Who wants to attack Iran?

[I_M4_AU 7,857]

26 minutes ago, AU9377 said:

Really?  The initial agreement entered into jointly by the U.S. and our allies, giving us some oversight into the nuclear program in Iran wasn't perfect, but it was a joint effort that did provide some leverage in exchange for economic incentives.  We weren't putting ourselves in a better position by withdrawing from that agreement and doing nothing.  

This is another example of it not mattering one bit what decisions are made, some will make it political and take the opposite position by default.  It makes any unified response impossible, all in the name of political gamesmanship.

So you thought it was funny too.

[I_M4_AU 7,857]

29 minutes ago, auburnatl1 said:

A new Cold War has (re)started with Western democracies pitted against autocracies (who have replaced communism).  I personally believe China is indirectly the puppet master encouraging flash points to test western resolve, military capabilities and new weapon systems, and depleting reserves of ammunition for prolonged conflict.

Imo the end game is Taiwan and retreating western span of influence. 

China has done this and I am sure people have noticed, you just don’t here about it anywhere.  Our stores of munitions are low, our strategic oil reserve is low, we are obligated in two conflicts and China could take advantage.

The growing sentiment of our youth is America has done a horrible job with humanity and someone else should lead.  China is willing and would love the chance.

Does religion play a part in this?

[auburnatl1 4,957]

1 hour ago, I_M4_AU said:

China has done this and I am sure people have noticed, you just don’t here about it anywhere.  Our stores of munitions are low, our strategic oil reserve is low, we are obligated in two conflicts and China could take advantage.

The growing sentiment of our youth is America has done a horrible job with humanity and someone else should lead.  China is willing and would love the chance.

Does religion play a part in this?

Religion is the Middle East. Turks, Shiites, and Sunnis all hate each others guts. The only thing they hate more is Jews and the feeling that Western Countries forced Israels reconstitution on them (as well as arbitrarily carved up the entire region into haphazard countries and screwed some peoples over ie the Palestinians and Kurds have no country). 

As for China. My 2 cents. Yes they’re THE problem and are the motivators of Russias and Irans aggressions. Fortunately theyve got their own major problems with very low natural resources,  an aging demographic, and western manufacturing steadily pulling out.  Which are huge problems. Taiwan is about Chinas pride but also offers the most sophisticated western high tech manufacturing in the world as well as further claim to the south China sea, which would simplify their unrestricted ocean access to resources. IMO They will  make a play and Japan  and South Korea may become our most important allies.

Edited April 15 by auburnatl1

[JMWATS 94]

On 4/15/2024 at 10:23 AM, AU9377 said:

If you have savings, that savings is earning more interest today than it did in the 2016-2020 time frame.  The stock market has performed well above expectations.  Unemployment is at or near all time lows.  The problem is inflation.  That problem cannot be fixed by government action alone.  Until consumers curb spending, inflation will continue to be an issue. 

When rental properties sit empty, rental rates will drop. When homes see appreciation in amounts that have little justification outside of the demand for housing, there is no switch to flip that will make owning a home more affordable.

I have seen so many people inherit property in the past decade that had a base value of $50,000 when it was purchased in 1995.  They sell this debt free property for $300k to $400k or more and sink that money into other properties by way of an exchange for tax purposes.   It is easy to complain about the cost of their new properties or the insurance thereon, but they never complain about that  6x or 7x added value that they experienced initially, which put them into position to buy in the first place. 

I get it, we all want ours.  We want as much as we can get as quickly as we can get it.  My point is not that there is something wrong with that.  My point is that we cannot expect to have our cake and eat it too.  People in the U.S. have responded to price increases by taking on more personal debt, rather than changing their spending habits.  Most act as though they are entitled to live in a manner not dreamed of by their grand parents.  Until that is modified to some degree, not much will change.

President Biden's policies over the course of the last 3+ years have a lot to do with the inflation that we are experiencing now.  For example, electricity prices have increased much faster under Biden than across the previous seven years.  His policies aren’t entirely to blame, but most of it is a result of his support for the left’s climate agenda.  Federal regulations, renewable subsidies and green-energy mandates are forcing fossil-fuel and nuclear plants to retire prematurely.  The costs of hardening the grid to support the government’s green energy transition are also increasing, including new high-voltage transmission lines, power transformers and battery storage.  Biden's electric-truck mandate alone will cost utilities to upgrade their networks. Utilities will pass on their increasing costs to customers over time.  Higher interest rates are also increasing the cost of new green-energy projects.  President Biden has implicitly accepted the argument that increased electricity costs today will save American consumers money tomorrow.   The left wonders why people are in a sour mood about the economy.  In Nov voters will tell us what they think. 

[I_M4_AU 7,857]

Bruce weighs in again:

 

 

[TexasTiger 12,948]

3 hours ago, I_M4_AU said:

Bruce weighs in again:

 

 

Bruce should follow his heart and be a Fox commentator. Basketball seems to bore him.

[AU9377 4,964]

23 hours ago, JMWATS said:

President Biden's policies over the course of the last 3+ years have a lot to do with the inflation that we are experiencing now.  For example, electricity prices have increased much faster under Biden than across the previous seven years.  His policies aren’t entirely to blame, but most of it is a result of his support for the left’s climate agenda.  Federal regulations, renewable subsidies and green-energy mandates are forcing fossil-fuel and nuclear plants to retire prematurely.  The costs of hardening the grid to support the government’s green energy transition are also increasing, including new high-voltage transmission lines, power transformers and battery storage.  Biden's electric-truck mandate alone will cost utilities to upgrade their networks. Utilities will pass on their increasing costs to customers over time.  Higher interest rates are also increasing the cost of new green-energy projects.  President Biden has implicitly accepted the argument that increased electricity costs today will save American consumers money tomorrow.   The left wonders why people are in a sour mood about the economy.  In Nov voters will tell us what they think. 

We produce more oil today than at any time in history. That is just a fact.  Even so, we still subsidize the industry and allow lobbying efforts persuade members of Congress from passing any real regulatory reform. 

Biden finally increased leasing fees on public lands, something that had not been adjusted since 1960.  Guess what?  Oil companies are outraged that they actually have to pay slightly more for taking from publicly owned lands and then selling back to the public the resource at incredible profits. 

https://www.forbes.com/sites/caileygleeson/2024/04/12/biden-administration-finalizes-historic-reforms-for-oil-and-gas-drilling-on-federal-lands/?sh=71a338296dde

The energy sector wants to be a carbon copy of the pharmaceutical industry.  Have the federal government pay for the costs of research and development and then pay again out of the nose for any product produced.

[AU9377 4,964]

18 hours ago, I_M4_AU said:

Bruce weighs in again:

 

 

He is correct about that. 

[JMWATS 94]

2 hours ago, AU9377 said:

We produce more oil today than at any time in history. That is just a fact.  Even so, we still subsidize the industry and allow lobbying efforts persuade members of Congress from passing any real regulatory reform. 

Biden finally increased leasing fees on public lands, something that had not been adjusted since 1960.  Guess what?  Oil companies are outraged that they actually have to pay slightly more for taking from publicly owned lands and then selling back to the public the resource at incredible profits. 

https://www.forbes.com/sites/caileygleeson/2024/04/12/biden-administration-finalizes-historic-reforms-for-oil-and-gas-drilling-on-federal-lands/?sh=71a338296dde

The energy sector wants to be a carbon copy of the pharmaceutical industry.  Have the federal government pay for the costs of research and development and then pay again out of the nose for any product produced.

The fact is that electricity prices have risen significantly while Biden has been in office.   Voters will take that into consideration in November.