Sunday Night Open Thread: ‘Tis the Offseason, Still
33 repliesWelcome to AG’s nightly Open Thread, drop in and join a conversation, or start one yourself.
Lions Defeat Chiefs in 2023 Madden Simulation |SI
https://www.si.com/nfl/lions/news/lions-
defeat-chiefs-madden-simulation
Is this the real life?
Is this just fantasy?
Them that’s got shall have
Them that’s not shall lose
So the Bible said and it still is news
Mama may have, Papa may have
But God bless the child that’s got his own, that’s got his own
this isn’t political, FWIW … it’s “Socio-Economic” and I’ve said the same thing for years …
America’s Poverty Is Built by Design | Politico
https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2023/05/21/theres-a-path-out-of-poverty-00097399
In late 2020, a crowd of mostly Black and Hispanic workers rallied outside the statehouse in Albany, New York to gather support for a $15-an-hour minimum wage for tipped workers. A group of white people wearing red MAGA hats approached. Coincidentally, the protest was taking place the same day the state legislature was meeting to certify the results of the 2020 presidential election — and MAGA protesters had gathered to challenge the count. You’d expect clashes to ensue. But when some Trump supporters stumbled upon the workers of color pushing for higher wages, they shook hands and joined their protest.
… poverty is pervasive in America by design, to enable the lifestyles of affluent people. U.S. rates of poverty are substantially higher and more extreme than those found in 25 other developed OECD countries, including Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Poland, Portugal and the United Kingdom.
Yet even the poorest American is well above the average person in India
not a high bar
I’m not sure that’s totally accurate. The poor in the US (not “the poorest”, because I would guess those have fallen off the support wagon and get no services) are better off that the poor in India, but that’s only because the US does have more to spend on social programs. There are billions of people in India. The “average” person is probably ok. The Median person, that might be different. Kind of like the average 65 y/o American has $280K saved for retirement, but the median one only has $87K. The wealth gap in India is probably much worse, but I don’t know that for sure because the ultra-rich in the US are likely richer and more numerous than those in India. Not all of India is slums.
“poverty is pervasive in America by design”
By design? Whose, and was it an individual or group effort? When was this design implemented, and who were the players intent on deliberately keeping the poor class poor? “By design” states that someone(s) intended to keep the poor in poverty, for the benefit of the wealthy, because design requires intent. That’s an extraordinary claim, and as Prof Sagan famously said, those require extraordinary proof. Using that word intentionally, it subtly misleads the reader into agreeing that yes, there’s actually a conspiracy behind it all. That’s bullshit. Poverty exists, poverty has always existed, and poverty will always exist; that’s the lesson of history.
Right now, the greatest force for poverty comes from the last four administrations, whose reckless spending for political gain’s led to simply printing money to throw at “issues”. That steals purchasing power from the poor in particular, driving up prices faster than incomes can match, no matter what protesters say. Also, if my server’s making a full wage, I refuse to tip on a standard percentage, if at all. The resulting cost increase would cost more than the day before it went into effect, even with a 20% tip.
Fed minimum wage would be $25 if adjusted for productivity and inflation according to many economists (I know, still).
it might not be a grand organized scheme, but it is how the system got constructed and benefits the wealthy and neglects the poor
And I still would say “came to be” instead of “got constructed”, because construction’s an intentional act. Constructing a pile of garbage is something very different when compared to a garbage pile that simply accumulated.
As for the economists, if they advocate for even more condensation of power as a “solution”, then their view’s irrelevant, save in an academic sense. Point of fact, socialist countries w/o an independent economy have even worse poverty, and the USA’s not to blame for that. Central economic control cannot be fair in any sense other than a crust of elite living large while everyone else is poor.
Now that, my friend, is poverty by design. It’s not a solution.
we used to break up constructed monopolies, Standard Oil, Ma Bell etc.
Now corp donor $ is considered speech and like 20 corps own or control what used to be thousands, the constructive force is greed and the pols are on the payroll (enough of them anyway)
These days I feel like whoever I vote for I’m only nominating the next mouthpiece/lackey for big corp. My one vote stands no chance against corporate influence. Yet corporate citizenship seems to have few responsibilities toward the communities they inhabit. Corps blackmail communities with threats to pull out if they don’t get the government funding they want. And often when they shut down and move out they leave behind a mess which the taxpayer is burdened to clean up. (Sometimes the mess – often environmental – builds up while they’re still in operation.) That’s my morning-after, two-cent rant.
Supply side economics. The design was to take away power from the working class and shift it to wall street. It worked.
And another thing, if you don’t think these psychos in the house will destroy our economy if they don’t get their way think again. They’re not conservatives, they’re confederate a……s!!!
They’re exactly what their adversaries are, performance artists with greed and ambition, who’ll do anything for votes. It’s true, so don’t come at me with any “lesser evil” crap. You can’t fight evil with evil.
Wait, so Reagan “invented” poverty? I think the miners of old, among many others, might disagree with that.
he sold supply side as a viable eco stratagem
I don’t think he said that “invented” poverty. As you point out, poverty is as old as money. Supply Side didn’t help none, though.
so glad you boys had a nice, civil discussion … sorry I missed it, was getting “something” ready for tomorrow (and it ain’t much, lemme tellya)
that Madden sim … I wonder how many times they ran it, not to mention exactly what “data” they used for players, especially for players who’ve never played so much as a snap in the NFL … and not just the draft picks, but who knows what UFDA might step up and become The Next Big Thing
hell, Mahomes might be hurt and when the entire universe writes it off as a KC Loss, Reid says “hold my beer” and the Chiefs win with Shane Beuchele throwing 428 yds and 5 TDs
zulu, lossa good tweets, thanks … might have to steal a couple for tomorrow 😉
Antigonish by Hughes Mearns
Yesterday, upon the stair,
I met a man who wasn’t there
He wasn’t there again today
I wish, I wish he’d go away…
When I came home last night at three
The man was waiting there for me
But when I looked around the hall
I couldn’t see him there at all!
Go away, go away, don’t you come back any more!
Go away, go away, and please don’t slam the door… (slam!)
Last night I saw upon the stair
A little man who wasn’t there
He wasn’t there again today
Oh, how I wish he’d go away…
loved that one since I was a very little kid … like hundreds of years
LOL
INCLUDING A $5 MILLION SIGNING BONUS