3 thugs-with-badges busted by suppressed video surfacing

[Andy9o8 2]

BIGUN

Or, we could retain the 58 Billion in tax dollars we give in the way of foreign aid every year.

Well, that's a warm & fuzzy sounding sound-byte, but consider this: The US spends about 1% of its budget on foreign aid. It spends about 20% of its budget on its military. A large part of that is not keeping American kids safe at home in their beds, but simply allowing the military-industrial complex to suck on an endless tit so the US can project power across the globe, providing a huge chunk of the security blanket for other countries. Those other countries, in turn, are thus enabled to retain enough of their own assets to provide the universal health care that every industrialized nation on Earth - with the exception of the US - provides to its citizens (for just one example).

"Cutting off the welfare" and "keeping America strong" sounds really attractive around the water cooler, but in the meantime the Average Joe in America is being played for a sucker.

[BIGUN 1,312]

Andy9o8

***Or, we could retain the 58 Billion in tax dollars we give in the way of foreign aid every year.

Well, that's a warm & fuzzy sounding sound-byte, but consider this: The US spends about 1% of its budget on foreign aid. It spends about 20% of its budget on its military. A large part of that is not keeping American kids safe at home in their beds, but simply allowing the military-industrial complex to suck on an endless tit so the US can project power across the globe, providing a huge chunk of the security blanket for other countries. Those other countries, in turn, are thus enabled to retain enough of their own assets to provide the universal health care that every industrialized nation on Earth - with the exception of the US - provides to its citizens (for just one example).

"Cutting off the welfare" and "keeping America strong" sounds really attractive around the water cooler, but in the meantime the Average Joe in America is being played for a sucker.

Yeah, My point whenever someone from another country starts telling us how to use our tax dollars. They're usually on the US dole - as is Canada.

To your point. True. About 3.8% of our GDP to defense as compared with 1% with most other countries except Russia and China. I'm all for a Department of Defense - not offense. If we were to combine those tax dollars from foreign aid, reduce the overseas military presence ("security blanket") by 100%, we'd probably get our military spending down to around 10% of the budget.

However, every time I bring that up; I'm accused of being an Isolationist.

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[Andy9o8 2]

Quote

eah, My point whenever someone from another country starts telling us how to use our tax dollars. They're usually on the US dole - as is Canada.

Aside from (granted) the security umbrella the US provides to the entirety of North America, the US provides next to nothing to Canada in terms of foreign aid. BTW, in contrast with the 1% of of budget the US spends on foreign aid, Canada spends about 2.5% of its budget on foreign aid.

[ryoder 1,590]

Andy9o8

Well, that's a warm & fuzzy sounding sound-byte, but consider this: The US spends about 1% of its budget on foreign aid. It spends about 20% of its budget on its military. A large part of that is not keeping American kids safe at home in their beds, but simply allowing the military-industrial complex to suck on an endless tit so the US can project power across the globe, providing a huge chunk of the security blanket for other countries. Those other countries, in turn, are thus enabled to retain enough of their own assets to provide the universal health care that every industrialized nation on Earth - with the exception of the US - provides to its citizens (for just one example).

"Cutting off the welfare" and "keeping America strong" sounds really attractive around the water cooler, but in the meantime the Average Joe in America is being played for a sucker.

+10

"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones.

[SkyDekker 1,465]

Quote

Yeah, My point whenever someone from another country starts telling us how to use our tax dollars. They're usually on the US dole - as is Canada.

lol, yeah that's right. We live large from all the money the US provides us.

If you want to take the comments as just America bashing, you are doing yourself a disservice. Maybe there is just a better way of doing things than what you are doing now?

And no, that doesn't mean the everything is better in Canada. There are many things we could do much better on. Sometimes we would even look and see how other countried do things and see if we can learn from that.

[billvon 2,991]

>One bad Zombie? A bad apple. Three bad Zombies? A few bad apples. Ten?
>Might be a problem. A dozen a year? Time to look for the systemic problems.

Are there good zombies?

>If we're going to look at the systemic problems; then let's look at the
>whole system and not segments of the whole.

Definitely.

[BIGUN 1,312]

Andy9o8

Quote

eah, My point whenever someone from another country starts telling us how to use our tax dollars. They're usually on the US dole - as is Canada.

Aside from (granted) the security umbrella the US provides to the entirety of North America, the US provides next to nothing to Canada in terms of foreign aid. BTW, in contrast with the 1% of of budget the US spends on foreign aid, Canada spends about 2.5% of its budget on foreign aid.

http://globalnews.ca/news/1266433/canada-cuts-aid-as-other-nations-push-assistance-to-all-time-high/

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[Andy9o8 2]

BIGUN

***

Quote

eah, My point whenever someone from another country starts telling us how to use our tax dollars. They're usually on the US dole - as is Canada.

Aside from (granted) the security umbrella the US provides to the entirety of North America, the US provides next to nothing to Canada in terms of foreign aid. BTW, in contrast with the 1% of of budget the US spends on foreign aid, Canada spends about 2.5% of its budget on foreign aid.

http://globalnews.ca/news/1266433/canada-cuts-aid-as-other-nations-push-assistance-to-all-time-high/

So what? So after many years of compassionately sharing a goodly chunk of its largesse with nations in need, this year Canada has looked at its books and decided to tighten its belt a bit to make sure its own citizens' needs are responsibly met. That's not stinginess, and it's not slurping at another country's trough, either. It's fiscal responsibility, and it's only fairly viewed in historical context.

[skycop 0]

Quote

When cops do criminal shit they should be charged criminally in some cases? Why should they not be criminally charged in all cases they do criminal shit?

Ah yes, semantics aren't they fun.........
I don't base the need for criminal prosecutions on media reports.
If these guys framed a guy intentionally then criminal charges are in order. You or I know nothing of this case other than media reports, there may be much more to the story.

When an officer intentionally acts with criminal intent outside the scope of his employment and authority, there should be criminal charges.

Criminal negligence is another area, a shooting in South Carolina is a recent example. The officer panicked and shot a guy for reaching into his car for his wallet. It was a mistake, but a criminally negligent one, resulting in criminal charges, and rightly so.

I've seen politically motivated prosecutions of cops, each time a jury saw through it and acquitted. This was prevalent after Rodney King, and I'll venture to say it will happen after the latest rounds of controversy. Although Rodney King was an actual injustice/crime, Michael Brown and the guy in New York were not. They were ginned up by the 24 news cycle and by people who make a living at ginning things up. There were numerous things reported that at the least were incorrect, at the most simply made up.

Not to say there were no mistakes made in the response, because there were.

Now I'll sit back and watch the flames.........

"Just 'cause I'm simple, don't mean I'm stewpid!"

[SkyDekker 1,465]

Thanks for the response, I mostly agree with you.

[Andy9o8 2]

Quote

The officer panicked and shot a guy for reaching into his car for his wallet. It was a mistake, but a criminally negligent one, resulting in criminal charges, and rightly so.
I actually do this, and have done it for a long time.

Whoa! Remind me to never reach for my wallet in your presence.

[skycop 0]

A lawyer
Creative editing
What a surprise...........

"Just 'cause I'm simple, don't mean I'm stewpid!"

[champu 1]

SkyDekker

******Yeah but educating your society properly and ensuring they are healthy takes tax money. You (meaning the American society) tend to prefer to either not spend that, or spend it on military equipment or war.

Well, doing everything takes money. What goes on the list of things that takes tax money is obviously subject to lengthy debate. But you're absolutely wrong that we prefer to not spend money. We throw money at everything in fucking spades...

http://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/indicator_cmd.asp
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_total_health_expenditure_(PPP)_per_capita
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_military_expenditure_per_capita

Yes you do. You guys love funneling tax payers money at quadruple the costs to private instututions. The best system money can buy, at least if you own part or all of the privatized institution.

I think you may have also missed the point behind the post. But that's probably due to my own poor wording. You guys obviously do a bang up job taking care of your society!

Maybe I did miss your point. I interpreted what you wrote to mean we don't like to spend money on education and healthcare and instead we spend it on military equipment or war. (i.e. military spending is to blame for poor end results in the other two areas.)

Meanwhile I am certain you missed my point as evidenced by the last sarcastic sentence of your post.

[SkyDekker 1,465]

Let's say it costs $1 to have a tooth extracted in country A and it costs $10 to extract a tooth in country B.

In that case, excuse me for not being entirely enthusiastic about Country B talking about how at $100 they spend so much more than country A's $85 on helping their society get their teeth extracted.

[BIGUN 1,312]

Andy9o8

******

Quote

eah, My point whenever someone from another country starts telling us how to use our tax dollars. They're usually on the US dole - as is Canada.

Aside from (granted) the security umbrella the US provides to the entirety of North America, the US provides next to nothing to Canada in terms of foreign aid. BTW, in contrast with the 1% of of budget the US spends on foreign aid, Canada spends about 2.5% of its budget on foreign aid.

http://globalnews.ca/news/1266433/canada-cuts-aid-as-other-nations-push-assistance-to-all-time-high/

So what? So after many years of compassionately sharing a goodly chunk of its largesse with nations in need, this year Canada has looked at its books and decided to tighten its belt a bit to make sure its own citizens' needs are responsibly met. That's not stinginess, and it's not slurping at another country's trough, either. It's fiscal responsibility, and it's only fairly viewed in historical context.

You're right. I failed to add any verbiage to what I was trying to communicate. When looking at it as per capita or even as a percentage of GDP, Canada has been somewhat (slightly) higher than the US in recent years. However, we have been bearing the costs of war considerably more. My point was in looking at total numbers in the graph rather than discussing percentages.

Going back to my earlier post, IMO we should reduce military spending and foreign aid like Canada. On that note... Skydekker derailed the thread and I got caught up in it. I'm tired of people from other countries making Americans feel they owe the world an apology.

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[Andy9o8 2]

Quote

However, we have been bearing the costs of war considerably more.

Hmm. And why do you suppose that is?

Quote

I'm tired of people from other countries making Americans feel they owe the world an apology.

I understand. That said, given the fact that America projects its military and geopolitical power across the globe in ways many non-Americans (even the "good guys" ) disapprove of, it's probably human nature for those people to do that.

[BIGUN 1,312]

Andy9o8

I understand. That said, given the fact that America projects its military and geopolitical power across the globe in ways many non-Americans (even the "good guys" ) disapprove of, it's probably human nature for those people to do that.

Good. We agree. Let's just stop. Put it all in the US and the rest of the world be damned. First one to squawk loses.

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[champu 1]

SkyDekker

Let's say it costs $1 to have a tooth extracted in country A and it costs $10 to extract a tooth in country B.

In that case, excuse me for not being entirely enthusiastic about Country B talking about how at $100 they spend so much more than country A's $85 on helping their society get their teeth extracted.

What does any of this have to do with what you wrote in post #20? If this is all you meant then "poor wording" is an understatement.

[Anvilbrother 0]

Are your suggesting we should not be in the east fighting terrorists?

Postes r made from an iPad or iPhone. Spelling and gramhair mistakes guaranteed move along,

[turtlespeed 220]

Anvilbrother

Are your suggesting we should not be in the east fighting terrorists?

Are you?

It seems prudent under the current admin that terrorism is on the decline. That is what the white house is putting out.

hel, they won't even admit to terrorism on US soil, by terrorists.

I'm not usually into the whole 3-way thing, but you got me a little excited with that. - Skymama
BTR #1 / OTB^5 Official #2 / Hellfish #408 / VSCR #108/Tortuga/Orfun

[SkyDekker 1,465]

champu

***Let's say it costs $1 to have a tooth extracted in country A and it costs $10 to extract a tooth in country B.

In that case, excuse me for not being entirely enthusiastic about Country B talking about how at $100 they spend so much more than country A's $85 on helping their society get their teeth extracted.

What does any of this have to do with what you wrote in post #20? If this is all you meant then "poor wording" is an understatement.

No, that was in response to you showing how much money you spend on education and health.

Post 20 was simply indicating that american society has no appetite to increase taxes to spend on education and health. Both systems are signifcantly behind the rest of the civilized world, unless you have lots of money to spend.

[Anvilbrother 0]

Waiting in an answer here.

Postes r made from an iPad or iPhone. Spelling and gramhair mistakes guaranteed move along,

[Andy9o8 2]

Anvilbrother

Are your suggesting we should not be in the east fighting terrorists?

I'm saying, first, that one must look at all US projection of global military power from an historical context, beginning certainly no later than the deliberate lies leading to, and all throughout, the tragic debacle in Vietnam (though you could take it all the way back to the Mexican War and Spanish-American War), and including our steps, and particularly missteps, in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Next, always be mindful of (Republican) President Theodore Roosevelt's warning to us to be ever vigilant of and restraining on the influence of corporate greed on American politics and policy.

Next, always bear in mind (Republican) President Eisenhower's astute warning to us to be ever vigilant of and restraining upon the military-industrial complex (that was Ike's phrase, not mine), for it will use - indeed, create - any excuse possible to keep itself fed and fat.

Next, just as Americans get tired of all the non-American America-bashers (even citizens of our industialized allies), I'm tired of the unholy alliance of American politics, corporate interest (read: money) and the military-industrial complex propelling America into being The Permanent World's Policeman, at the expense of the American Taxpayer (and the resulting subsidy of the citizens of all of our allied countries).

I'm also tired of the United States' over 100-year history of fomenting coups and propping up petty, dictators who brutally repress their own people so we would have friendly bases and/or commercial markets around the world through which to keep the military-industrial complex and corporate interests (like the Halliburtons of the world; also see the history of the United Fruit Company) fed and fat, at the expense of American warriors' blood and American taxpayers' treasure.

With all this in mind: I want the US to be discerning as to which conflicts it enters, and with what proportion of participation (relative to other allies' participation). We need to address which existing evils - and they will always be there - pose a direct and palpable threat to American security. There are a lot of really, really evil motherfuckers that, emotionally, I'd just love to nape off the Earth - not just terrorists, like Boko Haram, but "state" actors, like Bashar al-Assad. But you have to stop somewhere. Remember Idi Amin? How about the Khmer Rouge? Each, in their time, about as evil and brutal as they come, yet the US didn't go after them. If we're to be fighting terrorism all over the world, or brutal dictators all over the world, we will be in a state of constant hot war. That is unacceptable for so, so many reasons.

Ideally I'm willing to betcha the US could trim about 30% off its military budget (I resist using the intellectually dishonest euphemism "defense") and still keep American childen safe in their beds and at the malls, and invest the lion's share of those savings into health, education and infrastructure.

There's your serious answer.

[Anvilbrother 0]

So do you agree with what obama is doing currently with the troops in actively starting new engagements with terrorists, while not ending the wars as he promised?

Postes r made from an iPad or iPhone. Spelling and gramhair mistakes guaranteed move along,

[Andy9o8 2]

Depends on a case by case basis. I'm not gonna write you another essay.

ETA: not without a retainer.