Tea Partiers Are Rich, White, Educated, And Enjoy Glenn Beck

Here is something that came in over the news earlier today that may interest the Caveat Lectores readers.

Based on the amount of attention the group is getting these days you’d be forgiven for assuming that Tea Partiers hold the secret to the universe. The NYT and CBS News have just released the results — in a splashy A-1 article in the Times, no less — of a huge, comprehensive poll they’ve jointly conducted. While the results mostly jibe with much of what we’ve recently been hearing about the movement, namely that it’s more mainstream than the media has previously portrayed it (18% of the country identifies with the party), some aspects may surprise.

Most surprising perhaps is that Tea Partiers tend to be better educated and wealthier. Yes. Perhaps not the conclusion you would draw based on much of coverage, but according to the poll “Tea Party supporters are wealthier and more well-educated than the general public, and are no more or less afraid of falling into a lower socioeconomic class.” So there’s that.

Perhaps less surprising is the fact that the party is primarily white — only one percent is black, 89 percent are white — and they are mostly male. Also, they are not fans of the president, though they have “favorable impressions of Sarah Palin, Glenn Beck and George W. Bush, but not Ron Paul or John McCain.” Also not shocking: 63% say they get the “majority of their political and current events news on television from the Fox News Channel (that’s compared to 23 percent of Americans overall).

And here’s the part of the poll that will likely make it to the cablers: 24% of these wealthy, educated, white Tea Partiers say “it is sometimes justified to take violent action against the government.” This in comparison to 16 percent of Americans overall.

And here’s the part that will likely make it to The Daily Show and SNL: 30% of Tea Party supporters are birthers; another 29 % are unsure where Obama was born. This compares to the 20% percent of Americans overall believe the president was not born in the United States. Emphasis mine. Honestly.
Glynnis MacNicol | 9:27 am, April 15th, 2010


That is all I have to say about what she had to say. Except...

and Oh Yes have a nice Day?

wjc

Caveat Lectores on Devil’s Neck Investment Opportunity

Today’s Caveat Lectores Rant is dedicated to Glenn Turner and Jim Bakker.

Things have been going so well at the Devil’s Neck Conference Center, the Board decided to syndicate the Devil’s Neck. For the minuscule price of $5000.00 (cash), you can become a part of history.

For this modest stipend, you will have unlimited 24/7 access to the Devil’s Neck. No more reservations or conference fees. No more annoying seminars to attend. You will automatically receive full credit for each and every workshop offered at the Devil’s Neck Conference Center, no matter what the subject.

How can Caveat Lectores make such an offer, you ask? Here’s how. Caveat Lectores has no ownership interest whatsoever in Devil’s Neck. All we are offering is an opportunity to spend your money for nothing in return. What could be simpler?

In order to avoid annoying issues with the IRS and the USPS, you must deliver the full amount in cash and in person. Just place the stipend (small bills please) in the former mail box in front of the Center. Dr. Hooby Boo checks the box daily. Be sure to leave a business card with the money so he will know to whom to send a thank you card or maybe not.

Where did Caveat Lectores get such an idea? A well connected Florida political party, of course. They developed a brilliant plan to take political donations from lobbyists, corporations, and the wealthy and not so wealthy true believers and use the money to live large while cajoling others to give even more donations. Ya gotta love ‘em. Like they say. It takes money to make money. Caveat Lectores wants some of that action.

In the interest of full disclosure, be assured, Caveat Lectores will dedicate the money you send to support such worthy causes as the WJCarnes Relief Fund, continuing research into wasteful spending habits and arrogant abuses of power.

And oh Yes, have a Nice Day?

wjc

Caveat Lectores on the Devil’s Neck Experience

We just completed the annual Devil’s Neck Labor/Management Kumbaya Retreat for 2010, and it was an unparalleled success. We completed the graduation ceremonies just before the bottom fell out of the clouds. The participant was pleased that we could get in our car before the deluge.

The Enhanced version of the Devil’s Neck Labor/Management Kumbaya Retreat was particularly popular this year among the management participants. For only $500.00 more, it really is a good value to just get the credit without actually having to attend. The instructional literature along with T-shirt, embossed ball cap and the coveted Lectores Labor Institute Graduate Certification will be in the mail soon for those who chose this option. We will need all the pictures sent to us before we can Photoshop anyone into the group picture.

For those who disregarded the on-site festivities, you missed out on the Friday night BBQ and Beerfest featuring smoked Ass of Yak and craft beers from all over the Devil’s Neck area. PBR was the group’s favorite, but Mickey’s Wide Mouth Malt Liquor came in a close second. The late night naked swim in the lake was marred only by the unfortunate incident with the Gator Bait Lodge’s pet. A few stitches and all the body parts are nearly as before. We do not expect any future issues with Bob’s ability to procreate.

Saturday’s final exam was hindered only because no one brought pencils and paper for the exam. We cannot be responsible for everything. Personal responsibility is just that. Next year, we will complete all the work on-line. It seems every participant had a Blackberry cranked up during the whole set of seminars. It took two days for anyone to realize there was no cellular or internet signal which give cause to wonder at what you were staring so intently.

For the next Devil’s Neck Labor/Management Kumbaya Retreat, we anticipate an airboat ride to the Sleepy Hollow Biker Bar in nearby Floral City. Be there or not. If not, just send the extra $500.00 for the Enhanced version. Cash only. To make reservations, just call the toll free number 800-YOU-BHAD.

And oh yes, have a nice Day?

wjc

Caveat Lectores on Education Reform

A large part of the Caveat Lectores readership is located outside Florida; therefore, this Rant may have no application to many. Unfortunately, what happens in one place tends to happen elsewhere much like a pandemic. This Rant may have relevance after all.

The Florida legislature just passed a piece of education reform legislation that astounds even me. WTF were they thinking? OK, I forgot. How silly of me. The rePuPlican dominated legislature does not think. The members follow leadership directives like sheep. Once the leadership decides how to screw the public, the sheep tag along.

Without taking up word processor space describing the piece of sh*t they passed, let me just say the new law dismantles the current education system by tying teacher pay to student improvement (standardized testing) and eliminates teacher tenure based upon the notion that tenure creates a job for life without accountability. Caveat Lectores disagrees with both concepts but….there will be plenty of expert pundits analyzing what is wrong and right about this idea.

I will address the issues the Caveat Lectores way.

Standardized FCAT testing has been soundly criticized by nearly all except the Jeb Bushy’s (yes, his legacy still lives) as a method of dumbing down the students in public schools. I am beginning to see the results at the university level in students who only know how to learn enough to pass a standardized test. Knowledge that will not be on the exam is irrelevant to them. Education has been abandoned because of the need to learn only certain facts necessary to pass the FCAT.

FYI. Bushites want to destroy the government run public school system in favor of charter schools that will eventually become public funded private schools for the wealthy, able to ignore those pesky minority children and those with problems that make things unpleasant for the wealthy (white) children of privilege. The students will be able to attend these charter schools that align themselves with the economically segmented and segregated communities they serve.

The political hacks that run them will prosper because these schools are allowed to operate without those annoying standards the public schools insist on having in place. Somebody will be served but certainly not be a society that needs the entire population educated. The education system currently in place has problems of course, but what has just occurred is not the answer; yet the rePuPs did it anyway.

There is another piece of legislation this term that increases corporate vouchers for charter schools. Frankly, I do not exactly understand how this works except to say that it is soundly thought of as corporate welfare in the form of tax breaks for corporations that further drain the public schools system of needed funds. Again, thank Jeb Bush and the rePuPs for additionally gouging the public for the benefit of business.

Senator John Thrasher (a Bushie) takes credit for this abomination for reasons that evade my understanding. I can understand his desire to punish the teachers who did not support him and Jeb Bush, but why punish the children? Usually, there is an obvious public purpose for legislation as well as a political motive. I have not been able to find evidence of a public outcry that would have motivated this insanity. There is always the issue about quality education; and teachers, one way or another, are usually blamed for lack of success.

Recently, teacher tenure became the “whipping post” to which right wing conservatives tie educators so they can affix blame. I guess the Bush mantra goes like this. “If we take away any semblance of job security from teachers and affix pay directly to an undeveloped plan of pay for performance, this will motivate who is left to become excellent teachers.” Wow, why didn’t I think of that?

BTW, in addition to other endeavors; I have been a fledgling adjunct instructor in the public university system for the last 17 years. My tenure runs from class meeting to class meeting on semester long contracts that allow the school to terminate me at will. On more than one occasion, the school has informed me they no longer need me, only to call me back to teach again. I have no complaints about this process because I have another career as a lawyer and labor consultant to rely upon to keep me marginally economically alive. My only child was educated in the public school system. I do have grand children at risk, however.

I have some concerns about how the entire public school system would operate if my situation were applied to all teachers in Florida. That is where we are headed with nothing more than yearly contracts for public school teachers. The only people who will remain in a few years are part-timers like me and those who cannot get another job outside what is left of the system. That does not sound promising.

Maybe the rePuPlican governor will nut up and veto such an ill conceived law. I would like to suggest you find out who voted for this law and punish them the next time they want your support so they can f*ck you again.

And Oh yes, have a Nice Day?

wjc