The McCain campaign has released another disgusting ad, this time claiming that Obama wants to teach sex-ed to Kindergartners.
Per the Wall Street Journal:
"The ad bashes Obama for an Illinois state senate bill he supported that allowed for 'age-appropriate' sex education for K-12 instruction. The ad said that measure represents Obama’s only accomplishment on education."
The Huffington Post explained:
"In essence, Obama supported 'age appropriate' sex-education for children as a means of teaching them what was proper or inproper touching, as well as to protect them against pedophiles, his campaign has said. Used in the context of the McCain campaign ad, however, Obama's stance becomes another one of those cultural issues that seems designed to alienate the Illinois Democrat from more socially moderate voters."
Note the use of the words "AGE APPROPRIATE". I'm disturbed by the fact the McCain campaign interpreted that to mean "teach Kindergartners about sex." The McPain Campaign has managed to twist legislation strengthening AGE APPROPRIATE sex ed for K-12 students into an accusation of Obama forcing sexuality on six-year-olds.
Now, some families, like the Palins, don't believe in sex education or abortion. In fact, while Palin was mayor of Wasilla, sexual assault victims were asked to pay for their own rape kits.
Other families are not okay with keeping their children in a fantasyland bubble, when we actually live in a world with STDs, sexual predators, and staggering teen pregnancy figures. Some people would prefer to prepare their children (AGE APPROPRIATE, once more for emphasis) in lieu of sitting around twiddling their thumbs and assuming nothing bad will happen if they pray and obey their parents. I've said it before, I'll say it again: teach teens to use condoms, they'll know how to use them and therefore be more likely to. Don't teach them about condoms, they won't use them, resulting in pregnancies, STDs, etc.
This ad is shameless, sickening, and another indication that we are fighting against "moral crusaders" who actually have no morals.
Kudos to Bill Burton of the Obama campaign for this swift response:
"It is shameful and downright perverse for the McCain campaign to use a bill that was written to protect young children from sexual predators as a recycled and discredited political attack against a father of two young girls - a position that his friend Mitt Romney also holds. Last week, John McCain told Time magazine he couldn't define what honor was. Now we know why."
Let's go ahead and talk about whose better for our children, shall we?
1. John McCain wants YOU - to send your children to Iraq
On August 20, 2008, in a town hall style Q&A session, John McCain fielded a gem of a question from an audience member who made clear her feelings on reinstating the military draft. Thanks Think Progress for the transcript:
AUDIENCE MEMBER: I think it is a sad state of affairs when we have illegal aliens having a Medicaid card that can access specialist top physicians, the best of medical and our vets can’t even get to a doctor. These are the people that we tied yellow ribbons for and Bush patted on the back. If we don’t reenact the draft I don’t think we will have anyone to chase Bin Laden to the gates of hell.
MCCAIN: Ma’am let me say that I don’t disagree with anything you said and thank you and I am grateful for your support of all of our veterans.
McCain isn't going to chase Bin Laden to the gates of hell... your kids are! AND your grandkids, given McCain plans for us to be in Iraq "for 100 years." A far better fate then sex ed, to be sure.
2. John McCain wants your kids to work for peanuts
Remember your first job? Maybe you were in high school, bagging groceries or working retail. Chances are, you made minimum wage. I know I did. Some of you may still be making minimum wage today. Not easy to get by, is it? Especially with the soaring fuel prices.
Well John McCain wants to keep the hurt on. According to PolitiFact, "McCain cast 19 votes against raising the minimum wage, and that's True."
And don't be looking for his famously promised tax cuts to help you out anytime soon... according to the Tax Policy Center, "in sharp contrast to Obama, [McCain] would cut taxes for those in the top 1% by more than $125,000, raising their after-tax income an average 9.5 percent." The rest of us get left behind.
3. McCain was Rated "Worst Senator for Children in 2007" by Children's Defense Fund
Now I'm not sure how this slipped under the media's malfunctioning radar. But in 2007, the Children's Defense Fund rated every congressperson on whether their voting record positively or negatively impacted children. As Mother Jones reported in February, John McCain scored dead last in the Senate: a dismal 10% out of a possible 100%. Barack Obama received a 60%, and Hillary Clinton led presidential candidates with a 70%.
Ratings were based on ten categories:
- Increase minimum wage (H.R. 2)
- Increase funding for children with disabilities (S. Con. Res. 21)
- Protect children from unsafe medications (S. 1082)
- 2008 Budget resolution (S. Con. Res. 21)
- SCHIP Reauthorization (H.R. 976)
- College Cost Reduction and Access Act (H.R. 2669)
- SCHIP (H.R. 976 - motion to concur)
- DREAM Act (S. 2205)
- Funding child health and education (H.R. 3043)
- Improving Head Start programs (H.R. 1429)
4. You thought your KIDS' temper tantrums were bad
John McCain has a notoriously bad temper, having:
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Shoved a POW's wheelchair-bound mother
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Swearing openly at colleagues and his wife
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Calling Chelsea Clinton ugly when she was 17 years old
- Even fellow Republicans think his hostile temper could endanger international relations: "Former senator Bob Smith, a New Hampshire Republican, expresses worries about McCain: "His temper would place this country at risk in international affairs, and the world perhaps in danger. In my mind, it should disqualify him" (
Washington Post).
So I'll let you decide for yourselves, but when it comes to my future children, I'll take AGE APPROPRIATE sex ed anyday over Looney Tunes McTantrum.