I know I have said it before, but I hate Duhhhbya. Unlike many of the people out there that hate him due to his time in office as president, my hate for him stems from a time long ago. From back in 1994 when he ran for Governor of Texas. You see, he was touting his wonderful Welfare reform plan back then too. (link via Michele)
Maybe some history is in order for this. 10 years ago when my son was born, he had a club foot. I was still married at the time, but my husband was in the Army and the Champus insurance would not cover the special orthotics he would need after his surgery to repair his foot. So the doctor suggested I apply for CIDC, Chronically Ill & Disabled Children, benefits. It was not an income-based program and Jason qualified, but there was one catch. They in turn required you to apply for Medicaid. I thought I would never qualify … and I was wrong. As a small family on an Army income, we still qualified. Just after Jason’s first birthday, we got divorced. So, I was a single mother without a college degree working at low paying job. I worked my way up in the world, but for well over 2 years we qualified for Medicaid.
Then, just after I started working for the huge law firm and finally made an income that no longer qualified for Medicaid, Duhhhbya ran for governor. Even at the highly Republican, corporate firm (I actually worked on the corporate, business & banking team) I was brash & brazen enough to post the comic from the now defunct Houston Post that depicted Duhhhbya in an operation room, saying “Well, I’ve never performed brain surgery, but I THINK I CAN!” Yeah, summed up my opinion of him. Especially when he started to say that single mothers (ME) should only be allowed 2 years of Medicaid for their children. I was fortunate. I don’t have a degree because I left college to get married – but I am intelligent. (Or I pretend to be on TV.) I was able to work to where I could get to a salary level equal to someone with a degree. I was fortunate to have a lot of good opportunities. But what about someone that never has those opportunities?
I agree, there is a level of work ethic that should be required. I have always felt that you should have to prove that you are attempting to work, that you are attempting move up, take the free education courses they offer, whatever. But to suggest that getting MARRIED is the solution, and single moms are entirely the problem, is just WRONG. On many, many levels.
I think there are many things that are “broken” in our country. I think the whole Education system could use a giant overhaul, but NOT with Duhhhbya’s plan of TAAS-like testing. The TAAS testing is not doing any good in Texas, so why on earth would it be a good idea to implement it nation-wide?
Reading that article today just brought forth many emotions for me. It made me recall how ostracized from society I felt when that was part of his campaign for governor. I know there are many people that love Duhhhbya, and this is a free country and that is your right. I respect him because he is our president, and I support him in that position. I guess I should add this … technically, I lean much more Republican then I do Democrat. I don’t vote straight party tickets though, I vote based on the candidate. My reasons for my hate of Duhhhbya have a basis, though. God knows, I did not vote for him, and in two years my chant will be “No More, 2004!”