It’s more than ironic that President Obama and First Lady Michelle are holding special hearings today on “Bullying Prevention.” Although the issue of school bullying is one that parents and schools should seriously address, is “school bullying” important enough for the President of the U.S. to weigh in on with a special national hearing? In the midst of a destructive recession with unemployment at disastrous levels, economic and soul-sucking wars in Iraq and Afghanistan (is Libya next?), a nation on the verge of an oil addiction fit of delirium tremens, social safety net programs on the sacrificial altar of heart-eating Republicans hungry for more tax cuts for the über rich, America’s hard-fought worker collective bargaining rights heading for state and national shredders, an education system that rewards sports achievements over math and science, even the watered-down health care reforms under heavy daily attack.
Yes, The President says, lets talk about school bullying instead. If Obama wants to address bullying, maybe he should look at himself and his weak-kneed congressional Democrats. This Administration has been bullied relentlessly and mercilessly by Republicans from Day One. In schools, one cannot blame the bullied victims. But this Administration gives new meaning and license to the concept of bullying. In this case we can and must blame the victims. Obama set the tone by allowing himself to be bullied and Democrats milk-toastishly bowed their heads and submitted to the beatings.
Once there was something called the Bully Pulpit. Presidents from Roosevelt, Kennedy, Johnson and Reagan bullied strongly from that platform to the advantage of their constituents who elected them. Maybe this President should hold a summit on Presidential Bullying…how to do it and how to prevent it. Let schools and parents deal with the other kind.
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