Pete’s Big Mouth invades the classroom! Pete is still luxuriating in Sicily and Mr. Ellis Henican is keeping the seat warm. During Monday’s show Ellis discussed the new plan that the board of a small community in Texas, unanimously approved, which allows their teachers to carry concealed weapons.  We heard some interesting opinions during the show but we need to hear what Todd in Florida and the rest of the PBM bloggers think. I recall one day in Elementary School when there was a threat of a drive by shooting on the school. It turned out to be total bullshit but I wonder if some of the students would have felt safer in that situation if they knew that the teachers were packing heat. Knowing some of my teachers I probably would have been more afraid.

Two Jim’s joined us today…  one with Talent, the other a Senator! 

We did have two guests today.  Pete’s Uncle Jim and Former Missouri Senator Jim Talent.  Senator Jim Talent brought to our attention something we didn’t think was a huge issue, but it really is something that concerns all of us - and also is something that seems like a quicker fix than health care, the economy and the war.  If you find you’re having problems with the roads in your communities, be it a pothole or a condition of the bridge you cross everyday to work, then check out www.getamericamoving.com and do something about it.

Uncle Jim covered a lot in education.  In essence, I agree with his overall argument, that there is a dumbing down of America.  Test scores are low and schools are being put on watch due to No Child Left Behind.  We’re in serious trouble America.  What should we do here?   Should we adopt A-PLUS?  I think we seriously need to leave “No Child” behind.

Superdelegates are powerful or prominent members of the Democratic Party who typically hold elected or other offices. They can choose or change the candidate they vote for at any point until the vote takes place at the Democratic National Convention in Denver this August.

There are some 794 superdelegates. They will account for approximately one-fifth of the delegate vote and will almost certainly have the power to sway the nomination. Each technically has the power of thousands of Democratic voters.

About half of the superdelegates are white men, even though white men only constitute 28% of the Democratic Party.

About half of the superdelegates have already committed to Clinton or Obama. Some have committed because their constituency has already voted one way or another. If you’re a Congressman and your home district has already held its primary, it might not be so bad for you to pledge your vote to the winner of that primary.

But in many cases, the superdelegate has already stepped out and used his or her pledge as an endorsement.

What if superdelegates expect favors from the next president if they supported him or her? What if that’s already happening?

Here’s one of the really insidious elements, from a Boston Globe story, Superdelegates Get Campaign Cash:

Many of the superdelegates who could well decide the Democratic presidential nominee have already been plied with campaign contributions by Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, a new study shows.

Obama’s political action committee has doled out more than $694,000 to superdelegates since 2005, the study found, and of the 81 who had announced their support for Obama, 34 had received donations totaling $228,000.

Clinton’s political action committee has distributed about $195,000 to superdelegates, and only 13 of the 109 who had announced for her have received money, totaling about $95,000.

Does this seem like a good way to run a “Democratic” party?