Shut Up! (For the Children!)

In the last couple of days, since taking over as Speaker of the House, it seems children have really been on Nancy Pelosi's mind; and when I say really, I mean really. In every clip or quote I have seen from her in the last few days, whether on TV, in the newspapers, on-line, or elsewhere, she's managed not only to inject the word 'children,' but preceded it with 'for the' directly every time! With that kind of repetitiveness you'd almost think she was trying to sell you some sort of political agenda - but, nah, how could someone who does everything 'for the children' possibly be doing anything wrong?

Of course, as all of us with a brain know, Nancy Pelosi is trying to sell a political agenda - and an ambitious one at that. She, like every great Democratic talking head before her, understands that there is just something irresistible about that phrase: 'for the children'.

It just sounds so innocent.

In a way it reminds me of Southern women prefacing statements with 'bless his/her lil' heart' - it may sound pretty and sweet, but it's still followed by something unflattering. 'Hank is a jackass' sounds much worse than 'Hank, bless his lil' heart, is just as rude as he can be;' much like 'Tax hike' sounds a heckuva lot worse than 'programme increases to secure the future of our children'. Yet, in the former, the bottom line is that Hank is not a pleasant dude, regardless of how you say it; and in the latter, the bottom line is that you're going to get increased spending on wasteful government programs, no matter how you spin it.

Sadly, many Americans don't seem to understand the, ahem, subtlety of Nancy Pelosi's 'for the children' phrase; and so they buy the whole gag. Results? Who needs results? Just listen to how compassionate she sounds when she's speaking! I mean, seriously, how do you think Democrats continue to be seen as the party with the upper hand on education? Trust me, it's not the test scores (especially here in S.C). No, it has a lot more to do with the fact that they're very good at saying the things that people want to hear. Which is why, despite her seemingly good intentions, I'm not at all impressed with our new House Speaker. Sure, she sounds good, but, God help us, I can only imagine what her Congress' actual results will be. Thus I have but one suggestion for Madame Speaker: Mrs. Pelosi, bless your lil' heart, just hush already with your stupid political pandering - for the children's sake!