Politics

[Sared]

"We don't expect the President to give the American people every detail about a classified surveillance program. But we do expect him to place such a program within the rule of law, and to allow members of the other two coequal branches of government - Congress and the Judiciary - to have the ability to monitor and oversee such a program. Our Constitution and our right to privacy as Americans require as much." - Senator Obama 2006

Journalism: 1
Cultural Memory: 0

[Broin]

WHICH OF COURSE HAS LEAD US TO THE FOLLOWING....

[Broin]

I hear that Obama is trying to get AT&T and SPRINT to endorse Verizion's "Share Everything Plan"

[Tecknik]

I heard they already did.


Unless we're talking about the actual plan, then nevermind.

[Broin]

I believe the original program was called lantern light or lamp light or some such crap... But I like the new "Share Everything Plan" much better.

[Lithium]

I feel like instead of trying to fight 'terrorists' with scraping every American's phone and internet records we should be out there killing them on the battlefield. But, I guess that's because this country doesn't like getting it's hands dirty and can't handle the hate from the haters anymore. I do think Hitler would proud of our intelligence services and the strict no whistle blower policy.

Those who give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty or safety.

[Subb]

I... I really couldn't give a fuck if my government tapped my phone or watched my every move. So what if they listen to me talk to my missus and know that I look at naked women on the net? Pff.

[likwidtek]

[likwidtek]

DOMA is dead!  WOOT!

[Da6onet]

I'll throw Snowden a party all day long, in his federal prison cell.

[Da6onet]

Bear with me a moment:
I was watching a story on "ant colonies" in China and got to thinking about the push and pull of education vs job market. If tomorrow everyone in the world had a PhD, I think you'd just have particle physicist cleaning toilets and day laborers at the home depot parking lot who could give you insight into Athenian culture. Without a radical structural change in the economies of the world, there simply isn't demand for everyone to be scholars.

1. Taking the extreme capitalist stance, not everyone should get an education, we should place more emphasis on artisan/apprenticeship/trade craft and apply it to all industries, saving academia for those who will create knowledge (in this context, create new industries) or those who have the personal luxury to afford it.
Politically - do away with all federal student loans, incentives, tax breaks, etc. as they pertain to those seeking higher education. Further, public sector monies should be solely dedicated to funding research (creation of knowledge/new industries) and everything else should be corporately run - leave it up to private companies to best "educate."

2. Taking the extreme optimist stance, if everyone is going to get a college education, then economic structural changes necessary to foster a society of academics must occur. I'll call this the Gene Rodenberry society, where food production is trivial, material possessions are trivial, virtually unlimited power and matter creation through replication available to all - thus the only thing left to "do" is explore.
Politically - take entitlement and defense monies for a few generations and put it all toward creating energy-matter conversion. Assuming all 7 billion people on the planet agree to focus on this common goal, it might actually be achievable.

3. Realistic ideas? 'insert thoughts here'

[NoCry]

My country just lost its way.

[Da6onet]

Just in case anybody forgot, here's how the labor participation rate (the real measure of unemployment) has been faring.

[NoCry]

Cripes - instead of posting a response I think i locked the topic then? anyway - hopefully all unlocked now...

My observation was simply that on the positive side you will all soon be chomping on Cuban cigar's safe in the knowledge that Broin won't be knocking your door down!

[Sared]

I know I like to post these guys a lot, but this last week's episode started a two-parter on politics, also touching on the last shutdown.

Extra Credits: Incentive Systems and Politics (Part 1)