When you're talking defense cuts, I'd have to see what's on the table before I agree. I don't believe we should cut the number of our forces, close bases etc. There are numerous weapons programs that aren't essential. These should be cut. The war in Afghanistan will either be won using unconventional troops or it won't be won at all. We are wasting money and resources there, no doubt. Yet, we can't simply pack up and go home. A presence of Spec Ops troops, diplomats etc needs to remain there to stop that country from sliding completely back into the madness of the 1990's. Originally Posted by DTorrchiaWe out-spend our Chinese friends 6-1 in defense. I am fairly confident we could cut our defense budget in half and still be able to effectively protect our country from our enemies. As for "winning" Afghanistan, I have no idea what you're talking about. Afghanistan consists of little more than disconnected tribes and they're along fucking ways from ever becoming a country with a true central goverment or anything resembling an economy. Our only goal there should be to eliminate our enemies and leave, period. You can only win hearts and minds there until the money runs out. If it's not the Taliban, it will be some other fundemental fuck nuts that come in and seize control the minute we leave.
I did some math on the illegal immigrant criminals. Not those in the Federal system, there for only violating immigration laws. I'm talking about the ones in state and county prison and jails. There's approximately Originally Posted by DTorrchia
300,000 locked up currently for actual crimes. It's costing counties and states approximately $35,000 per year per inmate to house, guard and feed them.Ahh, now we're getting somewhere!
That's $10,500,000,000 annually we're spending on criminal illegal aliens. Originally Posted by DTorrchia
Just so we're clear, your argument now is against the cost of housing criminals who happen to be in this country illegally right? There's no argument there. Any amount of tax payer money to house these folks is obviouosly money that could and should be used elsewhere. That said:
Our prison system including U.S. federal and state prisons, and county jails currently houses about 2.3 million folks. If your numbers are correct, then that means 13% of our entire prison system is filled with illegal aliens. A number I HIGHLY doubt is correct given that the total illegal alien population in this country is estimated between 12-20 million folks, or roughly 4-6% of our population. Please share your source for this information and we'll see if we can get to the bottom of this myth of yours.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incarce..._United_States
As far as stationing National Guard troops on the border, how is that going to stop the other half of all illegal aliens who are visa overstayers and not border jumpers? Seems like a big waste of money no matter the cost if you ask me. As I stated before, the best and only real solution in my eyes is to take away their reasons for coming and staying here. Do that and you wont need any troops at the border. That is, unless you're actually trying to solve a criminal problem and not an illegal alien problem, which are not the same thing. Moving on...
Come on, I expect more out of you. Let's not use his race as an excuse for EITHER side. Fact is, even his supporters are terribly disappointed in him. You want to know why. Not because of his race, not even based on his policies alone. What repulses people, including many of his supporters, is that he turned out to be a complete FRAUD. You see, having unpopular polices is one thing. The fact is though that IN HIS OWN WORDS he gave people the impression that he would change the nature of politics in Washington. He committed the sin of giving people HOPE and making them BELIEVE that he was committed to change. Instead, he cowered down from fights, he got in bed with special interests no different than Bush before him, he made back door deals and his promise of "transparency" has become the joke of his administration. Originally Posted by DTorrchia
These are the reasons people are fed up with him. In other words, if you're going to be a liberal, be a liberal and stand up for your beliefs. But don't go blaming conservatives for the way they conduct business in Washington and then get in bed with the very same people, sell yourself to the lobbyists and fail to set yourself apart on the issues you promised change on.I think it's absolutely true. He's an outsider and I don't think many people, either inside Washington or outside in the general population have ever considered him legitimate because he's a black man in a traditionally white elitist world. I will expain further....You remember this little ditty?
This is why he has failed and this is why people say he isn't a LEADER and I have to agree. Originally Posted by DTorrchia
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=foOioaQf-c8
For those that can't be bothered, this is footage of Joe Wilson back in September of 2009 just nine short months since Obama took office, screaming and heckling THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES at a nationally televised speech for all the world to see. Now you tell me, can anyone ever imagine this happening to ANY other president in history? I certainly cannot. George Bush would have waterboarded Joe Wilson's ass and tried him for treason had it happened to him.
You care to explain to me where such disrespect and disregard for the highest office a politican can hold in the entire world came from? It didn't come from one single piece of partisan legislation nine months in to office, I'll tell you that!
You're of course welcome to disagree, but I think it's hard to. He's never been accepted by the white male elitist majority, and I believe his color is a big part of the reason.
Above and beyond that, I think you've stated some very good reasons for disliking him, some of which I share to some degree. But that's not what you ever him from dimwits like Wyldeman, Billy_Saul, or any of the dull bulbs who attend Tea Party rallies or watch Fox regularly. It's always "spending" this or "socialist" that. Neither of which have any truth to them whatsoever.
Nice to see someone around here with their eyes and ears open for a change.