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The World Socialist Web Site reports
Three US states--New Jersey, Maine, and Illinois--with a combined population of 23 million people entered a new fiscal year [July 1] without a state budget, forcing widespread shutdowns of public services, state offices, and schools, as well as the closure of state parks on the Fourth of July holiday weekend.
In a fourth state, Connecticut, Democratic Governor Dannel Malloy ordered across-the-board spending cuts totaling $2.1 billion after the legislature failed to pass a balanced budget. Malloy's cuts include the elimination of summer youth employment programs and rental assistance for low-income families, as well as a reduction in education funding.
Six more states entered the new fiscal year without a final budget, but without, as yet, any significant shutdown of state services: Delaware, Massachusetts, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Wisconsin. Cuts are to be expected in all of these states if new budgets are not enacted by July 5, the first workday after the holiday.
[...] In a display of elitist arrogance, [Republican Governor Chris Christie of New Jersey] spent the weekend with his family at an official residence in a state park that had otherwise been closed to the public by his own executive order.
[...] In Maine, Republican Governor Paul LePage ordered the first statewide shutdown of government services since 1991 after the legislature failed to bow to his demand that it adopt a new, two-year, $7 billion budget without any tax increases.
In a brazenly antidemocratic action, LePage and Democratic and Republican state legislators had already agreed that the new budget would repeal a measure approved last November by the votes of more than 357,000 people in a statewide referendum. The referendum imposed an additional three percent income tax on the wealthiest state residents--those who make more than $200,000 a year--to increase funding for public education.
Additional Coverage: ABCNews
(Score: 4, Insightful) by Lagg on Wednesday July 05 2017, @06:05PM (10 children)
I don't disagree with the spirit of your comment. But consider that intelligent people are still people. They are subject to biases, brainwashing and convincing like anyone else is. The thing with an intelligent person and especially an academic is that they're really good at internalizing what they want to believe in and defending it. Do you want someone with the persistent attitude of the current president and adminstration replaced with intelligent academics that think christian science is legit?
btw, christian science:
and yes an intelligent person can buy this shit. I consider myself at least a thinking man and I was very much a christian (non-science, standard new/old testes) for a large part of my life. Just like judging based on white trash IQ is probably not the only thing you should go by. You probably don't want to just go by savant IQ.
Also professors have their own biases. It's the butt of like 10000 stupid jokes but there is a kernel of truth to it. Long term solution: Put enough factions into the system to represent views and people that aren't cartoons like they are. In other words it's probably not just a leader issue. Christie keeps getting re-elected because the only two tangible parties like to swordfight with their cocks. Chances are, you're going to get a "left leaning" or "right leaning" professor. Trends and the reality of social progression is usually going to give you the former. And that is not a good thing either. You need contrary arguments to build solid foundations on.
http://lagg.me [lagg.me] 🗿
(Score: 3, Informative) by Justin Case on Wednesday July 05 2017, @06:30PM (7 children)
The "right leaning" professor is pretty rare. I worked at a University for many years and here's what I observed:
They've never, in their whole lives, had to earn a dollar. First Mommy and Daddy took care of them. Then Mommy and Daddy paid for their college. And more education. And even more.
Sometimes Mommy and Daddy don't cover the full bill, so Peggy Professor has to beg for a grant or maybe even a scholarship. Still looking for handouts, just not exclusively Mommy and Daddy any more.
Eventually Peggy gets her PhD and now she can kick off a full time career of begging for more grants. This money, with exceedingly rare exceptions, comes from various government bodies directly or indirectly.
In other words, the only way a professor knows to get money is to rob the taxpayers. So yeah, of course, they are going to be very vocal advocates of even more stealing. They'll even barf out blatantly absurd insanity like "debt doesn't matter" and "you can spend your way to prosperity".
These are the "economists" you trust to design a functional national economy? They couldn't manage a gas station.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday July 05 2017, @06:47PM (5 children)
So, worked at a university? In food service, or janitorial? Not that there is anything wrong with that. But let me guess, just in case I have misread you: despite your Matt Damon level of brilliance, and all your hunting for good will, they flunked you out, right? I am sorry for you. Perhaps more respect for the upper classes would help?
(Score: 2) by Justin Case on Wednesday July 05 2017, @06:58PM (2 children)
So do you have anything to say that is on topic, or do you generally agree with my analysis?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday July 05 2017, @08:25PM (1 child)
No hes saying your biased. Shoot before this comment we could only assume you never graduated, after this comment you've removed all doubt. Thanks slugger.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday July 06 2017, @02:59AM
A little too close to home, slugger?
(Score: 2) by Lagg on Wednesday July 05 2017, @07:29PM (1 child)
Well I mean the courses at MCC don't set the bar very high so no. Oh and I learned my field from reading TCPL and other such material starting at age 14. Meanwhile one of my profs thought hexadecimal went past F. I just went there to get the toilet paper. Amusingly it turns out the places that still care about degrees are also looking for something bachelor or above. Which was time I simply couldn't give and still can't.
I guess it's not University(TM) level edumucations. But frankly I don't expect any better from a uni if our current stock is the result. Respect for the upper classes you say? I think you mean respect for the supporting underclass that wipes their asses for them.
http://lagg.me [lagg.me] 🗿
(Score: 2) by Lagg on Wednesday July 05 2017, @07:39PM
Well hey look at that I proved the thing about everyone having the capacity to be stupid by getting lost in my own thread. Still topical I would hope. Idea that educators are infallible is as silly as placing any role or right to leadership on someone for their class alone.
http://lagg.me [lagg.me] 🗿
(Score: 2) by Bot on Thursday July 06 2017, @05:39AM
In fact I thought that the parent's idea of handing matters to university professors were a subtle joke.
Anyway, y'all step aside please, I actually had two [wikipedia.org] university [wikipedia.org]professors as mayors recently. The agenda went on smoothly, no matter their influence. And the agenda is about making the city center a place for special events and for getting tickets and pay through the nose to park, while shoppers on cars flock obviously to malls outside the city. You follow the directions to the city center, you end up outside. Same agenda as in most cities BTW.
The current professor mayor seems keen on spending money on projects which the citizens protest about (and not for mere ideological opposition). He's gonna get to parliament, mark my words.
Account abandoned.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday July 05 2017, @07:03PM (1 child)
Sure, that is possible, but it's far more likely that the person buying into that nonsense is unintelligent. What matters is probability.
Also, IQ is unproven nonsense.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday July 05 2017, @09:31PM
You are unproven nonsense: