The Simple Truths Silver Mine

[memphis]

Hey I agree with Gustaf and Antonio on something. Kewl.

[MATTROSE94]

No, Hillary will lose Texas by double digits like every Dem has done so since 2000.

[World politics is up Schmitt creek]

"No one ever said that the goal was full integration of these populations," said David Von Spreckelsen, senior vice president at Toll Brothers. "So now you have politicians talking about that, saying how horrible those back doors are. I think it's unfair to expect very high-income homeowners who paid a fortune to live in their building to have to be in the same boat as low-income renters, who are very fortunate to live in a new building in a great neighborhood."

http://gawker.com/nyc-approves-apartment-building-with-separate-entrance-1608352680

But you know, Same Love and all.

Emphasis added.

[Antonio the Sixth]

Oldies should be discouraged from coming back.  He is a terrible poster, and the forum is better off with him gone.

[Oakvale]

I don't actually disagree with anything in it, tbh. It doesn't change the fact the Israeli government is a bunch of morons and assholes and at this point bear most of the responsibility for the failure of peace talks.

You agree that the US has a responsibility to ensure that Israel maintains a "military edge?"

If that's necessary to prevent the neighboring countries from destroying it, then yes. Though I know that's not the case right now, Israel has historically been much less trigger-happy than its old enemies.

Why is it America's job to provide for Israel's defense?

Powerful nations should do their job to protect smaller nations from aggression, in general. The fact that Israel is probably the single State in the world that the most other countries would like to see crushed makes its defense particularly necessary.

Israel's very existence is a form of aggression.

[Antonio the Sixth]

He'd be pretty busy with his continued escalation of Iraq and Afghanistan, his invasion of Iran/Syria and his on-going search for bin Laden.

[Paul Kemp]

Stop doing these threads. They'll never be funny or interesting.

[Kushahontas]

The sorts of voters likely to vote in initiatives generally tend to be skew towards those distrustful of government.  A bicameral legislature by its very nature makes passing laws more difficult, which is exactly what those who distrust government should favor.

[Lief 🗽]

As big as Bushie is, I'm certain he's eating at least 4,000 calories each day. You don't get to be 300 lbs by eating a few extra bites each day. That said, my intent is not to fat shame. Like many Americans, especially religious ones, he has a very difficult addiction to junk food. I guarantee he binges on cheatsnacks regularly.

[World politics is up Schmitt creek]

The key to a good pie is the crust. The filling is easy. Crust needs to be fresh and flaky, which it almost never is from stores and restaurants. Stale pie crust makes the whole experience worthless.

[IceSpear]

This is another case where Americans are hurt by not knowing themselves. Because people hold onto the mythology of Infinite Opportunity, they don't see themselves as Poors, Working Classers, or even Richers. Everybody is Middle Class, floating around like an Oklahoman in the Update, convinced that one of these days things are going to work out if we just believe. Americans need a serious dose of realism. We're all busting our butts for peanuts, and things are not going to change until we make low prestige jobs worthwhile. It is not possible for everybody to be a doctor, a CEO, or a lottery winner.

[Snowstalker Mk. II]

This is another case where Americans are hurt by not knowing themselves. Because people hold onto the mythology of Infinite Opportunity, they don't see themselves as Poors, Working Classers, or even Richers. Everybody is Middle Class, floating around like an Oklahoman in the Update, convinced that one of these days things are going to work out if we just believe. Americans need a serious dose of realism. We're all busting our butts for peanuts, and things are not going to change until we make low prestige jobs worthwhile. It is not possible for everybody to be a doctor, a CEO, or a lottery winner.

So you're acknowledging the need for class consciousness?

[Antonio the Sixth]

The Second Amendment may be the dumbest statute still standing in the modern era.

[IceSpear]

This is another case where Americans are hurt by not knowing themselves. Because people hold onto the mythology of Infinite Opportunity, they don't see themselves as Poors, Working Classers, or even Richers. Everybody is Middle Class, floating around like an Oklahoman in the Update, convinced that one of these days things are going to work out if we just believe. Americans need a serious dose of realism. We're all busting our butts for peanuts, and things are not going to change until we make low prestige jobs worthwhile. It is not possible for everybody to be a doctor, a CEO, or a lottery winner.

So you're acknowledging the need for class consciousness?

I'm acknowledging the need for equality of opportunity and upward mobility, both of which have been on the decline.

[Antonio the Sixth]

This is another case where Americans are hurt by not knowing themselves. Because people hold onto the mythology of Infinite Opportunity, they don't see themselves as Poors, Working Classers, or even Richers. Everybody is Middle Class, floating around like an Oklahoman in the Update, convinced that one of these days things are going to work out if we just believe. Americans need a serious dose of realism. We're all busting our butts for peanuts, and things are not going to change until we make low prestige jobs worthwhile. It is not possible for everybody to be a doctor, a CEO, or a lottery winner.

So you're acknowledging the need for class consciousness?

One doesn't need to be a socialist to value class consciousness as a positive thing.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

The biggest scam of all: I believed Bushie was worth trying to help.

[free my dawg]

Well, she's probably used to sweating a lot. Just ask her bodyguard.

[TNF]

This is another case where Americans are hurt by not knowing themselves. Because people hold onto the mythology of Infinite Opportunity, they don't see themselves as Poors, Working Classers, or even Richers. Everybody is Middle Class, floating around like an Oklahoman in the Update, convinced that one of these days things are going to work out if we just believe. Americans need a serious dose of realism. We're all busting our butts for peanuts, and things are not going to change until we make low prestige jobs worthwhile. It is not possible for everybody to be a doctor, a CEO, or a lottery winner.

So you're acknowledging the need for class consciousness?

One doesn't need to be a socialist to value class consciousness as a positive thing.

I thought you didn't believe in social class?

[Antonio the Sixth]

This is another case where Americans are hurt by not knowing themselves. Because people hold onto the mythology of Infinite Opportunity, they don't see themselves as Poors, Working Classers, or even Richers. Everybody is Middle Class, floating around like an Oklahoman in the Update, convinced that one of these days things are going to work out if we just believe. Americans need a serious dose of realism. We're all busting our butts for peanuts, and things are not going to change until we make low prestige jobs worthwhile. It is not possible for everybody to be a doctor, a CEO, or a lottery winner.

So you're acknowledging the need for class consciousness?

One doesn't need to be a socialist to value class consciousness as a positive thing.

I thought you didn't believe in social class?

My point was more semantic than substantial, if you remember. It's obvious that society sorts individuals out based on their level of wealth, power and prestige, but the point is that this sorting isn't nearly as binary, absolute and rigid as Marxist theory posits. Call it classes or social strata, the point remains. Of course it's not easy to develop this sort of thoughts on IRC.

[World politics is up Schmitt creek]

Evidently you didn't have excellent grades and public exam results either.

You're starting to raise serious concerns about the types of values Oxford is instilling in its students.

[MATTROSE94]

Here's an old post from our good friend Barfbag:

What this country needs is more Republicans like Tom Ridge and less like Ted Cruz.

[Chancellor Tanterterg]

Sweet that you all assume that this isn't just hypochondria.

[Clarko95 📚💰📈]

The cities being denied fair representation is no joke. This is an issue of taxation without representation.

Dude, I didn't realize you were this stupid. Cities don't get represented in elections, people do. People represent themselves by voting. A vote in rural Appalachia counts just as much as a vote in a big city.

[traininthedistance]

The fact that Le Corbusier had as much effect on urban planning as he did was a tragedy for us all. The man who proposed the Plan Voisin deserved to be thrown in prison for it, not followed:

[Lief 🗽]

I think the real scandal here is that the guy randomly capitalizes the "G" in the middle of his name.