Once upon a time, the Fourth of July was about liberty and the Declaration of Independence. Now it’s about grilled burgers, beer, and fireworks made in China.
For President Trump, the upcoming “holiday” is about showing off the latest death merchant gizmos, including fighter jets and tanks.
Did you catch that? Trump believes the death merchants still crank out Sherman tanks. The US has not produced Sherman tanks since WWII.
As for the “best fighter jets in the world,” is it possible the Donald is talking about the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter? This puppy came in 100% over budget, something the stockholders at Lockheed Martin undoubtedly celebrated.
In response to the embarrassing fact the F-35 dog don’t hunt, in 2012 the Pentagon dumped an additional $450 million into the project.
Russia’s Sukhoi Su-57 cost an estimated $10 million to research, develop, and prepare for production. Believe it or not, the F-35 cost $1.5 trillion to get off the drawing board. It is the most expensive weapons program in history.
The Donald’s militarized Fourth of July might be considered part of his sales pitch for the MIC (Military Industrial Complex). He would like to roll tanks—maybe including an ancient Sherman tank or two—down Pennsylvania Avenue, but it’s out of the question, as he noted in the above video.
Thomas Jefferson, the principal author of the Declaration of Independence, warned about keeping “instruments on foot” and said one such “instrument is a standing army.”
But then, far too many Americans are at a complete loss when it comes to the foundational principles of America, formerly and briefly a constitutional republic.
#1: TommyTheMadArtist To: Ada (#0)
TommyTheMadArtist posted on 2019-07-03 15:31:27 Reply Private Reply
#2: Cynicom To: Ada (#0)
Cynicom posted on 2019-07-03 15:43:09 Reply Private Reply
#3: NeoconsNailed To: Ada (#0)
The war game works by roping the public in via kinship. "Yes, it's a just war -- because my daughter's fighting in it! So we have to WIN!" Everybody who has a soldier or veteran immediate relative is (except you when it was the case, Ada -- prolly others here) an automatic war lover and uniform worshiper, with the media fanning the flames at every oppty.
It's just like Social Security -- people start getting the chex and their instant happy socialists. those of the 'greatest' generation have died thinking happy thoughts of FDR.
NeoconsNailed posted on 2019-07-03 16:10:55 Reply Private Reply
#4: NeoconsNailed To: Ada (#0)
The war game works by roping the public in via kinship. "Yes, it's a just war -- because my daughter's fighting in it! So we have to WIN!" Everybody who has a soldier or veteran immediate relative is (except you when it was the case, Ada -- prolly others here) an automatic war lover and uniform worshiper, with the media fanning the flames at every oppty.
It's just like Social Security -- people start getting the chex and they're instant happy socialists. Those of the 'greatest' generation have died thinking happy thoughts of FDR.
NeoconsNailed posted on 2019-07-03 16:12:03 Reply Private Reply
#5: Ada To: NeoconsNailed (#3)
My boy didn't sign up for the army. His national guard unit got activated which by law is not supposed to happen until the Chinese are invading Seattle. Told him I disapproved but for him I think it was an adventure.
Ada posted on 2019-07-03 18:00:37 Reply Private Reply
#6: NeoconsNailed To: Ada (#5)
Full disclosure re Social Security: getting it now and having my 1st operation ever* have given me a new perspective on govt gimmes. Income taxes AND those collecting 'em AND Big Brother socialist dictatorship are still evil, but I have to admit the system worked beautifully (even affordably!) in my case. And I see it does for lots of other people, but that may be because they're in my same social stratum or higher.
_________
*which you got me thru magnificently, advising me brilliantly from my 1st signs of unwellness thru every detail of Medicare, billing etc., from 763 miles away -- and we've never even met. I scoffed at your diagnosis of pancreatitis and ended up tossing those words straight down the hatch!
NeoconsNailed posted on 2019-07-10 23:42:07 Reply Private Reply