The Lasting Effects of Schoolhouse Rock

I have a warm place in my heart for Schoolhouse Rock. If you’re like me...and in your forties.. this is how you learned the parts of speech (are you humming “a noun is a person, place or thing?”), how a bill becomes a law (still humming with me?). And it is of course how I can still recite the Preamble to the Constitution.

Today my daughter was playing a game on the computer that reviewed nouns, verbs and adjectives and it inspired me to sit my five year olds down and make them watch Schoolhouse Rock on DVD. Or maybe I just wanted an excuse to see if I still remembered the words.

I do, and it made me smile. I hope some of it rubs off on my girls.

Want to see how much you remember? Check it out here.

Politics on my mind

First a brief follow-up to my previous comment about “staying the course” Here’s an interesting clip where the republicans AGAIN claim that it was never a stay the course strategy in Iraq. I especially like how Bartlett throws in a few other “winning” pieces of verbiage like “cut and run” (one of their favorites) and “head in the sand” Nice.

And on a more optimistic note, I’m kind of excited that Barak Obama is considering a run for president in 2008. I think he is a great speaker, has charm and charisma and would likely do a great job. I would vote for him. However, I worry that those people who were so worried about “non issues” last time around like gay marriage…might not be ready for Obama. Some people will never be able to get past the color of his skin. Those same people aren’t ready for Clinton or Feingold either. (for all of the obvious reasons) Who does that leave for the Democrats? Kerry? Gore? Biden? Gore claims he won’t run. Kerry would have to sing a stronger song. And Biden…well, I’m not sure about him yet although he seems like a strong enough candidate.

The thing that bothers me most about the choices is that we all know that the choices many people make before they step into that voting booth are not always based on who would truly do the best job. But who they most identify with.

I would like to see an honest, politically incorrect take on the choices but I don’t know who would be nonpartisan or brave enough to give it.

And what about the republicans? Looks like McCain is the obvious choice and there was a time when I might have thought that as Republicans go, he isn’t a bad choice. But I think he’s being manipulated by his party just to get his name on the ticket.

Step up to the plate, Democrats. Learn a thing or two from the other side about how to get your message across and STAY on that message.

Maybe Barak Obama is the man to do it.