this post was submitted on 05 Mar 2025
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No Stupid Questions

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it's like you believe you can tariff them expecting they won't do the same. Why do you believe the rest of the world is not going to retaliate and why do you believe America can prosper without the rest of the world?

What's the point of having a military alliance with countries you puts tariffs on? That's unfriendly to say the least.

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[–] [email protected] 23 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (3 children)

The ''aid'' we send to Ukraine is the US goverment using US money to buy US products and have the military drop them off. Those millions we send to Ukraine is money we have and keep in our economy, why conservatives are so fucking stupid they can't figure this out is infuriating. Yes. Saw off you legs to lose weight. You'll lose SO much.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (1 children)

Not even. A lot of the “aid” is

  • military takes old stuff out of stock and drops it off in Ukraine
  • us gov’t buys new stuff from US companies
  • military gets fresh stock

US gets

  • strong profitable defense contractors
  • freshened stocks of consumables
  • increased weapons manufacturing capacity
  • money to build up new tech so US doesn’t have to invest in them
[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago (1 children)
  • strong profitable defense contractors

Why the hell is this supposed to be a point in favor? I don't support the military-industrial complex, because I'm not a right-winger or a hawk.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Profitable is a point in favor, if you’re one of them. Strong supply chain is a point in favor, if you’re a hawk or if you think we do need defense

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

Profitable for the rich. Defense for the rich. Both are points against.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (2 children)

It's a bit more complicated than that. We're not just sending missiles, some of it is logistical, funding, training - some of it doesn't just come back into our economy, and not in full. For example, there is a fund in the billions for Ukraine and allies to buy weapons from us on a need by basis - but like not immediately. It has been years, it could be years.

More importantly though a good portion of these funds were out of bounds of the National Budget causing National Debt to grow. Now, I'm not saying Ukraine is the sole reason the National Debt is out of control, it's been a long time coming, but we're peaking. We print more money, the value of the dollar drops, things get more expensive not just national but worldwide since the dollar is an international currency reserve.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (4 children)

How concerned are trumpoloids about how much return they get from aid to Israel? No minerals? they haven't been programmed for that I guess.

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[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (1 children)

This faux concern about the debt is so fucking disingenuous, and I wish people would stop claiming it because you're embarrassing yourselves.

Republicans are ALWAYS worse for the debt.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (1 children)

The National Debt has been on a steady growth since Obama, through Trump, through Biden. Like, it's an issue that spans multiple presidencies and parties. The U.S. dollars is a global reserve note. So, not only do we need to account for paying it down in our National Budget, but we also can't just print more money at the problem either. I fully support Ukraine. Russia should not have invaded them, and either we or the EU should have had a stronger opposition than just throwing money at the problem. If we want to continue to support Ukraine, if we want to pay down our National Debt, if we want to continue supporting our Nations social services we need to fucking tax Billionaires and their Trillion dollar companies. Like, corporations buying politicians is a problem.

That National Debt isn't some invisible barrier, it affects our every day lives, our future, what programs we can support, and the global economy. I don't know, unless you can explain to me me why the National Debt doesn't matter, and how we can continue to support Ukraine. I'm here for a discussion.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

It has always and will always grow. GOP are also the party that when they hold a majority spend like fucking mad, Bush paying for Iraq, Trump's crippling tax cuts that explicitly shifted tax burden onto the poor and middleclass. They do not care, they only pretend to care and use that as an excuse for more spending, or tax cuts for the owner class. They never fucking care when they have the ball.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago (3 children)

The money is still in the US but in private hands rather than public. Just because the money primarily stays in the domestic economy doesn't mean there's no cost to it.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 months ago (1 children)

You realise private workers are also civilians with lives aka members of the public. Wtf do you mean "in private hands rather than the public"?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (5 children)

"Public funds" refers to money held by the government, tax revenue. The amount of public funds is limited and there are a lot of valid, competing priorities for how the government spends it's money. Every dollar of public funds spent on bombs is a dollar that's not available for things like schools and infrastructure.

Private workers receive only some of the funds spent on manufacturing bombs. A significant portion of it goes to executives and shareholders in the military-industrial complex, as well as finding their way to politicians in the form of bribes. Private funds cannot be allocated to public services unless the individual chooses to donate them, or they are taxed back into being public.

I really shouldn't have to explain this, the difference between public and private is extremely basic. Public in this context doesn't mean "held by a member of the public" (that's what private means) it means "held by the public collectively, as represented by the government."

[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (1 children)

Thought you meant "THE public" as in "the average joe", soz. What I'm not sure about is what you have an issue with. The money invested into arms replenishment is a boost to US jobs/the economy. Why the complaint that it's left the treasury? Because it could "go to something else"? Sure, anything could go to something else, but you'd have to prove that something else is actually more important/urgent. And I don't think there's anything more worthwhile currently than defeating Russia, the biggest antagonist to the West for decades.

Not to mention, the investment has been miniscule given the gravity of the situation, how much is "too much" for peace in Europe/World? There can be no prosperity without security.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 months ago (89 children)

What I’m not sure about is what you have an issue with. The money invested into arms replenishment is a boost to US jobs/the economy. Why the complaint that it’s left the treasury?

Virtually every possible use of that money is "a boost to jobs/the economy." If they spent more on education, teachers would have more money to spend which would create more jobs and stimulate the economy. If they spent the money building trains, it would create more jobs and stimulate the economy. If they spent the money paying people to dig ditches and then fill the ditches back in, it would create more jobs and stimulate the economy. This talking point is complete nonsense and either ignorant or disingenuous. The arms industry is not particularly good for creating jobs/economic stimulus compared to spending the money on other things like education, you're trying to compare it to what, not spending it at all? That makes no sense.

Not to mention, the investment has been miniscule given the situation, how much is “too much” for peace in Europe/World? There can be no prosperity without security.

That assumes that funding the conflict and building more bombs is necessary to bring about peace and security, which I personally disagree with, but my position on the matter is irrelevant, the original comment was just seeking to answer the question and describe what some people on the right believe. Regardless of whether it's true or not that the military aid is necessary for peace, many people don't agree with that assessment.

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[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago (1 children)

If you want more money in public hands, holy shit is supporting a republican at any point from Regan to Trump the dumbest shit you could vote for. This is the party of ''goverment doesn't work'' and privatization of all public services. They have never been shy about just how little tax revenue they want to end up in gov service to citizens.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago

I'm aware. I've never voted Republican in my life and don't intend to.

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