Let's be aware, were not even giving our troops proper armor and helmets vs IEDs, nor are we taking care of vets who lost their minds (and body parts) fighting for freedom. Instead, were cutting fat checks to Lockheed Martin for experimental tanks with active camouflage, or planes that are way too expensive and don't work very well.
So we're not just spending tax dollars on the military, we're spending it badly on the military, and then cheating our soldiers of their benefits (who we funnel from the poor who have no other opportunities).
Joining the armed forces will ruin your life, unless you personally know a governor or senator who will vouch for your character. And then still you have to get past senior officers who want to ruin you.
Also every year in the service, roll a D20. On a 1 you're either dead or too shot up / blown up to have a quality of life. You get to live the rest of your life a shell of who you once were.
Counter-recruitment writes itself.
It feels like one of the few positive outcomes of the Cold War was the Sputnik shock.
The public and politicians suddenly got very worried about actual scientific competitiveness and winning a competitive race on something other than bombs.
I wish we'd have a similar moment when it came to China and infrastructure.
This is a country that was built by railroads. Even today, you can see the strings of towns spaced to the size of a steam locomotive's water capacity. But what do we see from that legacy now? The Acela, an effort that would barely be competitive in the 1970s, on a minimal set of routes. Meanwhile, the Chinese are laughing from the windows of their 300kph trains.
(Yes, I'm aware that American freight rail is efficient and impressive, but somehow almost every other industrialized country has figured this one out)
Tbf, the US has to spend 10$ for every one China spends to be able to project to our allies that China threatens geopolitically, and that cost gap is what most people talk about when they worry about China pulling ahead.
The other kind of person are racists who are still upset that China might have a big influential economy, like it has had since the dawn of human civilization.
Here in the US, the rail system is privately owned and barely maintained. Employees responsible for identifying problems with sections of rail are regularly intimidated and fired for pointing out maintenance issues that could (and do) cause derailments.
In perfect world, we would have high speed rail across the US and even regionally, but that is not the world we live in.
Somebody should probably mention the fact that there are storm clouds a-brewing on China's economic horizon as well. And that's not to mention their little demography problem.
I'm not bashing China, I just want to provide a little perspective.
That's not true, they also defund the IRS and give their rich buddies tax cuts.
This is mostly Republicans
You know that guy he was a famous war general and then president who like decades ago warned everyone about the military industrial complex...yup we had no warnings to stop it... nope
Fuck China. Fuck the CCP. But damn if they don't get shit done.
Isn't it obvious? It's because the US will act as the "world's police" as a cover to steal countries' oil, that's how the US competes with China.
It doesn't help that elected officials are not experts in the areas that are critical for competition. The testimonies from tech companies in DC is a clear example.
