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@FLRW
Trump filed bankruptcy for 6 of his businesses.
And had another some 530 successful businesses under the Trump Org umbrella. You figure out that success rate. Hint, it's nearly 99%, which outs it squaarely in world class territory. Is your business track record that successful? I'll bet not.
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@FLRW
@Double_R
Crime is a behavior. Any crime. Is Biden unaware of this? He, after all, sponsored the crime bill. Wasn't very effective, even by his admission, but, there it is.
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@oromagi
What else is new? It's another Biden hit piece, ok? He makes himself so wide open to them. You had your fun for four years. It's my turn.
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@RationalMadman
I'm aware of those details. But, the point is, Biden's admin is just as stupid as that thinking b ecause their whole justification for banning border agents to use horses is, likewise, stupid.
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Joe Biden took the day off today and went to a boxing match with AOC. When the boxers started round 1, dancing around each other a few turns, they started connecting with fists, parried, and each connected with a couple of furious punches to each other's head..
"Isn't that assault," Biden asked.
"Sure is," AOC replied.
Horses, and now boxing is now banned. In a week, ice cream sundaes will be targeted, and spoons will be banned. The II Amendment is sure to follow.
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@zedvictor4
My point was, that people are still prepared to cross borders in search of any income.
Virtually all breeds of animals do, trading income for food, and it's easy to postulate.
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Is it at all possible that Sadolite's discomfort with Rs and Ds, though both are treated contemptuously, the greater animus is toward Rs? Am I missing something? We'll know whose door to knock when D.C. is a smoldering pit.
To ZV: though not divided by latitude, drop the 'l', I think you've got it.
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@ebuc
While I consider mathematics to be the language of God, I'm afraid the use of extended ellipsis periods is random in number and, therefore, not a proper use of them, and, therefore, relative junk in your lexicon.
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@janesix
Though not a close friend, her passing has obviously touched you and put you in a better place, and you are better for it. Thanks for sharing these intimate feelings.
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@BrotherDThomas
Sympathy like a bed of nails. Crucify a cat, lately?
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Perhaps Joe Biden's biggest failure is not being an exemplary dad to his son, Punter. No wonder the kid is a messed-up derelict. The kid punts on first and ten because that's what dad does. Great role model, dad.
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@ethang5
And no other work of literature has had such a profound, lasting, or universally influential effect on humanity as the Bible has.How could the human response to the Bible be only psychological?
A superb insight and conclusion.
I once took an undergraduate course studying the Bible as literature without any emphasis on it being any more than that. It was an interesting course, for which the final exam was an essay on some aspect of what we had studied. I decided to present the attempt of Abraham's obedience to God by his agreement to sacrifice his only son, Isaac as an allegory of God's own torment to ultimately offer his own son, Jesus Christ, to be crucified by evil men who understood nothing of who they had in the midst, and I don't mean the Romans.
No, the Bible is so much more significant than mere psychology.
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@ethang5
Good questions, all.
I did not make it up.
The basis is a multiple of activities. First, reading the scriptures the Holy Bible, OT, NT, plus the holy writ of a number of differing religions, then study, pondering, reasoning, and applying faith over all from the time I was about 15. Finally, I sought the affirmation by prayer for revelation from God that what I had read, studied, pondered and reasoned was true. Yes, I present it as truth. I'm older, now, but it ha never been successfully assailed by anyone, though many have tried. I have sought such affirmation on all points I presented.
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@Double_R
The news media reports in the present, so they can only work with the information they have available at that time.
That statement is nothing short of naive.
when this article was published, Trump has been Presidernty about one hour. His apparent crime: Walking down the parade route hand in hand with Melania, Hardly an impeachable event.
CNN declares Ted Cruz refuses to talk to them after interviewing him directly.
story speaks for itself.
https://www.msmlies.com/reuters-says-violent-crime-rises-in-germany-and-is-attributed-to-refugees-msm-says-trump-lies-about-rise-of-crime-in-germany/story speaks for itself
story speaks fort itself.
Sufficient to demonstrate the. point that the media is not the holy sepulcher you think it is.
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@EtrnlVw
There is no mortality either, the term reincarnation itself opposes the notion
Look at the root etymology of "incarnation," then at the meaning of the suffix, "re." Result: a repetition of becoming flesh, i.e., mortal.
The atonement doesn't change what you are or how you choose to act
Wrong, that is exactly the power of applying the atonement to our lives. It is a change agent.
Have you ever learned how to play an instrument?
Yes, I have. But repeating practice to improve on a skill is not what I mean. I mean the philosophy of reincarnation is to repeat a second, third, fourth, n mortal life in order to get it right. I'm saying the atonement, and the availability of repentance negates the need of reincarnation. We can succeed all we need in one pass.
I told you that my brand of Christianity differs from most. I mean exactly what I said.
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@EtrnlVw
My topic is simple: point of view. I have mine; Christ is called [by Isaiah] the Prince of Peace. I call him the Prince of Pieces, because I believe that is what we've made of him, not that Pieces is what he is. I invite you to read my profile that I mentioned in my #1. My profile explains the title. I've offered the reasons why I say my approach to typical Christianity is bring havoc because my six stated belief are not typical Christian thought. Clearly, I'm not trying to throw out the baby. But we have so many different versions of what that baby looks like, and I don't really understand why.
The reason why I say reincarnation is nonsense is because, as I said, it belittles the atonement. It says we must have several repeating cycles through mortality so we can learn to get it right. What says by repeating mortality, we can learn from our mistakes in one life and avoid them in the next? We would just make other mistakes, so what is gained by repetition? And the reason I say that most of Christianity's view of repentance is a revolving door is just like reincarnation, because we don't learn from our mistakes, and still commit new mistakes without ever a change of heart, which change is the true nature of repentance. Nobody accomplishes a change of heart with a revolving door. "Father, forgive me, for I have sinned?" What's the point when it is the same sins over, and over, and over...? That's the revolving door, and it's useless.
You're right, Heaven and hell are not the only two realms we are intended to inhabit. The scriptures tell us there are many kingdoms to inherit, each according to that in which we will be individually comfortable, based on how we have lived our mortal life. Various stages of misery love company. So, too, for joy.
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@Greyparrot
Expected performance by Biden and his lackey.
Biden accomplishments at 250 days.
Biden border policy: fail.
Biden Afghanistan departure policy: fail.
Biden vaccine mandate policy: fail
Biden energy policy: fail.
Biden tax policy: fail
Biden budget policy: fail
Biden mask mandate: fail
Biden infrastructure policy: fail
Biden school special interest policy: fail
Biden SCOTUS packing policy: fail
Biden police/law enforcement policy: fail
Biden general foreign policy: fail
Biden abortion policy: fail
Biden stair climbing: fail
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In my profile, I've stated, as a Christian, that my approach is havoc, because it is so contrary to what most Christians believe.
1. Godhead: I believe in three distinct, separate, two physical and one spirit beings; that God, the Father, his Son, Jesus Christ, Redeemer of mankind, and the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, comprise the Godhead.
2. I believe we were created first as spirits by God, the Father, that Jesus was one of his spirit children, and Satan, another spirit child. That pre-mortal spirit life preceded our mortal birth. When we die, our spirit and physical body separate, and they are then reunited in resurrection, which will result in a united, perfect sprit and physical body, which immortal state will continue in to eternity.
3. I believe Christ's atonement is infinite in nature, because it covers all mankind, whether or not all have heard of Jesus Christ in this mortal lifetime, and I believe it was suffered by Christ for not only all our sins, but also our suffering of pain, physical, mental, spiritual, our disappointments, sorrows, and losses. All will be restored at resurrection. I believe it was suffered by Christ even for Satan and his minions, event hough they will ever refuse to accept it, and thus are damned forever.
4. I believe in one mortal life, not a repetition, such as reincarnation, because of Christ's atonement, we need but one tour of mortality. Although commanded to be perfect [Matt. 5: 48], we all fall short for now, but repentance is the big qualifier, coupled with forgiveness. By constant use of these principles, we cam purify ourselves and qualify to ultimately become perfect. Therefore, no additional mortal lives are necessary to live. To think such merely belittles the power of the atonement.
5. I believe repentance is not merely confession of sin, using a confessional like a revolving door. That's not repentance; that's expectation of the impossibility to be on a path of continuous improvement. Repentance is a change of heart such as to overcome sin; all sins, ultimately.
6. I believe that, ultimately, man can become as God is now, while God, himself, continues to advance, and we, following in kind. Men can become gods, and create worlds of their own, thus generationally continuing expansion of the human species throughout the universe, forever and ever, worlds without end.
7. I do not believe God, our Father [of our spirits] and Jesus, our Brother, created the entire universe, but only part of it. There are other gods, like God the Father, who have created other worlds, and inhabited them with people like us. I believe the physical appearance of "humans" is a much wider variation than we see among ourselves on Earth, thus, people like the blue Na'vi in "Avatar" are possible, as well as the typical "Roswell" alien.
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@Double_R
pass by decapitated heads hanging from street lights…
Since that is what they face in their own countries, and since the US does not have nor want the sovereignty over those countries to force their leaders to take care of their own streets so those atrocities are not in public view, or anywhere, frankly, those countries must see to it themselves if they will. That they don't is not the fault of the US, and we should not have to bear the burden of their fearful citizens.
The "give me your tired, your poor" is not US immigrant policy, it's a bloody poem written to acquire private money donations for the Statue of Liberty, a gift from France, who figured we could afford our own bloody pedestal, being the wealthy USA. The pedestal was built in 1886, during the administration of Democrat, Grover Cleveland, who was too cheap to build it.
I've always figured other country leaders need to take care of their own citizens, and stop brow-beating them, then maybe so many people would stay home.
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@Double_R
Under Trump, he decided that he would prosecute every single illegal border crossing, thereby separating every single child from their parents,
And, of course, by your logic, the illegal occupying parents, who think they have a right to come here illegally when it is nothing but occupation, have no responsibility whatsoever for putting their kids into this circumstance by ignoring immigration law. It isn't the kids dragging the parents across a sovereign border, now, is it? Those parents seeking a better life can do so legally, and thereby no one is incarcerated, are the? Law and order. It isn't just a slogan on a hat, bud. It every person's responsibility.
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@Polytheist-Witch
the federal government is not supposed to dictate anything outside of jurisdiction to the states
No, Congress is mandated to legislate on matters covering only seventeen specific subjects [Article I, section 8]. Everything else is supposed to delegated to States. But, of course, Congress is greedy and will legislate on just about anything but their 17 powers of legislation. Not included in the 17: education, childcare, healthcare, food and diet, private ownership of weapons, state elections, insurance [see healthcare], intra-state commerce, etc.
And Congress is supposed to investigate only matters affecting specific proposed legislation, but they are not a carte blanche DOJ.
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@SkepticalOne
Interesting topic. Don't get me wrong, I oppose abortion, anyway, however, I accept your argument that denial use of fetal cells should not be considered a moral outrage since the abortion already occurred. However, I am troubled by the thought that might occur to some that such use excuses abortion since some good can potentially be had by virtue of the abortion. I oppose that justification as a reason to allow abortion.
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@cristo71
Yes, none of old enough to recall the 19th century. By the way, welcome to the site
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@cristo71
If you remember the 80s and 90s fondly as a high point in journalism, you have nothing earlier with which to compare memory. Do you not remember Watergate, for example? Lauded now for their apparent journalistic excellence, Woodward and Bernstein at WaPo would have botched their story, and Nixon may have stayed in office [bad result, so it was good he was forced to resign] had Bradlee, their editor, not coached them on verifying sources with other sources for confirmation. They were ready to publish on first discovery, and almost blew it. No, even the 70s were not high journalism. To me, Bradlee was the real journalist deserving the praise.
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@Dr.Franklin
tell me, really, what rights guaranteed by the Constitution have been officially withdrawn from you, remembering that with rights come responsibilities. What actions by anyone else, to date, have curtailed your freedom, assuming you're otherwise a law-abiding citizen? Your consequences may have changed, and many of those are, indeed, unconstitutional, but until the Constitution's guarantees to the citizens have been removed wholesale, your "uselessness" of the Constitution is an excuse for laziness in defending it.
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@Dr.Franklin
Argue for your limitations; they're yours, but you're not selling me at all. The Constitution of the United States is simply the best damn secular document ever written, bar none.
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@Mesmer
The sheer beauty of the Sermon on the Mount is that it just happens to be the best political platform ever documented to eliminate every social ill we suffer without it. One could be an atheist, and, removing any references to any deity in the entire sermon, these principles still stand witness to the ideal lifestyle that expresses the best of humanity. Truth just works regardless of faith.
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@oromagi
It's a metaphor for another popular pastime that should have naught to do with sports, but, unfortunately, does.
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@FLRW
The capstone of the sermon is the golden rule
That's dumbing down the real capstone, which is "Love your enemies." As Jesus said, it's easy to love our friends; they think like us, usually - although I have friends with whom, politically, and others religiously, and others whatever, I disagree, yet, we are friends because our differences do not overwhelm our common ground, and I would defend their lives with my own, and they, likewise, because we are friends. If all of us agreed on everything, the world would be boring. But, loving those we would otherwise loath, which is the most difficult portion of loving our fellows, else we cannot claim to love God, is the real evidence that we have mastered being appropriately human.
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@Dr.Franklin
You may disagree with Ramshutu and the Constitution's text - and it is not appropriate to interpret it however you wish because that style of thinking is exactly why you think "the Constitution is utterly worthless." It is so because you make it so, yourself, so your nemesis is in the mirror facing you daily. Need I remind you your nemesis will not change until you do? It is no comfort that so many agree with you; they don't get it, either.
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@Mesmer
The better answer, and one requiring nothing but change of heart regarding the human condition, and, better yet, offered two thousand years ago, but still not tried successfully, mostly because we think we know better, is the product of Jesus Christ in the Sermon on the Mount. Taking less than fifteen minutes to read, even for a slow reader, but still literate, this council given has in it the solution to every single social ill we suffer today, always have, and always will until these principles are embraced.
1. Blessed are the poor in spirit.
Not because that condition is, by itself, a solution, but because it humbles every individual suffering it, which should encourage hope by that person, and compassion in others to help improve the person, not by money, but by education. It's give a man a fish [he'll be hungry tomorrow], or teach a man to fish [he'll feed himself daily].
2. Blessed are they that mourn.
There is opposition in all things. Loss is as devastating to us as gain is satisfying. We must know both to understand how joy is more in keeping with our preferences than sorrow is disappointing. And, again, when one mourns, others should be at hand to serve to bring peace, hope, and love.
3.Blessed are the meek.
Far from weak, meek is strength of purpose, not necessarily always used. Meekness is humility, with power in reserve, if needed. meekness is more than physical strength, it is righteous indignation and spiritual fortitude. Meekness is discipline in the face of random acts of evil. Shakespeare: "What a piece of work is man. In form and moving how express and admirable! In action how like snd angel! In apprehension, how like a god!" Roosevelt: "Walk softly and carry a big stick." [know how to use iut, but use it sparingly] And again, one who is meek may just fiend friends willing to serve in a time of need for defense.
I'm not going to rehearse the whole of it; you get the picture.
“The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting. It has been found difficult; and left untried.” ― G.K. Chesterton, What's Wrong with the World.
Most Christians don 't understand the Sermon on the Mount. Worse, some ridicule it, let alone others. Unless we are willing to give it a try, criticizing these principles are the sure way of being wrong with the world, making of it a place wherein we think we must physically evolve to solve our problems. Nope. We just need to try how to be what humanity was always supposed to be.
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@FLRW
Truman left office with a debt of $265.9B [adding $7.3B], and Obama left office with a debt of $20.25T [adding a debt of $8.6T]
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The quarterback has thrown an inordinate number of incomplete passes. The receivers are not that competent, either, but., clearly, the QB can't hit the broad side of a barn, anyway. This guy has wanted to be the starter for 34 years. For most, that's a career, and then some. Granted, he served as back-up for 8 years, but, unfortunately, the starter didn't run much of a clean ship, himself, preferring to take the glory (?), leaving scraps for his back-up. Not to mention that our bumbling QB already spent 15 years prior to his first shot at being starting QB as as fullback. He was good at blocking, but, mostly in the way of other players. Blocking your own team isn't exactly a distinguishing talent. Seems his only real talent in sports is as a hairy lifeguard, telling stories to children poolside.
So, whoever is coaching this team, and we don't have player coaches, had better start thinking long and hard about how they maneuvered this particular consequence, because, although the QB is talking a good story, into nine months of whiff-ball, the scoreboard still reads zero for the home team. Coincidentally, that is the number the QB happens to wear.
Is this a joke, or what? Funny how the stadium is mostly empty on gameday, and it isn't Covid over-caution. Wasn't like that for the other guy.
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@thett3
A source can also recognize their poor credibility, and admit it, because that source is primarily edited by anyone with access to it, but the editors' credentials...? Problematic, and that's Wiki. Is anyone confused about that? Any link to Wiki ought to be double-verified.
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@Vader
Depending on who that is, they might need a cosine. But that's a tangent. Logarithm, anyone?
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@RationalMadman
Oh, you believe that Apple isn't capable of spying on you?
I did not say that. It's simply that I don 't care if they can, or not. I don't engage in activity to be ashamed of should anybody find out about it, so, there it is.
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@aaaa
Somehow, missed this thread when first published. I reject determinism out of hand, I am solidly in the camp of free agency. I do believe random events occur, though I also will argue for their still having a cause. Stuff like a coin flip cannot be predicted exactly because there are too many variables out of our control, such as the force applied by the thumb, the coin mass, and, therefore, the speed of the flipping, but, most random is the added, utterly random motion of the forearm moving up as the flip by thumb force is applied, which adds to both other factors. If the coin is allowed to land on its own, add bouncing to the difficulties. Ambient conditions, humidity, temperature, particulate in the air... all cause variation that is also difficult/impossible to predict. Much of our lives are encounters with random events occurring. I'd say there are more random events than those planned, and even planned events do not always go as planned due to variables out of our control, and to expect that all variables were predetermined to occur in all instances is just too cute to believe.
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@FLRW
Those that align with Jim Bakker and Tammy Faye
Sorry, but I don't follow those two whackos at all. Hoiw do you figure?
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I wonder what the hype of min wage is all about since it represents no-skill labor, and was never meant to sustain more than one individual, and at that, no one who must also cover the cost of a roof overhead. It was never meant to sustain a family, but Democrats seem motivated by low-goal orientation for whatever reason. Personally, I'd aim higher, but, whatever floats the boat. No wonder Democrats want student loan debt forgiveness, free college education, free childcare, and a living wage just for being alive. They know min wage will never cover that stuff. In the end, they're for womb-to-tomb sustenance with no self-responsibility to earn a decent wage. A defeatist attitude all the way around. Sorry, my taxes will pay for people who cannot work, but people who will not work ought to get nothing out of anybody. Maybe then they'd realize the worth of a real job.
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@Deb-8-a-bull
I'm trying to figure out what age of anything has to do with jump-starting the universe, or that it did it itself. Who really needs to tie age to it? It happened when it happened whether yesterday, this morning, or billions of years ago, or more.
But I'll debunk the self-start theory for the same reason as the fallacy of ex nihilo; nothing from nothing.
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@oromagi
I identify as a Liberal and consider race a mostly social construction
I don't think it much matters how one self-identifies politically because of the claim, which I think is mostly correct, that racial tensions are a social construct. That said, where I hold reservation of "social construct" is that it is really an individual decision to discriminate, and not a systemic issue. Biologically, according to Scientific American, there is no race. That there are distinctive features, notwithstanding, I really don't think these features originate the malice one feels toward another, where that malice is demonstrated.
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@Sum1hugme
I have a major problem with Kant's moral ethic, that something done is not good or evil based on the consequences, particularly to others, but on whether or not the action was consistent with one's duty. What is dutiful may, please the actor, but5 in the process may, in fact, cause harm to another. One's personal duty, just as their rights, cannot infringe on another's rights or duty, and yet be described as being moral action. Duty is entirely relative; right ands wrong, or good and evil, are not relative.
A valid case in point may be this nonsense action reported by Bob Woodward regarding Chairman Milley of the Joint Chiefs of Staff alleged to have called his Chinese counterpart to advise warning him should a military strike against China be initiated by the U.S. Milley may feel it is his duty to protect a potential target of US action, but, if this allegation is true, it runs contrary to his what his duty really is, which has no chain of command relative to acting on foreign policy. His job has no operational authority, so it actually is contrary to his duty, but not accordfing to him.
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@TheUnderdog
I don't think the figure is nearly this high.
And yet, the best data you are able to present other than "I don't think" is "Let's say..."
Let's say you need better data and stop thinking you know what it is and is not.
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@Dr.Franklin
Oh, but he does. He's told you that you misinterpret how the Constitution works, thus arriving at your conclusion that it doesn't work. You totally misunderstand that the Supreme Court is the final straw in interpretation of the Constitution, not Congress, and not the Executive. Helps to read the Constitution for what it says, not how some yahoo interprets it. For example, something as simple as the first amendment. The Constitution does not say there is separation between Church and State. Nor did Madison ever say that. In fact, Madison argued that there are intersections when the two are after the same ideals.
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@TheUnderdog
I know that the proportion of highschoolers with a minimum wage job is higher than 3%
Why does that imply simulations? I NEVER held a min wage job, even beginning work in high school. I always earned more than min wage. always had higher paying jobs; one summer, I* was more than double min wage. Takes having skills, which is what school is supposed to accommodate. Tell me how having courses like some suggest - LGBTQ nonsense, for example, is supposed to increase my wages?
(Having more than one job) Then this would skew the statistics.
No one works more than one job? I find that hard to believe. One summer, I had three part time jobs to make the equivalent of on e full, so I know you're selling nonsense.
I doubt a highschooler has a high chance of having a job other than a minimum wage job.
Doubt all you like. My first reply above says you're doubt is unfounded, or are kids today dumber and less skilled than my generation. I don't think so, but, then again, teaching last year seemed to be higher skilled than many teachers were willing to display.
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None of comparisons carry any water if there's no supporting evidence. I'll wager most don't even wear jock straps anymore. If they do hold water, you're likely leaking.
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What subjects should be covered in a formal education setting of K-12? Things that affect all of us. Want to focus on specifics that may affect only a portion of the population? Try another forum. College comes to mind.
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@TheUnderdog
There are factors being ignored:
1. "Let's say..." Is that supposed to be a valid statistic?
2. You're attempting to blend two statistics that may not necessarily correlate: population in an age group, and number of jobs held.
3. Is there supposed to be a job available for each person, regardless of age group?
4. What if one person has more than one job?
5. School-aged people may also have higher-paying jobs, or no jobs. You stated stats do not speak to either condition.
6. The assumption of "simulated people" is evidence of too much A.I. on the brain.
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@TheUnderdog
First and foremost, Article I, sections 2 & 3 stipulate that Representatives and Senators are elected by States. No more States; no more Congress. Article IV stipulates once formed, States cannot be altered. Eliminating them altogether is an alteration. In both cases, only an amendment can change the current law, not simple legislation. Amendments require the passage of 3/4 of both House and Senate, and then ratification by3/4 of States. Since States would be eliminated by your proposal, there is high probability such an amendment would not be ratified by any of the bodies required to do so. You're taking jobs from Congress and upsettin g the entire organization of government. Not likely to be approved.
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@TheUnderdog
Every fire I've ever seen givers light, and there is no light in hell. The hellfire is allegory for suffering, but it isn't fire. Hell is also described as "outer darkness"
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