Speak Out 6/2/13

Misconception

For all of those demagoguing Common Core standards, including many in this area, as more dictates from the federal government, that is not correct. The federal government was not involved in developing the Common Core Curriculum. It was developed by the states coming together via the National Governors Association to try and solve a perceived need. In addition, local schools are quite free to deviate from the standards and make the curriculum even tougher. If you're going to try and make political hay from Common Core, please refrain from falsely claiming that this is a federal mandate.

Leaving the House

House Speaker John Boehner told Politico that he hasn't discussed anything of substance with President Barack Obama in nearly five months because he's busy trying to organize his own House Republican caucus. Hard to do when they are all out vacationing or campaigning on the money that the middle class and poor pay in taxes.

Republican witch hunt

U.S. congressmen will meet security officials in Moscow this week to find out whether the FBI could have done more with Russian intelligence on the Boston bombing suspect to prevent the attack, one of the lawmakers said on Wednesday. They will keep trying to find something that they might be able to twist around to go against President Obama, instead of doing what need to be done to help America. They have wasted so much of the American taxpayers' money on these witch hunts, and all the vacation time they have taken off as well as the time they have spent campaigning.

Craves war

U.S. Sen. John McCain said on Wednesday, two days after meeting with rebels in Syria, that he is confident the United States can send weapons to fighters in Syria without the risk they will fall into the wrong hands. He backed Bush with weapons of mass destruction, too. He craves war.

Endorsement

Your mega-length editorial endorsing Mr. Smith to go to Washington made me very mad because it meant that space on the Opinion page had to be so curtailed, it surely required cutting out not just some but all room for much more meaningful and insightful Speak Out commentary.