Sheilbh's Scott Walker Lovefest and Union Bashing Megathread

[MadImmortalMan]

Look, I'll explain where this comes from. My family is mostly teachers. It's like the family business. When I go to Thanksgiving dinner the teachers at the table outnumber everyone else. One of my uncles is a university academic provost and another is the president of one of the most important higher ed lobbying organizations in the country. I have to hear this shit hashed out constantly.

Ten years ago, the only thing everyone at the table agreed about was that class sizes needed to be smaller. Now, there are three things they all agree on. Standardized tests are shit, NCLB is shit, and class size is unimportant. Unless you've got the behavioral problem kids. Why they all changed their minds, I don't know. Interestingly, they are still somewhat divided about Common Core. The skeptics on that tend to be the ones who teach younger kids.

[mongers]

Damn this thread grew quickly; exec.sum. please.

Corporations not only are people, they are good people.

Unions are evil.

Teachers are lazy and should be happy with whatever they are paid, since noone talented and able to get a job in another industry would even consider teaching.

There was also a bunch of ignorant claims.

Marty, hanks for saving me some time.

[derspiess]

So what's with all the LanguishLove for Jim Webb, other than the time he acted like a dick toward Dubya?

[Valmy]

Freedom is a bitch ain't it?

So is corruption.

[CountDeMoney]

Somehow the feds missed the whole "public sector union" connection in their prosecution of Governor McDonnell of Virginia, and how teachers (probably black ones, no less) forced him to take all those gifts from Mr. Vitamin Guy. 

The funny thing is that McDonnal was actually an excellent governor.  I was a big fan of his until the whole crook thing emerged. 

Well, I suppose you wouldn't have needed a transvaginal probe.   What at your age and all.

He couldn't carry Webb's jockstrap, of course.  If Jim Webb decides to run, I think I will dust off my 2000 McCain notes and go ahead and volunteer for his campaign.

http://webb2016.com/

[Valmy]

I really doubt class size has any real correlation to education quality. If anything, I'd say larger class sizes would encourage more critical thinking skills.

Seriously, this is the zaniest thing I have read here in weeks. 

So what is your answer to the data he posted?  I mean obviously having class sizes over 40 is probably not good but there might be diminishing returns in there someplace.

[CountDeMoney]

So what's with all the LanguishLove for Jim Webb, other than the time he acted like a dick toward Dubya?

When did he act "like a dick toward Dubya"?  Did he interrupt Dubya during a Presidential address to Congress?  Did he stick his finger in Dubya's face at an airport?  Did he complain about Dubya's "Kenyan anti-colonial behavior", by chance?

[Valmy]

Damn this thread grew quickly; exec.sum. please.

Corporations not only are people, they are good people.

Unions are evil.

Teachers are lazy and should be happy with whatever they are paid, since noone talented and able to get a job in another industry would even consider teaching.

There was also a bunch of ignorant claims.

Marty, hanks for saving me some time.

Needless to say those are crazy distortions.  Marty does not understand the situation creating the problems so naturally he is just filling in the blanks with his pre-conceived notions.

And claiming buying off politicians and dangerous corruption is bad is not the same as saying Corporations and Unions are all evil or good.  It is a condemnation of the system that forces them into doing that.

[garbon]

So what's with all the LanguishLove for Jim Webb, other than the time he acted like a dick toward Dubya?

When did he act "like a dick toward Dubya"?  Did he interrupt Dubya during a Presidential address to Congress?  Did he stick his finger in Dubya's face at an airport?  Did he complain about Dubya's "Kenyan anti-colonial behavior", by chance?

I guess that is on way to avoid the question.

[Admiral Yi]

When did he act "like a dick toward Dubya"?  Did he interrupt Dubya during a Presidential address to Congress?  Did he stick his finger in Dubya's face at an airport?  Did he complain about Dubya's "Kenyan anti-colonial behavior", by chance?

He addressed him as George instead of Mr. President at a White House reception.

[Valmy]

It looks like Webb said he wanted to get his son out of Iraq.  Which it seems is a dick thing to say.  Must have been the way he said it?

[CountDeMoney]

I guess that is on way to avoid the question.

Go fuck yourself, you fucking fuck.  Yi gets to asks questions as answers to questions all the fucking time.  Who the fuck are you, Yi's copyright attorney?  You can answer that with a question if you want, it's a free country.

[Valmy]

Just curious why did Webb decide to not run again for the Senate?  Electing people whose experience in high office consists of a single term in the Senate has not been working out so good.

[CountDeMoney]

He addressed him as George instead of Mr. President at a White House reception.

Haven't found anything in reference to calling the President by his first name at a reception, but I did find this:

At a recent White House reception for freshman members of Congress, Virginia's newest senator tried to avoid President Bush. Democrat James Webb declined to stand in a presidential receiving line or to have his picture taken with the man he had often criticized on the stump this fall. But it wasn't long before Bush found him.
"How's your boy?" Bush asked, referring to Webb's son, a Marine serving in Iraq.
"I'd like to get them out of Iraq, Mr. President," Webb responded, echoing a campaign theme.
"That's not what I asked you," Bush said. "How's your boy?"
"That's between me and my boy, Mr. President," Webb said coldly, ending the conversation on the State Floor of the East Wing of the White House.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/28/AR2006112801582.html

I haven't found anything else, but please post if you do.

[garbon]

I guess that is on way to avoid the question.

Go fuck yourself, you fucking fuck.  Yi gets to asks questions as answers to questions all the fucking time.  Who the fuck are you, Yi's copyright attorney?  You can answer that with a question if you want, it's a free country.

I was simply interested in an actual answer. I guess asking you to explain your emotional attachment is a bridge too far.