Politics

[Tbitty]

"Aya-TOLL-Ah"

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[Rocked and Loaded]

By the time I retire I will have paid into it for 56 years and there was never a choice not too since I dont own my own business. I think when I get there and I can't collect at least some of what I paid into it I will be more than a little pissed. And quit calling Social Security an entitlement I paid for mine.

You’re not entitled because you want what you’re owed. You’re entitled because you think you’re unique from the millions of other people who have paid into it and are still paying into it who may get nothing.

“Give me mine and f*ck everyone else” is a pretty entitled attitude.

 

[Doug3006]

NATO, just like the rest of the post-WWII world order, was purpose-built to defeat the Soviet Union. The US convinced the free world (and eventually China too) on standing by us by offering; 1) military protection from Soviet retaliation by the world’s largest, most capable military, 2) open access to the world’s largest and free-spending consumer market, and 3) protection of their oceanic trade routes. It was truly an offer they couldn’t refuse.

Our sacrifices to make this work were, and are, considerable. We spent a larger share of our GDP than any nation ever on the military capabilities so as to live up to our end of the bargain. We gutted our domestic industrial base putting thousands out of work. We have bled more than any of our alliance partners to put steel behind our words and defend freedom.

The world order was designed by the US as a bribe to other nations to help defeat the Soviets….and it worked. People don’t realize how well. We sacrificed jobs and treasure instead of millions of casualties in the Cold War. But now…..

There is no Soviet threat. Russia is a weak shadow of its former empire. China is the new threat, and NATO is not designed or even conceived to be a bulwark against Chinese totalitarianism.

As currently configured, I think NATO is a relic. We need to develop alliances that fit the modern, post-Soviet world.

 

[Pondoro]

WRONG!

The root of the internal trouble within NATO is the European member nations who haven't contributed their fair share.

All Trump and Rubio have done is point this out.

Trump and Rubio must stop whining..the rest of NATO are rearming as we speak..

They undermine the trust within the alliance with all this drivel coming out of Trumps mouth..

 

[Rocked and Loaded]

Well I've paid into it for 28 years so far and have a minimum 25 years left to pay into it, owning my own business I pay an extra 15% income tax more than a general employee does and I don't expect to collect anything from this entitlement program/ponzi scheme........ although I certainly paid for mine.

What will be interesting is when the boomers lose their voting majority they've enjoyed at the same time that SS goes tits up broke......

Those will be entertaining times when younger generations go to the ballot to decide the fate of SS!

I think a lot of boomers will be disappointed to realize that genx and the millennials learned a lot of unfortunate things from watching them.

What was it Harry Chaplin wrote?

“And as I hung up the phone, it occurred to me
He'd grown up just like me
My boy was just like me.”

 

[Brent in Az]

Nothing like telegraphing to the enemy

 

[Brent in Az]

Trump and Rubio must stop whining..the rest of NATO are rearming as we speak..

They undermine the trust within the alliance with all this drivel coming out of Trumps mouth..

Trump and Rubio whining?.....LOL

You whine like a blue haired Karen at the beginning of the month.

 

[deewayne2003]

Trump and Rubio must stop whining..the rest of NATO are rearming as we speak..

They undermine the trust within the alliance with all this drivel coming out of Trumps mouth..

"the rest of NATO are rearming as we speak..."

Let us know in 20years when they are ready to actually uphold the responsibilities the EU has neglected for decades.

 

[jeanes]

Just do as I did, forget the money that you put into SS and start your own retirement plan. Then whatever you get from SS in the end is a plus.

It doesn't take much savings and investments each month to start to amount to quite a bit after 20-30 years.

I'm afraid its 20 or 30 years too late for me to do as you did. Doubt the wife and I would starve without SS but I don't get social security in order to afford a better country club.

 

[Kalthoff]

Regarding the military budget of the US I remember someone posting here that it was some sort of a warning signal when a great powers cost of covering interest rates on the national debt exceeds their military budget, how far away is this point for the US today?

The US have passed that point, 1.22 vs. 0.919 Trillion:

https://fiscaldata.treasury.gov/interest-expense-avg-interest-rates/

https://usafacts.org/reports/state-of-the-union/defense/

 

[Wheels]

Trump and Rubio must stop whining..the rest of NATO are rearming as we speak..

They undermine the trust within the alliance with all this drivel coming out of Trumps mouth..

You are looking at this from the point of view of a NATO member. Realize Trump is talking to two distinct groups. Externally to NATO members. But also to his American constituents who put pressure on Congress.

The American public's mind regarding NATO has changed significantly since Trump went to Europe in 2018 and told allies to pay 2% and was rebuffed. It seems to be changing faster since NATO allies have stopped Trump from using American bases in Europe and flying over nations in Europe. Trump is talking for internal consumption as much as external. Don’t look for it to stop.

 

[Tanks]

They undermine the trust within the alliance with all this drivel coming out of Trumps mouth..

The alliance showed its true colors by denying the use of USA bases in their country and their air space during the Iran operation. So, not much trust there any more from the USA side going forward.

 

[Newboomer]

By the time I retire I will have paid into it for 56 years and there was never a choice not too since I dont own my own business. I think when I get there and I can't collect at least some of what I paid into it I will be more than a little pissed. And quit calling Social Security an entitlement I paid for mine.

I paid into that scam from 1956 to 2005 when I turned 65. I've been drawing my small pittance since then and it pisses me to no end to see my hard earned money being wasted on a bunch of worthless, useless social gimmies.

 

[Nyati]

This wasn’t the first time Spain has denied the USAF use of airspace, they denied our F-111’s fly over rights to bomb Libya back in 1986.

We had a socialist government at that time (Felipe Gonzalez) just as we have right now.

The reds will do anything to annoy the US

 

[Kalthoff]

The alliance showed its true colors by denying the use of USA bases in their country and their air space during the Iran operation. So, not much trust there any more from the USA side going forward.

The US showed its true colors by repeatedly threatening to invade and annex two NATO member states.

 

[Newboomer]

Nothing like telegraphing to the enemy

Not telegraphing. Warning of dire consequences to come..

 

[Brent in Az]

Not telegraphing. Warning of dire consequences to come..

Element of surprise . That way Iran may not March out the human shields.

 

[Tanks]

The US showed its true colors by repeatedly threatening to invade and annex two NATO member states.

Talk vs actions.

 

[Hunt anything]

Talk vs actions.

Yep, I feel like I’ve developed a pretty good Trump filter. People need to quit taking Trump literally and try to sift through all of the shit and figure out what he is really saying.
Admittedly this is a VERY hard thing to do.

 

[Brent in Az]

Put down the crack pipe, Hunter.