The Democrats once again prove themselves to be the Stupid Party™ with a press release which can charitably be called totally freakin’ nuts:
The White House this weekend announced that President Bush received good news during his annual physical. Doctors pronounced the President to be in “superior†physical condition, which media reports attributed to his rigorous, six day a week exercise routine. While President Bush has made physical fitness a personal priority, his cuts to education funding have forced schools to roll back physical education classes and his Administration’s efforts to undermine Title IX sports programs have threatened thousands of women’s college sports programs.
“President Bush’s [sic] has dropped the ball when it comes to fully funding physical education in public schools and women’s athletic programs at the college level,†said Democratic National Committee spokesman Josh Earnest. “His personal habits indicate that physical fitness is not just fun and games for him. Don’t our kids deserve the same opportunities to be physically fit? President Bush should stop running from his responsibility and make sure that all American children have access to physical fitness programs.”
The proper reaction to that is WTF?! I mean W. T. F’ing. F.
Yes, that’s right folks, according to the DNC, you need a government program to make kids exercise. Yup, it takes a village to make a fat kid go outside rather than trying to unlock the hidden sex scenes in Grand Theft Auto – or more accurately, it takes several million dollars of Uncle Sam’s money. Not to mention the fact that physical education programs tend to be little more than a waste of time that should be spent on more valuable subjects.
If the Democrats really think it takes a federal program to encourage kids to exercise, I would gladly volunteer my services for a fat federal contract to start the GET YOUR FLABBY BUTT OFF THE COUCH AND GO RUNNING Program (GYFBOTCAGR). I’ll even do it for the bargain basement price of $10 million…
And don’t get me started on the disastrous effects of Title IX’s cosmetic kowtowing to radical feminists – I’ll let the College Sports Council do that.
The Anchoress has an example of what a mature and sensible political party would have said:
We are happy to hear that President Bush enjoys good health, and we wish him continued good health as we proceed to work with him when we can, and in loyal oppostition when we feel we must, for the good of the nation we all cherish.
Then again, that would require the Democratic Party to have possession of their faculties, rather than in the grip of a near-terminal case of Bush Derangement Syndrome.
Look, if the Democrats want to be treated as a serious political party, they need to start acting like one. And making childish, immature, and idiotic potshots at the President is not the way to do it – especially not at a time of war. If the Democrats want to sit at the adult’s table, it’s best they stop throwing food around.
(See also Michelle Malkin’s link roundup on the subject – including a definition of the term “muffin top”…)
Hahaha. The DNC: always good for a laugh.
Then again, you know Dean is in good shape. I mean, to scream like that you have to have phenomenal lung capacity.
Oh, and after checking out the “muffin top,” I don’t think I’ll ever eat another muffin.
Yes, it was a lame potshot for the DNC to try to score political points based on the results of Bush’s physical, but your response to the silly press release is even more telling. By referring to physical education courses in schools as “government programs,” does that mean you’re opposed to public schools teaching nutrition and encouraging exercise? Better for that time to be designated to prayer, right?
They don’t need to spend millions of dollars in wasteful government spending to do that. Unless someone’s put a copyright on the phrase “eat right and don’t sit on the couch all day” and I wasn’t made aware of it.
Furthermore, that’s also the job of parents.
Or teaching people basic thinking skills so they don’t grow up and end up voting Democratic…
If you speak the official position of the Republican Party that physical education in public schools is a “government program” that needs to go away, the DNC press release you lambast would be viewed as downright mainstream by comparison. I’m sure this will come as a big surprise to you, but the gear needed for phy. ed. classes actually isn’t free!!!!! Meaning millions of dollars are necessary to fund soccer balls, baseball bats and the like. Do the Democrats a favor and keep reminding voters what out-of-touch idiots we are to favor physical education courses for students.
And as for the “that’s the parents job” meme, aren’t you the same guy who recently said that in order to compete in the global economy, American workers will have to get off their lazy asses and work more hours for lower pay to stay on top of the Chinese and Indians? “Traditional family values” and 70-hour-work weeks generally don’t go too well together, making the modern-day Republican platform an instant contradiction. To paraphrase James Carville in reference to the “Where were the parents?!?!” question often raised by conservatives, “They were at work, stupid!”
Mark, you think spending a million or even a billion dollars is going to get some fat kid off the couch playing sports then I got this big bridge to sell. It’s in San Fran harbour, red and going fro a modest sum.
I have two kids (boys) and the only way they do any fitness is if they see me set the example. If I didn’t then the best teachers at the best school with t 45 min periods a week is never going to instill it in them.
A) Last I checked, the federal government has better things to do than to buy playground equipment. There is this thing called local government that’s responsible for the upkeep of schools.
B) Last I checked, sports equipment isn’t exactly a big-ticket purchase. In fact, I know this may come as a shock, but you don’t have to buy equipment to exercise.
C) The goal of having an educational system is to prepare students mentally. Sports already consumes far too much of most school budgets as it is. The last problem most school districts have is a lack of money for sports.
No.
Physical education in schools is hardly an invention of modern liberalism. For the political right to now be redefining it as a “government program” is a frightening example of how Republicans have moved the nation’s ideological goalposts into fringe right loony-land. I’m far from being an echo chamber for the health-and-wellness nannies, but including
nutrition and fitness education seems at least as important to the development of a well-rounded young adult as another hour of Algebra II.
Again, I plead with you guys to continue the anti-physical education propaganda. I’m sure those 60-hour-per-week security moms who recently aligned themselves with Bush and the GOP to “protect their families from the wolves” are eager to take on the hour per night of physical activity with their kids that you believe should be removed from the school schedule because it’s a “government program.”
And I’ll bet 99% of those “security moms” are the same “soccer moms” who already give plenty of time to shuffle their kids back and forth between various sports…