Obama XXII: Occupy the White House

[Kepler]

Re: Obama XXII: Occupy the White House

 

[Foxton]

Re: Obama XXII: Occupy the White House

Fair and Balanced.

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[Priceless]

Re: Obama XXII: Occupy the White House

Hey, the protesters have an unexpected ally...

Bachmann quickly turned the question on its head, going on to rail about the bailout of Wall Street. This, she blamed entirely on politicians in Washington, with other references to "Fannie and Freddie" -- one of which financed her home loan! -- but not a single mention of mistakes made by the bankers and traders.

Bachmann wound up her question saying people are "rightly concerned about" the bailout of Wall Street.

Plus Mitt Romney either supports them or thinks they're dangerous Marxists, depending on which day it is.

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[Twitch Boy]

Re: Obama XXII: Occupy the White House

As a member of the so-called "53%" (college degree in a high-demand field, stable job, condo owner, a hard worker but admittedly **** lucky to be here) I fully support where OWS is coming from. My attitude toward the 99% is like the opposite of the price of a Ferrari - if you have to ask if you're in the 99%, you are. This has been a long time coming. Within this group are people who did nothing wrong or who were steered into bad situations by parents or other trusted figures, and they're understandably angry.

What I personally agree with most and would like to see emerge from the movement:

- Tuition reform. JFC. It should not cost mid-five figures to get a competitive education in a first world country. PERIOD. I don't see how we're going to compete with China, India, etc. if no one can afford to go to school. Doesn't have to be forgiveness (though holy crap would that jump-start the economy.) I'd be perfectly happy with a program that allows students to work off their student loan debt, or provides a full or partial ride in exchange for X months/years of work. Work for the Peace Corps, or live at home and work in your community for Habitat for Humanity, troubled schools, etc. for a few years, and they'll pay for your degree. (This already kind of exists - if you work for the federal government for 10 years out of college, your remaining student loan balance gets wiped.
- Higher education reform in general. Specifically, an emphasis that it's okay NOT to go to college, and there are viable options for people other than college. NOT EVERYONE NEEDS TO GO TO COLLEGE. Some fields require it, for good reason (engineering, medicine, law, etc.) Some really have no reason for doing so. This was part of the problem in the first place - parents and guidance counselors have pounded it into their snowflakes' heads (mine included) that their options in life are "college" or "van down by the river." The HR departments don't help any by throwing out the resume of anyone who doesn't have the magic piece of paper. Anyone who does some research on learning a trade and entering the workforce is automatically labeled a life loser for his trouble. If my 17-year-old came up to me and said "I have an inkling of what I might like to do in college, but I'd rather not risk five figures of debt on finding out for sure. I'd like to apprentice plumbing with my uncle, enter the workforce right away, make some money, then decide for sure what I'd like to do in college, should I need it" I'd give him a standing ovation. College can wait, if it's needed at all. (There's another problem - rushing people into college directly from high school through repayment activation, etc.)
- The big evil bank fees I'm not too worried about yet. People can vote with their feet, which it looks like they are. Good on them. Hopefully credit unions don't start doing the same thing (they're mostly non-profit, so they might not.) Now if the banks are colluding to institute these fees amongst themselves, or preventing people from taking their own money and leaving, then we have a problem.
- Rein in commodity speculation. Require speculators to take delivery of any purchased commodities. These are usable goods, not lottery tickets. Gas and food prices drop overnight. That tends to go a long way toward placating the masses.

If OWS accomplishes these, that'd be a darn good start. As it stands, their message is already getting places.

 

[ScoobyDoo]

Re: Obama XXII: Occupy the White House

Good post. I agree on the college thing, tuition, etc. especially. It's nuts right now.

 

[Priceless]

Re: Obama XXII: Occupy the White House

Typical response to Wall Street protester: the problem isn't here, it's in DC.
Typical response to DC protester: the problem isn't here, it's on Wall Street.

Hmmmm...I think I see where the problem really is...

 

[MattS]

Re: Obama XXII: Occupy the White House

Typical response to Wall Street protester: the problem isn't here, it's in DC.
Typical response to DC protester: the problem isn't here, it's on Wall Street.

Hmmmm...I think I see where the problem really is...

Yeah, their both correct.

 

[Priceless]

Re: Obama XXII: Occupy the White House

They love America!

Resolved that: The Obama administration and the Democrat-controlled Senate, in alliance with a global Progressive socialist movement, have participated in what appears to be a globalist socialist agenda of redistribution of wealth, and the waging of class warfare against our constitutional republic's heritage of individual rights, free market capitalism, and indeed our Constitution itself, with the ultimate goal of collapsing the U.S. economy and globalizing us into socialism.

Resolved that: President Obama has seized what amount to dictatorial powers to bypass our Congress, and that because the Congress is controlled by a Progressive socialist Senate that will not impeach one of their kind, they have allowed this and yielded what are rightfully congressional powers to this new dictator.

Resolved that: By their agenda and actions, those in our government who swore oaths to protect and defend our Constitution have committed treason against the United States.

Resolved that: The current administration and Democrat majority in the Senate, in conjunction with Progressive socialists from all around the country, especially those from Hollywood and the left leaning news media (Indeed, most of the news media.) have worked in unison to advance an anti-business, an anti-free market, and an anti-capitalist (anti-individual rights and property ownership) agenda.

…

Resolved that: Our President, the Democrats-Socialists, most of the media, and most of those from Hollywood, have now encouraged and supported "Occupy" demonstrations in our streets, which are now being perpetrated across the globe, and which are being populated by various marxists, socialists and even communists, and are protesting against business, private property ownership and capitalism, something I thought I'd never see in my country, in my lifetime.

I, an American small business owner, part of the class that produces the vast majority of real, wealth producing jobs in this country, hereby resolve that I will not hire a single person until this war against business and my country is stopped.

True patriotism.

 

[French Rage]

Re: Obama XXII: Occupy the White House

- Tuition reform. JFC. It should not cost mid-five figures to get a competitive education in a first world country. PERIOD. I don't see how we're going to compete with China, India, etc. if no one can afford to go to school. Doesn't have to be forgiveness (though holy crap would that jump-start the economy.) I'd be perfectly happy with a program that allows students to work off their student loan debt, or provides a full or partial ride in exchange for X months/years of work. Work for the Peace Corps, or live at home and work in your community for Habitat for Humanity, troubled schools, etc. for a few years, and they'll pay for your degree. (This already kind of exists - if you work for the federal government for 10 years out of college, your remaining student loan balance gets wiped.

As you say, though, aren't there a number of programs already like this. Plain and simple, when it comes down to going the safe route in such a program and getting free of debt, or going with loans and hoping you'll strike it rich and make enough the pay them off, the vast majority of people still prefer the latter. People keep saying they would gladly take such a program but ignore the ones already present.

- Higher education reform in general. Specifically, an emphasis that it's okay NOT to go to college, and there are viable options for people other than college. NOT EVERYONE NEEDS TO GO TO COLLEGE. Some fields require it, for good reason (engineering, medicine, law, etc.) Some really have no reason for doing so. This was part of the problem in the first place - parents and guidance counselors have pounded it into their snowflakes' heads (mine included) that their options in life are "college" or "van down by the river." The HR departments don't help any by throwing out the resume of anyone who doesn't have the magic piece of paper. Anyone who does some research on learning a trade and entering the workforce is automatically labeled a life loser for his trouble. If my 17-year-old came up to me and said "I have an inkling of what I might like to do in college, but I'd rather not risk five figures of debt on finding out for sure. I'd like to apprentice plumbing with my uncle, enter the workforce right away, make some money, then decide for sure what I'd like to do in college, should I need it" I'd give him a standing ovation. College can wait, if it's needed at all. (There's another problem - rushing people into college directly from high school through repayment activation, etc.)

This I agree with. We seem to think it's either get a college degree and get an entry level service sector job, ignoring that vastness of what's in between the two. If you're a nuclear physicist, then yes you need four years and then some of college to learn all you need to learn; basically if you spend your college years learning a specific skill set it's likely worth your time and money; I might be biased as an engineer but this seems to slant towards things like science/math/engineering/medicine. But other than that, if you're going to college to learn "how to communicate" or "how to handle work and responsibility", is that something you need to spend 4 years and $150K on? But as you say, if someone doesn't get a 4 year degree there is a tendency to regard them as a slacker, when there's plenty of useful and well-paying skills that one could learn apprenticing or with say a 2-year associate degree. Don't get me wrong, if someone wants to spend 4 years and a lot of money getting a degree that really doesn't teach them anything, go ahead, but don't blame evil bankers when it turns out you working at the same job that you could have gotten right out of high school

 

[Priceless]

Re: Obama XXII: Occupy the White House

 

[Twitch Boy]

Re: Obama XXII: Occupy the White House

As you say, though, aren't there a number of programs already like this. Plain and simple, when it comes down to going the safe route in such a program and getting free of debt, or going with loans and hoping you'll strike it rich and make enough the pay them off, the vast majority of people still prefer the latter. People keep saying they would gladly take such a program but ignore the ones already present.

I actually didn't know about the 10-year thing until just recently, actually. Assuming these programs exist, they need to advertise them more. If not, create them. College paid for and relevant work experience to put on your resume - you've just solved the entry-level trap a lot of graduates see. Plus it keeps the "WHARRGARBL YOU SPOILED ENTITLED GEN-Y BRATS JUST WANT A FREE RIDE" crowd from piping up.

 

[Old Pio]

Re: Obama XXII: Occupy the White House

I'm thinking it's not especially a good idea to use the "golf course" reference, given President Expiration Date's multiple trips to the links.

 

[Bakunin]

Re: Obama XXII: Occupy the White House

I actually didn't know about the 10-year thing until just recently, actually. Assuming these programs exist, they need to advertise them more. If not, create them. College paid for and relevant work experience to put on your resume - you've just solved the entry-level trap a lot of graduates see. Plus it keeps the "WHARRGARBL YOU SPOILED ENTITLED GEN-Y BRATS JUST WANT A FREE RIDE" crowd from piping up.

There's a couple programs that weren't / aren't very well publicized:
- Perkins loan forgiveness: if you work in certain areas of public service, you can take advantage of this.
- EDRP (education debt reduction program): if you work for the government in certain healthcare professions, you can get a significant amount of your student loan payments reimbursed over a period of five years - however, the program is limited to in-demand professions, and some of them only qualify in certain locales.

 

[gounhwildcats]

Re: Obama XXII: Occupy the White House

I'm thinking it's not especially a good idea to use the "golf course" reference, given President Expiration Date's multiple trips to the links.

Well I suppose if the non-jobs bill thing doesn't work out him and Holder could sell more guns to Mexican drug cartels, that seemed to work out pretty well the first time. Well not so much for the 300 some odd Mexican citizens that have been killed by those guns, but other than that it's been a smashing success.

 

[pirate]

Re: Obama XXII: Occupy the White House

There's a couple programs that weren't / aren't very well publicized:
- Perkins loan forgiveness: if you work in certain areas of public service, you can take advantage of this.
- EDRP (education debt reduction program): if you work for the government in certain healthcare professions, you can get a significant amount of your student loan payments reimbursed over a period of five years - however, the program is limited to in-demand professions, and some of them only qualify in certain locales.

I like the general concept; the part where the government doesn't do anything to slow the growth in tuition, lends you money to pay for the skyrocketing cost of education and then says they'll forgive the debt if you come work for them vs. anybody else doesn't sit perfectly with me. They seem to be 'solving' a problem they helped create...that their solution just so happens to add to the federal workers unions etc., who vote in high percentages to keep the trough full, I'm sure wasn't a consideration at all.

 

[Priceless]

Re: Obama XXII: Occupy the White House

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It must be tough for Republicans to love America so much but hate almost three-quarters of the people living in it.

 

[Kepler]

Re: Obama XXII: Occupy the White House

It must be tough for Republicans to love America so much but hate almost three-quarters of the people living in it.

The Venn Diagram hit on Romney made me laugh out loud.

 

[Kepler]

Re: Obama XXII: Occupy the White House

Cain actually is a good businessman...

 

[geezer]

Re: Obama XXII: Occupy the White House

Cain actually is a good businessman...

that's not safe territory for an Obama apologist... just sayin.

 

[Priceless]

Re: Obama XXII: Occupy the White House

Cain actually is a good businessman...

I could use a few bucks...think I'll run for the GOP nomination.