"Have you seen the South Africans?"

Dude, I spend a lot of time in Norway. Virtually every cab driver I've ever used is an East African. They work in the grocery stores, and the restaurants, and the airport.

Bottom line, Norway lacks the people it needs to perform the services required to support society. They need immigrants. I'm just not sure your average Afghan or Syrian, or any other immigrant who is looking for an easier life is willing to ensure the Norwegian weather when there might be regions further south where they can get many of the same benefits more comfortably. Even if they're not really wanted.

"Maybe you should ask yourself why there is a massive influx of immigrants and increased threat from terrorists and threats to public safety."

Sure. And Germany at least welcomed many refugees from Afghanistan and Syria. An inordinate amount of these people later became problems.

You may or may not know, but Germany never had an imperial presence in Afghanistan or Syria.

"I remember a time when crossing European borders easily without ever being stopped to show my papers was the norm."

It was like that until around 2025. That's when Germany re-established checkpoints, even at the Schengen border crossings.

"What happened? Wars and massive instability and social upheaval happened."

Really? Where?

In 2024, the vast majority of illegal immigrants coming across the European borders were from Syria and Afghanistan. Third was Mali.

Places where instability and social upheaval have been going on for decades. And not because of Europe. And certainly not in 2024.

"That's precisely how colonialism works."

Is it?

Is that why I get stopped at the French-German border for a credentials check?

Because colonialism?

In fact, I would argue that most countries are now trying to prevent colonialism by restricting illegal entry.

"And do those countries simply send you home, or do they send you to a third-world hellhole?"

They send you to the country you came from.

"Third world hellhole" is subjective. And there are policies regarding asylum seekers, but you have to follow them. You don't just get to decide you're going to live in your country of choice.

#16

Does it matter?

I don't know of any country in the world you can enter illegally but get to stay once you enter. If you're cool.

If you want open borders, how about changing the laws?

As a side, I didn't think that being in the US illegally was a crime at all. It's just something you can't do.

"Not all Nazis are trillionares but all trillionares are Nazis"

Musk is a National Socialist?

"It's absolutely insane to me that people are celebrating Elon Musk becoming the world's first trillionaire while we live in a country where my patients have to ration their insulin so they can feed their children."

Eliminate Musk, SpaceX, Tesla, and Starlink.

How does this change someone having to ration insulin?

Would the Insulin rationer somehow be more wealthy if it weren't for Musk and his companies?

I think some of you don't really get it. You know what Tesla is, right? It seems like a pretty popular brand everywhere I go, which is basically everywhere. You're also I hope familiar with SpaceX. You know, the company putting astronauts into space?

Here's the one you might not know as well. Starlink. For what I do, Starlink is a critical node. If I deploy to some location and need access to a network, it's through Starlink. Ukraine is fighting and winning due to Starlink.

Yet some of you would imply that it's not worth it, because it made Elon rich. The world would be a better place without these things, because there would be one less rich person.

"Its strange to me, these Lumpers seem to either worship or destest people, and sometimes flip back and forth."

It's passive aggressiveness. They hate them, but they want to be them.

Bottom line, their issue is with a society that doesn't value their merits to the degree these individuals think they should be valued.

Congrats Elon. You deserve this. You've done more for the people of earth than maybe any other person. Ever.

"If they did, they would have won it already."

The US has nothing that it can use as leverage in any meaningful way to influence a strategic outcome.

Strikes and/or threats of strikes are about it.

I think we have accomplished most of Israel's objectives, though.

#29

It's a mix of contract and civilian personnel, at least at Air Force bases.

And the food is waaaaaay better than the crap they made you eat. When I'm out at Nellis AFB in Las Vegas, I eat at the chow hall (now called a DFAC) all the time. It's a bit pricey. I think I paid $18 for a salad when I was there a few months ago.

...but it was a really good salad.

This ship was a Steregushchey-class frigate. It is equipped with literally the most advanced surface-to-air missile system in the Russian arsenal.

I spend a lot of time in Albania and am very familiar with this area. This has been in the works for some time. Gulf state royals are buying up lots of property in Albania. I'm glad someone is standing up against it.

About two miles south of Skazan is the Karaburun Peninsula, which is probably the most beautiful place I have ever been. If Jared had found that place, it would have been a disaster.

"Honestly, I don't know what MB means by "Trump is, economically, the most left-wing president evah."

Let's start with the COVID handouts. Admittedly, Biden did the same thing, but Trump started it. And his dismissal of independent guardrails that were intended to protect the government from having too much economic power.

And the big one-tariffs. Promised by both Bernie and Dennis Kucinich, if anyone remembers that guy.

Congress isn't exactly off the hook. Someone has to decide whether this war ends on US terms, or on the terms of the Islamic Republic.

Donny is out of his element. That's not a decision he is capable of making.

"Madbomber needs a slightly-brown Muslim in a robe and turban in his top 3 evil men list in order to feel validated. Three white boomers in suits with bad hairdos doesn't cut it."

I suppose it's a matter of perspective. Few people like Trump. Or Putin. Or Bibi. But I doubt many think they are worse than any of the Ayatollahs. Including the current one. But feel free to disagree.

"North Korea's religion is Juche, and it's a very similar religion to #MAGA"

True dat.

Trump is, economically, the most left-wing president evah. He's a modern-day Huey Long.

"Didn't we blow him up?"

Missing a limb or two, but still within this mortal coil.

"Coriolanus' three worst political leaders:"

Really?

You're saying the Ayatollah is better than these three?

I wonder if Iran shares that opinion.?

Also, no mention of Kim Jong-Un. His religion is socialism.

"NGOs and Unions are also part of the problem, you going to fix that loophole too"

Great question.

I wonder if our progressive friends would want to end Union contributions to political campaigns. I wonder if Thom Hartmann would support that?

"Tell us how much money is spend on an election cycle in Germany, compared to United States."

The difference is in Germany that politicians are not trying to buy off voters with taxpayer dollars. Which is why people like you are so against a VAT. Because it doesn't create a condition where with rich pay for the less rich.

#14

Nope. None of that. Instead, it would be like Thom Hartmann said. Politicians promising to use Paul's money to pay Peter's bills.

There is no taking money out of politics. What do you think you're progressive kin are doing when they pledge to take money from the rich to give to the less rich?

How does legislation end this war? Does it compel the US to accede to Iran's demands?

Right now that is the only thing I see that ends this war.

Literally, everything Komrade Hartmann is saying would be accomplished by big money in politics.

I'm sure Komrade Lenin made many of the same predictions in 1917.

From my vantage point as someone in the business, Iran holds all the cards. The only thing the US can do is stop Iranian ships from transiting the straits. Iran can stop all the other ships, and no one can do a thing about it.

For Trump to succeed in his goals, there are two options. He gives into Iran's demands, or he does something to create a bargaining chip he can use as leverage. In order to do that, he would have to put troops on the ground and conduct an incursion in much the same way that the west has figured Russia would conduct an incursion. Seize territory the adversary values, dig in, and negotiate. What I can't tell you is what territory this would be. I don't know what land the Islamic Republic values as much as they value achieving their goals. I don't know if it is exists.

I do know that if I were in a leadership role in the Islamic Republic, I would be demanding the removal of all US troops from the middle east, a tax on any ship transiting the straits of Hormuz, and war reparations. Maybe, just for fun, demand the US gift the republic Mar-a Lago. I think that could be done with imminent domain. Trump would have no response to that, because he's an anti-war president. Maybe the UK, or NATO, or some other coalition...but not Trump. Like another famous Donny, he appears to be out of his element.