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The common ground has been there, but I just don't think the issues dominate politics today. It's a popularity contest. 2008: Dems masterfully slipped in the "first black President". He was the cool new guy and didn't fit the old, grumpy, lack-luster politician look that McCain had going on. 2012: Romney reeked of snobby rich guy, and Obama just put out the zingers during the debate and everyone drooled over the "cool-guy" persona again. 2016: The media shoves Clinton's "credentials" down our throat and calls her the "most qualified candidate in history" - just 4 years after telling us that being qualified wasn't "cool" and that we needed less politicians and more cool guys like Obama that treat the President's podium like a celebrity roast. Also, the moderates aren't in control of the media... So as a moderate Republican, all I hear is: -Don't want to jail/kill a cop for shooting someone who acted like they had a gun, or actually did have a gun pointed at the cop?-> Racist -Want to vet immigrants from a war torn country? -> Islamaphobe -Are you a successful straight white male? -> Everything was given to you. -Unsuccessful woman, gay, and/or black? -> You're not successful because the straight white male dominated system is out to get you.

I wouldn't say nothing.

Similar vein:

Almost everything a liberal says registers as bullsh1t to me, but ever since I realized my brain is wired differently than half of Americans, and everything I say comes off as bullsh1t to the other half, I've been a less angry person. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[comment cut down to reduce the wall of text, not to speak directly to the words I left in the quote] mb1685 nailed it. I don't have much to add except to say the point I was trying to make earlier is that you're missing the forest from the trees if you think "liberals" are the problem with America right now. As a very specific example, while Republicans are busy fighting Planned Parenthood over abortion, Comcast is gobbling up all of the information channels and chomping at the bit to crush competition as soon as net neutrality is repealed by the incoming administration. The whole Republican branding of Democrats as dirty, misinformed hippies was probably accurate 20-40 years ago, but isn't true at all anymore. I wouldn't have been a supporter of the liberals back then, but today, it's hard for me to support candidates who promote corporate welfare while cutting benefits for the average American, or blame immigration for job loss when it's actually a combination of technology replacing jobs, workers not receiving education/retraining for new jobs, and soaring university tuition costs. And I'm with you on your indifference, though. I barely have feelings in real life, and I definitely don't have them on here. I do like to reading different opinions though. I agree, but Trump pretty much created the media on his own with his Tweets and general behavior. I don't have a defense for Hillary. I think she has the personality of a cardboard box. Thanks dudes for the good conversation. This forum is boring when everyone agrees.

Tired of the popular vote argument. Let's not forget how many people didn't vote at all. How much motivation do you think there is for a Trump supporter to stand in line to vote in California when the chance is 100% it won't matter? I'd bet if the criteria for president was popular vote, Trump would have won. Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network Forums

I do it intentionally including and especially to those who wish me "Happy Holidays." 99% of the time you can see the relief on the well-wisher's face that they aren't A) going to be sued or called racist and that B) some traditions remain. I started to post the below in the "leaving for the airlines thread" since it essentially dealt with a form of stop-loss. But in the time from work to driving home, the powers that be caved to liberal pressure so to here it is posted: Rockettes must perform With this as a nice chaser: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/dec/23/donald-trump-voters-revenge-giving-holidays-christmas-gifts-donations Tell me again how it'sboth sides that need to "get along?"

Even further complicating the issue is that most of the 11Bs who do go reserves are min-participating TRs and fly their 737 or A320 more than a Buff or Bone. Good on them, but bad on us for not doing what's necessary to make it worth their while to stick around on a more full-time basis. I know the AFPC functional, and I trust his intentions are good. The intent isn't being met at the OG level. We had two inbound instructors picked off for other on-base assignments just recently. FTU Priority 1, right? Not so much, it seems...

Do you have a source for this? I'm not arguing about it, I'm genuinely interested to see statistics showing it to be the case. I would think it's because of the population differences, but not to that extent. Truth. The biggest problem is that the MSM and the parties themselves only portray the insane extremism of either side, which brings out the crazies on each side, which polarizes the non-crazies of each party even more, and all of a sudden you have a self-perpetuating machine of idiocy Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network Forums

Especially since they located the B-1 Reserve at Dyess. I know dozens of people who don't want to live in Abilene for the rest of their lives, but would have jumped at the chance to live in Rapid City permanently.

The 11B exodus to fill white jet cockpits has already begun with no sign that it's getting better. Our line squadrons and FTU are already feeling the resultant pinch. All those guys were ACs six months to a year from IP upgrade, and now they're gone. The Buff FTU is getting a T-1 FAIP and a new UPT T-1 grad in our next class, so it seems Chang's nefarious plan is already in motion.

I honestly believe Trump played the election perfectly. He won the Republican primary by playing on our frustrations with the party elites. Then he continued that strategy and amped up the "any press is good press" tactic when going against Clinton. He basically turned the media so hard against him that they started spouting obvious nonsense 24/7 and calling it "facts". The "fact-checker" they did after every debate was so politically biased it was laughable, and it didn't fool anyone. Then he basically verbalized what every politician has been doing since the day they were born - lying. He said "no I didn't" and "wrong" about a million times, instead of saying "I don't recall" or just switching the topic completely (which is what Clinton did, and also what most politicians do). Finally, he campaigned last minute in a bunch of different swing states when Clinton was probably sipping champagne with billionaires and movie stars, talking about how easy this election was to win. Agreed. I actually love the right vs. left brawl this thread has become. Makes politics so much more interesting. Lay it all out on the table, call me on my bullsh!t and I'll call you on yours. That's the best way to debate.

That's funny right there...I don't care who you are.

Sidebar conversation... What is up with all the "liberals" slurs on this board. Every time I see that word, all I can picture is Rush Limbaugh foaming at the mouth while a bunch of curmudgeonly middle aged men smugly laugh. It's unoriginal. It's devoid of thought. And it seems you've forgotten that the majority of voters did NOT vote for Trump. The idea that there is a nation-wide rejection of "nationwide rejection of transgendered, trans-fatted, trans-national, 'we know better than you' attitude of the current Administration, the majority of the media, and the well-insulated liberals in the coastal enclaves" is preposterous. Tiny sample size, but about half of the pilots in my fighter squadron say they, "lean left." Like most Americans, myself included, we tend to lean left on social issues and conservative on financial issues... but it isn't black and white. It isn't the "us vs them" mentality perpetuated by Karl Rove and co. Stick to the facts instead of sweeping generalization and political non-sense. Put some arguments back into these posts instead of the Facebook standard "liberals... blah blah" "Obama... rabble rabble" etc.

Sorry, I can't hold back anymore. Chang, you're an idiot! NO IT DID NOT "work out!" To the outsider looking into the pilot community you might think this is a good thing, but it is not! Virtually nothing has been done to improve our QOL by the AF. Sure, we have a couple of civilians floating around the squadron trying to help out. Honestly, they suck. I find myself avoiding them because they are so incompetent and always asking me questions about how to do their job. They've even started to task me to get them stuff. I'm sure they'll get better but so far it hasn't helped. Other than that nothing has been done. I'm under a year until my commitment is up and with each passing day I am more and more convinced to leave this train wreck. It's not even a sinking ship to me anymore...it's a full fledged train wreck. The bonus situation ended up being a huge negative and I don't even think the AF realizes it yet. Targeted bonuses to certain communities? Well, now you just pissed off those communities that aren't "targeted." $35K? Sounds like a slap in the face after the AF told us they were going for $48K. The House's first version of the NDAA had $60K. Now that $35K is downright insulting. The message that has been sent loud and clear now is that either the AF or Congress or both think that only increasing the bonus to compensate for inflation is enough. Well, it's not. I've been jerked around for a decade and I'm ready to live where I want to live. I'm ready to decide how I want to spend my time off, and not be told I have to engage in the mandatory fun or volunteer activities that the AF deems worthy. I'm ready to actually do the job I'm trained to do instead of a bunch of meaningless "tasks" that make those over me look good if I do a good job. I'm tired of SAPR or green dot training or whatever they decide to call it next. I'm not a rapist and I'm tired of being treated like a 2 year old. I don't want to spend a year away from my family in an awful location building power point slides for some guy that everyone bows too while also hating. I'm sick of this dysfunctional social experiment and I'm ready to get my life back. Good riddance.

To follow up, if the board offers the Officer continuation and the Officer turns it down, he is not given invol separation pay. Same with writing a DNP me letter, no invol sep pay given. AFI 36-2501 2.10.3. Title 10, U.S.C., Section 617, Reports of Selection Boards requires that the board shall include in its report the name of any officer the board did not recommend for promotion who requested not to be promoted or otherwise caused nonselection through written communication to the board. 2.10.3.2. An officer who causes his/her non-selection through communication to a selection board is not entitled to involuntary separation pay. Re: writing letters and still getting promoted - I see Learjetter's side of the story, and while I don't agree with the direction, it's understandable. Realize board members aren't the ones to get upset at, blame SECAF, HAF/A1, and AFPC guidance.

Troll status: Confirmed. Sent from my iPhone using Baseops Network Forums

An agency or even several being politicized in the IC? Say it ain't so! But don't bring up CENTCOM's J2 and the watered down reports on ISIS that 40+ analysts hit the "BS" button on. Or the CIA's director's (ok, acting director) direct, personal coordination on the Benghazi was a video demonstration gone bad. Or conflicting assessments prior to the Arab Spring but only the rosy ones being accepted and briefed. Nope, no history of a politicized IC. BTW, the ODNI is not an intel agency. It is a coordinating body for the IC. Which, again, BTW, was created as a result of the Director of Central Intelligence not doing his job prior to 9/11 and that Administration not wanting to admit it was wrong. Hint, the clue of who was responsible for being the coordinator of the IC was in the job title. Set up by the same act that created Big Blue for some history learnin' for ya. But since politics demanded that no one be blamed for the inter-agency FUBAR, another entity is created. Another layer of bueracracy (sp?) and more money is poured on the political wound of an IC gone wild. There are a lot of good people in the IC who want to do their jobs and tell the truth as they know it. Senior level management is very politicized and responds to the political masters for their own personal agendas and for assuring larger future budgets. Which often times equates to the same thing. Sound familiar? edited for J-code buffoonery

To clarify, if they, the Russians, hacked voting machines to change votes and screwed with results, that's pretty serious and worth changing DEFCON. If it's propaganda and spending money to stir the pot, then fair enough. We do it; can't blame them for doing it. Still don't think they did it. Much easier to cry "wolf!' than defend the crap contained in Hillary's e-mails and the DNC's. If the press chases that ball, there's less ink spilled on the real news revealed by Assange. The press also has a vested interest to discourage coverage of the damaging e-mails since so many of them were revealed to be in the tank for Hillary - sending stories for an "ok" prior to running; revealing GOP dirt to the campaign and not publishing the dirt until it was coordinated with the DNC; dancing at Hillary's nomination event; having dinner with the campaign a week prior to its announcing itself; literally providing debate questions to Hillary; and on and on and on. But I hold to my position that the Russians would have an easier time putting it to Hillary (how's THAT for a visual...) than Trump. Hillary & Co., to include, especially, the so-called MSM, simply can't fathom that they were wrong. It's us, not them. According to them anyway...

Errr, fcuking with a national election and therefore the national infrastructure is pretty much a casus belli. I have not been recalled to active duty yet. Did I miss the call/text? I am not buying it. I could absolutely believe that the current Administration wouldn't do anything about it if it were true, but the fact that the IC is not in lock-step on this happening makes me lean toward an excuse of why Hillary lost since she wasn't supposed to according to all the Democrats and all the standard media. It couldn't have been her. Nope, gotta be the Russki's... They rolled her once before on the "reset" and have pretty much had their way like drunken Vikings with the rest of the current Administration, including the infamous "I'll have more room to maneuver" comment made by the soon to be ex-President back in the run-up to 2012. Why on earth would Vlad want take on an unknown (at best) or a guy who has stated he is for America first yet can work a deal as well? Yep, the logic checks yet again. Gotta be the Russki's...

Not to defend the F-35 but I will just defend the F-35... Imitation is the most sincere form of flattery... https://breakingdefense.com/2014/05/chinese-air-chief-tells-lockheed-i-love-the-f-35/ and there is the Norwegian exchange pilot's defense of the 35 in the WVR fight where a lot of arrows have been cast... https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/update-norwegian-pilot-counters-leaked-f-35-dogfi-422552/ I've been critical here on BO . net (FWIW) against the F-35 but I get the overall sense that we are muddling our way with a shit load of money out of the total clusterf*ck that was the early stages of the program and will end up with a good airplane, albeit one that has sucked the oxygen away from a lot of other programs that we needed to fill the wide range of missions we need to do (LAAR, JCA, more 22's, etc...) but it will come to a realistically acceptable solution: a great airplane (hopefully) but a f'ing awful acquisition program...

In this day and age of aviation technology which the F-35 allegedly belongs to, you would think that the radar would be able to sort itself out. For example, during engine start, if a motor on the 787 encounters a problem, it will stop the start, motor the engine, and reattempt start 3 times all by itself before it gives up. You would think an electronic glitch on the radar would easily trip a function to reboot the system itself.

This is a stupid article. Radars require restarting sometimes. It's not a big deal. And yes, the fix is to turn it off then back on.

FWIW there were nearly 2x more Hillary voters in Texas than in Massachusetts. There were also more than 3x more Trump voters in California than in Alabama. Its easy to just assume that all Hillary voters are hippy late-sipping costal elites or that all Trump voters are slack-jawed white nationalists from flyover country, but the facts say otherwise. If as a country we're going to continue having close Presidential elections (2000, 2004, 2016) and divided government in Washington (most years), we need to do a better job of working to find common ground rather than assuming the worst about the "other side." That can be tough, but we need to try harder if we actually want to fix Washington rather than just talk about fixing it or railing against it. Most voters aren't nearly as polarized as the parties would have you believe.

As noted by others above, "liberal" today doesn't mean what it used to. And as I intend it is most definitely a pejorative. Likewise, for most of the media which is synonymous with liberal. A liberal of old was open-minded and looked at all angles and came to a conclusion based on the evidence, facts, and the internal deliberation. Today's liberal is the opposite. And after the last eight years of being at fault because I am a white, hetereosexual, Christian-ish military officer (ret) from the South (pretty much the full monty for being to blame for everything) for the complete and utter buffoonery of the current Administration and its lap-dog press (imagine the 24/7 slanted, blaming coverage of Deepwater Horizon, the lack of results for the $1 trillion stimulus that didn't, the IRS targeting U.S. citizens, the President of the United States literally targeting U.S. citizens without benefit of a trial and then executing them via Hellfire, leaving Iraq in "truimph" only to be back in a far worse position today, etc, etc, etc, to the finale of Russian "hacking" but doing nothing about it until after the election), I am deeply and personally invested in rejecting that mantra. That much of what others want or want to tear down was largely, but not completely, built by those like me from past generations, I scoff at those who want to tear it down. It would appear that I am not alone. Trump was simply the means to an end for me. He wasn't my preferred candidate, but he won the nomination and I would have defected to North Korea before voting for Hillary (and her skewed nomination system is a whole 'nother thread). Since it gave a nice raised middle finger as well to the establishment Republicans who are essentially Democrat-lite, I am enjoying that discomfort and groveling that is occurring from them as well. As noted above, I dropped my Republican party affiliation in disgust. A pox on both parties since they have been responsible for the leviathan that is government at all levels, but especially at the federal level. I don't cotton much to being told what to do, how to do it, and how much of my labor's investment should be given to those who tell me they "know better." Again, it would appear that I am not alone. Finally, although it is very difficult to discern personalities or proclivities via short notes as on this thread, I would, however, think that perhaps I was taught wrong in my schoolin'. It would seem that snowflakes are indeed identical. So being directed "Stick to the facts instead of sweeping generalization and political non-sense. Put some arguments back into these posts instead of the Facebook standard "liberals... blah blah" "Obama... rabble rabble" etc." certainly seems directive and not a suggestion. If my writing is not to your standards, feel free to ignore it or rebut it. Either way, I am indifferent. I do, however, thank you for your service and commend you on completing the long, difficult road to being a fighter pilot. I wish we had a lot more of you. So sayeth one of the "bunch of curmudgeonly middle aged men[who] smugly laugh."