HuMcK said:

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Bestweekeverr said:

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The more I think about it I like having most of Europe rely on us for defense. The 20th century proved twice that having a well armed Europe can lead to bad things.

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Along those lines: my 300 level history prof at Baylor described the purpose of NATO as being to "keep the US in Europe, the Soviets out of Europe, and Germany down". Europe should absolutely pull more weight, but we (the US) were always meant to be by far the top dog.

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My main concern is that the cost of living is insane and our taxes are way too high.

We keep having to fork over more taxes to cover things like NATO and spending bills that are enormous. They continue to grow and it all leads to inflation.

Our politicians across the board don't give a rats ass how much we're squeezed. This is why people are fed up with endless wars, and bureaucrats paying whatever military industrial companies charge. Not once do they consider the burdens on the middle class. We look at Europe not even getting charged what they agreed to and it feels like we're getting ripped off.

I'm fed up with the GOP. they're all neocons, but I really hate the fact that democrats are pro war, pro spend like hell and pro not giving a damn about the middle class financially: all they want is to increase spending on everything.

Doc Holliday said:

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HuMcK said:

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Bestweekeverr said:

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The more I think about it I like having most of Europe rely on us for defense. The 20th century proved twice that having a well armed Europe can lead to bad things.

---

Along those lines: my 300 level history prof at Baylor described the purpose of NATO as being to "keep the US in Europe, the Soviets out of Europe, and Germany down". Europe should absolutely pull more weight, but we (the US) were always meant to be by far the top dog.

---

My main concern is that the cost of living is insane and our taxes are way too high.

We keep having to fork over more taxes to cover things like NATO and spending bills that are enormous. They continue to grow and it all leads to inflation.

Our politicians across the board don't give a rats ass how much we're squeezed. This is why people are fed up with endless wars, and bureaucrats paying whatever military industrial companies charge. Not once do they consider the burdens on the middle class. We look at Europe not even getting charged what they agreed to and it feels like we're getting ripped off.

I'm fed up with the GOP. they're all neocons, but I really hate the fact that democrats are pro war, pro spend like hell and pro not giving a damn about the middle class financially: all they want is to increase spending on everything.

---

I agree with you quite a bit. Perhaps you should look at Nikki Haley. She is the only major party candidate being honest about finances. She wants to reduce spending adjust Social Security to keep it solvent. Neither of these approaches are popular but building a strong economic base will keep us from losing so much value in the overall dollar. I appreciate your concerns about war. the USA is in a very sticky wicket at this point in time. I think a strong stance by the USA will help prevent some of the wars. I agree that the unending checks to other nations must be limited.

Love Norm MacDonald's riff on Germany.

Bestweekeverr said:

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The more I think about it I like having most of Europe rely on us for defense. The 20th century proved twice that having a well armed Europe can lead to bad things.

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I thought liberals hated the United States thinking it's the world's police.

Whiskey Pete said:

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Bestweekeverr said:

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The more I think about it I like having most of Europe rely on us for defense. The 20th century proved twice that having a well armed Europe can lead to bad things.

---

I thought liberals hated the United States thinking it's the world's police.

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Seems like a lot of people on both sides feel that way. I think they'd feel differently once the price of every skyrockets when our enemies seize control of shipping lanes.

Guy Noir said:

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Doc Holliday said:

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HuMcK said:

---

Bestweekeverr said:

---

The more I think about it I like having most of Europe rely on us for defense. The 20th century proved twice that having a well armed Europe can lead to bad things.

---

Along those lines: my 300 level history prof at Baylor described the purpose of NATO as being to "keep the US in Europe, the Soviets out of Europe, and Germany down". Europe should absolutely pull more weight, but we (the US) were always meant to be by far the top dog.

---

My main concern is that the cost of living is insane and our taxes are way too high.

We keep having to fork over more taxes to cover things like NATO and spending bills that are enormous. They continue to grow and it all leads to inflation.

Our politicians across the board don't give a rats ass how much we're squeezed. This is why people are fed up with endless wars, and bureaucrats paying whatever military industrial companies charge. Not once do they consider the burdens on the middle class. We look at Europe not even getting charged what they agreed to and it feels like we're getting ripped off.

I'm fed up with the GOP. they're all neocons, but I really hate the fact that democrats are pro war, pro spend like hell and pro not giving a damn about the middle class financially: all they want is to increase spending on everything.

---

I agree with you quite a bit. Perhaps you should look at Nikki Haley. She is the only major party candidate being honest about finances. She wants to reduce spending adjust Social Security to keep it solvent. Neither of these approaches are popular but building a strong economic base will keep us from losing so much value in the overall dollar. I appreciate your concerns about war. the USA is in a very sticky wicket at this point in time. I think a strong stance by the USA will help prevent some of the wars. I agree that the unending checks to other nations must be limited.

---

i don't trust Nikki Haley. She's just another establishment Republican who do the bidding of a GOP that cares more their party and power than they do about the American People.

When she gets busted over things she says (not BS stuff, but actual policy positions), she comes and squeals "I never said that!"

She's just another political opportunist who says what she thinks people want to hear.

In a townhall once, she said she never sold land to the Chinese. Well, that is a wordsmith's truth. She approved of a deal then promoted the fact that she recruited a Chinese company to S. Carolina. That company received almost 200 acres, FOR FREE, in that deal. So, yeah, I guess she never "sold" the Chinese land, she supported just giving it to them.

To me, she's just another George W. Bush, in a pushup bra.

Bestweekeverr said:

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Whiskey Pete said:

---

Bestweekeverr said:

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The more I think about it I like having most of Europe rely on us for defense. The 20th century proved twice that having a well armed Europe can lead to bad things.

---

I thought liberals hated the United States thinking it's the world's police.

---

Seems like a lot of people on both sides feel that way. I think they'd feel differently once the price of every skyrockets when our enemies seize control of shipping lanes.

---

So, you supporting America to be the world's police, then?

Weird times we're in when liberals decide that it's a-ok for America to throw its weight around. I guess the 1980s aren't calling and don't their foreign policy back.

Whiskey Pete said:

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Bestweekeverr said:

---

Whiskey Pete said:

---

Bestweekeverr said:

---

The more I think about it I like having most of Europe rely on us for defense. The 20th century proved twice that having a well armed Europe can lead to bad things.

---

I thought liberals hated the United States thinking it's the world's police.

---

Seems like a lot of people on both sides feel that way. I think they'd feel differently once the price of every skyrockets when our enemies seize control of shipping lanes.

---

So, you supporting America to be the world's police, then?

Weird times we're in when liberals decide that it's a-ok for America to throw its weight around. I guess the 1980s aren't calling and don't their foreign policy back.

---

Don't know if I'd call myself a liberal, but I'm probably closer than most on this board.

But yes I do. Geopolitical influence exists in a vacuum, wherever we are not we concede that space and influence to our rivals. Of course we have limited resources so we have to pick and choose where we intervene and to what degree.

Doesn't mean I agree with every decision or conflict we find ourselves in (Iraq, Afghanistan), but even the biggest isolationist would probably agree that the US entering WW2 was the right choice so it all exists on a spectrum I guess.

Whiskey Pete said:

---

Guy Noir said:

---

Doc Holliday said:

---

HuMcK said:

---

Bestweekeverr said:

---

The more I think about it I like having most of Europe rely on us for defense. The 20th century proved twice that having a well armed Europe can lead to bad things.

---

Along those lines: my 300 level history prof at Baylor described the purpose of NATO as being to "keep the US in Europe, the Soviets out of Europe, and Germany down". Europe should absolutely pull more weight, but we (the US) were always meant to be by far the top dog.

---

My main concern is that the cost of living is insane and our taxes are way too high.

We keep having to fork over more taxes to cover things like NATO and spending bills that are enormous. They continue to grow and it all leads to inflation.

Our politicians across the board don't give a rats ass how much we're squeezed. This is why people are fed up with endless wars, and bureaucrats paying whatever military industrial companies charge. Not once do they consider the burdens on the middle class. We look at Europe not even getting charged what they agreed to and it feels like we're getting ripped off.

I'm fed up with the GOP. they're all neocons, but I really hate the fact that democrats are pro war, pro spend like hell and pro not giving a damn about the middle class financially: all they want is to increase spending on everything.

---

I agree with you quite a bit. Perhaps you should look at Nikki Haley. She is the only major party candidate being honest about finances. She wants to reduce spending adjust Social Security to keep it solvent. Neither of these approaches are popular but building a strong economic base will keep us from losing so much value in the overall dollar. I appreciate your concerns about war. the USA is in a very sticky wicket at this point in time. I think a strong stance by the USA will help prevent some of the wars. I agree that the unending checks to other nations must be limited.

---

i don't trust Nikki Haley. She's just another establishment Republican who do the bidding of a GOP that cares more their party and power than they do about the American People.

When she gets busted over things she says (not BS stuff, but actual policy positions), she comes and squeals "I never said that!"

She's just another political opportunist who says what she thinks people want to hear.

In a townhall once, she said she never sold land to the Chinese. Well, that is a wordsmith's truth. She approved of a deal then promoted the fact that she recruited a Chinese company to S. Carolina. That company received almost 200 acres, FOR FREE, in that deal. So, yeah, I guess she never "sold" the Chinese land, she supported just giving it to them.

To me, she's just another George W. Bush, in a pushup bra..

---

She is mostly truthful and she has not been charged with numerous felony charges. She is respectful when she speaks about others. She is diplomatic with what she says. She also showed up for the Republican Debates. She is cognizant of whether she remembers a live or dead person when talking. I think she will protect the southern border, and I think she will reduce spending.
If you add up all the pro's and cons she is a really good candidate.

JD Vance:

"Trump is issuing a wake up call to say that Europe has to take a bigger role in its own security... The American security blanket has allowed European security to atrophy." pic.twitter.com/glXcfppAxg

— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) February 18, 2024

This and rampant voter fraud is why he won't defeat one of the worst presidents of our history next to carter and Obama

Johnny Bear said:

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It's amazing to me that no American POTUS before Trump has ever had the nads to call out Europe for depending on and expecting the USA to bear the vast majority of the burden for their defense as if they're still reeling from and recovering from the devastation of WW II which ended almost 79 years ago. And for that matter the Cold War with the old Soviet Union ended almost 34 years ago as well. Yes, Russia is obviously still a potential threat (especially given dementia Joe's obvious projection of weakness and stupidity on the international stage), but it's still absurd for Europe to expect and demand that USA taxpayers bear the brunt of the burden to protect them.

Trump's point is spot on.

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Pretty silly for GM, Ford, and Chrysler to compete with Volkswagen, BMW, Mercdes, Volvo, and Jaguar while we are paying for the defense of their host nations for a war that ended 80 years ago.

Most incompetent empire in world history.