A great idea to fix our universities

[Isaac]

Trump asks Arizona university to commit to his agenda for more access to federal money

Nine universities nationwide were asked to commit to President Trump’s political priorities in exchange for more favorable access to federal money.

www.azfamily.com

Seems like a pretty great idea or method to start fixing the problems that we have at our universities and turning out better and more intelligent people who are better armed with the tools they need to conquer life... Real life, not the fake ones that liberals make up

 

[Steve R.]

This should apply to more than just the universities. It needs to be extended to a whole variety of programs. Grants are not free money!

The grants are funded by federal tax receipts. Too many states view grant money as "free" money since state tax dollars are not used to fund the programs that the grants support. The states need to fund the programs dependent on federal grants with state tax dollars and get-off of federal welfare. This should also "save" money since the federal government won't be collecting taxes, then taking their cut, and then distributing the money less administrative fees. The US is $$$$ trillions in debt. The states need to take-up the burden of funding their own projects.

 

[Isaac]

It definitely is a troubling thing to look up what % of a given state's budget is from federal "free" (not free) money, especially medicaid

 

[MarkK]

Seems like a pretty great idea or method to start fixing the problems that we have at our universities and turning out better and more intelligent people who are better armed with the tools they need to conquer life... Real life, not the fake ones that liberals make up

Brilliant. Establish a Department of Truth, and only fund institutions that kiss government ass. Nice "Land of the Free" you got there. Sure would be a shame if something happened to it.

And if state-sponsored institutional arm-twisting is valid, why stop there? Why not arm-twist individuals whose opinions vary from the Department of Truth's citizen's handbook? Why should internal enemies of the state even have the same rights under law? I mean, why not round them up and re-educate them? It sure would be better if the guy who gets elected, gets elected by 100% of voters, right? So just put one name on the ballot.

Think of the social harmony you could have. Not just universities, but all institutions in the motherland, working together to turn out better and more intelligent people who are better armed with the tools they need to kiss government ass.

All you need is some kind of leadership icon, like, big, big something, it's on the tip of my tongue.

 

[Isaac]

that would all make sense IF the universities had been bastions of free speech and this new move by trump was restricting them.
rather, they've been bastions of groupthink, censorship and intolerance and trump is forcing their hand to be more the oppposite - basic stuff, like not admitting people based on race - stuff we shouldn't even have to say

 

[MarkK]

If institutions are required to kiss government ass, individuals will be so required in due course. Vote your conscience on this man, but before you do, take a look around the world, and take a look around history, take a look at states where institutions and individuals are required to kiss government ass.
Coming to consensus via freedom of debate is messy as hell. Letting people make up their own minds, and getting it wrong, and then getting it wrong in the other direction, is hard, messy, and upsetting. But over time, it is the only mechanism that can self-adjust. Over time, the history of the US has shown extremes, from civil war to McCarthy era "reds under your bed" fear-mongering. What has--do you think--always brought it back around, back towards common-sense?

Yeah, freedom. The fact that under no circumstances are Americans ever, nor will they ever be, required to kiss government ass. So think long an hard before you determine that institutions of higher learning should be subject to funding based on how deep up government ass they stick their heads.

Power belongs in the hands of the people, and you should want that power to remain in the hands of the people, even if they are people with whom you disagree. The power play right now in the US? The government is pitting the people against each other in the hopes that it can take some of that power away. Government power in the US is constrained by law. Government, for instance, cannot dictate ideology to universities. This preserves freedom, and it preserves the rights of the people, even if they are people with whom you disagree.

The current government will argue that to protect you from the "other people," you should cede some of the people's rights, so it can keep you safe. Do not submit to this seduction. If the people cede power to the state, especially a state with the incredible military means of the United States, the people will never see that power freely returned to them.

Americans with whom you may have profound disagreements are your brothers. The government that would take your brothers' power away, to keep you safe from him, is lying. If government takes your brother's power away, he takes yours too.

So think long and hard what freedoms of the people you would trade away to spite your brothers. If you think liberals should be forced to kiss government ass, fine, but then understand that under law, Americans--all Americans--will be so forced.

 

[Isaac]

he's forcing them to stop discriminating on the basis of race - i think that's great! and is progress, and is common sense

 

[Cotswold]

In much the same way that for decades investigations into climate change will only receive money if the analysis has the sole intention of promoting climate change. Any academic who is in any way sceptical is viewed as an alarmist and will not receive funding. So no income.
It is simply a method of forcing people to comply in order that they are all singing from the same approved climate change song sheet.
Nobody gets themselves onto the big money climate chance bandwagon if they have alternative views. It was the same during the Covid fiasco.

 

[Pat Hartman]

Establish a Department of Truth, and only fund institutions that kiss government ass.

What part of grants do you not understand? Why are universities ENTITLED to my tax money when they are pushing men into women's sports? If they want to suppress free speech on campus and push men into women's locker rooms and support terrorist organizations and discriminate against Jews and control enrollment based on illegal check boxes rather than merit, why do you think I should have to pay for it?

Why not arm-twist individuals whose opinions vary from the Department of Truth's citizen's handbook?

Because the government isn't giving individuals grants.

Americans with whom you may have profound disagreements are your brothers. The government that would take your brothers' power away, to keep you safe from him, is lying. If government takes your brother's power away, he takes yours too.

The government had been taking my power away. It was restricting my speech and forcing me to support having perverts in my private spaces. I know that not all men who dress like women actually are perverts but YOU allowing them in my space opens the door to the actual perverts and so you are violating all women's rights because trust me, NO woman wants a man in her public shower. I had to quit my gym when they went woke. I wasn't allowed to complain about the pervert. How did I know he was a pervert? He lurked. Women don't lurk. They do their business and leave. Plus he was usually naked and frequently erect. But I was the problem when I complained. NOW we are going back to actual freedom for even those who disagree with us. If schools want to continue on their perverted path, they can do it without my tax dollars. No one is stopping them.

 

[ColinEssex]

If schools want to continue on their perverted path, they can do it without my tax dollars. No one is stopping them.

In America, can you actually dictate where your tax dollars are spent? Or actually withhold payment? You have said in the past that you were robbed by paying tax. Why is it robbery? Surely every earner pays tax, why do you object? Governments money (tax) will sometimes be spent on projects we may disagree with, others may agree. Surely you are being argumentative for the sake of it? Or to put it another way, you are never happier unless you can disagree/argue about an issue.
Col

 

[AccessBlaster]

In America, can you actually dictate where your tax dollars are spent? Or actually withhold payment? You have said in the past that you were robbed by paying tax. Why is it robbery? Surely every earner pays tax, why do you object? Governments money (tax) will sometimes be spent on projects we may disagree with, others may agree. Surely you are being argumentative for the sake of it? Or to put it another way, you are never happier unless you can disagree/argue about an issue.
Col

I don’t oppose taxation itself; I oppose redundant or duplicate taxes.

For example, I already pay income tax when I earn my money. Then I pay sales tax when I spend it, property tax when I own something, and sometimes even estate tax when I pass it on. It’s not taxation itself that bothers me, it’s being taxed over and over on the same dollar.

 

[NauticalGent]

If government takes your brother's power away, he takes yours too.

...but then understand that under law, Americans--all Americans--will be so forced.

 

[The_Doc_Man]

In America, can you actually dictate where your tax dollars are spent? Or actually withhold payment? You have said in the past that you were robbed by paying tax. Why is it robbery? Surely every earner pays tax, why do you object? Governments money (tax) will sometimes be spent on projects we may disagree with, others may agree. Surely you are being argumentative for the sake of it? Or to put it another way, you are never happier unless you can disagree/argue about an issue.
Col

Col, you are very close to the truth. However, I will add this caveat: it is POSSIBLE if you get enough people to complain, that a congress member can call for some particular subsidy to be investigated. Which, in this cost-cutting environment, is not so good for the university if they have a basically liberal mind-set among their faculty members.

But like you, we aren't really happy unless we can find a target about which to argue endlessly, snipe, and complain.

 

[Pat Hartman]

You have said in the past that you were robbed by paying tax. Why is it robbery?

When the government takes money from me at gunpoint and gives it to illegal aliens who are obviously not citizens and are breaking multiple laws just being in the country, that is robbery. Taxes are supposed to be used to protect the country and provide services to the citizens. Even providing money for research to the big pharmaceuticals is a crime against the public. Our Constitution puts limits on government and there is nothing in there that allows for either type of expenditure. The money Congress gives away is simply bribery. They give away MY tax money and in exchange they get campaign contributions that benefit them personally. They also get cushy jobs after they leave office. American tax payers finance a large part of drug research and what do we get for that largess? The highest drug prices in the world. We subsidize up front and after the fact YOUR drug prices. At least Trump is working on levelling that field.

No, we don't get to specify how our tax money is used. If we did Congress wouldn't be a job that makes elected people rich. Do people who get elected to your House of Commons somehow always end up wealthy after a few years? Our members do. It is because we don't prosecute them for insider trading even though it is technically illegal for them to profit from their knowledge of upcoming legislation and getting money from that fabulous money train known as NPO's. The Non-Profit scam is as good as it gets. Joe Blow congressman votes to give money to NPO X and NPO X pays his spouse $2 million per year as a "consultant". That one is under investigation now for a member of Congress from Rhode Island.

 

[ColinEssex]

When the government takes money from me at gunpoint . . .

Gosh, I didn't realise things were that bad in the USA regarding tax collection. We all know that Americans are fairly uncivilised, for example, struggling with the use of English like changing words so people understand them, or having problems understanding the use of a knife and fork. But the method of tax collection described does seem to fit into the American way of life.
In the UK, we are taxed on our earnings at source or by assessment. Yes, the government does spend taxpayers money on schemes or initiatives that may not meet with approval of everyone - you can't please all of the people all of the time.
Col

 

[Pat Hartman]

Gosh, I didn't realise things were that bad in the USA regarding tax collection.

I'm pretty sure it works that way in the UK also. If you don't pay your taxes, the men with guns come. Why do you think Biden hired 87,000 new, armed IRS agents? Trump is trying to get rid of them but every time he tries to get rid of staff some activist judge brings a lawsuit claiming that the President doesn't have the right to fire employees in the Executive Branch. The case goes to the Supremes. The Supremes rule in Trump's favor and another judge takes up the cause. We have 600+ judges and many of them think that they have a say in what the President is authorized to do. To hell with the Constitution. Unless the Supremes start coming down hard on judges with non-Constitutional law suits, the circus will continue for the next three years wasting millions of taxpayer dollars. NOBODY in the government cares about taxpayer's money. To them it's just numbers and other people's money so they spend it like drunken sailors on shore leave.

 

[NauticalGent]

NOBODY in the government cares about taxpayer's money.

o they spend it like drunken sailors on shore leave.

Except we sailors spent our OWN money and when it was gone, we quit drinking and schllepped on back to the ship...big difference

 

[The_Doc_Man]

having problems understanding the use of a knife and fork

Oh, come on, Col! Fingers were around LONG before utensils. And if you've ever eaten Texas-style barbecued pork or beef ribs, you would know that utensils just get in the way of enjoyment.

Unless the Supremes start coming down hard on judges with non-Constitutional law suits, the circus will continue for the next three years wasting millions of taxpayer dollars.

Pat: You are right, but this situation has exposed what may be a fatal flaw in the U.S. constitution. The federal judges are defined in Article III but the only way to remove such judges is death, retirement, or impeachment. SCOTUS cannot exact a penalty on a given inferior court judge. Only Congress can do that via impeachment, which is easy (simple majority in House of Representatives). Conviction, however, is currently out of reach (two-thirds majority) with the current slim majority in the senate. The constitution has many checks and balances but the ability of an Article III judge to block actions of an Article II duly elected president isn't normally considered in the check & balance category. Usually, folks look to Congress to be the check & balance factor. Nonetheless, that is exactly what is happening - and there is nothing to stop the judges.

 

[ColinEssex]

Oh, come on, Col! Fingers were around LONG before utensils. And if you've ever eaten Texas-style barbecued pork or beef ribs, you would know that utensils just get in the way of enjoyment.

I was referring to the fact that every American in films or on TV that eats a meal, only uses a fork. The combination of a knife and fork is alien.
I'm afraid we don't have Texas style beef or ribs in Essex. Sounds ghastly.
Col

 

[ColinEssex]

I'm pretty sure it works that way in the UK also. If you don't pay your taxes, the men with guns come.

No, you're wrong, it doesn't work that way in the UK.
Obviously it does in the USA- so given that you have paid tax owed only after being threatened with a gun and the tax people have come after you with guns, then you must have attempted to evade paying taxes but got caught out. Is tax evasion a crime in the USA? Did you bribe someone?
Col