That's the best advice anyone has ever given Butt1. What's amazing is the collection of crackpots that can reside in our country, and yet the country keeps on ticking despite this lunacy. What a Country!
Only a couple of days or so left. I hope he has cleared out his desk and grabbed his Washington Nationals mask.
I don't know what you're replying to and I honestly don't care. I'm just curious, Piezoe. At what point do you have to re-consider your world views if you find yourself on the wrong side over and over. I'm not saying you're on the wrong side. I'm just curious about whether you check your own viewpoints - ever - against any litmus test to ensure you are on the right side of history. For example, what if you were in a room surrounded by people who thought the direct opposite of you? Are you the type of person that would think "huh, maybe I might be in the wrong. I should re-examine what I believe and see if I have overlooked something." or would you be the type of person to insist that you were right, and everyone else was a "crackpot"?
I was raised by Edwardian parents born well before the first world war. One said "please" and "thank you," sat up straight at the dinner table. Bad manners were not tolerated and would occasion a withering stare. Words were superfluous. One knew instantly that a boundary had been crossed that would not be crossed again. Looking down on anyone was not tolerated. I am sorry to say that modern sensibilities have, at times, got the best of me. If it is any comfort to you, I can tell you that because of my upbringing , I am constantly aware that I could be wrong. I have changed my mind, though not often, about some major issues. It's always been because of new information I wasn't previously unaware of. The litmus test I apply, I recommend it to anyone, is to place yourself in the other's shoes. Having done that, if you can articulate the reasons why you think as you do and can't understand why the other guy thinks and acts as they do, you may not be correct, but you certainly shouldn't change your position. Your position on various issues should always be rational in terms of the facts known to you. The only way you can position yourself to make the correct decision most of the time is to read widely those sources that have shown themselves to be usually reliable, stay abreast of all sides of major issues. and avoid taking strong stands on issues you have little knowledge of. Some issues, however, must be decided according to one's ethics, and then you must be resigned that you will never agree with one whose ethical guideposts are fundamentally different from your own; thus the gulf between myself and Donald Trump. All of our substantive disagreements rest upon an insurmountable gulf between our personal ethics. Mine are held firm in my brain; his, or the lack thereof, have been amply demonstrated, in a very public forum, by words and deeds. He's left no doubt that he's not even attempted adherence to ethical standards that most of us at least try to adhere to. I am convinced he is a danger to the survival of the relatively weak democratic elements in our republican form of government, and that his decisions and behavior have a high potential to ultimately result in real harm to a majority of those who live in this country. By the way, I am aware that I still owe you a post on our discussion of the minimum wage. I have not forgot. I can't make up my own mind. I used to be a strong advocate of raising the federally mandated minimum wage. Now I'm not so sure there isn't a better approach to getting the earnings from low wage jobs up to something that one who works full time can live on. Just having trouble forming my thoughts on this into something coherent. In other words, although I am convinced that what we are doing now is causing an undesirable distortion in our economy, I am just not very sure of what I think we should do about it.
Interesting background, thank you for posting it. What do you believe the most significant issue was that you realized you were wrong on in recent history? As an example.
I remember back in '68, the discussion about how that period's increase would "destroy American business". And here we are, 50 years later, with a destroyed American economy! Not because of the financialization of the economy, off-shoring, union busting, the rise of a managerial elite, the political and cultural tyranny of the plutocrats and entertainment industry, and all the inequality of opportunity and redress those things entail. Nope, none of those things. It's the minimum wage, stupid!
I'm not sure if I understand. Are you saying the minimum wage (lack of raising it to a "fair" wage) was more destructive than the financial engineering catering to the "rentier" class as you call them?