Republican Assault on Public Education (2 Viewers)

[MT15]

This probably needs its own thread. It ties in with a lot of different R culture wars: Attacks on universities, attacks on CRT and “woke”. Classifying teachers and librarians as “groomers”. Pushing vouchers to send tax money to private, often religious, schools. Betsy DeVos was an advocate for all these policies that will weaken public education, and there are several billionaires who also want to dismantle public education. Public education may have its faults, but it is responsible for an amazing amount of upward mobility. Kids from poor areas can still get a college prep education in a public school.

Vouchers (sometimes disguised as “school choice”) are a particular peeve of mine. Public money is diverted from poor schools to wealthy private schools, which aren’t required to offer accommodations for special needs or challenged students. Families with special needs kids are left out. Rural areas often suffer disproportionately because there are no private schools to attend, but their public schools still see the reduction in funding. Often the families who take advantage of the voucher money are upper class and the private schools simply raise tuition knowing the families are getting taxpayer money now.

Greg Abbot is being particularly vile in this area. No surprise. Voters will have to make a statement about public education. If we want to halt the growing divide in this country between the “haves” and “have-nots”, we need to pay attention to public education.

 

[Sendai]

It’s money the government doesn’t need to be spending. Watch the PBS Newshour and see where the funding originates. Won’t be difficult to bridge the gap. And an occasional belt tightening is good for a business.

 

[LA 2 L.A.]

Fascist have an uncanny knack for outing themselves as fascists without even realizing they've outed themselves as fascists.

 

[TampaJoe]

Fascist have an uncanny knack for outing themselves as fascists without even realizing they've outed themselves as fascists.

I have a feeling anyone who doesn’t agree with you fits that description.

 

[LA 2 L.A.]

I have a feeling anyone who doesn’t agree with you fits that description.

You have a very wrong feeling. I disagree with a lot of people who aren't anywhere close to being fascist. I'm just not afraid to call something that squawks like a duck and looks like a duck, a duck.

 

[TampaJoe]

You have a very wrong feeling. I disagree with a lot of people who aren't anywhere close to being fascist. I'm just not afraid to call something that squawks like a duck and looks like a duck, a duck.

Call it what you choose. It’s a worn out card much over played by folks who don’t know what they are talking about and have nothing better to say. So they play that card or the racist card. It has been played so much it has lost all meaning. Just noise.

 

[Optimus Prime]

Call it what you choose. It’s a worn out card much over played by folks who don’t know what they are talking about and have nothing better to say. So they play that card or the racist card. It has been played so much it has lost all meaning. Just noise.

So kinda like ‘woke’?

 

[Optimus Prime]

 

[bird]

Call it what you choose. It’s a worn out card much over played by folks who don’t know what they are talking about and have nothing better to say. So they play that card or the racist card. It has been played so much it has lost all meaning. Just noise.

Which is what the RW hopes. That is the essence of fascism.

 

[TampaJoe]

So kinda like ‘woke’?

Yep. Exactly.

 

[TampaJoe]

Which is what the RW hopes. That is the essence of fascism.

Oh I dunno Bird. I just know it’s worn out and overused and means nothing anymore. Just a scare word that doesn’t scare anyone anymore.

 

[Dragon]

Oh I dunno Bird. I just know it’s worn out and overused and means nothing anymore. Just a scare word that doesn’t scare anyone anymore.

If fascism doesn't scare you, then you finally showed what we all suspected all along.....

 

[TampaJoe]

If fascism doesn't scare you, then you finally showed what we all suspected all along.....

Oh real facism would worry me. No doubt. But your party resorts to calling everyone who disagree with them some kind of “ist”. Facist is just the latest. Racist, Sexist come to mind. Not to mention all the other names like Nazi, or homophobe, etc, etc.

Politics of fear. And yes, before you say it, Republicans do it too. Not quite as much but often enough. It is all the same. Just noise. Politics of fear. How’s that working out for you? I think people like to actually vote FOR something.

My parents generation went to war to fight actual facist and actual Nazis. I have read quite a bit about that time in history. You don’t grow up in a house with a ww2 marine veteran without hearing the stories. Nothing we have today is a scratch on the real evil of actual facism and actual Nazis. Not even close. It is a disservice IMO to draw such a comparison just to scare people to voting for your candidate.

 

[fooferdoggie]

It’s money the government doesn’t need to be spending. Watch the PBS Newshour and see where the funding originates. Won’t be difficult to bridge the gap. And an occasional belt tightening is good for a business.

too bad there is no belt tightening on the trump grifting business.

 

[SFIDC3]

My parents generation went to war to fight actual facist and actual Nazis. I have read quite a bit about that time in history. You don’t grow up in a house with a ww2 marine veteran without hearing the stories. Nothing we have today is a scratch on the real evil of actual facism and actual Nazis. Not even close. It is a disservice IMO to draw such a comparison just to scare people to voting for your candidate.

My father was a WWII vet, landed in Omaha Beach about a month or so after D-Day.....and I can tell you right now he would be appalled at what is happening today in this country.....

The one thing I'm thankful he never witnessed (he passed in 2014) is Jan 6th.....and the upstanding Trump supporter with the Auschwitcz sweatshirt.....he was a very calm and level headed man for the most part, but after seeing that he would want the entire R party destroyed.....Fascists much like the mafia loves it when folks don't believe they exist......take your BS garbage somewhere else.....

 

[Sendai]

First thing in the morning, with my coffee, I turn on the previous evenings PBS Newshour. The intro identifies the shows funding. They don’t need government funding. And you might want to consider PBS Passport if You don’t have it already.

 

[Dragon]

Oh real facism would worry me. No doubt. But your party resorts to calling everyone who disagree with them some kind of “ist”. Facist is just the latest. Racist, Sexist come to mind. Not to mention all the other names like Nazi, or homophobe, etc, etc.

Politics of fear. And yes, before you say it, Republicans do it too. Not quite as much but often enough. It is all the same. Just noise. Politics of fear. How’s that working out for you? I think people like to actually vote FOR something.

My parents generation went to war to fight actual facist and actual Nazis. I have read quite a bit about that time in history. You don’t grow up in a house with a ww2 marine veteran without hearing the stories. Nothing we have today is a scratch on the real evil of actual facism and actual Nazis. Not even close. It is a disservice IMO to draw such a comparison just to scare people to voting for your candidate.

My maternal grandfather spent two years in a German concentration camp because he fought Hitler — with his pen. I still have his diaries from his time in Germany, where he worked as a typesetter at a German/Danish newspaper in Flensburg (former danish territory), both before and after Hitler's rise to power. So believe me when I say: I know a thing or two about real fascism— and how it takes hold! Fighting the Nazis in the war is NOT the same as experiencing their rise to power! My grandfather never recovered 100% after that experience and the only one he ever really told the whole story to was me, mainly due to the work I was doing in Eastern Europe. That is also why he left his diaries to me.

 

[TampaJoe]

My father was a WWII vet, landed in Omaha Beach about a month or so after D-Day.....and I can tell you right now he would be appalled at what is happening today in this country.....

The one thing I'm thankful he never witnessed (he passed in 2014) is Jan 6th.....and the upstanding Trump supporter with the Auschwitcz sweatshirt.....he was a very calm and level headed man for the most part, but after seeing that he would want the entire R party destroyed.....Fascists much like the mafia loves it when folks don't believe they exist......take your BS garbage somewhere else.....

I would say the same to you re: BS garbage.

 

[TampaJoe]

My maternal grandfather spent two years in a German concentration camp because he fought Hitler — with his pen. I still have his diaries from his time in Germany, where he worked as a typesetter at a German/Danish newspaper in Flensburg (former danish territory), both before and after Hitler's rise to power. So believe me when I say: I know a thing or two about real fascism— and how it takes hold! Fighting the Nazis in the war is NOT the same as experiencing their rise to power! My grandfather never recovered 100% after that experience and the only one he ever really told the whole story to was me, mainly due to the work I was doing in Eastern Europe. That is also why he left his diaries to me.

I respect your opinion. I simply don’t agree that Trump and the GOP are the second coming of Hitler and the Nazi party. Most conservatives I know want limited government. That seems at odds with facism and authoritarianism and totalitarianism. I think most people, given enough information, are capable of deciding for themselves what is in their best interest. I don’t need or want some kind of strongman from the left or the right.

We have a constitution that limits the federal government and protects the rights of minorities and provides for separation of powers. It is designed to encourage discussion and compromise. We as a nation should be leaning into that instead of fighting amongst ourselves all the time.

But that is where we are these days. I don’t see it changing anytime soon. Maybe enough people will leave the parties to get their attention. There is too much money and self dealing in government. It isn’t about “we the people”. It is about maintaining the bureaucracy that puts money in the pockets of the parties and politicians. Not everyone in DC is corrupt but there are enough that it jams up the system.