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datsci_est_2015

I’m reminded of the recent study claiming that British imperial activities had a negligible impact on the quality of life for non-elites, but was enormously enriching for the elites. Tough to take entirely seriously due to no perfect control sample, but it’s at least provocative to me to consider this: all this pain and suffering for what? The worst person you can imagine being able to piss in a gold toilet and grope women (and men) of a questionable age with coerced consent?

From 1945 to Reagan may have been one of the most extraordinary times for the “middle class” of any nation in the history of the world. The distribution of wealth kept pace with the advances of efficiency. What a privilege it must be to have been an adult in a non-discriminated class during that period, and the honeymoon phase that kept steam until the Great Recession.

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I think it is past time to admit that a lot of the roots of our current issues, both culturally and economically, can be traced back to the Regan era. Culture wars have always been a thing, but 'the moral majority' throwing out reason for emotion and economic policy glorifying the short term gain of the rich because it will 'eventually' benefit the poor got a real boost under Regan and then Bush. The results of that, unlike the promised economics, have been trickling down ever sense.

The winners of WWII basked in their own glory for far too long, constantly looking back at a grand victory instead of looking forward to ensure a grand future.

The march of technology papered over a lot of cracks, but the cracks keep on growing.

Yep, they were the vanguard of "fuck you I need to get mine at all costs."

> From 1945 to Reagan may have been one of the most extraordinary times for the “middle class” of any nation in the history of the world.

Yes, but not the poor.

> The distribution of wealth kept pace with the advances of efficiency.

For the middle class. Short-term.

> What a privilege it must be to have been an adult in a non-discriminated class during that period, and the honeymoon phase that kept steam until the Great Recession.

Ding! There's the truth, finally said out loud: The Reagan years were great for white, upper- to middle-class, hetero, Judeo-Christian men. If they didn't have AIDS. Or mental health needs.

Well, it’s less for them to be able to do the groping, and a lot more about them not being sent to jail for all the groping they’ve already been caught doing.

He’s known since the first term (and he’s not the only one!) that if he loses he’s going to jail - or worse.

Why do you think he’s so dead set on staying?

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