Matt Gaetz Says Defunding Ukraine Should Be Top Priority

We agree to disagree. I think Gaetz' motives are the same as mine--doing what's best for the American people.

The status quo in Ukraine works against the best interests of the American people. As Ike pointed out in 1961, perpetual war harms the American people.

 

Do you know that there has never been an offical audit of the Pentagon?

That an informal audit by Michigan State University some years ago saw missing funds approximately equal to the National Debt?

 

It would not surprise me, one bit. If The People were to find out the amount of taxpayer dollars that have been, and are being, skimmed off and funneled into private coffers through the various spending programs, I imagine there would be a bona-fide revolution. My "Acme Tar and Feathers, Inc." stock would skyrocket!

 

~ Only because the West — USA in particular — have allowed this .

 

How does the status quo work against the best interests of the American people?

 

Link?

 

I do know that. But it takes "two to tango" for instance. If Texas decides to not send any representatives or Senators to the US Legislature, is that the US Government's fault, or Texas's?

Again, they considered themselves separate, and that means they did not send anyone to the legislative branch because of that. If they did, they would not be considered separate, now would they?

No lunatics from Western Ukraine. The form PM refused to be part of the EU, probably on the orders of Putin, and that is when the Revolution started and ousted him in 2014. The regions in question then broke off, seceded if you prefer, from the country and declared themselves independent. The Ukrainian government did not see it that way, but the Minsk Treaty prevented them from doing anything, along with about 100k of Russian Troops until Russia decided to invade Ukraine altogether. And now here we are.

 

It was never a leftist idea. The "World Police" came about first during the Cold War. We were "policing" the commies and to make sure, in our minds, "not to take over the world." After the USSR fell, it switched from Communism to National Security Interests and why we continued the policy. That was George Bush Sr and was pretty much a bipartisan issue.

 

There were referendum votes in Donetsk and Lugansk in 2112 and 2022 to be separate from Ukraine and allied with Russia.

 

Historically, empires fall from within. It's all part of the natural cycle.

 

~ Yes indeed ...

 

Stop with the insults. It looks childish and damages your credibility. Almost makes yo sound like a liberal!

 

I'm curious, what exactly did you find insulting?

 

In a response to me... specifically addressing my comments about Russian tactical failures yo wrote: "because they are written poorly, or are deliberately being obtuse."
Simple discussion is much more productive.

 

This is not the first time you've totally misinterpreted something I said in such a way as you've drawn offense. The statement "because they are written poorly, or are deliberately being obtuse" wasn't about you, it was an explanation TO YOU about the conversation I was having with @Pro_Line_FL about the inevitability (or not) of a war between the US and Russia.

***Trigger warning***you may find the following personally offensive (although that's not the intent): The context of the conversation is helpful in understanding what exactly is being discussed. There's nothing wrong in jumping in on a discussion between two other people but you should at least understand the context of the conversation.

 

It's obvious you wish to control and bully conversations. It doesn't help your credibility or reputation.

 

Uhg...carry on then

 

The status quo is lawless government. It's been that way for decades really. This is not a democracy or even a democratic republic. This is a fascist oligarchy since the 50s or 60s. This government is not controlled by the people as the 2020 election showed, this is a government controlled by special interests and a Deep Administrative State.

MSU scholars find $21 trillion in unauthorized government spending; Defense Department to conduct first-ever audit | MSUToday | Michigan State University

Audit was 5 years ago with access ONLY to public records.

 

Russia can clean up corruption...? Umm...the same country that has a problem with gravity every time you speak out against Putin? That Russia? Or are you thinking of a different Russia...?

The penalty for corruption is not invasion and being taken over by even more corrupt authoritarians. Ukraine has had issues. So has every country. But I thought, and you can correct me if I was wrong, but self-governance and freedom mattered to you on the right. Was I mistaken this whole time? Freedom isn't free because if you don't hold up to the current GOP political standard you don't deserve it?

You aren't a Putin supporter? Well, your goals and his align, so on this issue you clearly are a Putin supporter. But I'm glad you're no communist, just in favor of the denial of inalienable human rights to millions of people. I would prefer to be a communist, but hey, you do you. Also, you're right on a second point here. You and Bernie Sanders are not the same. He supports those inalienable human rights endowed by our creator that you wish to deny Ukraine...

 

Explain how it's best for the American people to not defend self-governance and basic human rights? Eisenhower fought Nazi's, as I and he would point out. He fought against authoritarians pushing their will on others. Not sure you're fully recalling the man. The military industrial complex was his way of reminding us not to let the money that drives defense spending control this country. That's wisdom, but he wasn't saying, but let Putin do whatever he wants to free people. Those are two different things that perhaps you and Matt Gaetz, the paragon of ethics, clearly are confusing.

 

A fascist oligarchy? Those are big words.

Fascism: a political philosophy, movement, or regime (such as that of the Fascisti) that exalts nation and often race above the individual and that stands for a centralized autocratic government headed by a dictatorial leader, severe economic and social regimentation, and forcible suppression of opposition

If you claim that every time you don't get your way in an election that it's fascism, you are mistaken. If you claim that your opinions or ideals aren't always supported by the public at large is fascism, then you are mistaken. Our government is the opposite of the definition above, the president has been shown to not be able to impose their will on the nation. Our economy is wildly free. No, taxes are not listed in the definition of fascism because they are part of a healthy and functioning government, sorry. The social regimentation is the about the only issue I personally see sometimes rearing it's ugly head in this country, people who want women to act a certain way and non-whites to act a certain way, and that's more a problem of one party than the other so...

oligarchy: government by the few

The funny thing is, again, this more a problem with one party than the other. The senate and the courts are currently the closest thing to this word we have. Minority populations controlling the fate of many. Many people subject to the whims of a few senators from mostly rural states where hardly anyone lives. Oligarchy, government of the few.

No, this nation very much is not what you claim it is.

As for 21 trillion, you have to ask yourself some questions here. Your article and you note that it's based on available public documents. Request for underlying data to support the figures has been denied. Part of the problem with having the best, shiny weapons of war is you do need to keep them secret. So as Americans we have to ask ourselves a genuine question here, do we really want to know with great detail where all the money is going? And in turn, our potential enemies? Or do we want to attempt to maintain some secrecy on where our military tech is headed? I don't have an answer, it's a big question that should be debated. The answer cannot be 100% one way or the other, however, as I don't think there's support for that. Some middle ground is the most likely and probably correct answer.

 

You pro-Ukraine dudes are hilarious. This notion that Russia is at fault 'cause they invaded Ukraine is fallacious especially since most believe France was in the right to invade Great Britian during the Revolutionary War.

 

There are many people who believe Russia interfered with the election in 2016 helping Trump win so they want revenge at the expense of Americans. As for Republicans I am not sure why they think this war with Russia is a good thing for America.

 

But we don't have a lawless government. We have one side that does not agree with the other side and that is pretty much it. And one side, in an effort to explain why it diesagrees with the other side, says it is lawless. And that is BS.

I found news articles on the report by MSU scholars on the Dod And HHS spending. The $21 trillion "unauthorized" spending they found was from 1998 to 2015. Since Congress authorizes spending, and that is how spending is occurs, I think the claim needs more clarification on what was "unauthorized." I think with the DoD is overspending on defense programs that the Military Industrial Complex bills the DoD to fix the problems they create, namely with the F35 and F22 projects that have been plagued with problems. The F35 is more visible to the public on its problems, but so is the F22 with a lot of systems issues. And what is more likely is that the government cannot account for the spending. In other words, not all the documents are in play. And this is governmental accounting here. For, I think the Government should use their IFRS or GAAP accounting principles and not Governmental Accounting, which is a beast of its own nature. Governmental accounting has many similarities to nonprofit accounting, such as no depreciation expense is given to the property, any property that the government owns, including military equipment. FASAB 56 is an important rule, but it is dubious at best. And to further add clarity, a law must be written in which no governmental agency head, without express approval from the Inspector General's Department, cannot override FASAB 56 reporting or SEC filing reports. Furthermore, I would add that the House and Senate Government Oversight audit the government's programs every two years to see if they are meeting the accounting standards set.

Most of this is about accounting standards and money is not accounted for correctly, or in other words, not all the i's are dotted and the t's crossed.

Finally, when it comes to debt, the only debt that really counts is the publicly held debt, which is about $24 trillion. The rest is the "IOUs from Social Security" which is owned by the same entity. This is kinda like owning money to your spouse even though you own a joint bank account. Traditional accounting rules would say that is not debt, but governmental accounting rules say it is. Go figure.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/03/...ntagon-medicare-alexandria-ocasio-cortez.html

https://www.forbes.com/sites/kotlik...cant-account-for-21-trillion/?sh=64a31f1b7644

 

Wow, that's a leap. Russia is at fault for invading Ukraine. They choose to do it and did so. That's accountability 101.