Thanks for this. I completely understand this as a former public school teacher myself. I got so disgusted with the "system." It's really horrible. The teacher's unions are bad, but school administrators should be just as committed and qualified. The other piece to remember is that schools are mirrors of our society. Addressing the biggest problems with our schools will mean addressing the problems within our society. Yes, the teacher unions are bad, but these kids get little support at home. And the standard has been lowered to such an extent that kids are getting A's for doing C work. And they don't find out until later when they get into college or get a job how underprepared they are. Many people don't want to teach, because many teachers they encounter are dumb and unmotivated. Who would want to get excited about joining a profession where the majority of your colleagues graduated from college in the bottom 1/3? There's no standard of excellence. And before Obama get congratulated for supporting this, don't forget that he cut voucher funding, denying kids the opportunity to attend the same school as his daughters. http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2009/04/20/obamas-...

And I hope Cisco loses tons of money and drops Page from their advertising.

I took my boys to see Toy Story 3. It was their first movie theater experience. They were mesmerized. I cried like a baby the last 10 minutes. I'm just so glad that when they look back on the movies of their childhoods, they will think of Pixar movies.

I live in Maryland, and if those SEIU thugs come to my neighborhood and terrorizes the children in my community, they'll meet the business end of my baseball bat. No one forced those idiots into mortgages they couldn't afford. This is outrageous. Who ever signed off on police escorting SEIU to a private home to intimidate and break the law should be fired. I'm on this. Everybody's getting a letter from me.

I live in Maryland, and I find it so disturbing that this happened. This wasn't a protest, it was a mob. You protest at a bank, not at someone's home. People complain about the "violent" tea parties, but I don't know of a single one that happened on a private residence. I don't know who put the DC cops up to this, but the Mayor and DC Chief of Police should answer for this. And the Montgomery Co. police need to grow a pair. Come to my Maryland neighborhood, SEIU. I dare you. We'd love to let you know how we feel about you frightening children in their own homes.

I live in Maryland, and I dare those thugs to try this in my neighborhood. DCPD better get a lot of heat for this. I think I'll get to work writing a few letters.

Crowe is way too old to play Robin Hood. He's 46 and shows every bit of it! We want to see a young buck playing the charming Robin. Particularly one who keeps his politics to himself, but not his pecs. He's had a nice run, but he's no longer leading man material. He's too old for that smoldering rage schtick. This movie will bomb.

I recall spotting Sutherland at a NY gallery, Marlborough I think, some years ago. I remember the gallery was showing some Francis Bacon pieces. I was there with some friends, and he saunters passed us with his coat draped around his shoulders, swinging them back and forth is this affected air of regalness. I thought how sad he must be to think himself better than everyone else. But that's the definition of these liberal elites - they think they are better than everyone and lower themselves to petition the taxpayers to look after the poor and oppressed people. However, conservatives believe we ARE the people. Sutherland should cease this ridiculous editorializing and pursue other hobbies like buying up a bunch of contemporary art, so that public museums might be deprived of it, while they make wonderful conversation pieces at parties at his residence(s).

That's a very good question, and I think the answer is very complicated. I moved out from TN to MD 10 years ago, and can tell there is definitely a different perspective. Yes, the Founders were from the East Coast, naturally, but I think the can-do spirit of the patriots who fought for independence continued with future generations who pursued their dreams and fortunes westward. I think we forget that the Constitution is just words on a page, without the farm boys who took up arms to fight for it. Consequently, I think the further you get from the coasts, the more folks you'll encounter that share the values of the Founders.

My husband and I joke that a lot of people who have lived on the East Coast for generations are the lazy ones who didn't want to explore beyond the colonies, so it makes since they would become more liberal. Likely, they were monied, so it they didn't need to. They looked down on the people who carved out the West with their bare hands, because it was either work or starve for them.

I think here (in MD) folks expect the gov't to do for them, not do for themselves. A larger concentration of interest groups in the DC/VA/MD region predisposes it to a pro-big gov't attitude. From my experience, a conservative is considered an intolerant Bible-banger who doesn't care about the poor. A liberal is supposedly intellectually superior and empathetic toward the needs of society. But, in my mind, the liberal agenda has always been about power and control. A stronger, larger centralized gov't concentrates power with a chosen few. As in our current situation, those in power have spent most of their adult lives in universities not getting their hands dirty. Unions sign up for their share. Powerful minority groups sign up for theirs. Media outlets want a handout as well. Everyone wants their share of the bounty and come up with a host of colorful ways to justify their greed. All are willing to lie, cheat or steal to get theirs. They don't mind demonizing the opposition to get it.

I also think the coasts are becoming increasingly post-Christian and socialist, taking a cue from Europe. A lot of intellectuals feel organized religion only appeals to an uneducated mind, therefore the important role churches once played in communities is now replaced by the cult of progressivism. It is those intellectuals on the East Coast who are truly the uneducated when it comes to values, community and common sense.

There are lots of other factors, but that's my two cents for what it's worth.

Great podcast! I don't live in PA, but I loved hearing Tim Burns. He brought me to tears. That's what I want for my kids, too - I want them to know that I fought for their futures. Money's tight, but I'm going to make a donation to his campaign. By the way, please ask Charles Lollar to come on to talk to you guys. He's running as a Republican for Steny Hoyer's seat. It's a long shot I know, but I think even Maryland's 5th might be ready for small government!