9 thoughts on “Some Thoughts on the Early Trump Presidency”

  1. Of course, as mentioned in the other recent Trump comment – the Democrats have been digging their own grave for years – and now they’ve totally lost the working class – their bread and butter.

    I mean, they have given watered down support to the working class – while providing a lot of help to the extremely poor – without really integrating them. This cocktail has fueled massive resentment – of course! I mean, tons of cash thrown at an Indian reservation (of sorts). Well, the recipients, as @Robert Lindsay noted, are way better off with some welfare, but it’s not doing things the correct way.

    1. Thomas Frank talked about this in a book he wrote a few years ago. He says that during the 1970s the Democratic Party decided that instead of emphasizing the importance of labor unions in advancing the working class, they would emphasize education instead. That’s because white collar professionals were now in charge of the party.

      A lot of people have seen that “education” didn’t provide the upward mobility they thought it would.

      1. A lot of people have seen that “education” didn’t provide the upward mobility they thought it would.

        Maybe vocational education would. But then again, how many welders, auto mechanics etc.. can there be without saturation? I mean, how many can be in business without being snuffed out (cut-thoat competition)?

        Actually IT SEEMS LIKE – the only businesses that can fill a seemingly overpopulated society is fast food. Well, factories have given over to automation – so there’s just no need for Fred Flintstone and George Jetson, honestly.

        1. In this context, “education” meant education at 4-year institutions. Lately Democrats have included vocational education in their appeals for people to become educated, but they haven’t really changed – which is why you sometimes hear Democratic politicians insisting on college education for everyone or even promising “free college education for all.”

          One of the main reasons that having a college education hasn’t been the path to upward mobility is student loan debt. Just google “student loan horror stories” and you’ll read about people who don’t think they’ll ever get anywhere (buy a house, have kids, save for retirement) because they are crippled by student loan debt.

          Of course, Democrats have proposed a solution to that, too: student loan debt forgiveness for all.

          1. College majors are pretty much good for toilet paper – aside from science, math (and a few others). However, though, not everyone is cut out for science and math – and most people wouldn’t try.

            Anyhow, it is fun to get “the college experience” anyhow, but I wouldn’t be getting my hopes up – as to job openings. Well, you could do well in history etc.. – if you could market a blog to 100,000 followers, and do a Patreon thing, lol. No, I’m not kidding.

            O.K., so Democrats are rejecting vocational education? Is that a wise move?

          2. They’re not rejecting vocational education; they’re on record as supporters of it. But their emphasis remains on “affordable college” for almost everyone, regardless of your major – science, math, gender studies, so-called Peace and Justice Studies, etc. They don’t seem to express any misgivings about the fact that a lot of college graduates are working in jobs that don’t require a college degree at all.

            Why, for instance, don’t they give top priority to labor union apprenticeship programs? Labor unions are supposed to be a major Democratic Party constituency.

          3. Government money should only go toward degrees with promise and under the condition that the takers make good grades. Anyway, though, I have no problem with the government supporting a 2nd degree – in stuff that might not get jobs. You know – just a fun degree.

            Anyway, of course – people with balls, gusto – they get ahead, even with crappy degrees! Note, what I was saying about Patreon. In other words, someone with marketing talent can make a million – even out of a philosophy degree.

          4. Well, I agree with you there – smart people with balls and gusto (and connections) get ahead with crappy degrees, excellent degrees, or no degree at all!

          5. The connections, as you mentioned, are sometimes not fair – but for sure everyone needs them. Well, advertising gets you connections, but isn’t cheap. A person wanting 100,000 followers is going to have to buy the equivalent of a new car ($20,000).

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