 20 years, granted doing very little, but at the very least he was present. Meanwhile, Obama, brilliant though he may appear, has little actual experience, except to take every possible opportunity in a fast track to his current position, with little vetting by the press. It will be the next four months that allow the American people (and the varied 527’s), to delve into the candidates history in order to get to know them a bit better. McCain’s record is solid, regardless of his quasi-conservative credentials (Mike Huckabee as a V.P. running mate would take care of that problem), and Obama’s is yet to be proven, (his V.P. choice will do little to change the course of nature as he is the focal point of the campaign). It will not, therefore, be a surprise, when November rolls around and the race tightens to within a one-state battleground. The question will be which state, and if it is a large electoral state that Clinton carried in the primary, how many of those vengeful voters will turn to McCain? Women, although Obama and the press are desperately trying to court the demographic, are not easily swayed (except for giddy CNN commentators, and the Obama girls found round the globe), it will be those pesky 40 plus voters who could care less how charming Obama looks in his Speedo, that will make the difference. McCain is outlining actual plans, much like Hillary Clinton had done, before her party and the media sent her back to the “kitchen.”

John Kerry and Joe Lieberman, the Irony of a Veiled Threat

In a recent AP Article (Breitbart) on Joe Lieberman’s support for John McCain over Barrack Obama and the Democrat party hierarchy reaction, some interesting points were made regarding Lieberman’s importance to the party in general. As of now, the Democrats need Joe Lieberman - who generally supports the party – as they hold such a narrow margin in the Senate. Kerry, speaking on speculation that Lieberman may be punished by removing him from committee chairs, said "I can’t tell you what will happen next year."

Kerry, who, for the first time in a dozen years, actually has to wage a two front campaign due to a challenge within his own party (brought about by his dismal record as well as his support for Obama over the wishes of his constituents) by Gloucester Attorney Ed O’Reilly, and from the Republican, Jeff Beatty, who has a solid grassroots campaign within the state and general appeal. Kerry, who is the least well-like Bay state politician, may not be going back to Washington next year making his statement on Lieberman ironic, to say the least.

Kerry’s challenger in the Bay State is shown as nothing more than a minor annoyance, however, it is surprising that there have been zero polls taken since the surprising Zogby poll of August, 2007 (Cape Code Today), showing the Senator in a dead heat with challenger Jeff Beatty.

Lieberman, a moderate Democrat, held his seat by running as an Independent in 2004. The national Democrat Party, with Dean at the helm, favored a progressive Democrat to replace Lieberman. Although, Obama initially supported Lieberman, once the party line went to the left in support of Ned Lamont, Obama quickly abandoned Lieberman, and got right in line with the rest of the boys. Lieberman owes no allegiance to Obama, and or the party as it now stands. He has shown over the years his ability to maintain his integrity in a party that has been infested by elite progressives who are more interested in power than the people they represent. Lieberman is a true public servant, putting his constituents and the country before political affiliation.

Obama Turns to Chicago Gangland Style Politics

Obama - Gunslinger? Or Midnight Cowboy

It was only a matter of time before the Democrat nominee began to exhibit who he really is - an opportunistic political hack. In a recent fundraiser in Philadelphia, the gangland Chicago style politics that are part and parcel of Mr. Obama’s meteoric rise game spewing out of his mouth – as if he could not stop himself. Obama on the GOP: “If they bring a knife to the party – we bring a gun”. (Politico commentary here )

So, the guy that is not sure how many states are in the union believes that bibles and guns are a crutch for those American’s who are frustrated with their lives, and cannot live without a teleprompter – now wants to engage in a street fight.

Not for nothing: Barack Obama, an Illinois State senator, (check Chicago paper archives for real insight), decided to run for the Senate, the field of contenders was lackluster at best, and his ability to give a rousing speech, made him a favorite. The seat had been held by a Republican – the Republican ran into a bit of a scandal, and would not run again, this left the Republican Party in Illinois no time to come up with another candidate – they finally and at a late hour, convinced Maryland’s Alan Keyes to try and save the day – to no avail. Barack Obama advanced to the US Senate, virtually unopposed.

So, how on earth will he win a real contest? Obviously his mantra of change and his claim to be a political outsider are pure bunk.

Notably, this particular statement is receiving no traction in the basic press – they are still focused on Mike Huckabee’s comment on Obama and guns made at an NRA convention.

McCain’s Camp and the RNC need not worry overmuch – Opportunists are not always the brightest bulbs in the pack, and Obama fits the mold. It is not wonder that he does not want to face McCain in any debate format that cannot be controlled. Opportunists are also cowards. Great speaker though, but that is all he can bring to the table – unless of course, someone unplugs the teleprompter.