What is wrong with you? Off your meds or just drunk?

A lot of misinformation here. Public colleges and universities were NOT free, not in my state, Minnesota. I went a long long time ago, and I paid. I worked my way through school and it was eminently possible at the time, but our Land Grant University, Minnesota, was not free. Cheap, though.When I went on to graduate school, it still wasn't free, but between my husband and me, it was easier.

As for misinformation, Kend, as usual, you walk off with the door prize. In fact, education is the underpinning of prosperity. When we taxpayers pay for a good, solid education, from pre-K through graduate school, everyone does better. The educated person goes on to get better jobs--which mean higher taxes. Companies DO NOT move away; to the contrary, they want to come to states where there is an educated populace. And a state where there are various cultural draws, like symphonies [let's skip discussing the MN Orchestra issues for now], museums, art institutes, good films, theater (we have Guthrie, which spawned a whole lot of very good small theaters), parks, lakes, open spaces, and the like. You can check this out by looking at a number of kinds of statistics. Census data, for example. Tax data (and when people pay higher taxes and get all these various kinds of amenities, EVERYONE PROSPERS. People want to move to place like St. Paul and Minneapolis, when there are all these benefits and so people want to locate here.

I don't know what the connection is to Detroit or New York.

Detroit suffered from falling industrial output, and the autor industry moved jobs out of the city to the suburbs, then to the south (no unions) and then overseas. Detroit's racial history is -- regrettable -- to say the least. (But that itself has many causes, including highway construction usually right through black neighborhoods, destroying them, urban renewal that destroyed more housing than was ever built and leaving poor (substandard doesn't begin to describe it) and inadequate housing (which precipitated the 1967 urban riots, in my opinion), and political corruption, and etc. and etc.

Detroit’s decline has been going on far longer than most people realize, because of the city’s lack of attention to creating a pleasant built environment. Evidence? A Time Magazine article entitled “Decline in Detroit” from 1961 – yes, 1961 – had the following to say in its opening paragraph:

"If ever a city stood as a symbol of the dynamic U.S. economy, it was Detroit. It was not pretty. It was, in fact, a combination of the grey and the garish: its downtown area was a warren of dingy, twisting streets; the used-car lots along Livernois Avenue raised an aurora of neon. But Detroit cared less about how it looked than about what it did."

This is a complex problem and it is not given to bumper sticker answers--and I don't even see the relationship of your comment to the issues.

"When I grew up you had two choices, you could go to a city or state college for free; or, go to a private college for a fortune. Freedom of choice is what it is all about. It seemed perfectly fair until Mr. Ronald Wilson (666) Reagan came along and turned perfectly fair into perfectly rotten."

The current generation does not remember that public universities and community colleges were free before Saint Raygun. He was heard to say when he was governor of California in 1967 "why should I pay for someone else's college education"> What a selfish POS.

When I was graduated from UC Berkeley in 1959, there was no tuition. I think there was a $72 fee per semester. Saint Raygun changed all that and it caught on when he became president. Back then conservatives were complaining about paying taxes for public schools. They had the same mantra. They also complained that they were paying for people with "too many" kids. I always disagreed with this because I felt that in paying taxes I still feel that way. It's called Paying it Forward. I was paying back for my education. Conservatives, however, don't see it that way. They are and always have been selfish and mentally deficient. My brother had five kids and was one of the hateful people who always complained about President Obama. I suppose he also complained about paying for other people's kids. He too attended and was graduated from UC Berkeley in 1960, paying no tuition. Go figure.

This is true, dear Canadi-man. I used 'free' a bit loosely. I do have a commitment not only to lighten up the "WE'RE ALL SCREWED" and "TO HELL WITH EVERYBODY AND OUR PLANET BECAUSE THE END IS NIGH!" but to also try and find ways to simplify all this polititalk legal-ese, as my beloved congressman put it, to a point where our youth can comprehend. Only then will there be hope of a better planet. Your generation, my generation, Thom's generation, everybody kinda blew it. The only hope is for the children to get involved and for their children to get involved as well, BEFORE they're too old and already blew it, like us, and can only whine and complain to each other. Not to mention, this is Thom's site. We're collected here because of his lifelong commitment and uncomprehensible work ethic. I simply think it's respectful to try and stay positive, if only to respect the Good he is and has for longer than i've been alive been working towards for america. As for a note on your note of mine, try not to use the word ALL when refering to business/es in the states of america. It makes you sound very naive. Remember elementary school? True or False? All, Every, Never, = FALSE . My pic will soon be upgraded to a new version of myself which my 'heart has inspired in me to manifest.

Maybe it would be better if "lame duck Presidential periods" were not possible...ie: make the incoming President the President the very second the vote has been decided so the outgoing President cannot make last minute decisions that would not be in the interests of the incoming President. Keeps sore losers from doing damage to the will of the voters. Anyone ever see the similarities between the Supreme Court and the Catholic Church? The Supreme Court is the final arbiter in deciding the meaning of the Constitution and the Catholic Church is the final arbiter in deciding the meaning of the Bible. And the people don't elect the Supreme Court Justices any more than the people elect the Popes. Layers of distraction and smoke and mirrors that give the rulers room to keep the people subservient.

Kendalore et al. In fact, it IS a medical condition. I recommend you read my earlier post. I also suggest you read up on chromosome errors that happen in the first days after conception. I suggest you talk to some transsexual people, and you have that resource right here, in Ema (if she'll converse with you). I strongly recommend that you and all of the others who are so judgmental and worried about your tax dollars read up on these errors.

And that if you are worried about all of us taxpayers, you have a much richer lode concerning our subsidies for the oil and gas industries, especially, as well as for some other industries (which are making enormous profits), or for our refusal to increase the minimum wage and thus allowing workers to be paid $7.25 an hour, a wage that no one can live on--so it then falls to TAXPAYERS to pay for their needs like health care and even food banks. If you think this is a small business issue, some 60% + of minimum wage workers work for large corporations who are making big profits. And many work for the government. Or for those companies who have a post office box in Aruba or some place as a headquarters to avoid paying taxes at all.

And why not go after big corporations who, now that we are getting Affordable Care, are cutting hours for their workers and putting them on part time so they don't have to pay ANY BENEFITS? We taxpayers make up ALL THE DIFFERENCE.

Why don't you go after those who are REALLY, TRULY SCREWING the taxpayers?

Since Great Britain illegally detained and searched Greenwald's partner, the British Government has been getting a lot of flack from it's citizens and from the world. So, what better way of wagging-the-dog than for the government to release to The Independent a story they want the world to think originated from Edward Snowden...a story that would possibly make people think he compromised our security.

Quote Glen Greenwald TheGuardian article:The Independent this morning published an article - which it repeatedly claims comes from "documents obtained from the NSA by Edward Snowden - "disclosing that "Britain runs a secret internet-monitoring station in the Middle East to intercept and process vast quantities of emails, telephone calls and web traffic on behalf of Western intelligence agencies."

Quote Glen Greenwald TheGuardian article:Snowden this morning said he wants it to be clear that he was not the source for the Independent, stating:

" I have never spoken with, worked with, or provided any journalistic materials to the Independent. The journalists I have worked with have, at my request, been judicious and careful in ensuring that the only things disclosed are what the public should know but that does not place any person in danger. People at all levels of society up to and including the President of the United States have recognized the contribution of these careful disclosures to a necessary public debate, and we are proud of this record."

"It appears that the UK government is now seeking to create an appearance that the Guardian and Washington Post's disclosures are harmful, and they are doing so by intentionally leaking harmful information to The Independent and attributing it to others. The UK government should explain the reasoning behind this decision to disclose information that, were it released by a private citizen, they would argue is a criminal act."

Quote Glen Greenwald TheGuardian article:The US government itself has constantly used this tactic: aggressively targeting those who disclose embarrassing or incriminating information about the government in the name of protecting the sanctity of classified information, while simultaneously leaking classified information prolifically when doing so advances their political interests.

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/aug/23/uk-government-indep...

Laura Ingram should be denied access to the commons for which OUR taxes have paid

Ah, crap. sorry about the spammage. (i'm sucha newb) ;)

A question for Bernie:

What are your thoughts and plan of action surrounding the issue of mountaintop removal and, more specifically, the ACHE Act? (it has been introduced in the House but there has been little or if any movement on it in the Senate, I believe)

Summary

Appalachian Communities Health Emergency Act or ACHE Act - Requires the Director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences to conduct or support comprehensive studies on the health impacts of mountaintop removal coal mining on individuals in the surrounding communities. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), upon receipt of a report on study results, to publish a determination of whether such mining presents any health risks to individuals in those communities. Defines "mountaintop removal coal mining" as surface coal mining that uses blasting with explosives in the steep slope regions of Kentucky, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Virginia.

Prohibits issuance of an authorization for any mountaintop removal coal mining project (or expansion), under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) or the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977, until and unless the Secretary publishes a determination that such mining does not present any health risk to individuals in the surrounding communities. Imposes requirements for continuous monitoring of air, noise, and water pollution and frequent monitoring of soil until a determination by the Secretary is made.

Directs the President, acting through the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement of the Department of the Interior, to assess a one-time fee upon persons that conduct such mining projects, sufficient to cover the federal cost of the health studies and pollution monitoring required by this Act.

http://beta.congress.gov/bill/113th/house-bill/526

I have only recently become aware of this issue and aside from the serious human health impacts of MTR coal extraction (which basically boil down to another large number of very dead, very poor people), my sense of aesthetics is offended by the thought of humans, in just a handful of years, blowing up mountains that it took the universe millions to put there. Here are some pics:

https://encrypted.google.com/search?q=mountaintop+removal&source=lnms&tb...

I am having phone difficulties or I would simply call in. Thank you so much to whoever attempts to pass this question along.

Regards!

Bean

Hi Thom.

I wanted to ask Senator Sanders a question but I am having phone issues. I am hoping you or a member of the Hartmann community will be able/willing to bring this up with him.

My question pertains to mountaintop removal and the ACHE act, the summary of which is as follows.

Introduced in House (02/06/2013)

Appalachian Communities Health Emergency Act or ACHE Act - Requires the Director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences to conduct or support comprehensive studies on the health impacts of mountaintop removal coal mining on individuals in the surrounding communities. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), upon receipt of a report on study results, to publish a determination of whether such mining presents any health risks to individuals in those communities. Defines "mountaintop removal coal mining" as surface coal mining that uses blasting with explosives in the steep slope regions of Kentucky, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Virginia.

Prohibits issuance of an authorization for any mountaintop removal coal mining project (or expansion), under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) or the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977, until and unless the Secretary publishes a determination that such mining does not present any health risk to individuals in the surrounding communities. Imposes requirements for continuous monitoring of air, noise, and water pollution and frequent monitoring of soil until a determination by the Secretary is made.

Directs the President, acting through the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement of the Department of the Interior, to assess a one-time fee upon persons that conduct such mining projects, sufficient to cover the federal cost of the health studies and pollution monitoring required by this Act.

http://beta.congress.gov/bill/113th/house-bill/526

I am wondering if the Senator is familiar with this issue (I was not, until very recently) and whether he has any plans to throw his weight behind this or some other pertinent legislation in the Senate.

Aside from the impacts to human health of this sort of coal mining, (which can be VERY serious according to what I've been reading... basically boils down to a large number of very dead, very poor people) my sense of aesthetics is offended by the idea of blowing up, in a handful of years, mountains that it took the universe several million to put there. Here are some pics:

https://encrypted.google.com/search?q=mountain+top+removal&tbm=isch

If I know Bernie, he will share my concerns. Thanks to whoever manages to pass the message/question along. Sorry about the lengthy post.

Regards!

Bean

- See more at: http://www.thomhartmann.com/blog/2013/08/does-obamas-student-debt-plan-go-far-enough#comment-form

Hi Thom.

I wanted to ask Senator Sanders a question but I am having phone issues. I am hoping you or a member of the Hartmann community will be able/willing to bring this up with him.

My question pertains to mountaintop removal and the ACHE act, the summary of which is as follows.

Introduced in House (02/06/2013)

Appalachian Communities Health Emergency Act or ACHE Act - Requires the Director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences to conduct or support comprehensive studies on the health impacts of mountaintop removal coal mining on individuals in the surrounding communities. Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), upon receipt of a report on study results, to publish a determination of whether such mining presents any health risks to individuals in those communities. Defines "mountaintop removal coal mining" as surface coal mining that uses blasting with explosives in the steep slope regions of Kentucky, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Virginia.

Prohibits issuance of an authorization for any mountaintop removal coal mining project (or expansion), under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (commonly known as the Clean Water Act) or the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977, until and unless the Secretary publishes a determination that such mining does not present any health risk to individuals in the surrounding communities. Imposes requirements for continuous monitoring of air, noise, and water pollution and frequent monitoring of soil until a determination by the Secretary is made.

Directs the President, acting through the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement of the Department of the Interior, to assess a one-time fee upon persons that conduct such mining projects, sufficient to cover the federal cost of the health studies and pollution monitoring required by this Act.

http://beta.congress.gov/bill/113th/house-bill/526

I am wondering if the Senator is familiar with this issue (I was not, until very recently) and whether he has any plans to throw his weight behind this or some other pertinent legislation in the Senate.

Aside from the impacts to human health of this sort of coal mining, (which can be VERY serious according to what I've been reading... basically boils down to a large number of very dead, very poor people) my sense of aesthetics is offended by the idea of blowing up, in a handful of years, mountains that it took the universe several million to put there. Here are some pics:

https://encrypted.google.com/search?q=mountain+top+removal&tbm=isch

If I know Bernie, he will share my concerns. Thanks to whoever manages to pass the message/question along. Sorry about the lengthy post.

Regards!

Bean

- See more at: http://www.thomhartmann.com/blog/2013/08/does-obamas-student-debt-plan-go-far-enough#comment-form

Quote Johnnie Dorman:The stupid Dixie leftover hicks of America need to be canned as food to feed feril cats.

Johnnie Dorman ~ You must be a comedian! Please stop. You're cracking me up and I can't breath. However, you are so right!

As a Canadian, I find it unbelievable how much school costs down there. Here about 80% of our education is picked up by the tax payer. The problem is a higher and higher percentage of Canadians are going to University and the burden on the tax payer is getting tough to handle.

Maybe sending your children up here could be a more afordable option. I know none residents pay more but it still might be less expensive.

Just so all of you who know me here know, I barely made it through High School and did not go to college or University so don't base how good our Universities in Canada are on me. As you know, I can't even spell.