Politics

[Boyd Brooks]

Could fix their declining population with the help of the US. Just funnel all the illegal border crossers to the coast, load them on boats and deliver them to China. Both problems solved.

 

[John Wasmuth]

Is it wrong to ask where your tax dollars are going? Does it make you a "Russian Agent"? Do you owe it to your children and grand children not to burden them with debt, or at least, unnecessary debt?
The US budget is 6.3 trillion dollars. (6.48 spent in 2022). 4.6 trillion covers interest on the National Debt, and entitlements, like Social security, Medicaid, Medicare and health care for indigent. Only 1.7 trillion is discretionary income......and half of that goes to defense. Only 910 billion......that is less than 1 trillion, is available for ALL other govt programs (per OMB, look it up). Congress has allocated 113.4 billion to Ukraine. Joe has asked for another 24 billion that is still pending. That is 137 billion out of an available 910. By FAR the largest expenditure. But there's more...."only some transactions are publicly available...." they say and this does not include grants under the Ukraine Democracy Defense Act. This is why 3 US Congressmen have decried "$200 billion of your dollars is going to Ukraine". On the flip side, it is not all spent yet, and the war is nearly 2 years old. Is it fair to ask if Defense Sec LLoyd Austin was influenced by the millions he made as a board member of Raytheon? Or Anthony Blinken as CEO of Westexec? Or "The Big Guy" made by blackmailing Ukraine? Ya, I think it is. Courtney Kube of NBC published on Nov 3 an article "US and European officials broach topic of Ukraine peace talks....." It's gonna happen. It's about time. The Biden Crime Family has made enough at the public trough.......FWB

According to some people’s beliefs if you question anything at all about supporting Ukraine you are anti American and a Russian asset………

 

[WAB]

Supposedly China has enough vacant apartments to house 100%-200% of their population. In other words, 2-3 homes for each family. This with a declining population.

China has so much dead money tied up in dead infrastructure, the next couple of generations will be in for a miserable life. China's glory years are behind it and Xi may just be understanding the extent of the problems he faces.

It’s crazy when you are there. Brand new buildings standing vacant, never occupied, with others under construction. They tried to explain it to me, but it must not have translated well. Possibly make work projects?

 

[Tundra Tiger]

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news...-desantis-florida-state-football/71802188007/


Donald Trump likes to criticize campaign rival Ron DeSantis − and on Monday the former president even blamed the governor for Florida State University's football misfortune.

Noting that Florida State University is the first unbeaten team from a big-time conference to be left out of college football's four-team playoff, Trump shared on his Truth Social platform: "Really bad lobbying effort…Lets blame DeSanctimonious!!!"

DeSantis may be the governor of Florida, but he had nothing to do with a college football committee's decision to pick the University of Alabama over Florida State University for the last slot in it's four-team playoff. The Crimson Tide joins the universities of Michigan, Washington, and Texas in the mini-tournament to be held early next year.

The teams were chosen by College Football Playoff selection committee, and DeSantis and other Floridians quickly pointed out that FSU has a perfect record of 13-0, while Alabama finished their season at 12-1.

As did Texas (12-1).

Florida State got screwed. I say that and I have NEVER been a Florida State fan. Are Texas and Alabama better teams now? Very probably. But what the crap was the purpose of the rest of the season if you're going to make them bend over and take it at the end. It won't happen but I hope both Texas and Alabama take it in the shorts by at least two touchdowns in their games.

 

[Doug3006]

According to some people’s beliefs if you question anything at all about supporting Ukraine you are anti American and a Russian asset………

The problem is, it seems the only people asking questions are those opposed to funding at all. I welcome ideas to provide aid more efficiently and effectively. But that doesn’t seem to be the aim.

To me, the main question is, what outcome to this war best serves our national interests? I believe our interests are best served by Russia losing (I.e., withdrawing without achieving its goals) or by making victory so costly in blood and treasure that achieving its end goal of European dominance is delayed mightily.

 

[BSO Dave]

not to mention all the radical judge and cabinet appointments.

Who are you referring to specifically? Kavanaugh, Gorsuch, and Barrett?

He caused the destruction of his own accomplishments in a desperate attempt to cling to power.

Can you please list the specific accomplishments that you claim he destroyed? I keep hearing the various assertions about all of the "damage" Trump left in his wake over his attempt to cling to power, but I have yet to hear exactly what that damage was?

The only damage I am aware of is the repeated waste of taxpayer dollars on ridiculous spectacles like the January 6th committee hearings.

Huge majority? I don't think so. Even among those of us who voted for him, many, like me, did so with great reluctance.

Maybe true then, but that's not what the numbers are saying now....

Since Trump announced his bid for the 2024 election, he has led the polling among republican candidates by a landslide and the numbers only continue to increase... The latest polls currently have Trump at 60-63%, and a whopping 45 points ahead of both DeSantis and Haley who are currently polling at 15% each among likely republican voters. Obviously, Trump's numbers will only continue to grow as the field narrows.

As far as Trump's support from non-republican voters, those numbers continue to grow as well... He has seen double-digit increase in support among independents, and he continues to gain support from Hispanics, blacks, and suburban women.

Furthermore, every reputable poll now has Trump leading Biden in the popular vote by 1-5% depending on the poll. The polls also show Trump beats Brandon in the 5 key swing states which is most significant. So, just by the trending numbers, I would have to say that Trump's support is hardly isolated to a fringe minority of the "MAGA" base.

The media is making it seem as if the republicans are begging for an alternate to Trump. If that is truly the case, they must be staying silent about it, because the primary polls certainly are not indicating the desire among the republicans for alternates to Trump.

DeSantis is my guy, and I would love the opportunity to vote for him in the general election. But even my fellow Floridians who have directly reaped the benefits of DeSantis' governance are not favoring him over Trump. Point being is that Trump's support is inexplicably strong and growing. Unless the polling is off by 180 degrees, he will be the republican nominee. This cannot happen with just a small base of " populist brigades" supporting him...

 

[Hunt anything]

As did Texas (12-1).

Florida State got screwed. I say that and I have NEVER been a Florida State fan. Are Texas and Alabama better teams now? Very probably. But what the crap was the purpose of the rest of the season if you're going to make them bend over and take it at the end. It won't happen but I hope both Texas and Alabama take it in the shorts by at least two touchdowns in their games.

The CFP has become an invitational tournament.

 

[John Wasmuth]

The problem is, it seems the only people asking questions are those opposed to funding at all. I welcome ideas to provide aid more efficiently and effectively. But that doesn’t seem to be the aim.

To me, the main question is, what outcome to this war best serves our national interests? I believe our interests are best served by Russia losing (I.e., withdrawing without achieving its goals) or by making victory so costly in blood and treasure that achieving its end goal of European dominance is delayed mightily.

Some people just believe that Tax Payer dollars should be accounted for and don’t accept a “You don’t need to know where your money is being sent or for what reason” answer especially since Ukraine has a history of being one of the most corrupt governments in history.

 

[WAB]

The CFP has become an invitational tournament.

Ima Bama fan but I really feel for FSU fans. This doesn’t smell right. I will be glad when we are past this ridiculous four team playoff next season.

 

[Wheels]

According to some people’s beliefs if you question anything at all about supporting Ukraine you are anti American and a Russian asset………

Redleg says that the military aid is audited and accounted for. That is good enough for me. He should know.

One of my big problems with Ukraine is the non military aid, which last I saw was a larger number than the military aid. The executive branch and congress will not audit those funds which makes them ripe for abuse, and probably means abuse is going on. How much of that money is going into people's pockets in Ukraine and even back here in the states. We will never know. I have a feeling the small amount Hunter received before the war is a small drop in the swimming pool compared to the amounts moving today.

 

[John Wasmuth]

Redleg says that the military aid is audited and accounted for. That is good enough for me. He should know.

One of my big problems with Ukraine is the non military aid, which last I saw was a larger number than the military aid. The executive branch and congress will not audit those funds which makes them ripe for abuse, and probably means abuse is going on. How much of that money is going into people's pockets in Ukraine and even back here in the states. We will never know. I have a feeling the small amount Hunter received before the war is a small drop in the swimming pool compared to the amounts moving today.

Never trust a government agency when they are allowed to audit themselves……

 

[Jfet]

The CFP has become an invitational tournament.

 

[mdwest]

Furthermore, every reputable poll now has Trump leading Biden in the popular vote by 1-5% depending on the poll. The polls also show Trump beats Brandon in the 5 key swing states which is most significant. So, just by the trending numbers, I would have to say that Trump's support is hardly isolated to a fringe minority of the "MAGA" base.

My concern is that the "polls" have proven themselves wholly unreliable over the last 2 election cycles.. to include the "reputable" ones..

Im pretty sure most folks went to bed in 2016 believing they were going to wake up to Hillary being POTUS based on polls and how things were looking about 10PM EST on the night before..

and Im pretty sure most everyone went into the 2020 election believing Trump was almost guaranteed a second term based on the polls and everything that was being espoused by those "in the know" for weeks prior to the election..

and yet.. here we are....

whether we want to blame that on election fraud, ballot harvesting, mail in ballots, COVID, or anything else really is inconsequential..

Whatever the polls are telling us.. I've got very little faith that they are accurately predicting the outcome of the next election cycle..

hell.. they couldnt even get the mid-terms right this past time around..

I would absolutely agree that Trumps support extends well past "the fringe"..

and I would also absolutely agree that Bidens approval rates and poll numbers look horrible.. and that if there was ever a post Carter POTUS that this country was ready to be rid of.. its Biden.. even my left leaning friends and family members will openly tell you how terrible they think Biden is.. both as POTUS and as a human being.. .

but none of them are planning on voting for Trump (or Desantis, or whoever else might end up on the red ticket)..

The only thing I think we can hope for is that people on the left are even more disenfranchised than people on the right.. and that a greater number of them stay home...

There are a substantial number of folks that are deep on the red side of things socially and fiscally, that simply will abstain from voting for POTUS rather than pull the lever for Trump.. we know that.. there are members of this very forum that feel that way.. and I understand their position and reasoning..

I believe the only way Trump ascends back into the POTUS position is if there are a greater number of people that are traditional blue voters that make the decision that abstaining from voting for Biden is the best decision they can make (because they definitely arent voting for Trump)..

 

[flatwater bill]

You know what bothers our Pakistani allies the most? Police and military? No, it's not the 358,000 M16's we left for the Taliban. Not the 64,000 machine guns either. It's the 16,000 night vision goggles. "we are sitting ducks" say the police in the Province of Khyber, where the brunt of the Tehrik Taliban attacks have taken place. "They can see us, but we can't see them". I thought it might have been the 61,000 vehicles, but I was wrong. As the Taliban sell these weapons around the world "The Taliban have become arms dealers" said NBC. Just in case you missed this on your daily spoon fed nightly news......FWB

 

[ActionBob]

My vote in Alabama really won’t matter either, I will vote for someone else in the primary but as I’ve said before in November I will walk in vote for trump reluctantly and walk outside and be sick.

That will be my response as well, assuming we have no better choice by November.

 

[PARA45]

That will be my response as well, assuming we have no better choice by November.

I've seen what Brandon has done to our country, and I would do the same.

Now, let me throw a monkey wrench at all of this. What would happen if Trump chose DeSantis or Haley as a VP running mate? Would we feel less nauseous with our vote?

Anything can happen in politics.

 

[Doug3006]

I've seen what Brandon has done to our country, and I would do the same.

Now, let me throw a monkey wrench at all of this. What would happen if Trump chose DeSantis or Haley as a VP running mate? Would we feel less nauseous with our vote?

Anything can happen in politics.

If I thought DeSatis or Haley would have a voice in a Trump administration, I might feel better. But they won’t and neither will anyone else he selects. He’s a one-man show and will not tolerate independent thinking. I may have to vote for him for the lack of decent options, but I can’t see how a running mate will be anything but window dressing.

 

[Hunt anything]

I've seen what Brandon has done to our country, and I would do the same.

Now, let me throw a monkey wrench at all of this. What would happen if Trump chose DeSantis or Haley as a VP running mate? Would we feel less nauseous with our vote?

Anything can happen in politics.

It would make me somewhat better, not sure of the legality of him picking DeSantis with both being from the same state.

 

[spike.t]

Seriously unbelievable....and pretty terrifying as to the end result.....

 

[Tundra Tiger]

I've seen what Brandon has done to our country, and I would do the same.

Now, let me throw a monkey wrench at all of this. What would happen if Trump chose DeSantis or Haley as a VP running mate? Would we feel less nauseous with our vote?

Anything can happen in politics.

I agree with Doug: won't happen. Unlike his cabinet positions and such, he can't fire the VP. I will say the two times I voted for Trump before, I told people I was actually casting my vote for Pence, so I understand the logic.