Bill Gates makes up Trump's WHO cut

[Dayton3]

Is the US army the 17th best in the world? Do you factor in expenditure means numbers of troops or quality of training?

You say your air force and navy are the smallest ever - but are they the weakest forces in the world? Who else has as many carrier groups as you do?

For starters, the primary enemy of American naval forces (including carriers) ARE NOT other nations naval forces.

 

[vegas giants]

Is the US army the 17th best in the world? Do you factor in expenditure means numbers of troops or quality of training?

You say your air force and navy are the smallest ever - but are they the weakest forces in the world? Who else has as many carrier groups as you do?



And how new are the competition? I'm guessing China and Russia will be your rivals here so

1) are your 50 year old nuclear missiles vulnerable when you compare them to the effectiveness of your submarine launched nukes?
2) How relevant are bombers in this day and age when your nuclear and conventional missile forces are so effective and powerful?

I don't see the point in your selective choices - I was hoping for a mature discussion on this.

You could cut our military in half and we are still the most powerful military on earth

 

[Infinite Chaos]

For starters, the primary enemy of American naval forces (including carriers) ARE NOT other nations naval forces.

Of course, but don't try and paint a false picture about the US' military strength. Some reports say North Korea has the biggest navy but when they are all obsolete rustbuckets with very few sea-worthy vessels the status of "biggest" is comical.
Maybe someday you'll address the questions I asked in my previous.

You could cut our military in half and we are still the most powerful military on earth

I don't doubt that at all - the US remains the most powerful force in military terms by a huge margin.

 

[charliebrown]

Heck, why don't the top 10 US billionaires spend most of their fortune to "save" the American people?!? Surely a couple of billions left would still be enough for them and their families ...

Jeff Bezos: $114 billion
Bill Gates: $106 billion
Warren Buffett: $80.8 billion
Mark Zuckerberg: $69.6 billion
Larry Ellison: $65 billion
Larry Page: $55.5 billion
Sergey Brin: $53.5 billion
Michael Bloomberg: $53.4 billion
Steve Ballmer: $51.7 billion
Jim Walton: $51.6 billion

If you would take all of the wealth away from these people and give it to our government, I would not cover half the federal budget for one year.

Please leave them alone to use their money in a method they feel is best for humanity. I am sure the decisions they are making collectively are much better than the decisions our governments make.

 

[Nickyjo]

You don't compare the U.S. military to other militaries. You compare it and judge it "insufficient" when putting it up against our overseas commitments and interests.

Should we increase funding or decrease commitments? I guess that our approach is like those of Rome, Spain or Britain in the past. We deserve to run the world because we can. Nothing new here.

 

[Dayton3]

Of course, but don't try and paint a false picture about the US' military strength. Some reports say North Korea has the biggest navy but when they are all obsolete rustbuckets with very few sea-worthy vessels the status of "biggest" is comical.

You have serious proof of this?

Thought not.

And the actual size of a foreign navy means little. Most nations like North Korea don't have to have a large navy because they only seek to be strong enough in the waters close to their country. The U.S. due to its interests and obligations pretty much has to have a strong navy everywhere.

 

[Dayton3]

Should we increase funding or decrease commitments?

That is the argument that Vegas Giants has repeatedly made.

Where would you decrease U.S. commitments?

 

[vegas giants]

That is the argument that Vegas Giants has repeatedly made.

Where would you decrease U.S. commitments?

All.of them outside the boundaries of the US

 

[swing_voter]

All.of them outside the boundaries of the US

95% of America's defense budget goes to personnel, not to equipment. Personnel get free food, free housing, free medical, retirement plus their salaries and on and on. It's one of the most social programs in the entire world.

 

[Dayton3]

All.of them outside the boundaries of the US

You know that isn't a realistic option.

Why do you even come to this debate?

basically you are trolling.

 

[vegas giants]

95% of America's defense budget goes to personnel, not to equipment. Personnel get free food, free housing, free medical, retirement plus their salaries and on and on. It's one of the most social programs in the entire world.

It's not 95% but it is a majority of the budget.


Cut the military in half and you need fewer soldiers too

 

[vegas giants]

You know that isn't a realistic option.

Why do you even come to this debate?

basically you are trolling.

It is the best option.


Dont get upset again

 

[Dayton3]

It is the best option.


Dont get upset again

You know Americans would never agree to that. Nor any possible combination of our elected representatives. I know it. You know it. And if you were honest you would admit no one will ever agree to it.

For you to repeatedly make the suggestion is utterly pointless.

 

[vegas giants]

You know Americans would never agree to that. Nor any possible combination of our elected representatives. I know it. You know.

For you to repeatedly make the suggestion is utterly pointless.

I know no such thing. They certainly have not agreed to your plan....have they? Lol

 

[BlueTex]

95% of America's defense budget goes to personnel, not to equipment. Personnel get free food, free housing, free medical, retirement plus their salaries and on and on. It's one of the most social programs in the entire world.

Not even close...



DoD Releases Fiscal Year 2018 Budget Proposal > U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE > Release

 

[swing_voter]

Not even close...

View attachment 67278281

DoD Releases Fiscal Year 2018 Budget Proposal > U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE > Release

Of DoD’s $150 billion request for compensation in 2013, more than $90 billion would go to basic pay, food and housing allowances, bonuses, and various types of special pay. Another $16 billion would go to accrual payments that account for the future pensions of current service members who will retire from the military (generally after at least 20 years of service). In 2012, DoD paid 34 cents for each dollar of basic pay for active personnel and 24 cents for each dollar of basic pay for reserve personnel.

Costs of Military Pay and Benefits in the Defense Budget | Congressional Budget Office

But this doesn't count the teachers employed to teach the kids, the people who run the PX, the people who run the movie theaters and the bars, etc, etc.

 

[vegas giants]

Not even close...

View attachment 67278281

DoD Releases Fiscal Year 2018 Budget Proposal > U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE > Release

O and m is also a lot of personnel costs


Military health care, civilian defense personnel pay and fuel were highlighted as a potential culprit, which "accounts for about 60 percent of the long-term growth in O&M funding," the CBO explained.*


But it's not 95%

 

[vegas giants]

Of DoD’s $150 billion request for compensation in 2013, more than $90 billion would go to basic pay, food and housing allowances, bonuses, and various types of special pay. Another $16 billion would go to accrual payments that account for the future pensions of current service members who will retire from the military (generally after at least 20 years of service). In 2012, DoD paid 34 cents for each dollar of basic pay for active personnel and 24 cents for each dollar of basic pay for reserve personnel.

Costs of Military Pay and Benefits in the Defense Budget | Congressional Budget Office

But this doesn't count the teachers employed to teach the kids, the people who run the PX, the people who run the movie theaters and the bars, etc, etc.

It's a majority of the budget....just not 95%

 

[Nickyjo]

That is the argument that Vegas Giants has repeatedly made.

Where would you decrease U.S. commitments?

Off hand, I would probably take my cue from the DOD, or a committee thereof. (I believe there is/was one.) Just looked at a map of bases: For example, do we need a base in Burkina Faso? Can’t Australia handle its own defense? (I know, I’m sounding like Trump.) A hundred bases in Europe? I am sure that more knowledgeable minds than mine can justify all this, just as sword producers in Rome did.

Why do we have a marine corps? To invade countries that differ with or defy us. Why do they defy us? Because we have a marine corps that invaded countries that differed with with or defied us. Simplistic, yes, but back in the 50s-60s, one could match each Soviet invasion or dominance of another country in Europe with one by the US somewhere. Russians could argue that they lost 20 million in WWII and needed protection. What was our argument: that Grenada was a threat?

 

[Barnacle]

If you would take all of the wealth away from these people and give it to our government, I would not cover half the federal budget for one year.
Please leave them alone to use their money in a method they feel is best for humanity. I am sure the decisions they are making collectively are much better than the decisions our governments make.

Nowhere did I imply for those guys to give their wealth to the government.

There is nothing that stops them from distributing - for example - $10,000, $20,000 or whatever checks to small businesses.

$10 million alone keeps 500 small businesses afloat ...

 

[swing_voter]

It's a majority of the budget....just not 95%

Yeah, 95% is too high. But most of the budget goes to troops and the people who support the troops, like the civilians who run the PX and the bar, and the theaters, etc. And all of the buildings, like housing and PXs and maintenance.

 

[vegas giants]

Yeah, 95% is too high. But most of the budget goes to troops and the people who support the troops, like the civilians who run the PX and the bar, and the theaters, etc. And all of the buildings, like housing and PXs and maintenance.

I agree....a big part is healthcare

 

[RealityNow]

Good. Since governments have always been inefficient and corrupt, private industry should be leading the way. During the Gilded Age, the rich were great philanthropists who helped usher in America as a world power- this needs to be done again.

Good. Since governments have always been inefficient and corrupt, private industry should be leading the way. During the Gilded Age, the rich were great philanthropists who helped usher in America as a world power- this needs to be done again.

B.S. !!!!!

If, Take away the Republic Form of Representative Government then everything in this country would be turned over to Plutocrats and it would become a full blow Plutocracy. It's basically corrupt to the level of Public Ignorance is saturated.
If people understood Civic and what Constitutes a Civil Society... maybe they'd "LEARN" how to vote, and vote based on principles they actually understand... then many of the blow hards chasing a gravy train seat won't be elected. The way we get to that is "Public Supported Campaign Financing, with MANDATES that anyone who expects to use those Public Funds for Political Office. MUST HAVE a positive background In Public Services with a Track Record of Serving The People.

Unfortunately, there is too much generalized uneducated and Civically under-educated people to get to that, in this current day and time. The Age of Information has and is and continues to make young people of today, much more aware, and much more willing to research out information and fact check, before they back people based on "money based campaign manipulation advertisements", which is heavily promoted by the Media... who chases down contention for the sake of attracting advertisers, while they fleece the aspiring political figures with high prices for advertising.

If they had not been so driven by this process wrapped in its greed program, all the "malice driven conflict bull****" that Trump did and said when he was campaigning, would not have gotten all the FREE COVERAGE... but the media loved it, because it was "Drama for Sale" that attracted Advertisers. They all knew he was a low life swindler, obsessed with money and ego... but to them... it was "sell-able bull****" ... and resulted in this nation being denigrated and diminished and insulted as it has damaged governance and the diplomacy across the globe.... while it promotes the malice of racist minded and Confederate Minded Bigots.... and Anti-Government Right Wingers; what Trump promotes is the type of "Savagery" that has a long history in this Nation.

 

[charliebrown]

Nowhere did I imply for those guys to give their wealth to the government.

There is nothing that stops them from distributing - for example - $10,000, $20,000 or whatever checks to small businesses.

$10 million alone keeps 500 small businesses afloat ...

Sorry, I was not arguing with you, just giving a perspective on how massive our system is. Amazon stock and Jeff Bezos are getting richer while small businesses are failing. Walmart, Target and AMAZON will survive and thrive.

 

[PoS]

B.S. !!!!!

If, Take away the Republic Form of Representative Government then everything in this country would be turned over to Plutocrats and it would become a full blow Plutocracy. It's basically corrupt to the level of Public Ignorance is saturated.
If people understood Civic and what Constitutes a Civil Society... maybe they'd "LEARN" how to vote, and vote based on principles they actually understand... then many of the blow hards chasing a gravy train seat won't be elected. The way we get to that is "Public Supported Campaign Financing, with MANDATES that anyone who expects to use those Public Funds for Political Office. MUST HAVE a positive background In Public Services with a Track Record of Serving The People.

Unfortunately, there is too much generalized uneducated and Civically under-educated people to get to that, in this current day and time. The Age of Information has and is and continues to make young people of today, much more aware, and much more willing to research out information and fact check, before they back people based on "money based campaign manipulation advertisements", which is heavily promoted by the Media... who chases down contention for the sake of attracting advertisers, while they fleece the aspiring political figures with high prices for advertising.

If they had not been so driven by this process wrapped in its greed program, all the "malice driven conflict bull****" that Trump did and said when he was campaigning, would not have gotten all the FREE COVERAGE... but the media loved it, because it was "Drama for Sale" that attracted Advertisers. They all knew he was a low life swindler, obsessed with money and ego... but to them... it was "sell-able bull****" ... and resulted in this nation being denigrated and diminished and insulted as it has damaged governance and the diplomacy across the globe.... while it promotes the malice of racist minded and Confederate Minded Bigots.... and Anti-Government Right Wingers; what Trump promotes is the type of "Savagery" that has a long history in this Nation.

You quoted me twice, and then engage in a mindless rant about Trump. Fail.