HappyExpat57

Right after WW II, the US launched a program called the GI Bill which provided education for all former military members, and even then college was affordable. If you had a part time job and lived frugally, you could put yourself through college and still afford a basic, decent standard of living. Corporate tax rates were around 90% with generous tax breaks for corporations to help with things like infrastructure. https://www.wolterskluwer.com/en/expert-insights/whole-ball-of-tax-historical-income-tax-rates A family could afford to buy a home and send their kids to nice private schools on one income - if they were white. The blacks were still very oppressed and provided a lot of labor for little pay. These conditions created the greatest middle class ever seen, and the US truly was exceptional at that time. Since then, education has become so ridiculously expensive that it is out of reach unless you want to place yourself in a lifetime of debt or come from wealth. Add to this mix corporate greed which has nearly eliminated the middle class and continues to chip away at it. The best way to control a nation is to create a ruling class and a subservient class, do away entirely with middle class. Keep the masses ignorant and desperate just to maintain a living so they aren't aware as the yoke slowly tightens around their necks. The US is the wealthiest nation in the written history of the planet, but statistics show it's failing in these categories: Healthcare The Commonwealth Fund found that the U.S. ranks last overall among 10 high-income countries in health system performance. Immigration The Partnership for New York City found that the U.S. is falling behind in the global race for talent due to its immigration policies. Education A 2015 Pew Research Center report found that only 29 percent of Americans rated K-12 education in science, technology, engineering and mathematics as above average or the best in the world. Infrastructure The American Society of Civil Engineers gave the United States' infrastructure a D+ grade for 2017. Paid leave The United States is the only developed country that doesn't guarantee paid maternity leave, paid vacation time, or paid sick days. Travel The U.S. ranks unfavorably in terms of the number of countries it permits for visa-free travel. The US also has the highest incarceration rate and the largest number of prisoners in the world. It used to be exceptional, now that's fading into a myth. If you haven't already done so, watch "Idiocracy." It explains everything.

ANOTHER reason why the Dems lost: Biden COULD order FBI background checks on all potential cabinet member selections. Perfectly legal, not "lawfare" but protecting US security. Sleepy Joe won't, he's too busy pardoning turkeys. BTW, just putting this out there - if Don Jr had been convicted of a crime, do you think daddy dearest would hesitate for a SECOND pardoning him?

^^^^ Above comment by someone who embarrasses himself by making really ignorant assumptions, and we all know about assumptions.

I'm honestly worried about my pension. I think back how the Greek government bent their retirees over and slammed it home, no lube, with their austerity programs. My pension is linked to Social Security and these asshats implementing their DOGE garbage ideas haven't a clue. Ramaswamy was floating the idea of firing every civil servant whose social security number ended in an odd number, and they've been salivating over privatizing Social Security ever since Reagan started using the fund like it was his personal piggy bank.. THESE are the best we can hire?!?

You said a mouthful there. I take this all the way back to Merrick Garland who TRIED to ignore/shirk his duty until the Jan 6 committee exposed what he tried to sweep under the rug, but it was too little too late from that loser. I'm starting to wonder if he has actually been in on a coverup from the start. Now fast forward a bit to Sleepy Joe who led everyone to believe he would be a one-term president ("transitional" was the term he used). THEN Joe claimed "I am the only one who can fix this" - where have we heard THAT bullsh!t before? There was one guy, Dean Philips, who wanted to run in a Dem primary who looked VERY promising. He checked off almost all the boxes INCLUDING having really good hair. The DNC shut that down to their current embarrassing demise. What REALLY frosts my ass is all the talking heads wringing their hands, crying "how are we going to bring back voters?" All they have to do is stop sucking up to corporate interests and serve the PEOPLE! Believe me, if they start actually performing like they keep PROMISING they will, the Democratic platform will sell itself. Duh.

No, you replied about border issues. Last time, the topic is tariffs.

The topic is tariffs. Try to keep up.

This is as idiotic and simple-minded (read: stupid) a tactic as one can take. Targeted tariffs are a useful tool. What this shallow-minded fool is planning is just like performing open heart surgery with a chainsaw. Bottom line: you gonna kill the patient.

Naturally you have no real argument, no facts. You just misspell idiotic ideas. Just what we've come to expect.

The op is deep and thoughtful. The typical, willfully ignorant repond exactly like you just did rather than make an intelligent rebuttal.

I used to fly economy-plus. Then China air gave me a free upgrade to business class. Since then, it's always business. Like any successful pusher, "the first one's free."

Funny how some things stick in your mind. I remember reading Stephen King's "The Stand" where Mother Abigail was thanking god for having had a decent bowel movement. Sounds like irregular bowels are something we all have something to look for if we live long enough. Yay?

Rumors have it she will be put in charge of the space force so she can put those Jewish space lasers to good use shooting at Democrats.

FO·MO /ˈfōmō/ noun informal anxiety that an exciting or interesting event may currently be happening elsewhere, often aroused by posts seen on social media. "I realized I was a lifelong sufferer of FOMO"

C'mon, weak! Dem's don't have a monopoly on politician liars.

I can't argue with you about this, and the Dems really needed a reboot. I do believe, however, it will be a case of "be careful what you wish for." Time will tell.

The sooner people with working brains realize there is no helping these trash-talking knuckle draggers, the better off we will be. A topic like this is just opening up a wound. Now folks will grab poop and start flinging it at the other side. Of course, the overlords of AN love it as it generates clicks.

Oh, YOU know better than a doctor? Have you seen my ultrasounds? Were you there when the endoscopy was performed? I think you need to see a doctor to get a cranial assendectomy (get yer head out yer ass!). Talk about nonsense!

Yeah, he won the 2024 presidential election. (Now, you KNEW that's where this would go)

So you're a Fox viewer and quite accustomed to denying facts. Got it.

Posts like this just confirm exactly what kind of trash you people are.

No one gives two sh!ts what I think, it's the masses who are getting sick and tired of this division. As we can't seem to come to any friendly, common agreements using logic, it will possibly come to attacks. Republicans have twice the number of guns as Democrats, but from most of the Republicans I've seen, they'd have a hard time walking a mile or two to lift the weapons and shoot. Either way, it would be ugly.

Sadly, this is the wrong forum to do that. Sides have been clearly delineated. You will never change a MAGA opinion. This is red meat to them, they LOVE to eff with you! An interesting read here, explaining how the US has become a factionalized anocracy [a degenerating democracy] that is quickly approaching the open insurgency stage. A second civil war is brewing, we're closer than we want to admit. https://fpif.org/how-to-counter-fascism/

While I admire your tenacity and agree with 99% of what you post, you're just wasting your time. You will NEVER get past the dense layers of denial Fox viewers have plastered on their heads. The best we can do is sit back, make a big bowl of popcorn, and watch the sh!tshow as it unravels. Intentionally uninformed/misinformed Amerikkka has decided this is the tack she is now going to take. And remember, Amerikkka has an average reading level below 6th grade. https://map.barbarabush.org/#:~:text=130 million Americans—54% of,of a sixth-grade level. Who was it that said he loves the poorly educated? THIS is why the last election was lost.

I have both Apple and Windows. Over time, for all the things I do on a computer, I retired the Apple. It's just easier to get things done, and as a teacher, I don't have the luxury of going against the current. The ONLY thing I ever found that the Apple did that Windows couldn't - I bought an electric piano from China, and I tried every patch to get Windows to recognize it, nothing worked. I plugged it into the Apple and it connected instantly. I think you could plug a toaster into an Apple and it would find a way to associate. I just don't have a need for a digitally connected toaster.