TVTropes Now available in the app store!
Open

Follow TV Tropes

Following

The General US Politics Thread

Go To

Nov 2023 Mod notice:


There may be other, more specific, threads about some aspects of US politics, but this one tends to act as a hub for all sorts of related news and information, so it's usually one of the busiest OTC threads.

If you're new to OTC, it's worth reading the Introduction to On-Topic Conversations and the On-Topic Conversations debate guidelines before posting here.

Rumor-based, fear-mongering and/or inflammatory statements that damage the quality of the thread will be thumped. Off-topic posts will also be thumped. Repeat offenders may be suspended.

If time spent moderating this thread remains a distraction from moderation of the wiki itself, the thread will need to be locked. We want to avoid that, so please follow the forum rules when posting here.


In line with the general forum rules, 'gravedancing' is prohibited here. If you're celebrating someone's death or hoping that they die, your post will get thumped. This rule applies regardless of what the person you're discussing has said or done.

Edited by Mrph1 on Nov 30th 2023 at 11:03:59 AM

TheGirlWithPointyEars Never Ask Me the Odds from Outer Space Since: Dec, 2009
Never Ask Me the Odds
#41851: Nov 23rd 2012 at 9:57:06 AM

I'm tending to think it's yet another reason for an emphasis on quality education. Because a group of voters who can understand and parse complicated political arguments is in everyone's interest... except certain people who take advantage of the status quo to gain power.

She of Short Stature & Impeccable Logic My Skating Liveblog
TheStarshipMaxima NCC - 1701 Since: Jun, 2009
NCC - 1701
#41852: Nov 23rd 2012 at 10:30:17 AM

Exactly. And an increased sense that people can't simply throw up their hands and say "I got a bad childhood/parents/education/genes/job/residence/insert whatever disadvantage here."

At a certain point we have to take responsibility for our part in the world, if it is to be improved at all.

It was an honor
TheyCallMeTomu Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: Anime is my true love
RadicalTaoist scratching at .8, just hopin' from the #GUniverse Since: Jan, 2001
TheyCallMeTomu Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: Anime is my true love
#41855: Nov 23rd 2012 at 11:57:00 AM

Tell that to my two bachelors degrees :P

RadicalTaoist scratching at .8, just hopin' from the #GUniverse Since: Jan, 2001
Pykrete NOT THE BEES from Viridian Forest Since: Sep, 2009
NOT THE BEES
#41857: Nov 23rd 2012 at 12:17:21 PM

I've been turned down for skilled jobs because I have no experience, and turned down for retail jobs because my degree makes me overqualified, so...

TheyCallMeTomu Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: Anime is my true love
#41858: Nov 23rd 2012 at 12:27:01 PM

Yeah, not buying the "you'd be even worse off without em!" argument.

DrunkGirlfriend from Castle Geekhaven Since: Jan, 2011
#41859: Nov 23rd 2012 at 1:01:50 PM

Yeah, and my two years of college doesn't actually count for anything either, except that I'm getting deeper and deeper in debt by the month.

"I don't know how I do it. I'm like the Mr. Bean of sex." -Drunkscriblerian
RadicalTaoist scratching at .8, just hopin' from the #GUniverse Since: Jan, 2001
scratching at .8, just hopin'
#41860: Nov 23rd 2012 at 1:05:36 PM

Hmmm, perhaps I should rephrase.

Learning is empowering. Learning does not always come with education, and education is not always the most efficient way of acquiring learning. As far as I know, superior basic education is a good way to fight poverty. However, "superior basic education" is not synonymous with "degree inflation".

Share it so that people can get into this conversation, 'cause we're not the only ones who think like this.
TheyCallMeTomu Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: Anime is my true love
#41861: Nov 23rd 2012 at 1:28:20 PM

Did you just call all of our degrees unlearned?

Aren't you just begging the question now?

RadicalTaoist scratching at .8, just hopin' from the #GUniverse Since: Jan, 2001
scratching at .8, just hopin'
#41862: Nov 23rd 2012 at 5:41:29 PM

Ack, no, that's not what I meant to say either, sorry.

Third time's the charm: better elementary and secondary education (especially in poor areas) good, increasing costs for postsecondary education degrees in a market that wants them less and less bad. Better?

Share it so that people can get into this conversation, 'cause we're not the only ones who think like this.
TheyCallMeTomu Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: Anime is my true love
deathpigeon Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: One True Dodecahedron
#41864: Nov 23rd 2012 at 10:13:25 PM

Personally, I think education isn't empowering because you get something from it. Education is empowering because you are denied certain things if you don't have one. For example, I know there are jobs that I can't apply for because I don't have a degree in something. Those jobs are not things I would get by having an education, but, rather, things that I'm denied without an education. Even if I have all the skills to equal someone with the same degree, I will still be denied that job because I don't have a degree to back that knowledge up.

AceofSpades Since: Apr, 2009 Relationship Status: Showing feelings of an almost human nature
#41865: Nov 23rd 2012 at 11:38:46 PM

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/21/boehner-obamacare-fiscal-cliff_n_2171564.html?ref=topbar

It seems the White House is standing its ground in regards to the ACA. And the Republicans are going to continue griping about fights they've lost.

TheyCallMeTomu Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: Anime is my true love
#41866: Nov 24th 2012 at 12:06:17 AM

They're not getting the ACA repealed, which means we're gonna trigger the austerity bomb I guess.

deathpigeon Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: One True Dodecahedron
#41867: Nov 24th 2012 at 12:16:35 AM

Well, there goes my prediction of the Grand Bargain murdering the economy rather than the Austerity Bomb murdering the economy. :/

TheyCallMeTomu Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: Anime is my true love
#41868: Nov 24th 2012 at 12:18:26 AM

Well, a lot of the stuff the austerity bomb is won't come into play immediately-ala, the tax hikes.

AceofSpades Since: Apr, 2009 Relationship Status: Showing feelings of an almost human nature
#41869: Nov 24th 2012 at 12:23:54 AM

You seem disappointed by that, deathpigeon. As has been pointed out, the effects of the dreaded fiscal cliff bomb aren't immediate, and thus can be negotiated around before it gets too bad. Plus, this time Obama can actually blame the Republicans for hashing over something that was already declared Constitutional by the Supreme Court.

TheyCallMeTomu Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: Anime is my true love
#41870: Nov 24th 2012 at 12:30:11 AM

"The supreme court said it was justified under the taxation powers, ergo it's a TAX! We just want to CUT TAXES!"

deathpigeon Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: One True Dodecahedron
#41871: Nov 24th 2012 at 12:42:12 AM

[up][up] I'm not disappointed. I'm actually kind of excited, in a resigned sort of way. This will be much less effective at murdering our economy as the Grand Bargain would be.

I'm going "At least I'm only being shot in the arm, he threatened to shoot me in my head!"

edited 24th Nov '12 12:43:11 AM by deathpigeon

Inhopelessguy Since: Apr, 2011
#41872: Nov 24th 2012 at 5:31:33 AM

I find it ironic that the GOP - who hate anything European - wants to impose European-style austerity.

Greenmantle V from Greater Wessex, Britannia Since: Feb, 2010 Relationship Status: Hiding
V
#41873: Nov 24th 2012 at 5:33:38 AM

[up]

Then again, they'd say Keynesianism is named after a Brit, so...

Keep Rolling On
tricksterson Never Trust from Behind you with an icepick Since: Apr, 2009 Relationship Status: Above such petty unnecessities
Never Trust
#41874: Nov 24th 2012 at 5:51:32 AM

I've got to wonder how much of this fiscal cliff hysteria is just that. After all, the Reublicans say we need to cut spending and the Democrats that we need to restore the revenue taken away by the Bush tax cuts. Well this will do both. As for the defense cuts even some people in the Pentagon have said cuts are neccesary. The way I see it everyone's whining because their ox is going to get gored.

Trump delenda est
Greenmantle V from Greater Wessex, Britannia Since: Feb, 2010 Relationship Status: Hiding
V
#41875: Nov 24th 2012 at 5:57:20 AM

Then is the Fiscal Cliff a good compromise, since it leaves everyone unhappy? [lol]

Keep Rolling On

Total posts: 417,856
Top