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Post by Deleted on Nov 29, 2017 21:13:17 GMT -6
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mb3
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Post by mb3 on Nov 29, 2017 21:34:27 GMT -6
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Post by Deleted on Nov 29, 2017 21:54:36 GMT -6
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Taitai
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Post by Taitai on Nov 30, 2017 2:38:33 GMT -6
I cant believe this thing is actually going to pass. I feel sick about it. I'm nervous about multiple things, but today especially the tuition/higher ed component. I am absolutely floored about the tuition/higher ed component. Way to punish people trying to get their masters degree or phd...I mean, WHY does anyone think it's a good idea to consider tuition waivers as taxable income? What's next, will we make scholarships count as taxable income too? It is just insane - and evil. www.npr.org/2017/11/29/567169910/university-graduate-students-walk-out-to-protest-tax-plan-that-hurts-them |
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Post by summerbabe on Nov 30, 2017 5:12:01 GMT -6
It is going to make graduate school something that is only a realistic option for the wealthy (both $$$ domestic students and international students that can afford to study abroad in the first place). Especially since they are messing with some of the loan programs as well. Already there are so many people with crippling student loan debt and now this? You're also going to limit the perspectives that are presented in academia if only the rich can finance a phd program. And if international students aren't even allowed to stay and contribute to the economy b/c of immigration policies... well it seems really backwards. |
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pesto
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Post by pesto on Nov 30, 2017 6:32:16 GMT -6
GDI.
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Post by justkeepmoving on Nov 30, 2017 6:43:25 GMT -6
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pesto
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Post by pesto on Nov 30, 2017 6:46:09 GMT -6
Lauer's statement. The first line in the second paragraph makes me feeling like he really wanted to say the women were lying but his PR person had to reel it in.
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pesto
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Post by pesto on Nov 30, 2017 6:52:34 GMT -6
I'm just really angry about the tax bill. Murkowski is just fine with destroying the healthcare system now that she can open up the Arctic refuge for drilling. Cutting medicaid and repealing the individual mandate so they can give huge cuts to the wealthy and corporations is SO FUCKED.
And it's going to pass.
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Taitai
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Post by Taitai on Nov 30, 2017 7:03:27 GMT -6
Random thought - so many of the people I know who voted for Trump say their vote is justified by the fact that the stock market has been going "gangbusters" since Trump took office. As if that somehow excuses everything or means that he is doing a good job as President. The thing is - none of them work in finance/investment...I do. Most of my colleagues in the investment sector believe the market is in a bubble and there will be a significant correction (as in crash/downturn) in the next 12-24 months. I personally am thinking 18 months at the longest. The P/E ratios are too high and there is generally too much risk taking going on. www.cnbc.com/2017/11/27/chance-of-us-stock-market-correction-now-at-70-percent-vanguard.htmlWhile I definitely do not look forward to market downturns, once the correction happens I'm going to be happy to bring the point back up to people I know who voted for Trump -- asking them why they continue to support a President who is causing the stock market to crash. ETA - There seems to be so little to look forward to in terms of current events. This is honestly one of the few things that I'm hanging on to. Which is sad, because it includes a market crash ☹️ |
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Post by pianolove on Nov 30, 2017 7:09:47 GMT -6
meet the man who shut down Trump's Twitter for 11 glorious minutes. the hero we didn't deserve, but the hero we needed |
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Post by adorebel on Nov 30, 2017 7:30:50 GMT -6
I'm just really angry about the tax bill. Murkowski is just fine with destroying the healthcare system now that she can open up the Arctic refuge for drilling. Cutting medicaid and repealing the individual mandate so they can give huge cuts to the wealthy and corporations is SO FUCKED. And it's going to pass. I think it's time to recall that these Senators, while they voted against their party earlier this year, are Republicans who do not actually share our vision of society. |
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Post by coconutbacon on Nov 30, 2017 7:39:38 GMT -6
I'm nervous about multiple things, but today especially the tuition/higher ed component. What's next, will we make scholarships count as taxable income too? It is just insane - and evil. Ugh. This seems like it will be their next step. They are clearly anti-education. Is the end goal to keep education for the wealthy? But, have the wealthy educated at sub-par institutions, because even the best American institutions can’t possibly be competitive with these new laws. Just makin’ ‘merica great again! |
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jkjacq
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Post by jkjacq on Nov 30, 2017 7:50:57 GMT -6
Random thought - so many of the people I know who voted for Trump say their vote is justified by the fact that the stock market has been going "gangbusters" since Trump took office. As if that somehow excuses everything or means that he is doing a good job as President. The thing is - none of them work in finance/investment...I do. Most of my colleagues in the investment sector believe the market is in a bubble and there will be a significant correction (as in crash/downturn) in the next 12-24 months. I personally am thinking 18 months at the longest. The P/E ratios are too high and there is generally too much risk taking going on. www.cnbc.com/2017/11/27/chance-of-us-stock-market-correction-now-at-70-percent-vanguard.htmlWhile I definitely do not look forward to market downturns, once the correction happens I'm going to be happy to bring the point back up to people I know who voted for Trump -- asking them why they continue to support a President who is causing the stock market to crash. ETA - There seems to be so little to look forward to in terms of current events. This is honestly one of the few things that I'm hanging on to. Which is sad, because it includes a market crash ☹️ I was talking with my 401k guy earlier and hes in agreement. I lost like half in the last correction and its just now getting back to where it was in 2010. Since I'm mid-40s I had to make sure I had my stuff split right so it was in the 'safer' places. And I dont have billions of dollars, I mean I could make like 6 months on what I have so I was really trying to balance trying to be conservative and see small growth or stick it somewhere where it would gain really quickly. |
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athn64
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Post by athn64 on Nov 30, 2017 7:51:59 GMT -6
I am getting even angrier thinking about this. By making grad school inaccessible they are also hurting the university undergraduate system. Because it relies on grad students to teach the larger class discussions and labs. Without grad student labor, fewer spots for undergrads will be available.
It will also impact scientific research which also heavily depends on grad students to do the grunt work.
And there are so many positions that you need a degree to even get your foot in the door.
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mb3
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Post by mb3 on Nov 30, 2017 7:54:32 GMT -6
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Post by enchanted on Nov 30, 2017 7:55:42 GMT -6
Random thought - so many of the people I know who voted for Trump say their vote is justified by the fact that the stock market has been going "gangbusters" since Trump took office. As if that somehow excuses everything or means that he is doing a good job as President. The thing is - none of them work in finance/investment...I do. Most of my colleagues in the investment sector believe the market is in a bubble and there will be a significant correction (as in crash/downturn) in the next 12-24 months. I personally am thinking 18 months at the longest. The P/E ratios are too high and there is generally too much risk taking going on. www.cnbc.com/2017/11/27/chance-of-us-stock-market-correction-now-at-70-percent-vanguard.htmlWhile I definitely do not look forward to market downturns, once the correction happens I'm going to be happy to bring the point back up to people I know who voted for Trump -- asking them why they continue to support a President who is causing the stock market to crash. ETA - There seems to be so little to look forward to in terms of current events. This is honestly one of the few things that I'm hanging on to. Which is sad, because it includes a market crash ☹️ Our investment person thinks the same. When we started investing for the college fund for our kids, she definitely directed us to the "safer" options. I'm still jumpy about it, though. |
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cnf
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Post by cnf on Nov 30, 2017 7:55:54 GMT -6
The higher ed component is a hot topic in our house. Mainly because H works for a very large university whose name is nationally recognized. If they tax endowments his university is going to strip employees of many educational benefits they currently are privy to and will ultimately cause us some financial backlash. He's very angry about it and it affect our family long term. Not to mention all the other bullshit in the bill that will hurt us.
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Post by Uncaripswife on Nov 30, 2017 8:00:13 GMT -6
I think the goal is more tax revenue, but the harm to university educations is intentional. There is a segment if the GOP that views universities as hotbeds of liberalism that need to be eliminated.
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Post by enchanted on Nov 30, 2017 8:01:05 GMT -6
The screwing grad students is also a hot topic here. If this had happened when my husband was in school, he would have had to drop out or drop down to part time and get a job which isn't really doable for a lot of fields. I was already working two and three jobs. I would have to take another just to make up for his tax bill.
As it stands, he works at a university (but not as a professor) and he could lose the students who work for him if they can't get loans or if their visas aren't renewed.
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Post by adorebel on Nov 30, 2017 8:01:54 GMT -6
The higher ed component is a hot topic in our house. Mainly because H works for a very large university whose name is nationally recognized. If they tax endowments his university is going to strip employees of many educational benefits they currently are privy to and will ultimately cause us some financial backlash. He's very angry about it and it affect our family long term. Not to mention all the other bullshit in the bill that will hurt us. +1 my partner's salary is obscenely low because our house is provided by the institution. If we OR the school gets taxed on that benefit (housing), we will be f*cked. |
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athn64
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Post by athn64 on Nov 30, 2017 8:06:33 GMT -6
I mean my former grad student union is in talks for their contract renewal and were talking strike BEFORE the feds decided to mess with stuff. The school has a history of trying to cut waivers already.
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piccyami
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Post by piccyami on Nov 30, 2017 8:12:27 GMT -6
The screwing grad students is also a hot topic here. If this had happened when my husband was in school, he would have had to drop out or drop down to part time and get a job which isn't really doable for a lot of fields. I was already working two and three jobs. I would have to take another just to make up for his tax bill. As it stands, he works at a university (but not as a professor) and he could lose the students who work for him if they can't get loans or if their visas aren't renewed. We would not have been able to afford to continue. We were PhD candidates that left when policies changed to make being a grad student harder. I tutored under the table to help make ends meet, and if this had happened then, it would have nearly tripled our taxable income. It's already hard enough to be a grad student, and I know people that had already maxed out their loans and we're barely making it. This is going to make things so much harder for grad school and undergrad, due to the lack of gtas for labs and classes. |
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Post by adorebel on Nov 30, 2017 8:23:51 GMT -6
The screwing grad students is also a hot topic here. If this had happened when my husband was in school, he would have had to drop out or drop down to part time and get a job which isn't really doable for a lot of fields. I was already working two and three jobs. I would have to take another just to make up for his tax bill. As it stands, he works at a university (but not as a professor) and he could lose the students who work for him if they can't get loans or if their visas aren't renewed. We would not have been able to afford to continue. We were PhD candidates that left when policies changed to make being a grad student harder. I tutored under the table to help make ends meet, and if this had happened then, it would have nearly tripled our taxable income. It's already hard enough to be a grad student, and I know people that had already maxed out their loans and we're barely making it. This is going to make things so much harder for grad school and undergrad, due to the lack of gtas for labs and classes. So many grad students here! I'm finishing my PhD remotely now; MH finished his last year and we are both in the process of trying to leave academia but still get jobs where we get to use our degrees somewhat. The whole structure of well-trained, adequately-paid professors is crashing down... what will they do for cheap adjunct labor if they make it EVEN HARDER for grad students (who do most of the legwork of teaching and grading, esp at bigger public unis) to survive on subsistence wages than it already is? It's so short-sighted and it will ruin America's chances to be competitive in an educated workforce of the future. Most of these politicians pushing cuts to higher ed are from wealthy families and/or only have a BA anyway and didn't attend grad school... Scott Walker, who has dismantled the public institutions in his state, is a governor and has a high school diploma only, so I guess he is just projecting his own ability to succeed without a degree onto everyone else? It's absurd. |
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JukEboX
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Post by JukEboX on Nov 30, 2017 8:30:17 GMT -6
So, scale of one to ten, how terrible of a parent would I be if I pulled my overachiever kid out of school an hour early to go rally against the tax bill? Civic engagement is important too, right? I would fully support this. Make a sticker. "I pulled my gifted child out of school to help fight for their future." |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 30, 2017 8:31:26 GMT -6
I will be fully screwed over by the repeal of the public service loan forgiveness program. Not sure if they will grandfather people in, etc. but if they don't...well...yeah. Awesome.
ETA: I actually do feel guilty about this. I did borrow the money. Part of me feels like I should pay all of it back. But the other part of me feels like it's just so wrong to offer something to teachers as a thank you and then take it away.
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dc2london
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Post by dc2london on Nov 30, 2017 8:32:20 GMT -6
So, scale of one to ten, how terrible of a parent would I be if I pulled my overachiever kid out of school an hour early to go rally against the tax bill? Civic engagement is important too, right? I would fully support this. Make a sticker. "I pulled my gifted child out of school to help for their future." Last time we went to the Hill he met Chuck Schumer. I'm just saying, it could spark a future in politics  |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 30, 2017 8:33:44 GMT -6
I will be fully screwed over by the repeal of the public service loan forgiveness program. Not sure if they will grandfather people in, etc. but if they don't...well...yeah. Awesome. ETA: I actually do feel guilty about this. I did borrow the money. Part of me feels like I should pay all of it back. But the other part of me feels like it's just so wrong to offer something to teachers as a thank you and then take it away. Quoting myself but I mean people plan their financial futures over this kind of thing. I can technically afford to pay, but it was something I was counting on paying for only so long. |
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JukEboX
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Post by JukEboX on Nov 30, 2017 8:41:19 GMT -6
I think the goal is more tax revenue, but the harm to university educations is intentional. There is a segment if the GOP that views universities as hotbeds of liberalism that need to be eliminated. I am so tired of seeing the war on Education. They have been getting rid of funding for education since the 90s. Dropping for arts programs, sports teams, funding for public colleges and now this. They can spend $700B on military but they can't dump $1B on bringing the next generation of law makers to a higher standard? Even making the country smarter? Do they all think we live in a snapshot in time? |
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Minerva
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Post by Minerva on Nov 30, 2017 8:42:09 GMT -6
I am getting even angrier thinking about this. By making grad school inaccessible they are also hurting the university undergraduate system. Because it relies on grad students to teach the larger class discussions and labs. Without grad student labor, fewer spots for undergrads will be available. It will also impact scientific research which also heavily depends on grad students to do the grunt work. And there are so many positions that you need a degree to even get your foot in the door. Yup. When I was a grad student, I was the go-to person for 80-100 undergrads every semester that I TAed. Which was a lot of semesters (8 or 9?) because I was there forever. Plus, I mentored 1-3 undergrad honors projects every semester and helped supervise the small army of students who volunteered in our lab. I wrote more letters of rec than I can count and I sponsored 5 of my honors students to present at national conferences. Grad students are the cogs that make flagship universities run. I think that the Rs know that. I think this provision is a very deliberate dig at higher ed. |
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