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Thread: Biden 2021 - "Listen, Jack."

  1. #61
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  3. #63
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    I want to write a longer post this weekend about the ups & downs of the Biden admin so far. But I will say that as a person with very left politics, Biden & his people have surprised me a good amount so far in a positive way. It hasn't been perfect, but aside from nominating absolute pig, swamp creature & sociopath Neera Tanden for her budget position, they haven't truly pissed me off yet. One area where I was getting impatient was their early silence on kids in cages at the border, but then I read a bit about how tricky it is to undo Trump's moves there, and then some info came out about their plans. I feel like his approval rating is like 169% too, understandably.

  4. #64
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    I like that this thread is only 3 peaceful pages long so far. Almost a month in.

  5. #65
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    Quote Originally Posted by DVYDRNS View Post
    I like that this thread is only 3 peaceful pages long so far. Almost a month in.
    Yes! Like this video everybody is obsessing about (rightfully), because it's just so normal, like chatting with the neighbors as they're walking their dogs in the morning:


  6. #66
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    Okay, then... is NOW a good time to bring up the ongoing usurpation of Indigenous lands under settler-colonialism? What is Biden's administration doing about this?

  7. #67
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    Quote Originally Posted by botley View Post
    Okay, then... is NOW a good time to bring up the ongoing usurpation of Indigenous lands under settler-colonialism? What is Biden's administration doing about this?
    I wonder if they’re even aware of it, with all the shit going on at the same time right now.

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    Quote Originally Posted by botley View Post
    Okay, then... is NOW a good time to bring up the ongoing usurpation of Indigenous lands under settler-colonialism? What is Biden's administration doing about this?
    I'd like to think his Sec of the Interior would be of some help here if she has the power to intervene at this point...

    https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/...rior-secretary

    Biden picks Deb Haaland as first Native American interior secretary

    Joe Biden has chosen the US lawmaker Deb Haaland as interior secretary and will nominate the North Carolina official Michael Regan to head the Environmental Protection Agency, in two diverse and influential picks to handle crucial issues such as public lands, pollution and the climate crisis.
    Haaland, a progressive Democratic congresswoman from New Mexico since 2019, would be the first Native American cabinet secretary and one of the first Native Americans ever to serve in a US cabinet. The department’s jurisdiction covers tribal lands and vast tracts of protected American wilderness, including jewels such as Yellowstone and Yosemite national parks.


    Haaland is a member of Pueblo of Laguna and would become the first descendant of the original people to populate North America to run the interior department, which has often had a difficult relationship with the 574 federally recognized tribes in the US, the Washington Post reported.

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    Quote Originally Posted by allegro View Post
    I wonder if they’re even aware of it, with all the shit going on at the same time right now.
    If a permit for "one of the largest copper mines in the country" under jurisdiction of the U.S. Forest Service is not on their radar, that would be... bad?

  10. #70
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    Quote Originally Posted by botley View Post
    If a permit for "one of the largest copper mines in the country" under jurisdiction of the U.S. Forest Service is not on their radar, that would be... bad?
    Yes, but they’re dealing with Covid, millions of vaccines, a recession, getting people back to work, trying to fill positions with Senate approval, kids in cages at the border, kids still disconnected from the parents in Central America, etc.

    Sometimes growing public outcry and publicity brings attention to a certain subject and sets the wheels in motion. As @bobbie solo said, that sounds like an area where Deb Haaland can help.

    On the other hand, if that tribe has no legal standing under the Treaty, then they need to find one that does.

    This has been getting publicity out there for a while:

    https://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/news...eview-11372892

    One of the first things Biden did was shut down Keystone, so we know he’s sympathetic.

    They can appeal and maybe somehow get it to SCOTUS, where we know Gorsuch is sympathetic to indigenous tribes and upholding treaties.

    I don’t know how the hell this Oak Flat project passed environmental impact.
    Last edited by allegro; 02-16-2021 at 02:26 PM.

  11. #71
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    I think Biden is doing great at the Town Hall. So glad he's POTUS and not the other guy.

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    Biden def. pissing me off now with this nonsense refusal to just do the $50k student debt cancellation. He's willing to do $10k via executive order, but not $50k. As if it becomes illegal or some shit in between. There is ZERO downside to doing this, and he's getting aggressive pushback from Dem leadership in Congress (unless it's simply performative...especially from Schumer, who may simply trying to stave off a primary challenge from AOC). No one votes based on issues like these, and Republicans aren't going to reinstate the debt if they retake power (political suicide).

    This is why a new guard needs to take over for Dems. The old guard will be forever scarred from their years fighting through supply side economics, and they of course also will always worship at the feet of their wealthy donors, to the detriment of us and even their own political gain.

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    He appears to be shying away from the minimum wage increase as well.

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    I owe a shit ton in Federal student loan debt, and it would certainly help ME, but a one-time wipeout of $50k in Federal student loan debt would not fix the problem. They’d have to do it every year, that’s the issue.

    Sure, wiping out $50k in Federal student loan debt makes them popular to the people it immediately applies to right in that very moment.

    For people who owe $150k and up in all kinds of other loan debt: it doesn’t help a whole hell of a lot. And there are A LOT of those people.

    It’s not fixing the underlying issue and it requires them to have to do it all the time. Because students are going to keep acquiring these Federal student loan debts.

    I believe the solution is introducing the ability to dismiss ALL student loan debt - ALL OF IT - in bankruptcy. Erase Fed debt, then declare the remaining debt via bankruptcy.

    So your credit is messed up for a few years, but who gives a fuck? Your credit is already fucked from having a shitty debt-to-income ratio.

    Also, ALL Federal student loans should have interest that is ZERO.

    Most of mine are at 6.5%. What the fuck.

    Also, trade school and community college must be FREE and ALL public universities MUST accept GenEd credit transfers from community colleges. IMMEDIATELY.

    Also, public colleges must IMMEDIATELY start moving instructors to TENURE tracks instead of keeping them in permanent gig positions. And T.A.s at public colleges and universities MUST be provided with a living wage. Most now are on food stamps.

    The bottom line is that the Federal Government has been in kahoots with these for-profit public colleges and universities for DECADES, in what amounts to a giant Ponzi Scheme in getting bodies in seats in college so the Fed could collect too much interest on loans.

    But if we are giving SOME people $50k, then we really need to give all the other families $50k for the future, too; that is fair. A credit toward their Federal student loans.

    Or, you have to make it FREE. Or make public college and accredited trade schools free to students and make the Federal government pay for it. Like, you know, in every other modern country.
    Last edited by allegro; 02-20-2021 at 03:18 PM.

  15. #75
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    Quote Originally Posted by allegro View Post

    For people who owe $150k and up in all kinds of other loan debt: it doesn’t help a whole hell of a lot. And there are A LOT of those people.

    So your credit is messed up for a few years, but who gives a fuck? Your credit is already fucked from having a shitty debt-to-income ratio.
    I owe about $130K. I'm a new, untenured teacher making 58K a year before taxes. 50K forgiveness would help a HELL of a lot for me!! I am still attending, and finishing up all the way into the summer, so I won't have to start paying until about November.

    With that said - even with the student loans, I was smart and aggressive with my money the past year, got out of ALL of my nearly 15K in credit card debt, and raised my credit score nearly 150 points. I refuse to go into bankruptcy after working that hard to get on the right track.

    I was really hoping Biden would go with 50K. You made some fair points as well. Maybe some type of credit to others who are planning on going to college etc.

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    Quote Originally Posted by versusreality View Post
    I owe about $130K. I'm a new, untenured teacher making 58K a year before taxes. 50K forgiveness would help a HELL of a lot for me!! I am still attending, and finishing up all the way into the summer, so I won't have to start paying until about November.

    With that said - even with the student loans, I was smart and aggressive with my money the past year, got out of ALL of my nearly 15K in credit card debt, and raised my credit score nearly 150 points. I refuse to go into bankruptcy after working that hard to get on the right track.

    I was really hoping Biden would go with 50K. You made some fair points as well. Maybe some type of credit to others who are planning on going to college etc.
    Ok but how much of what you owe is Federal student loan? (The $50k proposed only would pay for Federal student loans. Not private student loans.)

    There is NO fucking reason why the Federal Government should be charging us ANY interest for a LOAN for our EDUCATION. Should be ZERO INTEREST. They’re MAKING MONEY OFF OF US. That can change RIGHT NOW.

    Yes; a $50k credit could go to non-school, too. And if you don’t want to go to school, and you want to start your own business? Then use it for THAT.

    And it needs to be income-tested. People making $500k per year don’t need it, etc.

    I think TEACHERS should have ALL their student loan debt wiped out. ALL. Totally wiped out. Ditto for doctors and nurses.

    And colleges and universities who refuse to provide tenure? Which is now pretty much ALL OF THEM? TAKE AWAY FEDERAL STUDENT LOAN ELIGIBILITY.

    Watch those colleges and universities sink like a rock.

    This $50k write-off is a quick bullshit fix that’s not a fix at all. I want to BURN these fucking colleges and universities and the FAFSA program to the GROUND and make the whole thing free, and force all public colleges and universities (preferably EVEN PRIVATE ONES) to accept community college GenEds and I want all public community colleges to be FREE and I want public servants like doctors, nurses, teachers and professors to get TOTALLY FREE COLLEGE. This $50k thing is sidestepping that. It’s smoke and mirrors.

    Quote Originally Posted by versusreality View Post
    With that said - even with the student loans, I was smart and aggressive with my money the past year, got out of ALL of my nearly 15K in credit card debt, and raised my credit score nearly 150 points. I refuse to go into bankruptcy after working that hard to get on the right track.
    That’s great, but if you applied for a mortgage right now, you’d still be fucked because your debt is still way too high. The lender would require you to pay down that student loan debt.

    You’re fucked because of the education Ponzi Scheme.

    We can’t give students free money unless we give people who’ve been stuck in shitty minimum wage jobs for years and couldn’t go to college free money, too. That’s fair. And we need to fix the whole damned system that put people in this much debt in the first place. Otherwise, it’s like paying off $1k of everyone’s credit card debt but they still have their credit cards.
    Last edited by allegro; 02-20-2021 at 07:24 AM.

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    Joe Manchin said he won't vote for corrupt to the core & alarmingly online sociopath Neera Tanden for OMB Director, with Bernie playing footsie with the idea as well. HAHAHAHAAHAHAHAAHA

    Yes, I'm aware this is only the latest example of Manchin's dizzying hypocrisy. Yes I'm aware they could perhaps pull some moderate Republican in. And yes I'm aware Biden could simply plug her in as a recess appointment. But Tanden is the absolute worst for dozens of reasons, and deserves every ounce of embarrassment coming her way if her nomination fails. Never mind that she is not fit for the role in any way.

    In other news, this relief bill needs to pass asap. Biden's admin is attempting to fast track as best as they can. I really hope there is a significant amount of $ in there to keep our musical & cinematic venues afloat, as well as some robust funds for local & state governments to keep them solvent too. I know that's the plan, but we all know things can get f'ed up at the last second with bills like this one.

  18. #78
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    Neera Tanden drama: Some dudes are butthurt over shit a woman said on Twitter + money stuff they do, too. Lindsey Graham and John Kennedy *horrified* over what Neera Tanden said on Twitter, yet have amnesia about what Donald Trump said on Twitter 400x / day for 4 years. Bette Midler tweets worse stuff every day. Public’s sudden interest in who holds OMB position when 6 months ago nobody knew what OMB was. Yawn. (Note that Omirosa wanted OMB job.)

    Meanwhile, where the FUCK are these vaccine supplies?
    Last edited by allegro; 02-20-2021 at 07:39 AM.

  19. #79
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    Quote Originally Posted by allegro View Post
    Ok but how much of what you owe is Federal student loan? (The $50k proposed only would pay for Federal student loans. Not private student loans.)

    There is NO fucking reason why the Federal Government should be charging us ANY interest for a LOAN for our EDUCATION. Should be ZERO INTEREST. They’re MAKING MONEY OFF OF US. That can change RIGHT NOW.

    Yes; a $50k credit could go to non-school, too. And if you don’t want to go to school, and you want to start your own business? Then use it for THAT.

    And it needs to be income-tested. People making $500k per year don’t need it, etc.

    I think TEACHERS should have ALL their student loan debt wiped out. ALL. Totally wiped out. Ditto for doctors and nurses.

    And colleges and universities who refuse to provide tenure? Which is now pretty much ALL OF THEM? TAKE AWAY FEDERAL STUDENT LOAN ELIGIBILITY.

    Watch those colleges and universities sink like a rock.

    This $50k write-off is a quick bullshit fix that’s not a fix at all. I want to BURN these fucking colleges and universities and the FAFSA program to the GROUND and make the whole thing free, and force all public colleges and universities (preferably EVEN PRIVATE ONES) to accept community college GenEds and I want all public community colleges to be FREE and I want public servants like doctors, nurses, teachers and professors to get TOTALLY FREE COLLEGE. This $50k thing is sidestepping that. It’s smoke and mirrors.


    That’s great, but if you applied for a mortgage right now, you’d still be fucked because your debt is still way too high. The lender would require you to pay down that student loan debt.

    You’re fucked because of the education Ponzi Scheme.

    We can’t give students free money unless we give people who’ve been stuck in shitty minimum wage jobs for years and couldn’t go to college free money, too. That’s fair. And we need to fix the whole damned system that put people in this much debt in the first place. Otherwise, it’s like paying off $1k of everyone’s credit card debt but they still have their credit cards.
    Everything I owe is federal. Indeed, I have learned the hard way, before I was financially literate, that grad schools and college in general are one of the biggest financial scams out there now. It's terrible. I really feel bad for those who have it worse off than I do in this situation...

    In terms of buying a house, I have a few options. 1) my parents are looking to sell theirs in a couple years (I currently rent on one of the floors) and will work something out with me if I'm interested. 2) in the meantime, they purchased a second house down the shore, where they are planning to move full time in the possible near future as they near retirement. regardless of what happens to where I'm living now, that house will be inherited (and fully paid off) when the time comes. 3) don't ever worry about owning a house, and rent - once my loans are halfway paid off, then invest in a shore condo which will be used as a rental income. the rent from summer's alone would pay off that condo (I'm talking a 200K or so price) in a decade. that will also allow me more flexibility to pay off my student loan quicker. 4) rent, and never own (which...after shoveling endless snow this winter, might not be a bad idea!!! )

    edit: my score is a 725 and still climbing. . for comparison: my score before I started taking student loans in 2016 was 772. as I said, I acquired a lot of credit card debt in that time as I was just a substitute teacher, but over the past year once I was officially hired I worked very hard.
    Last edited by versusreality; 02-20-2021 at 05:42 PM.

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    @versusreality - Yeah, owning is highly overrated, now. In states like ours, we got fucked out of SALT writeoffs by the GOP.

    But the Federal Government REALLY needs to wipe out the interest on those loans. That way, if you amortized them over a 10-year period, it’d be EASY to pay off.

    I had two private grad school loans. I paid off the Navient loan, I still have the other one left. Not much left. But there’s a lot left on my undergrad loan. And nobody has had to pay anything (and no interest has accrued) since early on in the pandemic.

    I’m REALLY glad I didn’t do law school.

    Paying down credit card debt feels SO good, doesn’t it?
    Last edited by allegro; 02-20-2021 at 11:50 PM.

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    Quote Originally Posted by allegro View Post

    But the Federal Government REALLY needs to wipe out the interest on those loans. That way, if you amortized them over a 10-year period, it’d be EASY to pay off.
    THIS. I paid of $30K of debt very aggressively in 8 years. It sucked, and it meant doing without a lot of things, but I was damned if I was going to give that kind of interest over the long term. The interest is what makes paying back student loans so daunting.

    My friend has the exact same amount of student loan debt, but they've opted to pay less per month over 20-30 years. I think after 30 years, whatever is left is waived? But that's ridiculous! They'll be paying until they're 57 years old.

    The argument to wipe out all student loan debt is difficult in my opinion, because that just adds to overall gov deficit. BUT, the banks shouldn't be profiting through the interest. Eliminate the interest, and I think that's more reasonable.

  22. #82
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    Quote Originally Posted by Magnetic View Post
    THIS. I paid of $30K of debt very aggressively in 8 years. It sucked, and it meant doing without a lot of things, but I was damned if I was going to give that kind of interest over the long term. The interest is what makes paying back student loans so daunting.

    My friend has the exact same amount of student loan debt, but they've opted to pay less per month over 20-30 years. I think after 30 years, whatever is left is waived? But that's ridiculous! They'll be paying until they're 57 years old.

    The argument to wipe out all student loan debt is difficult in my opinion, because that just adds to overall gov deficit. BUT, the banks shouldn't be profiting through the interest. Eliminate the interest, and I think that's more reasonable.
    Especially since right now they are ONLY talking Federal student loans and the “bank” is the Federal government.

    They waste so much money on so much ridiculous shit, there is zero good argument for why they can’t bring the interest rate down to zero.

    Yes, wiping out ALL debt for doctors, etc. would actually require the Federal government to PAY that debt (since most are likely as a result of private colleges and universities through private non-Federal loans), so that banks don’t go under. And I think that’s a great investment, because it frees up money toward the economy and not toward DEBT.
    Last edited by allegro; 02-21-2021 at 12:37 PM.

  23. #83
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    Quote Originally Posted by allegro View Post
    This has been getting publicity out there for a while:

    https://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/news...eview-11372892

    One of the first things Biden did was shut down Keystone, so we know he’s sympathetic.

    They can appeal and maybe somehow get it to SCOTUS, where we know Gorsuch is sympathetic to indigenous tribes and upholding treaties.

    I don’t know how the hell this Oak Flat project passed environmental impact.
    Some good news on this story!

  24. #84
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    Quote Originally Posted by botley View Post
    Some good news on this story!
    Sure enough, the environmental impact study was a sham and shouldn't have passed. That certainly seemed to be the case. I'm glad this worked out, I read about it this morning, popped up in my news feed. Good news, indeed.

  25. #85
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    Here we are, on the 4th of March, and the President still looks and talks like Joe Biden.

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    Hoping for something on the student loan front. I have just under 45k. I graduate in May so I’ll have to start paying in November and I’m already panicking about the clusterfuck that is the PSLF program.

    My last two years of grad school were covered at 100% as well as my last year of undergrad. Can’t even imagine what I’d be at if not for my good fortune with tuition waivers and scholarships. Probably pushing 100k. ������

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    Had I not gotten so many grants, my tuition would have been $80k-$100k. The normal tuition rate at my private university was about $35k per year.

    I haven’t had to pay anything, including interest, on my Federal student loans since I think last April. That’s been extended through September 30th, and they’re talking about extending it.


    Now that Neera Tanden is out, wonder who will be the OMB nominee.

    Shalanda Young?

    I don’t give a shit that Biden is Biden; it’s so nice not waking up each day wondering what fresh hell Trump created on Twitter. Biden is so boring, I forget he’s there. And that’s so refreshing after 4 years of that chaotic orange Shitler.
    Last edited by allegro; 03-05-2021 at 02:00 AM.

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    I was referencing the dumbass Q conspiracy that Trump would take over on March 4th.

    It’s great he’s boring. I just wish he and fellow Dems would start pressuring Sinema and Manchin. This is exactly how the Dems will lose in 2022 if they keep foolishly trying to work with Republicans and not uniting for much needed changes.

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    as wacky as the Republicans are, and even as divided as they are, they still seem laser focused to win in 2022. Sadly, I feel because of this, they have a shot. I'm not sensing that urgency from the Dem side.

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    I mean look at these number for voting bills:
    In conjunction with the Brennan Center’s report on state voting proposals, below is a list of the restrictive and expansive bills that we are tracking to date. As of February 19, 2021, state lawmakers have carried over, prefiled, or introduced 253 bills with provisions that restrict voting access in 43 states, and 704 bills with provisions that expand voting access in a different set of 43 states. Note that, in some cases, a single bill can have provisions with both restrictive and expansive effects.
    https://www.brennancenter.org/our-wo...s-tracker-2021

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