Week of Nov 27 - Dec 3

[dc2london]

Nov 30, 2017 9:29:25 GMT -6 @stcyct said:

Nov 30, 2017 9:26:48 GMT -6 dc2london said:

Yep.
My Republicans in-laws are coming this weekend.
Should be fun.

I just don't even see how anyone could dare to be a Republican in dc2london's house.  They should probably run for cover 

Despite my behavior here I'm very polite in public

[adorebel]

Nov 30, 2017 8:46:13 GMT -6 JukEboX said:

Nov 30, 2017 8:01:05 GMT -6 enchanted said:

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.

I worked at a university for more than a decade and the culture is that to compete the private universities are not looking at it as a educational institution anymore. They look at it as a business. They fired staff, reorganized all the departments, got rid of 90% of adjunct professors and started charging more for basic services. Not to mention changing food distribution around to a $ based system instead of a points based system. They were preparing for it. Not to mention since I started there the tuition rode over 600%. I worked at a place that the wealthy sent a good number of their kids but even so those who can't afford that and have FAFSA it means they are locked in to owing money for LIFE. And the University degree is becoming useless now. There is no need to be a "well rounded student". People are better off going to a not yet shut down community college and then learning a trade or just straight learning a trade. They have more opportunity to find job and will make more. 

Which leads me to then think that is what the tax plan wants. For us lower income people to "stay in our lane".

 TOO REAL, JukEboX, too real. 

*weeps into stack of diplomas we might as well use as kleenex*

Oh. And public universities are run like corporations now, too. 

[crimsonandclover]

Nov 30, 2017 8:54:06 GMT -6 Minerva said:

I keep hearing people say that university degrees are useless these days. I don’t get that impression at all. For so many industries, you need a degree just to get in the door. And maybe I just had exceptional professors, but I know that my reading, writing, and critical thinking skills all drastically improved while I was in college because I had to use them in so many diverse capacities (science major, humanities minor). I also gained skills in statistics, coding, and a wide variety of techniques in biology and chemistry that make me more employable. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Definitely this. I have a PhD and am working in a field that is at best only tangential to my degree, but what I hear a lot is that at least here, a PhD shows that you have an important skill set - dedication, perseverance, critical thinking skills, the ability to dive into projects and problems in detail while also keeping an eye on the big picture, etc. There are so many "soft" skills that you learn in the process that are important for almost every profession.

[dc2london]

Nov 30, 2017 9:40:36 GMT -6 crimsonandclover said:

Nov 30, 2017 8:54:06 GMT -6 Minerva said:

I keep hearing people say that university degrees are useless these days. I don’t get that impression at all. For so many industries, you need a degree just to get in the door. And maybe I just had exceptional professors, but I know that my reading, writing, and critical thinking skills all drastically improved while I was in college because I had to use them in so many diverse capacities (science major, humanities minor). I also gained skills in statistics, coding, and a wide variety of techniques in biology and chemistry that make me more employable. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Definitely this. I have a PhD and am working in a field that is at best only tangential to my degree, but what I hear a lot is that at least here, a PhD shows that you have an important skill set - dedication, perseverance, critical thinking skills, the ability to dive into projects and problems in detail while also keeping an eye on the big picture, etc. There are so many "soft" skills that you learn in the process that are important for almost every profession.

My H is a great example of the intangible value of college. He has an art degree (a BS and BFA) and he uses the skills he learned in art school every day. Giving and accepting constructive criticism, perseverance, organization and time management, attention to detail, etc.

[Deleted]

[justkeepmoving]

Nov 30, 2017 9:45:34 GMT -6 @rocksforludo said:

I don’t think this would hold up if they did have one. I see no chance that if Rex is gone the other two will leave.

[dc2london]

Aaron Sorkin and Sterling K Brown are engaging in public banter about a reboot of TWW starring Brown as POTUS. I'm giddy at the prospect

[dc2london]

Nov 30, 2017 9:45:34 GMT -6 @rocksforludo said:

H and I have a running list of cabinet officials we think would use the 25th amendment.
It's shrinking.

[pesto]

[dc2london]

To those of us feeling worn down, take heart. There are so many people outraged that there's room for everyone to take breaks. This is a marathon, not a sprint.

[enchanted]

It really is going to pass, isn't it? Fuck everyone but the rich.

[dc2london]

Jeeeeeeeesus Mnuchin

[Deleted]

[Deleted]

Nov 30, 2017 9:49:46 GMT -6 justkeepmoving said:

Nov 30, 2017 9:45:34 GMT -6 @rocksforludo said:

I don’t think this would hold up if they did have one. I see no chance that if Rex is gone the other two will leave.

I agree.

[Deleted]

This is a dangerous game Collins is playing.

[cnf]

Nov 30, 2017 8:01:54 GMT -6 adorebel said:

Nov 30, 2017 7:55:54 GMT -6 cnf said:

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.

Yup, H is grossly underpaid for his industry and they make up for it with things like free education for employees and their spouses, and tuition exchange for children of employees, among other education benefits. We stand to lose a lot, and it's not like they'll suddenly bump H's salary by 50% to make up for it.

[Deleted]

The only thing that I can see even remotely derailing this thing is the fact that they don't know how this deficit trigger is going to work or if it's Byrd compliant.

www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/11/30/16716860/senate-tax-bill-deficit-trigger

[dc2london]

And for those of us who have some fight left, please please please help us kill this tax bill

www.trumptaxscam.org/

[Deleted]

Fucking finally.

[dc2london]

Nov 30, 2017 10:11:02 GMT -6 @rocksforludo said:

The only thing that I can see even remotely derailing this thing is the fact that they don't know how this deficit trigger is going to work or if it's Byrd compliant.

www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/11/30/16716860/senate-tax-bill-deficit-trigger

Ben Wikler has some interesting ideas about making it so toxic it can't get through conference. I think these smug assholes feel so comfortable in their seats they truly DGAF what their constituents want.

[piratecat]

Fuck McCain too. And I think Collins is delusional and maybe deliberately.

[dc2london]

Apparently April Ryan is the only WH Correspondent who was not invited to the Christmas party.
Wow.

[dc2london]

Not one single Republican voted against confirming Brett Talley to the bench. These assholes need to be fired.

[pesto]

I can't even with Tom fucking Cotton at the CIA. That is terrifying to me.

[Deleted]

Nov 30, 2017 10:21:11 GMT -6 dc2london said:

Apparently April Ryan is the only WH Correspondent who was not invited to the Christmas party.
Wow.

Are you fucking serious?

[charlotte]

Conyers has been hospitalized.

[charlotte]

Nov 30, 2017 10:23:25 GMT -6 @rocksforludo said:

Nov 30, 2017 10:21:11 GMT -6 dc2london said:

Apparently April Ryan is the only WH Correspondent who was not invited to the Christmas party.
Wow.

Are you fucking serious?

WTAF.

[dc2london]

Nov 30, 2017 10:23:25 GMT -6 @rocksforludo said:

Nov 30, 2017 10:21:11 GMT -6 dc2london said:

Apparently April Ryan is the only WH Correspondent who was not invited to the Christmas party.
Wow.

Are you fucking serious?

I am. She spoke with WaPo about it on the record

[jkjacq]

Nov 30, 2017 10:25:51 GMT -6 dc2london said:

Nov 30, 2017 10:23:25 GMT -6 @rocksforludo said:

Are you fucking serious?

I am. She spoke with WaPo about it on the record

I.....

sigh....

[pesto]

Nov 30, 2017 10:11:02 GMT -6 @rocksforludo said:

The only thing that I can see even remotely derailing this thing is the fact that they don't know how this deficit trigger is going to work or if it's Byrd compliant.

www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/11/30/16716860/senate-tax-bill-deficit-trigger

If the deficit trigger doesn't get through the Byrd bath I think Flake and Corker will just shrug and move on without a fight.

I'm grumpy this morning.