Mike Johnson - Speaker of the House

[Bigbrog]

1 hour ago, ThreePointTakedown said:

I would love to see your breakdown of how and where I did any of this. Please cut and paste my text with inclusions of where you feel this happened? 

Seems as though you're feeling attacked an behalf of someone else. That sounds exhausting. 

Pointing out that they should consider other circumstances when forming an opinion is what I did. Do you disagree? If so, please elaborate. I am open to other perspectives. I'd love to know more about yours. 

Their opinion of what they consider 'hard work' or where it can take you is based on a lot of things. But making a blanket statement like that is ignorant of a lot of things. Or they should say something like, 'if we all started at the same point, then hard work or work ethic would probably play a large part in where a person ends up as far as success(which is a funky metric that we can discuss at another time)' That, you and they, keep coming back to 'hard work' as a defining characteristic to getting success says to me that you take it personal. You may feel that your work ethic was the thing that set you apart from others and played a key role in how you've gotten to where you are. That may be true, but if you take a step back and look critically you might see other things that happened or was offered to you that helped to make the 'hard work' pay off a bit more than you give them credit for. 

We have a difficult time checking our privilege. I sure do. Terribly lucky growing up when and where I did. With friends and family that I had. The more I learn the more I come to understand that my perspective is incredibly narrow and defending the status quo that helped me get to where I am is also defending a status quo that keeps some people, through no fault of their own, from enjoying the simpler things that I take for granted but could otherwise change or improve their lives immensely. 

I hope you can see this not as an attack but as someone trying to offer a perspective that you might not have. In the hopes that it leads to actions that primarily benefitting neither of us.  

Also, they referenced 'success' several times. That each child had a certain amount of success(again not specific to what that could or should mean) but not if any of them were happy, independent of success. Just a thought. 

LOL...you say you didn't do something and then turn around and do the very same thing again!!  Have some freaking self reflection and awareness.  And it kills me that you say "We have a difficult time checking our privilege."  What a crock of crap.  I'd love to know what "privilege" I need to check?  And if your statement even made sense, so what??  What are people supposed to do, apologize for where they got to in life??  Is that somehow going to make someone who grew up  in a different situation then them feel better??  Is that going to fix all the ill wills of our society, current and past??  Again, to me that is offensive that a person like you can preach about something you know absolutely nothing about and try and chastise people who do.  

[jross]

I spoke with my mother last night... some interesting points to share.

JR: Why did Dad risk his life by joining the military?

• He didn't risk his life; he joined the Air Force.
  • Well, technically, he 'risked' his life, but that wasn't a concern.
• We had a one-year-old child, jobs, a small home, and managed okay... but his dad influenced him to take advantage of the GI Bill while he still could.

JR: When did Dad complete his college?

• After the Air Force, and I helped him complete his written essays, etc.

JR: Why and when did you go to college?

• When you were in pre-school in Texas... I had more free time and was thinking of going back to work.
• Dad asked me what I wanted to do, and I didn't know... but we had met the 'Snows' and Carrie was a nurse.  She said a nurse could get into whatever field they wanted, and she enjoyed it.
• I completed my GED and then took an Anatomy course while you were in pre-school.  I got an A!  I always thought I was stupid because my dad called me that.  
• When you started kindergarten, I took more day classes... then we moved to Kansas, and I had to get accepted to school again.  I started college at 26 years old and it took me 5 years to complete the 2 year registered nurse program because of parenting duties.  
• Your dad's dad never liked me.  He thought I honey-trapped his son and later told me he was surprised I graduated.  But I loved your dad's mom.  She was my role model for what a good mother is.
• You know what, I am smart.  I got a 3.83 GPA.  I am quick on my feet and solve many problems at work.  I didn't know I was smart until I was 30.
• You went to night labs with me because nobody could watch you.

JR: Can people raise themself out of poverty?

• Some can, but it's hard.  People are not motivated, and the government services don't always help.
• I've volunteered at the True Light Family Resource Center for over a decade.
  • TLFRC continues to evolve programs to meet the needs of at-risk individuals in the urban community who are multi-ethnic, homeless, hungry, or without hope. 
• We've (parents) taught skills, led bible studies, bought/rehabbed/furnished homes, arranged government assistance, fed, you name it.  With this setup, these ladies lose their children and house within three months of relocation.  They refuse to work, and the government pays them just enough to satisfy this dependence. This story plays itself out over and over again.

JR: Unlike your brother and sister, how did you raise yourself out of poverty?  Was it luck?

• God's plan.  He put trials in front of me that I've overcome.
• JR interjection
  • Is it God's plan or just people exercising their free will and decisions/actions crashing together?  Like dad impregnating you, marrying you, joining the military, helping while you went to college, etc.?  (Mom: I guess it is a clash of free wills, and you choose to take advantage of the opportunities provided)

JR: How did my sister get out of poverty post-divorce?  Was it luck?

• Motivation.  She took out school loans, graduated, and got a degree.
• JR interjection
  • Did you know she was on food stamps for a time? (Mom: nope)
  • Did she get grants in addition to loans (Mom: I don't know)
  • How did she manage school while having young children?  (Mom: prioritized school and sacrafice)

Mom Context

• Mom was trailer poor
• Mom had dentures at 18
• Mom was pregnant in high school and didn't graduate
• Mom's father and brother in and out of jail and prison
• Mom's brother dropped out of school in the third grade

[jross]

My mother also talked about changing church after 22 years... and she brought up abortion in the context of Christians who excessively live a life of sin without guilt and change because of the new age of Jesus.  She said whenever she speaks about abortion being wrong... the women around her attack her view.  We had a conversation that she couldn't speak her mind on that topic (my opinion).  Stereotypically every woman has had or knows someone who has had an abortion.  You are calling them a murderer, and they can't handle that judgment.  So it's best not to speak your judgment on it and support compromised regulations.  Yes, abortion is bad in your mind (and mine), but this topic spans political parties, and conservatives are going to keep losing to progressives in elections... something Mike Johnson, etc, better recognize.

[Paul158]

9 minutes ago, jross said:

I spoke with my mother last night... some interesting points to share.

JR: Why did Dad risk his life by joining the military?

• He didn't risk his life; he joined the Air Force.
  • Well, technically, he 'risked' his life, but that wasn't a concern.
• We had a one-year-old child, jobs, a small home, and managed okay... but his dad influenced him to take advantage of the GI Bill while he still could.

JR: When did Dad complete his college?

• After the Air Force, and I helped him complete his written essays, etc.

JR: Why and when did you go to college?

• When you were in pre-school in Texas... I had more free time and was thinking of going back to work.
• Dad asked me what I wanted to do, and I didn't know... but we had met the 'Snows' and Carrie was a nurse.  She said a nurse could get into whatever field they wanted, and she enjoyed it.
• I completed my GED and then took an Anatomy course while you were in pre-school.  I got an A!  I always thought I was stupid because my dad called me that.  
• When you started kindergarten, I took more day classes... then we moved to Kansas, and I had to get accepted to school again.  I started college at 26 years old and it took me 5 years to complete the 2 year registered nurse program because of parenting duties.  
• Your dad's dad never liked me.  He thought I honey-trapped his son and later told me he was surprised I graduated.  But I loved your dad's mom.  She was my role model for what a good mother is.
• You know what, I am smart.  I got a 3.83 GPA.  I am quick on my feet and solve many problems at work.  I didn't know I was smart until I was 30.
• You went to night labs with me because nobody could watch you.

JR: Can people raise themself out of poverty?

• Some can, but it's hard.  People are not motivated, and the government services don't always help.
• I've volunteered at the True Light Family Resource Center for over a decade.
  • TLFRC continues to evolve programs to meet the needs of at-risk individuals in the urban community who are multi-ethnic, homeless, hungry, or without hope. 
• We've (parents) taught skills, led bible studies, bought/rehabbed/furnished homes, arranged government assistance, fed, you name it.  With this setup, these ladies lose their children and house within three months of relocation.  They refuse to work, and the government pays them just enough to satisfy this dependence. This story plays itself out over and over again.

JR: Unlike your brother and sister, how did you raise yourself out of poverty?  Was it luck?

• God's plan.  He put trials in front of me that I've overcome.
• JR interjection
  • Is it God's plan or just people exercising their free will and decisions/actions crashing together?  Like dad impregnating you, marrying you, joining the military, helping while you went to college, etc.?  (Mom: I guess it is a clash of free wills, and you choose to take advantage of the opportunities provided)

JR: How did my sister get out of poverty post-divorce?  Was it luck?

• Motivation.  She took out school loans, graduated, and got a degree.
• JR interjection
  • Did you know she was on food stamps for a time? (Mom: nope)
  • Did she get grants in addition to loans (Mom: I don't know)
  • How did she manage school while having young children?  (Mom: prioritized school and sacrafice)

Mom Context

• Mom was trailer poor
• Mom had dentures at 18
• Mom was pregnant in high school and didn't graduate
• Mom's father and brother in and out of jail and prison
• Mom's brother dropped out of school in the third grade

Thank you for sharing. It was very insightful. Your families story is very similar to mine. I sometimes refer to it as breaking the chains of poverty. Who is willing to sacrifice through hard work, insurmountable odds to make a better life for themselves and their families? Not everyone understands this.

[ThreePointTakedown]

1 hour ago, Bigbrog said:

LOL...you say you didn't do something and then turn around and do the very same thing again!!  Have some freaking self reflection and awareness.  And it kills me that you say "We have a difficult time checking our privilege."  What a crock of crap.  I'd love to know what "privilege" I need to check?  And if your statement even made sense, so what??  What are people supposed to do, apologize for where they got to in life??  Is that somehow going to make someone who grew up  in a different situation then them feel better??  Is that going to fix all the ill wills of our society, current and past??  Again, to me that is offensive that a person like you can preach about something you know absolutely nothing about and try and chastise people who do.  

I explained this in the post you responded to. CYP, is to understand that how you have come about your opinion and experience may be different than others and to take that into consideration. Often times its that more privileged that HAVE an opportunity to voice an opinion of any kind. While the less privileged are working to ensure they can eat or keep the lights on and have no time to scroll an internet thread. 

If/when you don't do that, you're opinions at best come off as ignorant/arrogant, at worse come off as malicious/hateful. If your intention is to be helpful, good. A little humility and sympathy for those in less fortunate circumstances would go a long way to offering your opinion as a stand in for their voice. Not that it isn't appreciated. But try to understand that raging against someone for asking you what your experience might be lacking when coming to a conclusion only emphasizes the fact that you aren't coming at the issue in a healthy way. 

The fact is, it seems like you feel attacked and people are rarely productive while in that state. So I'll take that with a grain of salt. So for everyone reading, I hope this can act as an aid to help you understand that it isn't bad to try to be helpful. But solutions without empathy to the actual problem doesn't help as much as they could. 

Hope you understand it this time around. 

[jross]

MJ released the J6 videos that show undercover cops in the J6 crowds.  Read this article and stay patient to determine what is confirmed over time.  "Go, Go, Go!"

https://justthenews.com/accountability/congress-has-obtained-bodycams-undercover-cops-who-conducted-surveillance-jan-6

[ThreePointTakedown]

On 11/22/2023 at 9:06 AM, jross said:

MJ released the J6 videos that show undercover cops in the J6 crowds.  Read this article and stay patient to determine what is confirmed over time.  "Go, Go, Go!"

https://justthenews.com/accountability/congress-has-obtained-bodycams-undercover-cops-who-conducted-surveillance-jan-6

Was it all the film or just some carefully curated clips? Because if it was the latter, you could say he's trying to frame a narrative rather then remaining open minded. If that is so, you should hesitate to trust anything he says/does because he has an agenda.  Did you consider that before posting? I doubt it. 

[jross]

^^^ looks like common ground to wait for confirmation.

[Paul158]

1 hour ago, jross said:

^^^ looks like common ground to wait for confirmation.

Would you say the JAN 6 committee did a little curating of their own. Would you say the J6 committee was trying frame a narrative rather than being open minded? So should we trust anything the J6 committee showed us or said because of their agenda?

[Plasmodium]

Big ole yawn.  Same footage given exclusively to Tucker Carlson for the same purpose.  Usual cast frothing at the mouth and desperately demanding somebody other than MAGA is to blame.

[headshuck]

Over 65% of the population suspect the feds provoked the riot. That was April. The percentage is likely higher now.

https://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/biden_administration/j6_videos_65_now_suspect_feds_provoked_riot

[Offthemat]

7 minutes ago, headshuck said:

Over 65% of the population suspect the feds provoked the riot. That was April. The percentage is likely higher now.

https://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/biden_administration/j6_videos_65_now_suspect_feds_provoked_riot

It’s obvious to most people, and more than (ahem) will admit it. 

[Plasmodium]

Must be a slow week gathering 'evidence' over in the 'Hang Hunter High' section of the house.

Day after day, year after year they tell lie after lie and yet the sheep continue to eagerly provide more fleece.

[Offthemat]

40 minutes ago, Plasmodium said:

Must be a slow week gathering 'evidence' over in the 'Hang Hunter High' section of the house.

Day after day, year after year they tell lie after lie and yet the sheep continue to eagerly provide more fleece.

The legislative branch of the government has been shut down for a week and a half, or didn’t they tell you.  

[Paul158]

38 minutes ago, Plasmodium said:

Must be a slow week gathering 'evidence' over in the 'Hang Hunter High' section of the house.

Day after day, year after year they tell lie after lie and yet the sheep continue to eagerly provide more fleece.

Are you talking about Joe and company? Telling us the border is secure, the economy is doing great, that Joe has the mental acuity of a 40 year old and that he can still whip Corn Pop.

[Plasmodium]

1 minute ago, Paul158 said:

Are you talking about Joe and company? Telling us the border is secure, the economy is doing great, that Joe has the mental acuity of a 40 year old and that he can still whip Corn Pop.

No, I'm talking about people whipping you into a frenzy over manufactured issues.

[Plasmodium]

8 minutes ago, Offthemat said:

The legislative branch of the government has been shut down for a week and a half, or didn’t they tell you.  

Then it is a slow week over at the Hang 'em high saloon.   Thanks for the update.

[Paul158]

1 minute ago, Plasmodium said:

No, I'm talking about people whipping you into a frenzy over manufactured issues.

I'm actually pretty relaxed . I'm reading a book on snake oil salesman.

[Plasmodium]

8 minutes ago, Paul158 said:

I'm actually pretty relaxed . I'm reading a book on snake oil salesman.

Author is John Barron?   Read it, highly recommend!