politics

Taking it to the Streets

Image | | patmcg

America collectively gasped as Donald Trump was actually inaugurated as president of the United States.  A miracle did not happen to stop this, and it did not turn out to be a big prank.  Fulfilling an absurdist joke from The Simpsons, Trump is actually now our president.  Otherwise calm and happy people took to the streets, and kids in Claire’s fifth grade class are riled up and talking about politics and now planning to run for office one day as Democrats.  They are totally serious about this.

The girls went to an anti-Trump rally with their mom and a friend.  Way to go, kids!  It’s your first political protest.  And you’re only kids!  Gotta love the response people are having to this weird turn of history.

Molly, in first grade and ever the optimist, says we should give Trump a chance.  “C’mon, guys!  You never know.  He could be alright.”  She is adamant about this point.  Wait and see how it turns out before judging, she says.  I really do like her instinct.  With any luck, maybe she’ll be right.  But so far, it does not look good.

President Claire

| patmcg

Claire’s class has been learning about America and the presidents recently.  One assignment was for each kid to write what they would do if they were president.  Claire’s, as usual, focuses on being nice:

"If I were president, I would help mean people be better."

This assignment was posted outside the classroom.  Almost every kid in the class said something about helping other people, especially people in need.  Prospective presidents would “help kids go to school”, “help people that don’t have food”, “help people who were really hurt”, “help homeless people”, “give the people clothes”, and even “give the people money.”  This is basically the opposite of what we hear in the current Republican presidential debates, the theme of which is largely not helping people. I’d vote for the kindergarten kids.  There was one loose cannon in the class, though, who promised to “go into a war” as president.  Claire thought maybe he was confused when he wrote that.

Here is Claire’s other America-relate assignment, which also came out pretty sweet.

"I love my country because there is lots of loving people."

Barney for President

| patmcg

Tonight we watched the news coverage of the 2008 Iowa presidential caucus over dinner. There was a lot of talk about the race between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton for the presidential nomination.

Claire was apparently paying attention, because after dinner, as she was playing with her Barney the Dinosaur stuffed animal, she started saying, “Barack Obarney! Barack Obarney!” over and over. She would do well in an actual caucus meeting.