Is There a Connection Between Intellectual Laziness and Moral Bankruptcy?
Maybe.
Tea Party Misspelling – It’s not just for signs anymore.
Congressman Chuck Fleischmann of the Chattanooga, Tennessee, area released a postcard he sent to President Obama to un-welcome him to Chattanooga on Tuesday.
It went like this —
Mr. President,
Welcome to beautiful Chattanooga. We appreciate you are in town, celebriting the businesses that have come to Tennessee thanks to our low regulation, low taxes, and right to work policies. While here, I invite you to visist a few historical natural attractions like Ruby Falls, a true Chattanooga treasure. However, Obamacare is making it difficult to maintain or grow businesses of this size. Even though Tennessee’s strong leadership has put us in a better position than most we’re not immune to the burdens this policy is placing on Americans across the country.
Best,Chuck Fleischmann
Chuck also misspelled 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue by writing 1600 Pensylvannia Avenue.
It should be noted that “fewer than half of Hamilton County students in grades 3 through 8 can read at their grade level, according to standardized test results.” Ole Chuck just fits right in.
Thanks to Larry for the heads up.
Amaing how many of these “English is the official language” types don’t have an elementary grasp of the language they are claiming to be theirs.
1One would think that the Congresscritter’s staff would know how to use a spell-checker – if said Congresscritter and his followers were capable of rational thought. I expect that (unlike the editorial staff of the Chattanooga Times Free Press) Mr. Fleischmann simply picked up one of his crayons and copied the note verbatim from the RNC’s instruction sheet.
2Alas, we are losing this battle. Younger folks and those from anti-intellectual states (you know who you are) just don’t care and don’t think spelling and grammar matter. So, do they? I personally think they do m and the lack of coherence will further contribute to the social and economic divide in our country.
3Forgive the stray “m” in my email above. Did a moran hack my iPad? LOL?
4As a person with dyslexia, I feel Congressman Fleischmann’s pain regarding poor spelling, but I thank “God” everyday for creating spell-check!
5I have a problem with his organization also. It looks like he just wrote down his thoughts randomly. And where is his documentation for the points he is trying to make?
6The teacher in me: *sigh*
That is simply so pathetic and “those people” think they could actually rule the masses!!
7Ejukshun? We don’t need no stinken ejukshun!
J.J., just be happy he has a job representing the folks in Tennessee. Otherwise he might be tempted to move to Texas and run for governor.
8What??? Chattanooga has businesses the size of Ruby Falls? Is he implying the Affordable Care Act can actually reduce the size of a true natural falls?
9Spelling? This guy needs an education in etiquette.
And economics.
And decency.
Heck, he just basically needs an education.
10Perhaps the President would like to visit the sites of several battles of the Civil War, where the South’s last opportunity to turn the tide back after the twin disasters (to them) of Gettysburg and Vicksburg. But General Thomas held as the “Rock of Chickamauga” and eventually Grant arrived to chase the pesky rebels away from Chattanooga and send them scampering back towards Atlanta.
And we all know what that meant for “states’ rights” don’t we now, Scarlett?
11Btw, Chattanooga & that area of Tennessee is truly an outdoor paradise. I hope Pres. Obama gets to see ALL of the natural & man-made sights, including Ruby Falls inside of Lookout Mountain and their great aquarium.
12Bad spelling also indicates the very real probability of not being able to read at all well. Please don’t get me started on numeracy problems! As a retired teacher I am constantly encountering people of all ages who cannot read or spell phonetically which prohibits them from reading ahead at a natural pace when dealing with lengthy sentences. When they sign their name to any sort of a paper at least half the time they do not know what they are signing unless someone reads the document to them and then has to explain it! I am not at all surprised that these problems come home to roost on Capitol Hill where the Department of Education’s budget is formulated more and more by people who actually think education should be short, easy and even optional!
13I am a terrible speller but I would NEVER send a note to the POTUS without sending it through spell check 1st.
I even get nervous sending emails to a friend who teaches college English!
He is a disgrace to the Republican party.
14“Obamacare is making it difficult to maintain or grow businesses of this size.”
15I own a business, and I can tell you, correct spelling is a pretty important factor in maintaining or growing a business. People assume if you can’t spell words correctly, you probably won’t get much else right either.
In fact, I’m making that very assumption about Congressman Fleischmann right now.
Nutters believe spell check is another socialist government program and besides if phonics is good enough for one of red state Arizona’s largest cities, it is certainly good enough for rwnj.
16Does Tyler Threadgill, Rep. Fleischmann’s Dir. of Communications, still have a job?
TN’s real problem is unemployment at 8.5%, which is attractive to businesses that want low taxes, low wages, no benefits & no bargaining rights. However, there is a cost factor to such businesses – cheap begets cheap, which begets poverty.
17I’m surprised they didn’t have rednecks with pitchforks and torches greet Air Force One at the tarmac. The headline editor for the Chatty Free-Times was fired today for the following headline (which he apparently added without editorial consent from the paper): “Take your Jobs Plan and Shove it, Mr. President”
Not one statewide elected GOP official bothered to make it to the party, either. They were all too busy repealing Obamacare or proposing laws to prevent gravity or something.
We’re so proud…
18I thunk another thought. “Right to Work” means the employer has all the rights and the worker (serf) has none as in he/she can be fired at any moment for no reason at all, especially when the reason is the employer wants to shuffle his girlfriend onto the payroll so he can see her in the daylight as well as after dark. Believe me! It happens! And right to work protects this kind of crap!
19Spellcheck might have come in handy but crayons don’t have it.
20Right-wingers believe that correct spelling is just another form of government regulation.
21The ones that tickle me are the flowery writings of some that do use a spell check but the homonyms show them up every time. One poster refers frequently to “mute” points. Or the “raining” power in the US Senate
22Ex-court reporter here…and, ouch, these are pretty easy words that are misspelled. Like 3rd grade spelling bee.
23Maggie @12:30 pm: “Right to work” should be called “right to fire”.
24Correct spelling in public documents is required as proof of literacy and learning capacity. Spelling in 140 character tweets is an entirely different proposition. Spell check is helpful but the homonyms are hilarious tells.
25“Obamacare is making it difficult to maintain or grow businesses of this size.”
WHAT size? Businesses of WHAT size? The size of Ruby Falls?
There is so much wrong with this effort at communication– even besides the crazy spelling– that I am convinced that whoever wrote it is a product of Tennessee public schooling. Bless his heart.
B/t/w, I am also a product of Tennessee public schooling. But that was eons ago. And Mama was a teacher. And Daddy never let us get by with saying, “owf,” and “own,” rather than “off” and “on.” Helped me get through life without too much embarrassment. That, and spell-check.
26The lack of a basic education in “public servants” continues to stun me. What stuns me even more is that it seems some of them are actually proud of their ignorance.
Just saw a t-shirt that read, “I can explain it to you, but I can’t understand it for you.” There’s just nothing quite like stoopid and proud of it.
27Boy, am I confused. Tennessee appears to have an entity named Ruby Falls, which is both a natural falls and a business of considerable (although unspecified) size. None of the employees of Ruby Falls are currently insured. (An assumption on my part.) If the Saviors of our National Economy (Republicans) do not succeed in repealing something they persist in calling “Obamacare,” there will never again be a business the size of Ruby Falls in Tennessee. Perhaps Ruby Falls will have to close its doors, or lay off some its employees, due to the cost of insurance, thereby depriving citizens of employment and customers of whatever R. Falls produces. Did I get that right?
That young man needs the help I used to provide for my 4th grade dyslexic students, but I find that to be true of many recent college graduates. If he is not a young man, then…I truly don’t know what to say.
28The New Mexico legislature meets annually. They have a long session of 60 days in even numbered years and a short session of 30 days in odd numbered years. They almost never have special sessions and get things completed each regular session. There is something truely wrong with the Texas Legislature and it is partly due to the rules that govern operations. Maybe they could have a select committee to study the New Mexico legislature.
29If Senator Davis is responsible for this third session perhaps we should bill Tom Delay for the three he caused a few years back where he Gerrymandered the Congressonal Districts in the state.
30