Small Rant - About Politics, Not Loss of Life

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Major_A
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Small Rant - About Politics, Not Loss of Life

Post by Major_A »

The small nation of Haiti has a massive earthquake that kills a lot of people and the first people they call up is America to help them out. I have no problem with doing that but what did they contribute when we needed help? On average there is at least one natural disaster in America annually and we get little to no help. When Katrina came barreling in the only people who helped, to my knowledge, were the UK and Mexico.

I'll give another example. When I was in college I had to take an international study to fulfill my minor requirement for business. I chose European Studies and was enrolled in a German politics class. At the time of the class it was during the election of Schröder and Stoiber. During the mudslinging that ensued there was a massive flood through Germany. The short list of phone calls they made was to America for assistance. And like most of the time we sent aid. This was during Schröder's first term in office and his entire political stance for re-election was to bash America. Because of his anti-America stance he won the election. Despite his dislike for America the food, money and materials we sent were just fine with the guy.

We can no longer afford to bail other people out. We are in massive debt, companies are closing everywhere I look, and the people I know that are still working are taking pay cuts to keep their jobs. Maybe I have a holier than thou attitude but the way I look at the situation is cut and dry. Take care of your own before you take care of others. If you want to see a sad sight go to Atlanta and walk down Peachtree for a few miles. I have never in my live been so appalled at the homeless situation like when I was in Atlanta for work last year. There are all kinds of people that need help right here in our own backyard.

I truly am sorry for the loss of life in Haiti and I will pray for them but we can not foot the bill to recover their country.

End rant.
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Re: Small Rant - About Politics, Not Loss of Life

Post by shamrok3 »

I see what you mean. I'm pretty sure Australia/New Zealand sent aid after Katrina, heck, I think our church ran a fundraiser or somesuch. I guess the reason that America doesn't receive so much aid is not necessarily because you are rich (which you are comparatively, even with all the debt) but because the USA has built an image of being rich. I think, myself that America should cut back on military expenses rather than foreign aid, as the U.S. has the highest investment in their military in the world. Unless, of course they need the ego-boost of having the most expensive (and yet fairly ineffective) army in the world. I don't see that America needs to be the rest of the world's concerned neighbour, mediating every single minor conflict in the world. Sure, continue in some respects, but countries such as England, Australia and other UN countries have just as effective peace-keeping forces.
Feel free to disagree with me, I'm up for a decent debate, and this is all heavily opinionated and moderately uninformed, being a Kiwi-born Aussie with little concern in politics.
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Re: Small Rant - About Politics, Not Loss of Life

Post by Major_A »

The two countries that came out of WWII smelling like roses economically were the US and the USSR. Before WWII America was a relatively non-noteworthy nation. After WWII when relations broke down with the Hammer and Scythe and it became Democracy vs Communism we had to have a large military budget to keep up with the USSR in terms of their military spending. Most wars/fights/skirmishes after WWII was the idea of Democracy vs Communism. The USSR wanted to spread their ideology around the world and America wanted to spread/preserve in some cases Democracy.

Fast forward to the collapse of the USSR and Reagan's predecessor is in office (Bush). He goes to war to push Iraq out of Kuwait. Seeing the instability in the region (Middle East) I don't think they thought they could lower the budget. Now our budget is higher than the next 5 countries in the world combined. I think a lot of this has to do with policing the world. For some reason, probably our own goals and reasons (I don't know I'm not a politician), we get involved in too many wars/fights/skirmishes. I wish there was a day when we would let everyone else deal with their own problems and just look out for ourselves. It's our involvement in all this military campaigning that has drew the ire from the rest of the world.

A side note to this budget for newer better weapons and weapons systems is ultimately money. The contractors who sell to the US government make fortunes. If the government wants to recoup some of those expenditures they allow the manufacturer to sell to other nations and heavily tax the sales. Example: Europe most recently developed and adopted the Eurofighter Typhoon. However, the UK, Australia, Italy, Netherlands and a few others have placed orders for the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor. And more recently they have put in their orders for the newer/cheaper F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

It seems like this situation as with most things in life it all boils down to making money.

Don't know how I strayed off from the earthquake here but take it for what it is, another rant.
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Re: Small Rant - About Politics, Not Loss of Life

Post by vbironchef »

I am watching CNN. I'm sorry, but when you see people hurt and dead people everywhere, money doesn't mean s****. Sorry I don't share your views. Peace out.

Edit: Haiti is the poorest country in the western hemisphere. Most people their live on a dollar a day. Reported by CNN news.
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Re: Small Rant - About Politics, Not Loss of Life

Post by kappage »

I have a very simlar opinion, the Australian Govt jsut sent haiti 10 million dollars to help them in the forms of aid, while in Western Australia not very long ago ( 29 Dec 2009) we had a bush fire rip through Toodyay
One fire has ripped through Toodyay, about 50 kilometres north-east of Perth, and at least five water-bombing aircraft have been sent to help contain the blazes.

There are reports eight homes have been destroyed, but authorities say they cannot confirm the number of homes lost until they can access the area.

Emergency services say more than 30 houses are in the direct path of the fire.
(http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009 ... 782291.htm)

Do you know how much 'aid' those families got when there homes where destroyed? From the australian Govt, Nothing!!! The only aid they recieved was from West Australian charities and that was $90,000 to split between those families who lost everything.

The Governments are Messed up, why look after a poor country that doesnt contribute anything to the world apart from mouths to feed and let your own citizens suffer!
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Re: Small Rant - About Politics, Not Loss of Life

Post by Keean »

The people of Haiti contribute nothing...does that mean that their lives are worth less to each other? I don't think so no. But does that mean that a country that is already in the trillions in debt because of over-spending and war need to send aid? I think not.

We have enough of our own problems than to deal with yet another country suffering from yet another natural disater. Even if we were to rebuild Haiti, give everyone a new home and a new car that country would turn right back in to what it was before within a year because the people down there just don't care. I can guarentee you that the country was having plenty of people die every day before this earthquake and did anyone want to help that country then? No. Whoever it was who quoted CNN earlier needs to do some research because if you get your information from the media it's like saying you asked your local toddler what the President is going to be doing about the Healthcare Bill...a whole other post.

Now, one might think that I'm hipocritical because I support the war in Afghanistan and Iraq. Some may say that this also is a waste of time and money. I whole heartedly disagree on that subject. We are fighting an enemy of the United States of America, which just so happens to also be an enemy of the world. One might think that we are being the world police over there, but honestly if that's your opinion then you are so blind you might as well go grab a stick and start walking with it infront of you. There are a great many things in this world that this country can influence and help just as there are a great many things that others can do to help.

I am not opposed to help being sent to Haiti, but I am opposed to that help coming from our government. The people can make that help happen by donating their own time and money if they think that it's so nessecary to send their money someplace other than back into our economy and towards helping improve our own country. If we even used half of the money that was sent to other nations for aid in trying to help the homeless here at home, we'd have already had some sort of system in place to help get them off the streets. But you know what? Most homeless get more money for being homeless than they would if they struggled to hold a job, so therein lies yet another problem...

I could go on and on and on with all this, but I think I've gotten my point across. Also...cutting military budgets during a war? Are you freaking high? /end rant
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Re: Small Rant - About Politics, Not Loss of Life

Post by Major_A »

Who said anything about cutting the military budget? I certainly do not think we should do that. If we let ourselves become vulnerable then I think we would have half the world declare war on us.
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Re: Small Rant - About Politics, Not Loss of Life

Post by shamrok3 »

Even if the USA cut the budget by half, they would still have the highest military expenditures in the world. Also, who would attack the USA? They have, what, like 2000 Nukes? They could take out the whole world...
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Re: Small Rant - About Politics, Not Loss of Life

Post by Major_A »

I don't see us using a nuke unless it's fired from Russia. If a rouge nation did fire one I see the military using conventional weapons to destroy the country. The entire Middle East hates us, and I'm sure that Russia wouldn't mind jumping in there.

If a country did invade at least we still have our firearms.
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Re: Small Rant - About Politics, Not Loss of Life

Post by vbironchef »

Just donatated 10.00 dollars to the Red Cross today.
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Re: Small Rant - About Politics, Not Loss of Life

Post by Sporg »

Major_A wrote:If a country did invade at least we still have our firearms.
For now that is true. Although, have you been keeping up on ammo shortages? Specifically powder and caps.

I've written several replies to this thread that I just can't post. Anyway, I'm not sure how our (the US) military is ineffective. Also, I'll be donating some to the Red Cross. They're one of the best orgs out there and often times they are one of the first orgs on site trying to make things better.
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Re: Small Rant - About Politics, Not Loss of Life

Post by Major_A »

vbironchef wrote:Just donatated 10.00 dollars to the Red Cross today.
Did you see that message while watching the football game this afternoon? I wanted to to it myself but I just can't spare $10.

@Sporg:
I haven't been able to go shooting since I lost my job so I haven't noticed. Could it be that there is a shortage due to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq?
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Re: Small Rant - About Politics, Not Loss of Life

Post by Sporg »

Sucks about the job loss, I just dodged another round of layoffs fairly recently. Yeah, I considered that the wars could have something to do with it. Although I do have several friends that are leaning more towards the conspiracy side of things. Heck, one of them being an acquaintance of a friend who owns a gun shop/shooting range. Maybe it was just a coincident that shortly after the election some of this stuff went into high demand. Who knows, personally I figure it has to do with the war, then again, you never know.
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Re: Small Rant - About Politics, Not Loss of Life

Post by jedihobbit »

Sporg wrote: ......... Maybe it was just a coincident that shortly after the election some of this stuff went into high demand. Who knows, personally I figure it has to do with the war, then again, you never know.
The same thing happened with Clinton and his Dem control congress. With the Dem's being in general "anti" firearm people are fearing another major crack down and hording. :(
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Re: Small Rant - About Politics, Not Loss of Life

Post by bubba »

I don't mind donating personally, all for it, even donated myself to the red cross. What I dont like is the Gov has been screaming that we are basically bankrupt, due various things and have started the whole stimulus crap (yes it was crap), creating new taxes upper, raising taxes middle/lower....

yes taxes have been raised by letting previous tax cuts expire, when you do your taxes this year you see what I mean, made almost 5k less this year due to pay cuts and I'm paying MORE in taxes.

back to the issue at hand..

anyway, with the Gov. saying we are broke then just whipping out a statement that we are send a truck load of money... were is it coming from. I know when I'm broke, I'm broke, I just cant invent more money (if I do I go to jail) I want to know where the money the gov is getting is coming from, and if we had why we didn't tap it yet for the issues we have here. I know everyone has a rainy day fund (or should) but pretty sure the gov should have tapped that fund a while ago.

as for the gun hording, there were several things that has been tried already with out actually making a new gun ban, but the whole health care push has had then slightly distracted trying to get that train wreck passed.
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