Freakin pacifists --

[littlejohn]

Somebody asked me what i would do if i could be king etc.etc.
(yes, this is actually about a pacifist --)

1) No more jet engine leaf blowers -- sorry -- get a rake or a broom.
2) All the soldiers would come home in the most expedient way possible.

So, pacifist -- well, probably, not so sure about that -- but it is what i hear a lot.
Japan, Germany, Korea, and of course the current war zones.
All home, by the end of the week, and you can keep your jobs (msg to joint chiefs from the king)
Park the air craft carriers for a couple of weeks and you wont NEED a sequester.
No more running the navy all over the oceans, we cant afford it and it is not necessary.
No more military bases in foreign countries.
Just stop it.

Thank you, and feel free to keep the change. :-)

[Chloe]

The amount of money we spend on showcasing and funding the military around the world could do so much for improving the country. You always hear people say that we shouldn't be the world police but yet we have police stations (bases and forts) and patrols all over the world. It's very hypocritical and very wasteful in my opinion.

[Chris]

The amount of money we spend on showcasing and funding the military around the world could do so much for improving the country. You always hear people say that we shouldn't be the world police but yet we have police stations (bases and forts) and patrols all over the world. It's very hypocritical and very wasteful in my opinion.

Agree, leave the money in the hands of the people who after all know better how to spend it.

[Private Pickle]

The amount of money we spend on showcasing and funding the military around the world could do so much for improving the country. You always hear people say that we shouldn't be the world police but yet we have police stations (bases and forts) and patrols all over the world. It's very hypocritical and very wasteful in my opinion.

It's a pitance compared to entitlement programs that don't work...

[Mainecoons]

No, it's not. The U.S. "defense" budget is bigger than the rest of the world's. It is wretched excess that simply tempts one foreign military misadventure after another.

Both need to be drastically cut back and the money put back in the hands of the people where it can create prosperity once again. It is no accident that the prosperity of American workers is dropping like a rock while government in America has grown like a malignant cancer.

[Adelaide]

The amount of money we spend on showcasing and funding the military around the world could do so much for improving the country. You always hear people say that we shouldn't be the world police but yet we have police stations (bases and forts) and patrols all over the world. It's very hypocritical and very wasteful in my opinion.

The problem really is that the US took on the role of "world police" and there will be no nation willing to take on that position if the US steps back, which could have bad implications. Also, even if I don't agree with most of the actions taken by the US military, I'm not sure there is a country that has enough strength to help with or take over the roll who would be suitable and reliable in terms of taking appropriate actions with that kind of influence.

That said, the US really should be focusing their money and efforts domestically and cutting back on their military. The above are just some of the concerns I would have.

[KC]

The amount of money we spend on showcasing and funding the military around the world could do so much for improving the country. You always hear people say that we shouldn't be the world police but yet we have police stations (bases and forts) and patrols all over the world. It's very hypocritical and very wasteful in my opinion.

We can blame Teddy Roosevelt for that one.

[Mainecoons]

The U.S. can't afford to be world police any more, that's the bottom line. Seems we've learned nothing from the Soviets who basically went broke because of their bad economy and grossly over sized military machine.

[littlejohn]

If you want the US out of the world police business, it is likely you are NOT a Hillary Clinton fan. She is not shy referring to the entire planet when she dispenses her values, referring to the decisions of sovereign nations as "whims," and quick to add that she knows the "correct" things to censor and enforce....She is
likely the most dangerous advocate of sticking the US further into the role of trying to run the world. I dont know what the forum rules are on inserting links but I included one. I'm sure someone will let me know if I'm out of line. Take a look. This is as fine a suit of clothing as world domination has ever worn...
http://www.state.gov/secretary/rm/2010/01/135519.htm

[Captain Obvious]

If you want my leaf blower, you're going to have to pry my cold, dead fingers from it.

[littlejohn]

If you want my leaf blower, you're going to have to pry my cold, dead fingers from it.
<grin> predicated Upon someone actually letting me be king ... I'm pretty sure I won't be doing any prying of dead fingers.
Regarding those blowers -- Of all the things our local government here has chosen to zero in on, that device is not among them.
I dont know of anyone, other than myself, who has ever advocated banning their use -- thus I am quite alone in all this, and face a very lopsided uphill struggle. (as usual)

[Captain Obvious]

I live in what could maybe be the next best thing to living an isolated life. Very rural and we burn shit if we have to. Not garbage but we burned a wooden bed frame recently.

I have more gas engines than NASCAR. Several mowers, 3 ATV's, 3 cars, a generator, weed eaters, blowers.

When I change oils in the spring I have to use gallon jugs to tote it down to the guy at the local gas station who burns it in his heater.

... which is like now, I might have a busy weekend coming up.

[Dr. Who]

I live in what could maybe be the next best thing to living an isolated life. Very rural and we burn shit if we have to. Not garbage but we burned a wooden bed frame recently.

I have more gas engines than NASCAR. Several mowers, 3 ATV's, 3 cars, a generator, weed eaters, blowers.

When I change oils in the spring I have to use gallon jugs to tote it down to the guy at the local gas station who burns it in his heater.

... which is like now, I might have a busy weekend coming up.
When I was about five we lived in a very rural area. We actually had to burn our garbage because there was no collection. It was the best time in my childhood! I was sorry to leave and return to the city, but my mother didn't like the idea of busing me to school many miles away.

[littlejohn]

here we go ... lets sequester granny's social security check, so we can feed Syrian Rebels. Makes perfect sense huh ?


http://news.yahoo.com/americans-training-syria-rebels-jordan-spiegel-194808853.html

[Captain Obvious]

When I was about five we lived in a very rural area. We actually had to burn our garbage because there was no collection. It was the best time in my childhood! I was sorry to leave and return to the city, but my mother didn't like the idea of busing me to school many miles away.

We're kinda in between.

No garbage collection either and we have well water and a septic tank, but the school bus stops at the end of our (dirt) road and they do a good, no great job of plowing the snow when it falls (and it falls heavily).

I go to the dump every month or so and we keep our garbage in a plastic shed on the side of the house. Bears love getting into it and recently we've had a few invasions. One took out a swingset when my wife opened the sliding glass door to see what the noise outside was. Now I have to fix that swingset. I've snuck up on them also, it's amazing how fast they run from a standstill.

I don't burn garbage, it stinks. Just heavy duty wood stuff. Used to burn paper but fuck that. Takes a whole afternoon up and you wind up smelling like stink for a week.

[littlejohn]

I live in what could maybe be the next best thing to living an isolated life. Very rural and we burn shit if we have to. Not garbage but we burned a wooden bed frame recently.

I have more gas engines than NASCAR. Several mowers, 3 ATV's, 3 cars, a generator, weed eaters, blowers.

When I change oils in the spring I have to use gallon jugs to tote it down to the guy at the local gas station who burns it in his heater.

... which is like now, I might have a busy weekend coming up.

Right. sounds nice. Where I reside is not rural and folks have all that same stuff, plus chain-saws. It is actually rather comical to watch sometimes. Guys with postage stamp yards driving their big John Deere around in circles, cranking up chain saws to cut up small branches.... but from an annoyance perspective, nothing compares with the gasoline powered jet engine blower. The thing that comes the closest is the trailer sized chipper/mulcher that the land crews pull in to clear new lots. Both that and the jet blower register 79 - 80 dbSPL on my patio from 80 feet away. (standard movie theater suggested loudness spec is arond 83 dbSPL if that gives you some idea).

Typical reaction I get i actually consider to be fairly reasonable ..."hey man, you dont like the noise, move the fuck out of here to the country or someplace".. which is exactly what I did do when i bought this place. then the sprawl came all the way to me.... my once rural place is now within a suburb.

[Captain Obvious]

Right. sounds nice. Where I reside is not rural and folks have all that same stuff, plus chain-saws. It is actually rather comical to watch sometimes. Guys with postage stamp yards driving their big John Deere around in circles, cranking up chain saws to cut up small branches.... but from an annoyance perspective, nothing compares with the gasoline powered jet engine blower. The thing that comes the closest is the trailer sized chipper/mulcher that the land crews pull in to clear new lots. Both that and the jet blower register 79 - 80 dbSPL on my patio from 80 feet away. (standard movie theater suggested loudness spec is arond 83 dbSPL if that gives you some idea).

Typical reaction I get i actually consider to be fairly reasonable ..."hey man, you dont like the noise, move the fuck out of here to the country or someplace".. which is exactly what I did do when i bought this place. then the sprawl came all the way to me.... my once rural place is now within a suburb.

I hear ya bro - and I can guarantee that most of your neighbors have deer camps up where I live.

We call them "flatlanders". Every deer/trout season they all show up in their nice shiny new SUV's raid our grocery and beer stores and ravage our 3 bars for a week. No doritos or Yeungling for a week for anyone.

You can spot them from across the county, they have (mudless) boots and mossy oak jackets.

I don't get into all the redneck poser shit myself but trout season is coming up and I have to start preparing. I take a week off of work to fish and it's usually a week after opening day. I give the LL Bean guys the first week and they all vanish after that, then I go out and knock them dead. I think I still have trout in my freezer from last year.

Snowmobiling is another thing that brings your neighbors up to my area but we had a relatively mild winter, didn't see many of them.

[Dr. Who]

I hear ya bro - and I can guarantee that most of your neighbors have deer camps up where I live.

We call them "flatlanders". Every deer/trout season they all show up in their nice shiny new SUV's raid our grocery and beer stores and ravage our 3 bars for a week. No doritos or Yeungling for a week for anyone.

You can spot them from across the county, they have (mudless) boots and mossy oak jackets.

I don't get into all the redneck poser shit myself but trout season is coming up and I have to start preparing. I take a week off of work to fish and it's usually a week after opening day. I give the LL Bean guys the first week and they all vanish after that, then I go out and knock them dead. I think I still have trout in my freezer from last year.

Snowmobiling is another thing that brings your neighbors up to my area but we had a relatively mild winter, didn't see many of them.

Global warming is good for something. LOL.

[artdude]

I like to call myself a pacifist. I hate war. I also agree that way too much money goes into policing the world. However, I do not agree that troops should come home right away. We are making a difference all over the world, and our troops are working hard to make countries more self reliant. A slow pulling out of troops is needed desperately. In the rough economic times of today, I does not make too much sense for so much money to go overseas. That money can be much better used here.

[KC]

I like to call myself a pacifist. I hate war. I also agree that way too much money goes into policing the world. However, I do not agree that troops should come home right away. We are making a difference all over the world, and our troops are working hard to make countries more self reliant. A slow pulling out of troops is needed desperately. In the rough economic times of today, I does not make too much sense for so much money to go overseas. That money can be much better used here.

Yeah, it would definitely be wrong to try to pull out overnight, but we should gradually scale back most of our overseas operations. Like you say, we simply can't afford it.

BTW, welcome artdude!

[Peter1469]

Welcome!

[littlejohn]

I like to call myself a pacifist. I hate war. I also agree that way too much money goes into policing the world. However, I do not agree that troops should come home right away. We are making a difference all over the world, and our troops are working hard to make countries more self reliant. A slow pulling out of troops is needed desperately. In the rough economic times of today, I does not make too much sense for so much money to go overseas. That money can be much better used here.
i appreciate the altruism. I agree that an abrupt withdrawl would surface some issues. I would prefer to deal with those issues than teach yet another generation of americans to feel they were born with a moral directive (obligation) to save the world from evil (or however you want to describe our motivations). Unlike many I do not believe the world will be plunged into chaos and anarchy if the Americans went home. I am also not suggesting a move toward isolation or anything associated with the nationalist rhetoric. Participating in world politics, commerce, philosophy, is all good.

[KC]

i appreciate the altruism. I agree that an abrupt withdrawl would surface some issues. I would prefer to deal with those issues than teach yet another generation of americans to feel they were born with a moral directive (obligation) to save the world from evil (or however you want to describe our motivations). Unlike many I do not believe the world will be plunged into chaos and anarchy if the Americans went home. I am also not suggesting a move toward isolation or anything associated with the nationalist rhetoric. Participating in world politics, commerce, philosophy, is all good.

I wonder whether it can be helped whether that is taught or not. The idea that America has a mission to guide the rest of the world is sort of ingrained in the American psyche.

[Peter1469]

i appreciate the altruism. I agree that an abrupt withdrawl would surface some issues. I would prefer to deal with those issues than teach yet another generation of americans to feel they were born with a moral directive (obligation) to save the world from evil (or however you want to describe our motivations). Unlike many I do not believe the world will be plunged into chaos and anarchy if the Americans went home. I am also not suggesting a move toward isolation or anything associated with the nationalist rhetoric. Participating in world politics, commerce, philosophy, is all good.


I don't advocate isolationism. I do advocate the US not using military force all over the globe. We can use diplomacy (and covert action) and encourage regional players to use force as necessary.

[littlejohn]

I wonder whether it can be helped whether that is taught or not. The idea that America has a mission to guide the rest of the world is sort of ingrained in the American psyche.
In my opinion, you are so correct about that, and have entered upon the crux of the matter. On this topic I struggle terribly for the ability to be succint -- let me just say this; As an elementary school aged person, on the TV, we did not have "intellectual mouse," or "philosophical mouse," we had MIGHTY mouse, complete with a song and a tag line describing how mighty mouse fights for truth, justice, and the american way. Same with Superman, same with John Wayne movies etc.... not to mention the elementary school itself, and i wont even go in to what was said there about the filthy communists etc.
I have no interest in controlling the media, only pointing out the "ingrained" dimension does have a "learned" component apart from the desire to control the actions of others that all humans everywhere get from the hard wired part of our psyche.

Note that i failed in brevity as I said I would -- conclusion; the motivation to take on the mission IMO is hard wired, how/what/where is the learned part.

[Private Pickle]

In my opinion, you are so correct about that, and have entered upon the crux of the matter. On this topic I struggle terribly for the ability to be succint -- let me just say this; As an elementary school aged person, on the TV, we did not have "intellectual mouse," or "philosophical mouse," we had MIGHTY mouse, complete with a song and a tag line describing how mighty mouse fights for truth, justice, and the american way. Same with Superman, same with John Wayne movies etc.... not to mention the elementary school itself, and i wont even go in to what was said there about the filthy communists etc.
I have no interest in controlling the media, only pointing out the "ingrained" dimension does have a "learned" component apart from the desire to control the actions of others that all humans everywhere get from the hard wired part of our psyche.

Note that i failed in brevity as I said I would -- conclusion; the motivation to take on the mission IMO is hard wired, how/what/where is the learned part.

Personally I think the motivation stems from maintaining the global commerce you speak of... You see, not everyone is pro-American commerce and many are down-right against it. That's why are presence is required throughout the world. So we can go to work everyday, eat and have power.

I'm pretty sure there was never a class in highschool that brainwashed people in supporting the finer points of American hegemony.