The Ice Cream & The Election

Discussion in 'Politics' started by Trader200K, Jan 27, 2009.

  1. Trader200K

    Trader200K

    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Ice Cream & The Election: From a teacher in the Nashville area.

    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Who worries about "the cow" when it is all about the "Ice Cream? The most eye-opening civics lesson I ever had was while teaching third grade this year.

    The presidential election was heating up and some of the children showed an interest. I decided we would have an election for a class president. We would choose our nominees. They would make a campaign speech and the class would vote.

    To simplify the process, candidates were nominated by other class members. We discussed what kinds of characteristics these students should have. We got many nominations and from those, Jamie and Olivia were picked to run for the top spot.

    The class had done a great job in their selections. Both candidates were good kids. I thought Jamie might have an advantage because he got lots of parental support. I had never seen Olivia's mother.

    The day arrived when they were to make their speeches Jamie went first. He had specific ideas about how to make our class a better place. He ended by promising to do his very best. Everyone applauded.

    He sat down and Olivia came to the podium. Her speech was concise.

    She said, "If you will vote for me, I will give you ice cream." She sat down.
    The class went wild. "Yes! Yes! We want ice cream." She surely could say more. She did not have to.

    A discussion followed. How did she plan to pay for the ice cream? She wasn't sure.
    Would her parents buy it or would the class pay for it? She didn't know.
    The class really didn't care. All they were thinking about was ice cream.

    Jamie was forgotten. Olivia won by a landslide.

    Every time Barack Obama opened his mouth he offered ice cream and fifty-two percent of the people reacted like nine year olds. They want ice cream. The other forty-eight percent of us know we're going to have to feed the cow and clean up the mess.

    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    "A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover they can vote themselves, at will, money from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority votes for candidates promising the most benefits from the public treasury, with the result that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy, usually followed by a dictatorship. The average age of the world's greatest civilizations has been 200 years. These nations have progressed through certain definite sequences. From courage by revolution to liberty, from liberty to abundance, from abundance to complacency, from complacency to apathy, and back to dependency."

    -- Alexander Tyler, 18th Century English Professor, writing about the fall of the Athenian Republic.


    "[D]emocracies have ever been spectacles of turbulence and contention; have ever been found incompatible with personal security, or the rights of property; and have, in general, been as short in their lives as they have been violent in their deaths."

    -- James Madison, Federalist No. 10, November 23, 1787


    "It is a besetting vice of democracies to substitute public opinion for law. This is the usual form in which masses of men exhibit their tyranny." -- James Fenimore Cooper

    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Those that learn nothing from history are doomed to repeat it...

    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    T :D
     
  2. Bush promised ice cream, and gave everyone a giant shit sandwich, and was re-elected.

    Put those sprinkles on top.
     
  3. Agreed.

    And don't forget that he spent nearly 40% of his Presidency "working" hard for the people of this Country while on VACATION at the Crawford Ranch, Camp David, and Kennebunkport, Maine.

    He's only surpassed by his Dad.
    543 days on vacation as President.
    Seems to "run" in the Family.

    http://indi.ca/2004/04/george-bush-spent-40-of-his-time-on-vacation/
     
  4. Trader200K

    Trader200K

    I scratch my head how Bush Jr or his One Worlder Dad ever made President... both made me puke. But that is yesterday's washwater.

    Can't the Dems or Repubs find a Statesman loyal to the American People that pay the taxes that makes this country (and their salaries) run? Ron Paul's debate videos certainly stand out in that respect.

    At least Obama can put 5 sentences together eloquently. Now if we can only get him educated on real world economics.

    Still, the ultimate message is ...

    Politicians need to buck up and do what's right for Americans....not be ice cream vendors.

    Wall Street also forgets its place. In no longer serving its customers, it is choosing a path where the comeuppance will be harsh.

    The Sheeple that don't understand either will get what they deserve.

    T :D
     
  5. Most Americans's don't even know who the current Defense Secretary is, let alone how the "Commodity Modernization Act of 2000" screwed this country over like no other piece of legislation.

    How else could "Dumbya" get voted into office not once . . . but TWICE!

    Sad, but true.
     
  6. Landis, don't forget that Bush Senior promised lots of ice cream, repeatedly, and then when elected, said 'no ice cream for you:'

    <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/CP9_kkzfN-w&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/CP9_kkzfN-w&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

    If Obama stays true to his campaign pledges, he'll do much better than Bush Senior, or the 'Unifier', 'small government,' Junior.
     
  7. My daughter told me about an ice cream story that happened to her in real life. Her math teacher said that the class had performed well and on the last day they would have a little party. The class decided to vote for the King or Queen of math. They came down to a few candidates. Each of those candidates was asked to make a speech saying why people should vote for them. The other candidates made lengthy speeches and then it was my daughter's turn to speak. All my daughter said was, "I brought cookies for the party, if you want to have one, vote for me". She won by a landslide.

    The United States is actually not a democracy but a republic. The difference is important and is explained here:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DioQooFIcgE&feature=related