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[empty vessel]

I just checked, but it looks like he's the only prof for this class.

The top of the syllabus has a list of recommended blogs to follow, including Cafe Hayek, The Becker-Posner blog, and a variety of WSJ blogs.

I would suggest you withdraw and find another class if you can. Seriously, you will not learn anything. In fact, you will be rendered more ignorant. Sadly, your school is committing educational malpractice by hiring people to teach subjects about which they are willfully ignorant and highly motivated to make others ignorant.

 

[KingK]

Kindly remind him that if it weren't for government backed student loans, he probably wouldn't have his job.

Yeah, I plan on pushing back in class, but I didn't want to risk ruffling any feathers on the first day.

Holy shit . . . sounds like real asshole. Yeah, I guess if you have an accent then you can't be a real 'merican!

Oh, I almost forgot that he also couldn't miss his chance to shit on Affirmative Action, and said "People these days, at least in America, seem to have a hard time wrapping their heads around slavery. Slavery isn't hard to understand, it was how everything was done for most of human history. You lost a war, and you became slaves. Everyone in this room has ancestors who were slaves." Which isn't necessarily controversial...except when you bring it up as a point to pivot into a couple sentences dismissing Affirmative Action.

I would suggest you withdraw and find another class if you can. Seriously, you will not learn anything. In fact, you will be rendered more ignorant. Sadly, your school is committing educational malpractice by hiring people to teach subjects about which they are willfully ignorant and highly motivated to make others ignorant.

Yeah, I'm looking for a different 300/400 level econ class to replace it now, but it doesn't look like there's anything else I can take that fits my schedule.

 

[Black Mamba]

Looks like young people, when given a real choice, don't want shitty catastrophic plans.

silver getting 60% is a very good thing.

 

[Captain Pants]

Congrats on the healthcare plans!

Man, that is such a weird dynamic of "OK, I'm getting nice access to affordable health care now . . . but I still HATE that guy! Grrrr." How does that work? Cognitive dissonance? Rationalizing themselves a 'special case' where it is OK for them but other people shouldn't get this?


I still think a lot of hardcore conservatism boils down to single issue things like abortion or gun control. Some people will oppose policies that are good for themselves brought to them by politicians who support single issue things that they can't change on . . . like abortion or gun control. So they do cognitive dissonance, create an exception why it is OK for them, or just go into denial.

In some ways, it is admirable . . . they won't sell out their position on something like abortion just for cheap health insurance . . . but in other ways, it is just stupid . . . why not push for your party to continue opposing abortion AND provide a healthcare solution? The two are not mutually exclusive.

While my mom is so pro-life that she is the regional director for a crisis pregnancy non profit that gives baby clothes and diapers to mothers who can't afford it, I think there were other issues at work. I think it was as much of her not feeling like they need federal assistance. It was like there were pride issues at work, along with the usual 'socialism' concerns. If pressed, she'd admit that people out there need help, but I don't think she'd be able to admit that things have gotten bad enough that she needs help.

 

[Trouble]

Looks like young people, when given a real choice, don't want shitty catastrophic plans.

silver getting 60% is a very good thing.

I think when people are forced to actually learn about what coverage they are buying they aren't going to go for awful plans. Now if only that could be applied to car/home/life insurance...

 

[PhoenixDark]

Looks like young people, when given a real choice, don't want shitty catastrophic plans.

silver getting 60% is a very good thing.

Good to see. The bronze plans are legit horrible.

 

[Black Mamba]

I think when people are forced to actually learn about what coverage they are buying they aren't going to go for awful plans. Now if only that could be applied to car/home/life insurance...

I think what we're seeing is this.

People who do well for themselves, like people who are self-employed, get the platinum and gold. Some opt for Silver.

Those who are heavily subsidized easily go for silver because they are amazing bargains. And those who are subsidized in general do so as well.

What' we seeing with Bronze, imo, are people who are caught unsubsidized or too little to matter but at the same time are unwilling to go without HI and a base level of coverage. As they earn more, they will move up.

I don't think these people want bronze plans, but it's all they can afford right now.

 

[KingK]

I think what we're seeing is this.

People who do well for themselves, like people who are self-employed, get the platinum and gold. Some opt for Silver.

Those who are heavily subsidized easily go for silver because they are amazing bargains. And those who are subsidized in general do so as well.

What' we seeing with Bronze, imo, are people who are caught unsubsidized or too little to matter but at the same time are unwilling to go without HI and a base level of coverage. As they earn more, they will move up.

I don't think these people want bronze plans, but it's all they can afford right now.

Yeah, one of my friends here in Indiana is getting fucked over because of the loophole caused by the governor/legislature blocking the medicaid expansion, so all he can afford is a bronze.

 

[Piecake]

Yeah, I plan on pushing back in class, but I didn't want to risk ruffling any feathers on the first day.



Oh, I almost forgot that he also couldn't miss his chance to shit on Affirmative Action, and said "People these days, at least in America, seem to have a hard time wrapping their heads around slavery. Slavery isn't hard to understand, it was how everything was done for most of human history. You lost a war, and you became slaves. Everyone in this room has ancestors who were slaves." Which isn't necessarily controversial...except when you bring it up as a point to pivot into a couple sentences dismissing Affirmative Action.


Yeah, I'm looking for a different 300/400 level econ class to replace it now, but it doesn't look like there's anything else I can take that fits my schedule.

Then I would take another subject if at all possible. That sounds like its going to be one terrible class.

And its pretty easy to counter his whole "We were all slaves at one point, so we all had the same experience argument" Lot of studies out there that show that African Americans are still discriminated against during hiring.

The most convincing point, (he will probably brush those away because they are sociology studies or something) is that when we stopped being actively racist and stopped actively trying to keep black people in the 70s and 80s (or something like that), is that that is when all the manufacturing jobs left America. Every other group used well-paying manufacturing jobs to rise up to the middle class. After those left, poor people were left with shit paying service sector jobs.

The dude is a fucking idiot.

 

[JesseEwiak]

The single statement that proves affirmative action is this - a white male with a criminal record, but the same qualifications has the same rate of being called back for an interview as a black male with no criminal record.

 

[JesseEwiak]

Shocker. 9 out of the 10 poorest states are Republican:

http://www.politifact.com/rhode-isl...mocrat-group-says-9-10-poorest-states-are-re/

West Virginia needs to stop being lazy and get a job, dang it.

But, most of the poor people are African-American, who all vote Democrat. Yes, this is the actual argument in the comments on conservative sites.

 

[Piecake]

But, most of the poor people are African-American, who all vote Democrat. Yes, this is the actual argument in the comments on conservative sites.

Who knew that socially defined groups could their own pick political leaders, and those political leaders are the only ones whose decisions impact them

 

[Black Mamba]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/...down_n_4591320.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000003

lol

 

[NYCmetsfan]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/...down_n_4591320.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000003

lol

Arizona's LDS Young Single Adult Conference

 

[zero shift]

But, most of the poor people are African-American, who all vote Democrat. Yes, this is the actual argument in the comments on conservative sites.

That's irrelevant. If free market policies would work then they would no longer be poor. There is alsot he fact that there are an increasing amount of white people being poor in those state as well (higher rate than anywhere else in the country) so it isn't a "black culture" thing either.

 

[JesseEwiak]

I try to.

The problem is the Democrat's have stolen the GOP's mechanism for providing universal coverage (note, this is not agreeing with the argument that the ACA is exactly like the Heritage Foundation plan ), so the GOP now can't have 'universal coverage' as a policy goal because the base will think that's a cave in to socialism.

That's irrelevant. If free market policies would work then they would no longer be poor. There is alsot he fact that there are an increasing amount of white people being poor in those state as well (higher rate than anywhere else in the country) so it isn't a "black culture" thing either.

Lots of political arguments don't make sense.

 

[NYCmetsfan]

But, most of the poor people are African-American, who all vote Democrat. Yes, this is the actual argument in the comments on conservative sites.

Isn't the implication of this argument that the wealthier white majority is oppressing the black poorer minority? Or at least instituting policy which doesn't help them.

 

[JesseEwiak]

Isn't the implication of this that the wealthier white majority is oppressing the black poor minority? Or at least instituting policy which doesn't help them.

To us, sure. But, to the people making the argument, the inference is, "if it weren't for these lazy [not nice word for black people here, ranging from welfare queen to thug to nigger depending on their own personal racism] that live here, we'd be doing fantastic. After all, I made it all on my own."

 

[thepotatoman]

Then I would take another subject if at all possible. That sounds like its going to be one terrible class.

And its pretty easy to counter his whole "We were all slaves at one point, so we all had the same experience argument" Lot of studies out there that show that African Americans are still discriminated against during hiring.

The most convincing point, (he will probably brush those away because they are sociology studies or something) is that when we stopped being actively racist and stopped actively trying to keep black people in the 70s and 80s (or something like that), is that that is when all the manufacturing jobs left America. Every other group used well-paying manufacturing jobs to rise up to the middle class. After those left, poor people were left with shit paying service sector jobs.

The dude is a fucking idiot.

I also like to remind people that MLK's "I Have a Dream" speech was only 50 years ago, so even if you believe racism died that day, there still has to be lingering financial inequalities in black families caused directly by racism.

 

[Wilsongt]

Good ACA enrollment numbers. Nightmarish news for Kay Hagan.

 

[Black Mamba]

Uh Oh, Christie's admin might have bullied the mayor of Jersey City, too...

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/14/n...ents-show.html?google_editors_picks=true&_r=0

 

[Mike M]

Christie still strikes me as the presumptive nominee, though I don't think it's as much a lock as Romney was. God, the places he'd have to go to secure the nom, gonna make Romney look like nothing.

 

[speculawyer]

Chris Christie just did these things in order to help his best friend Barack HUSSEIN Obama. Christie did it so that the media would no longer focus on the the Obamacare problems.

Spoiler

I have actually seen conservatives allege this.

 

[B-Dubs]

Christie still strikes me as the presumptive nominee, though I don't think it's as much a lock as Romney was. God, the places he'd have to go to secure the nom, gonna make Romney look like nothing.

And the amount of dirt that everyone will be able to dig up on him during the primaries will astound you. The Times had enough for an entire article last month after looking not very hard for a day or two, imagine when everyone starts trying.

Chris Christie just did these things in order to help his best friend Barack HUSSEIN Obama. Christie did it so that the media would no longer focus on the the Obamacare problems.

Spoiler

I have actually seen conservatives allege this.

Kill me now.

 

[Gotchaye]

The problem is the Democrat's have stolen the GOP's mechanism for providing universal coverage (note, this is not agreeing with the argument that the ACA is exactly like the Heritage Foundation plan ), so the GOP now can't have 'universal coverage' as a policy goal because the base will think that's a cave in to socialism.

I don't think this is accurate. Democrats stole what the GOP was holding up as a better way to provide universal coverage than Hillarycare, but it was never a policy goal for them. The whole point was to hide their opposition to the policy goal; it's not like Republicans made any serious attempt to pass something like Obamacare pre-Obama.

This is a pretty common and effective tactic. Your opponents want to do something which you oppose on principle. You spend a little bit of time talking about the principle, but if your principle makes you look like assholes you mostly want to be paying lip service to it while complaining about problems with the specific thing your opponents are proposing. Even post-Obamacare, Republicans spent a long time going on about "repeal and replace", and didn't let the total absence of a replacement plan stop them.

 

[Mike M]

Chris Christie just did these things in order to help his best friend Barack HUSSEIN Obama. Christie did it so that the media would no longer focus on the the Obamacare problems.

Spoiler

I have actually seen conservatives allege this.

It wasn't until college that I encountered people who were biblical literalists. Until then I had no idea young earth creationism was a thing, let alone as widespread as it is. I miss high school.

And the amount of dirt that everyone will be able to dig up on him during the primaries will astound you. The Times had enough for an entire article last month after looking not very hard for a day or two, imagine when everyone starts trying.

I dunno, I'm pretty fucking jaded by now.

 

[JesseEwiak]

I don't think this is accurate. Democrats stole what the GOP was holding up as a better way to provide universal coverage than Hillarycare, but it was never a policy goal for them. The whole point was to hide their opposition to the policy goal; it's not like Republicans made any serious attempt to pass something like Obamacare pre-Obama.

This is a pretty common and effective tactic. Your opponents want to do something which you oppose on principle. You spend a little bit of time talking about the principle, but if your principle makes you look like assholes you mostly want to be paying lip service to it while complaining about problems with the specific thing your opponents are proposing. Even post-Obamacare, Republicans spent a long time going on about "repeal and replace", and didn't let the total absence of a replacement plan stop them.

I completely agree that the GOP never really cared about passing universal coverage. But, prior nominees could at least say that and get some credit from low info suburban moms. Now, due to the radicalization of their base, the GOP can't even say they want kind of nice things for uninsured people.

 

[speculawyer]

While my mom is so pro-life that she is the regional director for a crisis pregnancy non profit that gives baby clothes and diapers to mothers who can't afford it, I think there were other issues at work. I think it was as much of her not feeling like they need federal assistance. It was like there were pride issues at work, along with the usual 'socialism' concerns. If pressed, she'd admit that people out there need help, but I don't think she'd be able to admit that things have gotten bad enough that she needs help.

Ha! I knew it.


I think there is an inequality problem right now. Look, there should certainly be rich people and poor people. I have no problem with that and in fact WANT that. However, there is a problem when people can still work hard 50+ hours a week and still not get by. I'm OK with those people not being rich and not having luxuries . . . but they should be able to feed, clothe, house themselves . . . and have healthcare. Our modern society should be able to do that. But it is failing.

 

[WayneMorse]

http://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/1v1t93/what_ever_happened_to_occupy_wall_street/?sort=top


Reddit man, such misguided hate, so much unwarranted superiority.

 

[zero shift]

Spoiler

I have actually seen conservatives allege this.

Reactionaries! They're called reactionaries!

http://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/1v1t93/what_ever_happened_to_occupy_wall_street/?sort=top


Reddit man, such misguided hate, so much unwarranted superiority.

Average reddit poster:

 

[thepotatoman]

Uh Oh, Christie's admin might have bullied the mayor of Jersey City, too...

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/14/n...ents-show.html?google_editors_picks=true&_r=0

I guess that strongly suggests the motivation behind the traffic problem was in fact the mayors lack of endorsement of Christie.

 

[Oblivion]

Yeah, I plan on pushing back in class, but I didn't want to risk ruffling any feathers on the first day.

Oh, I almost forgot that he also couldn't miss his chance to shit on Affirmative Action, and said "People these days, at least in America, seem to have a hard time wrapping their heads around slavery. Slavery isn't hard to understand, it was how everything was done for most of human history. You lost a war, and you became slaves. Everyone in this room has ancestors who were slaves." Which isn't necessarily controversial...except when you bring it up as a point to pivot into a couple sentences dismissing Affirmative Action.

Yeah, I'm looking for a different 300/400 level econ class to replace it now, but it doesn't look like there's anything else I can take that fits my schedule.

This dude sounds awesome.

Given an option, I'd say you should take another class. But seeing as how you might not have the option, I say go ahead and take it and make every moment in class miserable for him. Then report back here. Hell, you should make a daily status update since this dude sounds like he's pretty entertaining.

 

[B-Dubs]

This dude sounds awesome.

Given an option, I'd say you should take another class. But seeing as how you might not have the option, I say go ahead and take it and make every moment in class miserable for him. Then report back here. Hell, you should make a daily status update since this dude sounds like he's pretty entertaining.

We could even help

 

[Sibylus]

Christie just shot himself in the foot?

Looks more to me like he placed one atop the other and shot both of them. Frugal!

 

[bananas]

Thought the Obamacare news deserved it's own thread, so I made one: http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=751025

 

[B-Dubs]

This is a good way to fail a class for no good reason.

So long as he passes the tests with flying colors he can appeal, a professor can't just fail you for no reason. There was a thread about a guy who had it happen to him a few weeks ago.

 

[bananas]

So long as he passes the tests with flying colors he can appeal, a professor can't just fail you for no reason. There was a thread about a guy who had it happen to him a few weeks ago.

The private college I went to had a policy where if you missed 20% of the days, you automatically failed the class.

 

[B-Dubs]

The private college I went to had a policy where if you missed 20% of the days, you automatically failed the class.

That's nuts, when I went to school they had just taken out attendance requirements.

 

[B-Dubs]

Eh, whatever, point is it's something that sounds great on a message board and in real life makes you an idiot dickhead.

True, I always did hate those guys.

 

[PhoenixDark]

Thought the Obamacare news deserved it's own thread, so I made one: http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=751025

As I said in the thread, it's amazing they only missed the CBO mark by 1mil after the disastrous roll out. Nice rebound by the administration. The website is no longer in the news, nor are nonstop negative stories about cancellations or high premiums dominating anymore. And by late March I'd imagine they'll be near 4 or 5 million signups.

 

[Oblivion]

Eh, whatever, point is it's something that sounds great on a message board and in real life makes you an idiot dickhead.

Well, I'm not saying he has to be a douche about it. He could just be all like "But professor, I thought such and such..".

Besides, as B-Dubs said, as long as he does all the required homework and tests, he shouldn't get in trouble. Professors can't fail you cause they don't like you.

 

[Wilsongt]

As I said in the thread, it's amazing they only missed the CBO mark by 1mil after the disastrous roll out. Nice rebound by the administration. The website is no longer in the news, nor are nonstop negative stories about cancellations or high premiums dominating anymore. And by late March I'd imagine they'll be near 4 or 5 million signups.

Only on Fox News:

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/201...mographic-group-come-in-well-below-estimates/

http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/po...tymied-by-spanish-language-obamacare-website/

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2014/01/13/sebelius-congress-should-take-obamacare-bailout-off-table/

http://video.foxnews.com/v/30506248...he-obamacare-enrollent-numbers/#sp=show-clips

http://video.foxnews.com/v/30448374...rude-awakening-under-obamacare/#sp=show-clips

Also, on my way to Fox News' website, what story was on the front page? One guess.

Spoiler

BENGHAZIBENGHAZIBENGHAZIOHGODIMDROWINGINIT

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/201...oefully-unprepared-for-attack-documents-show/

 

[Oblivion]

Oh, and regarding the controversy with Christie spending Sandy money on himself, wasn't that known for more than a year? I read the news and there doesn't seem to be anything "new" about it. Unless I missed something?

 

[RustyNails]

Oh, and regarding the controversy with Christie spending Sandy money on himself, wasn't that known for more than a year? I read the news and there doesn't seem to be anything "new" about it. Unless I missed something?

The feds investigating the incident for a few months came to a preliminary conclusion that basically amounted to "We have to go deeper". They now think there is a definite cause for concern. The next set of investigations are going to be much more detailed, and could go on for several months. It's going to be a bad year for Christie.

Needless to say, Bad News for Chris Christie is our next poligaf thread title.

 

[eBay Huckster]

Omnibus bill from the House just got released about 90 minutes ago.

Highlight: Joe Biden gets $90,000 in "official entertainment expenses".

 

[speculawyer]

Omnibus bill from the House just got released about 90 minutes ago.

Highlight: Joe Biden gets $90,000 in "official entertainment expenses".

Strippers and coke!

 

[Diablos]

Omnibus bill from the House just got released about 90 minutes ago.

Highlight: Joe Biden gets $90,000 in "official entertainment expenses".

How much does it gut the ACA this time?

 

[B-Dubs]

Strippers and coke!

Worm would be proud.

 

[jamesinclair]

Uh Oh, Christie's admin might have bullied the mayor of Jersey City, too...

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/14/n...ents-show.html?google_editors_picks=true&_r=0

Using port authority money illegally might be an interstate crime. I hope new York calls Christie to testify

 

[Diablos]

Using port authority money illegally might be an interstate crime. I hope new York calls Christie to testify

It very likely is...

Sheeeeeeeeit.