undefined | Better HN

0 pointssschueller4y ago0 comments

So they can spend a warping 770 Billion a year on defense. How do you even sell that with so many people struggling in the US?

0 comments

sdoering4y ago

Being a cynic I would say you don't sell it (except maybe with the Russian situation) but just do it. Who should stop the US government from going forward with this?

I know, I am a cynic. But I once was (young and naive) a member of the German social democrat party. I visited the state convention for their youth members. It was a perfect politics simulacrum. With decisions being made, backroom deals (because we don't like the other people - even if their proposal was factually good). And so on.

The perfect training ground for young party "soldiers" streamlined to not show any sigh of a consciousness towards real problems. Just play the power game. Show how scrupulous you are without being obvious.

I left this rotten club behind (politics) and never looked back. Nowadays 20 years later the people back thrn being good at this game and aiming for the top posts in this youth org of the SPD sit at the center of power in Berlin in relevant positions.

sschuellerOP4y ago

Yes it's discusting how modern politics operate not in the interest of the population but in their own and their enablers (donors and powerful).

The most obsurd is when soldiers are sent to fire weapons where each bullet costs more than they make in a year at another group of people that have even less for political reasons.

sdoering4y ago

My SO always quotes (we both don't know the origin of the quote):

"In war people who don't know each other kill each other on command of people who know each other but don't kill each other."

jazzyjackson4y ago

because the bulk of that 770 Billion is payroll, military spending is a jobs program.

nceqs34y ago

We spend triple that on the social programs.

trasz4y ago

If you’re paying so much, why does it work so poorly, compared to Europe?

s1artibartfast4y ago

Because US political structures are designed in a way that discourages competence. We spend an insane amount on social services but nobody cares if they work, spend wisely or have an impact.

nceqs34y ago

It works better than Europe.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse

0 comments

sdoering4y ago

Being a cynic I would say you don't sell it (except maybe with the Russian situation) but just do it. Who should stop the US government from going forward with this?

sschuellerOP4y ago

Yes it's discusting how modern politics operate not in the interest of the population but in their own and their enablers (donors and powerful).

The most obsurd is when soldiers are sent to fire weapons where each bullet costs more than they make in a year at another group of people that have even less for political reasons.

sdoering4y ago

My SO always quotes (we both don't know the origin of the quote):

"In war people who don't know each other kill each other on command of people who know each other but don't kill each other."

jazzyjackson4y ago

because the bulk of that 770 Billion is payroll, military spending is a jobs program.

nceqs34y ago

We spend triple that on the social programs.

trasz4y ago

If you’re paying so much, why does it work so poorly, compared to Europe?

s1artibartfast4y ago

Because US political structures are designed in a way that discourages competence. We spend an insane amount on social services but nobody cares if they work, spend wisely or have an impact.

nceqs34y ago

It works better than Europe.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse