The Toilet issue also brings to my mind memories of my childhood

We always had clean toilets.

But my grandparents lived in an Agraharam (Village) where there was only one toilet, which was in abysmal condition.

You wouldn't dare enter the toilet, because it was pathetic 2/n
I was asked by my father to go and stay with my grandparents for at least 2-3 days a month, and I would dread at the prospect of using that toilet.

Most of the time, I wouldn't and return home with severe constipation, or stomach cramps. 3/n
My grandfather never used the toilet and used to defecate in the open. This caused us considerable embarrassment whenever he visited us, and complaints would flood in from people in the neighbourhood. 4/n
I was a frequent traveler by train in my youth, and the number of people defecating in the open along Railway Tracks always made me angry.

I could see ladies getting up hurriedly whenever the train passes them, protecting their modesty. 5/n
It still remains a matter of shame. If, in 5 years, Modi's team could build millions of toilets and ensure every house have a toilet , imagine what we could have done in 70 years if only we had the will! 6/n
Much has been written about Demonetization.

For me it is simple. The poor were watching in angst at the powerful and corrupt amassing wealth, and investing in real estate and Gold, living a lavish life style well above their means, and they were burning with fury. 7/n
They were helpless.

They couldnt even buy a few cents of land, as the prices have sky rocketed.

They happily stood in the queue to change their few Rs 1000 notes, but watched in glee as the powerful and corrupt were running for cover. 8/n
Many approached the poor to use the poor guys bank account.

The poor never expected to see the powerful and corrupt to be brought down to earth overnight, or in their lifetime, and they gave a big thumbs up to Modi. 9/n
The poor doesnt need freebies. They want to live with dignity. They are more dignified than the middle/upper middle class. They are more honourable and honest

It is this dignity that was denied to them for 70 years.

It is this dignity that were given to them by Modi 10/n
Add to the above, a Corruption free government, Direct Benefit Transfer, PDS Support, New roads, projects being completed on time, visible signs of infrastructure development, the poor and downtrodden never had it so good. 11/n
They form the core constituency of Modi and his trump card n/n

(End of Part 2 of 2)

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This is a piece I've been thinking about for a long time. One of the most dominant policy ideas in Washington is that policy should, always and everywhere, move parents into paid labor. But what if that's wrong?

My reporting here convinced me that there's no large effect in either direction on labor force participation from child allowances. Canada has a bigger one than either Romney or Biden are considering, and more labor force participation among women.

But what if that wasn't true?

Forcing parents into low-wage, often exploitative, jobs by threatening them and their children with poverty may be counted as a success by some policymakers, but it’s a sign of a society that doesn’t value the most essential forms of labor.

The problem is in the very language we use. If I left my job as a New York Times columnist to care for my 2-year-old son, I’d be described as leaving the labor force. But as much as I adore him, there is no doubt I’d be working harder. I wouldn't have stopped working!

I tried to render conservative objections here fairly. I appreciate that @swinshi talked with me, and I'm sorry I couldn't include everything he said. I'll say I believe I used his strongest arguments, not more speculative ones, in the piece.

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Trump is gonna let the Mueller investigation end all on it's own. It's obvious. All the hysteria of the past 2 weeks about his supposed impending firing of Mueller was a distraction. He was never going to fire Mueller and he's not going to


Mueller's officially end his investigation all on his own and he's gonna say he found no evidence of Trump campaign/Russian collusion during the 2016 election.

Democrats & DNC Media are going to LITERALLY have nothing coherent to say in response to that.

Mueller's team was 100% partisan.

That's why it's brilliant. NOBODY will be able to claim this team of partisan Democrats didn't go the EXTRA 20 MILES looking for ANY evidence they could find of Trump campaign/Russian collusion during the 2016 election

They looked high.

They looked low.

They looked underneath every rock, behind every tree, into every bush.

And they found...NOTHING.

Those saying Mueller will file obstruction charges against Trump: laughable.

What documents did Trump tell the Mueller team it couldn't have? What witnesses were withheld and never interviewed?

THERE WEREN'T ANY.

Mueller got full 100% cooperation as the record will show.