PLP: ‘Obama’s Values Remind Me Of PLP’s Values’
“When I was watching First Lady Michelle Obama’s moving and inspirational speech, I couldn’t help but think that the values she was talking about are the values of my party,” said PLP candidate Dawn Simmons.
Ms Simmons was referring to the inspiring speech Mrs Obama recently delivered at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C.
“We aren’t the party of the wealthy old elites that have always ruled. They have their own party. We are the party that stands strong for Bermudians,” said Ms Simmons.
“Mrs. Obama said the other night, “today, when the challenges we face start to seem overwhelming – or even impossible – let us never forget that doing the impossible is the history of this nation…it’s who we are…” it’s who we are too, as Bermudians.
Mrs Obama’s full speech at the DNC:
“Last night, President Bill Clinton said something that rings very true in Bermuda. He said, “We do need more new jobs, lots of them, but there are already more than three million jobs open and unfilled in America today, mostly because the applicants don’t have the required skills.
“We have to prepare more Americans for the new jobs that are being created in a world fueled by new technology. That’s why investments in our people are more important than ever.”
“That’s so true too in Bermuda. There are a number of jobs that are available here that could be filled by Bermudians with investment in our people. We believe in investment. The OBA believes in austerity,” continued Ms Simmons.
“Mrs. Obama spoke to core PLP values of fairness and opportunity for all people. Her party in the United States isn’t the party of the old and wealthy elites. Neither is ours. It’s the party of ordinary people who are just trying to get a fair shake in these tough economic times.
“Mrs. Obama asked Americans to stand strong with her husband. We ask Bermudians to stand strong with us,” concluded Ms. Simmons.
Dawn Simmons is the PLP candidate for Constituency #22 Paget East, and she will challenge the incumbent Dr Grant Gibbons.
Then why cut education spending? Surely that should be the focus. Really don’t think they have any idea what they are doing and just borrowing sound bites from those that do.
We have to cut spending! Private schools get far better results with 60% of the cost per child. How much bang do we get for the buck!?
We continue to spend money on uncertified and unqualified teachers! If we allow uncertified teachers to be pushed through the system what do you think happens to the kids? They get pushed through the system and given passing grades, until one day the reach their final year of high school and either fail , get pushed out or drop out because they have fallen so far behind and are destined to fail that year – their most important and memorable year! Most 16 year olds would rather drop out or get kicked out than be thought of as a failure and have to repeat the year!
If 30% of a teachers students fail an earlier year, the Min of Education doesn’t ask when did they fall behind, they ask what is wrong with this teacher…not the other teachers before that PUSHED them through the system!
The truth that nobody wants to hear is that we have never been interested in the Best Teachers! We confuse the words qualified and certified as meaning “good at what you do”. You can be Tiger Woods – that does not make you a great Golf Teacher! You can be a certified and qualified mechanic – but that doesn’t mean you are good at what you do. It just means you passed a test! Every doctor I know has passed Med School, would I say they were equaly as effective…ahhh no! You can be an alcoholic, does make you should teach wine tasting classes…don’t think so! Not the best examples I know so forgive me. My point is that we have focused so long on making sure that “qualified” Bermudians got work as teachers that we did it at the expense of our children! Public schools merely shift “ineffective teachers” from school to school if they don’t perform and ONLY IF enough parents complain. They might me “moved” but they stay in the system because they are “qualified” and “Bermudian”.
Private schools and the parents that are paying, DEMAND that teachers live up to their expectations. If not Bye, bye! Do we DEMAND the same. Just because you pass a test and graduate as a teacher does not mean you are effective at teaching! Not every teaching college is considered equal, but we don’t seem to care about that. We sold out our kids and demanding the best qualified and effective teachers and instead settled for the best that our tiny island can produce regardless of where they were schooled and regardless of how good they are at what they do!
I went to University and graduated with 78 other accountants that year! Did we all pass the tests! Yes! Were we all certified? YES!!! Were we all equal – nope! To be honest – I wouldn’t have hired ME to balance your books! Which is why I decided to turn to construction – a trade that I was good at – and I was able to put what I learnt to good use!
And please, before you all start trying to hunt for my head, please note that I went to public school here and enrolled my kids at a primary school as well (name withheld). I had to pull them both out last year and they are now enrolled in a private scahool (name withheld) and the difference is mind blowing! I no longer have to hope that my children get this teacher or that teacher because of their ability!
Please you lot, do not attack Ms. D. Simmons for trying to jump on the Obama bandwagon, in the end, she is just trying to get support for her challenge against Mr G. Gibbons and also help the PLP.
Please be Gentle Bloggers
lol i know right
Haaaaaaaaaaah – is this some kind of sick joke, or are my sides still hurting?
Ok, so we have the most important World Political couple since Mikhael and Raisa Gorbechev, and Dawn Simmons wants to compare them to a bunch of liars and clowns who only get elected because they are black in a tiny mid atlantic island – is this for real? That’s right isn’t it? Let’s not mince our words, they haven’t got a damn clue. And neither have you Dawn, so get back to Paget East, and lick yer wounds. In any other country you wouldn’t be doing what you are doing, its a crying shame.
Next week Derrick Burgess compares himself to Sarah Palin.
PLP = Obamas Hell No!
Derrick Burgess = Sarah Palin I could believe that!!!!
The UBP ending worked like this:
We ordered and paid for beer. We were given a glass of piss. We angrily sent it back, and they brought us the same piss in the same glass called OBA, but diluted to make it easier to swallow renamed UBP/OBA. It is STILL THE SAME PISS UBP, thank you very much.
No matter what UBP/OBA say I will note vote for them. Neither should you.
The blacks in Bermuda will decided the next government like we have always did in the past. Don’t forget that.
so basically you are saying that white peoples opinions, in a place we founded and made great, is of no importance anymore and that we should relinquish our voting rights because of an almost ignorant segment of the population will vote for the guys who SAY we are for you but in reality only line their own pockets. Please tell me how many black businesses are booming after the PLP got in, that was one of their election ploys wasn’t it?
I hope I am reading your post wrong and you are not saying that whites alone made Bermuda great. We all played very important roles and if Bermuda is to become “great” once again, it will require our collective efforts, regardless of race.
Very true, I’m tired of white Bermudians hating the PLP because they are the “black Party” and vice versa. If you think corruption is only limited to only one party (To the OBA supporters) you are dead wrong look at you OBA elected Shawn Crockwell. Do you really think if he gets a hold of the public purse he won’t line his pockets??? So let the hate a racism and party voting stop and let’s start voting for the person we know would do the best they can.
@Will – you just don’t get it, do you? Get a grip, stop injecting race into this argument, it isnt about race, its about performance. The PLP have a terrible record, stick to that argument rather than playing into the PLP’s hand and allowing race to become a major factor.
Thanks in advance
Just like you have always did , yeah .
Seems to me that it is the plp that is a faded fuzzy photocopy of the ubp.
Remind me again, who is your minister of tourism? why are you backtracking on all the plp policies that didn’t work and reverting to ubp policies?
Ok so we got 1 from the UBP, how many on the OBA is from the UBP? Ahhh the whole team.
What was that other party called that my school mate Donte Inferno formed before he flip flopped twice in 1 year, oh never mind BDA. Then he and a few others went back to UBP to form OBA aka UBP. Too date no MP has stated to the public why they left the UBP after so many wonderful years as the MIGHTY UBP.
Oh just shut it with the, “OBA is the new UBP”
Who cares! Are you not happy with the state of the country right now? Try a new party, if they mess up vote PLP. Simple.
Y’all voting the same party over and over because “it’s the party I’ve always supported. PLP fo life”
Give me a break. People like you obviously do not know the definition of democracy.
Yeah, the UBP years were terrible… I remember them well. Everybody was working, we had negative unemployment. The economy was booming. International Business was booming. Tourism was booming. We had twice as many hotel rooms as we do under the plp. People could actually afford to build a house in those terrible old UBP days. We had virtually no national debt. We all got along together and felt positive about Bermuda. People felt safe here.
What happened? I’ll tell you what happened. The PLP happened. For 14 long years.
Now… Bermudians are leaving their beloved Country by the dozens because of misguided PLP policy and corruption. White folks have been vilified. Expatriates have been insulted and excluded, where they should have been welcomed with open arms. Crime is out of hand. The economy is in the tank. National debt has skyrocket to astronomical heights. The PLP have rewritten our history to suit their self-serving agenda. And ultimately have turned supporting their Party into a religion!!
Yeah.. We had it really bad under the UBP….
The PLP works like this – the PLP pisses on us all – and tells us its just rain water! But they forgot, we collect rain water and drink it, so while we can’t always rely on our sight to tell the difference between rain and piss…we can taste the difference.
Dude if you are going to try and be funny and whitty …at least be original, we have all heard that story told before. Yawn.
Wow…. So we still wowing by color. Hmmmm, I wonder who I’m voting for …
Sorry just waking …lol I meant voting not wowing. Lol
so you would rather continue to vote for certain poverty rather than certain recovery? You not only sound very full of hate but you must also be blind. No wonder we are in the mess we are in with this line of paralysed thinking.
What? you can’t be serious. No comparison. Mr. Obama inherited a MESSEY financial created by wall street greed and 2 unecessary wars created by Bush jr. Mr.Obama saved the US car industry and smashed Al Kiada with one swift blow. The PLP, OBA, UBP can’t compare to Mr. OBAMA
PLP created the Mess, no spin required!!! Please do not go there Ms. Simmons
Hang on. You and Barack are of the same falsehood. He allowed GM to go
belly up, thus all of the original shareholders lost their investment, which
for some of us was our pension.
Then the new GM comes along and he gives that GM company the stimulus.
Show the details … No spin required
And if it was Mitt there will be no USA company called GM… Politics aside .. What you do think?
Plus do you think Obama created this economic mess?
Obama did not save the auto industry…..it was initiated under Bush admin. He did not single handedly eliminate Al Quaeda….it was years of hard work by people before him…..he is NOT the answer for the US…..we need a new president!
No, Obama GAVE GM to the union and gave Chrysler to Italy’s FIAT. Mr Obama inherited gasoline at $1.89/gal, unemployment @ just over 6%, true he got the wars but he said he’d end them. He finally ended Iraq but Afghanistan is still raging. Obama is a bumbling idiot that somewhat reminds me of the PLP.
No other president in history has complained about inheritance. Funny how he didn’t give Bush credit for all the leg work and tenacity he gave to the fantastic armed forces of the United States. He takes credit for stuff that Bush started and other stuff he still blames Bush. Can’t be both ways.
The big difference here Ms. Simmons is that you have no authority or right to put yourself OR the damned PEE EL PEE party in the same Universe as Barack Obama! He is a much greater man than anyone from this dumb#ss island!
Mind you, Bob Richards and his colleagues are starting to make alot of sense!
And you, Ms. Simmons, the PEE EL PEE, are sounding more and more pathetic, desperate and completely blind to the REAL problems that face us here in Bermuda, instead you only have Michelle Obama’s speech means something to you….HA! game over you guys are not getting re-elected for sure! I know tonns of black folks that are tired of your lies and want to see there children get a real education and have a real future when they grow old…..unlike that stupid bastard Spencer that should clean up his own backyard before he starts talking about ours!
Nah na na nah Mah na na naaahhhhh HEY hey hey….GOODBYE!!!!!!
This is a total non-statement. “I think we are like someone popular, so we must be popular too!”
Yeah whatever.
I think that’s a bit unfair…Democrat and PLP policies/ideologies are pretty similar in that they both advocate a strong middle class and a social safety net. The comparison may not be perfect, but there are definite similarities.
I’m sorry, what policies of the PLP are advocating a stronger middle class?
Where’s the vomit bags??
LMFAO
Election incoming…
To compare the PLP to Obama is somewhat laughable. None of the PLP could shine his shoes never mind anything else!
I couldn’t help but laugh!
I was somewhat excited to see the black people in Bermuda have a fair chance at running this government when they first got in. I, a white person but like so many black people, was also tired of the white elite running the show and the black children not receiving a decent education!
Many years later, I like many other white and black people have given the PLP enough time to sort things out. Ironically, unlike the Obama administration, the PLP inherited the government during the good times and now….not only do we have the financial crisis from next door, but we also have our own social crisis to deal with. Quite frankly, the financial crisis will sort itself out…can we say the same thing about our social ills?
The only way to tackle BDA’s problems is to educate our people…without it we are up a creek!
And what did you really think was going to happen when the PLP finally got in Kathy ?
You either had not been paying attention for the last 35 years or you let your fatigue get the best of your brain cells.
All you hear from the PLP is “its gonna take time” well how much time do you want. Its like The New Clay House In, witch is over 25 years old and they still calling it new..Obama administration the same excuse..
yeah, and I think Mother Teresa’s morals and values remind me of myself, of course every time i see Usain Bolt on the TV, I check to make sure no one has replaced the TV with my favourite mirror. How I love my Mirror.
U know, I think this politician missed a perfect opportunity to keep her mouth shut while her brain was spinning.
It’s interesting to read this after the party of Obama has called out Bermuda as a tax haven; you know where that wealthy white guy running against him kept some of his money. Makes me wonder what is really important in the world; words, looks, actions or something else…
Are you kidding me??!! Obama is NOT in support of the PLP, and he does NOT support Bermuda! He wants to shut Bermuda down as a tax haven so that he can divert billions of tax dollars back to the U.S. to help their economy, which is 13 trillion in debt since he came into office!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ud3mMj0AZZk
Get a clue people!
I bet Obama would support the PLP over the OBA especially if he found out the history of the two parties and from whence they came.
The British government are quite aware of the activities that transpired under the Cox & Brown leadership. PLP diehards are wasting their time running to world leaders for help. I am sure Obama and Clinton have received adequate information regarding the activities of this PLP Government.
The only people who don’t seem to have recieved the adequate information about the PLP are their own die hard , cool aid drinking supporters.
Most other governments in the civilised world do know/have heard about them and what they are about.
Why would you say that, because he is black? He isn’t stupid. There’s no way any member of the plp would ever be considered for his staff, unless they needed someone to get coffee.
Portia you hit the nail on the head.
The blind faithful and “wall sitters” do not have a clue.
Bermuda’s economy and standard of living is in jeapordy from the PLP and the current U.S.administration.
I am so sick and tired of you bermudians. You are all racist winey a#s holes. Stop making yourself look stupid on here. I think you all forget the rest of the world reads this.
I have read these posts for over a year and all I can say is, you all need to grow up. The only racism in your country and the racism you create. You are (incuding all races) the 1% so STFU are be gratefull of what you have.
I wish they would stop whining! Everybody wants to come there to they read this crap! Soooo sad and the ones that re making it real bad don’t even live on the island just spewing garbarge! Soo ungrateful smdh
*is the racism you create
WHO? Is this rudy poo?
So we had been told… that those were the values of the PLP… and that’s why they were voted in in 1998. Unfortunately, they have their track record that proves that they just were not true to what they said their values were. Yes, they did accomplish some things… but there are just too many questions left unanswered… and some very poor examples of the quality of their leadership and governance.
So the PLO are comparing themselves to the Obama administration and not the other elite wealthy party, but that elite party they talk about have more in common with the plp and their believes. For example, let’s hide behind religion when it comes to making policies like abortion and gay rights, cronyism helping their friends get ahead, create situations(wars etc.) to give their friends jobs.lets not talk about shutting down any bills that go through they senate that is not from their party. Voting blindly on party regardless of out come. Yeah your right lets cherry pick parts of Obama comparing we like just because of the historical aspect that he was the first black president and ride that wave even though we have more in common with the republican party.
+2 been seeing that for a long time now too.
LOL
Another victim who drank the Kool Aid. I feel sorry for them….
Anonymous – Message To Obama
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pfcs2QBw2PQ
lol bermuda is goin in same footprints
Dawn , who cleared this foolishness with the Dept. of State , or did you take it upon yourself to associate the PLP with the ruling Democrats ?
I thought we heard the last silly utterance from Simmons.
Another effort to grab some attention I guess.
Wow …wow ..wow. You WERE the party that stood for all Bermudians back in the day of Bro Otti Simmons, Freddie Wade, David Allen and Dame Lois Browne Evans. You are now the party of the old Elite and wealthy. Its no surprise that if you are not part of the PLP who’s who list you wont get any work from them. If you are the party for all Bermudians why is it that your parties recent PUBLIC and so PROUD announcements regarding training for out of work Bermudians that are going to get certified as Dry Wallers and Beauty Nail Techicians not a fair and EQUAL representation of all Bermudians. The PLP has failed miserably since the Brown Era and there isn’t anyone out there that TRULY feels otherwise. Many deny it, you know those on the friends and family list, but the rest of us see clearly.
I remember a time not so long ago when the “Elite” as you call them were in power. Things were so bad that we ALL had jobs!!! Things were so bad in construction that employers were tuurning away work and if I wanted I could quit a job on Friday and have another one by Monday! Thats how bad it was.
I remember a time not so long ago when the “Elite” had exempt companies signing up to do business here by the dozens monthly and our youth could pick their careers.
Call them what you want Ms. Simmons. Elite, Whitey, Cr#ckers, but you have to admit one thing, they may have looked after their own interests first, but at least we got a fair piece of the pie!
I havent been anywhere for two years and have been out of work for 14 months! When was the last time you went on vacation! Sorry I forgot, you are part of the PLP Elite now, your travel expenditures have quadrupled????? Say thank you to me – please.
Ms. Simmons..Bob said in his Lyrics, “You can fool some people sometimes, but you cant fool all the people all the time”!
Think before you speak and insult us!
And it’s never gonna change the elite still hold the purse strings! They own the banks and the big businesses!
Ewart’s brother was chairman of HSBC. Butterfield is supported by the PLP government. I guess when you say the ‘elite’ you’re talking about the PLP big swingers.
“You can fool some of the people all of the time, you can fool all of the people some of the time, but you can’t fool all of the people all of the time!”
for all of you obama worshippers…..http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Yro63c7B7A
WOW…What an insult…OBAMA&PLP,same values??…I think NOT…On behalf of the small minded..let me say sorry to Obama!
Dear Ms Simmons,
in future please have statements cleared by the relevant committee or Party Officer, this was not a good idea, or parallel to draw.
no relationship between what PLP has become under Team Cox and any element of Obama era, or current campaign.
please help this lady
New low for PLP
Comparing the PLP to the Democrats under Obama is another ‘we had to decieve you’ ploy?
Shows me how desperate they are.
No wonder she is putting off the election. Wringing the last drop of free stuff and entitlements out of the system and ensuring her pension gets vested!
The PLP does not give 2 F**ks about Bermudians. They care about money money money…
To be perfectly honest Ms Simmons. This is more in line with the Republican policies.
Stop trying to piggy back of a good wave in another country, give your own moving speech try and convince me that you are not all a bunch of racist smoke and hateful mirrors.
“STAND UP AND BE COUNTED”
Yup+1 again.
LOL
O YA YA YA WHAT HE SAID!
PLP you are a waste of space; why compare yourself to the president of the United States…..? guaranteed you wouldn’t do this if it was a white man/woman with the same principles/values. Racist government. “o but the old ubp blahblahblah”
So true! Only thing the PLP look at is colour! If Obama was white, they would never have given him a second look!
Once thing has always confused me about Obama, what makes him black?
Black father, white mother, father disappeared early, raised mostly by white grandparents. By blood he is mixed, a mongrel as he once described himself. By culture he is white.
So, somebody in the PLP, how can he be black, or white for that matter?
Incredible mis-calculation. It’s quite amusing in how transparent and naive this looks.
Ms Simmons does not seem to be the sharpest tool in the shed.
I hope they put her in charge of something, like PR strategy. It could be very entertaining.
Politicking at it’s core right there.
Well, if the PLP has taken on those core values I would certainly hope that they are going to start putting them into practice in the very near future. It would certainly be a nice change from the behaviour of the last ten plus years.
((Readers may or may not inject sarcasm into my tone at their own discretion.))
PLP have RUINED this island. It’s about time all of you PLP supporters wake the F up!! It is
Cox and Simmons must go, please!
and for another disparity between Obama and PLP –> Obama has increased the use of science to guide policy and promoted funding for science. Scientific research and environmental monitoring has been continually cut over the past 14 years under the PLP, and at this point is all be non-existent. Science and research are vital building blocks for economic growth but a college grad of today will probably have to look for a science career outside Bermuda.