How can a cheap American buy a HOUSE in the 1st. World ?

And who says that the benefits of modern society are a temporary safety?
Just because Franklin said it doesn't make it any more than a saccharine homily.

 

Unh uh! Nope! It's a matter of priorities. Freedom is dangerous and costly. It demands your alertness, self discipline, energy, self reliance, and willigness to be vulnerable (courage). And sometimes it costs blood, both sacrifice and willing to kill.
Security and safety ALWAYS, ALWAYS leads to enslavement. Ask the many people unhappy in high salaried jobs if they aren't caught in the "velvet" trap. They'd like to do something else with their life, but feel trapped by life style and indebtedness. They can't figure how to survive on a lower salary in a more satisfying job. And when people look to govt for security? Inviting the fox in the hen house!

 

If you must rely on cruise missiles for your safety your society has failed. The US thinks that it can live safe and engender freedom with drones and bombs.

When you spend more on weapons than the rest of the world combined you no longer analyze conflict and seek compromise, you morph into a steroid supercharged tattoo covered thug strutting his stuff who fixes problems by smashing them.
The Iran situation is presently bubbling away .

 

Yes, we can hear the (war) drums, Fernando

If the USA was to decrease its military spending significantly, what would
they do with the hundreds of thousands suddenly unemployed in allied
industries?

I don't doubt that the USA could re-structure its industrial base, and very
well, but it would be painful for many for quite a while. Politically it would be
a very bitter fight. It certainly doesn't seem likely to even start if one of
the current Republican candidates get into office.

 

I agree Michael,
Our govt is out of control and has been for awhile. Personally, I don't have any tattoos. Unusual maybe for a seaman. I explain it that I have enough scars, I don't need further disfiguring with tatoos.

 

And yet the vast majority keep voting in politicians that promise them security and safety.
Maybe it's not as big an issue as you think it is

 

It's a HUGE issue that the sheeple are taking us down that path. Where's our american cohones? Courage isn't blowing up smaller countries halfway around the world or restricting the rights of others and losing ours in the process! It's taking resposibility for ourself! I'll get off the soap box now.

 

The biggest threat to American security is Mexico. You will not be able to fix Mexico with bombs, you will have to go in with vast piles of dollars and improve Mexico's infracture and civil society.

Each time the defense budget it cut, these savings should be funneled into assitance programs that increase the quality of life in countries who represent a future threat.



Happy societies dont make war. Happy neighbors bring domestic security

 

http://calculator.livingto100.com/calculator/start/3

Interesting link here. Says I'll probably live to see my 97th birthday, even though I smoke.
Course, they didn't ask if I had ever been shot, or was likely to get shot at again.

 

I agree again. And I live both in Mexico and the USA. I'll tell you a little secret. Mexico is analyzing and cataloging it's natural resources. Mexico is rich in up to now unexploited mineral resources. Mexico will grow greatly in importance over next 50 years or longer! Shhh! Don't tell anybody, OK?

 

Mexico is rich...all it needs is civil society, more jobs, more industry, more opportunity for Mexicans. This is complex and always requires international help. For America this means aiming a supercharged NAFTA cannon at Mexico to allow them to use their low wage competitive advantage. There is no need to import anything from China.

 

The biggest problem in Mexico is class distinction. My wife's family are wonderfull people. They treat me like a son. Like a prince. They're members of the ruling priveledged class. I'm not complaining about them or their culture. But there are severe inequalities in Mexico. The indian mexicans are predominantly very poor, uneducated, and desperate. Many live and work on ranches much as did serfs in medieval europe. They're paid a pittance wage, given a hovel to live in and their food, which they help raise most of.
Highlight of the week is whole families climbing aboard a ranch owned cattle truck (in back) and coming to town Sunday. After mass, they do a little clothes shopping, eat food and ice cream from street venders and return to ranch before dark.
Their greatest health problem is the ranch cantina. Cheap liter bottles of beer and cheap tequila. Most of the men are alcoholics.
When there are ocassional indian uprisings, they're gunned down.
The mexican govt "protects" them.
What's the solution to THAT problem?

 

Most of the mexicans illegally in the US are indians. Desperate for some way to escape their poverty.
The aristocrats fly in on jets and have visas.

 

Mexico has abundant natural resources, rich farmland, seaports and a population that isn't scared of hard work. What it doesn't have is a tradition of honest government, and integrity in public servants....

 

You only call this majority "sheeple" because they disagree with you and your
priorities. In fact, this majority manages to get candidates into positions of
power: it disseminates their propaganda and votes for them.

These same sheeple seem to vastly outnumber those with your beliefs and
they have politically out-manoeuvred you, directly or indirectly, probably for
your entire voting life. Not bad for a mob of sheep!

On the other hand, it's the same in most countries: the majority of people
have almost no say over foreign affairs and military actions, i.e. realpolitik.

Thanks for the use of your soapbox!