We should rid ourselves of redundant Federal Bureaucracies...and use the money more wisely.

[MarcATL]

Why would you need the Private Sector beyond private schools?

Small Federal Dept of Ed sets the minimal standards, State Departments of Ed set state standards and run public schools.

Feds setting the standards that States must comply w/would be OK by me.

 

[Missourian]

The world no longer needs us to be its police force

This is one area I agree with the OP.

Two areas we agree.

 

[martybegan]

Feds setting the standards that States must comply w/would be OK by me.

Two areas we agree.

I would say we need to be the world's navy, because since the British can't do it anymore, we don't want the Chinese sneaking into any power vacuum we leave.

 

[BluesLegend]

Cut the budgets of extreme government control freaks? Yeah, that's gonna happen.

 

[JWBooth]

Feds setting the standards that States must comply w/would be OK by me.

Of course it would.

 

[MarcATL]

Of course it would.

You gotta have one standard, as we're one country.

 

[Crepitus]

Doesn't the Constitution do that?

When was the last time you kids gave two shits about anything but the second amendment?

 

[Missourian]

When was the last time you kids gave two shits about anything but the second amendment?

It only seems that way because it's the one you fascists always want to attack.

Now that like 30 states have constitutional carry laws including yours and mine, you've been pretty cowed of late.

Thank God for Trump and his Supreme Court appointments upholding our 2nd amendment rights.

Garland has shone himself to be a real ass-wipe. Thank God he didn't get a seat on the supreme court.

 

[Samofvt]

You gotta have one standard, as we're one country.

Not just one standard, but each standard is basic:

1) all should be able to speak, read, and write in a common language to foster good communication (it used to be english). Good communication fosters better trust.

2) understand civic responsibilities to participate in government, such as our representative democracy, including voting but extending to actually filling some of those rolls. It is a hardship sometimes, but it must be done.

3) Indoctrinate our youth into the understanding that we are all created equal. From the highest-paid executive to the lowest-paid laborer, we are all equals. This is a natural (or God-given, if you prefer) right. It is ok that some people have different skills, jobs, or roles, but at the end of the day, we are all equals.

4) Indoctrinate our youth so they understand "Equity" is the basis for unequal treatment: all evil societies in history have incorporated this ideology of "Equity," or un-equal treatment, including slavery (those plantation owners were sure convinced they were doing the right thing by 'helping' the slaves they owned because they were inferior and needed the guidance of ownership), Nazism (the blue-eyed blond hair Germans knew for certain they were doing the right thing by eliminating inferior bloodlines and would have a utopian society in the process), and current school and governmental philosophy (we are indeed doing the right thing by 'helping' those poor and inferior people under us so that we can create a better utopia)

Beyond these things, maybe basic math and science?

Not one standard, but these are very basic standards.

 

[ThisIsMe]

We would need to change the way we use our military, but yes if it were just for defending the nation we could.

The world no longer needs us to be its police force

So you’re saying that nato should pay their fair share and contribution more to their own defense?

 

[Harpy Eagle]

So you’re saying that nato should pay their fair share and contribution more to their own defense?

They always have been.

 

[ThisIsMe]

And I never suggested not having a military budget.

Well, someone else brought up $200B.

I would suggest that if our enemies have an improved subsea capability that looks like it will be rivals to our existing inventory, we should expand our capability. We don’t do that. We develop replacement arms for inventory that is still the platinum standard in it’s class.

The Nimitz class carriers.... The best ships in the water. Yet amazingly, we are building a new class, the Ford Class. And we’re building 10 of them. Nimitz class, $5B each. Ford class...$13B each.

Are you seriously going to sit there and tell me we need the Ford Class right now? The Rooskies have 1 carrier. One. China? Three.

Ok, so as I said previously…next time you all have the solid majority, don’t balk like you did the last time, make all of those changes you want.

If you feel our military capability is adequate, then by all means, advocate for reduction in budget and to stop building new equipment.

 

[Harpy Eagle]

Ok, so as I said previously…next time you all have the solid majority, don’t balk like you did the last time, make all of those changes you want.

If you feel our military capability is adequate, then by all means, advocate for reduction in budget and to stop building new equipment.

Not sure who "you all" are, but there is not a major party in this country that will cut the MIC budget, it is the cash cow that keeps them in power.

 

[ThisIsMe]

They always have been.

Have they? So every nato country pays the proper amount?

 

[ThisIsMe]

Not sure who "you all" are, but there is not a major party in this country that will cut the MIC budget, it is the cash cow that keeps them in power.

Well, seems like every democrat complains that the military spends too much money, but they don’t want that to change?

 

[Harpy Eagle]

Have they? So every nato country pays the proper amount?

What is the "proper amount" and who determines it?

 

[Harpy Eagle]

Well, seems like every democrat complains that the military spends too much money, but they don’t want that to change?

The votes complain, those they elect do nothing about it.

Not unlike you Repubs who complain about illegal immigration yet you beloved party never really does anything about it when in power.

 

[martybegan]

When was the last time you kids gave two shits about anything but the second amendment?

How about the first amendment, something you idiots would LOVE to get rid of.

 

[DGS49]

President Reagan once created a "blue ribbon" commission to look at the Federal budget and identify wasteful spending that could be eliminated. I think it was called the Grace Commission.

President Trump should do something similar, but rather than identifying Federal entities and initiatives that are wasteful, they should identify entities and initiatives that are not Constitutional. The Department of Education being the most obvious example. But there are a ton of them.

This is not to say that some of the work is not logical, helpful, or efficient (hold the laughter). It is just that Congress is OUT OF CONTROL when it comes to spending our money, mainly on things that have the potential to buy votes.

At the same time, some MAGA person in Congress should craft a Constitutional Amendment that states basically that Congress can do anything it deems to "promote the General Welfare." Most Democrats believe that this is in the Constitutional already, but the crushing defeat of such an Amendment might reinforce the meaning of the actual Constitution and put a lot of the bullshit memes (like socialized medicine) to rest, as People realize that Congress lacks the power to create them.

 

[Mr Natural]

Wrong.

How about we cut defense spending from 800-900 billion down to 200 billion and use that 600-700 billion to invest in our people?

Lots of good high paying jobs for Americans in that overblown defense budget.