The Politics Thread

I'm so glad that Newsweek finally dropped the oppo research on Sanders. People treated him with kid gloves and his fanboys need to understand just how much of a pass he was given. The fact that Newsweek waited until after the election was a favor to him. I could already see him thinking that he was going to use this loss to increase his profile and help him in his re-election bid. He was treated like he was untouchable and clearly began to believe it. Hopefully this article was a reality check.

1 hour ago, JaneAusten said:

It's amazing how we learn nothing from history. People can't even remember what a state this country was in 8 years ago. But the US has been moving from a MFTG centric economy to SVC centric for years. And the angst being experienced is the same pain people experienced as we went from AGR to MFTG.

 

There will be people lost in the transition - we have seen some of that. But it's really the millennials who are the worst, many of them with college degrees that apparently are either worthless or they aren't looking hard enough for jobs or not going to areas where they may be able to find jobs that meet their educational requirements. (I have a nephew that is a Bernie lover who fits into category 1 and 2. And he sits home collecting unemployment. He thinks Bernie's plan to raise the minimum wage so he can work at McDonalds and make a living wage is the answer). I don't know what it is honestly. I read an article in Forbes the other day who interviewed CEO's across the country and we currently have 2 million jobs that can't be filled due to lack of skills. One of the reasons immigrants from Asian countries in particular is so high. So why aren't these millennials going to the areas where these jobs are available or pursuing degrees in areas that might employ them.

 

No one ever suggested Clinton was not a flawed candidate but at least she had a retooling program for some of these people. Some of it was pie in the sky but at least it was a starting point. People want to continue to blame Clinton for changing her position on TPP and not crediting Sanders for pushing her. And want to blame her for being honest about the coal industry? It must always be an attack. But hey their leader was the main attacker and never really stopped, what can one expect. And I am still waiting to hear Sanders plan for bringing jobs back or retraining people.

I would say that a lot of these jobs are in various forms of engineering (computer, bio) and other STEM sectors and not everyone has the brains for it.  Some of the health care jobs we need such as elder care are low paying and high stress. Similar to daycare where people are also underpaid.

53 minutes ago, Skin said:

I would say not just millennials, but also the older citizens who also want to retire but can't. The Republicans are going after medicare and medicade, which will devastate the older citizens who already don't have enough to live off of. If it gets much worse you will end up in a society not unlike that of a depressed China. Where we have the Generation X-er's sheltering everyone - their children and their parents - if they can afford it.

 

It's funny how over the past decade, it's either about Millennials or the Baby Boomers but last year I read a study that said that Generation X-ers often did the most volunteer work and were the most generous to charity compared to all groups.  Yet, Generation X-ers also seem to have the hardest time financially overall, in terms of debt, primarily from higher education and jobs that have not matched our skills. Nobody seems to pay attention to us. I don't know why.

Meanwhile: Have we posted this yet?

12 minutes ago, Vee said:

Meanwhile: Have we posted this yet?

 

I read that article this morning and CBS This Morning, I think, referenced the same article.  There have been other newspapers and media that have been writing about the same thing. It's obvious that things are a mess. 

He went on Twitter and said it wasn't true.

 

 

Edited November 16, 20169 yr by Skin

This is hilarious/sad.

the Washington Post defends the New York Times https://t.co/l5TawAHdF6

— Olivia Nuzzi (@Olivianuzzi) November 16, 2016

1 hour ago, Juliajms said:

I would say that a lot of these jobs are in various forms of engineering (computer, bio) and other STEM sectors and not everyone has the brains for it.  Some of the health care jobs we need such as elder care are low paying and high stress. Similar to daycare where people are also underpaid.

I agree with part of this but this is a failure of our educational system. We have fallen behind for years in Science and Mathematics and there are really know formal plans in place to compete. This comes from someone me who was a math and technology major in college and worked in the tech industry for a long while before moving into education. I see how deficient our education is particularly in math, and surprisingly girls are still encouraged away from it(there were not a lot of women graduates when I graduated from Univ of Ill with a degree in Math and Minor in Information technology), and people wonder why we are behind and our population does not have the "brains" for it.

 

There are trades that require good solid math and analytical skills also. Heck my nephew is now working for a company that does repairs on municipality equipment and he barely skated through math in high school. He needed math skills. Fortunately the company he works for provided education credits for him recognizing his potential, he went and boosted his math, technology, and analytical skills, and he's now working with a good job. Jobs like auto mechanics now called auto technicians also require perhaps different analytical skills than before due to more computerization in automobiles and the equipment used for diagnosis and in some case repair. I think part of the problem perhaps is the fact that we no longer prepare students education wise for careers outside of pursuing a college education. There used to be a lot of vocational training in high school. A lot of that is gone.

 

The healthcare field is one where the projection long term is for more and more growth. Caregiviers are desperately needed and yes underpaid. But healthcare is also an industry where more skilled personnel are needed. Technicians, nursing assistants are fields where vocational type schooling is the basis.

China Tells Trump That Climate Change Is No Hoax It Invented

 

speaking of environmental issues:

 

This is where Obama’s hugely ambitious climate policies were headed — before Trump

 

and

Trump's EPA Pick Says Pesticides Aren't Bad for You https://t.co/kRfspjgvk2

— Mother Jones (@MotherJones) November 16, 2016

@JaneAusten I'll agree with you that education in STEM subjects have been a problem for a long time. I remember my chemistry teacher complaining about 20+ years ago. At the same the average IQ is 100. You aren't going to make a math major or an engineer out of that no matter how good your educational system is. So sure, we need to make the most of the potential we have in this country, but I think it's an obvious area where immigration can solve some of our needs.

Edited November 16, 20169 yr by Juliajms

Someone needs to remind Mr. Steve Bannon of the history of Irish and Catholic Americans.  Because, trust me, those two groups are still on the KKK's hit list.

Edited November 16, 20169 yr by Khan

31 minutes ago, DramatistDreamer said:

China Tells Trump That Climate Change Is No Hoax It Invented

 

speaking of environmental issues:

 

This is where Obama’s hugely ambitious climate policies were headed — before Trump

 

and

Isn't this guy a lobbyist also?

Obama now at 62% favorability (Gallup).

 

Is this his highest ever as President?

Edited November 16, 20169 yr by Ms. Quartermaine

Donald Trump’s Transition Team, Or Lack Thereof, Is Causing Real Panic