Comments

1
I don't think people necessarily associate caucasians with high-end hotels.
2
Sometimes you can get them to pay attention if they will admit they put themselves through college working part time and graduated with zero debt, which is not quite the same as graduating with $30,000 to pay back. A lot more young people would believe that all you have to do is work hard if you erased that 30 grand.

But mostly they won't listen. Better to wait for the do die and spend your time on GOTV. There are more of us, if only we'd turn out.
3
@1

They do. It's just they never think about it.
4
I've spent a lot of time in mid to high-end hotels. Yeah, you do see Caucasians and Middle Easterners, but you mainly see Asians.
5
If their bubble of privilege and comfort gets burst maybe their self satisfaction will burst. They are truly out of touch with reality.

Working hard is no guarantee it will save anyone economically. It is much easier for those who have rich parents usually in this economic system.
7
@6 fuck. Don't give them any ideas.
8
@5. You are woefully ignorant as well as possibly lazy. Here are 3 simple rules to follow if you want out of poverty and into the middle class. 98% success rate if you follow them.

http://federalsafetynet.com/articles-on-…

And it is astounding to me that anyone would be against the idea of choice for parents who feel the system isn't meeting their needs. Who the fuck are YOU to tell someone what's best for their kid? What's especially simple is that this BS is from the same party that cries about institutional unfairness all the time (with never a concrete example to cite, mind you).

And please, somebody chime in with how they "just need more money" to make it all better. BS again. Most of the teachers I know vote against school bonds because the money doesn't end up in the classroom.
9
Muffyy, we're taxpayers and just like most things in life, you don't always get what you want.

Why should I pay for your kid's religious training?

Why should I pay(!) for your kid to go to a school that discriminates against certain classes of people?

Why more money? Well, our friend Betsy, like Bill Gates, wants "personalized learning." That means more time in front of computers (which in itself is not good for kids) but as for costs - there is a HUGE cost. Computers (and they need to be updated every couple of years), software licenses (huge costs), people to maintain the system.

Also, costly?Special ed services (not fully paid for by feds or state), ELL services, and services for homeless students.

Go into a school. Volunteer and then you'll see the need.
10
Wait, did The Stranger make a donation to attend this dinner? Because the article mentions “our $350 dinner.” I hope y’all didn’t buy your way in because, 1) it’s not a great cause to support, and, 2) the unembeded reporting is so much more interesting anyway. The words of Cavuto and DeVos, the attendance of conservative elites and a hearing-impaired racist are entirely predictable.
11
#10:
Much as is the case with Al Gore's carbon footprint, sometimes it were better to consider net benefit.
12
@8 We tried the "they need less money to fix the problem" approach and it didn't work so yes money fixes problems. If you don't think so then capitalism isnt for you. Maybe we should try hopes and prayers and see how that works.
14
(It’s odd for Starbucks to have an outward progressive face while behind-closed-doors supporting a right-wing group associated with the Koch Brothers and ALEC.)

Is it really? Most of the population actually supports progressive values.
But bnce a corporation gets to a certain size and wealth, they tend to support the "free market" capitalist agenda. It's all about who you hang out with, your "cultural group", and rich elites hang out with other rich elites, despite their purported "political" views. Their cultural views and affiliations are with other rich elites. It's normal.

Which is why voting and electing rich elites to government office isn't going to help further democracy in this here nation. It only furthers oligarchy.
15
@12. Pouring money into wasteful government services is capitalism, how? Make the connection or shove it.

@9. I don't get what I want as a taxpayer, but you get a list of non starters qualifying what you're willing to pay for? Think your posts out a little better next time. That's a pretty stupid contradiction.

And for the record, I'm an atheist, my kids go to public school and I do volunteer.
16
@15,

You're right that pouring money into government isn't capitalism, no. It's sort of the opposite of capitalism actually.

However, sometimes just pouring money into things (even government things) does produce results. Look at the cold war and the collapse of the Soviet Union. We basically accomplished that simply by outdoing the Soviets in wasteful spending.
17
"The Bellevue Hyatt is like most high-end hotels: Lots of marble, a soaring atrium, white people." Doesn't the "white people suck" perspective ever get old for you kids? The article starts with an offensive racist comment and ... nope, that's when I quit reading. You do realize that white skin is not a red flag of racism, right? You can stuff your racist crap about white people where the sun don't shine.
18
I oppose taking zpublic taxpayer funds and diverting them to private, for-profit entities, or institutions actively promotion their religious ideologies.

The rich can well afford to pay their taxes and fund public schools, AND independently purchase private education for their own children.

This whole voucher thing is another sneaky way for corporate-aligned types to steal from the public pot, and give nothing. I oppose it.

Devos, heir of a Ponzi-scheme company, is a tool of the Trumpian Elites who are intentionally sabotaging government to benefit corporate --aka private-profit tyrannies-- owners and their elitist friends.

Public schools would be better if the government hadn't been intentionally starving them and making teachers into some sort of propaganda "enemy".
19
@16 - Look at the cold war and the collapse of the Soviet Union. We basically accomplished that simply by outdoing the Soviets in wasteful spending.

(You forgot that the US made a deal with Saudi Arabia so they would pump oil at maximum capacity and drop the price of oil into the basement, thus bankrupting the Soviet Union, who's income relied heavily on their domestic oil production capability.)
20
muffy, the schools that Secretary DeVos promotes do not provide needed choice for students and families. They provide choice only to students and families who already have a lot of choice because those schools locate themselves in urban areas. In our cities families can choose from their neighborhood school, another neighborhood school in their district, an alternative school in their district, a neighborhood school in a nearby district, an alternative school in a nearby district, a private school, an online school, or home school.

Contrast this with students and families in small towns and rural areas. Their school district may only have one or two elementary schools and are likely to have only one middle school and high school. The next closest school in a nearby district may be over an hour's drive away. It is highly unlikely that there is a private school anywhere near them. These are the students and families who lack school choice, but Secretary DeVos is not bringing any school choice to these families. And, it bears saying, these are also the students who are underperforming.

There is a myth of underperforming city schools, but Seattle Public Schools, with nearly half of the students living in poverty, routinely outperforms the state averages in every subject and every grade on the state proficiency tests. So if the urban school district is outperforming and the suburban school districts are outperforming, who do you think are underperforming? The districts in rural areas and small towns. These are the students and families in need and Secretary DeVos and her "choice" campaign will do nothing for them.

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