2016 Presidential Horse Race

[GoIrish41]

Per above, 1% is not a drop in the bucket. It's also more than enough to cover the yearly social security deficit.

in short, one could say foreign aid is more important that our elderly who have paid into the fund their entire lives?

According to Siri, US foreign aid is 0.336% of the budget.

 

[pkt77242]

Not all aid is bad. 46.3 this year (Obama's budget), and pretty sure it isn't decreasing for 2017. Look at areas where most dollars are going. It isn't Ebola, Aids, etc.. It's the ME.

Foreign Aid in Obama’s 2016 Fiscal Budget

We also increased our military budget by almost 39 billion last year, couldn't that money be better spent on our elderly or our children?

I might be for some reduction in middle east aid (and maybe more spending on diseases that might spread to the US, hello Zika), but I am also for cutting defense spending as well.

I guess that I am just tried of people saying that cutting foreign aid significantly impacts our deficit (again not necessarily you). Many of the same people make fun of tax increases that only bring in "a couple of billion dollars". Call me jaded I guess.

 

[Irish YJ]

According to Siri, US foreign aid is 0.336% of the budget.

Per NPR it's about 1%

 

[Irish#1]

How much foreign aid do you think we provide? I think if you looked into it you would find it is a drop in the bucket

It's not a large percentage of the overall budget, but as YJ has already stated, there are quite a few areas where that money could be spent. Want to jump start the economy? Divide it up and send every citizen 18 and older an equal cut.

 

[Irish YJ]

We also increased our military budget by almost 39 billion last year, couldn't that money be better spent on our elderly or our children?

I might be for some reduction in middle east aid (and maybe more spending on diseases that might spread to the US, hello Zika), but I am also for cutting defense spending as well.

I guess that I am just tried of people saying that cutting foreign aid significantly impacts our deficit (again not necessarily you). Many of the same people make fun of tax increases that only bring in "a couple of billion dollars". Call me jaded I guess.

I'm very much for cutting defense so long as we pull out of some of the countries we are currently in.

 

[GoIrish41]

It's not a large percentage of the overall budget, but as YJ has already stated, there are quite a few areas where that money could be spent. Want to jump start the economy? Divide it up and send every citizen 18 and older an equal cut.

We could say that about any spending. Why not start with corporate welfare and the bloated military budget? Now we are talking some real money. Use the cash to fix our crumbling bridges and highways and put some folks to work. That's how to get the economy moving, and getting something accomplished at the same time.

 

[Irish YJ]

We could say that about any spending. Why not start with corporate welfare and the bloated military budget? Now we are talking some real money. Use the cash to fix our crumbling bridges and highways and put some folks to work. That's how to get the economy moving, and getting something accomplished at the same time.

I'm good with closing loopholes but not raising taxes. We also need to take a hard look at government contracts. Talk about obscene. Kill some special interest and reform welfare and now we are talking. I'm happy to put more money into infrastructure so long as the contracts are put out to bid and not wired like most.

 

[alohagoirish]

Trump has hit a very interesting cord and it is resonating in a HUUUGE way. You don't hear the shop worn mantra of the establishment republicans --limited government , regulations , get government off your back and the private sector will solve the economic inertia and grave loss of upward mobility that has beset the country.

Trump offers a nationalistic message stressing economic populism. The government is not by definition bad , he insists its the politicians that sell the public down the river in exchange for cash and lobbying gratis. He insists "he can make the government win and that stupidity, incompetence and self serving greed is what has undermined America, NOT the government itself.

He is essentially a pro-government republican , that promises smart thinking unencumbered by political bribes and their follow on control, can change America in a positive way.

He has so much in common with Sanders its amusing---- the government is bought and paid for by corporate power that emasculates its ability to respond to the country's needs----sanders and trump agree----trade and trade deals since Nafta and through TPP have been pushed by both parties and have been a disaster for American towns and American manufacturing---sanders and trump agree----that foreign wars especially Iraq and Lybia were gigantic blunders , destabilizing the entire region , giving rise to Isis , & underpinning the mass migrations threatening to destabilize the order in europe....again Sanders and Trump agree.

Trade, the overwhelming influence of the oligarchy and their parochial interests , and the foolish and misguided adventurism in the middle east have brought us very little that's good.

As Trump says " they are all puppets , they do whatever they are told , I know these people and many of then are not nice people and none of them have the interest of the country topping their agenda."

Trump has his flaws no doubt , but all three of these critical issues that underpin both his and Bernie's message, are essentially TRUE and more significantly most of the electorate agrees that they are true even if they disagree on solutions.

Trump had ZERO shot against an array of contenders that were a who's who of republican politics----Bush the heir to the dynasty , walker the Koch brothers pet and the one everyone feared---Rubio the sharp young up and comer, Kasich the steady hand that delivers ohio, Cruz the religious zealot , Christie the guy everyone wanted last cycle etc etc etc....

Trump has buried them all with a powerful message that transcends the PUNDITOCRACY that daily ridicules the lack of substance. Now its likely Kasich will get out in two days , and Cruz after digesting the 35 point explosion for Trump in California soon after that.

Trump may be an eccentric character , rude, vulgar , a bit of an egomaniac, a guy that lives in a golden penthouse and has a mild germ phobia.

But he has won the nomination against all odds , he will compete in blue states like Pennsylvania , Michigan and several others....he will win every state Romney did and the entire election will be fought in swing states and blue states.

After what Trump has done to the premiere varsity team of republican governors and senators---underestimate him at your own risk!

 

[NDBoiler]

I'm very much for cutting defense so long as we pull out of some of the countries we are currently in.

On the topic of military spending, I'm all for spending it smartly, as I imagine most people would be. But I also want to make sure that we are not short changing our fighting men and women's safety and ability to do their jobs effectively for the sole sake of budget cuts, which has infamously been an issue in the past with military spending cuts. I've seen it first hand after recently visiting with my brother in law that is in the Army and getting ready to head out to Iraq on his 4th deployment (3rd time to Iraq in addition to 1 in Afghanistan). He is being given 3 uniforms for a 9 month deployment at a location without laundry services. He (and many other soldiers) has also purchased his own body armor, as the Army-issued version is very bulky and much heavier. There are countless other examples of this situation and many on a larger scale as well. Our military is frequently being asked to do more with less, often at the risk of their own personal safety, yet most still continue their service with honor just the same. I am confident I could come up with a lot of other things to cut spending on before I'd even consider touching military budgets. Unfortunately there's nary a politician on either side of the aisle out there who has the stones and would be willing to make the tough decisions on government spending. It's the ultimate drug, and once they've had a taste, they never want to give it up. But hey, it's only 17 trillion in debt, what's another trillion or 5.

 

[woolybug25]

A "pro government Republican"

Lolz

 

[Buster Bluth]

On the topic of military spending, I'm all for spending it smartly, as I imagine most people would be. But I also want to make sure that we are not short changing our fighting men and women's safety and ability to do their jobs effectively for the sole sake of budget cuts, which has infamously been an issue in the past with military spending cuts. I've seen it first hand after recently visiting with my brother in law that is in the Army and getting ready to head out to Iraq on his 4th deployment (3rd time to Iraq in addition to 1 in Afghanistan). He is being given 3 uniforms for a 9 month deployment at a location without laundry services. He (and many other soldiers) has also purchased his own body armor, as the Army-issued version is very bulky and much heavier. There are countless other examples of this situation and many on a larger scale as well. Our military is frequently being asked to do more with less, often at the risk of their own personal safety, yet most still continue their service with honor just the same. I am confident I could come up with a lot of other things to cut spending on before I'd even consider touching military budgets. Unfortunately there's nary a politician on either side of the aisle out there who has the stones and would be willing to make the tough decisions on government spending. It's the ultimate drug, and once they've had a taste, they never want to give it up.

I think I know why people say we should cut the military:

One of Trump's few valid issues is that the Europeans are not stepping up to the plate to help defend and promote NATO members' prosperity via defense spending. Russia amount to ~10% of their collective GDP, and yet they require the US to defend them. They haven't committed to any Asian alliances, and are intent with simply trading as much as possible with China and hoping the US, Japan, Australia, etc take care of it.

We could cut a piece of military spending by requiring trade deals to go alone with a ~2.0% of GDP for defense by our allies. We could withdraw from most of Europe and focus on more pressing needs.

But hey, it's only 17 trillion in debt, what's another trillion or 5.

We have a debt problem, it doesn't have anything to do with its amount in dollars.

 

[Buster Bluth]

We could say that about any spending. Why not start with corporate welfare and the bloated military budget? Now we are talking some real money. Use the cash to fix our crumbling bridges and highways and put some folks to work. That's how to get the economy moving, and getting something accomplished at the same time.

Why should we put more money into bridges if the tax revenue to pay for them couldn't maintain them in the first place? Isn't that a sign that our development model doesn't have enough density to cove the cost of its infrastructure?

I know the gas tax hasn't been raise since 1993, and that's a fair argument. But the infrastructure spending is predominantly aimed as plugging local budgets that have been blown up by huge infrastructure costs. I guess I'm fundamentally opposed to a trillion dollars in spending along the same path which apparently isn't getting us anywhere..

 

[Buster Bluth]

It's not a large percentage of the overall budget, but as YJ has already stated, there are quite a few areas where that money could be spent. Want to jump start the economy? Divide it up and send every citizen 18 and older an equal cut.

The problem is that the foreign aid solves a lot of headaches overseas and we'd likely be paying muuuuuch more in the military budget to put more fires out. Bribery is cost-effective in geopolitics.

 

[Irish YJ]

On the topic of military spending, I'm all for spending it smartly, as I imagine most people would be. But I also want to make sure that we are not short changing our fighting men and women's safety and ability to do their jobs effectively for the sole sake of budget cuts, which has infamously been an issue in the past with military spending cuts. I've seen it first hand after recently visiting with my brother in law that is in the Army and getting ready to head out to Iraq on his 4th deployment (3rd time to Iraq in addition to 1 in Afghanistan). He is being given 3 uniforms for a 9 month deployment at a location without laundry services. He (and many other soldiers) has also purchased his own body armor, as the Army-issued version is very bulky and much heavier. There are countless other examples of this situation and many on a larger scale as well. Our military is frequently being asked to do more with less, often at the risk of their own personal safety, yet most still continue their service with honor just the same. I am confident I could come up with a lot of other things to cut spending on before I'd even consider touching military budgets. Unfortunately there's nary a politician on either side of the aisle out there who has the stones and would be willing to make the tough decisions on government spending. It's the ultimate drug, and once they've had a taste, they never want to give it up. But hey, it's only 17 trillion in debt, what's another trillion or 5.

I want to spend it smartly. And I want the BEST for our troops. I like buster agree on pulling out of Europe, or making them anti up. The graph Buster provides says it all.

Why should we put more money into bridges if the tax revenue to pay for them couldn't maintain them in the first place? Isn't that a sign that our development model doesn't have enough density to cove the cost of its infrastructure?

I know the gas tax hasn't been raise since 1993, and that's a fair argument. But the infrastructure spending is predominantly aimed as plugging local budgets that have been blown up by huge infrastructure costs. I guess I'm fundamentally opposed to a trillion dollars in spending along the same path which apparently isn't getting us anywhere..

You are correct in that there is a lot of infrastructure that does require care. Is the lack of tax revenue indicative of low revenue, or improper spending of the revenue in other places.

 

[Irish YJ]

The problem is that the foreign aid solves a lot of headaches overseas and we'd likely be paying muuuuuch more in the military budget to put more fires out. Bribery is cost-effective in geopolitics.

All bribery does is create a continual drain on our tax base. Stop the bribes, give ultimatums, and stand behind them. To Pakistan and Afghanistan.... If you can't control your population and root out terrorism, we will drone bomb the hell out of your country. Saudi Arabia.... if your clerics and your royal family want to fund terrorism, we'll level you and help ourselves to your oil while not giving two shits about rebuilding anything.

 

[NDinL.A.]

Trump may be an eccentric character , rude, vulgar , a bit of an egomaniac, a guy that lives in a golden penthouse and has a mild germ phobia.

After what Trump has done to the premiere varsity team of republican governors and senators---underestimate him at your own risk!

The bolded part has to be the funniest thing I've ever heard from a Trump supporter. A bit of an ego??? Dude refers to himself in the 3rd person constantly. He talks about how smart he is literally all the time (remember, he knows words...big words) and has to remind everyone that he "went to the best schools".

If you research it, the GOP is scared as hell that they will now lose the Senate because of him. He has a stench that cannot be undone for so many voters, and if you are a Republican and you endorse him because of party lines, your seat could be in major jeopardy. He and his supporters are screwing the party, which could be great in the long term (a shake-up has been needed), but killer in the short term.

 

[NDinL.A.]

Sorry man...how you don't go ballistic on someone for doing that I don't know. I generally hate liberal policies, to be quite honest...I hate Hillary Clinton even more than Liberal Policies because she is a crook, but I got no tolerance when politics spirals into someone taunting another person like that...Now, I just avoid the charged political rallies because I'm too old to have an orange shirt profile...

Well, that made my jaw hit the floor. Sorry you had to deal with such an unpleasant situation. Do you mind my asking how it came about? Was that one incident or two?

Let me put it to you this way - I'm Hispanic. Mom and dad both came here legally, and I was born here. 41 years old. Took full advantage of the opportunities this great country gave me. NEVER have faced blatant racism before Trump came to power. A few months ago I was at Wal-Mart (don't ask why lol - it was out of necessity), with my about-to-be 2 year-old son. A Trump supporter asks for my support for Trump, and I told her I would never ever support that man. So...in front of my son, she says I must be illegal and to go back to Mexico if I'm not ready to help make America White again, I mean, Great again. Keep in mind, my mom is Dominican and my dad is Spaniard, but hey, I'm brown so I'm an illegal from Mexico! Ladies and gentleman, Trump supporters! The lady was trash (sorry to go Donald on you, but anyone as blatantly racist as she was is trash), but in the interest of civility, I turned the other cheek and walked away. Alright I'm lying - I told her to **** off and then turned the other cheek!

I've made the mistake of becoming politically active on Facebook. If I say I won't vote for Trump, I'm instantly an illegal and a "wetback". Seriously - a wetback. It's insane. I'd say it's happened well over 10 times. And not just from anonymous people - even friends of friends will openly say it to me. All from Trump supporters, never from Cruz supporters. So his supporters can all say he isn't racist, but his words certainly don't paint him in a good light, and the actions of his supporters make it even worse. He could have stopped this a LONG time ago, but instead he has doubled down, and trying to take America down with him. That's why I will #nevertrump, even as a registered Republican.

Seriously you guys really need to chill out a little. No matter who wins they will most likely have no impact on you life and none of them will be able to get even a quarter what they are proposing through the congress if anything. While it is entertaining to watch there is no reason to get so wrapped up in this that you cause yourself mental and possibly physical anguish.

Normally, I'd agree with you. I hate politics and I hate politicians. But I can't sit by idly with Trump. It's not just politics on a hill - his supporters are literally trying to #makeAmericaWhiteagain, and he's dividing the country more than anyone I've ever witnessed. It's sickening, and if you aren't white, well, it does affect you. This should be a country that celebrates diversity. Instead, Trump is trying to divide it by color lines. It's not only pathetic, it's sad.

 

[Wild Bill]

.

 

[alohagoirish]

True, Trump is an egomaniac ,perhaps with a touch of megalomania ....then again Cruz is a religious fanatic washed in the blood of Christ who apparently gets revelations from God through his wife Heidi. Kasich is a golly shucks phony that's not very bright. The Clintons are horrid , pathological liars the both of them, Bill a sexual predator that should not be allowed in the white house after enticing an intern into a blowjob in the oval office, groping the woman that came to him for help after her husband died again in the oval office, etc etc etc,my god how that guy holds any respect is beyond me. Hillary is a greedy nightmare of a woman , a pathological liar like her husband that has been lying since the cattle futures incident through the airport joke in Bosnia all the way to her Email fiasco , as well as shielding Bill and his grotesque behavior while blaming the victims of course like any good feminist. What a piece of work that pair is!

Pick your poison from that group!

I am actually NOT a Trump supporter , I am very left of center but am willing to give'"the Donald" his due for striking a resonant cord with republicans and democrats.

The Clintons have been the death of Roosevelt progressivism in the democratic party that Bernie has breathed some temporary life into. Bill and Hillary with their triangulation and right wing leanings have pushed the democrats to the right ever since the mid 80s and the dominance of BILL and the DLC that retooled the democrats to be republican lite dumping any progressive economics and replacing it with Identity politics. They became Rockefeller republicans as is Obama philosophically , both of them farther right then RICHARD NIXON for god's sake and their total control over the democratic establishment for 30 years have left room and pushed many republicans far away from Ronald Regan and closer to the john birch society.

Of those remaining , Trump looks like a good bet.

The idea of the Clintons in the white house again is in my view a disgrace.

 

[GATTACA!]

True, Trump is an egomaniac ,perhaps with a touch of megalomania ....then again Cruz is a religious fanatic washed in the blood of Christ who apparently gets revelations from God through his wife Heidi. Kasich is a golly shucks phony that's not very bright. The Clintons are horrid , pathological liars the both of them, Bill a sexual predator that should not be allowed in the white house after enticing an intern into a blowjob in the oval office, groping the woman that came to him for help after her husband died again in the oval office, etc etc etc,my god how that guy holds any respect is beyond me. Hillary is a greedy nightmare of a woman , a pathological liar like her husband that has been lying since the cattle futures incident through the airport joke in Bosnia all the way to her Email fiasco , as well as shielding Bill and his grotesque behavior while blaming the victims of course like any good feminist. What a piece of work that pair is!

Pick your poison from that group!

I am actually NOT a Trump supporter , I am very left of center but am willing to give'"the Donald" his due for striking a resonant cord with republicans and democrats.

The Clintons have been the death of Roosevelt progressivism in the democratic party that Bernie has breathed some temporary life into. Bill and Hillary with their triangulation and right wing leanings have pushed the democrats to the right ever since the mid 80s and the dominance of BILL and the DLC that retooled the democrats to be republican lite dumping any progressive economics and replacing it with Identity politics. They became Rockefeller republicans as is Obama philosophically , both of them farther right then RICHARD NIXON for god's sake and their total control over the democratic establishment for 30 years have left room and pushed many republicans far away from Ronald Regan and closer to the john birch society.

Of those remaining , Trump looks like a good bet.

The idea of the Clintons in the white house again is in my view a disgrace.

This x1000. Bill Clinton is an embarrassment to the country. I can't take anyone seriously that opposes Trump because they feel he's sexist while simultaneously supporting Hillary who stood by that pig, and is still maintaining that sham of a marriage.

 

[Buster Bluth]

This x1000. Bill Clinton is an embarrassment to the country. I can't take anyone seriously that opposes Trump because they feel he's sexist while simultaneously supporting Hillary who stood by that pig, and is still maintaining that sham of a marriage.

I mean does anyone really consider them truly "married?" It's a modern Roosevelt marriage at this point and has been for some time, in my view.

 

[Buster Bluth]

All bribery does is create a continual drain on our tax base. Stop the bribes, give ultimatums, and stand behind them. To Pakistan and Afghanistan.... If you can't control your population and root out terrorism, we will drone bomb the hell out of your country. Saudi Arabia.... if your clerics and your royal family want to fund terrorism, we'll level you and help ourselves to your oil while not giving two shits about rebuilding anything.

This is the dumbest shit.

 

[NDinL.A.]

This x1000. Bill Clinton is an embarrassment to the country. I can't take anyone seriously that opposes Trump because they feel he's sexist while simultaneously supporting Hillary who stood by that pig, and is still maintaining that sham of a marriage.

Problem is, there is sooooo much more than just the sexism with Trump. He's an absolute disaster as a human being...and THEN throw in his incredible ignorance on so many important domestic and foreign policy issues. It's just insane and an embarrassment to the GOP/country that he's made it this far.

 

[Legacy]

We could say that about any spending. Why not start with corporate welfare and the bloated military budget? Now we are talking some real money. Use the cash to fix our crumbling bridges and highways and put some folks to work. That's how to get the economy moving, and getting something accomplished at the same time.

Where Is The Outrage Over Corporate Welfare? (Forbes)

I recently read the February 24 Good Jobs First report, “Subsidizing the Corporate One Percent,” by Philip Mattera, a respected thought leader in our business. It says that three-quarters of all state economic development subsidies went to just 965 corporations since the beginning of the study in 1976. The Fortune 500 corporations alone accounted for more than 16,000 subsidy awards, worth $63 billion – mostly in the form of tax breaks.

Think about that. The largest, wealthiest, most powerful organizations in the world are on the public dole. Where is the outrage?

Peace is Hell (Atlantic, 2001 - when we were not in the Middle East)

The effort of building and sustaining such a place does not in itself daunt American logisticians. After all, the U.S. military is used to operating on a very big scale. If the Department of Defense were a company, it would be the largest by far in the United States: it wields an annual budget of $300 billion, and it provides jobs for 1.4 million active-duty soldiers, 1.3 million members of the National Guard and reserves, and 672,000 civilians who are directly on the payroll. It owns more than 40,000 properties worldwide, including 250 bases, and 39,000 square miles of land—about the size of Kentucky. It operates and maintains 250,000 ground vehicles, 15,000 aircraft, about 150 satellites, and more than 1,000 oceangoing vessels. It runs 225 high schools and elementary schools. It provides day care for 200,000 children. It fits 50,000 pairs of boots every month. It serves 41 million meals a year, and provides food allowances for many more.

 

[military_irish]

Do people actually plan to vote this year?

 

[ulukinatme]

Video: Lou Holtz Endorses Donald Trump Before Tuesday’s Indiana Primary | College Spun

Gotta vote for Trump now.

 

[Irish YJ]

This is the dumbest shit.

Buster only you would call something opposite bribery "dumbest shit". We all know that putting money in the hands of our enemies has worked in the past...

 

[dublinirish]

Video: Lou Holtz Endorses Donald Trump Before Tuesday’s Indiana Primary | College Spun

Gotta vote for Trump now.

Digger Phelps was at his rally too!

 

[BleedBlueGold]

Up early to vote for my man, Bernie, today! Lets win Indiana!

 

[connor_in]

Video: Lou Holtz Endorses Donald Trump Before Tuesday’s Indiana Primary | College Spun

Gotta vote for Trump now.

Digger Phelps was at his rally too!

If the first item requires me to vote for Trump now, does the second item require me to vote against Trump now?