U.S. Politics

[AlioTheFool]

I'll repeat what I said before - spending money on building war excrement is better than just giving it directly to Wall St to do their fuckery because at least they're actually paying Americans to build excrement with American sourced materials, so it is creating some economic value. It's just nothing like as helpful as about a million other things that they could be paying Americans to build, because the finished product has no lasting economic value.

Who the hell needs bridges? Or roads without potholes?

[Johnny English]

Who the hell needs bridges? Or roads without potholes?

Bridges and roads are good examples, but they're simple ones. You know what else you could build with that money? Education programs. Apprenticeships. Scholarships. Accelerators.

"A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in."

You used to be the best at that.

[Badger]

I'll repeat what I said before - spending money on building war excrement is better than just giving it directly to Wall St to do their fuckery because at least they're actually paying Americans to build excrement with American sourced materials, so it is creating some economic value. It's just nothing like as helpful as about a million other things that they could be paying Americans to build, because the finished product has no lasting economic value.

Silver lining of the F35 is that it has never been used to kill anyone (on purpose)

[AlioTheFool]

Bridges and roads are good examples, but they're simple ones. You know what else you could build with that money? Education programs. Apprenticeships. Scholarships. Accelerators.

"A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in."

You used to be the best at that.

Lol, Marxism at its finest!

Also, why would the US government want to invest in education at the risk that an entire segment of the population may actually begin to contemplate why they think/feel/believe what they do?

[dcm1602]

But schools disproportionately benefit white people as their attrition rates are much higher than that of Latino and African Americans.

We should be defunding the schools to fight institutionalized racism, long supported by racist institutions like the public education system.

[Johnny English]

But schools disproportionately benefit white people as their attrition rates are much higher than that of Latino and African Americans.

We should be defunding the schools to fight institutionalized racism, long supported by racist institutions like the public education system.

Who mentioned schools?

[dcm1602]

Bridges and roads are good examples, but they're simple ones. You know what else you could build with that money? Education programs. Apprenticeships. Scholarships. Accelerators.

"A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in."

You used to be the best at that.

Who mentioned schools?

But schools disproportionately benefit white people as their attrition rates are much higher than that of Latino and African Americans.

We should be defunding the schools to fight institutionalized racism, long supported by racist institutions like the public education system.

[Johnny English]

So.. you, then. You mentioned schools. Not me, and not Alio.

[Heismanberg]

But schools disproportionately benefit white people as their attrition rates are much higher than that of Latino and African Americans.

We should be defunding the schools to fight institutionalized racism, long supported by racist institutions like the public education system.

what

[dcm1602]

So.. you, then. You mentioned schools. Not me, and not Alio.

You mentioned adding funds to the public education system.

My argument was the public educational system further promotes racial inequality as schools are it's biggest component.

I'm not sure what kind of scholarships or educational programs you were implying that wouldn't be components of the failed public education system

[dcm1602]

what

The argument has been that police disproportionately negatively impact African Americans thereby perpetuating racial inequality and thus should be defunded.

I'm suggesting the exact same argument could be applied towards the public education system.

I would think due to sheer volume and cascade of consequences one could argue the impact of the education system is far greater.

Or as you would say

They ignorant

[Johnny English]

You mentioned adding funds to the public education system.

I did not. Stop arguing points you think have been made because they're a more convenient fit for your preconceptions.

[dcm1602]

I did not. Stop arguing points you think have been made because they're a more convenient fit for your preconceptions.

Then I misunderstood your point.

Could you please clarify for me what you meant by education programs and scholarships?

[Johnny English]

Then I misunderstood your point.

Could you please clarify for me what you meant by education programs and scholarships?

I'm glad you asked. It covers a multitude of things. I don't think we're going to turn every six tooth redneck child into a Python whiz, but if I were in government (and not just the US, this applies equally pretty much any of the countries with which I have a passing political familiarity) I would look to make significant investments in a wide variety of programs to make educational programs more accessible for all, including but definitely not limited to:

- Massively subsidised training for vocations for the public good (e.g. nursing, teaching, social care)
- Beneficial term and forgivable loans for viable industry training (e.g. programming, IT, sales, finance)
- Government and industry backed training salaries to ensure that people do not have to forgo entering one of these training programs in order to cover basic living costs
- Salary subsidy for all apprenticeship programs along with a government operated skills and training marketplace, and preferential contractor/subcontractor programs to favour those organisations providing apprenticeships when bidding on public works contracts
- Childcare programs for all students needing it

I would also be taking active steps to stop the crazy cycle of can't get a job without a degree, can't get a degree without taking on massive debt, can't actually get a job in your chosen field even with a degree - I have particular thinking around the reprovisioning and repurposing of university education as well, but that's more applicable to countries like Canada and the US where basic human rights like healthcare are still provided as a public good.

Healthy and educated populations are productive. Basic economics tells us that keeping people sick and stupid is a core inefficiency. Any capitalist who doesn't want smarter people doesn't understand simple economic principles.

[dcm1602]

It's an interesting idea, but would it not further promote racial economic inequality? I mean if you massively subsidize vocations for the public good, but a disproportionate amount of African Americans aren't graduating highschool, then wouldn't these programs be disproportionately benefiting all other racial groups?

It also brings up the issue that it is already incredibly difficult for social workers, teachers, and nurses to get jobs. With several years experience it's less challenging, but you're talking about oversaturating oversaturated markets. Ones in which many are already complaining about being underpaid.

I think unfortunately the biggest obstacle to anything so ambitious would be special interest groups on both side of the aisle.

I mean the right is basically inherently opposed to such things, and the left would essentially be creating competition for its own special interest groups. How do you think teachers unions would react to a proposal that would severely undercut their ability to get jobs and would further reduce their pay?

The can't get a job without a degree thing I think is a fantastic idea though. I just don't know how anyone could go about overturning that obstacle.

I can definitely respect how well thought out your ideas are though