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Azalin

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Posts posted by Azalin

  1. 3 hours ago, billsfan89 said:

     

    My main argument is what are you going to do about student debt that is weighing down tens of millions of people economically due to a complete failure of the systems that were around them at a young age? Do you continue to have people being economically limited because of decisions made at a young age they weren't properly informed on? 

     

    Do you allow them to default on debt but ***** up their credit thus limiting their economic prospects for a long time and still costing the tax payers a lot of money? Or do you do a universal bailout funded by a Wall Street Speculation tax that wouldn't impact most Americans and solves issues with trading? The status quo is not sustainable in my opinion and dragging down the economy. 

     

    You have two issues when it comes to higher education. One is what to do with the past loan recipients and how do you avoid a bubble in the future? You can make many arguments about how to finance college and educate students properly about that decision. However I don't see a solution better than universal debt forgiveness in regards to how to deal with the issues of those currently saddled with loans. 

     

     

    Yes, let them default on their loans and screw up their credit if it comes to that. They can fix their credit over time - it wasn't a problem for them to assume a debt that would require payments over time, so I don't see that there's a real issue there. I would wholeheartedly support laws that would make it easier for them to pay off their debt, but the way I see it, a deal's a deal - you agree to pay X amount for your education, then you pay it. Especially if it's a government-funded student loan; that money is owed to the taxpayers, and any forgiveness of that should be be voted on by the taxpayers.

  2. 6 minutes ago, billsfan89 said:

     

    If your teachers, guidance consolers and parents tell you college is the path to a better life then you think you are acting responsibly to get an education that is constantly being told to you as the path to a better life. I think you have a system that shouldn't be giving 5-6 figure loans with zero collateral to 18 and 17 year olds. You can't even default or go bankrupt on loans on these loans. This is a failure of the system that was supposed to prepare kids for this decision on many levels not a bunch of irresponsible people doing something frivolous in most cases. 

     

    The way I see it is everyone involved; the student, the student's parents, the lenders, and the schools are all partially responsible for the ridiculous amount of debt being accrued. Schools inflate their tuition because they know student loans are mostly guaranteed. Parents and students are to blame for running up massive debt thinking that, as you point out, expensive degrees are the path to a better life. Lending institutions are to blame as well for giving guaranteed loans to people with no visible prospect for being able to pay it back, and they're all to blame for allowing loans for degrees in things like art history, philosophy, and gender studies, where there's little to no chance of ever paying the loan back.

     

    Seriously, the there's going to be a claim of predatory lending, then it's fair to say that tuition rates are inflated and students should know better.

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  3. 16 hours ago, KRC said:

    In the spirit of "Can't we all just get along," I thought I would start a thread that will probably deteriorate pretty quickly once TOC and Busey get in here. There are lots of assumptions on people's political leanings (it is an all or nothing for some people). Therefore, in the spirit of learning how people truly feel about topics, describe your political leanings.

     

    My leanings are very similar to yours, the only major exception being that I've never been officially registered as belonging to any political party. My personal beliefs have changed dramatically over the years, from blatantly socialist in my early 20's to moderate, then conservative, and finally more libertarian/classic liberal now that I'm getting old. I think most people's beliefs and values evolve over the years, regardless of whether their party affiliation does or doesn't.

     

    With regard to political parties and politicians in general, I really don't trust any of them. I've been let down time after time by politicians that I had thrown my support behind, regardless of party. Like many people here, I voted for Trump not out of some sense of enthusiastic support, but instead to prevent Hillary Clinton from taking office. I felt it was a total crap-shoot to vote for Trump, but was fed up enough to want to upset the apple cart. 

     

    Since then I have been pleasantly surprised at the appointments he's made, the regulations he's rolled back, and the robust increase in 401K savings I have accrued, despite the many times I've winced at ridiculous statements and outrageous tweets he's made. What has appalled me however is the manner in which the opposing party has conducted themselves, and the unprecedented vitriol aimed not only at Trump, but everyone and anyone who dares to openly support him.

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  4. On 11/8/2019 at 9:00 PM, B-Man said:

     

     

    11,000 SCIENTISTS? JUST KIDDING

    Earlier this week, the world’s news media reported breathlessly that 11,000 scientists had issued a report contending that the Earth faces a “climate emergency.” NBC News, to cite just one example, described a “study” produced by an “international consortium of more than 11,000 scientists.” This screen shot of a Google search illustrates the coverage:

     

    https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2019/11/11000-scientists-just-kidding.php

     

    This is exactly the kind of crap that is undermining progress on solving what might actually be a serious issue. They put forth complete bull$#%@ and call it science.

     

    And people like Alf lap it up and use it to condescend to others.

  5. 1 hour ago, ALF said:

     

    In other words scientists have no credibility ?

     

    In other words, the scientists who disagree have no credibility? 

     

    Seriously, didn't we go through this with you just a month or so ago?

     

    Tell me - do you believe that if a majority of scientists say one thing, that's it's automatically truth? Especially if they're debating a branch of science that is likely younger than you are? Those professionals who disagree do not qualify as scientists in your view?

     

     

  6. 1 hour ago, 3rdnlng said:

    It would be conducive to bringing about less and less freedom of speech. As much as we need to stay strong and fight against the erosion of our 2nd Amendment we need to stand tall against further restrictions on free speech.

     

    See the source image

     

    No disagreement from me. I'm just taken aback by the author's galling honesty in his belief that speech should be regulated.

  7. 4 hours ago, leh-nerd skin-erd said:

    A cursory review of the last hundred years of civilization reveals the people will stand aside while others are slaughtered, that fathers and mothers will murder/abuse their children, that people will traffic other people for profit, and that the governor of one of the most populated states in the union will be cheered for proclaiming those that express horror regarding the termination of the life of a full term child are the crazies. 
     

    I know all I need to know when I see a lunatic like this woman pimping her 7 year old at a political rally like some kind of circus freak. If gender issues are indeed the problem, how about recognition of the emotional state of the child and minimizing the trauma that comes with it.  But no, let’s have the kid ask a scripted question while the psychopath mother smiles and nods like a Stepford wife.   Honestly, there is no common ground to be found. 

     

    I'm not looking to find common ground with people like that kid's mother - that lady's got problems. I was attempting to reach out to those who identify as progressives, liberals, or democrats to see if they can drop the political posturing and address this issue simply and directly with what I consider to be a very reasonable, complete and total condemnation of this woman's acts. EII is the only one so far. 

  8. 1 hour ago, DC Tom said:

     

    You're asking seven year olds if seven year olds should be given adult rights?

     

    f9d524a9d2dd4659d6749f463eb0a28f.jpg

     

    This is one of those topics that I assume would transcend partisanship, where we can have an actual discussion between disparate viewpoints and actually come to some sort of general agreement. You're probably right about the pointlessness of my attempt, but given that there are a few lefties that have stated that they find it too difficult to have a discussion here, I thought it at least worth a try. 

     

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  9. 8 hours ago, Azalin said:

     

    I don't see how anybody, regardless of party affiliation, could possibly believe this is a good thing for a child of seven. I would appreciate it if anyone could make a convincing case in support of Dr Georgulas.

     

    I'm quoting myself to reiterate the question to all the leftists who call this site a right-wing echo chamber. EII has stated his position on the issue, but I invite the other leftists to chime in. Do you think it's healthy to encourage a seven year-old boy to believe he's a girl? Is this, as Tiberius says, more right-wing hate? Is this an issue where we can let political tribalism fall to the wayside and look at this logically?

     

    What say you Q-fatty, Gary, section122, shady, etc, etc, etc? This one's pretty straightforward. I'm eager to hear your responses.  

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  10. 3 hours ago, Paulus said:

    I see this as child abuse. One of the most abhorrent forms of such, considering the way the medical community and certain politicians are capitalizing, monetizing, and normalizing it. How the flip is this not a source of retaliatory violence is beyond me. Kids not even to the age of reason are corrupted into thinking fictionalized science. Yeah, maybe it is just me, but this is so beyond wrong. 

     

    https://nypost.com/2019/10/23/texas-jury-rules-against-divorced-dad-trying-to-stop-7-year-old-sons-gender-transition/

     

    Also...WTF?! They hav normalized this form of abuse within the Democratic Party? Do any Democrats here speak to this? 

     

    maxresdefault.jpg

     

    I don't see how anybody, regardless of party affiliation, could possibly believe this is a good thing for a child of seven. I would appreciate it if anyone could make a convincing case in support of Dr Georgulas.

  11. 8 hours ago, section122 said:

     

    So count at least myself as someone who tries to educate themselves about both sides and reads articles from both sides.  However also count me as someone who hates the whole damn system and thinks it is a bunch of people serving their own interests jointly while sowing discord among us peasants. 

     

    This particular passage stands out to me because it describes a majority of the posters here. Almost nobody here supported Trump during the run-up to the 2016 elections. Go back to some of the threads back then and see for yourself. Most of what you have here in the way of Trump supporters nowadays are people who are pleasantly surprised at many of the policies he's adopted and are sick of the constant barrage leveled at both themselves and the president. 

     

    As for those who post sourced material here, B-Man is definitely a conservative who posts from conservative sources, but he's honest about his biases and doesn't try to pretend he's anything other than what he is. On the other hand, DR is more of a liberal than anything else. He's just not afraid to post material that is critical of the left because he's more concerned with truth than he is with politics.

     

    If you do lurk here, then you probably do know that this place isn't just a right-wing echo chamber. I know some people can be rude, but don't let them spoil your desire to participate. Try to keep an open mind when engaging people and you'll find much of the discussion to be worthwhile.   

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  12. 6 minutes ago, ExiledInIllinois said:

    Thanks...Usually when I am averse to change it's because I am scared of something, long for the old days.  People grow old and more conservative. They cling to traditional values because, wait for it... They are old.  Traditional values are old.  It's straight from the definition of conservative:

     

    "a person who is averse to change and holds to traditional values and attitudes, typically in relation to politics."

     

    I used to be a leftist but changed over the years to lean conservative/libertarian. How do you explain that aversion to change under circumstances such as those?

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