27 minutes ago, Banzai said:

I see we've moved from 'intentionally crashing the economy is good actually' to 'but what about your politics?' Classic distraction. By the way I'm an independent.

The free market doesn't care about your feelings or mine - it responds to reality. Nations that deliberately sabotage their own economies get replaced by competitors who don't. That's not progressive or conservative - it's just history. The Dutch and British empires learned this lesson the hard way. But please, keep ignoring historical examples while you jerk off thinking about how you're owning "progressives." I'm sure China, India, and the EU will politely wait while we experiment with economic self-harm.

Reminder you still haven’t engaged in the discussion at all.

Dude, if you (not me) are going to bring up “regressive” tariffs/taxes/fees, then be willing to have the discussion…as in all of these existed before January 20th of this year.  If not, you just have TDS (which we all knew anyway).

3 hours ago, Banzai said:

Whataboutism at its finest.

Nah, just pointing out that you and other progressives didn’t have a problem with tariffs before January 20th, as well as the other taxes/fees that raise prices on goods/services that are also considered “regressive”.  

3 hours ago, Banzai said:

Yeah agreed. So to fix it we should embrace the policies of promising everyone $5k from DOGE, raise taxes on the working and middle class via regressive tax policies like tariffs…

So you’re against all the tariffs and regulatory taxes/fees that existed before Jan 20th?

47 minutes ago, disgruntledemployee said:

As for the Trump 2.0 experiment, how's everyone's investment portfolio looking?

So in 2019, Dems said the Trump economy was due to Obama, but less than two months in, this is all on Trump…which is it?  Honest question.

According to Democrats, we’re still under Biden’s economy for another 2-2.5 years…or does this narrative change based on how well the economy is doing?

https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/443180-2020-dems-trump-doesnt-deserve-credit-for-the-economy/amp/

20 hours ago, Stoker said:

Germany in 1917 looked invincible, Germany in 1918 was retreating about as fast as they could walk and the military dictatorship handed over control to the civilians and said 'make peace, we're doomed.' We see the lines on a map, you don't see the guys on the other side making sausages out of sawdust and scraping the hospitals for new recruits.

Ummm, ok.  Like I said, let’s see what Ukraine can do with everything we’ve done for them under Biden.  And if European countries want to help out, more power to them.  If Ukraine wants/thinks they can get Russia to fold and leave, all the power to them…let me know how it turns out.

19 hours ago, busdriver said:

Yeah, and to be fair to them, the GOP hasn't been the party of small government in a long time.  They're like the party of different big government.

I mean we might get some wins amongst the poop sandwich that is the trump administration, but it ain't gonna be roses the whole way down.

Couldn’t agree more.  I’m an issues guy, through and through.  Unfortunately when it comes down the realities of American politics, the Republicans are more aligned with my values than the Democrats.  But yes, the Republicans aren’t great either.

Well, sadly there are big government types on here who believe more government is better…even after having been in the military and seeing how horrible and inefficient government can be.  But oh well.  I’m supporting Trump in wanting to reduce the overall size and scope of government and allow people to keep more of their money (yes, even those evil billionaires). 
 

Since we have a foundational difference in opinions and values, it’s silly to go back and forth with the progressives on here, at least on this issue.  Maybe you guys will get what you want in 2 or 4 years.

6 minutes ago, disgruntledemployee said:

Firing VA workers that were hired to right the ship doesn't sound hunky dory either.  I easily admit that the VA system still need improvements, but it takes people to do those changes.  Side bar anecdote, the Mrs often talks to a certain govt agency for her job.  That agency has multiple data systems, offices that don't answer the phone, relies upon the fax system, and on.  You think doge can just waltz in, wave their chainsaw, and merge those data systems, fire someone so that there's less people answering the phone, and magically transform their data systems off the fax system?  I'm told stuff like that takes people, like IT pros, and probably even legislation (fax system).

My plan to fix the deficit?  Lets see how the Trump plan plays out.  I hear he's going to make every other country pay for our budget, paraphrasing, after he goes slash and burn to the govt worker, and then goes more deficit for tax cuts.  That's the plan you want because that's what you voted for, assuming of course, based on your avatar and words for the last 200 posts, that you voted for the guy. 

And there you go again, the thinly veiled tag of calling me, or anyone, a big government type because I go counter to the Trump plan of cutting VA staff, which probably wasn't even thought out.  They just came up with a number.

Why should government civilian employees have some special luxury of not being let go when cuts need to be made?  

1 hour ago, Sua Sponte said:

Cool man, I was married to a pilot when I was enlisted and flew when I registered here eons ago. I didn't make a claim, I responded to your response to someone else with a link from the agency about data concerning the PACT Act. You then responded with a ridiculous follow-on question asking data you know no one but the VA would have. No one cares about your skeptical conjecture. Feel free to post your CV for grading, though. I didn't know Spirit counted as a legacy...

Spirit haha.  Well, enjoy your government job.

2 hours ago, raimius said:

How are you not getting the concept that a stronger foreign power can lose to a more committed group on their home turf?

Did you miss the past 25 years?

Cool, then I’m looking forward to Ukraine defeating Russia/pushing them out of their territory (including the Crimea) with everything we have given them up until this point.

1 hour ago, disgruntledemployee said:

My dad gets 100% of his health care from the VA.  It has gotten better than in years past.  He needed to do daily visits for a treatment and VA farmed it out to a local hospital, complete with transportation.  I imagine a lot of those overlapping VA contracts doge is cutting are open agreements like this (local treatment) because hauling down 90 minutes to the big VA hospital isn't efficient. 

Also, the VA chief's emailed vid regarding cuts is some good spin. 

I got a phone call from the VA about my status in the program.  Internet says that 4.7M vets are in the program.  Also, in the past, the VA was heavily lambasted for poor care, resources, etc.  Just spitballing here that those calls and efforts take people to do the work.  Maybe you have an a specific item the VA should stop doing?

I’m all for finding efficiencies…more spending/employees doesn’t necessarily equate to better service.  We’re running a $2 TRILLION deficit in what the Dems recently called a “good economy”…what is your plan to fix it?  Of course pro-big government types don’t want to see any reductions…why would they?

Just now, Sua Sponte said:

Why would I provide the data? I literally sent you a link to the VA discussing the increase in medical care and claims associated with the PACT Act. Were you a veteran in 2019 using the VA? I was and the claims and healthcare (VBA and VHA) have ran much smoother than prior to 2020.
 

Do you always argue in bad faith? I’m not the first to notice that trend of yours on this forum.

I’ve been on here since the days when most of us left studentpilot.net lol, so if you want to start your own forum, then by all means, go ahead. On this issue, you’re just arguing for more government spending, shocking since you’re government employee.  
 

You made a claim, and I asked for specifics, and instead you posted a link…from the same government agency saying how many great things they’re doing.  Call me skeptical, but I remember when government agencies were bragging about how well we were doing in Afghanistan and how well the Afghan military was doing.  So yeah, I’m very skeptical of these kinds of government reports patting themselves on the back.
 

Side notea—the few times I would check out the AmnNCO page on FB, I remember seeing quite a few enlisted members talking about how much better and smarter they they they were than the officers…so I’m not shocked by your comments, especially with the one saying how you thought most helo pilots were stupid lol.  Fortunately the legacy airline I fly for thought a little differently.

1 hour ago, Sua Sponte said:

https://news.va.gov/press-room/in-two-years-of-the-pact-act-va-has-delivered-benefits-and-health-care-to-millions-of-toxic-exposed-veterans-and-their-survivor/

So it took 80K employees to do this what you’re saying…can you please provide data to show this?  And likewise, are you saying that if the VA is returning to 2019 that the PACT Act will not be enforced?

1 hour ago, 17D_guy said:

PACT act passed since then which opened requirements for additional services/claims.

So in your opinion, it takes 80K more VA employees just to take care of the additional work to enforce the PACT act?  Can you please explain your math to me?

3 hours ago, 17D_guy said:

Also, VA just announced cutting 15% of the work force without any impact to care or services. Guess that's going to be just as successful as these tariffs.

Was VA care not adequate in 2019?

6 hours ago, Sua Sponte said:

Most of the helicopters pilots I met while I was in the USAF, especially at Fairchild, were either retarded, deaf, or both. I did meet a few who weren't, but that was a rarity. Thanks for your subjective POV.

If that makes you feel better to say, then feel free to say it again.

2 minutes ago, SurelySerious said:

It is by definition busy work, regardless of the amount of time. Musk even said it himself in a tweet. Just because it only takes X amount of time doesn’t make it right. You want to participate in Elon’s loyalty test (and I must assume you’re a DoD civilian then, because that’s what Hegseth said), by all means. Join the Party.

Why would I have wanted to be a government civilian after doing 20+ years in the military?  I already had to work with them once lol.  To be fair, I supervised a few awesome government civilians. When it came to the others, many were average, and quite a few I would have loved to have had them quit.  I have little doubt this task would take any of the awesome/average civilians more than 15 minutes.  

Again, SecDef is requiring it, so it’s most definitely now being required by the boss.

Side note—the ones who were average at best were always the ones asking about time off awards and the “60 minute rule”.  

3 minutes ago, SurelySerious said:

I simply don’t care how long it would take, it’s still wasted man hours for no gain. Directed from someone (Musk) with no authority, to boot. Fraud, Waste, Abuse.

So it’s “busy work” but you can’t tell me how long you think it will or should take?  And I’m pretty sure the SecDef just directed it, did he not?

1 hour ago, SurelySerious said:

Still all bullshit busy work. Taking more time away from subordinates reaping no gains. That’s bad business.

How long do you think this would (or should) take the average DoD civilian?  

49 minutes ago, SurelySerious said:

Probably indicative of the subject. TASS may be more your jam, if that’s your criteria.

Nah, just pointing out bias in the highest order.  It would be no different if I posted a Breitbart article being negative towards Biden.  But if you don’t think The Atlantic is severely biased against Trump then we’ll just have to agree to disagree.

You lost me when you posted The Atlantic…you’d be hard pressed to find three (if any) positive articles they’ve written about Trump over the last 2 years.

15 minutes ago, SurelySerious said:

With what tab are you referring to in trying to distract from the point?

No, I’m referring to giving Ukraine all the money we would have given them if we stop?

Just now, disgruntledemployee said:

Copy.  You're against a nation fighting off invasion and trying to keep it's people free, ie, their cause.  War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things.

I’m against us paying for it…most definitely.  If you’re no longer in the military, are you also against a nation fighting off an invasion if you don’t go there yourself and fight with them?  If not, then why not?

1 minute ago, SurelySerious said:

With Putin’s forces walking back across the sovereign border in the humiliating defeat he deserves; certainly not with the POTUS using Putin’s figures and arguments in public to force “peace.” Russia can end this anytime. Putin is using Trump to achieve his ends, and you argued above in favor of that. F that.

So if European countries don’t pick up the tab, is it because they’re pro-Putin?  Honest question.