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.

 

[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.

 

[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

 

[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

 

[The_Doc_Man]

No, but I've watched a lot of "True Crime" shows that include tax evasion. But now I'm surprised. You always prattle on and on about how you see us on TV as being so gun-happy, but you haven't seen us throw folks in jail for tax evasion? How do you think we caught Al Capone, one of the roughest gangsters of the 1920s? We couldn't catch him for illicit production of alcohol, but we got him on tax evasion. You are inconsistent, Col. Missing out on all those chances to ding us for not paying taxes? You're slipping, old fellow.

 

[ColinEssex]

No, but I've watched a lot of "True Crime" shows that include tax evasion. But now I'm surprised. You always prattle on and on about how you see us on TV as being so gun-happy, but you haven't seen us throw folks in jail for tax evasion?

No, we only get the US television shows that have loads of shooting and dead people. Tax evasion is too tame for export. Anyway, why bother with someone who was active over 100 years ago. By her own admission, we have a real one here.

 

[The_Doc_Man]

I'm afraid we don't have Texas style beef or ribs in Essex. Sounds ghastly.

Then look up a YouTube video series posted under the name "JOLLY" - which is the team of Josh & Ollie, two British fellows traversing the USA as food critics. They found a few Texas barbecue restaurants that they really liked. If you won't take MY word for the quality of Texas barbecue, take the word of your countrymen. These two young men seem to be a really enthusiastic pair of tourists looking for good food - and based on the number of videos, they've found a lot of it. Their videos will let you see USA citizens in something other than lurid soap-opera romance fantasies and ugly criminal violence shows.

Your later reference to Colombo suggests you should watch more recent shows. But at least you aren't accusing us of being like the Gunsmoke TV series, which depicts 19th century western USA settings. With Columbo, you've at least caught up to the 20th century. And by the way, Columbo rarely if ever uses a gun so your views on USA violence are questionable.

Returning to Josh & Ollie, the only other thing I have to say is how much I hate them because if I tried to eat what they eat, I'd weigh well over 300 pounds and would have continuous bouts of bilateral gout alternating with digestive upsets and gall bladder issues. Their "young, skinny kid" metabolism makes me jealous.