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Scoop, good thoughts as always.
Ah, the school years. I wasn't into liberal/conservative way back then, but in hindsight I recognize I had teachers in both camps from junior high on up. A couple of them were way out in left field, and loved to use their classes as soapboxes. My folks didn't complain; it'd have been futile to do so, since they were one of each as well. God bless your wife, my Republican wife teaches too. I wish there were more teachers like them. But the fact is that the teacher's unions do lean very heavily to the left, and so do a lot of their members. The effect is even more pronounced in collges and universities, where conservative opinion is openly scorned and subjected to punitive grades. And, thanks for the encouraging appraisal of the effect of liberal teachers; sadly, it wasn't for lack of effort.
posted by
WriterofLight
on February 26, 2005 at 8:41 PM
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Thank you, Barnabee!
Two of your three simple things demonstrate precisely the illogic I'm bashing on here. If an increase is reduced, the result is not a reduction. If the budget doesn't grow as fast as inflation, then the result is not a reduction. The result is that the people spending the money spend it more carefully. My salary didn't grow as fast as inflation over the past couple of years, so we spent more carefully. But my salary still increased.
Third simple thing: If that comparison turns your crank, so be it. The President has said, in essence, that he wants money spent where it does the most good. I see money spent in Iraq as having a much more positive result that certain spending programs here.
posted by
WriterofLight
on February 26, 2005 at 8:33 PM
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painter, your metaphor doesn't apply to this.
If apples are needed, then the budget for apples needs to reflect the price you expect to pay for the desired quantity. Failure to do so isn't like losing money, it just means you buy fewer apples. The only loss of money in your scenario would be to buy the apples for 60 cents and then sell them for 55.
posted by
WriterofLight
on February 26, 2005 at 8:24 PM
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WofLight why is it?
When we went to school and then on to "higher" lernin', no one called our teachers liberal? My mom and dad never complained, did yours? Kids get most of their "ed" at home with their parents who shaped their minds, and then sent them to school to be taught by dumb old liberal and conservative teachers. 10-4? My wife is a teacher is is a straight Repub. I hate that liberal label on teachers it is plain bullshit. If the liberal teachers were winning the education battle, Kerry would be president.
posted by
scoop
on February 25, 2005 at 4:18 PM
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Ahhhhhh?
Three simple things:
when a budget is submitted and a chief executive cuts it back but it is still increased from last year, it has been cut the the chief executive.
when a budget item does not keep up with the rate of inflation, even if it's increased, the effect is a reduction.
finally, last time I checked George Bush was doing in Iraq what many people accused people who wanted to raise education budgets and other budgets-- throwing money at a problem. and the deficit is now....?
Oh, yeah, that Social Security thing doesn't add up either.
I answered your comment to my post. But to clarify-- my bible says "Thou Shalt not kill." It was there when I learned the ten commandments as a six year-old and, I checked, it's still there. Of course the bible is translated (everyone knows that), changing "kill" to "murder" is a translation choice.
posted by
barnabee
on February 24, 2005 at 5:02 PM
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if an apple
costs 55 cents today
and then costs 60 cents tomorrow
but you are only given an allowance for apples at the rate of 55 cents
this is like losing money isn't it?
all other costs go up at a certain rate, but the rate at which you receive money doesn't.
You're losing money then.
posted by
Xeno-x
on February 24, 2005 at 3:28 PM
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