Sensible Politics Thread |
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Mar 27 2017, 05:13 PM
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No, those figures are pretty accurate.
The US accounts for between 36 and 37% of the worlds total military expenditures. The World total is approx 1.6 trillion dollars give or take. These are 2015 and 2016 numbers from several sources ... https://www.google.com/search?q=US+military...-8&oe=utf-8 As for protecting the rest of the world. Yes, we of course do and spend a lot but of the other top military spenders - France, Britain, Japan and Germany - they absolutely pull their weight (regardless of what the President 'says'). We spend more than double what China spends and Russia barely even registers in comparison. *Saudi Arabia spends more on their military than Russia (one third more). I'm all for being the strongest, most advanced and most prepared nation in the world but there's overkill in the first draft of the newly proposed budget. This post has been edited by klasaine: Mar 27 2017, 05:15 PM -------------------- - Ken Lasaine
https://soundcloud.com/klasaine2/foolin-the-clouds https://soundcloud.com/klasaine2/surfin-at-the-country-hop Soundcloud assorted ... https://soundcloud.com/klasaine3 New record ... http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/kenlasaine Solo Guitar ... https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXZh...5iIdO2tpgtj25Ke Stuff I'm on ... https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXZh...b-dhb-4B0KgRY-d |
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Mar 27 2017, 05:35 PM
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QUOTE (klasaine @ Mar 27 2017, 08:13 AM)  No, those figures are pretty accurate. The US accounts for between 36 and 37% of the worlds total military expenditures. The World total is approx 1.6 trillion dollars give or take. These are 2015 and 2016 numbers from several sources ... https://www.google.com/search?q=US+military...-8&oe=utf-8 As for protecting the rest of the world. Yes, we of course do and spend a lot but of the other top military spenders - France, Britain, Japan and Germany - they absolutely pull their weight (regardless of what the President 'says'). We spend more than double what China spends and Russia barely even registers in comparison. *Saudi Arabia spends more on their military than Russia (one third more). I'm all for being the strongest, most advanced and most prepared nation in the world but there's overkill in the first draft of the newly proposed budget. You may have missed my where I edited the beginning of my post. I can agree with you that the US accounts for 36 or 37% of worldwide expenditures. The first claim that we spend more than the next dozen nations is clearly outdated and inaccurate. I read the same articles as you did, or at least this one. https://www.nationalpriorities.org/campaign...nding-vs-world/ Overkill in this years budget may be needed to compensate for all of the reductions that have occurred over the last 8 years to get us back on track. Edit: Something else to consider is the possibility that the numbers we have for countries like China and Russia may not be accurate if those numbers are provided by the individual nations themselves. There is no question that China has spent quite a bit on the military in the last decade or more such as rebuilding their Navy. And some of those things that we see as a military buildup, they have denied as is the case of island building in the South China Sea. This post has been edited by AK Rich: Mar 27 2017, 06:25 PM |
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Mar 27 2017, 07:36 PM
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Maybe.
One can also make the case that their numbers are exaggerated for 'effect', especially the effect upon their own populous. It's well documented that China in particular exaggerates it's GDP. Who knows what else they exaggerate. China is building up in the South China Sea because we already have 5 bases nearby (which ain't going anywhere, contrary to whatever B.S. Duterte may talk). -------------------- - Ken Lasaine
https://soundcloud.com/klasaine2/foolin-the-clouds https://soundcloud.com/klasaine2/surfin-at-the-country-hop Soundcloud assorted ... https://soundcloud.com/klasaine3 New record ... http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/kenlasaine Solo Guitar ... https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXZh...5iIdO2tpgtj25Ke Stuff I'm on ... https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXZh...b-dhb-4B0KgRY-d |
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It's just more money for fat cats and contractors, par for the course with republican presidents sadly.
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Mar 28 2017, 02:04 PM
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QUOTE (AK Rich @ Mar 27 2017, 07:40 PM) Can't argue with your first point but I am not convinced on your second for at least a couple of reasons. At any rate I believe the building of those islands to be primarily a military expenditure and may not be disclosed as such. I think it's pretty obvious that it's a military expenditure. And to be clear I'm not at all saying no new defense spending. But how about instead of 54 billion, make it 30 billion and don't cut anything. -------------------- - Ken Lasaine
https://soundcloud.com/klasaine2/foolin-the-clouds https://soundcloud.com/klasaine2/surfin-at-the-country-hop Soundcloud assorted ... https://soundcloud.com/klasaine3 New record ... http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/kenlasaine Solo Guitar ... https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXZh...5iIdO2tpgtj25Ke Stuff I'm on ... https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXZh...b-dhb-4B0KgRY-d |
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Mar 29 2017, 07:22 PM
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Barack Obama: Added $7.917 trillion, a 68 percent increase from the $11.657 trillion debt at the end of George W. Bush’s last budget, FY 2009.
George Bush raised the debt by $5.849 trillion, with the war on terror. The debt is so extreme at this point that the interest alone is going to bury us at some point. Both of them added way to much debt imho fighting the "war on terror". War against an idea is the "Forever War" that George Orwell tried to warn us about in his book 1984 and here we are. A war without end with unlimited expansion of the military at the expense of the poor, disabled and aged. So yeah, wag your finger at BUSH at bit while you are wagging it at OBAMA.  QUOTE (jstcrsn @ Mar 29 2017, 08:13 AM) so you do find it troubling that Obama raised the national dept to 20 trillion ?
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Mar 29 2017, 08:35 PM
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The US was born in debt and we've only EVER had one balanced budget and one year where we didn't owe any money - 1835 (Jackson admin). At that time the debt was $58 million ($1.4 billion in today's money).
Our interest rate is really low. We are AAA rated and we easily make our payments. I don't even think we're in the top 10 of debt to GDP nations. Maybe we're #12 right now. Don't look at the actual number, which is inconceivable to a normal human, look at the % to GDP and the interest 'rate' we pay. Japan's debt to GDP is 250% but they still get cheap loans ... because everybody knows that Japan makes good on their payments (as do we). -------------------- - Ken Lasaine
https://soundcloud.com/klasaine2/foolin-the-clouds https://soundcloud.com/klasaine2/surfin-at-the-country-hop Soundcloud assorted ... https://soundcloud.com/klasaine3 New record ... http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/kenlasaine Solo Guitar ... https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXZh...5iIdO2tpgtj25Ke Stuff I'm on ... https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXZh...b-dhb-4B0KgRY-d |
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Mar 30 2017, 12:16 AM
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QUOTE (Todd Simpson @ Mar 29 2017, 07:22 PM) Barack Obama: Added $7.917 trillion, a 68 percent increase from the $11.657 trillion debt at the end of George W. Bush’s last budget, FY 2009. George Bush raised the debt by $5.849 trillion, with the war on terror. The debt is so extreme at this point that the interest alone is going to bury us at some point. Both of them added way to much debt imho fighting the "war on terror". War against an idea is the "Forever War" that George Orwell tried to warn us about in his book 1984 and here we are. A war without end with unlimited expansion of the military at the expense of the poor, disabled and aged. So yeah, wag your finger at BUSH at bit while you are wagging it at OBAMA. I have waged it at bush, the last 2 years there was never a spending bill he didn"t like/sign. I too think this will eventually kill the US, so how do we stop washington from spending us into oblivion |
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Mar 30 2017, 05:02 PM
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Other than flying jets into buildings (though plenty of conspiracy folks think we actually did it to ourselves ie., 911 ), the "barbaric" other side thinks and says the exact same things about us. Not too mention the not so barbaric south/central america and southeast asia.
I personally don't agree with their view but it is all really a matter of perspective. Throughout most of the world, the US is at best regarded as the 300 lb. gorilla. A scary 300 lb. gorilla. We are seen as big, rich, super powerful and enigmatic - but also impetuous, bullying and clumsy. Travel. Observe. This post has been edited by klasaine: Mar 30 2017, 10:20 PM -------------------- - Ken Lasaine
https://soundcloud.com/klasaine2/foolin-the-clouds https://soundcloud.com/klasaine2/surfin-at-the-country-hop Soundcloud assorted ... https://soundcloud.com/klasaine3 New record ... http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/kenlasaine Solo Guitar ... https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXZh...5iIdO2tpgtj25Ke Stuff I'm on ... https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXZh...b-dhb-4B0KgRY-d |
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Mar 30 2017, 09:33 PM
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Things doesn't look good for Trump it seems, I wouldn't be surprised in USA waged war somewhere soon.
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