West Virginia Republican: The minimum wage is archaic

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

You can't hit a nerve with horsecrap. And you sure don't hit one by heaping more of the same onto that pile.

Let's use proofs and links then shall we ?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_I_casualties

In WW1 US had over 117,000 casualties and over 200,000 wounded.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_II_casualties

In WW2 the US had over 450,000 casualties.

The Cold War cost the US trillions of dollars and countless deaths...all while the eastern half of Germany was occupied. Does Iron Curtain, Berlin Air Lift, Berlin Wall and/or Check Point Charlie ring a bell ?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_Curtain

Now let's move the clock up a bit. The break up of the former Yugoslavia starts up the next round of European genocide, and what does the rest of Europe do to stop this ? Try a big fat zero. It was the US that brokered the peace talks between Croatia, Serbia, and Bosnia and it was the US that pushed NATO into bombing Belgrade to get the Serbs attention so to say.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yugoslav_wars

Now we have the "fall of the Berlin Wall"...and remember the Cold War cost the US a lot more money than the Germans, yet it is the Germans in the western half of Germany that are still complaining over the cost of unification.

Now you have to start looking further east as to Europe's most obvious problem in regards to any up coming wars. Russia. Russia is by far Europe's greatest threat to peace. The Kremlin has taken dictatorship, censorship, and murder (just to name a few) to a new level in Europe for the 21st century yet it's Germany along with a few other greedy Western European country's that feed the Russian bear...so to say. While Putin was helping to rig elections in Ukraine, murdering journalist, human rights workers, and anyone else he deems a threat to his dictatorship, Gerhard Schröder kissed Putins ####### to no end while selling out his fellow EU and NATO members to Germany's east.

Germany couldn't get Poland into NATO fast enough, in fact it was Germany that pushed the hardest for Poland's fast tract into NATO. Of course Germany isn't stupid, the Germans know that Poland lies between it and Russia (if you don't count Belarus). So what does Shroder do when Russia threatens to turn off the gas pipes to the Baltics ? He gives up everything NATO has worked for and prostitutes himself for the Kremlin. He couldn't push Nordstream hard enough seeing how he was on the Kremlin's pay roll. Pretty pathetic when a world leader for a country such as Germany sells his soul to the very country that occupied Germany for decades.

Shroder marry's a Russian, moves to Russia, and is officially on the Kremlin pay roll... but on his way out the door of the German Chancellory he pushes for Merkel knowing Merkel is the next Kremlin employee in line to run Germany. Estonia gets threatened by Russia, Ukraine gets threatened with nukes by Russia (See Ukraine NATO MAP and Germany - Russia response), and what does Germany do ? LOL...try a big fat nothing other than stroke Russia's ego by signing a contract for the Nordstream Project with Putin while helping to gut the Nabucco project.

The EU has no army to stop anyone, especially Russia. If it weren't for NATO, the Baltics and Ukraine would be Russian Oblast in no time flat. So yes, those US military bases in Europe are needed by the Europeans who do give a ####### about their sovereign status and democracy.

It get's more involved if you get into Yuko's, Putin, Shroeder, and big money...but there isn't enough time in the day to get into all of what's involved when it comes to the total picture.

Edited October 17, 2010 by Why_Me

[Heracles 417]

Let me get this straight, America is bankrupt and you advocate it still protect Europe? America does not have enough money to pay for its own troops, with out borrowing the money from China [ironically], let alone protect Europe. That is crazy bud. It's also why Europeans waste jack ###### on military expenditure, as they have their stupid protector to burn up their cash. When you think about it, this dependency sounds like something repubs complain about frequently, does it not.

America is literally crumbling and the Q.O.L has gone down the toilet, yet many still want a top notch Military, that protects the world. Realistically, what are there to protect? The thousands of ghettos? The millions of Mobile Homes? The dead Rust Belt? The dead small towns? It's as silly as hiring a multi-million dollar security force to protect a waste yard.

How about protecting the dying middle glass and the dead American dream first, then worry about the big bad soviets rising up and coming after you.

Edited October 17, 2010 by Heracles

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

Let me get this straight, America is bankrupt and you advocate it still protect Europe? America does not have enough money to pay for its own troops, with out borrowing the money form China [ironically], let alone protect Europe. That is crazy bud.

America is literally crumbling and the Q.O.L has gone down the toilet, yet many still want a top notch Military, that protects the world. Realistically, what are they protecting? The thousands of ghettos? The millions of Mobile Homes? The dead Rust Belt? The dead small towns?

How about protecting the dying middle glass and the dead American dream first, then worry about the big bad soviets rising up and coming after you again.

I totally agree that we shouldn't have to cover Europe's ####### like we have for so many decades. It's costing us billions. Yet ...and I say "yet"...if Russia takes a bite out of Europe for the fact we close our bases over there, the US is right back into the fray of things. Russia is a threat to Europe and it's a big one at that. It's also a threat to the US. Russia holds Europe by the short hairs seeing how it supplies most of Europe's gas and oil. If Russia turns off the gas taps to Europe, Europe is screwed.

The EU should build it's own military force IMO, but with Germany pulling most of the strings as far as the EU is concerned, I don't see a EU military force ever coming about. Russia doesn't want the EU to have it's own formidable military force, and what Russia wants, Germany does....

Edited October 17, 2010 by Why_Me

[Heracles 417]

I have two concerns about this. The first being the US wasting money to protect Europe, the second being the unabated wastage [blank check] on defense expenditure, like private contractors who live it up while the country suffers big-time. It's the equivalent of worrying about the paint color of your next new car, while you are actually homeless and starving.

I totally agree that we shouldn't have to cover Europe's ####### like we have for so many decades. It's costing us billions. Yet ...and I say "yet"...if Russia takes a bite out of Europe for the fact we close our bases over there, the US is right back into the fray of things. Russia is a threat to Europe and it's a big one at that. It's also a threat to the US. Russia hold Europe by the short hairs seeing how it supplies most of Europe's gas and oil. If Russia turns off the gas taps to Europe, Europe is screwed.

You know what, if they do want protection, then charge them a fee. Otherwise tell them to protect themselves.

Americans should not have to suffer, have to go without, so that Europeans or anyone else feels safe.

Edited October 17, 2010 by Heracles

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Let's use proofs and links then shall we ?

Dude, I grew up less than a mile from that wall. I am well aware of German and European history. I am also aware that the US involved itself in Europe post WW2 out of sheer self interest. You should be aware of that, too. Containment ring a bell? Truman doctrine?

[Danno 1,228]

So the US has no money for anything else - well any investments on Americans - but can find all the money in the world for foreign bases. Can also find the money to pay the ever so hungry and needy private contractors.

I'll never understand this mentality of middle-Americans. Many whom live in poor conditions, in mobile homes, with shitty to no benefits from their place of employment, shitty health care access and high costs, use shitty infrastructure [or lack of], live in run-down dilapidated towns with no money for any improvements, need to rely on walmarts, no hope of improving their Q.O.L etc etc etc [basically stay poor], all seem to have no problem with military expenditure. It's truly bizarre.

FRom what I hear, a lot of folks were ready to get on the "Government is Daddy" bandwagon but they see Countries one after the next, going under and Now they are thinking twice.

The only shinning example of Big-Gov working out is AU.....and let's be honest....they are still wet behind the ears, who knows what that little Pup will grow up to be?

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

Dude, I grew up less than a mile from that wall. I am well aware of German and European history. I am also aware that the US involved itself in Europe post WW2 out of sheer self interest. You should be aware of that, too. Containment ring a bell? Truman doctrine?

So let me see if I have this correct. You were raised in West Berlin yet you don't have a bloody clue in regards to why that wall was built in the first place ? ####### ? You never heard of the Berlin Airlift ? And if you have I am guessing you don't have a clue as to what that was about eh ? Check Point Charlie was all a hoax right ?

Who or what was going to stop the Russians from rolling right over the rest of Germany and Western Europe back then ? The Germans ? lol It was the Russians who went through Germany like a hot knife through butter. If it wasn't for the US using the atom bomb on Japan to show Stalin that we had it, Stalin would have used the rest of Germany like a two dollar crack h0 just like he did to not only the eastern half of Germany, but all of Eastern Europe.

If it wasn't for the US breaking the USSR financially during the Cold War/Arms race, the commies would still be occupying Eastern Europe along with the eastern half of Germany. You can thank the USA for German unification not to mention it was with the help of the USA that Germany was rebuilt from ashes and ruble in the first place.

[Ban Hammer 14,271]

he wasn't in the western part.

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

he wasn't in the western part.

That explains a lot in regards to his post. If the education in regards to history in former East Germany was anything like the rest of Soviet occupied Eastern Europe, then it was more like a brainwashing session than a history lesson.

He probably doesn't even know about the Berlin Airlift, East Germans dying trying to cross into the West, and/or Russian troops rolling into Eastern Germany in 1953 to crush a workers rebellion. Prague Spring of 1968 probably was never mentioned in his schooling either along with the Russians massacring Hungarians during their rebellion in 1956. The Russians even rolled tanks into the Baltic country's during the "Singing Revolution" in hopes of crushing it not to mention they loaded the Polish border with tanks and troops during Lech Walesa's moment in the sun.

Edited October 17, 2010 by Why_Me

[Ban Hammer 14,271]

someone assumes much.

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

someone assumes much.

My wife was raised in Belarus when it was part of the former USSR. Her schooling in regards to history is a bad joke if anything. The commies controlled all the media and schools. Some people think that western life was similar to life behind the Iron Curtain. Not hardly.

[Ban Hammer 14,271]

My wife was raised in Belarus when it was part of the former USSR. Her schooling in regards to history is a bad joke if anything. The commies controlled all the media and schools. Some people think that western life was similar to life behind the Iron Curtain. Not hardly.

he's not the average eastern german. he's dayum bright - and successful here in the usa.

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

he's not the average eastern german. he's dayum bright - and successful here in the usa.

I never said he wasn't "bright", I said he lacked knowledge in regards to the Cold War/Iron Curtain and how the US played a roll in all of it.

What's your take on it Charles ? Do you think the Cold War/Iron Curtain never existed ? I can understand the younger generation not having the same knowledge about it as my generation seeing how we were alive and kicking during the Cold War, and I know for a fact that the peoples of Eastern Europe during the time of Soviet Occupation were had blinders put on them by their government.

Now either there was a Cold War, Berlin Wall, Berlin Airlift, and crushed rebellions, etc....or it was all a giant hoax...

Edited October 17, 2010 by Why_Me

[Ban Hammer 14,271]

I never said he wasn't "bright", I said he lacked knowledge in regards to the Cold War/Iron Curtain and how the US played a roll in all of it.

What's your take on it Charles ? Do you think the Cold War/Iron Curtain never existed ? I can understand the younger generation not having the same knowledge about it as my generation seeing how we were alive and kicking during the Cold War, and I know for a fact that the peoples of Eastern Europe during the time of Soviet Occupation were had blinders put on them by their government.

Now either there was a Cold War, Berlin Wall, Berlin Airlift, and crushed rebellions, etc....or it was all a giant hoax...

you're assuming he does not know much about it - but he does.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

So let me see if I have this correct. You were raised in West Berlin yet you don't have a bloody clue in regards to why that wall was built in the first place? #######? You never heard of the Berlin Airlift? And if you have I am guessing you don't have a clue as to what that was about eh? Check Point Charlie was all a hoax right?

Who or what was going to stop the Russians from rolling right over the rest of Germany and Western Europe back then ? The Germans ? lol It was the Russians who went through Germany like a hot knife through butter. If it wasn't for the US using the atom bomb on Japan to show Stalin that we had it, Stalin would have used the rest of Germany like a two dollar crack h0 just like he did to not only the eastern half of Germany, but all of Eastern Europe.

If it wasn't for the US breaking the USSR financially during the Cold War/Arms race, the commies would still be occupying Eastern Europe along with the eastern half of Germany. You can thank the USA for German unification not to mention it was with the help of the USA that Germany was rebuilt from ashes and ruble in the first place.

You have it wrong - I was raised on the dark side of the iron curtain. I am well aware of the history of the wall and why it was built. And I know what the Berlin Airlift was - one of the greatest accomplishments of the US military ever. Yes, it was the US that kept the Soviets from advancing their control over Europe any more than they had as a result of WWII. And yet, none of that disputes what I have said here previously: that all of it was done as a result of sheer US self interest. The defense of West Berlin, the rebuilding of the Western part of Germany and Western Europe and NATO - all of that served what the US had defined as it's foreign policy goal: containment. Go read up on the Truman doctrine. It's all right there. And that is really all there is to it.

Edited October 17, 2010 by Mr. Big Dog