Bear Pit: now the sole domicile of politics at LuLa

[Alan Klein]

Harvard, Yale, and MIT are all private Ivy League schools. Although, MIT began as a federally funded land-grant college when those were first established. Land-grant colleges were established by the Lincoln administration during the Civil War in 1862. It was an effort by the federal government to foster higher learning in the country which paid off handsomely in the decades and centuries that followed.

Here's a map of land-grant colleges, universities, and institutions across the United States.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Land-grant_university/media/Land_Grant_Colleges_Map

A strawman argument. What do land grants have to do with the federal government taxing people, sending that money to Washington DC, to be returned to the states less about 20% take for the federal government in lost applications?  Better to leave the tax money in the state where it's being spent.  It would be more effectively spent that way in the way the people of the state want it spent.  This is just a power move of consolidating power in  Washington reducing the powers of the states.   

[Alan Klein]

Given the size of the federal budget, it sounds like a pittance to me. But I guess everyone has different priorities.

"Overall, the President’s fiscal year 2021 Budget includes $66.6 billion in new discretionary budget authority for the Department of Education, a $6.1 billion, or 8.4 percent reduction below the fiscal year 2020 appropriation."

https://www2.ed.gov/about/overview/budget/budget21/summary/21summary.pdf

I think it was Speaker of the House Tip O'Neill who said decades ago, "A billion here.  A billion there.  Pretty soon you're talking about real money."

[digitaldog]

That liberal rag, The Wall Street Journal, has two, not one but two exclusive reports that's bad news for Trump:

Manhattan Prosecutors Advance Probe Into Trump’s Seven Springs Estate
Subpoenas center on Trump Organization’s failed efforts to develop the 213-acre property into a luxury subdivision
https://www.wsj.com/articles/manhattan-prosecutors-advance-probe-into-trumps-seven-springs-estate-11615333894?page=1

Trump Call to Georgia Lead Investigator Reveals New Details
Then-president says ‘Something bad happened’ and presses for investigation into Fulton County votes
https://www.wsj.com/articles/recording-of-trump-phone-call-to-georgia-lead-investigator-reveals-new-details-11615411561?page=1

[Alan Klein]

Things are looking up here in the GWN. Birdsong, temps in the double digits, smells are reappearing, the sun is warmer every day and I just got my Sprinter back on the road today.

The best part? His insurance for precisely the same period and coverage is over $200 cheaper this year.  And, they promise to rebate even more in May, just as soon as they figure out how much money they can send back to me.

The accident rate in the last 12 months has dropped precipitously due to covid, so the government-run vehicle insurance scheme is returning the excess profits to the customers. 

"Socialism", I think they call it.   

It's not socialism.  Private companies in the USA are doing it as well because of competition.  If you want to keep your customers, and your competition is lowering rates because accidents have gone down, you better lower your own rates. I just got my new insurance a lot less than I had been paying.  If I was willing to add a monitor on my engine to transmit the mileage used, they would have lowered it even more.  I didn't want to be bothered so I took a slightly higher rate but still lower than I was paying. 

[Chris Kern]

I think it was Speaker of the House Tip O'Neill who said decades ago, "A billion here.  A billion there.  Pretty soon you're talking about real money."

That quip is commonly attributed to Senator Everett Dirksen, Republican of Illinois, but it's unclear whether he actually ever said it.

[Alan Klein]

That quip is commonly attributed to Senator Everett Dirksen, Republican of Illinois, but it's unclear whether he actually ever said it.

Oh yes.  You corrected me before.  In any case, it's a great line.  Today it should be trillions.   

[Alan Klein]

Speaking of trillions, the $1.9 trillion legislation just needs the president's signing so we'll all be richer soon with all those worthless greenbacks.  The scary part is that this is just the beginning.  A trillion here a trillion there. etc.

[Peter McLennan]

In Ontario, the insurance companies still charge as much as they can get away with.

"It's nothing personal.  It's just business."

[Peter McLennan]

It's not socialism.  Private companies in the USA are doing it as well because of competition. 

It is socialism.  The Insurance Corporation of British Columbia is the sole supplier of the mandatory component of liability insurance in BC.  There is no competition for that market.

How much did your insurance go down Alan?

[NikoJorj]

The American government is over 200 years old. The Department of Education was only started in 1979, 42 years ago.  America at that time was the greatest country in the world, richest, most powerful, most educated.

That helps me to understand... But wasn't higher education reserved to an elite then? Oh well it still is in today USofA, never mind.

[Alan Klein]

It is socialism.  The Insurance Corporation of British Columbia is the sole supplier of the mandatory component of liability insurance in BC.  There is no competition for that market.

How much did your insurance go down Alan?

Socialism in BC. Not here. We still have competition for private auto insurance in NJ.  There are around 35 auto insurance companies here in NJ.  The competition is fierce.
https://www.nj.gov/dobi/division_consumers/insurance/autoinscontacts.htm

Interestingly, every week I get regular flyers in the mail from different private insurance companies for auto insurance, home insurance, life insurance, and supplemental medical insurance beyond what governmental Medicare picks up for seniors.  I dealt with a broker I've worked with for years rather than directly with the different companies or new brokers.  It's more of a personal touch he gives me, and trust.  I probably could save a few bucks switching.  But you get what you pay for and it's not worth it to me.

My auto insurance went down around 20%. However, I had a speeding ticket come off my record which impacted the premiums.  So I don't know how much of the savings is from that vs. just a lower rate due to less driving.  My wife and I have to re-take the recurring three-year driver's safety course again to effect  an additional discount of around $75 annually. 

[faberryman]

Poor Marjorie Taylor Greene. Stripped of her committee assignments, MTG apparently has nothing better to do than file motions to adjourn the House which require all members to trudge over to the House chamber and vote not to adjourn. Of course, she has a perfect right to do so, but it is not a way to win friends and influence people. Apparently, an increasing number among the GOP contingent are finding it and her tedious. But perhaps she is doing what her constituents want. Or maybe Q told her to do it.

"She called out Republicans who were angry at her previous motion to adjourn before the passing of the sweeping election reform bill, H.R. 1. "Some GOP members complained to me that I messed up their schedule. I’m not sorry for interrupting fundraising calls & breakfast," she wrote."

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/40-republicans-vote-against-greenes-motion-adjourn-delay-covid-bill

[Alan Klein]

The ink isn't dry on the $1.9 trillion Covid relief bill money and they want to print some more money.  A trillion here. A trillion there.

Democratic centrists balk at more red ink after Covid spending spree
Some in the president’s party are ready for an infrastructure plan that’s at least partly paid for.
https://www.politico.com/news/2021/03/11/dem-centrists-infrastructure-spending-475132

[Alan Klein]

This is what we'll be dealing with for years to come.

China All but Ends Hong Kong Democracy With ‘Patriots Only’ Rule
National assembly backs barring candidates for city’s legislature not endorsed by Beijing

https://www.wsj.com/articles/china-all-but-ends-hong-kong-democracy-with-patriots-only-rule-11615462663

[faberryman]

This is what we'll be dealing with for years to come.

China All but Ends Hong Kong Democracy With ‘Patriots Only’ Rule
National assembly backs barring candidates for city’s legislature not endorsed by Beijing

https://www.wsj.com/articles/china-all-but-ends-hong-kong-democracy-with-patriots-only-rule-11615462663

What exactly is it that we will be dealing with for years to come as a result of the change in Hong Kong voting? How will your daily life be impacted?

That language about "patriots" does seems familiar though. Where have I heard that?

[Alan Klein]

What exactly is it that we will be dealing with for years to come as a result of the change in Hong Kong voting? How will your daily life be impacted?

That language about "patriots" does seems familiar though. Where have I heard that?

We'll be dealing with Communist China who's stealing our lunch.

[Alan Klein]

Are the Royals racist or is American Meghan playing the race card?

Prince William says royals are 'very much not a racist family' in first remarks since explosive interview
https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/11/uk/prince-william-response-racism-harry-meghan-intl-gbr/index.html

[faberryman]

We'll be dealing with Communist China who's stealing our lunch.

I thought Trump solved that problem with tariffs? Of course, Americans had to take it in the shorts, but it was a small price to pay. Promises made, promises delivered.

https://taxfoundation.org/tariffs-trump-trade-war/

[Alan Klein]

I thought Trump solved that problem with tariffs? Of course, Americans had to take it in the shorts, but it was a small price to pay. Promises made, promises delivered.

https://taxfoundation.org/tariffs-trump-trade-war/

Trump started being tough after previous presidents did nothing.  Now, what is Biden going to do? He hasn't cancelled them yet.  Why not?

[faberryman]

Trump started being tough after previous presidents did nothing.  Now, what is Biden going to do? He hasn't cancelled them yet.  Why not?

I think he is reviewing his options, and there is more to the equation than tariffs or no tariffs. You know I am not a fan of black and white thinking.

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/12/02/biden-tells-nyt-columnist-he-wont-immediately-remove-trumps-tariffs-on-china.html