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@Keith
We won’t agree, but that is part of the greatness of America that we can express our own opinion.
The Supreme Court has a history of overturning its own decisions.
Dred Scott
Massey v Ferguson
Roe v Wade
So I take no solace in hearing the SCOTUS has ruled.
I was a youngster in public school when the Courr ruled in O’hare that I could not be forced to recite Christian prayers. The Republicans are still trying to bring it back and I don’t trust this court packet with unqualified Yrump appointees to make correct legal decisions.
Clarence Thomas is on the take
Bryant is an ignorant fool who isn’t qualified to be a traffic court judge@Keith
I am frum
That is my personal belief and practice
I am a Liberal Democrat who is also a Fiscal Conservative. That is my ‘American Citizen’ personaI am old enough to have suffered discrimination that was legal before the Democrats passed and LBJ signed the Civil Rights Act.
I am an attorney, I also am an adjunct Professor at Law School.
I oppose private ownership of guns by ordinary citizens who are NOT law enforcement or members of the National Guard or Reserve.
I understand the 2nd Amendment and consider the National Guard and Reserves to be the well regulated militia of our times that complies with the original intent of the Framers of the Constitution.
In 1785 they could not imagine the tykes of modern killing machines that now are called guns.
Then guns were necessary to procure food for many outside the few cities, protect against hostile natives, invaders and rebellious slaves.
This is no longer the case.For those who say they only shoot for sport at a shooting range. I say let the business owner the guns and members be allowed to use them on the premises only.
No one needs an AR-15
@Lostspark
I don’t expect to need protection in shul (besides what the KBH provides).
I don’t know if any of the 12 carry their guns into shul. I haven’t noticed any holsters or weapons to be visible.If the 12 didn’t have guns, it wouldn’t make me want one.
I was made to learn how to fire a rifle in summer camp about 60 years ago. Haven’t handled any gun since.
I don’t want to own one and don’t permit them in my home or offices.I don’t and won’t have a gun. But in discussion with the 15 regulars at my daily minyan 12 have guns (and have had them for years).
The 80 year old shul rabbi does not have a gun nor does the only other Democrat in the room.The 12 gun owners are Registered Republicans.
Not a stalker, but as Asst. Registrar of Voters I handle the voting lists regularly.@GadolHadofi
Thank you for your good wishes.
I must say the process is quite different than what I went through more than 45 years ago.
Then you were concerned about the parents, now one may be subject to approval or veto by children and grandchildren.
I am moving through this slowly, my progeny has been provided for and are not concerned about losing yerushah.
I am not looking for a replacement for Mrs. CTL, but a companion and partner for the next stage of my life.AAQ
I am not the relative of a Senator.
CT has had a number of Jewish Senators in the past 60 years and I have known all of them and been close social friends with Lieberman and Blumenthal.As for Jewish women going blonde in the USA, I must relate a current story. I have recently started ‘dating’ for the first time in more than 45 years. I went out with three different women in the past month. All three were portrayed to me in pictures as blondes. All three were wearing grey/silver wigs when we met. My grey hair and beard in my profile picture matches reality.
@AAQ
My eldest brother was completely bald at 17. He started wearing a full head wig by his 20th birthday.
On his 3rd date with his now wife, he said: I have a confession to make: this isn’t my real hair. She replied: that’s okay, I’m not really a blonde.They have been married 57 years and have matching wig stands in their dressing room.
I wish I had enough hair to grow a Pompadour.
As I tell my grandchildren when they complain about their hair, humidity, static electricity, etc.
Better a bad hair day, than a no hair day!
@Baltimore Maven????
The two friends who witnessed the event cannot admit anything. They can only relay their observations.
An admission can only be made by the person committing an action, or co-conspirators in a crime.Basic rule of law/court procedures.
@Akuperma
You’ve lived outside the USA far too long to be making comments about women wearing hats being regarded as weird and subject to harassment and discrimination.I live near and do business in, and my shul is in a predominantly Black community.
Just as from women cover their hair and dress modestly, the Black ‘Church Ladies’ all wear hats and are dressed in well tailored skirt suits or long sleeved dresses with hemlines well below the knees.No one thinks this weird and they are not harassed.
Our new Hispanic immigrants are likely to be in long sleeves and long skirts with headscarves.My mother OBM, never wore a wig, but wore hats. Then again, my father had millinery departments in his clothing stores and didn’t sell wigs.
I knew as a youngster, that if I stepped on inch over the line when it came to behavior or speech, she would pull a hat pin from her hat and I would get jabbed.
The Late Mrs. CTL was also partial to hats, often having shoes dyed to match the hat. In warm weather she found straw hats much cooler than a wig.Square are you to demand anything?
How much money do you donate to that PRIVATE university?
Are you on its BOD?
Are you a member of its Alumni Association?All you should do is respectfully request termination of the employee.
My shul does not generally offer prayers for government, Medina, etc.
Now saying three kapittel tehillim and Acheinu each daveningSquare Root
You got caught in a lie and are back pedaling.
How about admitting you posted a lie besmirching the President and falsely accusing him of giving $6Billion to the Iranians?
Not one cent of the unfrozen, not held by the US money has yet been spent.CommonSaychel
Amil doesn’t have 6 Congress members who do anything. Each American is represented by only one member of the House of Representatives. She could not have voted for anyone not running in her district and had no association with the other 434 members of the House.
The Democrat Party died not collect dues, nor does it have card carrying members or require subscription to a specific ideology.
Parties I. Other countries have such things. Even in Israel one votes a party list. In the USA we vote for individual candidates. In my state the party lever was removed from voting machines more than 40 years ago. You must physically choose each candidate to vote.In this time of horrific attacks on Jews by Hamas, your attacking Amil Zola is even more reprehensible
Midwesterner
Fungible doesn’t turn Square Root’s lie into truth.
President Biden did not give one cent of US money to Iran.
Perhaps you’ve forgotten the concept of Piston Shivuyim.Square Root
You post lies.
Biden did not give a cent to Iran. In exchange for prisoners he released a US freeze on Iranian funds held outside the US.
The funds may only be spent for specific humanitarian purposes subject to US approval.Stop spreading lies
@UJM
Having spent an adult lifetime on OOT shul, Yeshivos and Day School Boards, it is a fact of life that the closer the institution is to Brooklyn, Queens, Monsey the less it costs to employ rabbis and teachers.
Two hours driving time seems to be the demarcation point.
This is usually based on the wife’s desire to have easy access to shopping, family and attend simchos.
An hour further away and you might have to pay 40% more to hire the same person for the same positionAs many in the CR may have noticed Amil Zola and I grew up going to different schools together.
@Chaim87
The ostentatious behavior you describe is typical of nouveau riche and wannabes.
‘Old money’ whether Jewish or nonJewish never shied off its wealth, that is gauche.
You know are spewing about Orlando, a city I never mentioned. I spoke about the Atlantic Ocean beaches and that could not be had in Pennsylvania. The comment I disputed said there was no real difference between Pennsylvania and Florida.
Anyone in the CR who had read my comments over the past 15 years knows I understand the value of a dollar and don’t waste them.@Sam Klein
You are being quite judgmental in your comments.
If I want to go to a restaurant for a steak dinner and I can afford it why should you pronounce it crazy. If I am not building a credit card balance at 30% interest it is not crazy. If I am not spending 5 times the cost of my typical at home meal and having the audacity to ask for tuition assistance it is none of your business.
Obviously you failed or did not take Geography in school. Florida is on the east coast of the USA.
There is a huge difference between Florida and Pennsylvania despite your claims. I went to Florida this year for the Yomin Noraim, the beach and Atlantic Ocean are not available and attractive in Lancaster or the Poconos.
Your complaints about people keeping up with the Joneses comes across as jealousy.
I have never accepted a penny in assistance in my life and have underwritten Yeshiva/day school costs for others. Why shouldn’t I enjoy what ai worked for?
I don’t carry month to month credit card debt at interest. I am old enough that my residence is mortgage free.Every family must budget and decide what is important to them. If you are not inside their finances you should not be passing judgment.
AAQ
You are correct the 13 colonies who formed the USA agreed to the terms of the US Constitution which included the mechanism (amendment) to change it.
In almost two and one half centuries there have been very few changes regarding voting, but they were major.
The post civil war amendment giving blacks the vote
The early 20th century amendment giving women the vote
The 20th century amendment allowing direct elect of Senators (previously chosen by state legislatures)
The Viet Nam era amendment giving 18 year olds the vote. I protested and fought for this: “Old enough to fight, old enough to vote!”As for a national healthcare system, the preamble of the Constitution which I had to learn and memorize in 7th grade begins’In order to form a more perfect Union’ this replaces the Articles of Confederation, and states the purposes of providing for the common defense and promoting the general welfare….
Thus a national health plan, or food stamps, WIC are all in the Federal Government’s purview and powers not reserved to the states.This argument/explanation would be based o. The concept of original intent.
Sorry if it sounds like a lecture, but I still teach 2 law school courses each year.
@CoffeeAddict
Don’t have a high opinion of RFK Jr period.
The family name no longer means muchIf Trump is the nominee (likely, but the convention is almost a year away), I would expect him to try for the magic Electoral College win number.
That said, his supporters are entrenched, but many non-Trumpers who voted against Clinton will not vote for him again.
I live in a town that last gave a majority to a Democrat for President in 1964. It went Trump by a substantial margin in 2016, it flipped for Biden in 2020.
I see internal party polling and reports showing this to be happening in many places,
His actions, lies, possible sedition, indictments empowers his base, but turn off many others.
Again all is analysis and speculation based on my experience. No one can predict what may happen in the next 13 months before the election.@AAQ
I am not suspicious of Trump’s 2016 victory, I referenced a loss of popular vote and a win in The Electoral College.I have explained in another comment why I want the Electoral College abolished. I know how and why it was incorporated into the Constitution in order to merge 13 separate colonies into one new country.
The EC as constituted is contrary to the one man one vote bedrock of a democracy
@AAQ
I live in CT, but went to law school in MA. I hold a license and have an office there as well. My sister and family live there.
When Romney was Governor of MA he put a health care plan in place. It was the model for ACA. Obama may have been President when ACA was adopted, but it wasn’t his idea. I am a Democrat but give credit where it is due and recognize Romneycare.@DrPepper
I never said I don’t believe your insure costs went up x percent. I admitted to not having knowledge of costs under the ACA in states other than CT.I am not here to defend or endorse the President. I am participating in this thread to answer the OP’s question. I won’t be sidetracked.
No JFK would not be a Republican, just as Nelson Rockefeller or Senator Keating would not be Dems. In their time you could be a centrist or conservative Dem or a Liberal Republican and work effectively in your party. I don’t like extremism, period.
I am socially liberal, but that doesn’t mean I am far left, and it is not inconsistent with being fiscally conservative.
Unlike many in the CR, I oppose school vouchers (very socialist and also elitist).BTW> when JFK took office the top tax rate was over 90% and there was a Federal Excise tax on jewelry (including costume), alcohol and other luxury goods.
There was a high tax on corporate profits of more than $25,000 per year. All brought to us by the Eisenhower administration.
As my father said when he wrote a large check to the IRS each year. You have to make it to pay it and B”H I made it.As for your A or B insurance scenario I prefer C: a national health plan, single payer and the same for all as they have in many countries.
I pay loads of taxes each year and share my father’s attitude.
@Chaim87
The basis for my predictions is more than 50 years actively involved in politics (including holding public office). My parents and grandparents were active in politics as well.
I have learned to read, observe, digest and analyze.In 2016 It was my opinion that the country was deeply divided and it would be close. Clinton won the popular vote ( including mine) but Trump’s election strategy allowed him to take the Electoral College majority and become President.
I have called for abolishing the Electoral College for more than 49 years. Because all states are guaranteed one member of the House and two Senators, it makes the vote of a resident of Wyoming equal to 2 in California. The system based on Slaves being 3/5ths of a free man continued to make sure we don’t have one person one vote in the USA.
I have no belief that Trump will be convicted of any particular crime in any particular court in time to make him ineligible to be in the 2024 ballot in some states (which preclude felons).I make no secret of my disdain for Trump and his actions, beliefs, etc. But, I do not think it a good idea to try, convict and imprison former heads of state as we have seen in other countries. It can lead to major civil unrest, coups or revolution.
Do I think Trump broke many laws yes. Do I think Nixon was a crook? Yes. Do I think Ford did the correct thing by pardoning Nixon upon his resignation so the country could move on? Yes
And to stay current, I think the Senator from NJ who takes money/bribes and the Supreme Court Justice who does the same thing should both resign and they and their wives should be fully prosecutedDr P
There have been many threads about ACA and I don’t think this thread should go off topic.When ACA came into being I bought through the CT exchange. Rates and rules differed by state so I cannot know how people in a particular state were affected.
I was/am self employed and pre-ACA coverage was very expensive. We had been subject to preexisting conditions exclusions and $1,000,000 lifetime cap.
In 2016 Mrs. CTL had $2,300,000 in covered medical expenses. A lifetime of savings and investment and our primary residence might have been gone if the $1,000,000 cap was still in place. If the preexisting conditions exclusions were in place from 2016 to her 65th birthday (Medicare eligible), we would have lost everything and all my earning would still be going to pay the bills (and we were never uninsured).@DrPepper
I carefully read the OP and my initial response was win what? I presented certain things to be win and my predicted winner and why I predicted that person to winAs for your question about paying for the insulin, it will be the drug companies’ shareholders in terms of reduced profits. The $35 month cap on cost brings the US price in line with what the same companies charge for the same drug sold in other countries,
I don’t agree with you about the affordable care act (Romneycare you relabel as Obamacare) as it saved us an unbelievable amount of money over the years
@anonymous
Nowhere did I endorse or support any particular candidate. I President an analysis.
President Biden would not be my first choice for President in 2024, but if we wants the nomination I believe he will get it. As I delegate I voted for his nomination at the 2020 convention. I have already stated I am giving up my seat in 2024 to a younger person and would like the President to do a similar thing.@DrPepper
Regarding your final paragraph saying I did not respond to OP question about liberals not pointing out positive things accomplished by President Biden (and Why).That is not in the OP’s post.
I did not make an endorsement of any candidate, I gave an analysis.
BTW> a cap on Insulin of $35 per month is a major accomplishment (Mrs. CTL died of Chronic Kidney disease. B”H we could afford the cost, but n my shy couldn’t).
This post is asking for predictions. I can say with certainty that this is my prediction under the parameters I set forth.
I have been involved in Democratic Party politics for a lifetime. I attended my first National convention 55 years ago in Chicago.
Many in the CR may not agree with my political views, but many will vouch for my insight, history and analysis of the political situation.
I have never attempted to change anyone’s mind or ask tha they support a particular candidate.
I am old school Social Liberal, Fiscal Conservative, non-radicalWin what?
The Party Nomination
Biden, if he wants another term
Trump, because the other R are spinelessTrials?
Prosecutors win
Trump loseElection in Nov. 2024
The Democratic nomineeBTW, for the first time in 32 years CTL will not be a delegate to the Democratic National Convention. Giving up my seat to a younger delegate
I applaud the OP for his frankness. Yes there is a stigma against divorce, but it should not be applied to the children of parents who divorce, they were not one of the parties who could not continue in an untenable marriage.
I practice family law and have handled divorces for many decades. Children of divorce often turn out much better than children whose parents remained in a bad marriage.
Readers of the CR are aware that Mrs. CTL died over a year ago. I now am considering who I might spend the rest of my life with. Originally, I thought I would be amenable to a widow between the ages of X and Y. I immediately realized I was using some of these same prejudices against divorce. I am not a kohen and have no galactic restriction. I revised my search to include divorced women.
It is hard to undo centuries of bias against divorce, but HaShem gave the laws of Gittin in Torah shel Beal peg for a good reason.
@Yeserbius
You are absolutely CORRECT.
The time for individual day trading is long gone.
The computer initiated trades move the market.Our Trust administration department handles more than $75million for clients. From 1995 to 2003 we had two full time day traders providing great returns. Then the dynamics changed and we could not realize those gains and had to change the investment strategy
@AAQ
Sorry, but your suggest of 3-4 hours of work plus food stamps allowing the learner to support his family at any level is nonsense!
As soon as the learner is accepting Foos Stamps he is not supporting his family, all the American Taxpayers are supporting his family.@FollowMesorah
Yes there are many attorneys not making a good living. Bread and butter income items such as wills have been replaced by on line forms. TurboTax and similar software has decimated the accounting profession.Typical sold practioners starting out today will not make a great living. Frum attorneys can not easily put I. The 2000+ billable hours a year required of associates in top legal firms and can’t wine and fine clients having little hope of making partner.
Lastly it takes deep pockets to finance and build a personal injury practice. Years to trial and settlement while the attorney lays out all expenses for investigators, tests, depositions, filings and sometimes medical expenses. The collecting of a fee i(not recouping expenses) is generally contingent on winning, The CTL firm
Has never handled a PI or medical malpractice case for these reasons.My
bread and butter for decades has been trust administration (I get a percentage of annual income realized by the trusts and mange close to $100million in principal), family law/divorce/adoptions which get a healthy retainer up front, and intellectual property law representing big firms.
Three of my adult children in the firm practice criminal law in NY and MA. An attorney takes the full expected fee up front from the Dede before taking the case.
Lastly, real estate law. We do commercial real estate mostly, but when MIL was alive and active as a real estate broker we did all the closings for her office at fees of 1% of sales price. Today, discount lawyers advertise $300 closings. They don’t make a living and the client gets what they pay for.
The exception is our Massachusetts office, as in Massachusetts every lawyer passing the bar exam is granted a real estate license. This duality can make a huge difference in income potential of a lawyer starting out.
I would not be recommending my profession to
Most young frum people unless:
They are going to a top tier law school
They have entree to an established firm with a guaranteed livable income.
I expect grandchildren to enter the CTL firm in the next five years, but our hard work has made provision for their success.There are 7 attorneys in my daily minyan. I am the only one with children who are in the business. Most of the others have adult children in the medical field. Of the other 5, 4 are sole practitioners who experienced a good living but didn’t build a firm that could support additional partner level attorneys. The other is a top notch ligigator who is hired by top firms in CT and NY to represent civil clients in court.
For all of us who are seniors and made a good living there are hundreds who hung their shingle and lived in near poverty or left the practice of law after less than 10 years because they could not adequately support their families.
@aAQ
Working 3-4 hours a day plus food stampsSo the general population should support/feed him and his family?
In many places those in school/learning would be ruled ineligible for assistance.
It is called ‘poor by choice’ able bodied adults are expected to get a paying jobBTW: the Republican Party who do many in the CR hold dearly would do away with this benefit or make Mr. Kollel work 20-40 hours each week to qualify for assistance.
@FollowMesorah
My reply was to the suggestion of skills to be learned working as a secretary and then achieving a 6 figure income. It was not a reply to entry level jobs.I may have gone to an Ivy League U some 50 years ago and have completed 3 additional degrees since (MBA, JD and DBA) the last of which was conferred 19 years ago, BUT I teach law as an adjunct in a law school, American History in a State U and this semester AP Government in a public high school.
I am aware of the changes and 1990s, 2000s and early 2010s saw great moves to the left, since 2015 there are many colleges and universities that have jettisoned the left and are far to the right. I don’t agree with extremism in education.
In terms of public policy I am socially Liberal and Fiscally Conservative.@EEEE
Secretary job? Not in today’s world. Employees are expected to be proficient on a keyboard and do their own typing/filing.
The CTL Law firm has offices in three states and we don’t employ a single secretary.
I’m the principal and have never had a secretary. I do have a paralegal who does some research and court filings, but that is a position that requires specific education and licensing in many states.
I also have an administrative assistant who answers and screens my calls, greets clients coming in to see me, settled them into the correct conference room or my office and might even bring coffee or water. In between she handles our banking and insurance.I know almost no professionals who have secretaries anymore. Occasionally, there will be a clerical worker who does some typing, billing, copying and filing, but that position does not have the skills and smarts a legal of medical secretary would have had 40+ years ago
@EEEE
Giving an unqualified and/or inexperienced instructor a teacher’s guide is not the solution. Just being able to stay 3 pages ahead of the class does not make one able to teach and explain the course material.I cannot give an accurate description of what I found lacking without access to the entire course.
What I saw wasted time’s irrelevant items in today’s world and did not address others.@AmilZola
I cringed when I read about dissecting sentences. This is not biology class.
Seems they needed a year with Warriner’s English Grammar and Composition as I had in 7th grade in a Chassidische day school@EEEE
I examined the available sample pages of Lifeprep concerning Financial Literacy and find them better than nothing, but not much.
The quality of the teacher is key to this having practical value. As an on line self study course it is sorely lacking@Daniela
Yes, much of what you mention is covered in my course, however it is designed to work in a class of at least 12 students.
Without giving away too much, each student reaches into the hat and draws a pre assigned persona. This gives age, gender, marital status, dependents, education, renter, owner, live with family, profession, wages, etc.
We explore the banking system, loans, mortgages, all types of banking and investment accounts, leasing a dwelling, buying a dwelling, application process, credit ratings abc reports, credit cards, consumet protection laws, taxes, retirement income, etc.
Without a mix of statuses and class participation the course does not function. It is not suitable for homeschooling with few students.@smerel
No the average person going to a ‘reform’ synagogue is not looking for Torah. They are looking for a sense of ethnic/cultural community and socialization@Daniela
My Personal Finance Course, written for high school students, is not an on line course.
As it is licensed to schools at a per pupil charge I regret that I cannot provide it to you, nor an on line link.
One warning, avoid the Prager U on line course that is out there. It is not very good and full of political bias.BTW, my course was written specifically for Connecticut anc deals with its tax laws and wages.
@PineLakePark
Here in Connecticut the law requires every high school student to have a full semester course in Personal Finance.
Not only have I taught the course, but wrote a curriculum which I have licensed to several towns as well as private schools and a Yeshiva High School.@147
Most women wouldn’t know if their husbands were putting Tephillin on Chol HaMoed, they aren’t at minyan with them.
In more than 4 decades of marriage the late Mrs. CTL A”H never once saw me daven shacharis on Chol HaMoedWhy bother refuting Neturei Karta, ignore them. They are a meaningless group not worthy of our time
@SACTS
There is no congregational push about politics and voting.
I know the political affiliation 2 ways:
#1 chit chat
#2 I have been Asst. Registrar of Voters in my town for more than a decade and am very familiar with the voter registration lists.