2 minutes ago, bristolboy said:

Reasonableness should be judged by the need. We have a President who says he wants to withdraw from foreign entanglement yet also wants to massively increase the military budget. Doesn't make a lot of sense. 

 

But its not a 'massive' increase at all. Thats deceptive hyperbole based on your never trump bias. 

 

6 minutes ago, bristolboy said:

It's true it does provide socialized medicine which is something apparently right wingers sometimes approve of.

 

Providing healthcare to military members for their service is hardly comparative to taxing the chit out of me personally to pay for others healthcare while I get nothing in return except for the brunt of the costs. 

6 minutes ago, bristolboy said:

You invoked economic benefits to justify military spending. Not me.

And while the need for military spending isn't in question, how much spending is. Given that Trump has repeatedly stressed the need for reducing American military involvement abroad, a massive increase in military spending seems incoherent. Unless of course, you want more props for a parade.

 

I invoked it as one of a few reasons to justify it, not the only reason like you seem to be hung up on. 

 

And its not a "massive" increase.

4 minutes ago, UncleTouchyFingers said:

 

But its not a 'massive' increase at all. Thats deceptive hyperbole based on your never trump bias. 

 

 

Providing healthcare to military members for their service is hardly comparative to taxing the chit out of me personally to pay for others healthcare while I get nothing in return except for the brunt of the costs. 

Here's a quote from an article about defense expenditure. ANd the 23% increase figure was based on a projected budget of 716 billion for 2019. Not it's gone up to 750 billion.

"As part of the recent deal to keep the government open, Congress agreed to increase the FY 2018 defense budget to $700 billion—an increase of $108 billion, or 18 percent, above the proposed 2017 budget—and the FY 2019 budget to $716 billion. This means that since Trump took office, the defense budget will have grown by $133 billion, or 23 percent.

It will also bring the FY 2019 defense budget, in real terms, to a level not seen since FY 2010, when the United States still had more than 200,000 troops deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan and was spending $163 billion on the wars"

https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/security/news/2018/02/28/447248/trumps-defense-budget/

 

Extra funding for border security. There you have it. 

 

26 minutes ago, Srinivas said:

 

Extra funding for border security. There you have it. 

 

You mean Trump is going to command the military to build a wall even though no funds have been appropriated for it? That sounds like an impeachable offense.

So yet another example of Trump doing a 180 and totally contradicting himself within a few days. It's only a week since he tweeted that even the current level of US defence spending is "Crazy!"

 

Quote

I am certain that, at some time in the future, President Xi and I, together with President Putin of Russia, will start talking about a meaningful halt to what has become a major and uncontrollable Arms Race. The U.S. spent 716 Billion Dollars this year. Crazy!

 

Edited December 11, 20187 yr by GroveHillWanderer

2 hours ago, bristolboy said:

You mean Trump is going to command the military to build a wall even though no funds have been appropriated for it? That sounds like an impeachable offense.

Border security is national security thanks to the caravan organizers.

Supreme court can sort this out if legally objected.