As GamePolitics noted on several occasions, using video games as a metaphor for academic underachievement was a staple of Barack Obama's presidential campaign speeches.
The Prez rolled out the same language last night in his first address to a joint session of Congress. Speaking about his administration's approach to education, Obama said:
These education policies will open the doors of opportunity for our children. But it is up to us to ensure they walk through them. In the end, there is no program or policy that can substitute for a mother or father who will attend those parent/teacher conferences, or help with homework after dinner, or turn off the TV, put away the video games, and read to their child. I speak to you not just as a president, but as a father when I say that responsibility for our children's education must begin at home.
A CNN poll reports that 65% of respondents gave the President favorable marks for the speech. NPR has a full transcript of the President's remarks.
Comments
Re: In First Major Address to Congress, Obama Once Again ...
To start off with, HAVE YOU EVEN LOOKED AT THE BILL FOR YOURSELF? Have you actually read the bill at all? Because if not, I want you to go and spend a week and read the 1000+ pages, and then get back to me. This bill doesn't create jobs, it puts money into organizations that have wasted BILLIONS befer, and will continue to waste BILLIONS without producing anything for the American people. You want to create jobs? Train 10000 gunsmiths, our police NEED them. Build some Nuclear Power plants, we could really use them. Don't give the money to states to spend on state projects that are wasteful.
But I have another question. When has any ONE bill in history spent 787 Billion dollars? This isn't an everyday occurence. This is an ASTOUNDING, and HORRIFYING precedent. This is the HEIGHT of massive spending. And guess what? NONE of it will create new jobs. If you look at the bill, and do some research for yourself, you'll find that few if any of the projects outlined in the bill produce jobs.
So how does this tie into a 'blind hatred' you jackass? What, I have to hate him, just because I can't stand the moronic things he's doing with tax money? Right, its obviously a blind hatred, not disdain based on his stance, the fact that he obviously has no plan whatsoever, the fact that he hasn't stopped campaigning yet, or the fact that so many of his campaign promises have been lies.
Re: In First Major Address to Congress, Obama Once Again ...
Lessee, gun-obsessive, hateful, bitter, superiority complex-laden, holier-than-thou attitude, Bush-worshipping...yup, you've pretty much confirmed just about every republican stereotype out there in about 2 days, so congrats on that?
Where to begin, where to begin, lets start with that blind hatred that you seem to be in constant denial over. You seem to have a great disliking of having your arguement reduced to that, don't you? Well tough shit. You've gone on the record of stating that any and all criticisms of your Glorious King George W. Jesus are nothing but blind hatred, but now with a democrat in the white house you expect every attack you make to be justified and righteous while constantly wishing for him to fail - doesn't work that way. You chose to dismiss everything negative to dubya as blind hatred, and now you're getting and will continue to get the exact same treatment back whether you like it or not. Maybe if you weren't so partisan to the point you couldn't admit to any mistakes he made you wouldn't have your arguements washed over. Furthermore, I guarantee that if McCain had won last November and pushed for the exact same thing you'd be lapping it up like it was mana from heaven, just like you were when Bush tried to pass his own $700B bailout before his term ended, before it got rejected that is.
Which brings me to this bailout. Did I read it? Well how about I just directly quote the answer you gave when someone DARED to ask if you read it, since it fits rather perfectly:
"Actually, I have. Any other moronic questions?"
Re: In First Major Address to Congress, Obama Once Again ...
"I got a crush on a pretty pistol
Should I tell her I feel this way?
Father told us to be faithful
I got a crush on a pretty pistol
Should I tell her I feel this way?
Got love songs in my head
Killing us away
Do you love your guns? Yeah!
God? Yeah!
The Government? FUCK YEAH."
I couldn't resist the obligatory Love Song reference; also, I'd say Austin is a bit CLINGY and BITTER, no?
Re: In First Major Address to Congress, Obama Once Again ...
Hey, if you want to have no recourse should the government turn tyrannical, and if you're okay with relying on police who have less firearms training than I do, that's fine. I'm self reliant.
Somewhere along the way, we seem to, as a society, have fallen, for the most part, into a 'sheep' mentality (Probably one of the only things LTC. Grossman's gotten right lately). Sheep like to think that the world is a safe place, and that others will protect them. For some people, that'll be true. They'll be lucky and live their whole lives without ever experiencing a confrontation with someone who wants to prey on them. But the reality is, the world is not a nice place. Police don't have to help you, and individuals rarely will help you. Learn to help yourself, or go suckle on the government teat.
Of course, perhaps my thinking has been warped by all my travel, my two doctorates, and the fact that I've done research in the ghettos of America. Or maybe it means my viewpoint is a bit more accurate than yours. Who knows?
The real question here is why should someone be able to legislate away my rights just because they don't feel safe around guns? If you don't feel safe around the, DONT BUY ONE! I had a neighbor once who always asked me to help him cut down trees in his back yard. Why? He didn't feel safe operating a chainsaw. Same prinicple applies here. Don't sign legislation that will increase our crime rate just because you don't feel comfortable with people having the freedom, and don't assume that a leader is magnificent just because he's new.
Re: In First Major Address to Congress, Obama Once Again ...
Hey, if you want to have no recourse should the government turn tyrannical, and if you're okay with relying on police who have less firearms training than I do, that's fine. I'm self reliant.
Of course, perhaps my thinking has been warped by all my travel, my two doctorates, and the fact that I've done research in the ghettos of America. Or maybe it means my viewpoint is a bit more accurate than yours. Who knows?
An internet toughguy and an internet scholar? Classic!
Re: In First Major Address to Congress, Obama Once Again ...
Way to refute my points. Of course, its hard to care too much, seeing as I'm writing from my 8000 square foot house and preparing to go to the rifle range to fire my rifle that probably costs more than most people's cars.
Re: In First Major Address to Congress, Obama Once Again ...
Right, sure you are - I'm sure everyone here is sooo jealous of what you claim your life to be. Then again, if being hateful and bitter is a prereq for large houses and overpriced firearms, I think I'll stick to the paradise I have right now.
Re: In First Major Address to Congress, Obama Once Again ...
I'm kinda jealous. I live in the south and I dont have enough money to buy a rifle. Thats like a straight guy living in san fransisco. And Austin the reeal reason he aint refuting your points is whether or not he wants to admit it everything there is true and painfuly so.
Re: In First Major Address to Congress, Obama Once Again ...
*Ahem*
As a straight guy living in San Francisco (and the owner of a rifle as well) some people might take umbrage to your comments, olstar. Not that I'm highly offended or anything, I'm just tired of people taking the same old cheap shots at my city.
Re: In First Major Address to Congress, Obama Once Again ...
Sucks for you, man. Most firearms dealers won't even SHIP to California anymore, especially those who make superior equipment. Try and buy an STI pistol new from their Texas- based armory. You can't. I'm also fairly certain that you can't have semi-automatic rifles that have pistol grips with more than 10 round magazines, and the magazines have to require a 'tool' to detach.
Re: In First Major Address to Congress, Obama Once Again ...
Its often said that the people who feel the need to brag about their lives on the internet tend to be amongst the biggest liars on the subject - so I can't help but find it sad that you'd be jealous of his attempts at being superior to everyone else. I mean really, if you want another shining example, just look at his fellow republican Jack Thompson.
And if you want his points refuted, well how about he explains how having more guns on the street will lead to lower crime rates and better safety when nations with more gun restrictions have vastly lower crime and homicide rates per capita than we do?
Re: In First Major Address to Congress, Obama Once Again ...
Having more firearms in the hands of people with CCW licenses has absolutely been shown to make the streets safer, in fact. Look at what happened when the last AWB was implemented. Violent crime went UP. Now, let's look at the areas where CCW's are not issued at all. Oh, wow. California? High violent crime rate. New York City? Same deal. Boston? Oh my god.
Wait, other countries? Let's see... oh yes, their violent crime rates went up too.
It doesn't matter if they have lower crime rates, what's important to look at is the change in violent crime. Every country that bans firearms, especially pistols, sees an increase in violent crimes. Look at Australia.
Re: In First Major Address to Congress, Obama Once Again ...
Actually, Jack's not as much of a Republican as you would think. He simply backed the side he thought was going to win. He switched to Obama (taking the name michelleobamarama in the process) after it was pretty much obvious [Obama] was going to win.
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Re: In First Major Address to Congress, Obama Once Again ...
Well as long as he remains a registered republican, writing for HumanEvents, supporting Ann Coulter, and claiming to be a republican, I'm going to label him one, right there with his buddy Austin.
Re: In First Major Address to Congress, Obama Once Again ...
If you can scrape together 300 dollars, you might be able to find a nice savage with the older, non 'accu-trigger' trigger. If you can get 500, you can get a savage with the accu-trigger. Of course, you could also do what I did when I was young, and buy an old WWII bolt action rifle. I had a mosin nagant, a real beater, that cost me 60 dollars. probably more expensive now, but I still have it.
Re: In First Major Address to Congress, Obama Once Again ...
I'm pretty sure he's just suffering from Obama Derangement Syndrome, what with his blind hatred of the man thats reached the point where he just wants him to fail to justify his position.
Re: In First Major Address to Congress, Obama Once Again Links
Don't some video games encourage reading though? I mean.. if you didn't read some games you couldn't play them. Like pokemonz.
Personally, even when the games are put away, I find plenty of things to occupy myself other then work. I'm looking at you, Cellphones.
-I apologize-
Re: In First Major Address to Congress, Obama Once Again ...
I think RPG's do in fact encourage reading. Seriously. Play FFIV and higher, it's like reading a novel and then playing through it too.
Re: In First Major Address to Congress, Obama Once Again Links
hey, it's true, i know many people (myself included) who would...not necessarily do better, but be less time crunched if the games were put away for at least an hour more than normal.
Re: In First Major Address to Congress, Obama Once Again Links
Don't see that much of an issue there. Video games were not that singled out as he included it with watching TV. Likewise he's preaching parental involvment not some form of legislation.
Wonder how long before this thread gets jacked by someone complaining about one of Obama's policies that has nothing to do with video games...
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Re: In First Major Address to Congress, Obama Once Again Links
I agree with him as well. Stop blaming everyone else, take care of buisiness if you are a parent.
Re: In First Major Address to Congress, Obama Once Again Links
ironic, isnt it, for a dem to be preaching "responsibility"
Re: In First Major Address to Congress, Obama Once Again Links
Not really.
Re: In First Major Address to Congress, Obama Once Again Links
Makes sense. I agree with him.
Now, why can't all politicions be like him?
Re: In First Major Address to Congress, Obama Once Again ...
The only unsettling part about this is that it suggests he sees games as children's toys. Hillary is in his cabinet (albeit in non-domestic affars post), and you never know what bile she is putting in his ear...
Re: In First Major Address to Congress, Obama Once Again ...
The only unsettling part about this is that it suggests he sees games as children's toys.
I don't see anything about that. There was no reference to age of those playing the games or watching the TV. I would admit myself that I need to watch when I'm playing. People are reading in what they expect to hear way to much anymore, and they really need to start listening to what is actually said.
Also, publishers of any type need to stop allowing sensationalist articles from being published. Where are the editors who had the job of filtering out this type of crap is years gone? I would say that this takes a notch out of credibility for me as far as this place is concerned.
Re: In First Major Address to Congress, Obama Once Again ...
And honestly, I don't think we'll be seeing Clinton get on the case anytime soon. She'll be much too busy with other duties.
Re: In First Major Address to Congress, Obama Once Again ...
So because Obama has said something negative about games this would have come from Clinton? Can't Obama be independent on his thoughts on games, or is it because it is something you disagree with it has to have come from someone else and not him? He is the one who said it, he has to be responsible for what he says and he has to agree with what he says.
From history we know he is hypocritical on games as he has complained about people playing on them whilst at the same time advertising his own campaign in them.
Re: In First Major Address to Congress, Obama Once Again ...
Didnt see that in there, just that kids do play games. Which they do, and there are games for kids, so they do fit under the very broad market. Nothing in what he said proclaims games are exclusively for children.
He isnt singling them out as children's toys.
Re: In First Major Address to Congress, Obama Once Again Links
This doesnt say games are addicitive, it doesnt link games to violence or even equate them directly with underachievement.
What it says is that games take time, and time management should be favoured towards scholarly pursuits, doing homework and reading books. Because most kids won't do that normally.
This isnt any form of condemnation so I don't see the problem.
Re: In First Major Address to Congress, Obama Once Again ...
Indeed... he didn't exactly spend the entire time decrying GTAIV:L&D or *sigh* rapelay (not like some people.)
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Re: In First Major Address to Congress, Obama Once Again Links
Well, to his credit he is preaching parental rather than govermental/industrial responsibility.
Is frustrating that he singled out video games though. There are far more detrimental factors to education than just that.
Re: In First Major Address to Congress, Obama Once Again ...
Yeah, I am all for the parental responsibility. I am still waiting to see how this presidency is going to go. I don't think we will completely know what is going to happen until at least half way through this year if not until the end of the year.
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Re: In First Major Address to Congress, Obama Once Again Links
No he didnt. TV is there, parents not helping kids with homework is there. Kids not reading is there. This is not singling out video games.
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Re: In First Major Address to Congress, Obama Once Again Links
I agree - Obama's comment was quite sensible, he wasn't saying "OMG GAMEz R EV1l" or anything like that - he was merely pointing out that parent's need to read to their children or just take some form of interest in order to encourage learning. Good on the man - I don't mind opinions like this, just the tripe that claims we're teaching people to kill.
Re: In First Major Address to Congress, Obama Once Again Links
I re read it more carefully and you are right. My bafd.