Recent comments

  • Do you think Glass-Steagall should be reinstated?   9 years 16 weeks ago

    Both right answers actually, I want to add besides reinstating GHlass-Steigal, all the bankers doing corrupt stuff should all be put in jail, put jamie Dimon on the top of the list,along with Hank Paulson, and many others.

  • More than 20 states take a stand for unions!   9 years 16 weeks ago

    Here in Illinois we have a new Republican governor who has a new trick. He wants to give "Right to Work" home rule so that individual counties and communities can adopt it and race each other to the bottom. He's also holding the budget hostage so he can get it in a "compromise".

  • More than 20 states take a stand for unions!   9 years 16 weeks ago

    Kend, you know how it is, when people can get something for nothing, especially a low wage worker, they might not be able to resist the temptation. Anyway, how is being "forced" to pay for services you receive incompatible with your idea of a "free society"? "Free society" doesn't countenance theft, in your understanding, I presume. Nor does it mean everything is "free", i.e., "at no charge", I also presume.

  • This is what institutional racism looks like.   9 years 16 weeks ago

    Kilosqrd, credit history is a legitimate criteria criteria to give or deny a loan, race is not. I wouldn't presume all the denials of African American applicants were due to unacceptable credit, anyway that's verifiable.
    Kend, you're very simplistic, social problems affect many aspects of life. If mom and dad don't have a decent job - ultimately because of discrimination - and there is great, constant upheaval and insecurity in the home that affects all of home life a lot and the kids' orientation to education and the parents' too.
    Many factors are involved, here in Illinois and elsewhere local property taxes determine school appropriation and budgets so that poorer communities in the state and poorer neighborhoods in Chicago, who need education the most, get funding for their schools at a corresponding, very much lower level than middle class and wealthy ones. In Chicago one public high school in a very wealthy area has state of the art everything, electronic devices replacing books, etc. while high schools in poorer communities can't afford books. The disparities are positively criminal!
    Also, African-Americans have been denied education for so many generations that it may've just become more acceptable in black society for a black teenager to quit school and find a job - especially when your school can't even afford books and it doesn't seem like there is much prospect for you to compete with wealthier kids. And it may be more acceptable in black society that the job be in a criminal enterprise given the discrimination in hiring that is prevalent combining with the dismal educational prospects and discrimination in housing.
    Also, government policy undermined poor families forever by cutting a family off welfare if there was a man or husband living in the house.
    So a lot of things figure in and I don't really think the one you mentioned is too relevant at all.

  • More than 20 states take a stand for unions!   9 years 16 weeks ago

    I hpoe the supreme court justices are listening. Some of the conservative justices may actually have a little common sense. Perhaps a justice will say "If a person is getting something from someone else, souldn't they be giving somthing in return? The obvious answer is yes. In this case the person, the non-union worker, is getting something, which is representation from someone else, which is the union, resulting in the person also getting benefits and higher wages than they would recieve without union representation in the workplace. So, The person should be giving something in return, namely, union dues". If the person does not want to pay dues for the union representation and the consequintal higher wages and benefits, the person may quit the union represented job and then will be free to seek another job where there is no union representation.

  • More than 20 states take a stand for unions!   9 years 16 weeks ago

    So just so I understand, AG Eric S. wants to take union dues from non union workers who do want or need the unions service. WTF. If the unions are so great why do they have to force the employer to collect the dues. I would think in a free country it would be the employees choice.

  • More than 20 states take a stand for unions!   9 years 16 weeks ago

    Mathboy #2 - They will never have heard of The Republic, dialogues by Plato I am quite sure

    If so they would surely know about democracy wouldn't they?

  • More than 20 states take a stand for unions!   9 years 16 weeks ago

    I'd like to suggest that onereason why Bernie may poll artificially low among likely primary voters is that much of his support comes from outside the Democratic Party. Unfortunately this makes the polling prediction more accurate. Unless Bernie supporters register as Democrats, they won't be able to help him win. I believe that such reregistration would accomplish much of the Sanders revolution; it would change the party to be more populist and less corporatist.

  • More than 20 states take a stand for unions!   9 years 16 weeks ago

    If Republicans, who worry a lot about words, are going to freak out about the words "socialist" because it's been in the names of some totalitarian countries, then they should also freak out about the word "republic".

    Union of Soviet Socialist Republics,
    People's Republic of China,
    Republic of Iraq (under Saddam),
    Republic of Libya (under Qaddafi).

  • Republicans: Please Stop Helping ISIS   9 years 16 weeks ago

    Reply to Old Curmudgeon’s post #11: You remind me of Calvin Trillin, The Nation’s Deadline Poet.

    Reply to #14: Kend, chill out. Statistically, you’re about as likely to die from a lightening strike in this part of the world as an ISIS terrorist attack. You sound like someone who watches too much FOX. Try turning off the idiot box. It’s those right-wing, white Christian dudes you should be worried about.

  • More than 20 states take a stand for unions!   9 years 16 weeks ago

    The "laissez" in "laissez faire" is not /lah-zay/, it's /lay-say/.

  • Friday 13 November '15 show notes   9 years 16 weeks ago

    Good question. I don't know.

  • This is what institutional racism looks like.   9 years 16 weeks ago

    "Researchers looked at government mortgage data and found that banks have issued twice as many loans to white people in Baltimore as they do to African Americans – regardless of income." Thom H

    Income is only one part of the equation Thom. Credit history plays a big part. If your credit history says you don't pay your debts, you are not going to get a loan, no matter what your income is. Debt to income ratio is another factor. You can have a lot of income but if you already have lots of obligations, your chances of obtaining more credit become slimmer. One more example of the progressive liberal side of the argument missing over half the total picture and then jumping to a pre-determined conclusion.

  • This is what institutional racism looks like.   9 years 16 weeks ago

    Mark, don't you agree that it starts with the parents. It doesn't matter how much money you throw at schools and home loans it will not get better until the parents take responsibility. We decidec to have our kids in a community school where the parents are more involved. If we needed something we all pitched in and found a way to get it done. We had more control and it was great and much less expensive. It sure doesn't help to have four kids from four different fathers none of which is around. It all starts at home or at least at the community level.

  • This is what institutional racism looks like.   9 years 16 weeks ago

    The way the economy is managed by monetary policy and government policy creates poverty too. It is explained in this article. Http://wp.me/p42WQA-7c

  • This is what institutional racism looks like.   9 years 16 weeks ago

    Schundler, riots like in Baltimore occur once every 40 years and only because racism in our society makes it more acceptable for police to kill blacks. "Black on black crime" is also a long term result of racism and the cycle of discriminational and poverty.
    You may think "school choice" is a new idea but it has been tried and has failed. It is not a solution and makes education LESS attainable for poor kids.
    Don't fall for the Fox News talking points, they are a fraud.

  • This is what institutional racism looks like.   9 years 16 weeks ago

    RLROWNSLEY ... that is foolishness, it has little to do with religion, it has to do with the proper role of government .... unless a women was raped, she has a choice. Where poor people do not have a choice, is what school their children are going to go to .... a failing school fails the students and the community. Real "CHOICE" would be for the govenment to fund the school of the parents' CHOICE .... yet the institution racism seems to be with Progressives who do not want to let poor kids to be educated.

  • This is what institutional racism looks like.   9 years 16 weeks ago

    It is not fear, it is experience .... studies have been done that a White Police officer is slower to draw his gun when faced by a blacks .... more blacks are killed by blacks, and those that want to live in peace want more police in their community rather then less. There are issues that promote black violents ... the NEA cares more for the teachers than for the students, and back teachers that do not do their jobs, causing a high rate of drop outs in the black community. Black communities should have SCHOOL CHOICE so that blacks can get as good of an education as wealthy whites.

  • This is what institutional racism looks like.   9 years 16 weeks ago

    If the Government feels that Loans that should be made are not being made, then they should pass a law that would let the would be "home owner" get a Mortage directly from Fanni Mae, by passing the banks altogether ... as I remember there was a small business that use to hire people in the local area around where the riots took place. They were good people, they did nothing wrong, yet the business was set on fire due to where it was, well the bank and insurance company lost .... so is it wise and responisble to do business in an area where do only to location a building can be set on fire?

  • This is what institutional racism looks like.   9 years 16 weeks ago

    Rioting after sporting events may indeed be more widespread than after police murders and it is even more common - here in Chicago - amongst middle-class white brats. Every time the Bulls or Black Hawks win a championship it hits the fan. Doesn't seem to affect insurance rates though.
    You can enforce and perhaps prove red lining is occurring by seeing if loans are being denied for having bad credit or unreliable means of repayment or because of their race by comparing data of black and white applicants.

  • This is what institutional racism looks like.   9 years 16 weeks ago

    Couldn't agree more with you Thom ! The real irony is that most of this institutional racism is driven by the same advocates who fully support a reduction in the rights of women to fully control their own medical decisions. They have long worked to establish a Theocracy where all actions are guided entirely by Christian religious dogma !

  • This is what institutional racism looks like.   9 years 16 weeks ago

    The only reason loans are not granted is because the risk is too high. Maybe not burning down your neighbourhood every time you disagree with something would help as well. . No one wants to put a mortgage on a home that can't be insured.

  • This is what institutional racism looks like.   9 years 16 weeks ago

    What do mean comparing riots here and there?

    The point is institutionalized racism

    Akin to South Afican apartheid that to this day very sadly still exists in usa

    I know personally american people that hate those who just happen to have black skin

  • This is what institutional racism looks like.   9 years 16 weeks ago

    As we know, fear and hate short-circuit our brain's rational functioning. What proportion of the nation's police department members listen primarily to Fox (be afraid) News?

  • This is what institutional racism looks like.   9 years 16 weeks ago
    After widespread unrest following the death of Freddie Gray earlier this year

    I think the Left's definitions of "widespread" and "unrest" are interesting. A few dozen people - maybe even a few hundred - protesting and/or rioting in a few blocks - maybe even a few square miles - contitutes "widespread unrest"?

    By that definition, there's even more "widespread unrest" after sports championships.

    Racial disparities in loans and mortgages is extremely difficult to prove, but this research shows that red lining is still happening in this day and age. Now, the only thing left to do is make sure that this institutional racism comes to an end.

    If it's difficult to prove, then how can you force it to end? You're only pointing out a problem, but not offering a solution. That's just complaining.

    Should the government set quotas on how many loans must be given to Blacks? Or maybe percentages?

    In that case, how are you going to test someone's "Blackness"? In this day and age, can't anyone say they "feel Black today" when they apply for the loan? If gender identity is fliud, shouldn't racial identity be too?

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