Having US troops all over the world, meddling in one foreign conflict after another trying to replace independent leaders with puppets costs over a trillion dollars a year and makes us less safe.
We just experienced this first hand when obama had the CIA overthrow the democratically elected leader of the Ukraine and replace him with a pro-US leader in 2014 and it cost the Ukraine Crimea. In 2022, Boris Johnson and biden, convinced zelenski to not seek peace with Putin which would have saved thousands of Ukranian lives and alot of its territory in exchange for no NATO membership. The only president to not get us involved in this BS was Trump.
Just finished up an obscure read. The biography of a young George C. Marshall. The same Marshall that devised the eponymously named "Marshall Plan" to assist in rebuilding Europe in the wake of the destruction of WWII. My curiosity on the subject was triggered by a realization that our involvement across the globe is surely a violation of George Washingtons warning about "entangling alliances", and that it wasn't too long ago that the United States maintained a much smaller military profile and did quite well, regardless.
A realization that while funding DEI theatre productions or Gay themed comic books today seems to not involve projecting an objectionable kinetic military presence around the globe, as in "we're only here trying to help", it is, nonetheless a form of cultural colonialism and one not likely to change "hearts and minds", but an intrusion that is far more likely to engender grassroots hostility.
Time too, to reign in the spending. Spending that was established as a spigot of well-meaning funding after WWII but a program that has now morphed into what may properly be understood as a potential predicate for igniting future hostilities.
The world is a devil's brew of competing cultures and some, quite violent in defense of their religious and cultural history. Let's give all the moralizing a rest and cut back on our spending as well - and yes, let's build that wall and warily guard our borders as even with regard to international affairs, "strong fences make good neighbors".
The better way to influence the world is found in the current administration policy initiative of "Reciprocity" in trade. Not culturally intrusive in nature, just an objective program based on the leveling of trade with specific regard to commercial terms such as VAT taxes, Tariffs, government subsidies and adherence to all international bodies governing trade, such as territorial jurisdictional maritime rulings out of the Hague. Not simply allowing some trade related rules to stand and others to be violated.
The better way to cast light on the worlds darkest places is through setting example and pursuing regulated, conditions based, even-handed trade access, not through policies of belligerency, either militarily or culturally.
Nailed it there IMO, Ed. Food for Thought - which course of experiences make a "native" population angrier and more hateful:
Acts of War that destroy property, infrastructure and primarily Military lives, or
Acts of Degeneracy that destroy a Culture's foundations, traditions and mental stability of its children?
We were streaking down a road paved with Cultural Acts of War distributed worldwide. The degenerate and immoral left of this Nation was doing all it could to export en masse the worst perversion, turpitude and filth they wear as a Badge of Honor. Despicable and Deplorable. Thank God real people have stiffened and are starting to demand the removal of the ugliest parts of our Society...
The thought occurs to me that if the same folks, so intent on funding some of this DEI stuff, in ultra-conservative nations, had to instead, stand on a street corner in Honduras or Riyadh to hand out free gay themed comic books, and directly deal with the blowback from the natives, they would probably become a bit more circumspect about their own role.
However, if allowed to pursue these sorts of programs anonymously, only having to read news headlines of some religious fundamentalist slitting the throats of American oil workers in reprisal, perhaps a new level of cognitive dissonance as denial then emerges as those same DEI “cultural warriors” simply pivot and choose to congratulate themselves for their own Green energy policies versus those decapitated “deplorables”, while conveniently ignoring their own role in stirring up the native passions.
"Feelings" as associated always, with so much attendant high-volume anger and a lot of fearful speculation and hypocritical projection.
I see many on both the Left and the Right now simply turning the noise down. Much like the young mother with the crying infant. After a while... what else can be done? Therapy sessions for malcontents. I imagine at some point they'll simply run out of breath and just become sullenly angry - and that will be an improvement.
I have no response for people like Schumer, waving a can of Mexican beer and an avocado, while chanting like an idiot. How could anyone dignify that sort of behavior with a coherent response. As they used to say, let's just "move on".
It is vitally important to Point and Laugh while we "move on."
Justified Ridicule is ESSENTIAL in this battle and while it won't have any effect on the clowns leading the parade, it WILL and DOES wake up uncountable bystanders watching from the sidewalks...
Fair enough, although I think most Lefties are so inured to the tragic-comedy of their current state, all we will wind up doing is providing anger management therapy as we "wrestle with a pig" - and we all know what that will get us.
However, that being said, what I want is to get some practical results. Undeniable results for the history books. Lawsuits and trials with jail sentences if found to be appropriate.
Now that AG "Garfield the Cat" has been thrown out the back door and into the alley, let's start by getting Comer & Jordan to air whatever their commission found regarding the Bidens grifting.
Let's see which Senator or Congress-critter is willing to associate their name to any or all of the USAID funded crap. - or else admit, as a legislative body - that all of this spending was going on without their knowledge.
I have no interest in giving "therapy" to Biden-Harris losers looking for a political Pinata. Let's just ignore them and set about correcting the record and punishing the guilty.
As a bystander . I remember When Hillary Clinton was in charge of what department, I do not remember . But What I remember was that she was "giving" out money and said to this one Country, some what about the size of the Honduras. If You allow abortion You can have this money. This was one of the leaders and Canada follows Her foot steps. The agony of this life is some times unbearable.
Yes SE removing is part of the answer. But how does one just put it to extinction? Removing is only temporary. Always out there. Society Can certainly do their part and live a moral life. But We know how sneaky the adversary is .
I remember that. Turns out that effect was basically baby piss. Try letting them get a foot in the door with regard to fooling your boys into thinking they are girls (and vice versa), allowing/encouraging your children to mutilate themselves and their sexuality, murdering the unborn as a form of birth control and/or convenience, and on and on.
It was ALL being actively promoted, encouraged and paid for around the world by the scumbag Left - using OUR stolen tax dollars...
I'm still reading "Conjuring Hitler". Subsequently its very interesting to see Churchill, Truman and Stalin standing together. I now see Chuchill as the biggest liar!
I say all 3 are bad actors. But I think the worst was Stalin. He was careful enough not to have his evil works put on paper for a trail but only suggested to His enforcers of what to do. This against his fellow Russian. If You ever get to read the Gulag , it will show all of his evil deeds.
I am reading this now . I am on book #2 . Thanks . It truly amazes Me how cruel man can be to another man. Some times I just find it hard to comprehend. I must be getting soft in My older age.
It has been going on since Old Testament days. Jonah ran from God because he didn't want to preach repentance to the Ninevites. They were the most barbaric people around. They cut the Noses And Ears off of prisoners to mark them. Cut off hands & feet and cut stomachs so bowls would fall out. He wanted them to go to Hell but God had compassion on them and Jonah's begrudging preaching worked. They repented. We all would have been a Jonah.
He fought in WW I and then later had to lead his nation through WW II. That is a lot of mental anguish for anyone. London got bombed 57 straight nights so I imagine he was not the only drunk.
As a young man, he fought in the late 1890's in the Boer wars in Africa. Was captured and then escaped. As I recall, became British Secretary of the Navy in WWI where he invented the concept of the earliest Tanks. Had an American mother and, as he often turned to authoring fiction novels to pay the bills, he would base many of his fictional characters as Americans. I have several of those books. Most produced at the turn of the last century - 1904-1909.
I see Trumps tariff threats as an opening gambit. A threat levelled if reciprocal levels of cooperation cannot be worked out. Will it work? I really have no idea. I don't think any of us do. As to the domestic effect, I will only speak for myself as regards the limits previously put on Blue states ability to try to fob off the cost of their states programs by allowing the deduction of state and local taxes on Federal tax filings, now capped at $10k. I "took one for the team" on that reform but I'm OK with that, based solely on principle alone. Perhaps a temporary increase in the cost of consumer products should be viewed in similar fashion, assuming Trumps gambit works to level out the playing field and getting us off the residual and ever-morphing remnants of the "Marshall Plan" merry-go-round.
The 36 Trillion shows a complete revamp is required. I think tariffs are a fantastic idea! I don't give a damn about "They only cost us." Get rid of the income taxes! It sure hasn't produced any sensibility in government, don't forget the 36T if you are inclined to think about this. Look this whole facade of government needs to be broken if we are desirous of having a Constitutional Republic with freedom of speech and our supposed other freedoms.
Very much agree. In order to solve the $36T problem, IMHO it has to be a brilliant, out of the box solution which I pray they are successful. My guess is that “the plan” will be a combination of tariffs, lower (or zero) taxes, balance of trade, Doge cuts…. In other words a complete revamp of our Federal financial system.
Actually an inside the box massive cut in spending would do the trick. I refer everyone to Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution. It provides for 18 enumerated powers. Everything outside of that is Unconstitutional.
I think the choice here is that if we want freedom as opposed to "We need to be able to censor you in order to control you." Then of course we must have a period of suffering. The artificiality is simply too great to expect a smooth transition.
Jimm Roberts et al continue to prove that the leftarded/dimocrat/communist among us 𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗻𝗼𝘁 look any deeper than the very thinnest surface layer while viewing even that sliver through the lens of Emotion instead of Logic or Reason...
Yes Starboard, as the ignorant and demented leaders in NY scream about an unelected person influencing our President, the picture of the “good”🤔 unelected Rev Al Sharpton telling the insane governor of NY that mayor Adams has to be terminated🤔. I agree that Adams is just another example of the typical corrupt democrat, but tired of the hypocrisy and vile rhetoric of the sickest and most corrupt of our country having center stage of righteousness in our corrupt media. Unfortunately Bill has become part of their crowd or has been replaced with a more leftist ghost writer 🤔
Interesting theory has Trump's DOJ squeezing Adams for legally actionable dirt on Fat Alvin and Loquesia. I hope Adams is oiling up his pipes for a nice aria or two.
Agree SE. The emotional argument is always trotted out by the lazy leftist loonies. Unfortunately, the emotional argument swamps the rational argument with the poorly educated and misguided masses.
One of Pres. Trumps trade advisors said we had a 236 Billon trade deficit w/Europe last year. Our counter tariffs are to balance that out hoping Europe will drop theirs.
Something must be done about the endless waste ,deficits, money printing and the corruption revealed by DOGE.
Cheap imports means higher living standards but leads to the closure of all industry, loss of jobs, lower living standards, vast numbers of unemployed or low paying wages... this has happened.
The vast monthly trade deficits make the country poorer, tarrifs will help address this trade imbalance.
Before WWI there was no income tax and Congress had lots of surplus money , smaller govt costs and lots of tariffs tax money and lots of industry and high paying jobs.
The potential for the currency conversions between countries should in fact make imports cheaper, offsetting some / much of the tariffs expense to consumers.
The law saving rates of govt, businesses and house holds needs to he addressed. No money saved so less money as capital for reinvestment for worthwhile investments.
It is very complicated as you have already pointed out. But the current system is unsustainable and your country is heading for bankruptcy as is much of the western world. The stock market IS very high as you say, much of it based on the current corrupt system, theft of vast amounts of money stolen from the govt.
We've in interesting times. We are praying that your Trump gets it right as all of us will be affected by his decisions.
I agree with some of your observations; disagree with others. Foremost, despite my strong desire the US rectify is chronic budget with reduced spending, I forecast Trump will reduce services by firing Federal employees but leave costly programs intact. There may be a reduction in spending but inconsequential in my opinion. Let's check in with each other in four years to see who's right
George Washington's lamentations were more of the risk and expense of foreign entanglements, each of which is substantial. Today, however, foriegn entanglements are a way to obscure billions of dollars to support corruption. I believe that George's vision was sound. His vision, based on his experience as a British officer, however, was near sighted. He had no idea of the corruption that those entanglements birth.
The fraud and theft and misappropriation of funds is going to be greatly reduced. I’m sure DOGE can cut a good percentage of the Pentagon Budget and still maintain a good fighting machine. You have hard time giving the Trump administration (and Musk) credit. Remember billions of dollars are being discovered as fraud and fake in only a few weeks. How about SOME credit where it’s due and see what brings in the next year. Stop being so cynical. AP
I had an employee twenty five years ago. He managed a very small freight terminal. Certainly, no more than 10 empayees. A very nice affable guy. Apparently, he became the talk of the town adorned with diamond cufflinks et al. On one occasion I met him at a high brow meat market .. bot a butcher shop. I set with him and his colleagues. He become a freight broker. I have to end this quickly. She had 16 different fax machines each assigned to a different LLC. He would make bids to tdefense department. Some extremely high lamenting the environmental restrictions some lamenting the difficulties of the task. To end this story, he was laughing out loud.He was paid a million dollars plus dollcross.The haul a tug boat sixty miles from one side of a port to another. He did nothing but bid this out and paid less than a hundred thousand dollars. As the lowest bidder of many he was awarded. He told me the key is getting their first and fast ... I said hell that's gotta be illegal. And he said " probably."
For credibility’s sake Musk and the DOGE need to hit the DOD hard. I would start with the fact that the Pentagon in recent history has been unable to pass an audit. From alternate sources the situation is even worse. It is so bad that a coherent audit cannot even be conducted, and trillions cannot be accounted for. There is no low hanging fruit here. The fruit is all over the ground, rotting.
Wow - hadn't seen that particular image of Churchill, Truman, and Stalin at the Potsdam Conference. Three members of the Planetary Mass Murderers Hall of Fame gleefully locking hands in triumph.
A proper accounting of history will reveal that indeed the bad guys won.
And Evil was successful in duping us into killing millions of our Cultural, Societal, Racial, Christian, Morally-Aligned brothers and sisters - including those who were Just and those who were temporarily misguided...
Yep - and, unfortunately, it is happening again in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, Sudan, Somalia and before in Iraq, Afghanistan, Korea, and Vietnam. None of these made the world "safe for democracy". It made a long list of elites extremely rich though including all Presidents since Reagan. Hopefully, Trump will bring all the forces home including discontinuing support both militarily and financially of the blood bath in the Middle East.
All War is a waste of good people and Money. Sure there is waste in our military, spending billions on DEI and re-educating men on how bad being white is and how good it is being transgender, then spending billions more converting those men into women. Lots of wasted taxpayer dollars go to perfectly healthy people to stay home and waste their lives. Trillions have been spent on illegals and a welfare system that has destroyed more Americans lives with our so called War On Poverty. Yes Bill, much waste in America, but trying to blame those who want to change it seems like such a Waste Of Time🤔, but we know you have a War with Trump, and I’m sure you will Waste more of our time in the future, but please consider the last four years and what your party has achieved and the Wars they have created, and give peace a chance…
The “Elite” party, or WEF🤔 which is a cult of destruction for our middle class, but they have a party every day 🥳🥳🥳 so shut up, Obey and know that by 2030, you will own nothing but be happy 😊
If I were Elon, my answer regarding "legions", would be "None" -don't need them. Just a squad to start with, grown now to a platoon, and will probably end with a small company, all Privates, E-3 in rank, a couple of E-4/5s to keep a scorecard, at least one E-6 to keep the logistics of the unit functioning, And 1 unpaid Captain. NO Lt's, colonels, or generals. The E-3s, mostly twenty-year-olds, not sure of how many with college degrees, armed only with their smarts and a computer, and the key - access to the records. In and out in a couple of months because the captain has to get back to his day job.
The government agencies have been completely blindsided for asking the simple question of "Tell me again what it is that you do each day" Truly a nightmare and downright unfair.
It may very well be the most lethal force the USA has ever produced without an ounce of antimony being used.
As an aside, today, the military has close to 900 generals/flag officers of which 42 are four-star generals. World War II had a 1 1/2 million men and 7 four-star generals which maybe that number got to 13 toward the end of the war. I wonder what the generals will say when they are asked that question that other government agencies are having to respond to. Just saying.
It appears to me after many years of government financial abuse and waste we have a committed group trying to do something about it and they're already making progress.
Eisenhower (my favorite president} spoke with absolute knowledge, when he told us to "beware of the military/industrial complex. Now, I'm sure one of you youngsters can enlighten us about a single war (better known as military interventions) that we have "won", since WWII. Won, means that the end result was in our favor. Oh, and we didn't win the Korean War. It was a draw.
If one wants to understand the ramifications (Good, Bad, & Ugly) of U.S. Tariff policy, look no further than the Morrill Tariff. The Morrill Tariff was an increased import tariff in the United States that was adopted on March 2, 1861, during the administration of US President James Buchanan.
THE GOOD:
Protected and built up the fledgling U.S. industrial base located in the North. At this time the U.S, couldn't compete with Europe without protectionist tariffs. So one could make the argument that without tariffs the U.S. would not have become the preeminent manufacturing super power.
THE BAD:
The South ended up paying the lion's share of the Morrill Tariff. The South traded extensively with Europe and was dependent upon Europe's manufactured goods to run their vast agricultural businesses. Back then Europe's manufactured goods were both cheaper and better than what could be obtained domestically up North. So one could argue that the South largely financed the North's industrial base.
THE UGLY:
The South realized their economic position from the Morrill Tariff was untenable and then decided to secede from the Union. I know we were taught that the genesis of the South's secession was slavery, but only the intellectually lazy among us believe that yarn. So one could make the argument that without the Morrill Tariff the Civil War could have been avoided.
Not entirely agreed that slavery wasn't the foundational issue, but I am very supportive of the notion that the South was antagonized unnecessarily by monied, Northern elements (especially textile Mill owners) exercising undue influence within our federal government.
The law being referenced here, one that was passed by Congress, required Cotton merchants to have to sail out of New Orleans, around Florida and up the Eastern seaboard to Perth Amboy, NJ where they were assessed an "export tax" before being allowed to sail on to Europe. However, the cost of the trip up the coast made it no longer feasible to sail on and product was dumped on the docks to be purchased at a discount by Northern textile Mill owners.
Regardless of whether we treat the issue of slavery as a primary or secondary cassis belli, the fact remains that there were those in our federal government whose greed greatly aggravated the situation to no good end, years before Fort Sumpter.
While we all know that slavery is immoral today - no longer an issue to be dealt with - the absence of treatment of this part of our history, in the lead-up to the Civil War, is very concerning as these conditions could easily be repeated today.
Think about this the next time you hear voices on the Left agitating to end the Electoral College and, instead, support a 'popular vote". That would be the first step in the direction of disenfranchisement of major regions of the nation and, I would predict, would not end well at all.
Can't say I have Craig. But I'll look into it. Much has been written about Lincoln. Usually, very complimentary. He did inherit a mess.
Speaking of which, right now, I'm doing a bit of "retro-reading". Specifically, - "The Art of the Deal" - in an effort to better understand President Trump and more specifically, how likely he is to succeed in dealing with the current fiscal mess that he's been handed.
Having spent 30 years in the military, I guarantee there are ample savings to be had in every branch of our armed forces.
And these savings do occur from time to time.
The easiest way to effect substantial cuts in our military budget is to close facilities (i. e., Base Closures, a traumatic event for communities that subsist on their payrolls)
But make no mistake: we have adversaries; always will. Our species is vicious.
There has never been a time in recorded human history in which there has been no war
Ukraine, Sudan, the Levant, China's sabre rattling are today's examples. There will be others.
My point to T & M -- neither who wore a uniform -- be careful when cutting
A persuasive argument can be made that our belated involvement prolonged WWI, created many more causalities and exacerbated Germany's impoverishment which aligned the dominoes for WWII
Not sure about "prolonging" WWI. We were only there at the tail end. An alternative explanation for "Germany's impoverishment" were the reparations required with the Treaty of Versailles. The United States opposed these punitive reparations, but our EU allies prevailed, and Germany had to comply. When the worlds markets collapsed in 1929, Hitler saw his opportunity to rally an angry and now, twice over, impoverished population,
Elon Musk has billions in contracts with the MIC. Does anyone really believe he will find any waste in his contracts? I haven't even heard a peep about the waste of our tax dollars on subsidies for his Spontaneous Combustion EVs.
Also, is firing all employees just because they are on probation a good strategy? What if the new employees are better than the ones who will remain in the job just because of seniority?
Finally, why are Trump supporters so eager to jump on the Elon bandwagon? I've read quotes of his in brain chips, UBI, mRNA vaccines, Carbon tax Credits that coincide perfectly with the beliefs of Klaus Schwab and George Soros.
Hi Abe. Here's something else. Elon and Trump dissing one another. Funny how Trump used the think Elon was a fraudster who would get down on his knees and begg for more government money. https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1546669610509799424
A momentary snapshot in "Trump time" signaling nothing.
Far worse, for years, half the nation was fooled into a kneejerk protection of the overseas grifting activities of the Biden crime family syndicate as they sold access to Joe Bidens office and later, supporting the obvious lie that Joe Biden was in full control of his faculties. Trump has a mercurial personality. That's well known. The crime, as they say, is in the cover-up.
Gee, I guess you got this one perfectly correct, Cartero.
Because people, attitudes and circumstances never change and we should definitely focus on the Flaws of the Messenger rather than the Lethality of the Flaws themselves.
You've convinced me - Musk and DOGE must cease all operations immediately and the status quo must be re-instituted with all possible haste.
Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go figure out how many more thousands of tax dollars I must pay in addition to the tens-of-thousands the governmental Paragons of Virtue already stole from me last year...
Did you feel the same way about Elon when Trump said Musk would have got down on his knees and begged for more taxpayer money? Or when Elon said Trump should sail off into the sunset instead of running again? There use to be a saying that charity begins at home. Maybe cost cutting begins at home - like Musk going after all subsidies for EVs, an independent auditor to review all of Musk's contracts with the government, Trump stopping the grandstanding with expensive trips to sporting events on the taxpayers' dime.
Did you notice that Zuckerberg and Bezos had front row seats to the inauguration? That Larry Ellison, a guy who believes in mRNA vaccines and using AI and drones to monitor the Sheeple, is heading up Trump's Stargate? No chance we are being played here, just like the left was played by Obama?
I'm not in disagreement with you regarding Elon including his own interests in the DOGE examination - but with your reply you are proving the point of my last post.
PS - Stop believing your propaganda "media." DJT shows up to the Super Bowl and you toddlers throw a tantrum. Yet I would bet large $$ that you had jackshit to say while TraitorJoe spent a FULL 40% of his "presidency on "vacation." And he napped-up at least another 15%, so cry harder about Trump in New Orleans...
Wrong, my friend. As Ray Charles once sung "You don't know me". I detested Reagan, Poppa Bush and Baby Bush, Clinton, Obama, Trump, Biden. I'm not crying just stating facts. Trump is wasting money on his publicity tours just like the rest of our recent presidents. Maybe my memories of Trump's AC casino bankruptcy left a scare in myemory bank. He was a NY liberal then and had no problem declaring bankruptcy and screwing small contractors who worked for him.
Reading the above I'm reminded of that particular type of "optimism" where some are willing to dig through a large pile of manure in the vain hope that "there's a pony down there somewhere".
So I guess it never happened. Trump never screwed small contractors. I must have been living in an alternate universe back in the early '90s. I was in Philadelphia at the time and the bankruptcy was covered in the local papers. And Trump was a New York liberal at the time. Question: How do you bankrupt an AC casino when AC gambling had no legal competition at the time?
If you want to actually fix your problem you need to understand the genesis of it. Answer this question: Who's the biggest threat to your Life, Liberty, and Property:
a) China
b) Russia
c) U.S. Government
If you didn't choose c), would you kindly let the rest of us know what kind of drugs you ingest. I for one would like to partake :-)
Bill, more sad days coming. The Gulf War was a Sunday picnic compared to what may be our next biblical interlude. Never mind where my loyalties may be, DJT is lining up little tin soldiers for a worldwide explosion! Yah! 'm bitching, but I'm allowed over 79!
Bill Bonner calling terrorists “ a fake enemy” apparently cannot remember 9/11 ! I can agree with much of what Bill writes but this statement ranks right up there with last week’s “the median income in 1925 was $5400.” Bull-oney Bill !!
We spend more on welfare (social support payments) than we do on "defense", but nary a peep about that EVER from Dear Leader. "Defense" is mentioned specifically in the Preamble of the Constitution; welfare, what John Adams called "beneficence", is not. Nary a distinction. Without our Navy, without military bases in far-away places, how do we propose to protect our commercial interests? What would happen in the South China Sea with no US Navy? World trade requires world access. I'm as anti-venturism, anti-interference as the next guy, but there are practical considerations here. And one more thing: "Defense", as impractical, out-of-hand, and as boondoggly as it is, provides a modicum of ROI. Social support payments are a rathole, a totally non-ROI arrangement that perpetuates and renews itself ad infinitum, constantly expanding and undermining freedom while promoting the state. Unless and until we can address this discrepancy, I'm staying in the "defense" camp. Best always. PM
We just experienced this first hand when obama had the CIA overthrow the democratically elected leader of the Ukraine and replace him with a pro-US leader in 2014 and it cost the Ukraine Crimea. In 2022, Boris Johnson and biden, convinced zelenski to not seek peace with Putin which would have saved thousands of Ukranian lives and alot of its territory in exchange for no NATO membership. The only president to not get us involved in this BS was Trump.
Correction. Hundreds of thousands of lives
Bob
You are so right on target
Just finished up an obscure read. The biography of a young George C. Marshall. The same Marshall that devised the eponymously named "Marshall Plan" to assist in rebuilding Europe in the wake of the destruction of WWII. My curiosity on the subject was triggered by a realization that our involvement across the globe is surely a violation of George Washingtons warning about "entangling alliances", and that it wasn't too long ago that the United States maintained a much smaller military profile and did quite well, regardless.
A realization that while funding DEI theatre productions or Gay themed comic books today seems to not involve projecting an objectionable kinetic military presence around the globe, as in "we're only here trying to help", it is, nonetheless a form of cultural colonialism and one not likely to change "hearts and minds", but an intrusion that is far more likely to engender grassroots hostility.
Time too, to reign in the spending. Spending that was established as a spigot of well-meaning funding after WWII but a program that has now morphed into what may properly be understood as a potential predicate for igniting future hostilities.
The world is a devil's brew of competing cultures and some, quite violent in defense of their religious and cultural history. Let's give all the moralizing a rest and cut back on our spending as well - and yes, let's build that wall and warily guard our borders as even with regard to international affairs, "strong fences make good neighbors".
The better way to influence the world is found in the current administration policy initiative of "Reciprocity" in trade. Not culturally intrusive in nature, just an objective program based on the leveling of trade with specific regard to commercial terms such as VAT taxes, Tariffs, government subsidies and adherence to all international bodies governing trade, such as territorial jurisdictional maritime rulings out of the Hague. Not simply allowing some trade related rules to stand and others to be violated.
The better way to cast light on the worlds darkest places is through setting example and pursuing regulated, conditions based, even-handed trade access, not through policies of belligerency, either militarily or culturally.
"𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘴, 𝘯𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘢 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮 𝘰𝘧 𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘭 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘪𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘮 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 "𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘴", 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘢𝘯 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘢𝘳 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘳𝘰𝘰𝘵𝘴 𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺."
Nailed it there IMO, Ed. Food for Thought - which course of experiences make a "native" population angrier and more hateful:
Acts of War that destroy property, infrastructure and primarily Military lives, or
Acts of Degeneracy that destroy a Culture's foundations, traditions and mental stability of its children?
We were streaking down a road paved with Cultural Acts of War distributed worldwide. The degenerate and immoral left of this Nation was doing all it could to export en masse the worst perversion, turpitude and filth they wear as a Badge of Honor. Despicable and Deplorable. Thank God real people have stiffened and are starting to demand the removal of the ugliest parts of our Society...
The thought occurs to me that if the same folks, so intent on funding some of this DEI stuff, in ultra-conservative nations, had to instead, stand on a street corner in Honduras or Riyadh to hand out free gay themed comic books, and directly deal with the blowback from the natives, they would probably become a bit more circumspect about their own role.
However, if allowed to pursue these sorts of programs anonymously, only having to read news headlines of some religious fundamentalist slitting the throats of American oil workers in reprisal, perhaps a new level of cognitive dissonance as denial then emerges as those same DEI “cultural warriors” simply pivot and choose to congratulate themselves for their own Green energy policies versus those decapitated “deplorables”, while conveniently ignoring their own role in stirring up the native passions.
As I mentioned - they cannot and will not think beyond their Feelings...
"Feelings" as associated always, with so much attendant high-volume anger and a lot of fearful speculation and hypocritical projection.
I see many on both the Left and the Right now simply turning the noise down. Much like the young mother with the crying infant. After a while... what else can be done? Therapy sessions for malcontents. I imagine at some point they'll simply run out of breath and just become sullenly angry - and that will be an improvement.
I have no response for people like Schumer, waving a can of Mexican beer and an avocado, while chanting like an idiot. How could anyone dignify that sort of behavior with a coherent response. As they used to say, let's just "move on".
It is vitally important to Point and Laugh while we "move on."
Justified Ridicule is ESSENTIAL in this battle and while it won't have any effect on the clowns leading the parade, it WILL and DOES wake up uncountable bystanders watching from the sidewalks...
Fair enough, although I think most Lefties are so inured to the tragic-comedy of their current state, all we will wind up doing is providing anger management therapy as we "wrestle with a pig" - and we all know what that will get us.
However, that being said, what I want is to get some practical results. Undeniable results for the history books. Lawsuits and trials with jail sentences if found to be appropriate.
Now that AG "Garfield the Cat" has been thrown out the back door and into the alley, let's start by getting Comer & Jordan to air whatever their commission found regarding the Bidens grifting.
Let's see which Senator or Congress-critter is willing to associate their name to any or all of the USAID funded crap. - or else admit, as a legislative body - that all of this spending was going on without their knowledge.
I have no interest in giving "therapy" to Biden-Harris losers looking for a political Pinata. Let's just ignore them and set about correcting the record and punishing the guilty.
As a bystander . I remember When Hillary Clinton was in charge of what department, I do not remember . But What I remember was that she was "giving" out money and said to this one Country, some what about the size of the Honduras. If You allow abortion You can have this money. This was one of the leaders and Canada follows Her foot steps. The agony of this life is some times unbearable.
Yes SE removing is part of the answer. But how does one just put it to extinction? Removing is only temporary. Always out there. Society Can certainly do their part and live a moral life. But We know how sneaky the adversary is .
See my reply re. Ridicule...
I understood that in its day "Baywatch" inflamed the passions of Muslim youth as much as any other US export.
I remember that. Turns out that effect was basically baby piss. Try letting them get a foot in the door with regard to fooling your boys into thinking they are girls (and vice versa), allowing/encouraging your children to mutilate themselves and their sexuality, murdering the unborn as a form of birth control and/or convenience, and on and on.
It was ALL being actively promoted, encouraged and paid for around the world by the scumbag Left - using OUR stolen tax dollars...
Exactly. Why fan the flames? These people want to live, perpetually, in the 7th century like the movie "Groundhog day". Let them.
Best to leave them alone but also to curtail their movement within civilized nations.
Very good. I am reminded of one thing Colin Powell said that really resonated at the time, still does. - “If you break it, you own it”.
I'm still reading "Conjuring Hitler". Subsequently its very interesting to see Churchill, Truman and Stalin standing together. I now see Chuchill as the biggest liar!
I say all 3 are bad actors. But I think the worst was Stalin. He was careful enough not to have his evil works put on paper for a trail but only suggested to His enforcers of what to do. This against his fellow Russian. If You ever get to read the Gulag , it will show all of his evil deeds.
The past 110+ years have truly been a matrix of Lies and Deception - in almost every area of Consequence.
The Lion is waking up...
Approx 65 million dead in the USSR. A baby born in 1917, the year of the communist takeover had only a 2% chance of living until their 50th birthday.
I some how think that not much has changed in Russia. Just My thinking and what Putin has said that He hates people against the establishment.
A must read!
The Gulag Archipelago
Book by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
I am reading this now . I am on book #2 . Thanks . It truly amazes Me how cruel man can be to another man. Some times I just find it hard to comprehend. I must be getting soft in My older age.
It has been going on since Old Testament days. Jonah ran from God because he didn't want to preach repentance to the Ninevites. They were the most barbaric people around. They cut the Noses And Ears off of prisoners to mark them. Cut off hands & feet and cut stomachs so bowls would fall out. He wanted them to go to Hell but God had compassion on them and Jonah's begrudging preaching worked. They repented. We all would have been a Jonah.
Thanks for the reminder.
Churchill was deemed highly neurotic
Which he wasn't. He was a drunk.
And the Madame was still ugly the next day...
Mister star I have loved that for 50 years!
Been missin' you, Farmer! Hope all is well...
He fought in WW I and then later had to lead his nation through WW II. That is a lot of mental anguish for anyone. London got bombed 57 straight nights so I imagine he was not the only drunk.
As a young man, he fought in the late 1890's in the Boer wars in Africa. Was captured and then escaped. As I recall, became British Secretary of the Navy in WWI where he invented the concept of the earliest Tanks. Had an American mother and, as he often turned to authoring fiction novels to pay the bills, he would base many of his fictional characters as Americans. I have several of those books. Most produced at the turn of the last century - 1904-1909.
Churchill was a very effective strategic thinker. For example, he had the habit of drinking early in the morning, while remaining in bed.
Eloquent argument; worthy goal. It's one long sought but never attained.
Our current president is treating trade as a form of punishment.
How he fails to see that his tariffs are hurting us by making imports more, not less costly -- we pay them; not the exporter -- is a mystery.
If costs go up, sales will go down which is not good for jobs in particular and the economy in general
May be T's tariffs will be the tripping point for the purportedly overvalued stock market
I see Trumps tariff threats as an opening gambit. A threat levelled if reciprocal levels of cooperation cannot be worked out. Will it work? I really have no idea. I don't think any of us do. As to the domestic effect, I will only speak for myself as regards the limits previously put on Blue states ability to try to fob off the cost of their states programs by allowing the deduction of state and local taxes on Federal tax filings, now capped at $10k. I "took one for the team" on that reform but I'm OK with that, based solely on principle alone. Perhaps a temporary increase in the cost of consumer products should be viewed in similar fashion, assuming Trumps gambit works to level out the playing field and getting us off the residual and ever-morphing remnants of the "Marshall Plan" merry-go-round.
The 36 Trillion shows a complete revamp is required. I think tariffs are a fantastic idea! I don't give a damn about "They only cost us." Get rid of the income taxes! It sure hasn't produced any sensibility in government, don't forget the 36T if you are inclined to think about this. Look this whole facade of government needs to be broken if we are desirous of having a Constitutional Republic with freedom of speech and our supposed other freedoms.
Very much agree. In order to solve the $36T problem, IMHO it has to be a brilliant, out of the box solution which I pray they are successful. My guess is that “the plan” will be a combination of tariffs, lower (or zero) taxes, balance of trade, Doge cuts…. In other words a complete revamp of our Federal financial system.
Actually an inside the box massive cut in spending would do the trick. I refer everyone to Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution. It provides for 18 enumerated powers. Everything outside of that is Unconstitutional.
I think the choice here is that if we want freedom as opposed to "We need to be able to censor you in order to control you." Then of course we must have a period of suffering. The artificiality is simply too great to expect a smooth transition.
We need to target the PAIN onto those who deserve it - not those who are shining the light of exposure...
Jimm Roberts et al continue to prove that the leftarded/dimocrat/communist among us 𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗻𝗼𝘁 look any deeper than the very thinnest surface layer while viewing even that sliver through the lens of Emotion instead of Logic or Reason...
Yes Starboard, as the ignorant and demented leaders in NY scream about an unelected person influencing our President, the picture of the “good”🤔 unelected Rev Al Sharpton telling the insane governor of NY that mayor Adams has to be terminated🤔. I agree that Adams is just another example of the typical corrupt democrat, but tired of the hypocrisy and vile rhetoric of the sickest and most corrupt of our country having center stage of righteousness in our corrupt media. Unfortunately Bill has become part of their crowd or has been replaced with a more leftist ghost writer 🤔
Interesting theory has Trump's DOJ squeezing Adams for legally actionable dirt on Fat Alvin and Loquesia. I hope Adams is oiling up his pipes for a nice aria or two.
Nailed it, brother Steve.
"Rules for thee...." is but one of the many lame and ignorant creeds they live by...
Agree SE. The emotional argument is always trotted out by the lazy leftist loonies. Unfortunately, the emotional argument swamps the rational argument with the poorly educated and misguided masses.
How Trump got elected!
Don't use my name when you castigate anti-capitalist governments and individuals. I'm a wealth-maker; job creator.
One of Pres. Trumps trade advisors said we had a 236 Billon trade deficit w/Europe last year. Our counter tariffs are to balance that out hoping Europe will drop theirs.
You have missed a few points.
Something must be done about the endless waste ,deficits, money printing and the corruption revealed by DOGE.
Cheap imports means higher living standards but leads to the closure of all industry, loss of jobs, lower living standards, vast numbers of unemployed or low paying wages... this has happened.
The vast monthly trade deficits make the country poorer, tarrifs will help address this trade imbalance.
Before WWI there was no income tax and Congress had lots of surplus money , smaller govt costs and lots of tariffs tax money and lots of industry and high paying jobs.
The potential for the currency conversions between countries should in fact make imports cheaper, offsetting some / much of the tariffs expense to consumers.
The law saving rates of govt, businesses and house holds needs to he addressed. No money saved so less money as capital for reinvestment for worthwhile investments.
It is very complicated as you have already pointed out. But the current system is unsustainable and your country is heading for bankruptcy as is much of the western world. The stock market IS very high as you say, much of it based on the current corrupt system, theft of vast amounts of money stolen from the govt.
We've in interesting times. We are praying that your Trump gets it right as all of us will be affected by his decisions.
Just a few thoughts from Australia .
I agree with some of your observations; disagree with others. Foremost, despite my strong desire the US rectify is chronic budget with reduced spending, I forecast Trump will reduce services by firing Federal employees but leave costly programs intact. There may be a reduction in spending but inconsequential in my opinion. Let's check in with each other in four years to see who's right
George Washington's lamentations were more of the risk and expense of foreign entanglements, each of which is substantial. Today, however, foriegn entanglements are a way to obscure billions of dollars to support corruption. I believe that George's vision was sound. His vision, based on his experience as a British officer, however, was near sighted. He had no idea of the corruption that those entanglements birth.
Yes. Yes. Yes
Washington said, "Trade with all, align with none."
Bill:
The fraud and theft and misappropriation of funds is going to be greatly reduced. I’m sure DOGE can cut a good percentage of the Pentagon Budget and still maintain a good fighting machine. You have hard time giving the Trump administration (and Musk) credit. Remember billions of dollars are being discovered as fraud and fake in only a few weeks. How about SOME credit where it’s due and see what brings in the next year. Stop being so cynical. AP
I had an employee twenty five years ago. He managed a very small freight terminal. Certainly, no more than 10 empayees. A very nice affable guy. Apparently, he became the talk of the town adorned with diamond cufflinks et al. On one occasion I met him at a high brow meat market .. bot a butcher shop. I set with him and his colleagues. He become a freight broker. I have to end this quickly. She had 16 different fax machines each assigned to a different LLC. He would make bids to tdefense department. Some extremely high lamenting the environmental restrictions some lamenting the difficulties of the task. To end this story, he was laughing out loud.He was paid a million dollars plus dollcross.The haul a tug boat sixty miles from one side of a port to another. He did nothing but bid this out and paid less than a hundred thousand dollars. As the lowest bidder of many he was awarded. He told me the key is getting their first and fast ... I said hell that's gotta be illegal. And he said " probably."
For credibility’s sake Musk and the DOGE need to hit the DOD hard. I would start with the fact that the Pentagon in recent history has been unable to pass an audit. From alternate sources the situation is even worse. It is so bad that a coherent audit cannot even be conducted, and trillions cannot be accounted for. There is no low hanging fruit here. The fruit is all over the ground, rotting.
Wow - hadn't seen that particular image of Churchill, Truman, and Stalin at the Potsdam Conference. Three members of the Planetary Mass Murderers Hall of Fame gleefully locking hands in triumph.
A proper accounting of history will reveal that indeed the bad guys won.
And Evil was successful in duping us into killing millions of our Cultural, Societal, Racial, Christian, Morally-Aligned brothers and sisters - including those who were Just and those who were temporarily misguided...
Yep - and, unfortunately, it is happening again in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, Sudan, Somalia and before in Iraq, Afghanistan, Korea, and Vietnam. None of these made the world "safe for democracy". It made a long list of elites extremely rich though including all Presidents since Reagan. Hopefully, Trump will bring all the forces home including discontinuing support both militarily and financially of the blood bath in the Middle East.
All War is a waste of good people and Money. Sure there is waste in our military, spending billions on DEI and re-educating men on how bad being white is and how good it is being transgender, then spending billions more converting those men into women. Lots of wasted taxpayer dollars go to perfectly healthy people to stay home and waste their lives. Trillions have been spent on illegals and a welfare system that has destroyed more Americans lives with our so called War On Poverty. Yes Bill, much waste in America, but trying to blame those who want to change it seems like such a Waste Of Time🤔, but we know you have a War with Trump, and I’m sure you will Waste more of our time in the future, but please consider the last four years and what your party has achieved and the Wars they have created, and give peace a chance…
All War is a waste of good people and Money -- so true, so true
Steve
Agreed
I have to ask: what exactly is his party?
The “Elite” party, or WEF🤔 which is a cult of destruction for our middle class, but they have a party every day 🥳🥳🥳 so shut up, Obey and know that by 2030, you will own nothing but be happy 😊
That’s about it, don’t think and just do what you’re told.
If I were Elon, my answer regarding "legions", would be "None" -don't need them. Just a squad to start with, grown now to a platoon, and will probably end with a small company, all Privates, E-3 in rank, a couple of E-4/5s to keep a scorecard, at least one E-6 to keep the logistics of the unit functioning, And 1 unpaid Captain. NO Lt's, colonels, or generals. The E-3s, mostly twenty-year-olds, not sure of how many with college degrees, armed only with their smarts and a computer, and the key - access to the records. In and out in a couple of months because the captain has to get back to his day job.
The government agencies have been completely blindsided for asking the simple question of "Tell me again what it is that you do each day" Truly a nightmare and downright unfair.
It may very well be the most lethal force the USA has ever produced without an ounce of antimony being used.
As an aside, today, the military has close to 900 generals/flag officers of which 42 are four-star generals. World War II had a 1 1/2 million men and 7 four-star generals which maybe that number got to 13 toward the end of the war. I wonder what the generals will say when they are asked that question that other government agencies are having to respond to. Just saying.
We have 2.86 million in our military. 900 is ridiculous compared to WW II.
It appears to me after many years of government financial abuse and waste we have a committed group trying to do something about it and they're already making progress.
Let's give them our full support.
Eisenhower (my favorite president} spoke with absolute knowledge, when he told us to "beware of the military/industrial complex. Now, I'm sure one of you youngsters can enlighten us about a single war (better known as military interventions) that we have "won", since WWII. Won, means that the end result was in our favor. Oh, and we didn't win the Korean War. It was a draw.
That last speech of Ike is superb!!
If one wants to understand the ramifications (Good, Bad, & Ugly) of U.S. Tariff policy, look no further than the Morrill Tariff. The Morrill Tariff was an increased import tariff in the United States that was adopted on March 2, 1861, during the administration of US President James Buchanan.
THE GOOD:
Protected and built up the fledgling U.S. industrial base located in the North. At this time the U.S, couldn't compete with Europe without protectionist tariffs. So one could make the argument that without tariffs the U.S. would not have become the preeminent manufacturing super power.
THE BAD:
The South ended up paying the lion's share of the Morrill Tariff. The South traded extensively with Europe and was dependent upon Europe's manufactured goods to run their vast agricultural businesses. Back then Europe's manufactured goods were both cheaper and better than what could be obtained domestically up North. So one could argue that the South largely financed the North's industrial base.
THE UGLY:
The South realized their economic position from the Morrill Tariff was untenable and then decided to secede from the Union. I know we were taught that the genesis of the South's secession was slavery, but only the intellectually lazy among us believe that yarn. So one could make the argument that without the Morrill Tariff the Civil War could have been avoided.
Not entirely agreed that slavery wasn't the foundational issue, but I am very supportive of the notion that the South was antagonized unnecessarily by monied, Northern elements (especially textile Mill owners) exercising undue influence within our federal government.
The law being referenced here, one that was passed by Congress, required Cotton merchants to have to sail out of New Orleans, around Florida and up the Eastern seaboard to Perth Amboy, NJ where they were assessed an "export tax" before being allowed to sail on to Europe. However, the cost of the trip up the coast made it no longer feasible to sail on and product was dumped on the docks to be purchased at a discount by Northern textile Mill owners.
Regardless of whether we treat the issue of slavery as a primary or secondary cassis belli, the fact remains that there were those in our federal government whose greed greatly aggravated the situation to no good end, years before Fort Sumpter.
While we all know that slavery is immoral today - no longer an issue to be dealt with - the absence of treatment of this part of our history, in the lead-up to the Civil War, is very concerning as these conditions could easily be repeated today.
Think about this the next time you hear voices on the Left agitating to end the Electoral College and, instead, support a 'popular vote". That would be the first step in the direction of disenfranchisement of major regions of the nation and, I would predict, would not end well at all.
Ever read Tom DiLorenzo's "The Real Lincoln?" It might not change your mind, but will challenge what you've been taught.
Can't say I have Craig. But I'll look into it. Much has been written about Lincoln. Usually, very complimentary. He did inherit a mess.
Speaking of which, right now, I'm doing a bit of "retro-reading". Specifically, - "The Art of the Deal" - in an effort to better understand President Trump and more specifically, how likely he is to succeed in dealing with the current fiscal mess that he's been handed.
Best always, to you and yours.
Having spent 30 years in the military, I guarantee there are ample savings to be had in every branch of our armed forces.
And these savings do occur from time to time.
The easiest way to effect substantial cuts in our military budget is to close facilities (i. e., Base Closures, a traumatic event for communities that subsist on their payrolls)
But make no mistake: we have adversaries; always will. Our species is vicious.
There has never been a time in recorded human history in which there has been no war
Ukraine, Sudan, the Levant, China's sabre rattling are today's examples. There will be others.
My point to T & M -- neither who wore a uniform -- be careful when cutting
It's certainly good to be careful cutting, but there is no need to assume that "Ukraine, Sudan, the Levant, China" are ours wars to fight.
Nor WWI or WWII, especially the former.
A persuasive argument can be made that our belated involvement prolonged WWI, created many more causalities and exacerbated Germany's impoverishment which aligned the dominoes for WWII
Not sure about "prolonging" WWI. We were only there at the tail end. An alternative explanation for "Germany's impoverishment" were the reparations required with the Treaty of Versailles. The United States opposed these punitive reparations, but our EU allies prevailed, and Germany had to comply. When the worlds markets collapsed in 1929, Hitler saw his opportunity to rally an angry and now, twice over, impoverished population,
Elon Musk has billions in contracts with the MIC. Does anyone really believe he will find any waste in his contracts? I haven't even heard a peep about the waste of our tax dollars on subsidies for his Spontaneous Combustion EVs.
Also, is firing all employees just because they are on probation a good strategy? What if the new employees are better than the ones who will remain in the job just because of seniority?
Finally, why are Trump supporters so eager to jump on the Elon bandwagon? I've read quotes of his in brain chips, UBI, mRNA vaccines, Carbon tax Credits that coincide perfectly with the beliefs of Klaus Schwab and George Soros.
I've also been waiting for the elimination of EV credits and fuel efficiency standards which force manufacturers to find a way to sell unwanted EVs.
You should give footnotes on the Musk belief with soros and Schwab., if I have to guess it is totally B.S. Prove your statements.
Hi Abe. Here's something else. Elon and Trump dissing one another. Funny how Trump used the think Elon was a fraudster who would get down on his knees and begg for more government money. https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1546669610509799424
A momentary snapshot in "Trump time" signaling nothing.
Far worse, for years, half the nation was fooled into a kneejerk protection of the overseas grifting activities of the Biden crime family syndicate as they sold access to Joe Bidens office and later, supporting the obvious lie that Joe Biden was in full control of his faculties. Trump has a mercurial personality. That's well known. The crime, as they say, is in the cover-up.
Here's Schwab talking about brain chips. I sure you've heard Musk talking about brain chips for everyone. https://youtu.be/PAC_Heb4IFo?si=AdvaOO9TlAONjV8v
Here's one. Listen to this idiot talk about Carbon Tax Credits. He conveniently forgets that the planet needs cabin. https://youtu.be/GtuDmkVEwno?si=LoUic1ufua1biZzo
Gee, I guess you got this one perfectly correct, Cartero.
Because people, attitudes and circumstances never change and we should definitely focus on the Flaws of the Messenger rather than the Lethality of the Flaws themselves.
You've convinced me - Musk and DOGE must cease all operations immediately and the status quo must be re-instituted with all possible haste.
Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go figure out how many more thousands of tax dollars I must pay in addition to the tens-of-thousands the governmental Paragons of Virtue already stole from me last year...
Did you feel the same way about Elon when Trump said Musk would have got down on his knees and begged for more taxpayer money? Or when Elon said Trump should sail off into the sunset instead of running again? There use to be a saying that charity begins at home. Maybe cost cutting begins at home - like Musk going after all subsidies for EVs, an independent auditor to review all of Musk's contracts with the government, Trump stopping the grandstanding with expensive trips to sporting events on the taxpayers' dime.
Did you notice that Zuckerberg and Bezos had front row seats to the inauguration? That Larry Ellison, a guy who believes in mRNA vaccines and using AI and drones to monitor the Sheeple, is heading up Trump's Stargate? No chance we are being played here, just like the left was played by Obama?
I'm not in disagreement with you regarding Elon including his own interests in the DOGE examination - but with your reply you are proving the point of my last post.
PS - Stop believing your propaganda "media." DJT shows up to the Super Bowl and you toddlers throw a tantrum. Yet I would bet large $$ that you had jackshit to say while TraitorJoe spent a FULL 40% of his "presidency on "vacation." And he napped-up at least another 15%, so cry harder about Trump in New Orleans...
Wrong, my friend. As Ray Charles once sung "You don't know me". I detested Reagan, Poppa Bush and Baby Bush, Clinton, Obama, Trump, Biden. I'm not crying just stating facts. Trump is wasting money on his publicity tours just like the rest of our recent presidents. Maybe my memories of Trump's AC casino bankruptcy left a scare in myemory bank. He was a NY liberal then and had no problem declaring bankruptcy and screwing small contractors who worked for him.
Reading the above I'm reminded of that particular type of "optimism" where some are willing to dig through a large pile of manure in the vain hope that "there's a pony down there somewhere".
So I guess it never happened. Trump never screwed small contractors. I must have been living in an alternate universe back in the early '90s. I was in Philadelphia at the time and the bankruptcy was covered in the local papers. And Trump was a New York liberal at the time. Question: How do you bankrupt an AC casino when AC gambling had no legal competition at the time?
If you want to actually fix your problem you need to understand the genesis of it. Answer this question: Who's the biggest threat to your Life, Liberty, and Property:
a) China
b) Russia
c) U.S. Government
If you didn't choose c), would you kindly let the rest of us know what kind of drugs you ingest. I for one would like to partake :-)
Bill, more sad days coming. The Gulf War was a Sunday picnic compared to what may be our next biblical interlude. Never mind where my loyalties may be, DJT is lining up little tin soldiers for a worldwide explosion! Yah! 'm bitching, but I'm allowed over 79!
Bill Bonner calling terrorists “ a fake enemy” apparently cannot remember 9/11 ! I can agree with much of what Bill writes but this statement ranks right up there with last week’s “the median income in 1925 was $5400.” Bull-oney Bill !!
We spend more on welfare (social support payments) than we do on "defense", but nary a peep about that EVER from Dear Leader. "Defense" is mentioned specifically in the Preamble of the Constitution; welfare, what John Adams called "beneficence", is not. Nary a distinction. Without our Navy, without military bases in far-away places, how do we propose to protect our commercial interests? What would happen in the South China Sea with no US Navy? World trade requires world access. I'm as anti-venturism, anti-interference as the next guy, but there are practical considerations here. And one more thing: "Defense", as impractical, out-of-hand, and as boondoggly as it is, provides a modicum of ROI. Social support payments are a rathole, a totally non-ROI arrangement that perpetuates and renews itself ad infinitum, constantly expanding and undermining freedom while promoting the state. Unless and until we can address this discrepancy, I'm staying in the "defense" camp. Best always. PM