dupe
http://videosift.com/video/How-big-of-a-budget-cut-is-100-million

Attention: Due to budget cuts and lack of levy support, local school have now cut their woodshop classes.

You may no longer learn this at school.

>> ^JiggaJonson:

I work in the public school system. Last week I ran out of markers for my white board. I asked my department head for some and she handed me one (literally one maker). When I asked for more, you know, in case my one marker goes missing, she said "We're being really tight with everything because of budget cuts, sorry..."
I left work and bought some markers for $5.
Good thing the Bush Tax Cuts have been extended, otherwise these companies might not be able to provide massages or fire-poles to their staff. And schools, with their frivolous spending on things like markers and paper for the copy machine (also not provided), will finally realize the errors of their ways.
Dont worry, the jobs are on the way though!!! Really!!!
TRICKLE DOWN MOTHAFUCKA!!!


My brother lives in California. Apparently the schools send a list of supplies for the parents to buy. No, not supplies for the kids, but supplies for the school. Parents are having to fund the school by buying reams of paper, etc.

At that point, you have to think that the school system is a bit underfunded, eh?

I work in the public school system. Last week I ran out of markers for my white board. I asked my department head for some and she handed me one (literally one maker). When I asked for more, you know, in case my one marker goes missing, she said "We're being really tight with everything because of budget cuts, sorry..."

I left work and bought some markers for $5.

Good thing the Bush Tax Cuts have been extended, otherwise these companies might not be able to provide massages or fire-poles to their staff. And schools, with their frivolous spending on things like markers and paper for the copy machine (also not provided), will finally realize the errors of their ways.

Dont worry, the jobs are on the way though!!! Really!!!
TRICKLE DOWN MOTHAFUCKA!!!

We spent 15 million trying to win votes for the 2018 world cup, perfect example of money wasted. Our current government is making all the wrong budget cuts. Total respect for the students protesting despite the cold weather, yes there was some violence but in most towns and cities the demonstrations were peaceful - it's just London that attracts most of the troublemakers since they know that's where the media cameras will be.

Reality is that this is probably the first big protest of quite a few over the next few years concerning a number of issues due to arise in the UK. Our governments are being told what to do by well-financed corporations who do not have the considerations of society as a whole foremost in their thoughts. Man I hate saying that, 10 years ago I remember hearing that same stuff from conspiracy theorists and thinking it was absurd. Now it's so blatantly obvious that corporations and their wallets dictate a lot of what happens within the governments of many countries.

What has corporate lobbying got to do with student tuition fees? The big companies that soak up billions of pounds of tax-payers' money on delayed and incompetent projects have kept many of their lucrative deals, often signed by civil servants who don't understand what they're signing up for. All those projects and deals need to be reevaluated, and the work agreed upon by skilled individuals in the public sector who understand what is being agreed with the supplier. We've got a great IT skill base in the UK and more coming out of our universities (providing tuition fees don't prevent a lot of skilled individuals attending in the near future), why are we sending billions of pounds out of the country to companies that make it a matter of expectation that there will be failures and missed deadlines? Sure most of the equipment and off-the-shelf software solutions will come from the USA and that's fine, it's the skilled labour we need to source locally.

I could go on forever but I think I've spewed enough incoherent crud for one post

I'm so done with Obama. The Republicans just keep beating him down. How can he possibly think he will win the next election when every deal he makes portrays him as weak and the Repugs as strong. Rather than letting the Republicans explain why they rejected the unemployed masses and gave the middle class a tax hike. He's going to let them claim how they were trying to balance the budget, cut taxes, AND... that Obama made the biggest budget deficit of all time. What a joke. Go Wikileaks!

>> ^blankfist:

No way. Republicans, or neocons, for the most part like the military and police spending. They talk about less government, but they tend to believe in strong national defense and strong police forces. Strong is typically equated to the amount of funds.

Actually, one of the things liberals got mad at Bush about is that he cut back funding for US police, while spending quite a hefty sum on Iraqi police forces (like, actual Iraqi police departments).

>> ^blankfist:
I can't speak to Pheonix, but like I said funding alone isn't the issue. Personally I would like to see the police (and military) be drastically minimized. That would mean budget cuts, yes. That would mean police are laid off, yes. I'd like to see the police also have less authority.
I don't like seeing these videos of cops coming into people's homes and killing them and murdering their dogs. Will shrinking the police force eradicate that completely? No. But it certainly would mean less cases I'm sure.


We seem to be back at square one with this conversation then. I'll repeat what I said to begin with:
>> ^NetRunner:

Ahh, so your solution to cops behaving badly is to make them take paycuts and/or work longer hours.
Should work out awesome.


Why exactly would cops behave better if they were understaffed? I mean, my job isn't nearly as stressful as being a cop, and they've laid off so many people here that we're woefully understaffed, and it sure as hell hasn't improved my demeanor.

@NetRunner: "I think it's not so much that Republicans understand your meaning, so much as Republicans share your misconception that all government spending always includes a huge percentage of fraud and waste, and therefore that government budget cuts never really hurt anything that matters."

No way. Republicans, or neocons, for the most part like the military and police spending. They talk about less government, but they tend to believe in strong national defense and strong police forces. Strong is typically equated to the amount of funds.

I can't speak to Pheonix, but like I said funding alone isn't the issue. Personally I would like to see the police (and military) be drastically minimized. That would mean budget cuts, yes. That would mean police are laid off, yes. I'd like to see the police also have less authority.

I don't like seeing these videos of cops coming into people's homes and killing them and murdering their dogs. Will shrinking the police force eradicate that completely? No. But it certainly would mean less cases I'm sure.

>> ^blankfist:

I think we could do better than keep this broken system around, but that's my personal take on it. I personally think people should be responsible for taking care of themselves.

So no police is your solution?

>> ^blankfist:
When I speak of funding, the Republicans seem to get my meaning. They know cutting funding for police or military means it shrinks. They don't like that. It's funny when I speak to Democrats or Progressives they tend to think it's an attack on the worker. Interesting.

I think it's not so much that Republicans understand your meaning, so much as Republicans share your misconception that all government spending always includes a huge percentage of fraud and waste, and therefore that government budget cuts never really hurt anything that matters.

For example, you seemed to think that they'd been buying unnecessary military toys with taxpayer money, and that simply cutting their overall budget would both make them lose their overpriced toys, and conduct their duties in a more friendly and professional manner.

In reality, the budget situation for Phoenix PD was that they just had a 13% budget cut, and had to lay off officers.

Thank you.

From the video: "The governor opposes a proposition on the November ballot that would decriminalize Marijuana."

This is not decriminalization.>> ^bamdrew:

Not "decriminalized"; description should say:
'Penalty for carrying up to 1 ounce of pot reduced from misdemeanor to infraction; continues a maximum fine of $100, but with no jury trial'
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20018327-503544.html
"The new law does not change the penalties for possession. Currently, carrying up to an ounce of marijuana is punishable by a fine of up to $100; no jail time or probation can be ordered. One key difference, however, is that until now a defendant has been entitled to a jury trial and a defense attorney. By downgrading possession to an infraction, that will no longer be the case.
"In this time of drastic budget cuts, prosecutors, defense attorneys, law enforcement, and the courts cannot afford to expend limited resources prosecuting a crime that carries the same punishment as a traffic ticket," Schwarzenegger wrote in a signing statement."
So its all about not spending money on trials and attorneys when folks have small amounts of pot. Not a lot has changed. Hope that clears things up a little.

>> ^bamdrew:
Not "decriminalized"; description should say:
'Penalty for carrying up to 1 ounce of pot reduced from misdemeanor to infraction; continues a maximum fine of $100, but with no jury trial'
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20018327-503544.html
"The new law does not change the penalties for possession. Currently, carrying up to an ounce of marijuana is punishable by a fine of up to $100; no jail time or probation can be ordered. One key difference, however, is that until now a defendant has been entitled to a jury trial and a defense attorney. By downgrading possession to an infraction, that will no longer be the case.
"In this time of drastic budget cuts, prosecutors, defense attorneys, law enforcement, and the courts cannot afford to expend limited resources prosecuting a crime that carries the same punishment as a traffic ticket," Schwarzenegger wrote in a signing statement.
"
So its all about not spending money on trials and attorneys when folks have small amounts of pot. Not a lot has changed. Hope that clears things up a little.


Another thing you may consider is the cost they no longer have to pay to keep someone in jail after convicting them of that misdemeanor. The amount of money that this measure will save is staggering.

Not "decriminalized"; description should say:
'Penalty for carrying up to 1 ounce of pot reduced from misdemeanor to infraction; continues a maximum fine of $100, but with no jury trial'

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20018327-503544.html
"The new law does not change the penalties for possession. Currently, carrying up to an ounce of marijuana is punishable by a fine of up to $100; no jail time or probation can be ordered. One key difference, however, is that until now a defendant has been entitled to a jury trial and a defense attorney. By downgrading possession to an infraction, that will no longer be the case.

"In this time of drastic budget cuts, prosecutors, defense attorneys, law enforcement, and the courts cannot afford to expend limited resources prosecuting a crime that carries the same punishment as a traffic ticket," Schwarzenegger wrote in a signing statement.
"

So its all about not spending money on trials and attorneys when folks have small amounts of pot. Not a lot has changed. Hope that clears things up a little.

>> ^JiggaJonson:

California isn't the only state that is facing budget cuts in education. When I came home with my pink slip this year, I told my wife I was one of 55 teachers in my school corp. that got one. I misquoted my department head though, actually, 55% of us were pink slipped and any program with less than 28 students was cut to make up for a budget shortfall.
Notable program cuts included a majority of AP (advanced placement where HS students can earn college credit) classes, art, German, level 4 foreign language classes (which traditionally only have 6-12 students enrolled,and journalism (newspaper not yearbook)(of course it's the section I teach [I only have a staff of 12 now]) - oh and special education, those students are being placed in regular classrooms without aids.
Total layoffs amounted to about 135 teachers, most of the janitorial staff, and nearly all teacher aids. If that seems like a lot it's partially because they actually are closing schools in the corporation. Two middle schools, four elementary schools, and one high school (mine) are closing. The two middle schools are being combined into the closing high school building, the elementary schools are being crammed into the middle school buildings, the closing high school is being merged with the open one and the leftover buildings are being used for storage and administrative offices.
Ever wonder why half of all new teachers quit in the first five years?


This sounds exactly like the high school/school system I went to and my father still teaches at(hell, it could actually be it) in central Indiana...the education system in that area has gone down the toilet. They raise local taxes and get loans to upgrade both high schools, making more space, getting better equipment, now 4 years later they close one and start using it as a junior high, while the taxes still have to pay for all the accommodations made for enhancing the high school education/experience.

Now kids will be looking at 90min bus rides to the high school, 9th graders having to travel across town to participate in high school athletics, clubs, and/or academics that will not be offered at the new junior high, and teachers with more seniority being forced to start teaching courses they are less familiar with in order to keep their jobs. Frustratingly enough, I know this is happening everywhere, but I am glad as hell I moved out of that area after college.

In reply to this comment by JiggaJonson:
California isn't the only state that is facing budget cuts in education. When I came home with my pink slip this year, I told my wife I was one of 55 teachers in my school corp. that got one. I misquoted my department head though, actually, 55% of us were pink slipped and any program with less than 28 students was cut to make up for a budget shortfall.

Notable program cuts included a majority of AP (advanced placement where HS students can earn college credit) classes, art, German, level 4 foreign language classes (which traditionally only have 6-12 students enrolled,and journalism (newspaper not yearbook)(of course it's the section I teach [I only have a staff of 12 now]) - oh and special education, those students are being placed in regular classrooms without aids.

Total layoffs amounted to about 135 teachers, most of the janitorial staff, and nearly all teacher aids. If that seems like a lot it's partially because they actually are closing schools in the corporation. Two middle schools, four elementary schools, and one high school (mine) are closing. The two middle schools are being combined into the closing high school building, the elementary schools are being crammed into the middle school buildings, the closing high school is being merged with the open one and the leftover buildings are being used for storage and administrative offices.

Ever wonder why half of all new teachers quit in the first five years?

i am sorry to hear that jigga.
you are a far better man than me.for me to teach in public schools i would be forced to work under NCLB which by itself is not so terrible but combine that with the fact i don't do inter-departmental politics well and i have a history of not playing well with administrators.
i did try it for a few weeks though and while your situation may be different,i found myself working with the biggest bunch of passive/aggressive babies i had ever encountered.those would be the adults not the students.
i am sure things will turn out ok for ya.maybe this will open up a new avenue for you in the realm of teaching.
ya never know.
till next time.
namaste.

sorry to hear that. I feel for ya as education gets chopped up. I consider education a big political issue both as education gets taken over by charter schools and as states institute austerity programs. and sorry about yer job.

In reply to this comment by JiggaJonson:
California isn't the only state that is facing budget cuts in education. When I came home with my pink slip this year, I told my wife I was one of 55 teachers in my school corp. that got one. I misquoted my department head though, actually, 55% of us were pink slipped and any program with less than 28 students was cut to make up for a budget shortfall.

Notable program cuts included a majority of AP (advanced placement where HS students can earn college credit) classes, art, German, level 4 foreign language classes (which traditionally only have 6-12 students enrolled,and journalism (newspaper not yearbook)(of course it's the section I teach [I only have a staff of 12 now]) - oh and special education, those students are being placed in regular classrooms without aids.

Total layoffs amounted to about 135 teachers, most of the janitorial staff, and nearly all teacher aids. If that seems like a lot it's partially because they actually are closing schools in the corporation. Two middle schools, four elementary schools, and one high school (mine) are closing. The two middle schools are being combined into the closing high school building, the elementary schools are being crammed into the middle school buildings, the closing high school is being merged with the open one and the leftover buildings are being used for storage and administrative offices.

Ever wonder why half of all new teachers quit in the first five years?