Comments for The Conundrums of David Brooks: Reducing Class Inequality Without Talking About It at http://www.cepr.net , comment 1 to 5 out of 5 comments http://www.cepr.net Wed, 19 Jun 2013 06:32:15 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.3 http://www.cepr.net/index.php/blogs/beat-the-press/the-conundrums-of-david-brooks-reducing-class-inequality-without-talking-about-it#comment-17367 It is so frustrating when there's a perfectly good term in rhetoric, and I can't remember what it is. Brooks is raising an problem that simply cannot be ignored any longer, but then tries to cut off discussion of an obvious cause of that problem at the same time. One might suspect that he acknowledged the problem of unequal opportunity only in order to try to cut off discussion of class as a contributing factor. Isn't that the whole point to Brooks' imitation of reasonableness? So that he can tell his readers what topics are forbidden as "unreasonable"? - kharris Tue, 10 Jul 2012 09:48:45 +0100 http://www.cepr.net/index.php/blogs/beat-the-press/the-conundrums-of-david-brooks-reducing-class-inequality-without-talking-about-it#comment-17361 No nit is safe dept; in this: "the problem is that we are paying to much to doctors " "to much" should be "too much." - Student Tue, 10 Jul 2012 07:44:32 +0100 http://www.cepr.net/index.php/blogs/beat-the-press/the-conundrums-of-david-brooks-reducing-class-inequality-without-talking-about-it#comment-17351 I was struck by just how out of touch with reality Brooks must be. The fees for school sports and numerous other activities have really taken a toll on the opportunity for children of modest means to participate. The truly staggering piece is that the fee have been imposed and increased as school district budgets have increased. The administrative costs of local districts budget have increased as fast as, and in many cases faster, than the wages of teachers. School building and renovation contracts are among the most lucrative jobs available in most areas. Both wings of the Corporate Party of America are the culprits. Neither wing seems able to shame the other into addressing these issues. The municipal recreation opportunities for children are even more needlessly restrictive. An example is our local youth baseball program. The (not insubstantial) fees charged will not deter most children from participating. But the days of the municipal recreation playground leagues are long gone. The games are all scheduled for the evening hours. Parents drive the kids to the games and watch. Kids may be assigned to teams that practice and play most of their games at distant fields. This works great for your average middle class family, but not so great for the single moms or the families struggling to make ends meet on three minimum wage jobs shared by two adults. There was a day when cities hired college students to "coach" baseball leagues that played all their games on fields in neighborhood playgrounds during the day. Kids walked, or rode bikes, to the playgrounds. There were no parent snack schedules and there was always a line at the water fountain between innings. The children from the more affluent homes played on a level field with those from the less affluent homes. The city mowed and maintained the fields then as now. And field maintenance was, and still is, the biggest expense. - Ron Alley Tue, 10 Jul 2012 03:08:10 +0100 http://www.cepr.net/index.php/blogs/beat-the-press/the-conundrums-of-david-brooks-reducing-class-inequality-without-talking-about-it#comment-17349 Yeah David-- [i]that's[/i] the problem. There has always been way too much discussion of class in this country. I guess it is OK if you're writing about "the composure class" though. - Kat Tue, 10 Jul 2012 01:31:42 +0100 http://www.cepr.net/index.php/blogs/beat-the-press/the-conundrums-of-david-brooks-reducing-class-inequality-without-talking-about-it#comment-17347 If classes existed Then so would warfare But if they didn't The world would be fair But since they do They must be ignored In order to cure them With smorgasbords Of comprehensive agendas From the ground on up To keep elites in touch From having too much Tear down this class wall Redistribute the takings But not to all Just the ones who make it - Last Mover Tue, 10 Jul 2012 01:19:34 +0100