Politics

[375 Ruger Fan]

The rapist from Maine comes to mind, another great choice for the left. Where are all the women from the left crying out for justice.

Or Eric Swalwell

 

[jruby]

The accounts were funded in the Big Beautiful Bill and are now being implemented.

Then all we can do is wait and see how it turns out. I hope it succeeds.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

And speaking of pissing away more taxpayer money on frivolous court appeals to massage Trump's ego ...

https://www.npr.org/2026/07/08/nx-s1-5886099/appeals-court-denies-president-trumps-request-to-halt-removing-his-name-from-the-kennedy-center

He just won't give up. Your tax dollars hard at work. Can you believe the appeal was based on the "irreparable damage" removing Trump's name would cause the Kennedy Center? It seems adding his name is what's caused the irreparable damage.

How much do you figure it will cost to carve his face on Mt Rushmore? The USFS should just donate another mountain somewhere. When it's done the next administration can blow it up. If govt charges tickets to watch, that should cover half the cost of Trump's contribution to the national debt. One of the peaks in Grand Tetons would do nicely ... for fitting a dunce cap on top.

 

[skydiver386]

And speaking of pissing away more taxpayer money on frivolous court appeals to massage Trump's ego ...

https://www.npr.org/2026/07/08/nx-s1-5886099/appeals-court-denies-president-trumps-request-to-halt-removing-his-name-from-the-kennedy-center

He just won't give up. Your tax dollars hard at work. Can you believe the appeal was based on the "irreparable damage" removing Trump's name would cause the Kennedy Center? It seems adding his name is what's caused the irreparable damage.

How much do you figure it will cost to carve his face on Mt Rushmore? The USFS should just donate another mountain somewhere. When it's done the next administration can blow it up. If govt charges tickets to watch, that should cover half the cost of Trump's contribution to the national debt. One of the peaks in Grand Tetons would do nicely ... for fitting a dunce cap on top.

Did your morning news tell you to grip about this too?

If I were a betting man and sitting in Vegas, my money would be on YES.

 

[cash_tx]

From his most recent press conference (alongside Zelensky):

Trump: "One of the things I talked to [Putin] about was 'Where would you want to meet?' And he said 'Ideally in Moscow.' I said 'You're not going to meet in Moscow.'… <looks over at Zelensky> Would you go to Moscow?"

Zelensky: "It's difficult. There are a lot of Ukrainian drones there."

 

[Brent in Az]

And speaking of pissing away more taxpayer money on frivolous court appeals to massage Trump's ego ...

https://www.npr.org/2026/07/08/nx-s1-5886099/appeals-court-denies-president-trumps-request-to-halt-removing-his-name-from-the-kennedy-center

He just won't give up. Your tax dollars hard at work. Can you believe the appeal was based on the "irreparable damage" removing Trump's name would cause the Kennedy Center? It seems adding his name is what's caused the irreparable damage.

How much do you figure it will cost to carve his face on Mt Rushmore? The USFS should just donate another mountain somewhere. When it's done the next administration can blow it up. If govt charges tickets to watch, that should cover half the cost of Trump's contribution to the national debt. One of the peaks in Grand Tetons would do nicely ... for fitting a dunce cap on top.

 

[Rafiki]

So the government is borrowing money to give to amaericans so that they can invest in the US companies ? What do you think the cost of borrowing that money will come to in 18 years? I guess it is already done, based on the previous post.

https://www.morningstar.com/personal-finance/6-reasons-trump-savings-account-falls-short

Obviously the cost is whatever the interest rate is. I'm not sure what you're point is governments do this all the time.

 

[jruby]

Obviously the cost is whatever the interest rate is. I'm not sure what you're point is governments do this all the time.

Kind of tired of my country giving money away they have to borrow. Its a mute point as it is already approved. I do not consider this a wise investment - maybe it's just me. I wonder how high the national deficit can go before this country wakes up.

 

[mdwest]

I think he has some good ideas but piss poor follow through and his ego keeps getting in the way. Fixing the reflecting pool good idea, no bid contract to one of his friends and when it fails he blames it on vandals instead of poor work. IMHO

you and I are very much on opposite sides of the political spectrum.. but we certainly agree on this..

Trumps biggest challenge this time around is poor follow through IMO.. and his biggest challenge of his entire lifetime is letting his ego interfere with otherwise good ideas..

 

[RLD]

I know there are a number of folks on here who have experience and expertise in this area, and I was reading this reporting in FP and was wondering what people thought about whether or not this is actually happening or just rumours:

Secret Somaliland base? The United Arab Emirates is covertly building a military base in Somaliland for joint use by Israel, the UAE, and the United States, according to a report in French newspaper Le Monde that cited satellite images and an unnamed military expert.

The images captured between October 2025 and March revealed extensive excavation at a military complex near Berbera Airport. Analysts who spoke to Le Monde noted that at least 18 large pits and underground structures resemble ammunition depots or fuel storage facilities.

The build coincides with Israel’s formal recognition of Somaliland last December. Somaliland has denied that it has a formal military basing agreement with Israel. In January, Somalia severed all agreements with the UAE, including on port operations, accusing the Emiratis of working to “undermine” Somalia’s sovereignty and “political independence.”

My first instinct is to doubt the report, but I know there are others who can offer a better perspective on this.

 

[Rafiki]

Kind of tired of my country giving money away they have to borrow. Its a mute point as it is already approved. I do not consider this a wise investment - maybe it's just me. I wonder how high the national deficit can go before this country wakes up.

Finally a good question. I also am tired of the government giveaways. The debt is killing us. The U.S. government was never intended to give shit away to it's citizens and yet here we are. People voted this disaster and I'm not talking about Trump, I'm talking about the spending.

 

[Doug3006]

So the government is borrowing money to give to amaericans so that they can invest in the US companies ? What do you think the cost of borrowing that money will come to in 18 years? I guess it is already done, based on the previous post.

https://www.morningstar.com/personal-finance/6-reasons-trump-savings-account-falls-short

Isn’t Welfare, in its several forms, also paid for with borrowed money? There is zero return on welfare dollars. Five, ten, twenty years from now the recipients will have nothing to show for it.

 

[spike.t]

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/07/08/us-iran-strikes-persian-gulf-nato-chief-summit-ankara/?WT.mc_id=tmgoff_youtube_gulf-nato-chief-summit-ankara%2F

 

[mdwest]

I know there are a number of folks on here who have experience and expertise in this area, and I was reading this reporting in FP and was wondering what people thought about whether or not this is actually happening or just rumours:



My first instinct is to doubt the report, but I know there are others who can offer a better perspective on this.

the specifics probably shouldnt be discussed on AH.. and the Le Monde article has some inaccuracies... but.. for what its worth, the US State Dept has had a very active role in standing up both AT and CT capabilities in Somalia in general, with a specific interest in Somaliland and Puntland (all of thats easily learned about open source).. and the DoD is in and out of the area regularly with very specific skill set personnel..

again, all of that is open source.. much of what you'll find is built around conspiracy theories.. but if you peel back the tin foil and only look at the facts presented thats out there.. you'll come to some pretty obvious conclusions..

FWIW, until just a few months ago, my firm has had a small team on the ground in Mogadishu continuously since about 2012 working with the CT division of their national investigative agency....

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

I know there are a number of folks on here who have experience and expertise in this area, and I was reading this reporting in FP and was wondering what people thought about whether or not this is actually happening or just rumours:



My first instinct is to doubt the report, but I know there are others who can offer a better perspective on this.

Six month old video

 

[cwpayton]

the specifics probably shouldnt be discussed on AH.. and the Le Monde article has some inaccuracies... but.. for what its worth, the US State Dept has had a very active role in standing up both AT and CT capabilities in Somalia in general, with a specific interest in Somaliland and Puntland (all of thats easily learned about open source).. and the DoD is in and out of the area regularly with very specific skill set personnel..

again, all of that is open source.. much of what you'll find is built around conspiracy theories.. but if you peel back the tin foil and only look at the facts presented thats out there.. you'll come to some pretty obvious conclusions..

FWIW, until just a few months ago, my firm has had a small team on the ground in Mogadishu continuously since about 2012 working with the CT division of their national investigative agency....

Well dang Id hope it was a club med they're building for all our Minnesota Somalis to retire at. Why, ,when we have B-1s that take off in MISSOURI and be on target in hrs?

 

[cwpayton]

And speaking of pissing away more taxpayer money on frivolous court appeals to massage Trump's ego ...

https://www.npr.org/2026/07/08/nx-s1-5886099/appeals-court-denies-president-trumps-request-to-halt-removing-his-name-from-the-kennedy-center

He just won't give up. Your tax dollars hard at work. Can you believe the appeal was based on the "irreparable damage" removing Trump's name would cause the Kennedy Center? It seems adding his name is what's caused the irreparable damage.

How much do you figure it will cost to carve his face on Mt Rushmore? The USFS should just donate another mountain somewhere. When it's done the next administration can blow it up. If govt charges tickets to watch, that should cover half the cost of Trump's contribution to the national debt. One of the peaks in Grand Tetons would do nicely ... for fitting a dunce cap on top.

Ontario is there room in your head for anything besides TRUMP.

 

[Red Leg]

Well dang Id hope it was a club med they're building for all our Minnesota Somalis to retire at. Why, ,when we have B-1s that take off in MISSOURI and be on target in hrs?

A mission from Whiteman or Ellsworth to strike a target in Iran is a 20-30 hour sortie for a two-man crew. To sustain a B1 over that type of range takes six to eight tankers - more outward bound than homeward due to the ordnance load (more and bigger bombs equals less fuel). Moreover, those tankers have to fly from basses along the way if they are going to carry enough fuel to matter to a bomber (US, UK/Europe, and the Middle East). A two ship mission could double the number of tanker sorties.

That sort of demand upon crew, strike aircraft, and the tanker fleet can only be maintained a relatively short time. Hence, the need for regional basing, regardless of the exact location is essential for any sustained operation.

Our critical national interests - unhindered access to natural resource zones and trading partners - does not change, but the local politics that affect basing rights constantly do so. Hence, we are constantly testing the soil for other options. For instance, I participated in the initial negotiations to secure Al Udied Air Base as the location for the CENTCOM forward headquarters in 1999/2000. For playing wack a mole with terrorist organizations it has proven invaluable, but in a conflict with Iran, having the regional headquarters on the frontline is less than ideal. Qatar recently agreed to a 10 year extension of the Defense cooperation agreement which includes a $38 billon Qatar funded hardening of the site. Still, it will remain vulnerable as a staging hub for air assets.

Again, from open sources and simple military operational and logistics assumptions, an operating base in East Africa would be far easier to defend from any Iranian attack while also providing direct overwatch of the other major regional navigational choke point bordering Yemen.

 

[steve white]

Finally a good question. I also am tired of the government giveaways. The debt is killing us. The U.S. government was never intended to give shit away to it's citizens and yet here we are. People voted this disaster and I'm not talking about Trump, I'm talking about the spending.

Look at Denmark--they decided they could not extend the welfare system to unlimited immigrants. It is an economic impossibility, as many nations are discovering. Our own people won't vote to give up benefits, so we have no choice by to eliminate them for newfound freeloaders.
That alone will solve the Immigration crisis. They will stop coming for freebies.

 

[Big_Easy]

So you give us the Sentencing Reform Act of 1984 that applies to the FEDERAL SENTENCING GUIDELINES to support your position on what would be a STATE court offenses. Nice try.

Again, when can we expect your hunt reports.

The document I posted was from July of 2022. The quote from it on page 6 of the doc referenced the sentencing reform act of 1984. @RLD did not specify whether he was referring to the federal or state criminal justice system in his post (perhaps both?). Only he can answer that.

The reason the document, and the 1984 act are relevant is because @mdwest claimed to have 30 years of experience in the criminal justice system. Surely someone with that much experience would know that age and disability can influence sentencing decisions by judges. The document was to confirm that part of @RLD 's post regarding age and disability. Only @mdwest knows why he chose not to answer

Are you looking for state level information? Let me get you some. I assume you'd like CA since that is were the hit-and-run occurred? It looks like the state of CA doesn't have a statewide sentencing guideline document for misdemeanors. So there are more than one. Here is one of them:

https://www.yolo.courts.ca.gov/sites/default/files/yolo/default/2026-04/Sentencing%20Guidelines.pdf

on page 19, third line from the bottom:

20002(a)...Hit/Run w/ P/D...$1,476...$70...$10...$150...$1,706...1 yr Sum Probation + restitution

So no jail time unless one is a habitual offender. Which is what I said in my earlier post. Regarding using disability as a consideration during sentencing.

https://law.justia.com/codes/california/code-pen/part-2/title-7/chapter-4-5/article-1/section-1170/

"(E) The defendant suffers from cognitive limitations due to mental illness, developmental disabilities, or other factors that did not constitute a defense but influenced the defendant’s involvement in the offense."

Rule 4.423. Circumstances in mitigation | Judicial Branch of California

Circumstances in mitigation include factors relating to the crime and factors relating to the defendant. (a) Factors relating to the crime Factors relating to the crime include that:

courts.ca.gov

"would be a STATE court offenses"

Do you seriously think that a hit-and-run that occurs on federal property isn't a federal crime?