"Childrens do learn," Bush tells school kids

[sabra]

Source: Reuters

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Offering a grammar lesson guaranteed to make any English teacher cringe, President George W. Bush told a group of New York school kids on Wednesday: "Childrens do learn."

Bush made his latest grammatical slip-up at a made-for-TV event where he urged Congress to reauthorize the No Child Left Behind Act, the centerpiece of his education policy, as he touted a new national report card on improved test scores.

The event drew New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Education Secretary Margaret Spellings plus teachers and about 20 fourth and fifth graders from P.S. 76.

During his first presidential campaign, Bush -- who promised to be the "education president" -- once asked: "Is our children learning?"

...

"As yesterday's positive report card shows, childrens do learn when standards are high and results are measured," he said.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSN2623880720070926

[Bozita]

1. Presidunce Bush ... setting the pie higher

[gateley]

2. Wish Dems could. nt

[shaniqua6392]

7. At least the Dems are not ignorant like Shrub.

What a complete embarrassment he is for America. I am counting the days until he is gone, gone, gone. I just cringe every time he opens his mouth and I can practically hear the laughter around the entire world at how stupid he is! How many days are left until the Dems take over the entire U.S. government? I am going to throw the biggest party in history. The whole world will cheer once he is gone back to Texas. Yahooooo!

[Whoa_Nelly]

9. The Dems who just voted passage on the Kyl-Lieberman amendment are stupid n/t

[goclark]

16. They are worse than the Chimp

He has power and doesn't care.

They have brains and looked the other way.

Please help me somebody, why would anyone in their right mind vote for War with Iran???

:crazy:

[acmavm]

3. They just turn this talking chimp lose and don't give a damn what

he says or how he makes a fool of himself (and us) anymore. They don't even try to keep up the pretence. They don't even have the pointy earred little fuckwit wired anymore.

[AllyCat]

4. But not all of 'em, eh Pretzeldent? n/t

[LeftishBrit]

5. But presidents doesn't!

[reprobate]

6. Don't we all long for the days when we had a President for whom English was his FIRST language?

[Mrs. Overall]

8. He had it written phonetically on the back of his hand:

Chill-drenz (pawz) Doo (pawz) Lern (pawz)

[musette_sf]

10. "I Can Haz NCLB?

kthxbye"

*complete Bu$h speech in LOLcat*

[HowHasItComeToThis]

11. MY SWEETIE SAYS " HE IS JUST LEARNING A SECOND LANGAGE"

:banghead: :grouphug: :banghead:

[msmcghee]

12. While it may be true that Bush is not high on the IQ chart . .

. . he is intelligent enough to be a good leader - if he held the right values such as honesty and compassion for others - a sense of fairness, respect for those who disagree with him, etc.

Just because he lacks those qualities doesn't mean he's dumb. He also has a problem with speech processing. That too is not part of the intelligence of leadership.

His faults are in the area of morality and ethics - not IQ.

[Mrs. Overall]

13. What? Can you articulate that thought further?

On Edit: Don't mean to sound so abrupt. I think I get what you are saying, but I would question his intelligence. He was a lazy student and not at all curious about the world around him. He doesn't read much and I do believe past drug use has fried his brain a bit. I would love to see the results of an IQ test.

I think he has something degenerative going on that is skewing his ability to reason.

[msmcghee]

14. I think I am saying that intelligence . . .

. . may be good for some types of complex problem solving - but high IQ is not necessary to be a good leader.

The qualities required for good leadership are integrity, fairness, respect for others, compassion, etc. I have known many people who did not have brilliant analytical minds - but who did have those qualities. I have also known many brilliant people who were complete assholes who I would not trust for a second. William Krystol and many other neo-cons are smart. Do you approve of their influence on US policy just because they are smart?

I think it is wrong to equate IQ with ethical qualities. People don't develop those qualities by reasoning. They get them from life experience and by example from parents, etc. As an adult you either have them or you don't.

The president of the US has at his disposal any top analyst (from either the US or any of our allies such as England, Canada, France, etc.) whom he could ask for advice. All that he needs is an open mind and a sense of integrity to find the best answers to the tough problems the US faces in the world. That doesn't mean that all problems have solutions that humans can solve. Just that it's useful to do our best to search for rational solutions - starting from a sense of integrity.

Added: I think Bush has adequate intelligence to lead. I think he lacks an ethical framework for the job. His speech impediments are not necessarily a sign of poor reasoning skills - and these skills are over-rated IMO as a prerequisite for leadership. I'd much rather have a well-meaning honest person of moderate intelligence running my country than a brilliant jerk if I had to make the choice.

Of course, I'd really prefer someone with both sides covered - like Hillary - or almost any of the Dem candidates, for that matter. ;-)

[THUNDER HANDS]

17. I'd still take an asshole with a high IQ over an asshole with a low IQ

If Nixon were president he never would have invaded Iraq. Not on moral reasons, but on realistic common-sense reasons.

[msmcghee]

19. An asshole with a high IQ is the definition . .

. . of a con man. An asshole with a low IQ can probably do less damage to others. The cops are usually amazed at how dumb some crooks are and how easily they are caught.

[Mrs. Overall]

20. Asshole with high IQ = Cheney = Con Man

[msmcghee]

21. Absolutely! n/t

[Lorien]

38. Sociopathic assholes with low IQs are extremely dangerous

Bush has proven this time and time again.

[Mrs. Overall]

18. Thanks. I appreciate your thoughtful response.

[Indenturedebtor]

32. Though I disagree on your choice of candidate

I agree with you on the idea that ethics are more important than intelligence.

However intelligence coupled with proper education is helpful for the formation of personal ethics. If you don't understand why something is wrong, you are more likely to do that wrong thing IMO.

It takes a certain level of intelligence to do the right thing in the face of new situations that haven't been dealt with before, and had a moral judgement passed on them about the righteous way to handle 'em.

Also please see above post about his speech-reasoning abilities.

[msmcghee]

50. Your opinion is the one most people accept.

I have a problem with it based on my own experience in life. Also, I think the idea that poor people deserve it - is an egotistically pleasing story for many people - which makes me skeptical.

You say that, " . . intelligence coupled with proper education is helpful for the formation of personal ethics."

It seems that one predictable outcome of your thesis is that people with lower intelligence and education are more likely to be criminals - since they are more likely to lack personal ethics.

I suspect though that if you adjust for income effects (lower intelligence often correlates with lower education and income in a relatively free economy like ours - and low incomes may motivate people toward crime, like if they are having trouble feeding their kids, or if they really want those Nikes) I'm not sure you will find that correlation to hold. It could though. Do you have any data?

[msmcghee]

53. I found this interesting writeup if anyone's interested:

http://law.jrank.org/pages/1365/Intelligence-Crime-Explaining-IQ-crime-correlation.html

Once the IQ-crime correlation is measured, the next task is to explain it. Why are IQ and crime negatively correlated? Explanations of the IQ-crime correlation typically take one of three approaches, that: (1) IQ and crime are spuriously, not causally, correlated; (2) low IQ increases criminal behavior; or (3) criminal behavior decreases IQ.

A popular argument against IQ as a cause of crime criticizes IQ tests as only measuring middle-class knowledge and values rather than innate intelligence. As a result, the observation that some minority groups and the poor score low on IQ tests simply reflects their diverse cultural backgrounds. These same groups also commit proportionately more crime because they suffer structural disadvantages such as poverty and discrimination. Consequently, the same people who score low on IQ tests also tend to commit more crime, and so IQ and crime are empirically correlated, thus this correlation is not causal but reflects only culturally biased testing of intelligence.

A variation of this argument holds that the structural disadvantages that increase crime rates also reduce educational opportunities thus lessening individuals' ability and motivation to score well on IQ tests. The IQ-crime correlation occurs only because they are both rooted in structural disadvantage, which, in statistical terms, represents a "spurious" correlation.

Although these discrimination hypotheses have wide appeal, they have received fairly little support in empirical studies, for IQ and crime are significantly correlated within race and class groups as well as when statistically controlling for race, class, test-taking ability, and test-taking motivation (e.g., Hirschi and Hindelang; Lynam et al.).

Another argument against IQ as a cause of crime holds that school teachers and administrators treat students differently by perceptions of the students' intelligence—giving negative labels and fewer educational opportunities to less intelligent students. These labels and constrained opportunities, in turn, produce feelings of alienation and resentment that lead students to delinquent peers and criminal behavior (Menard and Morse). As such, society's reaction to intelligence, and not any property of intelligence itself, increases criminal behavior. Unfortunately, few studies have adequately tested this labeling hypothesis.

A final argument against IQ holds that even if all people commit crime with equal frequency, less intelligent people would be less able to evade detection and would be arrested more often. This detection hypothesis has received some empirical support in that IQ scores tend to correlate more strongly with officially recorded crime than self-reported crime. However, most studies still find a significant correlation between IQ and self-reported crime, which is not easily explained by differential police detection (e.g., Moffitt and Silva).

In contrast to the above spurious arguments, some explanations emphasize IQ as a cause of crime. The earliest causal explanation, popular during the early 1900s, portrayed criminals as so "feebleminded" and "mentally deficient" that they could neither distinguish right from wrong nor resist criminal impulses. This feeblemindedness hypothesis, however, lost favor long ago as it became clear that few criminals are actually mentally deficient and most recognize, though may not follow, behavioral norms (Moffitt et al.).

A more recent, and more compelling, causal explanation emphasizes the importance of intelligence—especially verbal intelligence—during childhood socialization. The socialization of children involves constant verbal communication and comprehension of abstract symbols; therefore, children with poor verbal and cognitive skills have greater difficulty completing the socialization process, which puts them at risk of undercontrolled, antisocial behavior. Empirical studies overall have supported this developmental hypothesis (Moffitt, p. 116), and it fits with the especially strong correlation between verbal IQ and crime.

A final causal explanation links IQ to crime through school performance. Less intelligent students do less well in school, which results in academic frustration. This frustration, in turn, weakens their attachment and commitment to schooling, and a weakened bond to school, as per social control theory, allows for more criminal behavior (Hirschi and Hindelang). This school-performance hypothesis has received strong support from empirical studies, and it is probably the most widely accepted explanation of the IQ-crime correlation (Moffitt).

One last approach to IQ and crime deserves mention even though few criminological studies have examined it. Rather than low IQ increasing criminal behavior, criminal behavior might decrease IQ. Many facets of a criminal lifestyle can impair cognitive abilities, including physical injuries, especially head traumas, drug use, and withdrawing from school (Moffitt).

[JDPriestly]

36. The choice was Al Gore or John Kerry, both intelligent men capable of leading

or George W. Bush. And the Supreme Court chose Bush -- because he was a Republican like the majority of them. We are paying for it. The whole nation is in serious and rapid decline because of that choice. I used to think Bush was smart but had a learning disability. After all these years, I am convinced, he does not just have a learning disability. In spite of years and years and years of top schools and coaching, he is very simply a stupid man. Stupid men can lead, but they need more help than he is willing to accept to lead toward success and the well being of the society around them. With so many capable, good people in the U.S., why are we stuck with this ignoramus? He is hopelessly stupid. I'm sorry. I just can't come to any other conclusion at this point, no matter how charitable I would like to be.

[Indenturedebtor]

30. Though there are a couple specific language areas in the brain

Brain scans show that proper (or improper) speech activates a huge percentage of the brain. IE, dyslexia, Wernickes' Syndrome and a few other speech abnormalities aside, one can draw reliable predictions about another persons generalized intelligence from their speech.

Furthermore, it can not easily be argued that vocabulary stands alone in terms of knowledge acquisition and has no impact on overall intelligence. Words represent concepts, and there are very few true synonyms... meaning that the fewer words you know the fewer concepts you know and can manipulate in your mind. Also, a persons genetically derived IQ can change plus or minus 15 based on their upbringing and nutrition! 30 IQ points of difference would place you in a completely different level of intelligence: retarded to average, average to above average, above average to genius. Vocabulary acquisition, grammatical correctness, speech in general results from a good and thorough education.

Now, this is not to say that regional dialects are indicative of stupidity or lack of sophistication... they are variations on language and can be just as complicated and colorful (if not more so) than the "pure" lingua franca. Shrubby isn't stupid because he mispronounces Nuclear, he's stupid because he didn't pick up on the fact that Nuclear describes the process of Nuclear Fission, which entails splitting the Nucleas of an Atom. If he understood the concept he wouldn't use the word Nukular. Nukular describes a Nuke, which is a nickname for using a nuclear weapon on someone, which clearly means that he only understands "nukes" in terms of how much devastation they can unleash, or how that destructive power can be used to terrorize a country that doesn't want to do what he wants them to.

His inability to pronounce the names of other countries clearly means that he doesn't know anything about them and hasn't given them much thought... that's why it's insulting. Remeber "Tribal Sovereignity"? Um yeah he clearly knew what the word sovereignty is, and if he bothered could write you a book on the nature of it, and its relation to nationhood and nation building... RIIiiiiiiight.

When someone talks like a child, they generally have the intellect of a child in terms of problem solving, general knowledge, etc. Bush is a booboo head plain and simple.

[Joey Liberal]

40. He's a MORON........n/t

[DLnyc]

51. Also lacks intellectual curiosity, maturity, ability to see beyond black/white

framing, has a severe inferiority complex, is extremely self-focused, cannot tolerate being less than adored and, to use a technical term from behavioral psychology, is a major asshole.

But, I think you're right, there are plenty of people who don't process speech well but are wonderful, valuable human beings. Mr. shrub just doesn't happen to be one of them. Perhaps with about ten years of intensive therapy, plus loving care from family and friends, plus a strict quarantine from neo-con manipulating handlers, he could become a damaged but tolerable man. IMHO.

[Not a robought]

15. Childrens do learn,

with available resources - like the internets.

[HelloDubya]

22. And we thought "My Pet Goat" was bad!!!!

[Mrs. Overall]

24. Somebody pointed out the other day that it's actually "The Pet Goat". Who knew?

I've been calling it "My Pet Goat" for years.

[truthisfreedom]

43. Well, that's not the only book he was reading on 9-11.

[Mrs. Overall]

48. Wow, never realized that the title of the book he's holding upside down is "America"--

How fitting!

[DLnyc]

52. And what is that quaint document behind him?

it looks oddly familiar . . . brings back memories of an ancient time . . . wasn't that once an important part of our system of government?

[Mrs. Overall]

55. This photo hasn't been photoshopped a bit? If not, the irony is

absofuckinglutely amazing!

[Felix Mala]

23. If the country gets under attack, childs get learned all about goats by the Prez himself!

[DeSwiss]

25. If an idiot asks the question: "Is our children learning?"

The idiot will most likely answer with: "Childrens do learn."

- See?


K&R!!! this puppy to #5!!!

[MaineDem]

26. I was hoping this was a joke

The President is the joke. And a fucking embarrassment!

[YOY]

27. There are mentally disabled people smarter than this excuse-less POS

Why would anyone support this idiot? There really are no goddamn more excuses.

[madrchsod]

28. this is the guy the democrats are afraid of...

just think of that...a D student who never worked a day in his life. in the real world he`d be on the streets cleaning windshields or washing dishes

[chelsea0011]

29. I just love my two childrens.

[rodeodance]

31. why is that idiot allowed schools?

[Ilsa]

33. I tacked this one on to his UN speech post on another board I visit.

I'm waiting for two or three buddies of mine on that board to finally fess up to voting for the brain-damaged chimp.

[Bragi]

34. His grammar slips when he tries to be empathetic...

There was a book out a few years ago that analysed Bush's grammatical blunders. What the author found, to his surprise actually, was that Bush's slips happen usually when he tries to express compassion, caring, or human empathy. His grammar is generally fine when he is dismising, threatening or bullying a person, a country, a continent, that sort of thing.

I thought it was an interesting observation aboue the nature of Bush's sociopathy.

- B

[truthisfreedom]

41. Ahh, that explains everything. He's a total sociopath.

But we already knew that.

[aaronbees]

58. empathy and compassion aren't natural to him

No wonder he stumbles over the words. When he's threatening, he carries conviction and certainty. Sociopath indeed.

[beastofbourbon]

35. Bush makes me proud to be a USA American !

[City Lights]

37. You can send childrens to school, but you can't make them lurn.

Too bad 'Murika can't hold our presidense to the same standards that our childrens is held. :silly:

Maybe it's time to pass the No Presidense Left Behind Act.

[TheWebHead]

39. I'm surprised

he didn't say "childrens does learns when standards is high and result are measures"

[Buns_of_Fire]

42. You know, it's not really even funny anymore.

For the next 16 months, it looks like he's just going to mail it in. He doesn't care.

And he thinks people are going to pay to hear him speak. :eyes:

It's like watching the end of "Charly," where the Algernon-Gordon Effect started to wear off. (Reference http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charly )


(Edited to add the reference to the movie, since I'm sure not everyone is familiar with it.)

[truthisfreedom]

54. No, it's not like "Flowers for Algernon." bush was NEVER smart.

Not for a single moment. He was the stuipest president ever elected, and will be the stupidest president we have for all time.

[Arugula Latte]

44. Just kill me now, please.

:banghead:

[llmart]

45. Once again, I would like to apologize to the world.......

for our country and this complete asshole who is in charge and make sure they know we at DU had nothing to do with him having any sort of office, let alone the highest one in our country!

But let's not forget here at DU even though we all know he stole the election, there were still plenty of idiots in this country who thought he would be great. "Yeah, he seems like he'd be fun to go have a beer with." I heard and remember plenty of idiots talking about him like he was terrific.

So, our country's citizens - the ones who voted for him - are equally as dumb.

[JerseygirlCT]

46. Well, Georgie Boy, YMMV nt

[NYC]

47. Is that on You Tube?

Does anyone know? Thanks in advance.

[LiberalFighter]

49. Who are the dumb ass scumbags that approved the visit to PS 76?

Were the kids volunteers to the event or forced? If they volunteered then shame on them. And I am being nice about my language and feelings towards them.

[DuaneBidoux]

56. Imagine the montage we'll be able to put together after 8 years of asshat.

[bemildred]

57. Unlike politicians. nt

[struggle4progress]

59. Summary:

This is historic times. The best place for the facts to be done is by somebody who's spending time investigating it. I rarely read the stories, and get briefed by people who are probably read the news themselves. I mean, I can tell you what the headlines are. I'm going to try to see if I can remember as much to make it sound like I'm smart on the subject.

If a person doesn't have the capacity that we all want that person to have, I suspect hope is in the far distant future, if at all. I love the idea of a school in which people come to get educated and stay in the state in which they're educated. In other words, if there's a need for a certain kind of worker, I presume your curriculums evolved over time. In other words, what is your ambitions? Just remember it's the birds that's supposed to suffer, not the hunter. But I hope the ambitious realize that they are more likely to succeed with success as opposed to failure. Does that make any sense to you?

I want to thank you for the importance that you've shown for education and literacy. Because of your work, children who once wanted to die are now preparing to live. A lot of times in the rhetoric, people forget the facts. You teach a child to read, and he or her will be able to pass a literacy test. One has a stronger hand when there's more people playing your same cards.

I know something about being a government. I will continue to articulate what I believe and what I believe — I believe what I believe is right. We expect the states to show us whether or not we're achieving simple objectives—like literacy, literacy in math, the ability to read and write. And if people have got solid information, please come forward with it. You've also got to measure in order to begin to effect change that's just more—when there's more than talk, there's just actual — a paradigm shift. We look forward to hearing your vision, so we can more better do our job.

[lpbk2713]

60. I see a common thread here.

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: