# Stupid liberal idea of the day **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 20, 2011, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086 "2011-04-20T15:35:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 297
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2017, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/5921 "2017-06-19T14:36:02Z")
> [@Chisquirrel](#): > > Wait, you subsidize the “education” of the less well-off, persumably knowing you’ll make enough from your richer students to cover it? Holy shit, you’re a socialist in disguise! > > Also, the only value you “teach” that you could claim to show is perseverance. Integrity? Courtesy? Self-control? What a joke. Who said anything about subsidizing? I sure didn’t. I’ll lower the monthly payments by spreading them over a longer period of time, but everyone pays the same amount in the long run. As far as integrity, courtesy and self-control go, I display them far more than others on this board. For example, look at your post to me, quoted above. It’s total bullshit and lies, but that didn’t stop you from making the post, did it? But now you’ll think I’m all rude and discourteous because I pointed out your bullshit instead of meekly submitting to it. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2017, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/5922 "2017-06-19T14:37:50Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > > [@Clothahump](#): > > > > You know what they say when you assume things? In your case, it’s absolutely correct. > > > > FWIW, more than half my students are minorities. And on a daily basis, I teach them how to be successful in life. I teach them about perseverance, loyalty, honor, integrity, and most importantly: courtesy, respect and self-control. These are things you should have learned, and I’m sorry you didn’t. Parents of my junior students in some cases sacrifice in order to pay my monthly dues, and I lower those dues to help them out. They do so because they want their kids coming to a place that is oriented toward success where the only color that matters is the belt around their waist. > > > > Here’s a newsflash for ya, **Chimera** : wanting to see the laws of my country enforced does not make me a racist. Put that together with the fact that for years I have consistently said that skin color is meaningless. > > > > But then again, facts like these don’t matter to liberals like you once you throw down the racist card and think that makes you a winner. > > How about unapologetically using ethnic slurs? You may say that you think skin color is meaningless, but your unapologetic usage of ethnic slurs kind of seems to preclude that. > > **Clothy** probably won’t see this post, but I’d like to point out that he blocked me because I asked him about his usage of ethnic slurs. … ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2017, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/5923 "2017-06-19T14:37:51Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > You know what they say when you assume things? In your case, it’s absolutely correct. Did one of your white belts come up with that one for you? ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2017, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/5924 "2017-06-19T14:44:08Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > > [@Clothahump](#): > > > > New York to Nix Literacy Tests for Teachers because too many Minorities Are Failing > > > > [New York to Nix Literacy Tests for Teachers because too many Minorities Are Failing - Intellectual Takeout](http://www.intellectualtakeout.org/blog/new-york-nix-literacy-tests-teachers-because-too-many-minorities-are-failing) > > He shoots! > > He misses! > > Again! > > Unsurprisingly, our village idiot has, for the umpteenth time, relied on a poorly-researched second-hand source that fails to provide a complete picture of the issue. He has linked to an opinion piece by someone whose research and analytical skills are, apparently, not much better than his. > > [Here is the original Associated Press article with a much more complete picture.](https://apnews.com/d58b761ef393408e9c6539ee6362cae9/test-meant-screen-teachers-instead-weeded-out-minorities) > > It is true that racial and ethnic minorities like blacks and Latinos do worse on the test, and it is also true that some education reformers support keeping the test. It’s also true that we need to do something, as a nation, about the quality of students emerging from our schools, as well as the quality of students entering our teacher-training programs. > > The AP story, however, suggests that this test wasn’t necessary, because it duplicated stuff done elsewhere. > > > [@](#): > > > > Several education professors told The Associated Press the test doesn’t measure anything that isn’t covered in other exams students must take, including subject matter certification tests, the SAT, the GRE and tests that are part of their coursework. Also, they said the test’s $131 price tag is too steep. > > There are some who also argue that the test itself, produced by a for-profit education company, is not actually very good. And, given the title of this thread, it’s worth pointing out that the critics of the test are not simply a bunch of liberal college professors: > > > [@](#): > > > > Charles Sahm, **the director of education policy at the Manhattan Institute, a conservative think tank** , is a strong supporter of raising the bar for teachers but not a fan of this particular literacy test. > > > > Sahm took the $20 practice exam and thought it was a poorly designed test with multiple-choice questions that seemed to have more than one correct answer. > > > > “I do agree that it’s not a great test,” Sahm said. “I found the reading comprehension section to be kind of infuriating. I only got 21 out of 40 right.” > > Emphasis mine. > > It seems that it’s not just minorities who do poorly on the test. Apparently conservatives aren’t very good at it either. > > Also, [this New York Post article](http://nypost.com/2017/03/13/state-nixes-literacy-exam-for-prospective-teachers/) suggests that the test was taken AFTER students had completed their college degrees, but before being placed in classrooms. > > > [@](#): > > > > They also argued that testing the literacy of candidates who already had college degrees was redundant and unnecessary. > > Some further research seems to confirm this. It seems to me that, if students are graduating with their degrees from Schools of Education without proper literacy skills, the real issue that needs addressing is the admission procedures for education majors at the college and university level. > > As someone who teaches in a university, and who is perennially disheartened by the level of reading ability among our incoming freshmen, i firmly believe that we need to put better teachers into classrooms, and we also need to set higher standards for our school kids. I also agree, based on my own experience and on my reading in the field, that a lot of Schools of Education seem to have pretty low standards, and often end up with some of the weakest students seeking careers as teachers. > > Of course, one of the reasons for this is the basic issue of supply and demand. Americans all say that they want good teachers in their schools, and they say that standards should be high. But many Americans, including many conservatives, keep paying teachers like crap and treating them like crap, and then wonder why none of the best students want to become teachers. If schools of education don’t get the best material to work with, maybe we need to consider increasing the incentives for strong scholars to enter the profession. But that might require raising taxes, and of course, we couldn’t have that, could we? … ---
**Author:** ![Chisquirrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6bbea6/32.png) [@Chisquirrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chisquirrel)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2017, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/5925 "2017-06-19T15:15:57Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > Who said anything about subsidizing? I sure didn’t. I’ll lower the monthly payments by spreading them over a longer period of time, but everyone pays the same amount in the long run. > > As far as integrity, courtesy and self-control go, I display them far more than others on this board. For example, look at your post to me, quoted above. It’s total bullshit and lies, but that didn’t stop you from making the post, did it? But now you’ll think I’m all rude and discourteous because I pointed out your bullshit instead of meekly submitting to it. Mr. Fuck Off himself is a paragon of courtesy? Sure. Edit: Removed that damn Tapatalk signature ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2017, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/5926 "2017-06-19T15:25:39Z")
I keep hoping one of these days he’ll finally be able to distinguish between a blatant opinion piece on a partisan website and an actual news story from an actual news source. But he keeps insisting that conservative opinions are facts, and liberal facts are just opinions. ---
**Author:** ![raventhief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raventhief/32/4_2.png) [@raventhief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raventhief)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2017, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/5927 "2017-06-19T15:26:23Z")
I’ve seen Clothy respond to A LOT of posts with nothing more than obscenity. I’ve seen him use ethnic slurs. I’ve seen him troll, by his own admission. It’s possible that IRL he manages to keep these thoughts unsaid, so perhaps he does have self control. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2017, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/5928 "2017-06-19T15:31:27Z")
> [@raventhief](#): > > I’ve seen Clothy respond to A LOT of posts with nothing more than obscenity. I’ve seen him use ethnic slurs. I’ve seen him troll, by his own admission. It’s possible that IRL he manages to keep these thoughts unsaid, so perhaps he does have self control. Unless his students only come from rabid Republican families, you bet he keeps his mouth shut. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2017, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/5929 "2017-06-19T15:31:44Z")
> [@raventhief](#): > > I’ve seen Clothy respond to A LOT of posts with nothing more than obscenity. I’ve seen him use ethnic slurs. I’ve seen him troll, by his own admission. It’s possible that IRL he manages to keep these thoughts unsaid, so perhaps he does have self control. As I’ve said before, I suspect that he does it here because out there it could lead to more broken windows or getting his ass kicked. ---
**Author:** ![mikecurtis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikecurtis/32/3284_2.png) [@mikecurtis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mikecurtis)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2017, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/5930 "2017-06-19T16:38:34Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > Of course, one of the reasons for this is the basic issue of supply and demand. Americans all say that they want good teachers in their schools, and they say that standards should be high. But many Americans, including many conservatives, keep paying teachers like crap and treating them like crap, and then wonder why none of the best students want to become teachers. If schools of education don’t get the best material to work with, maybe we need to consider increasing the incentives for strong scholars to enter the profession. But that might require raising taxes, and of course, we couldn’t have that, could we? Amen! It’s always been a mystery to me that “teacher” is on **every** list of the most important jobs, but on **none** of the lists of the highest paying jobs. If you want better techers PAY THEM MORE, and the pool of people seeking to be teachers will become better and more qualified! And this is not a liberal idea; it’s a basic conservative freemarket idea. mc ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2017, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/5931 "2017-06-19T16:49:13Z")
> [@raventhief](#): > > It’s possible that IRL he manages to keep these thoughts unsaid, so perhaps he does have self control. Yeah, c’mon, he’s just another Keyboard Kommando. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2017, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/5932 "2017-06-19T16:50:06Z")
> [@mikecurtis](#): > > Amen! > It’s always been a mystery to me that “teacher” is on **every** list of the most important jobs, but on **none** of the lists of the highest paying jobs. If you want better techers PAY THEM MORE, and the pool of people seeking to be teachers will become better and more qualified! > And this is not a liberal idea; it’s a **basic conservative freemarket idea.** > > mc You mean it’s not “pay the worthless morons at the top the big bucks and fuck over the productive workers at the bottom”? ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2017, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/5933 "2017-06-19T17:20:14Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > He shoots! > > He misses! > > Again! > > Unsurprisingly, our village idiot has, for the umpteenth time, relied on a poorly-researched second-hand source that fails to provide a complete picture of the issue. **Clothahump** has, as you note, chosen some shaky examples of Stupid Liberal Ideas. What I find kind of strange is that very recently we’ve had a real example of a Stupid Liberal Idea, which I think almost all of the SDMB would recognize as such. A real life stupid liberal – a Sanders supporter no less – actually, really, shot some people due to his political grievances. **Clothahump** could have dropped in here for a gimme. Probably everyone would have said, “Yes, that is a Stupid Liberal right there.” Yet he let that opportunity pass. I’m not trying to police what anyone else posts. I just thought that was… weird. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2017, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/5934 "2017-06-19T17:31:28Z")
> [@Bayard](#): > > **Clothahump** has, as you note, chosen some shaky examples of Stupid Liberal Ideas. What I find kind of strange is that very recently we’ve had a real example of a Stupid Liberal Idea, which I think almost all of the SDMB would recognize as such. A real life stupid liberal – a Sanders supporter no less – actually, really, shot some people due to his political grievances. **Clothahump** could have dropped in here for a gimme. Probably everyone would have said, “Yes, that is a Stupid Liberal right there.” Yet he let that opportunity pass. I’m not trying to police what anyone else posts. I just thought that was… weird. **Clothy** wouldn’t recognize a True Liberal Stupid Idea if it smashed trough his window. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2017, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/5935 "2017-06-19T18:42:36Z")
Some of them are probably conservative, but this thread is starved for good ideas, so guess who said we didn’t utter the words [terror attack](http://www.cnn.com/2017/06/19/europe/london-finsbury-park-attack-muslims-react/index.html) soon enough? > [@](#): > > Many local residents were angered that the media took longer to use the word “terror attack” to describe what had happened here than it had two weeks ago, when three Muslim men rammed a van into crowds of people on London Bridge. Let’s see, one involved a man who drove his vehicle into a crowd. The other involved men who drove their vehicle into a crowd _and then proceeded to stab people_. Clearly, all car-on-pedestrian crashes should immediately be dubbed terrorism from now on. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2017, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/5936 "2017-06-19T18:49:51Z")
It only counts if you say “_Radical Islamic_ terrorism”. Gotta use the magic words. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2017, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/5937 "2017-06-19T20:18:52Z")
> [@Chisquirrel](#): > > Mr. Fuck Off himself is a paragon of courtesy? Sure. Go back and read the posts where I have told someone to fuck off. It has always been in response to a massive pile of horseshit having been dumped on me, usually accompanied by childish namecalling. In that situation, fuck off is the politest thing I could say. Keep it up, Chi. The more you post bullshit about me, the deeper the hole you dig yourself into. And it is mildly amusing to watch you try. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2017, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/5938 "2017-06-19T20:23:48Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > **Clothy** wouldn’t recognize a True Liberal Stupid Idea if it smashed trough his window. “I shall become… a _batshit_!” ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2017, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/5939 "2017-06-19T20:24:14Z")
NM ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2017, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/5940 "2017-06-19T20:29:51Z")
> [@Bayard](#): > > **Clothahump** has, as you note, chosen some shaky examples of Stupid Liberal Ideas. What I find kind of strange is that very recently we’ve had a real example of a Stupid Liberal Idea, which I think almost all of the SDMB would recognize as such. A real life stupid liberal – a Sanders supporter no less – actually, really, shot some people due to his political grievances. **Clothahump** could have dropped in here for a gimme. Probably everyone would have said, “Yes, that is a Stupid Liberal right there.” Yet he let that opportunity pass. I’m not trying to police what anyone else posts. I just thought that was… weird. The problem is that that incident doesn’t qualify as a stupid liberal idea. It’s one asshole who happened to be a stupid liberal, but so far, I haven’t seen liberals as a whole running amok shooting conservatives on sight. I do try to pick things that reflect the group as a whole. I’ve missed a few, but I really do try to take aim at the group, not paint the group with a wide brush based on the actions of an individual or two. Unless, of course, it’s an influential few people like a school board. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086.md?page=296) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086.md?page=298)