Bear Pit: now the sole domicile of politics at LuLa

[Alan Klein]

It's nice to see France wanting to rely more on themselves to protect Europe than the US.  It's what I've been complaining about here for years in supporting Trump and other presidents.  Good for Macron!
https://www.wsj.com/articles/with-new-aircraft-carrier-france-looks-to-bolster-military-ties-with-u-s-11608724800

[John Camp]

It's nice to see France wanting to rely more on themselves to protect Europe than the US.  It's what I've been complaining about here for years in supporting Trump and other presidents.  Good for Macron!
https://www.wsj.com/articles/with-new-aircraft-carrier-france-looks-to-bolster-military-ties-with-u-s-11608724800

France has always been great at raising armies, not so good at using them. I personally think they should stick to wine and cheese. Actually, I wish everybody would stick to wine and cheese.

[Alan Klein]

Cops have so many problems I despair that we'll ever be able to fix them. I think it more likely that we'll be able to fix society so that cops don't have to deal with the problems they now face, and that cop culture will then evolve to something better.

Every modern society has cops, military, or some group that keeps order within society.  If they weren't there, not only would there be more crime, but individuals who were criminalized would resort to getting revenge outside of the law.  Western cowboy justice.  I don't suspect people are going to evolve much. 

[Alan Klein]

France has always been great at raising armies, not so good at using them. I personally think they should stick to wine and cheese. Actually, I wish everybody would stick to wine and cheese.

But Americans have been asked to protect them at our expense when we need to pay for other things that we need, especially now with Covid.  Countries should spend more to defend themselves and stand on their own feet.  We don't need to keep propping them up. We have medical expenses too. 

[LesPalenik]

But Americans have been asked to protect them at our expense when we need to pay for other things that we need, especially now with Covid.  Countries should spend more to defend themselves and stand on their own feet.  We don't need to keep propping them up. We have medical expenses too.

The problem with US expenses is that the prices of both, the wines and medical expenses are too high.

[kers]

What is it with this current crop of so-called "conservatives" that they hate public lands and parks and environmental preservation? Is it just some culture war knee-jerk way of making "lefties" angry, because if that's what it is, it's self-evidently stupid and childish. Sort of like coal-rolling cyclists. That kind of behaviour is a generation or two away from sitting in tree branches flinging feces at each other.

And it's not as if the past 50 years of environmental safeguards have prevented the 1% from doing well or prevented the economy from growing or failed to produce jobs for lots of people.

There may be nothing that can be done about this retrograde view of the planet's resources except to wait for the old coots to die off. It's getting pretty old listening to the tired environment vs economy discussion. Without an environment, there is no economy. The environment is the economy.

Some of the landscape photographers here like natural landscapes, the other industrial ones, like open-pit mines.

[Alan Klein]

The problem with US expenses is that the prices of both, the wines and medical expenses are too high.

It's our defense budget that's too expensive.  It would be a lot less if we stopped defending everyone.  If France wants to send their new carrier to defend oil supply lines in the Persian Gulf, I have no objection.  I'd like to see Biden continue diminishing our involvement there.  The problem is if he shuts down fracking and drilling here in America, we're going to need Middle East oil again requiring our military there to defend its supply.  Then we'll be beholden to the Saudi's again and have to stick our nose into everyone's business over there.  We've done enough. 

[digitaldog]

Then we'll be beholden to the Saudi's again and have to stick our nose into everyone's business over there. 

https://www.state.gov/u-s-relations-with-saudi-arabia/

The United States and Saudi Arabia have a longstanding security relationship.  Saudi Arabia is the United States’ largest foreign military sales (FMS) customer, with more than $100 billion in active FMS cases.  Through FMS, the United States has supported three key security assistance organizations in Saudi Arabia—the Ministry of Defense, the National Guard, and the Ministry of Interior.  Since the 1950s, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has also played a vital role in military and civilian construction in Saudi Arabia.

Beholden?

[Robert Roaldi]

The problem is if he shuts down fracking and drilling here in America, we're going to need Middle East oil again requiring our military there to defend its supply. 

Are you buying it or stealing it? If you're buying it, why the military presence, just write MBS a cheque, he'll sell you the oil, no problem, what else can he do with it. 

[John Camp]

Trump just vetoed the big defense bill, which he has every right to do, just as Congress apparently has the votes to override the veto. So, business as usual.

However, after the veto,

“Donald Trump just vetoed a pay raise for our troops so he can defend dead Confederate traitors,” Democratic leader Sen. Chuck Schumer wrote on Twitter, highlighting one of Trump’s issues with the must-pass defense bill."

Did Chuckie really have to say that, less than two weeks before Georgia votes in two senate races that will determine who controls the senate?

[PeterAit]

Cops have so many problems I despair that we'll ever be able to fix them. I think it more likely that we'll be able to fix society so that cops don't have to deal with the problems they now face, and that cop culture will then evolve to something better.

A big part of this is the very low entry standard for police. Not everywhere, of course, but many places in the US do not require rigorous training or serious psychological profiling. The latter is particularly important, as it has been shown that a good number of officers are attracted to the profession by being able to carry a gun and boss other people around.

[faberryman]

Trump just vetoed the big defense bill, which he has every right to do, just as Congress apparently has the votes to override the veto. So, business as usual.

In the past he said he would veto the bill if 1) it didn't repeal Section 230, 2) it provided for renaming confederate bases, or 3) it was advantageous to China in some unspecified way. Did he say which of those three reasons, or perhaps another, why he was vetoing it?

As far as Schumer, I doubt many Georgians follow him on Twitter.

[Bart_van_der_Wolf]

In the past he said he would veto the bill if 1) it didn't repeal Section 230, 2) it provided for renaming confederate bases, or 3) it was advantageous to China in some unspecified way. Did he say which of those three reasons, or perhaps another, why he was vetoing it?

I've been following the 'discussion', but have come to the conclusion that it's mostly a waste of time for me (I currently have more useful things to do than trying to fathom irrational behavior from Trump supporters). Nevertheless, the following article might provide some useful insights:
https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2020/12/michael-cohen-predicts-trumps-post-presidency-legal-drama

“HAND THEM A S--T PIE SO GROSS THEY WILL CHOKE ON IT”: MICHAEL COHEN PREDICTS TRUMP’S POST-PRESIDENCY LEGAL DRAMA

Although I don't hold Michael Cohen in high esteem, I do however understand his reasoning a bit.

[chez]

France has always been great at raising armies, not so good at using them. I personally think they should stick to wine and cheese. Actually, I wish everybody would stick to wine and cheese.

Every time I bring out the wine and cheese, everyone has a good time. Maybe the big cheese heads of the world should take note.

[chez]

The problem with US expenses is that the prices of both, the wines and medical expenses are too high.

Don't know about medical expenses ( wife broke arm in Kauai and an x-Ray and pain killer cost $1,500 ), but wine is definitely cheaper in the US than Canada.

[chez]

A big part of this is the very low entry standard for police. Not everywhere, of course, but many places in the US do not require rigorous training or serious psychological profiling. The latter is particularly important, as it has been shown that a good number of officers are attracted to the profession by being able to carry a gun and boss other people around.

Same attraction to the military.

[digitaldog]

Manafort, Stone and Jarad’s dad just got pardoned. Giuliani and Trumps kids gotta be up next.
January 20 needs to get here faster!

[LesPalenik]

Don't know about medical expenses ( wife broke arm in Kauai and an x-Ray and pain killer cost $1,500 ), but wine is definitely cheaper in the US than Canada.

Yes, US wine prices are cheaper than in Canada, but more expensive than in France. I suspect that the painkillers in France are also cheaper.

[chez]

Manafort, Stone and Jarad’s dad just got pardoned. Giuliani and Trumps kids gotta be up next.
January 20 needs to get here faster!

This whole show is starting to become boring. Best we can do is ignore the idiot in the whitehouse. He'll soon go away.

[digitaldog]

This whole show is starting to become boring. Best we can do is ignore the idiot in the whitehouse. He'll soon go away.

If he starts a conflict with Iran, see what he said about them today, it may be hard to ignore. Especially if you know or care for anyone in the military.