UT alum

I got a story about that. In 1984 I was named to represent Hardin County on the Southeast Texas Workforce Development Board. It is responsible for distributing federal workforce training dollars in the three county region here. Reagan’s retooling of the old CETA program. I served until 2019. As time went on, corporate America became more and more involved indirectly with public education curriculum. Basic skills, they said. Since then, education has gotten more and more “basic”. More science and math, less English, history, and social studies. Also escalating over that time was the complaint that public education wasn’t cranking out kids who could do much of anything and as always blamed parents, drugs, video games, music, etc. to keep our eye off reality. A “liberal” education in the technical sense creates a well rounded individual with effective critical thinking skills. We quit doing that. People with poor critical thinking skills are more malleable and less capable of focus outside the basic skills they were taught. Training went from Apprenticeship programs to ITC and other training facilities funded by employers. Again, criticism about the “unpreparedness” and indifference of the workforce continued. It hasn’t worked. If anything it has made people more inclined to be told what to think rather than possess the curiosity and critical thinking skills to evaluate current events for themselves. It just ain’t that simple. “Train them and they will come” is not all it’s cracked up to be. Educate them and they will be sought.

Still don’t hear nothing but crickets on the challenge. Show me documented evidence that illegals voting has impacted any race anywhere any time. You can’t. Because it doesn’t exist. One of the great red herrings of all time.

Capitalism can’t exist without creating a segment of the population that is unemployable. The greater the inequity in wealth, the larger that segment becomes. If a family with two adults working still can’t afford basic housing, transportation, food and clothing costs, you see no obligation of the group as a whole to assist? I agree that the system is out of control at this time, but that does not negate the principle. When the average difference between line worker and CEO wages was 20/1 in favor of the executive, the middle class was doing a heck of a lot better. I like this article in Forbes which lays responsibility on the corporation to fix this inadequacy rather than the state. Regulation exists primarily because of greed. Show me how to reduce the debilitating effect of corporate greed on the middle class without laws, and I’m all in. [Hidden Content]

We’re not too far apart, but the difference is a big one - concerning the welfare state and inequitable distribution of wealth. Does your inclination towards paramilitary operations include use on American soil? If so, how do you square that with abhorrence of the Patriot Act?

Not at all. I keep forgetting you are Libertarian. The most dispassionate of the political affiliations, and that’s no slam. You must admit that posting without the data looked prejudiced.

Don’t use that mask to hide behind the fact that right wingers provide no proof to back up any of their outlandish claims.

[Hidden Content] [Hidden Content] C’mon. Give me some proof. Evidence. Something other than rhetorical claims backed by nothing

[Hidden Content] i know you won’t believe it because it doesn’t fit your narrative. That’s the good thing about the truth: its existence doesn’t require your belief.

And to make citizens fearful.

Republicans love to fix problems that don’t exist. Fear is such a potent, yet misguided motivator.

Two. OlDawg said the problem is that 80% of teachers are women, 71% liberal registered Democrats. So, that implies the system needs more conservative registered Republican men to alleviate the problem. You get it now?

So gender and ideology should be part of hiring criteria? That sounds WOKE in reverse to me. Actually, it’s just pitifully prejudiced.

Tariffs didn’t start until Trump took office.

It started out about Obama. Trump reposted crap likening the ex-President to an ape. That’s what kicked the thread off.

“Highly unlikely” is an opinion. Mine is that it was “highly likely”. Don’t pretend he’s not an abomination to the office he holds.