Domestic Psychology

local elections – school board version

// July 22nd, 2010 // No Comments » // politics, school

If you live in Knox County’s seventh district, your choice for School Board is Sepesi or Warwick. Both seem like good people with sincere motives. Because of their career histories, both are going to be clear and quick thinkers if there is a crisis. If you want to save vo-tech programs, Warwick is your candidate. If you think your district is getting the budgetary short straw, Sepesi is your candidate.

Based on their responses at the most recent forum, both candidates are facing a steep learning curve. The “Race to the Top” money is not what they think it is. It is going to be like rain in the desert that evaporates before it touches your skin. No volume of weather reporters saying that it rained is going to change the fact that you are still thirsty.

Saving the vo-tech programs is admirable, but highly unlikely. Realistically, profit and non-profit groups are the future of vocational training. Getting more money into your district is admirable, but skip the politics of board member vs board member and work to get new business in your district and existing businesses in your schools.

Elect either one. The results will be nearly identical.

signed, Captain Obvious

// February 17th, 2010 // 1 Comment » // politics, television

Dear <- insert name of politician here ->,

Do not go on <- insert name of entertainment program here ->. The publicity you get will not help you. There really is such a thing as bad publicity. The show’s host will mercilessly mock you and everyone watching will laugh. I will laugh at you, instead of with you. Carefully edited clips will saturate the web as your name becomes synonymous with clowns or worse. That is not going to help your career.

Every time that I laugh at your appearance on that show, I also feel a pain in my stomach. A pain of disappointment. I don’t want to dismiss you as a politician. I want to believe that no matter what letter is after your name, you take your work seriously. I want to believe that even when I disagree with your political decisions, you are acting with the best interests of all your constituents in mind. I want, no, I need to respect you as a politician and a person.

Have too much dignity and self respect to subject yourself to interviews by comedians. Every minute spent fixing your makeup and bantering for the live audience’s giggles is time that should have been spent working to make a difference. Please do not appear on <- insert name of entertainment program here -> while the working poor are paying your salary. Get back to work on the job you were elected to do.

Not my cup of tea

// February 8th, 2010 // 1 Comment » // politics

Embarrassed this happened in TN:

“Eavesdropping on the Pajamas Media livestream is interesting stuff.

Bridget Geegan Blanton of Smart Girl Media was just asked how she handles those awkward moments when she’s volunteering at a voter registration drive and a Democrat tries to register to vote with her.

“The law requires me to give (a voter registration form) to anyone who asks for it,” she said. “But I’m not legally obligated to mail it in.”

In any case, she said, Democrats shouldn’t approach her booth in the first place. She signals her intentions by hanging an American flag before every event. “That should tell them whose side I’m on.”

h/t KnoxViews

Dear Harold Ford Jr,

// February 2nd, 2010 // No Comments » // politics, television

This didn’t help.

no unbiased politics here

// September 19th, 2009 // 3 Comments » // parenting, politics

Tommy is taking a political science class this semester. I have avoided discussing the class with him, because he needs to learn concepts instead of opinions. That was a mistake. Today, he made a post on his blog that is really a cry for help with his first politics paper. Here is an excerpt: “The reason that the south always votes republican goes back to the period of Reconstruction after the Civil War. It was LBJ who signed the Civil Rights bill. He was a republican himself, and since then, the republicans have pretty much always had the black vote. The white vote is generally republican, mostly because Southerners tend to vote the way their parents vote, which is almost always republican.”

After I removed my jaw from the keyboard, I asked Tommy the source of his information. He “just knows” that it is true. There’s only one person who has been discussing politics with Tommy this semester. Politically, that person is the polar opposite of me. I think it’s safe for me to discuss politics with Tommy now.

Dear schools,

// September 5th, 2009 // 5 Comments » // parenting, politics, school

Please allow my children to watch the President’s speech to students on Tuesday at noon. I believe that it is important for students to be encouraged to do their best. I think that the office of President deserves respect and recognition. If my child’s class will not be watching the speech, please let me know asap so that I can make arrangements for them to watch it elsewhere.

Cathy

The elementary school will NOT be showing the President’s speech to students.

we need disclaimers

// May 27th, 2009 // No Comments » // blogging, politics, TN

Since our state legislators’ reaction to news is to pass measures of support on the very least effectual issues, I propose all Tennessee bloggers, letter writers and columnists add some standard disclaimers at the bottom of their work. How about:

*The appropriate response to this information is not time and expense creating a measure of support. Please take actions that will actually improve the quality of life for people instead.

It just needs a symbol to use as a replacement for the entire sentence since our legislators just skim the news instead of researching it. For example, the only thing they needed to do in this particular case was to help a family gain citizenship. I think our legislators should have to pay for one of the teachers who fell under the budget axe this year to supervise the legislators’ behavior. If a teacher can keep middle school students focused on their work, they can certainly handle a bunch of elected officials who have been reduced to adolescent behavior. “Mr. Representative, You stop fidgeting and pay attention to the project that the rest of the group is discussing. Ms. Representative, don’t make me call your constituents.”

ice cream does not equal murder

// March 27th, 2009 // 3 Comments » // life, parenting, people, politics, TN

Several times a year and in multiple environments, I have to pull out the tired, old dinosaur statistic that murder rates go up when ice cream sales go up. Eventually, everyone will recognize that statistics are not enough. The “most single parents live in poverty” statistic ignores the fact that people with severe mental or physical health issues are far more likely to be single. Families come in all shapes and sizes. There is no “ideal” family.

If TN politicians really want to “help” children, they should not allow custody war parents to have personal lawyers. They should instead have a lawyer for each and every child and create an individualized custodial plan (ICP instead of IEP) that serves the best interest of the child. There is no one-size-fits-all solution to two or more people fighting over a human being.

FWIW – I do not recommend spending the morning researching pending legislation, especially if you are looking it up by sponsor. Waaaay too much pandering to extremists instead of helping all people. Why doesn’t HB0822 include discrimination against gender or sexual orientation? Oh, wait . . . a quick scan of the other bills answers that question. How exactly is he representing ME?

I’m a socialist

// November 18th, 2008 // 1 Comment » // politics, relatives

Today’s letters to the editor include more redistribution of wealth will bring ruin of nation anxiety from Knoxvillians. Because I am a trouble maker, I am going to send the author of that letter the cartoon below. Because I don’t want to continue that trouble if the children are in the room, when the extended family gathers for Thanksgiving dinner this year, there will LOTS of subject changing to avoid discussing politics.

Dear TN legislators,

// November 17th, 2008 // 10 Comments » // people, politics, TN

If your number one priority for the coming year is going to be making sure that women have to cross state lines for abortions, I just KNOW that you will also be making sure that there are laws and financial resources to do the following:
1. Make sure that ALL women have prenatal care.
2. Make sure that ALL women have long-term alcohol/drug addiction treatment.
3. Make sure that ALL women have food, clothing and shelter.
4. Make sure that ALL women are safe from abuse and crime, especially rape and incest.
5. Make effective birth control available to ALL sexually active women.

ALL women doesn’t allow the exclusion of anyone because of race, age, income, religion, sexual orientation or place of birth. In addition to caring for all women before, during and after a pregnancy, I am absolutely certain that you will also be making sure that there are laws and financial resources to do the following:
1. Make sure that EVERY child is fed, clothed and provided shelter.
2. Make sure that EVERY child has medical care.
3. Make sure that EVERY child is safe from abuse and crime.
4. Make sure that EVERY child is provided a public education.
3. Make sure that EVERY child has a home where they are loved and wanted.

EVERY child doesn’t allow the exclusion of anyone because of gender, race, age, income, religion, sexual orientation or place of birth. Of course, it shouldn’t need to be said that there will be employment available in TN for the parents of every child and eventually, for those children. I am relieved that our state has the financial resources to do all of these things simultaneously. I just need to convince all of my unemployed neighbors and friends that they are wrong about the what the priorities of this state should be right now. If you are going to make abortion illegal in TN, be sure you first make it unnecessary.

From a woman and a mother,
Cathy