Politics

[Russ16]

No point....

View attachment 666749

Are you saying we do? Yes we have lots of resources in some areas but there are absolutely natural resources we don’t have here in the quantities our consumption demands.

 

[Wheels]

So is Musk "advising " on this?....just asking.....another fkup I would have thought.....

No clue but I think Trump probably had this idea going back to his first term. Between impeachments and other things it never made it up the list.

 

[Wheels]

Looks like an easy way for DOGE to save 600M on one pharmaceutical. Get rid of the PBM's that the pharmacy companies own and Medicare will be saving billions.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1892439128177856745

 

[Hunt anything]

One thing I’m waiting on from HHS, is the banning of pharmaceutical advertising. If this were to happen some of those POS news outlets may go under without that revenue.

 

[spike.t]

Are you saying we do? Yes we have lots of resources in some areas but there are absolutely natural resources we don’t have here in the quantities our consumption demands.

Nope I meant you are banging your head against a wall trying to reason in any way with him...

 

[Red Leg]

A question for those of you with a military background regarding spending cuts that are over and beyond waste.

Do you think the Trump administrations view of DOD is a complete change of paradigm from the current line of thought. ie: The age of carrier groups, M1A3 and F35's are over and not a budget line item going forward. The days of cost plus to Northrup, Lockheed, Boeing, Raytheon and GD are over and the future of the military is headed to the Palantir's and SpaceX type firms with lasers, the ability to jam and drop hundreds of drones in a split second and space mounted defensive and offensive systems. Basically a more high tech version of the military and military spending.

I am not a military person but with the people Trump is surrounding himself with it seems plausible that is the type of military Trump envisions going forward.

You are pointing to what has come to terrify me with respect to the future combat capability of our nation's armed forces. I do not know anyone in Trump's inner circle that has any meaningful experience in the application of combat power above a company or battalion organization.

I am as certain today of the truthfulness of this quote as I was when Fehrenbach first published it in "This kind of War" in 1963.

You may fly over a land forever; you may bomb it, atomize it, and wipe it clean of life - but if you desire to defend it, protect it,and keep it for civilization, you must do this on the ground, the way the Roman Legions did - by putting your soldiers in the mud.

There are different tools for accomplishing that mission but never ever a panacea, though they appear regularly among defense dilettantes.

The first operational Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) may be flying as a test aircraft by the end of this decade. A pair of these would fly with an F-35 and be directed by that aircraft to use their ordinance against ground targets from beyond air defense range of the F35. True air to air unmanned capability is much farther in the future.

Hence, there is no alternative to the F35 which uninformed critics like Elon Musk, who knows nothing about actual warfare, have chosen as their target de jour. I will simply note that the IDF rather effectively used its F-35 fleet to neutralize Iran's extensive air defense array quite recently.

Secondly, the president has shown interest in "one-way drones." I am just an old professional soldier, but perhaps someone who understands this administration can explain to me what that is. The US Navy, Air Force, and Army already operate a vast array of unmanned munition carriers. I will admit they don't have funny little plastic propellers or look like Ukraine's scaled down Piper Cubs. We call them cruise missiles, ballistic missiles, JDAMS, and a host of other standoff variants of great versatility and kinetic potential. US small unit attack drones like switchblade have been in use for several years. They supplement and enable the base firepower of formations, not replace it.

The tank was first declared obsolete following the Yom Kippur war when the first Russian wire guided missiles emerged on the battlefield. Yet, somehow the Abrams has dominated close combat across the Middle East for the last 45 years. Now we should get rid of it because the inferior Russian designs haven't been wholly successful under Russian command.

There is also the assumption that the military is mired in the past. This is usually the judgement of observers who have never served an hour in combat. Believe it or not all the services expend large sums on combat development. That includes new tactics, new approaches to mission accomplishment, and obviously new technologies. Could much of that be streamlined or made more responsive. Absolutely, and that should be something upon which Trump's prodigies could focus.

A defense corporation can perform in any contract environment the government desires. I'll tell you a little secret, it is the government that prefers cost plus contracts - particularly for weapons development. That model allows almost unlimited changes of scope by the government. But if DOD wants to build a autonomous robotic kangaroo with defensive lasers and a drone launcher through an iterative development process, GD will be delighted to do so. Show them the requirement and the contract.

I just pray there are enough sane senators in both parties to stop this madness in its tracks before truly generational damage is done.

.

 

[Tanks]

There is no reason why we can’t return to manufacturing products here.

Forget about raw materials, let's talk labor. A simple example, sweatpants.

A company named American Giant makes great sweatpants, made in the USA. Cost $100 for the basic one.

Classic Sweatpant - Varsity Blue

Classic Sweatpant

www.american-giant.com

Target imports one, not as high quality as American giant's (not as thick material etc.), but it costs $20 for the basic one.

Men's Fleece Jogger Pants - Goodfellow & Co™ Gray M

Read reviews and buy Men's Fleece Jogger Pants - Goodfellow & Co™ Gray M at Target. Choose from contactless Same Day Delivery, Drive Up and more.

www.target.com

Enough buy the American Giant products due to high quality and being USA made, but nowhere as many as Target sells.

Now, take away the Target choice, and see people complaining about pricing.

BTW, even with 25% tariffs the Target product is now $25. Nothing has changed except the government has taxed people indirectly. It would not bring sweatpants manufacturing back to the USA due to market forces.

 

[roverandbrew]

Better bloody hurry up 67 on 3rd of March.....but still 30 or so in the head....so fk knows...born to party from my past history.... .....this one @roverandbrew ...

I seem to make my pilgrimage at least once a year! I will be there this fall I am sure. I just did a round of DIM to cleanse my liver. I am ready.

 

[Hunt anything]

Personally I don’t think we could ever build enough drones to fight the Chinese or the Russians. Looking at the way they have fought in the past, human wave attacks by the thousands. I knew an old Korean War vet that had been issued an M1carbine, he hated that thing. He claimed those quill filled suits that the Chinese and North Koreans wore would just soak up the carbine rounds. He picked up an MI Garande and with that 30-06 round he could watch multiple soldiers drop every round he fired when facing human wave attacks. Maybe they can develop or have developed a drone that can do this but watching footage from Ukraine most target one soldier only.
Of course that’s if anyone can get through our concentrated artillery and air strikes. IMO we will always need boots on the ground.

 

[Doubleplay]

Forget about raw materials, let's talk labor. A simple example, sweatpants.

A company named American Giant makes great sweatpants, made in the USA. Cost $100 for the basic one.

Classic Sweatpant - Varsity Blue

Classic Sweatpant

www.american-giant.com

Target imports one, not as high quality as American giant's (not as thick material etc.), but it costs $20 for the basic one.

Men's Fleece Jogger Pants - Goodfellow & Co™ Gray M

Read reviews and buy Men's Fleece Jogger Pants - Goodfellow & Co™ Gray M at Target. Choose from contactless Same Day Delivery, Drive Up and more.

www.target.com

Enough buy the American Giant products due to high quality and being USA made, but nowhere as many as Target sells.

Now, take away the Target choice, and see people complaining about pricing.

BTW, even with 25% tariffs the Target product is now $25. Nothing has changed except the government has taxed people indirectly. It would not bring sweatpants manufacturing back to the USA due to market forces.

I like American Giant products and buy them...

 

[Tanks]

...

A defense corporation can perform in any contract environment the government desires. I'll tell you a little secret, it is the government that prefers cost plus contracts - particularly for weapons development. That model allows almost unlimited changes of scope by the government. But if DOD wants to build a autonomous robotic kangaroo with defensive lasers and a drone launcher through an iterative development process, GD will be delighted to do so. Show them the requirement and the contract.

I just pray there are enough sane senators in both parties to stop this madness in its tracks before truly generational damage is done.

.

This brings me to what a business partner in my first company told me more than four decades ago (he was in charge of marketing, I was in charge of R&D and development). He said Andy, "on a cost plus or a T&M contract we deliver exactly what the customer wants, on a fixed price contract we deliver exactly what's in the contract, nothing more and nothing less."

I adhere to those words even today.

BTW, most satisfied clients I have ever had were the ones with T&M and cost-plus contracts. On the fixed price contracts clients were not as happy because they did not get what they really wanted as their wishes were not translated well by the third-party design engineers. So, after delivery we had to go back in on a T&M basis and implement what they really wanted. Even when we knew what they really needed we had to bid according to the specifications not what we knew what they'd have to end up with.

 

[rigbymauser]

Gosh….

Just read an artical right now where Ukraine may see the US as another enemy. Not because US wants to bomb Ukraine, but Trumps latest expressions have given Russia more hope to win. Zelenskyj efforts to please Trump regardsless of Trumps accusations have failed which now helped Russia to do a homerun. Zelenskyj may turn to EU for more aid is one thing, but Trump have given what any soldier want…hope for victory!. Trumps meetings with Russia must be seen now as fraternizing with the enemy….( another low)

 

[lwaters]

Gosh….

Just read an artical right now where Ukraine may see the US as another enemy. Not because US wants to bomb Ukraine, but Trumps latest expressions have given Russia more hope to win. Zelenskyj efforts to please Trump regardsless of Trumps accusations have failed which now helped Russia to do a homerun. Zelenskyj may turn to EU for more aid is one thing, but Trump have given what any soldier want…hope for victory!. Trumps meetings with Russia must be seen now as fraternizing with the enemy….( another low)

I would imagine the Europeans are wondering what the US and Russia are really talking about. Looks like a Hitler and Stalin meeting .

 

[Doubleplay]

Just a general observation from the latest posts from the forum:
Whoever thinks we can bring all the manufacturing back to US and isolate ourselves from rest of the World is either delusional or uneducated.
Also whoever thinks whatever is happening around the world doesn't matter to us should not be on this forum because last time I looked this place is mostly about Africa and international hunting.
I don't know about the rest of you but I want to keep traveling, feel welcomed outside the US and be proud of my country.

 

[rigbymauser]

I would imagine the Europeans are wondering what the US and Russia are really talking about. Looks like a Hitler and Stalin meeting .

Zelenskyj have tried to convince Trump that Putin is the enemy have failed. Trump is blaming Ukraine 100% for the war. Statsments from Trump that Zelenskyj could have ended the war by negociate with Putin much ealier is not only a blatant lie, but it seems Trump is more spokesman for Putin now. Whatever Putin and Trump are up is no good and they are both ganged up on Ukraine.

 

[lwaters]

Just a general observation from the latest posts from the forum:
Whoever thinks we can bring all the manufacturing back to US and isolate ourselves from rest of the World is either delusional or uneducated.
Also whoever thinks whatever is happening around the world doesn't matter to us should not be on this forum because last time I looked this place is mostly about Africa and international hunting.
I don't know about the rest of you but I want to keep traveling, feel welcomed outside the US and be proud of my country.

The way I see it the people in power do not like us old retired people spending our money in other countries. I have gotten that from my friends who make comments about my African hunts. There is a real isolation attitude in this country. Even my stepdaughter who is a physician assistant stated she didn't care about Europe. It just looks to me that history is about to repeat itself. At 74 I'll just set back and watch the show.

 

[cmk]

I would imagine the Europeans are wondering what the US and Russia are really talking about. Looks like a Hitler and Stalin meeting .

Or Molotov-Ribbentrop. I.e. something along the lines of "You get Ukraine, we'll take Greenland, you take the Baltic countries and the former Warzaw bloc, we'll take Canada - does that sound OK to you Vladimir?". Well, I don't really think it is that bad, but one cannot help but to wonder if he thinks that (other peoples) countries are like real estate that he can buy, sell or trade at will.

Like the suggestion that all the people living in Gaza should be moved into neighbouring countries so that the area could be developed into a beach resort (or something along those lines).

 

[Brent in Az]

I will be paying close attention to what Kash Patel does to the swamp within the FBI.
I wonder how many are cleaning out their desks knowing what is coming?

 

[Tubby’s Canteen]

I would imagine the Europeans are wondering what the US and Russia are really talking about. Looks like a Hitler and Stalin meeting .

I would more compare it to Stalin and Churchills naughty document.

 

[rigbymauser]

Just a general observation from the latest posts from the forum:
Whoever thinks we can bring all the manufacturing back to US and isolate ourselves from rest of the World is either delusional or uneducated.

I don't know about the rest of you but I want to keep traveling, feel welcomed outside the US and be proud of my country.

I believe Trump could have been a good thing for America. He did have some real strongpoints in regards EU needed to man up and comply with NATO contract which many countries didn’t. Denmark( my country) did promise the US to secure the artic around Greenland back in 2019, but didn’t. Problems with US border security have failed under previous presidents and many other good legitimate issues, But Trump seems to go full rogue now which many americans could not have predicted to this level.