The Politics Thread

[Juliajms]

Yes. My husband was telling me about Amy Barrett.  She belongs to some group called People of Praise. The women in the group are called "Haidmaids" and the men are called "Heads"

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I cannot believe this is real life. Needless to say her views are abhorrent.

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/amy-coney-barrett-abortion-rights-federal-judge_us_59f87abde4b0aec1467ac111?section=us_politics

[DRW50]

 

The GOP and their media allies were going on and on about how Democrats were being "anti-Catholic" and bigoted by not supporting her. They ended up having to dance around their new senator, Roy Moore, pushing to impose litmus tests based on religion (wanting to bar Keith Ellison from serving Congress). Typical hypocrisy. 

[marceline]

This is why whenever I see someone talking about Obama's speaking fees I want to punch them in the throat. He's going to do so much with his post-presidency. 

 

 

[hsfolk]

you realize the Republicans are grooming her to be on the SCOTUS

[DramatistDreamer]

Yeah, this is perfectly normal for a campaign manager to undertake this type of activity. Nothing more to see here (sure, Jan).

 

[JaneAusten]

Tell me again how this is about economic anxiety. Its about cultural anxiety and not wanting to leave your protective white bubble. They'd rather hold out for non existent coal jobs, not even take advantage of gvmt funded retraining, and suck up welfare in some stupid hope coal is returning. These people won't even go to training to be retooled to work with Natural Gas, which has been the big hit in more recent years to coal than those "liberal' ideals like Wind and Solar. I'm reminded how during the depression, Americans from all over the country worked for organizations like the WPA and the CCC in particular where they had to mobilize to work. At the CCC you got room and board and meals and $5 a month and the rest went back home to your family.

 

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-trump-effect-coal-retraining-insight/awaiting-trumps-coal-comeback-miners-reject-retraining-idUSKBN1D14G0

Edited November 1, 2017 by JaneAusten

[Juliajms]

I do believe it was about economic anxiety and racism and authoritarianism and Russian interference. One reason doesn't exclude another.  It was a perfect storm.

 

As to this article, why would you think it's so easy (or even possible) for people to change? People cling to what they know, especially people who are unsophisticated and lack education. I know that sounds condescending, but I grew up with people in this class (if not even lower). It's very hard to change when you do not have a wider view of the world.

 

Does anyone really think the majority (or even plurality) of coal miners over 30 can become computer programmers or nurses? Not going to happen. Which does not mean some people can't change, but we should be blitzing the kids in this group who are still in school with these opportunities. That also won't happen, but that's where possibility for change is real.

[JaneAusten]

I understand your perspective and actually agree with a lot of it. I also don't think you can take from this that computers and nursing are the only retraining opportunities available. There are vocational programs and trade schools that are available for retraining. Natural Gas seems like a logical transition for a lot of these folks, but they'd have to leave their homes and travel to do some of this work and that seems to be a major obstacle. It would likely pay more than mining plus traveling and gaining exposure and experiences outside of that bubble could be a hidden benefit

 

My point in bringing up the Depression era programs under the New Deal was that people were desperate, so desperate for work, that they left home, were given the basics, and sent their wages back home.  Working and earning your own way ,also helps build self esteem and confidence.(ie; why we have an opioid crisis).  

 

I guess the fact that they point to West Virginia as being somewhat of a success in terms of retraining tells me there is some level of hope. I hope so. West Virginia has worked hard on turning itself into a tourism state which has likely brought more outsiders in. Perhaps that's helped. 

[Juliajms]

^ Maybe there is more hope than I think. It's hard to say, but the idea of sending large numbers of people away from their families to find work is pretty disgusting to me given the amount of economic equality we have in this country. Plus it's not the 1930's. How many people would really send the money back to their families? Seems a lot more likely the families would just break up.

 

Then people always say the families should move, and that's probably true, but I went down that road as a young single woman.  I can only imagine how hard it would be with kids. Poor/working class people rely on family for social support, especially child care. Middle class and rich people can pay for it which is why we are more mobile. Plus some of these people still have upside down mortgages. Still, to survive some of these people will almost certainly have to move.

 

All I can say is I absolutely believe plenty of people are feeling economic anxiety. I feel it and I'm in a much more secure situation than the average miner. We live in unstable times and did even before we were being led by someone completely incompetent. None of that is an excuse for people to scapegoat others though. I blame the Republicans for using economic anxiety to exacerbate racial/cultural anxiety.

 

[marceline]

 

This is why I'm done being told that I have to feel sorry for these people. Even when provided opportunity, they refuse to take it then they blame immigrants or black people for doing the work they don't want to do.

[Khan]

 

Give Trump enough time, and it'll be like the next best thing.

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Yup.

Edited November 1, 2017 by Khan

[Vee]

[DRW50]

The amount of leaks are still shocking me even after a year.

[marceline]

 

Same here. I really thought they had begun to die down but now it looks like Trump's people are just trying to sabotage each other before the hammer comes down.

[dragonflies]