The American Political Thread

[i-rui]

	Quote:			Originally Posted by Macfury
	As people on the government rolls increase to greater than 50%, the likelihood of even a weak Democrat presidential candidate being elected increases. No surprise with these sorts of hand-outs.

I thought public sector employment was down compared to Bush?

[CubaMark]

Unbelievable. Or... wait, no, we're talking about the Republicans - completely believable:

Texas GOP’s 2012 Platform Accidentally Opposes Teaching Of ‘Critical Thinking Skills’

	Quote:
	The Republican Party of Texas’ recently adopted 2012 platform contains a plank that opposes the teaching of “critical thinking skills” in schools. The party says it was a mistake, but is now stuck with the plank until the next state convention in 2014. The plank in question, on “Knowledge-Based Education,” reads as follows: We oppose the teaching of Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) (values clarification), critical thinking skills and similar programs that are simply a relabeling of Outcome-Based Education (OBE) (mastery learning) which focus on behavior modification and have the purpose of challenging the student’s fixed beliefs and undermining parental authority. Elsewhere in the document, the platform stipulates that “[e]very Republican is responsible for implementing this platform.”

(TalkingPointsMemo and DailyKOS and TheDailyTexan)

[Dr.G.]

	Quote:			Originally Posted by CubaMark
	Unbelievable. Or... wait, no, we're talking about the Republicans - completely believable: Texas GOP’s 2012 Platform Accidentally Opposes Teaching Of ‘Critical Thinking Skills’ (TalkingPointsMemo and DailyKOS and TheDailyTexan)

I tell my students that if you want your students to read/listen/observe/view with a deeper understanding, you need to help them learn to be critical thinkers. Luckily, none of my students are teaching in Texas.

[Macfury]

	Quote:			Originally Posted by i-rui
	I thought public sector employment was down compared to Bush?

I was referring to welfare-type programs. However, all employment is down under Obama, so I believe what you say is true by default.

Obama recently stated that increased government hiring was necessary to bring the economy back to strength.

[Dr.G.]

Happy 4th of July to one and all, especially those of us who are Americans. Paix, mes amis.

[bryanc]

Fiore has posted a nice spoof on the typical TV drug ad lampooning the Republican stance on health care this week.

Adds extra comedic value to the $3B fine GlaxoSmithKline has been hit with for fraudulently marketing it's antidepressants. But who would ever have imagined that the free market would make pushing antidepressants profitable?

[Macfury]

	Quote:			Originally Posted by bryanc
	Fiore has posted a nice spoof on the typical TV drug ad lampooning the Republican stance on health care this week. Adds extra comedic value to the $3B fine GlaxoSmithKline has been hit with for fraudulently marketing it's antidepressants. But who would ever have imagined that the free market would make pushing antidepressants profitable?

Neither the free market, nor the heaviest sort of regulation can prevent misbehaviour of individuals. However, public health is universally mismanaged.

[bryanc]

[Macfury]

I enjoy seeing Barackman being beat up. I hope this is a foreshadowing of November.

[kps]

Abandoning USS Obama.

Socialite, songwriter Denise Rich renounces U.S. citizenship - CNN.com

	Quote:
	Rich's maiden name, Eisenberg, appeared on April 30 in the Federal Registrar's Quarterly Publication of Individuals Who Have Chosen To Expatriate, though she left in November 2011. By handing in her American passport, tax lawyers say she is able to legally avoid paying significant taxes on her estate. Rich, 68, is the ex-wife of billionaire commodities trader Marc Rich, who was pardoned in 2001 by then-president Bill Clinton for oil profiteering and tax evasion after he fled to Switzerland. The pardon was considered controversial because of Denise Rich's financial contributions to the Democratic Party and to the Clinton Library.