ragepaw

They didn't tolerate it, it was by their design. Why do you think the US put bases everywhere?

Force projection allowed the US to gain tremendous power. They wanted everyone else to be dependent on them. It's what made them a superpower.

The US President was called by many, "the leader of the free world". How the fuck do you think they were in that position? It wasn't because everyone thought they were cool, it was because the US military offered protection in exchange for using the US dollar as reserve currency, the US having a guiding hand in NATO and the UN, the US powering global banking and having a disproportionate amount of control of the world order.

So no. The US never "tolerated" the rest of NATO not paying their target. They actively pursued a position of military dominance in NATO.

Let's not gloss over the fact that the US was just fine with it that way for decades because of the soft power it gave them.

I worked in sales at VMware before and during the switch over.

We were told they didn't care how we did it, but we needed to get over 300% more from out customers. And when someone on a call asked how we could do that without driving away customers, we got an evil Bond villain laugh and the question, "What are they going to do, switch to someone else?"

Bravo! (sincere, not sarcastic)

I actually had to go back and re-read what I posted to understand your answer. I am apparently a derp today.

There is not one true explanation. It's many explanations. Some apply to some people more than others.

And the reality is, that there are people, like my wife and I, who have financial security, who would no longer have it if we had kids. We don't want to give up our lifestyle for the financial uncertainty of kids.

Random scripts being piped into a terminal ranks right up there with sticking your dick in a blender.

Excellent imagery.

And so true.

And I'm guilty of it myself, even though I know better.

Came to say this

I popped in to say Bulk Barn. I have friends from other countries that have told me that they can't believe such a place exists.

Is it cash to burn, or is it that they aren't paying for anything themselves?

For sure the people that have his ear are making mad money, but the only one of his family that seemed to have even half a brain seems to have distanced herself entirely from him. I legit think they are too stupid to actually be good at grifting, but they people they grift are legit stupider.

The people around him, for sure.

But him? I remember a few years ago, someone did an analysis of his assets and what he inherited from his father and determined that if he had done literally nothing, he would have had more money.

If we were to apply Occam's Razor fully it would be.

A doddering old imbecile that has had a clear mental decline and has a history of terrible decisions is continuing to be in mental decline and make terrible decisions.

A service member covers everyone, a warfighter is in particular supposed to be for combat roles.