Hegseth has been confirmed.

[jerrymahoney]

2 minutes ago, mogandave said:

And?

 

stay tuned.

[mogandave]

5 minutes ago, jerrymahoney said:

stay tuned.

For? 

[jerrymahoney]

15 minutes ago, mogandave said:

And?

 

Per NBC link above:

 

“First of all, you got to fire the chairman of the Joint Chiefs. Any general that was involved, general, admiral, whatever, that was involved in any of the DEI woke s--- has got to go,” Hegseth said on the “Shawn Ryan Show,” a podcast whose host describes himself as a former Navy SEAL and CIA contractor.

 

Hegseth said people should be in the military for warfighting and “that’s the only litmus test we care about.” 

 

[mogandave]

1 minute ago, jerrymahoney said:

Per NBC link above:

 

“First of all, you got to fire the chairman of the Joint Chiefs. Any general that was involved, general, admiral, whatever, that was involved in any of the DEI woke s--- has got to go,” Hegseth said on the “Shawn Ryan Show,” a podcast whose host describes himself as a former Navy SEAL and CIA contractor.

 

Hegseth said people should be in the military for warfighting and “that’s the only litmus test we care about.” 

 

So what is more important than battlefield efficacy in the military?

[jerrymahoney]

It's been swell. Go play interlocutor with someone else.

[mogandave]

Just now, jerrymahoney said:

It's been swell. Go play interlocutor with someone else.

That’s what I thought, thanks.

[Will B Good]

12 hours ago, Jim Blue said:

Seems your pulling rank Will  !

 

Only had an equivalent rank to Captain I'm afraid.

[illisdean]

1 hour ago, spidermike007 said:

Vance worked in an air conditioned office in Iraq for 6 months. Not exactly a heroic action. He is a clown. 

Well, at least he's a VP in MAGA world now and NOT a self-admitted/proclaimed knucklehead, Tim "stolen valor" Walz, speaking truthfully for once and "getting his facts straight"

 

LOL

 

 

[jas007]

20 hours ago, Hawaiian said:

His biggest challenge will be to have a successful audit of the Pentagon.  So far they have not been able to account for all the money spent.  Coverup of wasteful spending?

 

I'm pretty sure the Pentagon's accounting systems have been less than ideal for years.  Discrepancies are simply kicked down the road from one year to the next.  Money seems to be missing in this program or that program, but nobody can figure out why.  Nonetheless, someone signs off on a questionable accounting opinion and life goes on.  The process repeats the next year.  Anyone trying to "audit" the system to account for all funds appropriated over the years is in for a surprise.  Where's the missing money?  Good luck with that. 

[spidermike007]

1 minute ago, jas007 said:

 

I'm pretty sure the Pentagon's accounting systems have been less than ideal for years.  Discrepancies are simply kicked down the road from one year to the next.  Money seems to be missing in this program or that program, but nobody can figure out why.  Nonetheless, someone signs off on a questionable accounting opinion and life goes on.  The process repeats the next year.  Anyone trying to "audit" the system to account for all funds appropriated over the years is in for a surprise.  Where's the missing money?  Good luck with that. 

Very true. And I don't expect the new goon, nor Musk, nor Trump to even make a concerted effort to uncover overspending or fraud.

 

One needs to keep in mind that when it comes to the new defense secretary and Trump himself their level of moral bankruptcy is legendary. They will both bow down to the military industrial complex and their foul, lobbyist pigs. 

[jas007]

1 minute ago, spidermike007 said:

Very true. And I don't expect the new goon, nor Musk, nor Trump to even make a concerted effort to uncover overspending or fraud.

What's "fraud"? Congress appropriates money for a certain purpose. Toilet seats, for example.  And yet the powers that be divert some or most of that money for a secret program.  Is that "fraud," or just a permissible way to hide certain expenditures from the public?    I'm not say that happens, but what if it does? 

[Will B Good]

1 minute ago, jas007 said:

What's "fraud"? Congress appropriates money for a certain purpose. Toilet seats, for example.  And yet the powers that be divert some or most of that money for a secret program.  Is that "fraud," or just a permissible way to hide certain expenditures from the public?    I'm not say that happens, but what if it does? 

 

 

Unconstitutional for sure.....just like the military budget was raided to build 52 miles of wall.

 

 

[Hawaiian]

7 minutes ago, jas007 said:

 

I'm pretty sure the Pentagon's accounting systems have been less than ideal for years.  Discrepancies are simply kicked down the road from one year to the next.  Money seems to be missing in this program or that program, but nobody can figure out why.  Nonetheless, someone signs off on a questionable accounting opinion and life goes on.  The process repeats the next year.  Anyone trying to "audit" the system to account for all funds appropriated over the years is in for a surprise.  Where's the missing money?  Good luck with that. 

If there is a will there is a way.  A forensic audit coupled with Congressional subpoenas may be one way of getting down to the bottom of this.  These kinds of investigations may take awhile, but if Trump gets behind of it things may move along a little faster.  Let's see how much "will" there is.

 

[connda]

Now for the wailing and gnashing of teeth.

 

[Hawaiian]

5 minutes ago, jas007 said:

What's "fraud"? Congress appropriates money for a certain purpose. Toilet seats, for example.  And yet the powers that be divert some or most of that money for a secret program.  Is that "fraud," or just a permissible way to hide certain expenditures from the public?    I'm not say that happens, but what if it does? 

Of course it happens. It's not only fraud, but wasteful spending that needs to be addressed.  For instance, weapons that none of the services wanted. 

[Hawaiian]

8 minutes ago, Will B Good said:

 

 

Unconstitutional for sure.....just like the military budget was raided to build 52 miles of wall.

 

 

One purpose of an audit is to track spending.  If the money was diverted, it still can be accounted for.

Forensic audits are conducted to uncover irregularities and suspected fraud.

[jas007]

2 minutes ago, Hawaiian said:

If there is a will there is a way.  A forensic audit coupled with Congressional subpoenas may be one way of getting down to the bottom of this.  These kinds of investigations may take awhile, but if Trump gets behind of it things may move along a little faster.  Let's see how much "will" there is.

 

I'm not an accountant, but, based on my observations, "getting down to the bottom of this" probably isn't going to happen.  Unless they can digitize every government financial transaction, synthesize the data from multiple databases, identify discrepancies. and trace those and synthesize the results, no one will ever know.  Maybe someday they'll have Super AI run by quantum computers capable of all that. Maybe then.  Otherwise, if they have to rely on current technology and human beings, it isn't going to happen.  Someone will shrug their shoulders and say "Why bother?"... " If the money is gone, the money is gone.  If it's not, then no harm done.  Start keeping better track of how the money is spent." 

[Hawaiian]

17 minutes ago, jas007 said:

What's "fraud"? Congress appropriates money for a certain purpose. Toilet seats, for example.  And yet the powers that be divert some or most of that money for a secret program.  Is that "fraud," or just a permissible way to hide certain expenditures from the public?    I'm not say that happens, but what if it does? 

Any one remember Jack Anderson, the investigative reporter?  He was always receiving death threats because of the corruption he exposed.

[cdemundo]

23 hours ago, LosLobo said:

And yes, this hire was undoubtedly not DEI but based on meritocracy. After all, how could a white, Christian, nationalistic, misogynistic alcoholic with no qualifications or experience be anything but the perfect candidate?

Speaking only for myself, I am happy to see a white, Christian, nationalistic, misogynistic alcoholic get a break for once.

[Hawaiian]

3 minutes ago, jas007 said:

I'm not an accountant, but, based on my observations, "getting down to the bottom of this" probably isn't going to happen.  Unless they can digitize every government financial transaction, synthesize the data from multiple databases, identify discrepancies. and trace those and synthesize the results, no one will ever know.  Maybe someday they'll have Super AI run by quantum computers capable of all that. Maybe then.  Otherwise, if they have to rely on current technology and human beings, it isn't going to happen.  Someone will shrug their shoulders and say "Why bother?"... " If the money is gone, the money is gone.  If it's not, then no harm done.  Start keeping better track of how the money is spent." 

Congress controls the purse strings.  Cutting funding can often bring some surprising results.

[Hawaiian]

40 minutes ago, jas007 said:

 

I'm pretty sure the Pentagon's accounting systems have been less than ideal for years.  Discrepancies are simply kicked down the road from one year to the next.  Money seems to be missing in this program or that program, but nobody can figure out why.  Nonetheless, someone signs off on a questionable accounting opinion and life goes on.  The process repeats the next year.  Anyone trying to "audit" the system to account for all funds appropriated over the years is in for a surprise.  Where's the missing money?  Good luck with that. 

And good luck to Pete Hegseth. https://spectator.org/can-pete-hegseth-actually-run-the-pentagon/

[jas007]

13 minutes ago, Hawaiian said:

Congress controls the purse strings.  Cutting funding can often bring some surprising results.

 Cutting funding will only give them less personnel.  Less of an ability to get to the bottom of anything.  Remember, the big military contractors pull all the strings.  Nobody is going to cut their funding, given the current political environment.  If anything, the defense industry will be getting more money.  That will probably include some AI systems to identify current waste and fraud.  That's a distinct possibility.  Sos some improvement is possible. Better bookkeeping, going forward. 

[Jingthing]

10 minutes ago, Hawaiian said:

And good luck to Pete Hegseth. https://spectator.org/can-pete-hegseth-actually-run-the-pentagon/

The American Spectator. Say no more.

[Hawaiian]

4 minutes ago, jas007 said:

 Cutting funding will only give them less personnel.  Less of an ability to get to the bottom of anything.  Remember, the big military contractors pull all the strings.  Nobody is going to cut their funding, given the current political environment.  If anything, the defense industry will be getting more money.  That will probably include some AI systems to identify current waste and fraud.  That's a distinct possibility.  Sos some improvement is possible. Better bookkeeping, going forward. 

A new Jack Anderson wouldn't hurt.  I quite sure there is someone out there that is willing to anonymously reveal some dark secrets. 

[Hawaiian]

4 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

The American Spectator. Say no more.

Comments by JT.  Say no more.  Maybe Al Jazeera is more to your liking.

[Jingthing]

5 minutes ago, Hawaiian said:

Comments by JT.  Say no more.

That rag which was promoted by Rush Limbaugh. The author a Fox News contributer.

Worthless propaganda.

Trying to push the narrative that that boza is at all qualified is insane. 

With his record, he couldn't get a job managing a retail store.

Look I might have different politics than you, but I would NEVER EVER try to pass on such a total nothing stuffed shirt closer to my ideology as being qualified for one of the most powerful roles in the world. That would be idiotic and shameful. 

[LosLobo]

25 minutes ago, cdemundo said:

Speaking only for myself, I am happy to see a white, Christian, nationalistic, misogynistic alcoholic get a break for once.

What happens when Hegseth needs to wake Trump at 3 a.m. to advise on tactical action for nukes in flight to the US, after passing out drunk at the DC local strip club?

[Hawaiian]

10 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

That rag which was promoted by Rush Limbaugh. The author a Fox News contributer.

Worthless propaganda.

Trying to push the narrative that that boza is at all qualified is insane. 

With his record, he couldn't get a job managing a retail store.

Look I might have different politics than you, but I would NEVER EVER try to pass on such a total nothing stuffed shirt closer to my ideology as being qualified for one of the most powerful roles in the world. That would be idiotic and shameful. 

Not just different politics but a bigoted bias to any outlet than offers anything contrary to your beliefs.

 

[mogandave]

22 minutes ago, LosLobo said:

What happens when Hegseth needs to wake Trump at 3 a.m. to advise on tactical action for nukes in flight to the US, after passing out drunk at the DC local strip club?

Why would Trump be passed out drunk at a strip club? 

 

When did he start drinking?

[riclag]

1 hour ago, jas007 said:

What's "fraud"? Congress appropriates money for a certain purpose. Toilet seats, for example.  And yet the powers that be divert some or most of that money for a secret program.  Is that "fraud," or just a permissible way to hide certain expenditures from the public?    I'm not say that happens, but what if it does? 

Divert indeed! My tax dollars arent meant for Marxist causes!