• protist@mander.xyz
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    1 year ago

    Hot take here, judging by the company, but I think Biden’s doing great. He’s moved the federal government in a more progressive direction than any presidential administration since Lyndon Johnson, and I’m confident with more Democrats in the legislature he could do even more.

    Simultaneously, the opposition has become so dangerous that it’s absolutely critical the Democratic coalition remain together. There are always going to be criticisms you can level against any leader. I certainly don’t agree with Biden 100% of the time. But if you check out the other hot takes here, making Biden out to be the devil, or saying they’ll never vote for him…those people are trying to elect Donald Trump again.

    • flossdaily@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      Biden is definitely doing much better than I expected. No question. Nowhere near the Bernie Sanders type that we need, but a pleasant surprise.

      In another time, I probably would go on a rant about Boomer politics killing us slowly. But since Republicans have literally become fascist lunatics, Democrats have to stick together no matter what.

      History has shown us just how bad things can get under fascism, and these Republicans are dangerous, stupid, and cruel, and stupid. And yes, I know I put stupid twice.

      • SlikPikker@lemmy.ca
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        1 year ago

        I’m just impressed he didn’t crack down on the left first thing.

        Not snark here, I had worried he would.

      • 🐱TheCat@sh.itjust.works
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        1 year ago

        I have no problem with democrats ‘sticking together’ as far as voting blue next election, but don’t sit back after you’ve done that.

        The seeds for fascism in the USA are the same ones that were in Germany when Hitler rose - rampant inequality and poverty leading to desperate people leading to christian nationalism, and later fascism. I hate to break it to you but a Democratic party with no one to the left of them has no incentive to fix the root problems, and every incentive to stay on the take and then escape to their favorite country with their wealth if they push it too far.

        Campaign finance reform, election reform, labor reform … pick a cause and find some friends. We cannot have a democracy without working for it. Fascism will rise in the absence of effort.

        • flossdaily@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          What we need is a left-wing candidate to win a primary, and pull the party to the left the way Bush and Trump pulled their party to the alt-right

    • takeda@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      It’s the #walkaway all over again, which really was conservatives saying that they won’t vote for democrats “again”.

    • Shiggles@sh.itjust.works
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      1 year ago

      I have to admit, I was definitively in the “they’re really gonna make me vote for Joe Biden?” Camp, but I’ve been pleasantly surprised. His work with the railroad union really solidified it, where sure, don’t love the strike breaking, but the post-strike negotiations end results was certainly a win for those same rail workers.

  • Anamnesis@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Man I’m so fully employed that I have three part time jobs. All of which I need to pay rent. Pretty sweet!

    No I do not have health insurance.

    • Entropywins@kbin.social
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      1 year ago

      Oof life is a grind but if you can surround yourself with the right relationships/community and keep putting your best foot forward things will get better on the job front.

      • Anamnesis@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        Yeah I’ve worked my way into a profession where if you’re not the lucky 1/500 that gets the full time, tenure track job, you’ve just got to work at 2-3 different universities part time, with no insurance. There are worse choices I could have made, but academia was not a good one. At this point I will never have a full time job unless I change professions; once you’ve adjuncted long enough you’re essentially toxic to any hiring committee. And as far as I can tell, I unlike other industries, personal and university connections are actively detrimental; it reflects poorly on a department to hire people who’ve got a connection to the department.

        • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          That’s really sad. My father entered into academia in 1960, got tenure in a reasonable amount of time and, by the time he retired, was making a really good salary, able to afford things like taking us on a two-week vacation to Italy. I have a friend whose husband is in academia and suffering similar problems from you. What the hell changed and why?

          • plzExplainNdetail@slrpnk.net
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            1 year ago

            Generally speaking - There was a huge change a while back in how schools were getting money. Originally the government was paying 75% and the institute only needed to make the last 25%. Then things started to change and it flipped, so now most schools get 25% or less in funding and have to make up the rest of the 75%. (I’m generalizing numbers but they aren’t too far off). This drastically changed how things were ran and just like a business that’s gone private to public they are now trying to make money however they can.

            They also got rid of/are limiting most full time jobs and have just increased adjuncts & grad students workload significantly. There is a block on all fulltime hires unless someone retires at at least 3 universities near me. Additionally most adjuncts make a pittance and have little/no say in their schedule or classes. Even when the department does try to accommodate, they generally have their hands tied by higher ups. Oh and schools will cancel required classes before the first day because of “low enrollment” (more than 12 people was the lastest requirement at one near me). Mind you that most students don’t get notified of their financial aide until the first week of school and can’t enroll until they have financial aide secured.

            Again generally speaking - nowadays working a minimum wage job has better benefits, stability, and pay than being an adjunct. Even the poster you responded to said they have to work at multiple universities to get by - all without insurance. It wouldn’t be bad if it was only for a short while, before moving to a fulltime position. Yet I know of many qualified adjuncts (with goals of fulltime) that are hitting double digits in their adjunct positions waiting for an opening to go fulltime. Academia is unfortunately very different than it used to be.

            • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
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              1 year ago

              That’s really sad. I’m really sorry to hear it. I know my dad was always disappointed that neither my brother nor I went into academia, but it sounds like we made the right choice.

              • plzExplainNdetail@slrpnk.net
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                1 year ago

                If one were to ignore the getting a position part, other changes include but are not limited to:

                -an increase in people killing teachers/students/staff at nearly all levels of learning institutions. It’s not limited to the US and guns either (although they do make up a large portion).

                -an increase in students showing outright disrespect or violence in a classroom to anyone but especially authority figures.

                -due to the pandemic many teachers/staff died or retired, so there was a loss of guidance/mentors/knowledge as well as changes in policy/how things function.

                -the abysmal shift in school work accessability during the pandemic created a general lack of knowledge/routine that would have formerly taken place during that time period. This means instead of being able to teach roughly the same curriculum for each class/each semester as one may have done for years, one must instead rework the course for a few grade(s) lower to accommodate the difference or fail a lot of kids that don’t have home support. (Additionally some teachers were already having to incrementally adjust curriculum each year since the No Child Left Behind Act was enacted).

                -teachers/professor have been villainized in recent years by politicians and general pay/funding/grants have decreased (or rather never increased as the years changed).

                -tenure tracks are going away in some places.

                -the school or university could simply shutdown for numerous reasons in the middle of the semester with little to no notice given staff/teachers/students.

      • Anamnesis@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        I can’t get full time jobs. I’ve only ever had one and got laid off. Theyre also harder to get because your employer has to pay for health insurance if you work more than 28 hours per week.

        I’m also a weird case cause I’m an adjunct professor. Precarity comes with the territory.

        • SCB@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          Why not quit being a professor and use your doctorarte degree to get a salaried position?

          You will absolutely make more money.

      • GladiusB@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        Full time jobs hardly ever work with a part time job. Finding times to fit usually means two part time jobs than a full time and part time. Plus businesses get jealous when you don’t dedicate your life to them.

  • Semi-Hemi-Demigod@kbin.social
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    1 year ago

    The goal should be zero employment. Making people work to justify their existence is the antithesis of what we’ve fought and suffered for a hundred thousand years to achieve.

    • SCB@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      The goal should be zero employment.

      Hunting and gathering is still working to justify your existence.

        • SCB@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          Your life is massively easier, safer, healthier, and more convenient than theirs. Your life expectancy is massively higher. The trade off there is an interconnected and interdependent series of jobs.

          You are welcome to go be a subsistence farmer or scavenging hermit at any point if youd prefer, but expecting all the same benefits without contribution is a bit odd.

          There is a reason people choose even sweatshop labor over subsistence farming.

          • Semi-Hemi-Demigod@kbin.social
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            1 year ago

            We aren’t having the same discussion. I’m talking about eliminating all work, including subsistence farming and sweatshop labor, not going back to hunting and gathering.

              • Semi-Hemi-Demigod@kbin.social
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                1 year ago

                In 1776 years ago about 90% of the population were involved in farming. Today that number is under 2% and we have more food than we need to feed everyone. Working less does not mean producing less. It’s why we don’t mine coal by hand or haul goods on sledges.

                • SCB@lemmy.world
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                  1 year ago

                  That 2% goes to 0% and we get food how?

                  Or did you mean you just don’t want to work? Because we had that system too, up until a different American war about 90 years later

  • Verdant Banana@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/biden-promise-tracker/promise/1575/increase-federal-minimum-wage-15hour/

    https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/biden-promise-tracker/promise/1541/increase-access-affordable-housing/

    https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/biden-promise-tracker/promise/1584/end-pay-discrimination/

    https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/biden-promise-tracker/promise/1552/provide-section-8-vouchers-low-income-families-cap/

    https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/biden-promise-tracker/promise/1583/offer-8000-tax-credit-child-care/

    https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/biden-promise-tracker/promise/1602/guarantee-12-weeks-paid-family-and-medical-leave/

    https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/biden-promise-tracker/promise/1601/make-2-years-community-college-or-high-quality-tra/

    https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/biden-promise-tracker/promise/1596/make-public-colleges-and-universities-tuition-free/

    https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/biden-promise-tracker/promise/1588/no-tax-increase-anyone-making-less-400000/

    certain industries are also paying less than when Biden first took office and costs for everything has gone up sometimes doubling

    Walmart is just one example paying $4 less or more than a few years ago

    why should this be celebrated? links below are what we are celebrating the ones above stalled out

    https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/biden-promise-tracker/promise/1581/give-small-businesses-restart-package-pandemic-rel/

    https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/biden-promise-tracker/promise/1577/help-state-and-local-governments-prevent-budget-sh/

  • jimmydoreisalefty@lemmus.org
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    1 year ago

    Let us see if Bidenflation is much better closer to 2024…

    At any rate, I will have to admit that I have a personal stake in this debate. Back when the American Rescue Plan was being debated, I argued against Larry Summers’s notion that its size should be slashed because it might cause inflation. I said the balance of risks was not even close—on the one hand a continuation of the economic lost decade of the 2010s, but on the other some inflation that would cause only moderate pain. Inflation did come—and while I don’t believe Summers was right about the causes, which were more about the pandemic and the war in Ukraine than Big Fiscal, it did turn out to be quite unpopular.


    The Lawerence Summers that blamed inflation on Jan. 6 2021, this is the person people are looking for advise?

    Jimmy Dore did a video on him on Jun 15, 2022.

    Obama Advisor Ties Inflation To January 6 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4L8PHBowpk

    • nublug
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      1 year ago

      jimmy dore is a cryptofash and you spread cryptofash shit everywhere.

        • nublug
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          1 year ago

          cryptofascist. nothing to do with cryptocurrency they just share the same prefix, in the case of cryptofascist it means obfuscated, hidden. jimmy dore is a fascist pretending to be a leftist in order to sow leftist division and fud. that’s why he only attacks left and simps for authoritarians states. like a tankie but no earnest leftist beliefs at all.

    • protist@mander.xyz
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      1 year ago

      Who the fuck reads this and thinks the author, who clearly states they disagree with Larry Summers at every point, is looking to Larry Summers for advice? And who gives a flying fuck about Jimmy Dore? Are you Jimmy Dore?

      • jimmydoreisalefty@lemmus.org
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        1 year ago

        He quoted him on the article, I did not bring it up for no reason.

        If the bar is as low as Lawerence Summers, then that is good for you, not for me.

          • jimmydoreisalefty@lemmus.org
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            1 year ago

            Is it though?

            Watching his point of view vs. other politicial yters…

            He calls it as he sees it, then the backlash and smears start, since he is left of those people.

            He is more the lay person, no need to act like he is a professional politician.

            Sabby Sabs is more to my taste, but I do try and watch as many people as possible.

            Being in a bubble is not good.

      • jimmydoreisalefty@lemmus.org
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        1 year ago

        Person who is currently in charge gets blamed as history shows.

        What caused inflation? Federal Reserve printing out money like crazy for wars.

        I do not see a push for a Great New Deal.

        Mostly just corporate democrate talk and half tries.

  • Rice_Daddy@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    This was a well balanced article overall, considering the title. It does celebrate the low unemployment but balances it out by calling out cost related issues. Left leaning but not delusional.

  • kava@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Fuck Biden

    The economy is not doing well, I don’t care what statistics they use to try and lie about it. People are suffering.

    If the economy was doing good, the feds wouldn’t keep increasing rates.

    And to put cherry on cake, Biden did a photo shoot at the border wall last week and is expanding construction on something he promised to halt.

    I’m getting closer to just voting for Trump at this point. Biden makes me so angry. Most important issue for me is immigration reform and foreign policy. Seems like Biden and Trump are identical in these two areas except for a disagreement on whether to turn off the money tap to Ukraine.

      • kava@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        What’s better? The guy you know will try and fuck you or the one that promises he will help and then fucks you anyway?

        The photo shoot at the border made me irrationally angry. You try and put yourself in the shoes and see how it feels to be one of the 12 million illegals or 600,000 DACA being promised something for decades by the Dems

        Living in fear as states like Texas and Florida ramp up the use of illegals as scapegoats. Just to see the president you thought was on your side spit in your face

          • kava@lemmy.world
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            1 year ago

            photoshoot at the border. because he’s expanding construction on the border wall that TRUMP campaigned on. the same wall he said he would halt construction on.

            if him and trump are the same, what difference does it make who i vote for? i only got the right to vote last year. i voted once in my state election for governor against desantis

            what’s that idiom though… “fear not the enemy that attacks you, but the fake friend that hugs you”

            you will never know the plight of these people. growing up in fear as the government becomes increasingly hostile to you while you are raised in school being taught about the “american dream” and “bring me your hungry your tired your weary” and “melting pot”

            then someone like biden comes to give a little hope only to crush you and remind you that this country is a cruel and uncaring machine