Politics

[375 Ruger Fan]

If we can step back from all of the cross Atlantic gnashing of teeth for a moment, it is interesting to watch Trump when he is playing shrewd politics.

He sends the Vice President of the United States as his head of delegation to the talks with Iran. Vance, of course, has the trust of the neo-isolationist wing of the Republican party. It puts Vance in a particularly interesting spot and useful one for Trump. Vance has no choice but to act forcefully in the interests of the US and its regional allies (note I did not simply say allies). If he is faced with a recalcitrant Iranian regime, it will be Vance who has to pick up the phone and tell Trump the talks are going nowhere.

It is a conversation that Trump will be able to lean on if he decides to take further military action, and though it will not affect the looney toon contingent podcasts, it will serve to mute a lot of the MAGA isolationist base while binding Vance more tightly to his actions.

It’s obvious that Iran is going to be a wedge issue this fall and in the 2028 elections.

It’s very telling that Trump wanted some of that stink on Vance but not Rubio.
Vance is clearly against this war. So Trump is throwing him into the arena, forcing him to get some scars and bruises.

Which is a great move. Rubio would be a much more formidable candidate.

I think @Red Leg and @Altitude sickness comments and observations are spot on with regards to Vance and the Iran negotiations.

I will add one comment. The location of the negotiations favors Iran. Islamabad is 1,000 miles from Tehran. The US delegation had to fly half way around the world. As we all, after a long flight (think Atlanta to Joberg), that last thing you are ready to do is enter a game of high stakes poker.

 

[Red Leg]

You’re wrong and so was FDR. He caused all that we know as welfare now. I’m all for helping someone disabled or injured but not the slackers.

What I find particularly amusing were it not so unfortunate for the country is the typical Millennial complaining about how their every failure to properly save or invest, apply themselves, develop some real sense of ambition, or value hard work over grievance is all the Boomers' fault. They bear no responsibility for themselves. Yet, at the same time, those evil greedy Boomers are initiating the largest privately held economic transfer in modern history as they move their accumulated wealth into the hands of the whining multitudes demanding socialism.

Fortunately, most of the more senior members of our forum have had different results among our own children. But as several of the postings here would indicate, others were not so fortunate.

 

[mdwest]

That’s true… but…

Flying on AF2 isn’t the same as flying cattle class…

If you’ve been on any of the executive jet fleet for the US Govt, they make business class on Qatar or Emeriates look like you’re flying a garbage dumpster…

The aircraft have noise canceling throughout the fuselage, they have bedroom suites with actual beds in them, etc.. very high quality food… and I’m going to bet the VPs personal physician gave him a healthy dose of sleep aid once he was ready to call it for the night..

Not quite as comfortable as sleeping in your own bed at home… but pretty much just as comfortable as sleeping in a quality hotel..

The bigger issue as I see it is you can’t trust the Pakis… ISI (their intelligence agency) will be attempting to listen to every private conversation, attempting to monitor every private phone call, etc… let 1 staffer make one “goodnight” call to his wife on an unsecured line, and ISI will know absolutely anything/everything said… and if any of its useful to the Iranians in any way (even something as simple as “wow honey… you should see the VP go… he’s smoked.. but you wouldn’t know it.. he hides it well from the Iranians”) it will get shared..

I can’t tell you how many times we caught ISI meddling around with my “team” when we made visits to Pakistan in 2006 and 2007… and we were a much lower profile, much less important group…

 

[Altitude sickness]

Vance had a long layover in Budapest.

The flight to Pakistan is more southerly than an east and west time zone change.

 

[mdwest]

What I find particularly amusing were it not so unfortunate for the country is the typical Millennial complaining about how their every failure to properly save or invest, apply themselves, develop some real sense of ambition, or value hard work over grievance is all the Boomers' fault. They bear no responsibility for themselves. Yet, at the same time, those evil greedy Boomers are initiating the largest wealth transfer in modern history as they move their accumulated wealth into the hands of the whining multitudes demanding socialism.

Fortunately, most of the more senior members of our forum have had different results among our own children. But as several of the postings here would indicate, others were not so fortunate.

We (gen x) applied very different rules to ourselves than the millennials as well..

I found it very difficult to “live” in my 20’s… and I made a good bit more than minimum wage (college grad, etc)… owning a house, a couple of cars, supporting a young wife who worked part time at a low paying job, a couple of kids, etc… things certainly weren’t easy…

The difference is… I didn’t sit around bitching about a living wage… I literally worked 3 jobs… I had my “real” job… then worked nights at one place.. weekends at another… and if you count the national guard, I supposed I had 4 jobs…

After a few years because of my experience, I brought more value and I made more.. and I was able to peel away a job or two..,

But work ethic has stayed with me my entire life…

Today I still have a “real” job… I run a multi million dollar firm…

My wife has a “real” job too…

And… we also own and operate two small side businesses… I sit on the board of two companies… and we established a non profit a few years back that we oversee (uncompensated)…

Want more? The solution is simple… less crying, more working… more will come..

 

[Altitude sickness]

That’s true… but…

Flying on AF2 isn’t the same as flying cattle class…

If you’ve been on any of the executive jet fleet for the US Govt, they make business class on Qatar or Emeriates look like you’re flying a garbage dumpster…

The aircraft have noise canceling throughout the fuselage, they have bedroom suites with actual beds in them, etc.. very high quality food… and I’m going to bet the VPs personal physician gave him a healthy dose of sleep aid once he was ready to call it for the night..

Not quite as comfortable as sleeping in your own bed at home… but pretty much just as comfortable as sleeping in a quality hotel..

The bigger issue as I see it is you can’t trust the Pakis… ISI (their intelligence agency) will be attempting to listen to every private conversation, attempting to monitor every private phone call, etc… let 1 staffer make one “goodnight” call to his wife on an unsecured line, and ISI will know absolutely anything/everything said… and if any of its useful to the Iranians in any way (even something as simple as “wow honey… you should see the VP go… he’s smoked.. but you wouldn’t know it.. he hides it well from the Iranians”) it will get shared..

I can’t tell you how many times we caught ISI meddling around with my “team” when we made visits to Pakistan in 2006 and 2007… and we were a much lower profile, much less important group…

I will be shocked if there isn’t a viable threat while in Pakistan to the V.P. And the U.S. peace negotiators.

We have a severely wounded Iran. That has a culture of martyrdom sitting with our V.P. Why wouldn’t they take this opportunity. Hopefully our USSS is up to the threat.

 

[Red Leg]

That’s true… but…

Flying on AF2 isn’t the same as flying cattle class…

If you’ve been on any of the executive jet fleet for the US Govt, they make business class on Qatar or Emeriates look like you’re flying a garbage dumpster…

The aircraft have noise canceling throughout the fuselage, they have bedroom suites with actual beds in them, etc.. very high quality food… and I’m going to bet the VPs personal physician gave him a healthy dose of sleep aid once he was ready to call it for the night..

Not quite as comfortable as sleeping in your own bed at home… but pretty much just as comfortable as sleeping in a quality hotel..

The bigger issue as I see it is you can’t trust the Pakis… ISI (their intelligence agency) will be attempting to listen to every private conversation, attempting to monitor every private phone call, etc… let 1 staffer make one “goodnight” call to his wife on an unsecured line, and ISI will know absolutely anything/everything said… and if any of its useful to the Iranians in any way (even something as simple as “wow honey… you should see the VP go… he’s smoked.. but you wouldn’t know it.. he hides it well from the Iranians”) it will get shared..

I can’t tell you how many times we caught ISI meddling around with my “team” when we made visits to Pakistan in 2006 and 2007… and we were a much lower profile, much less important group…

Not just the Pakis. All the Gulf States and Israelis follow the same practices. I twice walked past ajar hotel rooms during talks to catch glimpses of significant electronic equipment which I have no doubt was monitoring phones, in room conversations, and typically video. One of those hotels was in Qatar and the other Tel Aviv. Simply the way international business is conducted. We do it as well.

When I went through Attaché training in "the Tidewater and Environs," many years ago, we were taken on tours to various locations where we were supposed get clandestine photography and elicit information in order to prepare intelligence reports. The opposition ran counter intel ops against us which included planting a cute young lady behind a hotel bar, hidden room cameras and recording devices, etc. Several in our class made rather spectacular fools of themselves. I would assume the American delegation will have a small but very well equipped counter espionage team riding shotgun.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

I will be shocked if there isn’t a viable threat while in Pakistan to the V.P. And the U.S. peace negotiators.

We have a severely wounded Iran. That has a culture of martyrdom sitting with our V.P. Why wouldn’t they take this opportunity. Hopefully our USSS is up to the threat.

Attack on Richard Nixon's motorcade - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Altitude sickness]

It’s easy for us to say “Work harder! Nobody Cares !”

But the leftist see the new victim to take advantage of and take them under their wing as the new oppressed class. And it’s working. The Islamic, Democrat Socialist is the fresh new face of the Democrat party.

It’s hilarious. The Democrats think they have a new wing of the party. Well that new wing will eat their own first.

 

[deewayne2003]

I can remember when Reagan "fixed" social security for all time. It never stays fixed.

In 2002(freshman year)I sat down in a personal finance course and my professor was 72yo and the first thing he did was go into an hour long tirade about social security.

“This system was a failure from the beginning and your parents will NEVER “fix” it, this can will be kicked down the road until it lands square in your lap…… NEVER rely on social security for your retirement because YOUUUU will NOT have it!”

So 24 years ago it was plainly obvious what was coming and had been coming for some time.

This professor Dr. Tomlin also taught us about mortgages, credit cards, how to buy houses, build credit responsibly….. all the stuff that nobody even mentioned in high school.

 

[deewayne2003]

What I find particularly amusing were it not so unfortunate for the country is the typical Millennial complaining about how their every failure to properly save or invest, apply themselves, develop some real sense of ambition, or value hard work over grievance is all the Boomers' fault. They bear no responsibility for themselves. Yet, at the same time, those evil greedy Boomers are initiating the largest privately held economic transfer in modern history as they move their accumulated wealth into the hands of the whining multitudes demanding socialism.

Fortunately, most of the more senior members of our forum have had different results among our own children. But as several of the postings here would indicate, others were not so fortunate.

Ok boomer……

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

This professor Dr. Tomlin also taught us about mortgages, credit cards, how to buy houses, build credit responsibly….. all the stuff that nobody even mentioned in high school.

I actually had a civics teacher in high school (public HS) that taught us useful stuff like that. Over a span of a couple weeks, every boy and girl got "married" and had to work out a budget. A banker and realtor came in and talked to the class about real world financial issues to becoming a successful adult. The teacher, a lady, even had a jeweler come in and discuss the cost of diamond engagement rings.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

The casualty rate for Russian soldiers in Ukraine increased to a new monthly high in March, according to Ukraine’s armed forces. They say drone production enabled a record number of strikes.

Ukraine tallied Russian casualties at 35,351 last month, with drones causing 96 per cent of them while artillery and small arms fire accounted for the rest. That casualty rate was a 29 per cent increase on February, said Ukraine’s commander in chief.

Russia suffers ‘record’ soldier casualties as Ukraine ups drone production

Russian casualties are mounting, recruitment is falling and territorial gains are dwindling.

www.aljazeera.com

 

[Red Leg]

Ok boomer……

Exactly. And a successful one with two successful children apparently your age. Though, they didn't learn about credit and financial responsibility in college.

 

[JimP]

The teacher, a lady, even had a jeweler come in and discuss the cost of diamond engagement rings.

So that's where women got the idea that a engagement ring should cost 1/3 or a mans income.

 

[Wishfulthinker580]

So that's where women got the idea that an engagement ring should cost 1/3 or a mans income.

A third! I always heard it was 3 months income! I didn’t do that.. If anyone has ever watched The Office, Michael Scott spent 3 years income on one (thinking it was the three year rule rather than three months)

 

[Scott CWO]

Thats the far right Baby-boomer motto in a nutshell. Always talking about cutting government spending, but never for themselves, always for someone else.

What your ilk label as far right is laughable. Your ilk nearly ruined this country with open border policy and other extreme changes. What you try to label as far right are just traditional Republicans trying to slow your Marxist or socialist roll. We are not far right, you are extreme left. Look back at Democrat speeches and statements from JFK forward and then tell me who has changed? It’s not us, it’s you. The Democrat party is dead. It’s now Marxists and Socialists.

 

[deewayne2003]

Exactly. And a successful one with two successful children apparently your age. Though, they didn't learn about credit and financial responsibility in college.

Genuinely happy for you and the kids both as I’m sure they didn’t learn finance from the Easter bunny!

Let’s just say my parents were not as forthcoming with financial literacy, but despite that I’m still in a position today where I could sell off everything and retire.

Don’t mistake disdain for boomers as being toward all boomers; no more than the average millennials tirade would include your son.

truthfully I see yourself and other esteemed members of this community such as @Mark A Ouellette and other boomers as an asset to humanity.

However there are LARGE swaths of your generation that have been a negative to this nation since they were in high school.

 

[Altitude sickness]

With regards to the leftist new victims. “Wealth inequality oppressed” .

I don’t think anything has changed in young people’s work ethic or in the “living wage nonsense” personality type.

I was guilty during the Clinton administration of thinking the U.S. Military was doomed. His Social Engineering was ruining the quality force that Reagan built. I thought we would definitely loose the next war. I was proven 100% wrong during the GWOT.

My long and boring point is we tend to sell every generation short. This generation has the same percentage of self starting, enterprising, hard working “youts”. As the last.

We have always had shirkers, excuse making victims. Even inside one family. One sibling will succeed while others blame others for their failures.

Unfortunately, In every generation the victims out number the independent thinking self starter by a wide margin.

 

[Scott CWO]

What I find particularly amusing were it not so unfortunate for the country is the typical Millennial complaining about how their every failure to properly save or invest, apply themselves, develop some real sense of ambition, or value hard work over grievance is all the Boomers' fault. They bear no responsibility for themselves. Yet, at the same time, those evil greedy Boomers are initiating the largest privately held economic transfer in modern history as they move their accumulated wealth into the hands of the whining multitudes demanding socialism.

Fortunately, most of the more senior members of our forum have had different results among our own children. But as several of the postings here would indicate, others were not so fortunate.

Yes, amusing and infuriating.

As are yours, our four kids are all successful but I didn’t let them sit around to play video games and smoke pot. We kept their minds busy playing sports and working. We expected straight A’s and had political and life lesson chats at the dinner table. If you don’t have these chats, the liberal schools will indoctrinate your kids. You’ve got to balance it out. Just leading by example doesn’t work anymore.

Another lesson I taught my kids is that life is the summation of your decisions. Don’t blame others. The trick is to string good decisions together day by day, week by week which which then turns into years and a successful life. One stupid decision negates several good decisions so why do that to yourself?