• @Bye
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      01 year ago

      Removed by mod

  • t�m
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    571 year ago

    Can’t forgive student debt can’t pay for healthcare yet we can have war, ffs

  • @[email protected]
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    1 year ago

    While I’m openly in favor of supporting Ukraine, it’s important to note that the vast majority of this type of military aid is provided in kind.

    So really, it’s a proposal to give US Defense contractors $100b+ to replenish and restock the DOD with new kit and munitions for the old kit and munitions that we’re providing to Ukraine. Which then get into the use accounting tricks e.g. depreciation values, etc.

    The annual military aid to Israel is a little different, it’s more like a loss leader coupon: give Israel money that they have to spend with US Defense contractors, which then also incentivizes them spending their own budget on complementary systems that can be integrated with those systems, munitions, support contracts, etc.

    Although in this case, I believe it’s primarily munitions and other kit that the DOD already has in warehouses.

    This is oversimplified, but I just see these headline figures always being confused for pallets of cash.

    • @TokenBoomer
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      1 year ago

      I don’t live in Ukraine. I need healthcare now. Let Blackrock and Vanguard fund Ukraine.

      • @UniquesNotUseful
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        -21 year ago

        Did you have healthcare before Russia invaded Ukraine and started murdering babies? Was it even on the cards?

        It’s not an economic factor either. US health costs are much higher than other developed nations. It spends 17% of GDP, almost double of Germany (next highest).

        Spending is without the positive outcomes. Infant mortality of 5.4 deaths per 1,000 live births (17,000 extra dead babies a year Vs an average.rate), for context you are worse than Russia with 4.9 but better tha Chile 5.9). 23.8 maternal deaths per 100,000 births being 3 times higher than most wealthy nations.

        The economic considerations are that you have a lot of heath businesses. If you socialised medicine and reduced spend, you may improve health outcomes but how would they pay for the very nice buildings they have loans for?

        Finally, US doesn’t want universal healthcare as a society. Whilst they may be financially wrecked by costs and live shorter more painful lives, that is far preferential than seeing the low income family get the same free cancer treatment for their child.

        • @TokenBoomer
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          141 year ago

          Nice rhetoric. I’ve wanted healthcare since 2009, when the “Yes we can” guy didn’t. Your talking points have been disproven and Americans polled overwhelmingly want nationalized healthcare. Source. You provided no source because you pulled it out of your actuarial ass.

        • limonfiesta
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          1 year ago

          Did you have healthcare before Russia invaded Ukraine

          Yes, I did until they sent me a letter informing me that they were booting me off my Medicare for All plan and converting it into artillery shells for the Kherson offensive.

        • @shalafi
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          11 year ago

          I’m all with you, but the infant mortality thing ain’t what you think. Americans try to save ever water-headed baby, no matter what, and count it a death if they can’t.

          Europeans have the more level-headed notion that, “Kid was dying no matter what support we gave. Don’t count.”

          Course we could easily point out infant mortality rates when comparing ethnicity and income. There’s some hellish rotten meat on that particular bone.

      • @[email protected]
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        -81 year ago

        We aren’t getting it eitherway, so in the meantime, at least some of our weapons are being used to defend against an imperial power, instead of to advance one.

        • @[email protected]
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          101 year ago

          You think the US isn’t funding Ukraine to advance its own imperial interests?

          You truly think we’re just doing it because we just love “democracy” so much, or something like that?

          Buddy, an imperial power is winning either way.

        • @TokenBoomer
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          1 year ago

          I don’t think the next generation is going to accept that excuse, nor should they. Enlightened Centrism is what got us to this point.

    • @glimse
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      31 year ago

      Sweet! So it’ll help the rich get richer and won’t help any of us who don’t work on the defense industry. Love it!

      • @[email protected]
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        1 year ago

        I’d try to explain the geostrategic and humanitarian benefits to helping one of the world’s largest bread baskets defend against imperial conquest by an mafia run gas station, or do a deeper dive into Putin’s desire to reconquer the old USSR satellite states, or the associated risks if he was successful, but I don’t think you really care to have you opinion shaped by analysis and the realities of great power poltics, so I’ma leave you be.

        • @glimse
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          91 year ago

          I fully support giving aid to Ukraine. Just not so sure about funding the destruction of Palestine by a country with one of the world’s strongest economies

          • @[email protected]
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            1 year ago

            I never said I supported funding Israel’s military, I don’t. I just added that mini explainer because it’s a different method of military aid than we provide Ukraine, and the proposal is bundled together.

            • @glimse
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              31 year ago

              Sorry, this is on me - I should have been more clear in my first reply. I just think it’s fucked up that we’re spending all this money to support genocide when “we couldn’t afford” to spend on US citizens. Defense contractors make a shit ton of money from war and the rest of us won’t have anything to show for it. Again, speaking strictly about the middle east. Russia is a significant threat to the world so I’m fine with my tax dollars are going toward stopping their bullshit.

      • @shalafi
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        01 year ago

        I can hardly defend war in general, and especially can’t condone our assistance to Israel, but the DoD’s spending has an enormous blast radius (heh).

        I live in a military town, and have zero personal connection to military spending. But if the Navy straight bailed out of here? This place would be a hellish crater.

        We’ve got to spend a generation or three dialing down the war machine, and it ain’t gonna be easy.

    • @surfb
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      31 year ago

      US citizens have already enough weapons

    • @EpicFailGuy
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      11 year ago

      Great, let’s ask them for 200 and help fight homelessness and help student loan debt

  • @[email protected]
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    241 year ago

    “defense” industry lapdogs absolutely drooling at the steak Genocide Joe’s dangling over their heads

  • Melkath
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    181 year ago

    Reading half of the comments in this thread, I officially hate America.

  • davel [he/him]
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    171 year ago

    Remember when we used to make fun of parliamentary governments when they became “without a government.”

    Well joke’s on us right now with a Speakerless House.

    • @TropicalDingdong
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      81 year ago

      Well joke’s on us right now with a Speakerless House.

      Sounds like an issue for Republicunts.

      • davel [he/him]
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        41 year ago

        And people who want to fund death, which is a shockingly large number of Democrats.

        • @dvoraqs
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          11 year ago

          Deaths would happen regardless if they can’t defend themselves

          • davel [he/him]
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            1 year ago

            The US has blocked every opportunity for a negotiated peace, thereby causing tens of thousands of needless deaths, with nothing to show for it. The National Interest: How Will the Ukraine War End?

            In the early weeks of the war, peace was still possible before the unimaginable loss of life, the devastation of infrastructure, and the loss of land in Ukraine. That peace was possible three times: in talks in Belarus, in talks mediated by then-Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennet, and, most promisingly, in talks in Istanbul. In all three, the war could have been ended on terms that satisfied Ukraine. In all three, Ukraine was willing to renounce membership in NATO. And, in all three, the United States blocked the negotiations.

      • Zorque
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        11 year ago

        It’s a problem for all of us. One of their main goals is making the government look useless, which is what it looks like to a lot of citizens. It may put a minor black mark on Republicans as a whole while they parade their clownshow around, but it puts a much longer lasting stain on the concept of government as a whole for a lot of people. Which is exactly what Republicans want.

        • @TropicalDingdong
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          11 year ago

          Not really.

          They own this and its only hurting themselves. Its better than them having a well functioning machine having horrible policies and getting them done.

          This is a good state.

  • DagonPie
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    81 year ago

    I wonder what a poll in the US would look like if they let the people vote on this. But its an all or nothing vote. Like we vote to give both countries aid or neither.

    • Melkath
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      71 year ago

      Why?

      Why do we need to fund a genocide to stop a genocide?

      Just why?

      • @Squizzy
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        91 year ago

        The worst part about being pro Ukraine and pro Palestine is realising Ukraine supports Israel.

        • HuddaBudda
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          61 year ago

          Ukraine’s funding disappeared as one of the concessions for the 45 day funding bill while republicans pick a new speaker.

          I think Zelensky is trying to play this smart because it ties something he needs (military funding) to something republicans need to support (Israel)

          Whether or not he agrees with it doesn’t matter, because as a leader this is the best move for him to get funding back.

          • PupBiru
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            1 year ago

            100% this… words are cheap, and he needs to do everything he can for his country… supporting palestine or staying silent gets him nothing, and potentially loses quite a bit in retaliation

            it really doesn’t matter what he thinks is fair or just

        • @[email protected]
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          01 year ago

          I say let them all deal with their own shit and the US can deal with it’s own problems (which are piling up sky fuckin high). America has completely gone to shit while meddling with every other part of the globe.

        • Melkath
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          11 year ago

          So I need to vote against supporting Ukraine?

          I feel like you get it, you’re just trolling.

  • @[email protected]
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    61 year ago

    What happens when we can no longer move balances around and dish out money to maintain the global status quo

  • AutoTL;DRB
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    31 year ago

    This is the best summary I could come up with:


    Some Republican lawmakers have grown skeptical of the need to fund Ukraine’s war with Russia, and have threatened to halt government altogether to put an end to chronic U.S. budget deficits and fiscal spending fueled by $31.4 trillion in debt.

    “The world is watching and the American people rightly expect their leaders to come together and deliver on these priorities,” said Biden’s budget director, Shalanda Young, in a letter to acting House Speaker Patrick McHenry.

    She also told Congress of plans to submit another request for funding to deal with natural disasters, high-speed internet, child care and wild-land firefighter pay “in coming days.”

    Some $14.3 billion of Friday’s funding request for the 2024 fiscal year would be dedicated to Israel, much of it to support the country’s air and missile defense systems and other weapons purchases.

    The request includes billions to replenish the country’s military equipment, and would provide economic and security aid and support for refugees in the United States.

    “The unwavering bipartisan support for Ukraine in the United States is incredibly encouraging for all of our warriors and for our entire nation,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy wrote on Friday on social media.


    The original article contains 735 words, the summary contains 194 words. Saved 74%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!

  • @iforgotmyinstance
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    01 year ago

    Bro I’m for foreign aid but this is getting insane.

    Give me .01 percent of that and I’d be set for life. Where’s the aid for Americans?