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Want to remind you guys that this is not something that has been like this. In fact, there are multiple studies showing that for the alpha variant this was not and is not the case - it more effectively prevented transmission in the original strains. Lets not pretend like this was expected or some conspiracy. Delta changed things, and now we must update our expectations and game plan. This is actually how science works.

Hell no. It’s a ways off, but if Trump is the nominee in 2024 I may go 3rd party. Not super excited about that possibility, but that’s why I plan to vote in the primary next time and have some say on that aspect of the process. Trump is no leader and his narcissistic personality is not going to reunite the country or set us back on the right path. He’s right on much of what he says and the policies he tried to implement, but it’s not always about just having the right ideas. You have to sell those ideas beyond just your base, and I think Trump struggled at that. Maybe I’m crazy, but I still believe there is someone out there in this country that can stand up to far leftist bullshit, be professional, and have the best interests of all Americans in mind, and still not bring the baggage that Donald Trump does. My best guess though, I don’t think Trump will run next cycle. Anyway, back to Biden saying gibberish from his White House set across the street from the actual White House.

The motto of our entire acquisitions process

I have seen guys well past 10 beers and multiple shots of Weed that speak more coherently than that addled senile man.

I voted for Trump twice and I agreed with nearly all of his policies. But, I’ve got to admit that the real tipping point for this country will be if he runs again. Not if he wins. If he simply announces his intention to run. I hope the pendulum swings hard right but it’s got to be with someone other than Trump.

I wonder what big blue is going to insert in to me next......I trust DOD leadership.

https://thefederalist.com/2021/10/07/joe-bidens-vaccine-mandate-doesnt-exist-its-just-a-press-release/

Not even close ... you must be listening to people who are ignorant. The left isn't even close to classically liberal much less conservative.

Holy shit man. When does this stop? We are on a train with no brakes.

Agreed. I will be voting in a primary for the first time in my life if Trump runs again in order to try and do whatever I can to prevent it. And like you, I voted for him twice (and don’t regret it). But yes, the future of this country is not Trumpism.

https://www.visir.is/g/20212167101d/stodva-notkun-boluefnis-moderna-her-a-landi-i-ljosi-nyrra-gagna "Safe and effective" - USAF

He’s making a very strong case to being worse than Carter and Obama. And we aren’t even 1 year in. Likely beyond his control and is only in this spot because of his handlers. And ruining his legacy. Well what there was of it anyways.

Well it’s settled, CH is running in ‘24.

If you choose to stay in and are the type that is going to use mloa to enhance your schedule, don't be the jackass that brags about it when you're around co-workers who can't do such things. It happens a bit more than I'd ever have imagined and as a fellow mil dude, there nothing more cringeworthy.

@VMFA187 Did a great job of raising important questions and issues, let me try to calmly pitch in because I simply don't understand how a rationale person agrees with much of what Biden has done AND many of the socialist policies his is supporting if not pushing. To be completely open and honest, I voted for Trump. I found it a painful thing to do for several reasons the most important being I found him to be a bloviating narcissist. Additionally it might surprise you but I am socially liberal; I support gay rights including marriage, I am 51% in favor of abortion (it is abhorrent, but as a nation based on personal freedoms I don't think the government has the right to tell a woman what to do inside her body...we will circle back Jenn to that one shortly), and I think we need some social safety nets to protect those who can't protect themselves. That being said, Biden is an absolute idiot who is clearly in mental decline. He has been wrong on EVERY foreign policy decision over the past 50 years. I would invite you to read Chris Wallace's new book on the Neptune Spear for more on that topic. In totality I believed as a nation we would be in a better situation and I think that has CLEARLY played out over the last year. I think the economy is worse now and under Biden for several reasons. While both parties have issues with deficit spending, by all measures of reason Biden has taken that to a stupid level that will drive us down a dangerous road. There is much to debate about Trump's tax cuts and the impact on the national debt, but a large portion of his deficit spending was COVID expense. Is the market up under Biden? Yes, even with a 9% correction over the past two weeks (we were due), but the underlying dynamics have completely changed. We now have inflation and it is going to get worse. The repeated stimulus packages are fueling what could turn into a terrible storm given the second and third order impacts caused by global supply chain issues. In general the DNC policies (paying people not to work, $20 min wage and general malaise about getting back to work), have caused incredible secondaries throughout the market. There is currently a major shortage of truck drivers, the backbone of our supply system and I would invite you to look at the situation at the port of Los Angeles. There are so many ships lined up waiting to offload they had to tell them to stop coming. As of the report I heard yesterday there are 500,000 shipping containers waiting to be offloaded and entered into the supply chain. Also as of yesterday, there was one...I repeat ONE large crane operational and manned to offload those containers. When people don't want to work unless they are paid $100,00 a year to flip burgers, you will feel it in the system. The current administration is completely removed from reality as demonstrated by an "absurd" comment from the White House Press Secretary who thinks businesses won't pass increased taxes and costs on to consumers"There are some … who argue that, in the past, companies have passed on these costs to consumers," Psaki said. "We feel that that’s unfair and absurd, and the American people would not stand for that." How you can defend or accept comments like this is simply BEYOND me. Yes we left Afghanistan and yes it took balls. Trump started the ball rolling with a conditions based deal. A few points of order. 1. The Taliban were not in compliance with the conditions. 2. No I do not think 2500 troops could have sustained Afghanistan. 3. Biden claims his hands were tied by the deal...he undid almost every other Trump policy but this is the one that got him? Gimme an Fing break. More importantly, regardless of your opinion on the decision to leave, we left Americans behind...I say again...WE LEFT AMERICANS BEHIND. You with a straight face can say this puts us in a better position as a country? Those four words should be my only reply to this post...it should be game, set, match to anyone who has every served. Seriously? A more coherent message? Our policy is a mandate for all military, federal workers and companies that do business with the government but the hundreds of thousands of illegals that pour across our borders each month get a pass? In what universe my friend? For the record, Trump enabled the system to deliver a vaccine in record time and despite assurances from Biden he has NOT handled this better than Trump. As of yesterday more people have died of COVID under Biden than under Trump...WITH A VACCINE AND APPROVED THERAPEUTICS. I have to disagree with this twisted assessment. If you want to close loopholes I am ok with that as long as you account for the unintended consequences. A few items in particular and I would love honest feedback on how this is fair to rich people. The current U.S. economic system is already highly redistributive Taxes – How much more should the rich pay? Seriously, the DNC mantra that seems to hate rich people is “the rich should pay their fair share”…give me a freaking break. What is “fair” given the following facts from the IRS. #1. The top 1% pays 40% of the U.S. tax burden while earning 21% of all income. #2. The top 5% pays 60% of the U.S. tax burden while earning 37% of the income. You used the example of the marginal tax rate of school teachers...we should rich people have to pay a higher tax rate? If a teacher makes $50,000 and pays 10% they are paying $5,000 a year in taxes. If a rich person makes $500,000 a year and pays 10% they are paying $50,000 a year and taxes, but this is not "fair" Lunacy. Regardless, the progressive tax system is EXTREMELY unfair. Under the current tax code that rich person pays 37% or $185,000 a year in taxes...but that is not their fair share...you and Biden want more? Going back to 2012 In 2012, individuals in the bottom quintile (that is, the bottom 20 percent) of incomes (families with less than $17,104 in market income) received $27,171 on average in net benefits through all levels of government, while on average those in the top quintile (families with market incomes above $119,695) pay $87,076 more than they receive. The top 1 percent paid some $812,000 more....but that is not FAIR right? From your comments it seems you agree with the DNC that we should go after unrealized gains, I don't even have the words to describe how unfair and dangerous that is. That is straight up income redistribution right out of the communist manifesto. Again, seriously? We have a vaccine mandate, we want to tell women they don't have the freedom to control what they put in their body, but they do have control of what they take out of their body? Mixed message much? You don't find that to be authoritarian? What about the admin suppressing free speech? The Biden DOJ has again weaponized the FBI and will investigate parents who push back on school boards as DOMESTIC TERRORISTS. That should be staggering to anyone who has sworn an oath to the Constitution? And to make sure I understand the policy, it is okay to protest social injustice by burning down cities, rioting, destroying government buildings and property, and attack the police but if you attend a school board meeting and push back on Critical Race Theory you are a domestic terrorist? I actually laughed when I read your comment. #1. We abandoned Bagram and our ally in the middle of the night with no warning or notice. #2. We left Afghanistan to burn to the ground despite a conditions based agreement that was not satisfied. #3. We denied our ally air support and left them and the ones who supported us to die. #4. We negotiated with a terrorist organization and left them in charge of a country. #5. We LEFT AMERICANS BEHIND. #6. We screwed NATO. #7. We left the Brits so mad they officially condemned our President in Parliament for the first time since the war of 1812. #8. We pissed off the French so bad over a Sub deal that "Biden was unaware of", the French recalled their ambassador for the first time ever. If Trump did one thing right it was stand up to China while we still have tools and levers to pull. Pull back the curtain, China is going to go high order either internally or externally, much sooner than most think and hope. The United States could go to net zero carbon emissions and it would not make a difference, look at the numbers. The issue is China and India. I would rather see the U.S. remain energy independent and pour those taxes into innovation, accelerate a Manhattan like project toward fusion, clean energy and renewables. The only real solution seems to be fusion. Instead we have decided to wreck our energy industry, again become dependent on OPEC and others for our energy and give up the leadership position. I guess we disagree on the lesser of two evils. I see us as far weaker today.

OG is pissed because it’s his fault and he knows it. Or maybe he doesn’t. A 12-hour off-circadian slip combined with no-go denial is just a result of poor planning from the leadership. And the Chief is an absolute fool. He keeps referring to “real world” but it isn’t. It’s some sort of IG-type exercise. “Directed by POTUS”, lol, sure. “Forget all that economy and G8 shit, what I really need to know is the readiness level of the 552 ACW!”

I’ve been fortunate enough to work with one, and having such a Chief makes all the difference in getting the unit to work as one (large mix of officers, enlisted, civilian, and contractors).

Why is the E-9 lapdog opening his mouth at all about an aircraft commamders decision? STFU.

Inflation and "stimulus packages" were bought in the previous year before Biden took over. We went from 4 to 7T dollars of Fed Reserve spending in less than 6 months. But yes, this is the democrats fault. Yes I believe that the unemployment incentives in blue states were a mistake. At the same time, I 100% empathize with the undeniable fact that there is literally no way to live any sort of a life under a 40 hour a week $15 an hour job. But that's where we differ, likely. The republican mantra is that these people should suffer until their life is better. I do not believe that bullshit. You're biased to propaganda over the last 30 years - the specific propaganda basically boils down to "greed is good" - and I honestly know I'm not getting to you. The point is that if you make $10M-$1B a year, in most cases it's not through income - it's through capital gains and profiting off of labor. And if you think that the stock market is a "fair" system, especially with how it has gone up during the pandemic, you're delusional. People who benefit extremely from the designed inefficiencies should be reasonably expected to pay more. This is not a new thought. In fact, Republicans backed bills pre and post WWII to raise marginal income tax rates to 77-92% for the top earners. This is not a 2012 thing, this is actually a history thing. Love of the rich - from people like you - is something that is new in history. The ironic thing is that Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk are paying total effective tax rates closer to 0% because all of their net worth is tied up in the stock market as unrealized gains. And your facts about income inequality are pretty out of touch. Yeah, you've proven my point. The top 1% pays more tax and makes way more than everyone else. Cool. They should. Let me put it to you another way. Your big-brain example about how everyone should be paying the same taxes as it would be better and more fair (school teachers and high net worth individuals): Do you currently support raising taxes on school teachers by about double? Simple question. The flaw in the system is that you don't have to contribute to the system at all once you have a certain nest egg. You just sit and reap the benefits off the work of everyone else by throwing it in the stock market. You will say there is risk, but let's be real. The Fed will just pump $7-11T in to protect your rich ass or bail you out. As I have stated numerous times on this forum, I support vaccine mandates that stop transmission and sickness. For the alpha variant, this was likely the case, so I supported the mandate. With Delta, science is showing it is significantly less effective, so I may have a different opinion. I have never supported CRT, and there is not a single credible example of someone going to rationally discuss CRT that was placed on an FBI wish list. I am not going to address the blatant fallacies in your secondary example, but if you want to have a more rational discussion about it, I encourage you to rewrite. #1 - is months of saying you're going to leave no notice? #2 - Trump actually committed to what almost everyone calls an unconditional withdrawal in 2020. Get your facts straight #3 - Afghanistan is not our ally #4 - Yes, the Trump administration did negotiate with the Taliban to create an unconditional withdrawal. https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-middle-east-taliban-doha-e6f48507848aef2ee849154604aa11be #5 - Yeah, I'm mad about this. But did we leave Americans that were trying to get out behind? Or is this political grandstanding to the extreme? And I'm not looking for a onesie-twosie example. We got the overwhelming majority of Americans out. #6 - You can't talk out of both sides of your mouth and say that you like Trumps anti-NATO isolationist policies and then get mad when we do something they don't like. Also, how did we screw NATO? I know you were just trying to make a list, but I don't think this one should have made it. #7 - Oh give me a break from your bias: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/british-parliament-condemns-trump-but-remains-split-over-banning-him/ https://www.thedailybeast.com/fascist-evil-racist-uk-parliament-unloads-on-trumps-twitter-outburst #8 - You're cherrypicking again. Like anyone in the DoD is actually mad about this. We've already argued about this. You think it was worth the Trillions of US dollars to be in Afghanistan. I think it was worth anything to get out. Afghanistan's fall is primarily on Afghani's is my opinion. And, I know deep down, that's most peoples opinion. Or maybe we can blame the effectiveness of military FAOs, Commanders, and trainers over the last 20 years, I guess. We had to leave. This is greenwashing bullshit. You want to know something? We could have gone entirely almost zero carbon emissions 30 years ago. Oh, how? Nuclear fission energy. We have the capability right now. Literally right now. You thinking that Fusion would change this dynamic is whataboutism to the extreme. Also, an overwhelming amount of Chinese emissions exist to produce American consumed goods. Look it up. Barreling towards the collapse of the world to maintain your American lifestyle just because you don't want other countries to have a slightly better standard will be a good way to reflect on the collapse of modern society in the late 2000's. Appreciate the specific responses that were based on facts and pure opinions.

That’s ironic because I’ve heard the exact opposite argument stating that both parties are essentially different flavors of classical conservatives.

You know, I've seen lots of Biden's speeches, and they're a little scary. But this, one worried me a little, as he is beginning to slur his words (instead of just misplacing them):

So where do RPA officers fall then? They’re not pilots and their machines aren’t airplanes.