Politics

[Scott CWO]

I think you meant to say one has to have the "vote"...

You refer often as to how egotistical and self-serving Trump is by putting himself before the good of the party's agenda... Ironically, McCain was the deciding vote that killed the repeal of Obamacare. McCain is the one who set the example for him by single-handedly failing to rid this country of Obamacare out of nothing more than spite and his personal feelings toward Trump.



You can put some of the responsibility on the "angry right" for their disdain for the RINOS as blind loyalty to Trump, but not all of it... There is a huge independent faction of voters in this country who are fed up with the dysfunction on both sides of the Isle. I can assure you that as an independent I share equal if not more disdain for the swamp dwellers on the left as well, albeit that list is considerably longer... Both parties are representative of the cancer that is alive and well in the D.C. establishment.

My personal disdain for the McConnells, McCains, and Romneys has nothing to do with whether or not they dislike Trump. My issue with them is that they are all pillars of the current establishment that is failing the people. I became an independent specifically because they do not relate to me and certainly do not have my best interest at heart.

It's funny to me how so many here have short and/or selective memories. Let us not forget that the last 2 republican nominees for POTUS got crushed by Obama. Republicans were flailing in the wind and headed for a 3rd defeat with HRC as the heir incumbent until Trump came in as a populist and gave a voice to the "deplorables" that the RINOS paid no attention to unless they were mocking them. Trump expanded the "tent" simply by acknowledging a very significant portion of Americans that the folks that the republican party had neglected for so long. The republican party has been its own worst enemy for decades precisely because of that arrogance and neglect. They have disenfranchised just as many of not more voters than the democrats have even with their Herculean lurch to the left in recent years.



Once again, you are incorrect in your assumption of what and who "MAGA" truly represents. Apparently, you are using Brandon's definition equating all "MAGA" supporters to racist rednecks, and Walmart shoppers who are too ignorant to know what is best for them which is sadly incorrect.

Expecting the Federal Government to put the agenda and well-being of Americans first does not make one an isolationist. It makes them someone who loves this country who would like to see their elected representatives place at the very least, the same priority on their basic needs as they do for illegal immigrants, criminals, and other countries seeking endless and unaccountable aid.

Every vote is a deciding vote in a close call. McCain’s was the last and very public one, for sure. I didn’t care much for McCain but he’s not exactly a Romney, in my estimation. I have no use for Romney, the ultimate flip-flopper!

 

[rookhawk]

Everything's fine, nothing to see here!

Medicare and Social Security face $175 trillion shortfall, risking future generations

Medicare and Social Security are in big trouble as it is now underfunded by a staggering $175 trillion, according to a new report from the Treasury Department.

abc3340.com

 

[Brent in Az]

Republican Steve Garvey, is currently leading swamp weasel, Adam Schiff, in the Senate race to replace Feinstein.

For now, anyway ....

 

[BSO Dave]

Well written BSO Dave. Populists movements usually start from the seed of the underrepresented or marginalized segments.

The parties have definitely done an inversion.

The Republican Party has now been taken over by the working class.

And the Democrats are the Elites and more educated.
And the “non working” people, to be polite.

Thanks, and I believe your assessment to be spot-on as well...

 

[BSO Dave]

Every vote is a deciding vote in a close call. McCain’s was the last and very public one, for sure. I didn’t care much for McCain but he’s not exactly a Romney, in my estimation. I have no use for Romney, the ultimate flip-flopper!

I actually liked McCain as a person, and I certainly respected his service and sacrifices for this country. Of course, I voted for him because just like now, the alternative was unthinkable... I was both surprised and disappointed that in the end, he chose to put his personal feelings in front of his political obligations to his country. He took Trump's bait at the expense of the nation.

Romney is as feckless and spineless as it gets. He was completely unrelatable to the working class and not at all genuine or likeable. He was a terrible candidate to run against Obama. No wonder Obama beat him so easily...

 

[jpr9954]

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

View attachment 590685

She/he or whatever it is is sure proof that the Democrats are unstable and deranged. This is not about opinion or bias, it is about normal vs abnormal, and this nonsense she pulls classifies the administration as abnormal.

 

[Tanks]

....

Once again, you are incorrect in your assumption of what and who "MAGA" truly represents. Apparently, you are using Brandon's definition equating all "MAGA" supporters to racist rednecks, and Walmart shoppers who are too ignorant to know what is best for them which is sadly incorrect.

Expecting the Federal Government to put the agenda and well-being of Americans first does not make one an isolationist. It makes them someone who loves this country who would like to see their elected representatives place at the very least, the same priority on their basic needs as they do for illegal immigrants, criminals, and other countries seeking endless and unaccountable aid.

Domestic policy and international policies are not mutually exclusive. I get that the base of the GOP is working class Americans who only care about what is going on inside the country. And if you look at the demographics, yes majority of MAGA are not college educated people. There is nothing wrong with that, however the lack of education does restrict one's world view.

We can take care of borders etc. and still provide assistance to Ukraine, Israel etc..

My personal view is that isolationism where we let Russia and China dominate the world is a much bigger threat to future generations than what is happening under the Biden administration domestically.

In an ideal world we would have Trump's domestic and border policies married with Haley's acumen of foreign policy.

 

[Tundra Tiger]

@Tanks ... I can't possibly give that post enough likes. Well stated sir.

 

[Red Leg]

Back at the front, the Russian Army continues its curious small unit tactics. In this particularly horrific clip we have a BTR carrying a squad of Russian troops on top driving hell for leather directly toward a Ukrainian fighting position which is supported by a M2 Bradley with its 25mm auto cannon firing armor piercing and high explosive rounds.

The troops are riding on top rather than inside out of fear of hitting a mine.

As soon as the BTR enters the engagement fan of the Brad, it opens fire with predictably dramatic results. It looks like it is using HE rounds after stopping the BTR with armor piercing. The troops are also clearly under small arms fire as well and they are finally hit by several kamikaze drones. This sort of movement to contact is not taught at Fort Benning - I mean Fort Moore.

https://www.reddit.com/r/UkraineWarVideoReport/comments/1b518kf

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

A sad waste of young men. You wonder how Putin sleeps at night.

 

[Altitude sickness]

They are most likely forced to attack. Untrained, ill equipped and they can’t retreat,

 

[CoElkHunter]

On a side note to Ukraine, I was reading an article this morning about Ukraine's use of the water cooled Maxim M1910 machine gun in defense of Bakhmut. Unlike modern day machine guns, it can virtually fire continuously without stopping as long as it's fed ammo and the water is kept topped off. Maybe a similar "water jacket" system could be designed for our modern day artillery barrels to prevent the barrels from warping under sustained fire?

 

[Altitude sickness]

Johnny cash was Woke. And ahead of his time.

 

[Brent in Az]

 

[SaintPanzer]

Well, then, to clarify:

We gave them M1A1s. Those didn't come from the Army.

Now, when you start discussing "how many".

Also important to note the difference in size between a Marine Tank Battalion and an Army Tank Battalion. And the Marine Corps only had 3 Battalions... one of them a Battalion (+), with six companies... the 452 included things like the tanks kept at MCAGCC for rotational units, etc...

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

Domestic policy and international policies are not mutually exclusive. I get that the base of the GOP is working class Americans who only care about what is going on inside the country. And if you look at the demographics, yes majority of MAGA are not college educated people. There is nothing wrong with that, however the lack of education does restrict one's world view.

We can take care of borders etc. and still provide assistance to Ukraine, Israel etc..

My personal view is that isolationism where we let Russia and China dominate the world is a much bigger threat to future generations than what is happening under the Biden administration domestically.

In an ideal world we would have Trump's domestic and border policies married with Haley's acumen of foreign policy.

Yes domestic and foreign policy are related, and this current administration has demonstrated that very graphically:
To project foreign policy you need to use fear, respect, or favour, or a combination of those. When you have a leader who is not only weak, but stupid, and inarticulate at expressing even his weak stupidity then you have the perfect trash storm. For example :
‘Aid to Ukraine is critically important.’
‘Help me fix the border (which I messed up anyway), which is a pre-condition you have set to get the aid to Ukraine, but my fix isn’t a fix after all.’ So I am really not serious about fixing the border or getting the aid to Ukraine.”

And the world must take this seriously? I do believe Putin, Xi, Kim and the Ayatollah laugh at this. It is a prime mess and the Democrats are wholly to blame for it.

 

[spike.t]

 

[BSO Dave]

 

[BSO Dave]

however the lack of education does restrict one's world view.

Really? Please show me the data on how your arrived at that assertion...

The greatest damage currently being done to our culture is coming from the indoctrination of college students. "Education" and intelligence are not synonymous... In my experience, lower income working class folks have a far better grasp on common sense and reality over the "educated". That goes for the college age kids as well as the elites who are indoctrinating them...

We can take care of borders etc. and still provide assistance to Ukraine, Israel etc..

We can but we don't, and that's the frustration with more than half of this country's electorate. myself included...

I have heard this Administration say repeatedly that they can "walk and chew gum at the same" time... Sadly, they cannot... And, even if they were competent, they would not...

This current Administration, whether willfully or ignorantly, has demonstrated that they have absolutely no ability to execute sound domestic and foreign policy at the same time. They have prioritized their agenda putting American's not ahead, not equal, but last...!

My personal view is that isolationism where we let Russia and China dominate the world is a much bigger threat to future generations than what is happening under the Biden administration domestically.

Here's where our perspectives differ the most...

Without the preservation of personal freedom, morality, and the rule of law, we are becoming a 3rd-world county. This is not a fantasy doomsday scenario... This is happening and readily apparent to anyone who lives in reality. Our major cities are crime-ridden cesspools, and the government is addressing these problems by defunding police and getting rid of cash bail.... Decent folks are the ones being arrested when they are forced to defend themselves when the police cannot... Meanwhile, instead of addressing the crime by actual law enforcement, we are actually adjudicating real court cases to decide if men can be women and vice-versa. 25 years ago, even the most liberal democrat would scoff at the notion that we would descend into this caricature of what used to be a serious country. It would actually be laughable if it wasn't so damaging and dangerous....

I will repeat my point for the umpteenth time that, without a country right now, meaning the ability of a working family to pay their bills, put food on the table, or buy a home in a neighborhood where they don't have to worry about getting carjacked or beaten on the subway, whatever lands the Russians or Chinese occupy in the next 20 years is fairly irrelevant to so many of these working Americans trying to get by right now... This doesn't make them ignorant, isolationists, or "restricted" in their world views... Dysfunctional domestic policy and willful neglect of government is forcing them to think of self-survival, and rightly so in my opinion...

It's a really simple concept that sadly, is lost on many who are lucky enough to not have these concerns. And good for you if you don't, but don't be tone deaf to what much of the rest of our people are dealing with in a day-to-day existence.