Obama XXII: Occupy the White House

[Bakunin]

Re: Obama XXII: Occupy the White House

it's gotten to the point where the opinion is more important to people than the reasoning behind it.

Blame it on short attention spans, multitasking, and the seepage of high tech devices (smart phones, etc) into every aspect of our lives. We simply don't want to devote the time/effort to reading a well thought-out opinion. Just give us the quick summation or soundbyte and get the **** out. Crimony, we've gotten to the point where we actually need laws to stop us from ****ing around with our phones in our cars rather than paying attention to the road and other drivers.

 

[Kepler]

Re: Obama XXII: Occupy the White House

I think Sullivan also nails what's so insane about the vast majority of both conservatives and liberals in this country. The use of rhetoric to just complain, complain, complain, and make wild assertions is astonishing, more so in this election cycle than I can ever remember. It's even worse than 2004. I get that it's a way for people to appeal to the casual Wal-Mart idiot, but it's gotten to the point where the opinion is more important to people than the reasoning behind it.

Sullivan is one of the few pundits who is more interesting the more you read him. Most guys have a few good columns in them and a load of bunk. A few guys are "on" almost all the time (Ezra Klein, Nate Silver). But Sullivan just builds up an interesting body of work and after lots and lots of reading I've come to respect him. There are certain things he regularly covers I just don't care about that much (at least a third of his column is about gay culture which, well it would be like reading about the Winnipeg Jets every day -- nothing wrong with it, just not my thing). His pieces on trying to understand the soul, the search for truth, and what is spirituality are among the best writing and thinking out there.

He's also a classic example of a Thatcherite conservative who is solidly right everywhere else but center-left in the US because of the American right's derpitude.

 

[joecct]

Re: Obama XXII: Occupy the White House

Kepler

How bad are you whacked by our Governor, probable candidate for El Presidente in 2016
http://washingtonexaminer.com/local...get-hit-under-omalley-income-tax-hike/2110511

Love the budget gimmick on teacher pensions. Save money at the state level, then jerk the counties which will have to raise taxes (probably property) to cover the increased costs. The captive state legislature will then be able to thunder in 2014 that they save the state billions of dollars, while the county legislators are going to get it up the wazoo because they had to raise taxes.

 

[Old Pio]

Re: Obama XXII: Occupy the White House

Sullivan is one of the few pundits who is more interesting the more you read him. Most guys have a few good columns in them and a load of bunk. A few guys are "on" almost all the time (Ezra Klein, Nate Silver). But Sullivan just builds up an interesting body of work and after lots and lots of reading I've come to respect him. There are certain things he regularly covers I just don't care about that much (at least a third of his column is about gay culture which, well it would be like reading about the Winnipeg Jets every day -- nothing wrong with it, just not my thing). His pieces on trying to understand the soul, the search for truth, and what is spirituality are among the best writing and thinking out there.

He's also a classic example of a Thatcherite conservative who is solidly right everywhere else but center-left in the US because of the American right's derpitude.

Blah, blah, blah. You left out that he's probably the best known "Trig birther." In other contexts you'd be scouring your endless supply of obscure references to find just the right one to bash him. But not here. That, too, figures.

 

[ExileOnDaytonStreet]

Blah, blah, blah. You left out that he's probably the best known "Trig birther." In other contexts you'd be scouring your endless supply of obscure references to find just the right one to bash him. But not here. That, too, figures.

I wonder how long it will be before people who aren't friend or family will stop giving a **** about the spawn of Palin.

 

[ScoobyDoo]

Re: Obama XXII: Occupy the White House

Kepler

How bad are you whacked by our Governor, probable candidate for El Presidente in 2016
http://washingtonexaminer.com/local...get-hit-under-omalley-income-tax-hike/2110511

Love the budget gimmick on teacher pensions. Save money at the state level, then jerk the counties which will have to raise taxes (probably property) to cover the increased costs. The captive state legislature will then be able to thunder in 2014 that they save the state billions of dollars, while the county legislators are going to get it up the wazoo because they had to raise taxes.

That was the exact Republican playbook in Minnesota.

 

[Bakunin]

Re: Obama XXII: Occupy the White House

That was the exact Republican playbook in Minnesota.

The county/city administrations don't have to worry about taking it in the shorts on election day though because all this has really accomplished is converted school funding into an exercise in direct democracy by having people endlessly vote on a different school funding referendum each year.

 

[ScoobyDoo]

Re: Obama XXII: Occupy the White House

The county/city administrations don't have to worry about taking it in the shorts on election day though because all this has really accomplished is converted school funding into an exercise in direct democracy by having people endlessly vote on a different school funding referendum each year.

Sure. But when Jesse was in office the plan was to move the schools to state funding to relieve the regressive property tax burden. Once the state started collecting more money for schools but still came up short they immediately went to that well to balance the budget handcuffing the school systems with financial problems. Subsequently property taxes have skyrocketed and the Republicans claim victory.

It appears to me that public office is now more about creating a crisis that allows you to placate your constituents more than it is about solving problems. Our state sill has not solved it's funding problems or its spending problems. Whichever way you want to look at it. The Republicans will not let them raise taxes and the Republicans and Democrats will not eliminate enough programs financial burden to balance it with the revenues that are there. It's all been smoke and mirrors and accounting tricks.

 

[Bakunin]

Re: Obama XXII: Occupy the White House

Property tax movement really depends on which school district / city / county you happen to reside in; mine are only around 0.9% of my home's assessed value and have been at that level for five years now. State income taxes cost me several times that.

 

[Old Pio]

Re: Obama XXII: Occupy the White House

I wonder how long it will be before people who aren't friend or family will stop giving a **** about the spawn of Palin.

Good question. Better put to our gay British friend.

 

[Kepler]

Re: Obama XXII: Occupy the White House

Kepler

How bad are you whacked by our Governor, probable candidate for El Presidente in 2016
http://washingtonexaminer.com/local...get-hit-under-omalley-income-tax-hike/2110511

Love the budget gimmick on teacher pensions. Save money at the state level, then jerk the counties which will have to raise taxes (probably property) to cover the increased costs. The captive state legislature will then be able to thunder in 2014 that they save the state billions of dollars, while the county legislators are going to get it up the wazoo because they had to raise taxes.

From what I can see, I'm going to get significantly hit. Moving education costs down to the county will actually save me money but I don't like it. The problems of PG County are not going to be helped by giving them a greater tax burden. They won't collect anyway -- you could raise their property tax to 50% and 50% of nuthin' is still nuthin'.

The rule of thumb for good governance is Democratic federal and Republican local. State is stuck in the middle so it's always a question.

 

[Kepler]

Re: Obama XXII: Occupy the White House

It appears to me that public office is now more about creating a crisis that allows you to placate your constituents more than it is about solving problems.

There's a whole political theory based on this. Basically, the fire department has an arsonist wing to keep them necessary. Why do you think our intel agencies find so many "critical threat areas"?

 

[Old Pio]

Re: Obama XXII: Occupy the White House

There's a whole political theory based on this. Basically, the fire department has an arsonist wing to keep them necessary. Why do you think our intel agencies find so many "critical threat areas"?

And the mavens of this "political theory" have their annual meeting on the grassy knoll. There are two general answers to your question. 1. Pearl Harbor. 2. People like you would be first in line to condemn them if they failed to recognize a "critical threat area." "Amerika" is too big for its britches, know what I mean?

 

[joecct]

Re: Obama XXII: Occupy the White House

The county/city administrations don't have to worry about taking it in the shorts on election day though because all this has really accomplished is converted school funding into an exercise in direct democracy by having people endlessly vote on a different school funding referendum each year.

YOU get to vote on the school budget. Here in Maryland, we don't. The county school board says give us this, then the county council bends over and we get it where it hurts. We Free Staters never get electoral veto.

 

[Kepler]

Re: Obama XXII: Occupy the White House

YOU get to vote on the school budget. Here in Maryland, we don't. The county school board says give us this, then the county council bends over and we get it where it hurts. We Free Staters never get electoral veto.

Given the composition of local school boards where I live, the less power they have the better for everyone. My area makes Kansas look like San Francisco. Most of my neighbors are unable to spell "evolution."

 

[joecct]

Re: Obama XXII: Occupy the White House

Given the composition of local school boards where I live, the less power they have the better for everyone. My area makes Kansas look like San Francisco. Most of my neighbors are unable to spell "evolution."

I think it's spelled "evilushun". My Alma Mater has a fundraising campaign called "Evolution to Excellence". I prefer Excellence by Intelligent Design.

One county over east the school board loves ERISA -- Every Ridiculous Idea Since Adam. And let me tell you, I pay for it.

 

[pirate]

I think it's spelled "evilushun". My Alma Mater has a fundraising campaign called "Evolution to Excellence". I prefer Excellence by Intelligent Design.

One county over east the school board loves ERISA -- Every Ridiculous Idea Since Adam. And let me tell you, I pay for it.

I think most would agree that private schools benefit from self selection as well as admission criteria, however many operate on a fraction of what public schools spend and produce better results. Public schools are the testing ground of every progressive idea in education and rhe results get worse.

I

 

[Plante26]

Re: Obama XXII: Occupy the White House

I think most would agree that private schools benefit from self selection as well as admission criteria, however many operate on a fraction of what public schools spend and produce better results. Public schools are the testing ground of every progressive idea in education and rhe results get worse.

So you're saying that school vouchers might improve education? Interesting....I don't know that I've heard that idea before.

 

[Priceless]

Re: Obama XXII: Occupy the White House

So you're saying that school vouchers might improve education? Interesting....I don't know that I've heard that idea before.

No, the reason private schools produce better results is that they have self selection and admissions criteria (as he pointed out). How does taking money away from public schools to fund vouchers change that?

 

[LynahFan]

Re: Obama XXII: Occupy the White House

many (private schools) operate on a fraction of what public schools spend

That's because teachers are willing to work for significantly less since they get to teach brighter, more motivated students rather than facing the apathy and discipline problems rampant in many (most?) public schools. You absolutely cannot extrapolate from the limited population of students in private schools today to the general population.