2 ms·

> we were sending USD $50 million to Gaza for condoms. This is a patently obvious and gross mischaracterization. The US has been providing a broad spectrum of

by rexpop 2y ago

> we were sending USD $50 million to Gaza for condoms. This is a patently obvious and gross mischaracterization. The US has been providing a broad spectrum of humanitarian assistance addressing urgent needs such as emergency medical aid, food, water. Whether or not you agree with that, you undermine our chances at constructive discourse when you exaggerate or otherwise decontextualize a situation. It's also absurdly disingenuous to claim that "we never question taxation. And never question spending." Of course these concerns are the subject of continuous debate by much more serious people than yourself. Again, whether or not you agree with the outcome, the assertion that "we never question taxation" is utterly, and completely divorced from reality.

zo1 2y ago
> > we were sending USD $50 million to Gaza for condoms. > This is a patently obvious and gross mischaracterization. Looks like it hasn't been confirmed yet, but let's not pretend like there aren't really odd and weird and arguably wasteful items in the US spending bills that serve no immediate purpose for US citizens. Rand Paul releases a yearly report of some of the most prominent ones that he uncovers. I assume they're all hidden in thousand-page spending bills that make it through. These are the results of people that are really un-serious and I wouldn't trust them with our money, they're just drunk on the numbers. To them, a million here a million there is peanuts and essentially bargaining chips in the little games they play in senate/congress. https://www.hsgac.senate.gov/media/reps/dr-paul-releases-2024-festivus-report-on-government-waste/ https://www.hsgac.senate.gov/media/reps/dr-paul-releases-202... I'm busy reading the report now, but the summary notes: "$4.8 million on Ukrainian influencers, $32,596 on breakdancing, $2.1 million for Paraguayan Border Security, $3 Million for ‘Girl-Centered Climate Action’ in Brazil, and much more!"
- viraptor 2y ago
  > $32,596 on breakdancing Without context, this is meaningless. This may be wasteful, or may create a community space where needed, or sponsor an Olympic team, or... There's many ways that 32k may be an easy investment for a much bigger return.
robomartin 2y ago
> you undermine our chances at constructive discourse when you exaggerate or otherwise decontextualize a situation. You are proving my point. You have decided it is absurd to question anything. You have unilaterally decided what I said isn't true and whatever the hell you believe is, in fact, the only truth. Therefore, nothing to see here. Do not question authority. Do not question spending. Do not even bother to engage in any level of forensic accounting to see what's going on. > It's also absurdly disingenuous to claim that "we never question taxation. And never question spending." You are also confusing politicians TALKING about taxation and spending with us DOING something about it. For all that debating, we throw money at (likely) millions of things we should not be funding at all. One of those categories is what I call "stupid foreign aid". At the state level, things are not any better. Here in CA we have been duped by politicians into throwing money at a ridiculous high speed train that went from "We can build it for $10 billion" to now being somewhere over $130 billion and rising. They are saying it will require another $140 billion to complete. Here we are, nearly twenty years after voter passed a $10 billion dollar proposition and got nothing for it. This stupid thing will probably cost half a trillion dollars and will never attract enough riders to even approximate direct and indirect costs. You have to wonder how many projects like this exist in the federal budget. Crap that is doing nothing but burning cash. > by much more serious people than yourself. And then, having nothing to say, you resort to personal attacks. As if that is going to change reality in any way. Good for you. We must kneel down, bow our heads and accept what we are told. Taxation is OK. Do no question it. Ever. Spending is OK. Do not question it. Ever. Got it.
- rexpop 2y ago
  > You have unilaterally decided what I said isn't true Presented without evidence, dismissed without evidence.

by rexpop 2y ago

zo1 2y ago

> > we were sending USD $50 million to Gaza for condoms. > This is a patently obvious and gross mischaracterization. Looks like it hasn't been confirmed yet, but let's not pretend like there aren't really odd and weird and arguably wasteful items in the US spending bills that serve no immediate purpose for US citizens. Rand Paul releases a yearly report of some of the most prominent ones that he uncovers. I assume they're all hidden in thousand-page spending bills that make it through. These are the results of people that are really un-serious and I wouldn't trust them with our money, they're just drunk on the numbers. To them, a million here a million there is peanuts and essentially bargaining chips in the little games they play in senate/congress. https://www.hsgac.senate.gov/media/reps/dr-paul-releases-2024-festivus-report-on-government-waste/ https://www.hsgac.senate.gov/media/reps/dr-paul-releases-202... I'm busy reading the report now, but the summary notes: "$4.8 million on Ukrainian influencers, $32,596 on breakdancing, $2.1 million for Paraguayan Border Security, $3 Million for ‘Girl-Centered Climate Action’ in Brazil, and much more!"

viraptor 2y ago
> $32,596 on breakdancing Without context, this is meaningless. This may be wasteful, or may create a community space where needed, or sponsor an Olympic team, or... There's many ways that 32k may be an easy investment for a much bigger return.

robomartin 2y ago

> you undermine our chances at constructive discourse when you exaggerate or otherwise decontextualize a situation. You are proving my point. You have decided it is absurd to question anything. You have unilaterally decided what I said isn't true and whatever the hell you believe is, in fact, the only truth. Therefore, nothing to see here. Do not question authority. Do not question spending. Do not even bother to engage in any level of forensic accounting to see what's going on. > It's also absurdly disingenuous to claim that "we never question taxation. And never question spending." You are also confusing politicians TALKING about taxation and spending with us DOING something about it. For all that debating, we throw money at (likely) millions of things we should not be funding at all. One of those categories is what I call "stupid foreign aid". At the state level, things are not any better. Here in CA we have been duped by politicians into throwing money at a ridiculous high speed train that went from "We can build it for $10 billion" to now being somewhere over $130 billion and rising. They are saying it will require another $140 billion to complete. Here we are, nearly twenty years after voter passed a $10 billion dollar proposition and got nothing for it. This stupid thing will probably cost half a trillion dollars and will never attract enough riders to even approximate direct and indirect costs. You have to wonder how many projects like this exist in the federal budget. Crap that is doing nothing but burning cash. > by much more serious people than yourself. And then, having nothing to say, you resort to personal attacks. As if that is going to change reality in any way. Good for you. We must kneel down, bow our heads and accept what we are told. Taxation is OK. Do no question it. Ever. Spending is OK. Do not question it. Ever. Got it.

rexpop 2y ago
> You have unilaterally decided what I said isn't true Presented without evidence, dismissed without evidence.