The men and women we trust to educate and help raise our children deserve a decent wage….
Even in Red states….
Republicans need to be dealing with this….
Not throwing Billions are more tanks and missiles ….
Thousands of teachers marched Monday on state capitals in Oklahoma and Kentucky, shuttering schools and demanding that Republican-controlled legislatures vote to increase their pay.
The demonstrations come on the heels of a nine-day strike in West Virginia, where teachers secured a 5 percent pay raise, and protests in Arizona last week, where teachers wore red and gathered at the state capital to demand a much larger 20 percent pay increase.
Teachers in Oklahoma received a pay raise when Gov. Mary Fallin (R) signed legislation last week hiking their salary as much as $6,100 a year, but they are seeking a bigger across-the-board $10,000 raise. Average teacher salaries in Oklahoma were lower than all but one other state before the recent hike.
The protests in Kentucky revolve around a pension reform bill that passed the state legislature last week just hours after it was introduced. That bill would replace the existing defined benefit pension plans with a plan that couples 401(k)-type savings accounts with traditional pension benefits.
The walkouts, sickouts and strikes are the first major actions since the end of the recession, when state budgets were squeezed across the country, making raises untenable. A 2016 study by the center-left Economic Policy Institute (EPI) found teachers make 17 percent less than workers in other industries with similar education and skill levels, a gap that has grown in the post-recession years…..
Good Morning….
This is the new thread….
I can’t say that I’m sympathetic to teachers. Teachers get an incredible pension plan that appears to only exist for government jobs. And the teachers union makes it difficult for incompetent teachers to be fired. Instead of striking, let the market decide whether teachers need a pay increase. If a school can’t get decent teachers at the wage they are paying, then they are underpaid. Otherwise, they are not. Ultimately what is best for the students is not the same that what is best for the teachers.
I agree that teachers in SOME districts do well….
But if u read the link and check?
They are teachers making 30k to40k a year with minimal benefits, working several jobs while teaching….
There is vast difference we are talking about….
The Stock Market is up 118pts at this time….
Gaining about half of what it lost yesterday…
He, he, he….
No grey for ya eh, Jack?
If they are Republicans they are ALL hard right?
Well….You may be partly wrong….But…At least you are consistent ….
I haven’t posted anything on this thread ,yet here you are posting some gibberish about what I believe.
Par for the course.
Oh yes and more of that inane psych0babble about “greys.”
New Thread Jack…
Old one’s gettin to big….
Except for Susan Collins ,I would describe every Republican Senator as a “conservative .”
Are some more “conservative than others?Sure,however the differences aren’t really that great.
Are all “hard” Right?No and I’ve never said they were.You just made that up as you often do when talking about me or my views.
What’s funny is that,once again except for Collins, all Republican Senators would proudly proclaim themselves to be so,despite your fantasy that they’re not.
In the House there are a few more moderate GOPers, mostly from the east .Once again though well over 90% of them would proudly wear the “conservative “label.
…via twitter….
APPolitics
@AP_Politics
BREAKING: Liberal Rebecca Dallet defeats conservative Michael Screnock in Wisconsin Supreme Court race seen as midterm indicator. @AP race call at 8:57 p.m. CDT. #Election2018 @APracecall
via twitter….
Joe Sudbay
@JoeSudbay
In epic win, Wisconsin progressives just beat Scott Walker’s pick and won a state Supreme Court seat
Rep. Todd Rokita’s (R-IN) new ad in the Indiana U.S. Senate race discusses no policy issues and says basically nothing besides, “I will support Trump the most.”
Aaron Blake: “The ad is a remarkable little window into how at least one candidate thinks you win in today’s GOP, and Rokita hopes it’s his ticket to the Republican nomination to face Sen. Joe Donnelly (D-IN) next month.”
Politicalwire…
This guy Rokita sounds like what the Republican Party is all about nowadays.
Trump Forever!
And yes
You are right
Good salaries attract better teachers,,.
Both Scott Walker and Paul Ryan must have shit their pants tonight. That was a 12 point swing to the Democrats, and they won all the specials across the country tonight along with beating Walker’s statewide referendum.
The Koch brothers wasted a ton of money tonight, although they have plenty to lose.
It appears that Wisconsin might be swinging back to its progressive days.
The wave continues to build….
Maybe Paul Ryan will suddenly decide to spend more time with his family. Or his Ayn Rand fan fiction and P90X.
Wouldn’t be surprised if Ryan retires with Pelosi getting the gavel back…
The Democrat up to run against him has raised a good amount of money, but his chances are small…
Rudy Giuliani’s third wife files for divorce after 15 years
….Judith Giuliani filed divorce papers Wednesday at a court in Manhattan, listing the case as “contested.”
The filing comes 15 years after the couple was married in Manhattan, with Donald Trump as a guest long before his successful 2016 run for the presidency on the Republican ticket….
More…
CA-LD-39: Rivas (D) vs Benitez (R) 42%-22%
CA-LD-45: Gabriel (D) vs Clark (R) 32%-27%
CA-LD-54: Kamlager (D) won with 69%
RI-SD-08: Cano (D) won with 72%
WI-SC: Dallet (Liberal) won with 56%
RRH Elections….
Good Morning All….
As Keith can confirm unless things have changed in the last couple of decades, California’s state legislature is called just that: the California State Legistlature, composed of the California Senate with 50 members and the California Assembly with 100.
From context, I guess that “LD” in RRH’s report is an abbreviation for Legislative District, meaning Assembly District, which Californians who use such jargon abbreviate to “A.D.”, as in “the 17th A.D,”
There are 40 State Senators in California, meaning my State Senator represents well over 100K more constituents than my Congressman.
Tiger Woods comes in 5th in the first day of the Masters…..
Uh that’s not quite accurate.
Woods has completed his round and is five strokes back presently.
There are a lot of players who haven’t even completed half their rounds yet.
Further,there are over 60 players with better scores presently.
Using the customary golf standings,as of right now,Woods is five strokes back and tied for twenty fourth place.
You aTiger fan James?
Sorry….
Yea….
I like to see him do good after hios his fall from grace….
And he’s back like at about 30+ on the standings after the firts 18 holes….
But the most noteworthy …
Correction twenty four players ahead of Woods.
Can’t count.
CG?
Do you believe this?
Via twitter
Donald Trump
“Still Rising: Rasmussen Poll Shows Donald Trump Approval Ratings Now at 51 Percent”
If he just Tweeted that, he’s a day behind, because they have him down to 47 today.
Do you believe the poll?
Once again proving to me that I should avoid posting too much while sleepy, since I made (at least) two factual goofs today, corrected from opposite ends of the partisan spectrum.
Zell Miller retired and was not defeated for re-election (I must have been confusing him with Max Cleland), while the California Senate has 40 members and the California Assembly 80 (I must have been misremembering from the former numbers in Rhode Island of 50 Senators and 100 Representatives, now 38 and 50.)
Keep at it DSD….
We ALL make mistakes….
It’s the human thing to do…
It’s unusual for daily tracking numbers to jump four points in one day, but I believe they are probably within the MOE as to his job approval nationally. It’s likely in the mid 40’s, similar to where Obama and Clinton were at this point. In terms of national polling in the 2016 Presidential race, Rasmussen was the most accurate.
He’s a small, weak, insecure man though to have to try to brag about poll numbers as anemic as that of course.
Anything that props him up he likes
ANYTHING
Trump is NOT anywhere NEAR 50% in ANY other poll CG
THE POLL IS A OUTLIER
Typical for Rasmussen
They were not the outlier in 2016, they were the most accurate. That has to be remembered.
The fact is that there are a lot of people who really love Donald Trump and a lot of people who really hate him. Considering the belief that the economy is strong, mid to high 40s, makes sense for his national JA.
Do u agree with the poll that Trump is at around 50%?
And plenty of people approve of him and disapprove of Republicans in Congress or the Republican Party generally. Many of the Trump die-hards dislike Republicans more than they dislike Democrats.
That is why Democrats might have a very strong midterm, but Trump is likely to deny being at fault for that.
No debate that among GOPer’s Trump runs at around 70%…..
There would no debate that Trump’s OVERALL approval is around the number posted on the front page of this place,….
10 points LOWER than the Ras poll number
Former Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R) announced he is running for governor, “attempting a restoration after eight years out of office that saw his DFL successor move the state in a more progressive direction at odds with Pawlenty’s tenure,” the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.
“His entry shakes up the open governor’s race, scrambling a GOP field thus far plagued by a lack of enthusiasm from activists and financial donors. Gov. Mark Dayton is not running after his two terms, and the DFL field to replace him is also still unsettled.”
I’m excited to report that I will be working out of our Chicago office for the next 3 weeks. So James, if you change your mind about having lunch together, it will have to wait – unless you want to travel to Chicago to see me. If you do come, J’ll buy you lunch.
Thanks Z….
Enjoy your stay there….
Let us know about the place….
I’ll do a post….
what do you want to know about Chicago? It is cold there. Chicago doesn’t ever have a blue sky in the winter – only shades of gray. I’ll get a chance to hook up with some people that I might never see again.
I am actually driving. Heading out late this afternoon to beat the snow that is coming tomorrow to NJ and arriving in IL to beat the snow that is coming on Sunday.
Have a good, safe drive….
Take care….
Stay in touch….
I would be interested in the political view from others for here….
There’s not going to be any snow in Chicago on Sunday, no way. Opening Day at Wrigley is on Monday. Come on, it’s April already..
Apparently, snow is in the forecast for Monday. Might not be a baseball game. So much for global warming..
I went to the Cardinals home opener last night. Miracle or miracles it was actually decent weather. Sunny and near 60 degrees at game time.
Mets are off to good start…..
But I’ll wait till after the All Star game to get serious about their chances for the play-offs…
Via Twitter
Todd Gilman
Blake Farenthold resigns abruptly Congress
Now you can confront CG face to face, or else manage his campaign for Dog Catcher of Cook County.
I don’t know Brandon. Has he even posted here in the past year? CG would not want to have lunch with the likes of me, but if he does, yes of course I will buy him lunch.
In real life, I am not confrontational as I am when I blog. I don’t blog for social reasons. I blog as an outlet.
But if I do have lunch with anyone, I’m not going to confront them. That is an absolute promise.
Nor should you confront them…..
Just have a good meal and share experience’s….
514 days, or 73 weeks & 3 day(s) since Election Day, 2016
441 days, or 63 weeks & 0 day(s) since Inauguration Day, 2017
TODAY
214 days, or 30 weeks & 4 day(s) until Election Day, 2018
272 days, or 38 weeks & 6 day(s) until the 116th Congress sits
942 days, or 134 weeks & 4 day(s) until Election Day, 2020
1,020 days, or 145 weeks & 5 day(s) until Inauguration Day, 2021
Whose counting?
The people who want to represent YOU the public!….
And make some money doing it!
Morning All….
I wonder if Z’s gonna try to find Brandon and pay for his lunch also….
That would be interesting….
Z, CG and Brandon….
They could write me a political chat to post…..
Blake Farenthold (R–Lardass) resigned from Congress.
Dropping like flies…..
Pajama Boy is leaving, and I assume he won’t pay back that settlement money to the Government he used as hush money for his previous harassment issue. Now it appears he was telling people about his wet dreams. He’s so fucking fat how would he know, like Trump he hasn’t seen it in years.
At least he wasn’t sending dick pics like Joe Barton.
Lot of crazy assed politicians running around, eh?
Connecticut Democrat Elizabeth Esty should join him.
Did she sexually harass her staff members?
Morning people….
Watch out for politicians….
Some are a dangerous species
Retiring S.C. Congressman Trey Gowdy, Chair Of the House Oversight Committee ,says he’s looking into ethical allegations against EPA Admnistrator Scott Pruitt.
Rumors are that White House Chief Of Staff Kelly wants Pruitt out but Trump seems to still be supporting him and occasionally mentions him as a possible replacement for AG Jeff Sessions.
Gowdy, once a rising star the House GOP Caucus ,is now off the reservation ,saying that his seven years in Congress have been a waste of time and criticizing Congressional Republicans as caring about nothing but winning.
Ominously for Pruitt ,Gowdy commented that he doesn’t have much patience for that kind of “stuff” when referring to Pruitt’s goings on.
Pruitt has STRONG support backup from the rightwingnuts…..
Kelly has been fighting a rear action effort since Trump has decided he doesn’t need any staff experts….
I found this interview interesting. Gowdy is a essentially saying he failed as a Congressman. Pretty self-damning from a Committee Chair.
He may not have time for a hearing on Pruitt since it appears that Pruitt might be out the door.
Pruitt is a walking billboard for ethical lapses, and a liar. He may be implementing the Republican Agenda at the EPA, but there are other folks that can do that.
But, if Pruitt goes Trump cannot replace Sessions with him. I guess he may have to make Rick Perry Attorney General. Is Perry a lawyer? Wouldn’t that be fun.
He’s running out of Senate approved Cabinet Members.
Because right now, Trump couldn’t get the Senate to approve a new AG, or any other Cabinet Member, even if he called out the National Guard and surrounded the Capitol.
Yeah I’ve always been a Gowdy critic .Hes always been a very partisan Republican.im not sure what prompted his newly found self criticism as well as his increasing disdain for his party.
For sure, Pruitt could never be confirmed by the Senate as presently constituted.A number of Republicans would likely oppose him and probably all the Democrats.
Apparently ,Trump was considering appointing him Acting A G if Sessions were to step down.
Gowdy ain’t running again….
That’s the source of his new found ‘vision’
No it’s more than that.
Gowdy is coming back to S.C. to practice law.
You need to understand ,Republicans criticizing the Republican Party just isn’t done much in S.C.
“Greys” James…
“Greys”
Remember?
Ha, ha, ha…..
Touche” Jack!
Bloomberg: “The turmoil has damaged Trump’s ranking when it comes to equity returns. The Dow Jones Industrial Average’s 32 percent rally during his first year gave him the third-best start by a president going back more than 100 years. But tack on the turmoil since January and he drops to the middle of the pack, behind former Presidents Barack Obama, Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush.”
And yes Jack
I agree Trump changing things up IS gonna have problems in the Senate….
Great look Keith
In a bizarre ramble (even for him)the Right Wings favorite Rocker,Ted Nugent,has called for shooting Democrats, RINOS and various others like “rabid coyote.”
This fool is actually a walking advertisement for stricter gun laws
And just two years ago that story would be ALL OVER media,…
But now?
In the age of Trump?
Ho, hum….
How things have been lowered, eh!
The rightwingnuts feel they can ‘express’ themselves against where America is going….No matter what Trump and Co. try to do to circle the wagons and retreat backwards….
You mean guest at the Trump White House and Republican hero Ted Nugent?
Yea Ted included….
Via twitter….
“According to PolitiFact, by mid-March of this year, 43 percent of [President Trump’s] most senior staff had quit, been reassigned, or been pushed out.”Via twitter….
Politico
Headline from the National Journal…
The Trumpification of the GOP Is Complete
Or you can read here daily here how Republicans “really” don’t like Trump or “really” don’t support him or “really” are thwarting him”or, or , or,
Well you get the idea.
Good Morning All…
Sorry Jack….
Had to clear the spam…..
In the GOP primaries for November …..
Yup….
The general election could be very different….
States turning Blue….
Tariff’s…
Immigration….
Taxes…..
Gonna be a heavy load for some of those who embraced Trump…
How many current GOPer’s are giving up their jobs so they do NOT have carry Trump on their backs in the fall’s election?
All of THAT is NOT a ringing endorsement of their parties adopted leader….
More on the surrender of RED STATE GOPer’s to Trumpism…
Josh Kraushaar: “With 11 states holding primaries next month, a clear pattern is emerging from the messages of GOP candidates across the country: They’re all aboard the Trump train. In Indiana, all three of the candidates vying to challenge Sen. Joe Donnelly are testing messages that mimic themes from Trump’s successful presidential campaign. In West Virginia, one of the GOP Senate candidates launched an ad showing a boulder crashing on the Capitol, with a distinctly Trumpian message of ‘blowing up’ Washington. Down-ballot GOP candidates running in competitive primaries, even those in suburban districts, privately concede there’s no benefit to creating any space between their campaigns and the White House.”
“If the acquiescence of Republicans running in red states isn’t convincing enough, just look at the actions of some of the biggest Trump critics of yesteryear…..
This isn’t adoption, this is co-option.
The latest Republican strategy is to scare the base about impeachment of the “Dear Leader” if the Democrats take the majority.
What more “evidence” do we need that Trump is not only a Republican, but he is the Republican Party. Years of racist messaging have given us a racist President.
Although I don’t think (or at least hope) that the stakes are nearly as high, this reminds me of what I read years ago about the classic German right and centre-right as Hitler’s National Socialists were stealing all the oxygen, attention and popular support on their side of the political spectrum.
Originally opposed for many reasons to the pagan, areligious or anti-religious and populistic Nazis, no respecters of traditional class relations, the Right-wing parties slowly converted to, connived at, acquiesced in and capitulated to Hitler’s rise and assumption of total power.
When the Reichstag reconvened elsewhere after its building was destroyed by arson, the only deputies to vote against granting Hitler absolute powers were the Social Democrats (the Communist deputies having been disqualified in the post-fire hysteria).
Yes
DSD
There are Parallels in history of a
Guy trying to install himself as the demigod
We must be wary of those who might try to
Steal our country for themselves….
THAT is more important then protecting the office of the Presidency
The people who make this place are more important
Their freedom and the countries growth and progression
James,
I assume you meant “Demagogue”, not demigod? Nobody sees Trump as a demigod.
Yes……
THAT also….
You there?
Yes – Arrived last night
Yes
Enjoy!….
CG has edged out Jack in the number of comments here……
Next comes Z then DSD then Scott then Keith……
Most popular day is Wednesdays around 5:00 PM
Most views from the USA, of course….
Single looks from Malaysia, Finland, UK and Hong Kong….
The King has fallen!
Long Live the King!
Morning All
King????
I suppose it’s time for the last ruling champion to doff the Green Jacket and pass it onto the new one — wait, wouldn¦t that be for the fewest comments rather than the most?
He, he, he…
Lets see?
Fewest if any for the reborn site….
Bdog
Daniel….
NYCmike…
RepubliCAN…
Manila…
Brandon…
And…..
SE…
New Open Thread is over at here...