Sunday, June 15, 2008

Happy Father’s Day

Today is father’s Day so dads will be getting new ties and wallets today. We have a few gifted fathers in our group of candidates this year. Some have natural children and others adopted their children. All are good parents who care about not only their own children but the children of this state. We need people in office this next year like these men who care about our children because we are ranked 48th worst in the country when it comes to our children.

I was watching a few days ago the television show New Mexico in focus the republican panelist blame this on the Democratic Party because he said that we have control of the state government. The problem with this argument is that the federal government has set the tone with No Child Left Behind and we have had not one but two republican U.S. House of Representatives for many years along with a Republican Senator. All of whom have done everything in their power to harm the quality of live for our children in this state along with the rest of the country.

We need people like Congressman Tom Udall controlling not only the northern part of the state where children are making higher grades but in the southern and central parts of the state as well. We need more control in the U.S. Senate so that we can bring home money for our children and their schools rather then to build the war machine in this state.

We need progressive business leaders in this state that are willing to pay a fair wage and provide support for working parents rather then the conservative business leaders that we now have who cut wages and benefits while punishing working parents. Ten hour a day work days are not good for working parents. Children unfriendly work environments are also not good for working parents.

Father’s Day is a day to recognize the true value of fathers to the basic family unit. I was very lucky as a child to have a father that cared and worked hard to provide a safe and comfortable home for me and my brothers. My father died around 15 years ago but he was a good man to his family and friends. My daughter’s father died before she was born so my daughter has been forced to make due with close family friends and two uncles who are never around. We should all stress the important of the father in the basic family unit because it can only improve the lives of our children. So to all of the fathers of this state have a very happy father’s day and enjoy the gifts gentlemen.