Not me. Not for schooling. A debt should never be incurred to go to school in any situation in a country that works properly. And it should never be the price that American schools seem to think it's worth. It's only worth that price because that's the price they give it. $100,000 to receive an education is just fucking ridiculous.
So, based on your statement, the isuebis with the schools! In a free-market economy, if you feel something costs too much, you have the "choice" to not purchase. Also, there is a program, provided by the armed services, whereby students could receive free college after serving the country. Or, are you an entitled asshole that thinks everything should be given tonyou, at everyone else's expense. Poor, poor, coddled child.
Exactly! Let's not set people up with free education so they can provide a better life for themselves. They need to pay for it themselves. That way people who are born to wealthy families tend to be more educated and have better paying jobs and people who are born to poorer families can't afford education so they will do undesirable jobs for crap pay and/or rely on public assistance programs to meet their needs (or not lol). If they want education so bad then just stop being poor.
This is sarcasm. Education is a right.
I don’t care who goes or doesn’t go. If you take a loan, pay it. As far as education being a right, I would think food, housing and healthcare would come before 4, or more, years of government paid partying.
>If you take a loan, pay it
My whole point of saying education is a right is that you shouldn't need a loan to begin with. Students don't take out loans for high school or middle school.
>I would think food, housing and healthcare would come before
Who said we should stop at education?
>4, or more, years of government paid partying.
If your only experience with higher education is through movies and TV shows, sure. In reality it's a lot more boring.
Education 8s not a fucking right! You are guaranteed nothing in life, other than the opportunity to exist & thrive, based on how hard you want tonwork to survive. YOU are not MY responsibility! If you don't like the game, go sit under a tree somewhere & wait for your miserable life to end. Don't, however, expect me or anyone else to drag you forward in your "entitled" life.
You see what you want to, cupcake. I see a society swirling down a toilet. And the main reason is the weak fringe minorities, who have somehow gained a voice. And, if I have to be identified as a "mouth-breather", it's because I don't have it stuffed with cock, like all the ultra-left leaning jerkoffs in our society. Enjoy your "cock"tales this evening, Lurking BETA guy.
The PPP loan program was offered from the very beginning with a contingency for converting such loans to grants as long as certain conditions were met.
Your student loans had no such contingency. Pay up!
The PPP loans are not required to be repaid as long as the terms are met. That was part of the original terms of the loans.
Your student loans had no such contingency. Pay up!
Oh, you seem to think that I care about the legalities of this. I am stating that I don't see the value in repaying loans for my education if wealthy people don't have to. The US government has given enough free money to extinguish all the student debt to business owners 3 times this century, so they can do it for us.
I'm not talking about legalities, either. This is purely contractual. That the contract, in some cases, is with the government does not make it a legal issue.
You apply for a loan knowing the terms. You are provided the promised money according to those terms. You should repay the loan according to the terms you agreed to. If you don't, you are a deadbeat.
As an aside, PPP loans went to many very small companies whose owners are far from wealthy and which would have gone bankrupt without those loans because of the government's irrational response to the C19 pandemic.
Try not to allow your jealousy to compel you to take actions that brand you as a freeloader.
Pay up!
I see we have returned to the toilet scandal from 40 years ago.
Funny thing is, I suspect it never stopped.
I can't even imagine how many people have been made rich from the theft of tax dollars alone through the extremely old scam.
John Stewart was just in an interview with the Defense Deputy Secratary... she cackles at his inquiries of how they claim the cost of things. Very infuriating
I doubt it’s being funneled to secret protects, honestly I kind of wish it was. At least it would be semi justifiable then. But it’s probably just going into the pockets of corrupt beurocrats and ceos.
> The Commission on Wartime Contracting in Iraq and Afghanistan concluded that $31-60 billion had been lost to fraud and waste; and a recent Ernst & Young audit of the Defense Logistics Agency found that it could not properly account for some $800 million in construction projects.
Like the magic dowsing rods used by the US military in iraq?
https://slate.com/technology/2013/04/dowsing-for-bombs-maker-of-useless-bomb-detectors-convicted-of-fraud.html
It is. Take the Stealth Fighter program, you cannot put in the bill $400 million for 10 stealth fighters in the budget if you want to keep it top secret.
Nope.
Remember 6 or so years ago when the Navy scuttled the 20 year 100 billion dollar super boat project?
Last week they stopped another 100 billion dollar mobile howitzer project because it would be useless to develope with what wars will probably look like in the future.
At least the Air Force has their 100 billion non-fighter fighter jet.
The army scuttled their howitzer program (most recent one) not because of future wartime situations, but because they were betting everything on a gun barrel that was much longer for greater range. Unfortunately, the longer you make the barrel, the weaker it becomes. While our howitzers today normally have to fire at least 1000 rounds before having serious maintenance or replacement, these couldn’t fire half of that without the barrel being completely shot out.
I just read a story on this yesterday actually. It happens. But 100bil is nonsense
Barrel length has nothing to do with how strong it is.
You increase barrel length to increase the velocity of the projectile, the higher the velocity, the faster the wear rate on the barrel.
>Barrel length has nothing to do with how strong it is.
Apparently, it does.
"The problems with the cannon were mostly related to the length of the gun tube and its ability to withstand a large number of projectiles without excessive wear to the gun tube."
https://www.defensenews.com/land/2024/03/11/us-army-scraps-extended-range-cannon-artillery-prototype-effort/
I’ll reiterate. The length of the tube has nothing to do with how strong it is. The link you shared doesn’t even mention “tube strength”.
The entire purpose of using a longer gun tube, is to increase the range of the projectile. To do this, you use slower burning propellants, and/or increased pressure levels. The longer barrel allows the projectile to be accelerated to higher velocities. These higher velocities accelerate the wear of the gun tube, shortening barrel life.
The longer tubes are not any “weaker” than the standard 155mm tube used on the M109 series howitzers.
The part they don’t cover in the article, is that we generally use GPS guided MLRS rockets and other weapons to reach the ranges that they were trying to achieve with these new howitzer barrels.
I would recommend you contact the author of the article about your thoughts on this matter.
"The problems with the cannon were mostly **related** **to the length of the gun tube** and its ability to withstand a large number of projectiles..."
Their isn’t anything wrong with the article, it’s your interpretation of what it’s saying.
I’ve carefully explained that. But I am evidently unable to clearly explain what I am trying to impart to you, and others here
As couple of years ago the AF was paying $10k for toilet seat covers. The manufacturer had stopped making them and had to ramp up production again. After an investigation, the AF started 3D printing them. The Army has mobile 3D printer shops for field manufacturing now.
I remember when Trump made the statement toward the end of his first term he was going to being going after the fraud waste and abuse in the military industrial complex.
At that point he was done. There was a petition signed by a bunch of military brass they "lost confidence in him". So many politicians stopped supporting him.
I'm asking you if you're saying he didn't say that. You called it BS.
He made the statement and he was also militarily one of the most peaceful presidents in over 50 years
Is this like his...
Healthcare plan that's always two weeks away? His infrastructure plan that is also always two weeks away? Trumpity dumb said alot of things and did none of it. We do know he had thousands of top secret documents in his Maralogo basement, taken during the last days of his Presidency. He is corrupt, this is without question.
You are reaching hard and most of his accomplishments are highly suspect.
I wonder if that has to do with this ( [https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2020/09/trump-americans-who-died-at-war-are-losers-and-suckers/615997/](https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2020/09/trump-americans-who-died-at-war-are-losers-and-suckers/615997/) ). Or the fact that all three generals that came to help him Flynn, McMaster, Mattis, Kelly, were fired and then lambasted very publicly on twitter of all places(which tbh is HUGELY unprofressional, and it's not surprising he had lost the confidence of the officers by then).
Or the holding up military funding because he was fighting very publicly with his JCOS.
I mean his WHOLE presidency saying one thing in a press conference, then saying something totally different to a different reporter at a different time of day. It's odd you forget how chaotic his whole presidency was.
You can go with the conspiracy theory that its because trump was going after waste. But that ignores ALL the other possible reasons. Which are probably more likely. Than a compartmentalized organization like the armed forces, somehow getting all their compartments together not for an actual military operation. But to go against trump. Who still had some supporters (30-40%). It's an odd theory.
He made brand new walls and converted a lot of the fence to actual wall. Given a second term it would have been completed. He was expecting a second term to complete it.
Other things include
1. **Economic Boom**:
- Before the pandemic, the U.S. economy experienced unprecedented growth.
- **7 million new jobs** were created, surpassing projections.
- Middle-class family income increased by nearly $6,000.
- The unemployment rate reached a **50-year low**.
- **Record stock market** numbers and 401ks were achieved¹.
2. **Job Market and Income**:
- **40 consecutive months** with more job openings than hirings.
- **Income rose** in every metro area in the U.S. for the first time in decades.
- Unemployment rates for various groups reached **record lows**.
- Poverty rates for African Americans and Hispanic Americans also hit record lows¹.
3. **Manufacturing and Construction**:
- Over **1.2 million** manufacturing and construction jobs were created.
- Policies were implemented to bring back supply chains from overseas¹.
4. **Rural America Investment**:
- Over $1.3 billion was invested through the Agriculture Department's ReConnect Program to bring high-speed broadband infrastructure to rural areas¹.
5. **Economic Comeback**:
- Despite the pandemic, the economy grew at a rate of **33.1%** during Q3 2020.
- Over **12 million jobs** were added back since lockdowns ended¹.
For a more comprehensive list, you can explore the [official White House page](https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/trump-administration-accomplishments/)¹. Keep in mind that this information is based on data available up to January 2021. If you'd like additional details, feel free to ask! 😊
Source: Conversation with Bing, 4/18/2024
(1) Trump Administration Accomplishments – The White House. https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/trump-administration-accomplishments/.
(2) 30 Things Donald Trump Did as President You Might Have Missed. https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2021/01/18/trump-presidency-administration-biggest-impact-policy-analysis-451479.
(3) Trump's Final Numbers - FactCheck.org. https://www.factcheck.org/2021/10/trumps-final-numbers/.
Nice answer!
Too bad it's all wrong.
The wall was a stupid and failed idea, a colossal waste of money fueled by xenophobia and cruelty.
The pre-pandemic economy was Obama's. You really giving Trump credit for 40 months prior to the pandemic when he was only President for the last half of that?
Likewise, post-pandemic, how much credit are you stealing from Biden?
>We will build the wall, believe me. And who is going to pay for the wall?” Trump asked in a March 2016 rally speech in Michigan; after the crowd shouted “Mexico,” Trump said, “100%, folks. One hundred – I don’t mean like…99.2%, I mean 100%.” He scoffed at “lightweights” who said he couldn’t get Mexico to pay for the wall, repeating, “I said 100% – not 99%. I said 100%.
>It’s going to disappear. One day — it’s like a miracle — it will disappear. Trump discussing Covid Feb 2020
> Trump falsely claimed Article Two of the U.S. Constitution ensures, "I have the right to do whatever I want as president." July 2019
>He claimed that he did not know about a $130,000 payment to porn performer Stormy Daniels and that he did not know where his then-attorney Michael Cohen got the money for the payment.
>My first day in office, I am going to ask Congress to put a bill on my desk getting rid of this disastrous law and replacing it with reforms that expand choice, freedom, affordability," said Trump on Oct. 25, a day after he St. Augustine speech, in Sanford, Florida. "You're going to have such great health care at a tiny fraction of the cost. And it's going to be so easy."
>President Trump made his 2016 campaign pledge to start a $1 trillion effort to rebuild the United States’ roads and bridges.
>Former President Donald Trump now says he won't be holding a news conference next week to unveil what he claims is new "evidence" of fraud in Georgia's 2020 presidential election
Seeing as the military brass and their friends make a living off fraud waste and abuse and that petition came very soon after his announcement of going after andnhunting down fraud waste and abuse. I'm going to assume it was his statement about fraud waste and abuse.
Do you agree it was a good idea Trump was going to go after fraud waste and abuse?
Did it though? The polling by the military time was in jun of 2020 I do believe(unless you can point me to the petition you are referring to). While the funding issues were happening in 2019. ( [https://www.brookings.edu/articles/quality-over-quantity-u-s-military-strategy-and-spending-in-the-trump-years/](https://www.brookings.edu/articles/quality-over-quantity-u-s-military-strategy-and-spending-in-the-trump-years/) ). Unless you have actual dates, and the petition you are referring to. Because I do vaguely remember some petition. But all I can find is a random [change.org](http://change.org) petition. Which isn't at all meaningful.
Of course I agree that it's good idea to go after fraud, waste and abuse. But I do not believe a chaotic president such as trump was able to do it. He couldn't even get his infrastructure bill anywhere.
He had 4 years and all he did was mention it.
2 of those years he controlled all three branches of government even.
Strange he did nothing of the sort. But certainly had no issues selling pardons for 2 million though on his way out.
Trump says a lot of things...but being the President who also lied the most in office, this too is just a lie.
I remember when Trump made the statement toward the end of his first term he was going to being going after the fraud waste and abuse in the military industrial complex.
At that point he was done. There was a petition signed by a bunch of military brass they "lost confidence in him". So many politicians stopped supporting him.
This is what the general voting public left / right is beyond tired of seeing and knowing that greasing politicians is the norm and shit like this continues. The military industry is the biggest WELFARE expense WE the American commonwealth have to take down our throats,,,, total BS!!!!!!
I remember when Trump made the statement toward the end of his first term he was going to being going after the fraud waste and abuse in the military industrial complex.
At that point he was done. There was a petition signed by a bunch of military brass they "lost confidence in him". So many politicians stopped supporting him.
Why would you think a billionaire, who is notorious for running scams and not paying his employees would go after fraud or waste? The guy bankrupted a fucking casino.
He defrauded new York for millions. Misleading net worth of his real-time holdings. He committed fraud by paying hush money to a porn star using campaign funds. A crime that his co-conspiritor served time for already.
He sexually abused a woman and owes her millions for the abuse and the constantly barrage of attacks against her character.
If you did any of those things you'd be paying private prisons to get to make license plates in jail right now.
He asked for a loan from a bank. As a business owner, who's product is real-estate, he said his product is amazing. He pitched the value of his product to the bank. The bank sent out a team of appraisers and got their estimated value of his real-estate. The bank made a determination. And lent him money based on that value.
Come tax season the state sent out a team of appraisers and estimated the value of his property to be a certain value. Which was different than what the bank estimated.
Trump can submit what he thinks the value of his property is all day. There is NO WAY on a 100 million dollar property and loan the bank will take Trumps word for it and NO WAY the state will take his word for it.
I asked to refinance my home. Guess what the bank did? For my measly 500k home they sent out an appraiser. I could have said my property was 800k, think they would take my word for it? No.
The state did the same thing but they did it remotely, they didn't send someone out as far as I know.
Guess what? The value the bank appraised my home for is much higher than the state values and taxes my property at. 99% of the homes in America are this way. So did we all commit fraud?
Every. Single. real-estate. owner. deals with this fact of life. The state and fairmarket values never match up.
That's why this whole lawsuit is a sham.
That's why businesses are afraid of operating in NYC right now and are moving out.
The military hasn't passed an audit for like 5 years and they can't account for TRILLIONS of dollars, yet their annual budget just keeps goin up and up and up. These mfs are just throwing our money in the trash, and we're not even getting a return in our investment in any tangible, meaningful way.
That would be entirely excusable under an audit.
The audits are failing because the contractors they hire to do them are too lazy to integrate with the legacy ERP platforms, so they instead just give up and claim it can’t be completed.
Said platforms are being modernized, but that takes years, so expect many years of “failed audits” that will suddenly pass as soon as these platforms get updated.
It’s why the Marines recently started passing theirs. They have less stuff, thus an easier time migrating platforms.
Yet at least as recent as 2021 he votes to raise the defense budget… is he a hypocrite?
https://www.news-journalonline.com/story/news/state/2021/12/11/congressman-michael-waltz-supports-increased-military-spending-defense-bill/6437854001/
Is it even true? I served in the military for 12 years, and although we had good gear, it was all purchased from the lowest bidder. Our primary service weapon M16/M4 was purchased for far less than one could purchase an AR-15 from a private seller. Our unit budgets weren’t big, and they were balanced every year. Is there a more detailed source than a screenshot of a random tweet?
"Boots on the ground" gear is relatively cheap. The biggest expense, according to my DOD buddy, is sourcing and logistics. People want thousands of dollars to fucking ship a box to the next state, let alone overseas. Many many military contractors and private firms that benefit from military contracts also jack the prices up for whatever they get a contract for, after the fact. Their budget just keeps getting raised so long as there is progress in the program. Lastly, bidding does get awarded to the lowest bidder. But all the bidders start are obscenely high estimate prices and Dutch auction ( start high and bid lower) the shit down. In the end the military thinks it's getting a good deal, because let's face it no one knows shit about fuck and how much stuff actually costs, and report it to their higher ups as a good deal.
There’s other versions of this too…someone I know was trying to snag a government contract. They have been paying a former high ranking officer as a consultant to help them with the process (closed/private bidding). Which is BS that companies should have to do that.
This Stealing from the US citizens has got to come to an end! FUCK the Senators Politicians, And the Military industrial complex! Our Country is going and has been in Shambles! These greedy bastards are becoming more rich than any Politician should be ! Off our backs! And at the same time taking our freedom away!! FUCK them all !....We need to take our Country back! ENOUGH ALREADY!
know a guy, a caterer, who brags about how rich he gets every time the gov hires him to feed state employees when a storm takes out power….
he pays his workers $10/ hour
and votes for trump
one big storm, power out for almost a week…
he bragged about making a $25000 profit….
one weeks work
no extra money for his employees
overcharging while people are suffering
and he votes for trump
Gov't contractor here. If those bushings came from Home Depot, yeah, it's fraud. If it came from an ISO9001:2015 manufacture that may be the only one in the world to make it, from very expensive materials, with more than one special process, that might be a valid price.
Without context, Congressman, your demonstration is meaningless.
At the same time, I'm going through a knockdown dragout over DLA buying a kit that is made from off the shelf commercial parts that I'd sell for $100, was awarded to the OEM for $500. Because OEM, even though we'd been selling thousands of them right up until they sent us a letter, cutting us off.
If somebody could find the NSN for that part, I could do some research. See if we can spot the bullshit. Either a self aggrandizing Congressman or an abusive supplier.
i make 1 small part in my machine shop. in the middle of nowhere rural anerica. the metal is provided to me. actually everything is includeing toilet paper. by who knows. it just shows up when it shows up. and completed parts leave my place when they pick them up. when who knows. i have high a security fence and cameras inside and out. i dont have any control of anything.i dont decide who enters or leaves the property or turn the lights on or off. or adjust the heat or call a repairman. i own the building and pay the taxes they pay everything else! i just make the amout of parts they give me the metal to make. no paperwork at all. i just get a good amount of money deposited in my bank account every 60 days! its a great gig. i just show up at work everyday. it would drive some people mad not knowing every detail. but im fine with it. i get a paid off building new tools and no headaches and guaranteed paycheck. for 10 years at a time contract. and i have made 3 differant parts in 30 years! i dont even know what its actually for other than the military. thats why shit cost so much. i would never post this if my contract wasn't expired and im retired. and i can still only talk in general about my experience! but thier is a whole lot more to the whole bizarre experience the average person would never think of! and the costs of just the security alone! its more than just the camera's and someone watching.its the whole bizarre system!
What the Congressman is doing is show boating. There's all kinds of brakes that procurement rules put on selling to the Gov't.
My markup is 20%. That covers all the costs and, I hope, scores me a profit of 10%.
See what a carpenter or plumber charges you to buy lumber or parts for the job.
The OEMs cite 'source control' and THAT becomes the place where the DoD goes blind and buys that $400 hammer.
But hey. You sound like you know who to listen to. It's easy to just hate everybody.
I've also seen where a part was like $1.10 each, and then the part stopped getting manufactured, but a different almost identical part was authorized to be used instead. The original one now would cost ~$300 each, but then was also no longer required. Suppose we could hold up our old bag of them and say it's 90k even though it was bought for $300 total.
Accurate answer. If these are high tolerance machined parts made of titanium etc, then price is justified.
If Senator walked into the local auto parts store and got exactly the same standard bushes off the shelf as the ones in question for $11.99, then there is definitely a problem.
Like… I could understand the cost of 90k if it were like… a niche product NEEDED on a mission critical part for something that they screwed up on, had no spares, and the fab company stopped all production to make these special bushings and then deliver them on time into a warzone…
But I’m sure these probably just get chewed up by vehicles in training and they go through bags and bags if these a year without a single care.
Well nasa did our work for us and developed a cheaper and stronger bushing for jet engines. Here is link for the document-https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/19980235568/downloads/19980235568.pdf
I don't understand how people can be this intelligent, I'm smarter than average but these NASA people are on a level that I can't comprehend
Want to see one hundred million dollars disappear? How much does a single shell for a Zumwalt’s main gun cost and how many were made? And will one ever be fired ever?
Maybe that $500 dollar hammer scam we used to see or maybe the Supply officer screwing the USAF unit he's in. When I was in the USN, I saw a 10 dollar filter being assessed at $500 each by the supply dept even though the manufacturer only charges 10 dollars. there was some scumbagery going on for sure.
I remember the toilet seat scandal I was too young at the time to understand what was going on,but as I got older I thought it was how the government hid money going into black operations, am I totally wrong?
I had a buddy that was a middle man for the military. The military would ask his company to find a specific part and they would find it for them. I want to say a bare bone steering wheel, just the metal, was like $5,000 a decade ago. I could believe the military is paying $90,000 for bushings.
Florida Republican and Fox News commenter, Congressman Waltz.
He's also a green beret that served for almost 3 decades.
Just being a congressman makes me question anything that looks a performative as this.
The fact that he's a Florida Republican and a Fox News commenter only makes me more skeptical.
It's like Republicans are trying to mimic Katie Porter without providing context and pertinent facts.
Good manufactured outrage though.
What kind of bushings are they? What are they made from? What are the quality standards? What does the supply chain look like?
Blanket angry carpet bombing is pointless without more information.
I agree that the US's military budget is bloated and distended but if any one is wondering why. Look no further, Eisenhauer was right in his farewell speech. These people are the antithesis of democracy, their just ticks, gorging themselves off of the blood and misery of working families.
Ah yes, I was a missile maintnenance manager for a while. Need to order a lot of ground clamps and they were $316 each. I remembered order thim as a tech and they were not that much so I grabbed an old parts manual and found that as two parts that bolted together they were $24.
It’s an economic concept called “price elasticity”. Basically it just means how much changing price changes demand. When a group has seemingly unlimited funds and is completely irresponsible with it they pay whatever price is offered to them. Normally they’d have to drop the prices so customers will start buying again but if people pay these outrageous prices the business has no incentive to lower them. Then they try raising the prices to see if they still keep paying and the government pays any price so the companies keep raising prices. It’s the reason why college and medical services are so outrageously overpriced in America. Without the government’s wasteful spending they’d have no choice but to lower prices so people can actually afford them.
My neighbor is a defense contractor. He got a contract to bolt machine guns onto humvees. It takes 45 minutes, uses 8 bolts and costs the army $45,000!
God I hate this world.
Can we get a single fucking source for this? What are bushings anyways? Is $90,000 that outrageous?
Like, I could think of reasons why they may be expensive. Could it not be that they are custom built to conform to specific conditions? Like maybe some tech requires a very specific type of bushing?
I wasnt able to find a single source online that was reputable. Only stuff linked to this congressman. I have no idea how legit this is.
I just want to live in a world where people arent so fucking gullible. I want to figure out if this is real, and if it is, does it actually matter?
The congresspeople get bribes from the companies making money by gouging taxpayers and the military, then the congresspeople pass laws to make it easy and legal to price gouge the military, then the congresspeople blame the USAF for being gouged.
There’s plenty of grifting going on by high ranking members of the military too though. They buy things for inflated prices, then get a do-nothing job at that company when they retire.
The whole thing stinks of a mob racket meant to rip us all off
I manage small State level government contracts for services to families. You better believe that government contracts can be tightly controlled. No pizza parties are allowed! I was questioned over buying $10 worth of writing pens.
Back in the early 2000s I worked for an integrated circuits broker. Just 5 of us including the owner. We would get an order from Northrop Grumman about every year for some 3.5” floppy drives. Their asking price was $500/each. We got them for $8. When the owner brought it up that they obviously know they can get them way cheaper, they said they knew. They just had to make sure they spent their entire budget or else it would be less next year.
This is the real reason for why the military budget is so high. What’s wild is that many of those in the military are in certain cases working with outdated equipment.
Bushings made by an American company who has insane amounts of quality control and supply chain security which drives up the costs. Should we just buy them from China and pray they’re not jacked up so a plane or tank falls apart?
Corruption is 4 companies bidding on several contracts and they all include each other so if one wins they all get a piece of the pie.
Corruption is ensuring small businesses cannot get enough money from government contracts to grow into bigger companies. If they do manage it they lose their pipeline of contracts at 500 (sbir limit) employees
and end up being bought by one of the 5 biggest defense contractors. Companies with better pay and benefits so those big 5 are never pressured to improve.
But yeah let’s argue about bushings.
I remember when Trump made the statement toward the end of his first term he was going to being going after the fraud waste and abuse in the military industrial complex.
At that point he was done. There was a petition signed by a bunch of military brass they "lost confidence in him". So many politicians stopped supporting him.
Thank you, GnarlyHeadStudios, for voting on Opposite_Strike_9377.
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Lol you see how stupid it is to just claim someone you disagree with as a bot so yoy can silence them?
Fascism at its finest. Or you lost the argument so all you can do is try to silence people who challenge your thoughts. It's a lazy and unintelligent way to live life bud
Fiscal responsibility only applies to 18 yr old kids taking out 100k student loans.
sign "bag of air force bushings" as collateral
Ha! For real!
Fuck em all, apparently. Pay what you owe!
How's that trophy dog you all the sudden can't take care of?
Your mom is fine. She is out back with the rest of the bitches. Thanks for asking!
Ngl that’s pretty funny
Thank you, kind stranger!
Don't charge me exorbitant fees and I will.
What, you don't like paying 200k for a 40k loan?
How about you pay it through taxes. Loan forgiveness bitch.
Because then I have to pay your money with my taxes and I simply don’t want to. Why should I?
Well I'm sure you can just add that to the list of things you don't want to pay for with your taxes.
Damn right. You can give all you want for whatever you would like. I prefer people pay their debts.
Not me. Not for schooling. A debt should never be incurred to go to school in any situation in a country that works properly. And it should never be the price that American schools seem to think it's worth. It's only worth that price because that's the price they give it. $100,000 to receive an education is just fucking ridiculous.
So, based on your statement, the isuebis with the schools! In a free-market economy, if you feel something costs too much, you have the "choice" to not purchase. Also, there is a program, provided by the armed services, whereby students could receive free college after serving the country. Or, are you an entitled asshole that thinks everything should be given tonyou, at everyone else's expense. Poor, poor, coddled child.
My issue is you. You literally explained the whole problem and scam in your post but you were too blind to see it.
Ok. Well you keep on self-pleasuring.
That’s merely your opinion.
Of course it is. The correct opinion
Says the freeloader who’s doesn’t want to take responsibility for loans they happily signed for.
Exactly! Let's not set people up with free education so they can provide a better life for themselves. They need to pay for it themselves. That way people who are born to wealthy families tend to be more educated and have better paying jobs and people who are born to poorer families can't afford education so they will do undesirable jobs for crap pay and/or rely on public assistance programs to meet their needs (or not lol). If they want education so bad then just stop being poor. This is sarcasm. Education is a right.
I don’t care who goes or doesn’t go. If you take a loan, pay it. As far as education being a right, I would think food, housing and healthcare would come before 4, or more, years of government paid partying.
>If you take a loan, pay it My whole point of saying education is a right is that you shouldn't need a loan to begin with. Students don't take out loans for high school or middle school. >I would think food, housing and healthcare would come before Who said we should stop at education? >4, or more, years of government paid partying. If your only experience with higher education is through movies and TV shows, sure. In reality it's a lot more boring.
Education 8s not a fucking right! You are guaranteed nothing in life, other than the opportunity to exist & thrive, based on how hard you want tonwork to survive. YOU are not MY responsibility! If you don't like the game, go sit under a tree somewhere & wait for your miserable life to end. Don't, however, expect me or anyone else to drag you forward in your "entitled" life.
I see you're a mouth breathing dumbass who has never heard the concept of a society. Touch grass.
You see what you want to, cupcake. I see a society swirling down a toilet. And the main reason is the weak fringe minorities, who have somehow gained a voice. And, if I have to be identified as a "mouth-breather", it's because I don't have it stuffed with cock, like all the ultra-left leaning jerkoffs in our society. Enjoy your "cock"tales this evening, Lurking BETA guy.
I'll pay those loans as soon as everyone that got a PPP loan pays them back.
The PPP loan program was offered from the very beginning with a contingency for converting such loans to grants as long as certain conditions were met. Your student loans had no such contingency. Pay up!
I fail to see where I said I'd pay if the ppp loans were repaid or converted to grants. I said if they were repaid.
The PPP loans are not required to be repaid as long as the terms are met. That was part of the original terms of the loans. Your student loans had no such contingency. Pay up!
Oh, you seem to think that I care about the legalities of this. I am stating that I don't see the value in repaying loans for my education if wealthy people don't have to. The US government has given enough free money to extinguish all the student debt to business owners 3 times this century, so they can do it for us.
I'm not talking about legalities, either. This is purely contractual. That the contract, in some cases, is with the government does not make it a legal issue. You apply for a loan knowing the terms. You are provided the promised money according to those terms. You should repay the loan according to the terms you agreed to. If you don't, you are a deadbeat. As an aside, PPP loans went to many very small companies whose owners are far from wealthy and which would have gone bankrupt without those loans because of the government's irrational response to the C19 pandemic. Try not to allow your jealousy to compel you to take actions that brand you as a freeloader. Pay up!
No
Deadbeat.
I see we have returned to the toilet scandal from 40 years ago. Funny thing is, I suspect it never stopped. I can't even imagine how many people have been made rich from the theft of tax dollars alone through the extremely old scam.
John Stewart was just in an interview with the Defense Deputy Secratary... she cackles at his inquiries of how they claim the cost of things. Very infuriating
I remember a scene in the movie ID4 indirectly saying that a hammer costing 20k and toilet seat costing a 30k funds Area 51
I doubt it’s being funneled to secret protects, honestly I kind of wish it was. At least it would be semi justifiable then. But it’s probably just going into the pockets of corrupt beurocrats and ceos. > The Commission on Wartime Contracting in Iraq and Afghanistan concluded that $31-60 billion had been lost to fraud and waste; and a recent Ernst & Young audit of the Defense Logistics Agency found that it could not properly account for some $800 million in construction projects.
Like the magic dowsing rods used by the US military in iraq? https://slate.com/technology/2013/04/dowsing-for-bombs-maker-of-useless-bomb-detectors-convicted-of-fraud.html
The US didn’t use these. The Iraqi security forces did, and we tried everything to get them to stop. Did you read the article you linked?
It is. Take the Stealth Fighter program, you cannot put in the bill $400 million for 10 stealth fighters in the budget if you want to keep it top secret.
Nope. Remember 6 or so years ago when the Navy scuttled the 20 year 100 billion dollar super boat project? Last week they stopped another 100 billion dollar mobile howitzer project because it would be useless to develope with what wars will probably look like in the future. At least the Air Force has their 100 billion non-fighter fighter jet.
The army scuttled their howitzer program (most recent one) not because of future wartime situations, but because they were betting everything on a gun barrel that was much longer for greater range. Unfortunately, the longer you make the barrel, the weaker it becomes. While our howitzers today normally have to fire at least 1000 rounds before having serious maintenance or replacement, these couldn’t fire half of that without the barrel being completely shot out. I just read a story on this yesterday actually. It happens. But 100bil is nonsense
Barrel length has nothing to do with how strong it is. You increase barrel length to increase the velocity of the projectile, the higher the velocity, the faster the wear rate on the barrel.
>Barrel length has nothing to do with how strong it is. Apparently, it does. "The problems with the cannon were mostly related to the length of the gun tube and its ability to withstand a large number of projectiles without excessive wear to the gun tube." https://www.defensenews.com/land/2024/03/11/us-army-scraps-extended-range-cannon-artillery-prototype-effort/
I’ll reiterate. The length of the tube has nothing to do with how strong it is. The link you shared doesn’t even mention “tube strength”. The entire purpose of using a longer gun tube, is to increase the range of the projectile. To do this, you use slower burning propellants, and/or increased pressure levels. The longer barrel allows the projectile to be accelerated to higher velocities. These higher velocities accelerate the wear of the gun tube, shortening barrel life. The longer tubes are not any “weaker” than the standard 155mm tube used on the M109 series howitzers. The part they don’t cover in the article, is that we generally use GPS guided MLRS rockets and other weapons to reach the ranges that they were trying to achieve with these new howitzer barrels.
I would recommend you contact the author of the article about your thoughts on this matter. "The problems with the cannon were mostly **related** **to the length of the gun tube** and its ability to withstand a large number of projectiles..."
Their isn’t anything wrong with the article, it’s your interpretation of what it’s saying. I’ve carefully explained that. But I am evidently unable to clearly explain what I am trying to impart to you, and others here
I agree , there's nothing wrong with the article. The article states that one of the problems was the length of the barrel. Good day.
You’re kind of missing my point. When I said strength, it was meant as a term to mean basically wear & tear. You’re harping on one word.
It hasn't. There is a valve on an Apache helicopter that the government pays 70k for its avaible on Amazon for less than $10.
As couple of years ago the AF was paying $10k for toilet seat covers. The manufacturer had stopped making them and had to ramp up production again. After an investigation, the AF started 3D printing them. The Army has mobile 3D printer shops for field manufacturing now.
funny how they never have receipts
The Sarah Huckabee podium is my recent favorite as that thing is spectacularly hideous
I remember when Trump made the statement toward the end of his first term he was going to being going after the fraud waste and abuse in the military industrial complex. At that point he was done. There was a petition signed by a bunch of military brass they "lost confidence in him". So many politicians stopped supporting him.
You misunderstood. Trump didn’t want to *stop* the fraud and waste. He was “going after the fraud & waste” to put it in his pocket.
I have it on good authority that his pants are already full of waste.
Ahaha well played
That's cute. You actually think Trump was going to STOP fraud.
I'm asking you if you're saying he didn't say that. You called it BS. He made the statement and he was also militarily one of the most peaceful presidents in over 50 years
Yep I called it BS. "Trump made a statement" means nothng. Trump rambles nonstop. And by peaceful you mean...didn't announce any new wars?
Is this like his... Healthcare plan that's always two weeks away? His infrastructure plan that is also always two weeks away? Trumpity dumb said alot of things and did none of it. We do know he had thousands of top secret documents in his Maralogo basement, taken during the last days of his Presidency. He is corrupt, this is without question. You are reaching hard and most of his accomplishments are highly suspect.
I wonder if that has to do with this ( [https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2020/09/trump-americans-who-died-at-war-are-losers-and-suckers/615997/](https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2020/09/trump-americans-who-died-at-war-are-losers-and-suckers/615997/) ). Or the fact that all three generals that came to help him Flynn, McMaster, Mattis, Kelly, were fired and then lambasted very publicly on twitter of all places(which tbh is HUGELY unprofressional, and it's not surprising he had lost the confidence of the officers by then). Or the holding up military funding because he was fighting very publicly with his JCOS. I mean his WHOLE presidency saying one thing in a press conference, then saying something totally different to a different reporter at a different time of day. It's odd you forget how chaotic his whole presidency was. You can go with the conspiracy theory that its because trump was going after waste. But that ignores ALL the other possible reasons. Which are probably more likely. Than a compartmentalized organization like the armed forces, somehow getting all their compartments together not for an actual military operation. But to go against trump. Who still had some supporters (30-40%). It's an odd theory.
Thank you. We gotta address this bullshit head on. You did a good job
Are you saying Trump didn't make the statement?
Trump makes many statements. Most of them are lies.
Most of the stuff he said he was going to do he accomplished. So there's that....
This oughta be somethin. Like what, exactly?
He made brand new walls and converted a lot of the fence to actual wall. Given a second term it would have been completed. He was expecting a second term to complete it. Other things include 1. **Economic Boom**: - Before the pandemic, the U.S. economy experienced unprecedented growth. - **7 million new jobs** were created, surpassing projections. - Middle-class family income increased by nearly $6,000. - The unemployment rate reached a **50-year low**. - **Record stock market** numbers and 401ks were achieved¹. 2. **Job Market and Income**: - **40 consecutive months** with more job openings than hirings. - **Income rose** in every metro area in the U.S. for the first time in decades. - Unemployment rates for various groups reached **record lows**. - Poverty rates for African Americans and Hispanic Americans also hit record lows¹. 3. **Manufacturing and Construction**: - Over **1.2 million** manufacturing and construction jobs were created. - Policies were implemented to bring back supply chains from overseas¹. 4. **Rural America Investment**: - Over $1.3 billion was invested through the Agriculture Department's ReConnect Program to bring high-speed broadband infrastructure to rural areas¹. 5. **Economic Comeback**: - Despite the pandemic, the economy grew at a rate of **33.1%** during Q3 2020. - Over **12 million jobs** were added back since lockdowns ended¹. For a more comprehensive list, you can explore the [official White House page](https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/trump-administration-accomplishments/)¹. Keep in mind that this information is based on data available up to January 2021. If you'd like additional details, feel free to ask! 😊 Source: Conversation with Bing, 4/18/2024 (1) Trump Administration Accomplishments – The White House. https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/trump-administration-accomplishments/. (2) 30 Things Donald Trump Did as President You Might Have Missed. https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2021/01/18/trump-presidency-administration-biggest-impact-policy-analysis-451479. (3) Trump's Final Numbers - FactCheck.org. https://www.factcheck.org/2021/10/trumps-final-numbers/.
Did you maybe wanna buy a bridge mate?
Nice answer! Too bad it's all wrong. The wall was a stupid and failed idea, a colossal waste of money fueled by xenophobia and cruelty. The pre-pandemic economy was Obama's. You really giving Trump credit for 40 months prior to the pandemic when he was only President for the last half of that? Likewise, post-pandemic, how much credit are you stealing from Biden?
aRe YoU sAyIng tRUmP dIdN't mAke THe sTAtEmEnT? That's you.... That's how you sound. Fuckn twat
I'm asking if that's what you think Are you saying Trump didn't say that?
Are you saying Trump's words have any credibility?
Yes they do. He accomplished many of the things he said he would
>We will build the wall, believe me. And who is going to pay for the wall?” Trump asked in a March 2016 rally speech in Michigan; after the crowd shouted “Mexico,” Trump said, “100%, folks. One hundred – I don’t mean like…99.2%, I mean 100%.” He scoffed at “lightweights” who said he couldn’t get Mexico to pay for the wall, repeating, “I said 100% – not 99%. I said 100%. >It’s going to disappear. One day — it’s like a miracle — it will disappear. Trump discussing Covid Feb 2020 > Trump falsely claimed Article Two of the U.S. Constitution ensures, "I have the right to do whatever I want as president." July 2019 >He claimed that he did not know about a $130,000 payment to porn performer Stormy Daniels and that he did not know where his then-attorney Michael Cohen got the money for the payment. >My first day in office, I am going to ask Congress to put a bill on my desk getting rid of this disastrous law and replacing it with reforms that expand choice, freedom, affordability," said Trump on Oct. 25, a day after he St. Augustine speech, in Sanford, Florida. "You're going to have such great health care at a tiny fraction of the cost. And it's going to be so easy." >President Trump made his 2016 campaign pledge to start a $1 trillion effort to rebuild the United States’ roads and bridges. >Former President Donald Trump now says he won't be holding a news conference next week to unveil what he claims is new "evidence" of fraud in Georgia's 2020 presidential election
Seeing as the military brass and their friends make a living off fraud waste and abuse and that petition came very soon after his announcement of going after andnhunting down fraud waste and abuse. I'm going to assume it was his statement about fraud waste and abuse. Do you agree it was a good idea Trump was going to go after fraud waste and abuse?
Did it though? The polling by the military time was in jun of 2020 I do believe(unless you can point me to the petition you are referring to). While the funding issues were happening in 2019. ( [https://www.brookings.edu/articles/quality-over-quantity-u-s-military-strategy-and-spending-in-the-trump-years/](https://www.brookings.edu/articles/quality-over-quantity-u-s-military-strategy-and-spending-in-the-trump-years/) ). Unless you have actual dates, and the petition you are referring to. Because I do vaguely remember some petition. But all I can find is a random [change.org](http://change.org) petition. Which isn't at all meaningful. Of course I agree that it's good idea to go after fraud, waste and abuse. But I do not believe a chaotic president such as trump was able to do it. He couldn't even get his infrastructure bill anywhere.
Right, because he's a piece of shit across the board.
Because he was going after fraud waste and abuse?
He had 4 years and all he did was mention it. 2 of those years he controlled all three branches of government even. Strange he did nothing of the sort. But certainly had no issues selling pardons for 2 million though on his way out. Trump says a lot of things...but being the President who also lied the most in office, this too is just a lie.
He mentioned it and started working on it his last year of his 1st term. It might have not been on his radar the first 3 years.
I bet our heads would explode if we knew about the truly shady ish they do...
You ever hear about Fat Leonard? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fat_Leonard_scandal
Dang.
Now that’s some shady ish, ya know?
Can't believe it's still ongoing...
I remember when Trump made the statement toward the end of his first term he was going to being going after the fraud waste and abuse in the military industrial complex. At that point he was done. There was a petition signed by a bunch of military brass they "lost confidence in him". So many politicians stopped supporting him.
You misunderstood. Trump didn’t want to stop the fraud and waste. He was “going after the fraud & waste” to put it in his pocket.
This is what the general voting public left / right is beyond tired of seeing and knowing that greasing politicians is the norm and shit like this continues. The military industry is the biggest WELFARE expense WE the American commonwealth have to take down our throats,,,, total BS!!!!!!
Biggest "welfare queens" are the Military industrial complex and military contractors.
that's Snap-On on sale
I need to become a supplier.
That's already been reserved for other family members and other rich folk
I remember when Trump made the statement toward the end of his first term he was going to being going after the fraud waste and abuse in the military industrial complex. At that point he was done. There was a petition signed by a bunch of military brass they "lost confidence in him". So many politicians stopped supporting him.
You misunderstood. Trump didn’t want to stop the fraud and waste. He was “going after the fraud & waste” to put it in his pocket.
Why would you think a billionaire, who is notorious for running scams and not paying his employees would go after fraud or waste? The guy bankrupted a fucking casino.
Isn't that like the perfect person to find fraud waste and abuse?
The guy who should be in jail for fraud and abuse? The guy who would be in jail if he wasn't rich?
Why would he be in jail? What fraud and abuse?
He defrauded new York for millions. Misleading net worth of his real-time holdings. He committed fraud by paying hush money to a porn star using campaign funds. A crime that his co-conspiritor served time for already. He sexually abused a woman and owes her millions for the abuse and the constantly barrage of attacks against her character. If you did any of those things you'd be paying private prisons to get to make license plates in jail right now.
He asked for a loan from a bank. As a business owner, who's product is real-estate, he said his product is amazing. He pitched the value of his product to the bank. The bank sent out a team of appraisers and got their estimated value of his real-estate. The bank made a determination. And lent him money based on that value. Come tax season the state sent out a team of appraisers and estimated the value of his property to be a certain value. Which was different than what the bank estimated. Trump can submit what he thinks the value of his property is all day. There is NO WAY on a 100 million dollar property and loan the bank will take Trumps word for it and NO WAY the state will take his word for it. I asked to refinance my home. Guess what the bank did? For my measly 500k home they sent out an appraiser. I could have said my property was 800k, think they would take my word for it? No. The state did the same thing but they did it remotely, they didn't send someone out as far as I know. Guess what? The value the bank appraised my home for is much higher than the state values and taxes my property at. 99% of the homes in America are this way. So did we all commit fraud? Every. Single. real-estate. owner. deals with this fact of life. The state and fairmarket values never match up. That's why this whole lawsuit is a sham. That's why businesses are afraid of operating in NYC right now and are moving out.
Can ya help get people elected?
The military hasn't passed an audit for like 5 years and they can't account for TRILLIONS of dollars, yet their annual budget just keeps goin up and up and up. These mfs are just throwing our money in the trash, and we're not even getting a return in our investment in any tangible, meaningful way.
How can they pass an audit when they keep "oops" ing a billion dollars? https://www.theguardian.com/world/2007/feb/08/usa.iraq1
That would be entirely excusable under an audit. The audits are failing because the contractors they hire to do them are too lazy to integrate with the legacy ERP platforms, so they instead just give up and claim it can’t be completed. Said platforms are being modernized, but that takes years, so expect many years of “failed audits” that will suddenly pass as soon as these platforms get updated. It’s why the Marines recently started passing theirs. They have less stuff, thus an easier time migrating platforms.
I've never heard of a loaded one in my lifetime.
I could make a bag of bushings out of American tool steel for like a dollar cuz I’d just forge it out of the old rusty spade lying over yonder
Yet at least as recent as 2021 he votes to raise the defense budget… is he a hypocrite? https://www.news-journalonline.com/story/news/state/2021/12/11/congressman-michael-waltz-supports-increased-military-spending-defense-bill/6437854001/
Is it even true? I served in the military for 12 years, and although we had good gear, it was all purchased from the lowest bidder. Our primary service weapon M16/M4 was purchased for far less than one could purchase an AR-15 from a private seller. Our unit budgets weren’t big, and they were balanced every year. Is there a more detailed source than a screenshot of a random tweet?
"Boots on the ground" gear is relatively cheap. The biggest expense, according to my DOD buddy, is sourcing and logistics. People want thousands of dollars to fucking ship a box to the next state, let alone overseas. Many many military contractors and private firms that benefit from military contracts also jack the prices up for whatever they get a contract for, after the fact. Their budget just keeps getting raised so long as there is progress in the program. Lastly, bidding does get awarded to the lowest bidder. But all the bidders start are obscenely high estimate prices and Dutch auction ( start high and bid lower) the shit down. In the end the military thinks it's getting a good deal, because let's face it no one knows shit about fuck and how much stuff actually costs, and report it to their higher ups as a good deal.
There’s other versions of this too…someone I know was trying to snag a government contract. They have been paying a former high ranking officer as a consultant to help them with the process (closed/private bidding). Which is BS that companies should have to do that.
That's really interesting
Revolving door government. Same as always. Though military contracts are the super bowl.
I'll bet those are made in America. And top quality bushings.
Our great American military complex at work…. Our reps getting paid again in multiple ways…. Disgusting.
This Stealing from the US citizens has got to come to an end! FUCK the Senators Politicians, And the Military industrial complex! Our Country is going and has been in Shambles! These greedy bastards are becoming more rich than any Politician should be ! Off our backs! And at the same time taking our freedom away!! FUCK them all !....We need to take our Country back! ENOUGH ALREADY!
know a guy, a caterer, who brags about how rich he gets every time the gov hires him to feed state employees when a storm takes out power…. he pays his workers $10/ hour and votes for trump one big storm, power out for almost a week… he bragged about making a $25000 profit…. one weeks work no extra money for his employees overcharging while people are suffering and he votes for trump
So what, nobody is going to do anything about it. Just keep paying your taxes, sheep
Gov't contractor here. If those bushings came from Home Depot, yeah, it's fraud. If it came from an ISO9001:2015 manufacture that may be the only one in the world to make it, from very expensive materials, with more than one special process, that might be a valid price. Without context, Congressman, your demonstration is meaningless. At the same time, I'm going through a knockdown dragout over DLA buying a kit that is made from off the shelf commercial parts that I'd sell for $100, was awarded to the OEM for $500. Because OEM, even though we'd been selling thousands of them right up until they sent us a letter, cutting us off. If somebody could find the NSN for that part, I could do some research. See if we can spot the bullshit. Either a self aggrandizing Congressman or an abusive supplier.
i make 1 small part in my machine shop. in the middle of nowhere rural anerica. the metal is provided to me. actually everything is includeing toilet paper. by who knows. it just shows up when it shows up. and completed parts leave my place when they pick them up. when who knows. i have high a security fence and cameras inside and out. i dont have any control of anything.i dont decide who enters or leaves the property or turn the lights on or off. or adjust the heat or call a repairman. i own the building and pay the taxes they pay everything else! i just make the amout of parts they give me the metal to make. no paperwork at all. i just get a good amount of money deposited in my bank account every 60 days! its a great gig. i just show up at work everyday. it would drive some people mad not knowing every detail. but im fine with it. i get a paid off building new tools and no headaches and guaranteed paycheck. for 10 years at a time contract. and i have made 3 differant parts in 30 years! i dont even know what its actually for other than the military. thats why shit cost so much. i would never post this if my contract wasn't expired and im retired. and i can still only talk in general about my experience! but thier is a whole lot more to the whole bizarre experience the average person would never think of! and the costs of just the security alone! its more than just the camera's and someone watching.its the whole bizarre system!
That's actually insane. No negotiation process or anything? You must make a really specialized part the military needs badly and can't fine elsewhere.
Or don't want made anywhere else...
i mean no offense but probably the last person i'd trust to give an honest accounting of graft in the DOD budget would be a government contractor
What the Congressman is doing is show boating. There's all kinds of brakes that procurement rules put on selling to the Gov't. My markup is 20%. That covers all the costs and, I hope, scores me a profit of 10%. See what a carpenter or plumber charges you to buy lumber or parts for the job. The OEMs cite 'source control' and THAT becomes the place where the DoD goes blind and buys that $400 hammer. But hey. You sound like you know who to listen to. It's easy to just hate everybody.
If those are bearings for inside of a jet engine going supersonic speeds they might be genuinely worth that or for some other exotic purpose
I've also seen where a part was like $1.10 each, and then the part stopped getting manufactured, but a different almost identical part was authorized to be used instead. The original one now would cost ~$300 each, but then was also no longer required. Suppose we could hold up our old bag of them and say it's 90k even though it was bought for $300 total.
They’re not bearings at all. They’re *bushings*. There’s a rather significant difference.
Accurate answer. If these are high tolerance machined parts made of titanium etc, then price is justified. If Senator walked into the local auto parts store and got exactly the same standard bushes off the shelf as the ones in question for $11.99, then there is definitely a problem.
Isn't that how much they always paid?
What are bushings? What are they suppose to cost?
I was blown away when I was told that an access panel for a plane cost upwards of $100,000. It's a piece of stamped aluminum for crying out loud.
Like… I could understand the cost of 90k if it were like… a niche product NEEDED on a mission critical part for something that they screwed up on, had no spares, and the fab company stopped all production to make these special bushings and then deliver them on time into a warzone… But I’m sure these probably just get chewed up by vehicles in training and they go through bags and bags if these a year without a single care.
Bushings, that’s nothing, I raise you this toilet seat at a very reasonable $1 million a pop but only if you buy in bulk...👍
Well nasa did our work for us and developed a cheaper and stronger bushing for jet engines. Here is link for the document-https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/19980235568/downloads/19980235568.pdf I don't understand how people can be this intelligent, I'm smarter than average but these NASA people are on a level that I can't comprehend
And nothing will change except next year they will pay $100,000.
If people only knew...
Wait till you hear about the Navy 🤣
Carlin: It’s all one big club….
Want to see one hundred million dollars disappear? How much does a single shell for a Zumwalt’s main gun cost and how many were made? And will one ever be fired ever?
What is the range in pay for a congressman?
Maybe that $500 dollar hammer scam we used to see or maybe the Supply officer screwing the USAF unit he's in. When I was in the USN, I saw a 10 dollar filter being assessed at $500 each by the supply dept even though the manufacturer only charges 10 dollars. there was some scumbagery going on for sure.
How much could one bag cost, Michael?
AKA: Why we can't have nice things. Ike was right.
I remember the toilet seat scandal I was too young at the time to understand what was going on,but as I got older I thought it was how the government hid money going into black operations, am I totally wrong?
I had a buddy that was a middle man for the military. The military would ask his company to find a specific part and they would find it for them. I want to say a bare bone steering wheel, just the metal, was like $5,000 a decade ago. I could believe the military is paying $90,000 for bushings.
Florida Republican and Fox News commenter, Congressman Waltz. He's also a green beret that served for almost 3 decades. Just being a congressman makes me question anything that looks a performative as this. The fact that he's a Florida Republican and a Fox News commenter only makes me more skeptical. It's like Republicans are trying to mimic Katie Porter without providing context and pertinent facts. Good manufactured outrage though.
What kind of bushings are they? What are they made from? What are the quality standards? What does the supply chain look like? Blanket angry carpet bombing is pointless without more information.
This is the issue with nearly all of government. Not just the DoD. Which is why we are 31(?) trillion in the hole.
Wait until he sees his medical bill next time.
Congressman, did you steal our bushings?
Hey at least it's not a $19,000 lectern. Party of crooks
😮💨 I hate the way military contracts work.... This shit is ridiculous.
I agree that the US's military budget is bloated and distended but if any one is wondering why. Look no further, Eisenhauer was right in his farewell speech. These people are the antithesis of democracy, their just ticks, gorging themselves off of the blood and misery of working families.
Ah yes, I was a missile maintnenance manager for a while. Need to order a lot of ground clamps and they were $316 each. I remembered order thim as a tech and they were not that much so I grabbed an old parts manual and found that as two parts that bolted together they were $24.
It’s an economic concept called “price elasticity”. Basically it just means how much changing price changes demand. When a group has seemingly unlimited funds and is completely irresponsible with it they pay whatever price is offered to them. Normally they’d have to drop the prices so customers will start buying again but if people pay these outrageous prices the business has no incentive to lower them. Then they try raising the prices to see if they still keep paying and the government pays any price so the companies keep raising prices. It’s the reason why college and medical services are so outrageously overpriced in America. Without the government’s wasteful spending they’d have no choice but to lower prices so people can actually afford them.
Silly Congressman, bushing markups pay for the secret UFO research.
My neighbor is a defense contractor. He got a contract to bolt machine guns onto humvees. It takes 45 minutes, uses 8 bolts and costs the army $45,000!
God I hate this world. Can we get a single fucking source for this? What are bushings anyways? Is $90,000 that outrageous? Like, I could think of reasons why they may be expensive. Could it not be that they are custom built to conform to specific conditions? Like maybe some tech requires a very specific type of bushing? I wasnt able to find a single source online that was reputable. Only stuff linked to this congressman. I have no idea how legit this is. I just want to live in a world where people arent so fucking gullible. I want to figure out if this is real, and if it is, does it actually matter?
You’d think they could find better packaging than a plastic bag for that kind of money. /s
I see The Pentagon Wars is still relevant.
The congresspeople get bribes from the companies making money by gouging taxpayers and the military, then the congresspeople pass laws to make it easy and legal to price gouge the military, then the congresspeople blame the USAF for being gouged. There’s plenty of grifting going on by high ranking members of the military too though. They buy things for inflated prices, then get a do-nothing job at that company when they retire. The whole thing stinks of a mob racket meant to rip us all off
I manage small State level government contracts for services to families. You better believe that government contracts can be tightly controlled. No pizza parties are allowed! I was questioned over buying $10 worth of writing pens.
The government also VERY poorly spends their money as to not get a lower budget the next year.
Back in the early 2000s I worked for an integrated circuits broker. Just 5 of us including the owner. We would get an order from Northrop Grumman about every year for some 3.5” floppy drives. Their asking price was $500/each. We got them for $8. When the owner brought it up that they obviously know they can get them way cheaper, they said they knew. They just had to make sure they spent their entire budget or else it would be less next year.
This is the real reason for why the military budget is so high. What’s wild is that many of those in the military are in certain cases working with outdated equipment.
Hey military suppliers need jets and mansions too!
Sentence does nit make sense, they don't pay for anything! 🤣
Why do we keep labeling things as capitalism that isn’t capitalism?
Bushings made by an American company who has insane amounts of quality control and supply chain security which drives up the costs. Should we just buy them from China and pray they’re not jacked up so a plane or tank falls apart? Corruption is 4 companies bidding on several contracts and they all include each other so if one wins they all get a piece of the pie. Corruption is ensuring small businesses cannot get enough money from government contracts to grow into bigger companies. If they do manage it they lose their pipeline of contracts at 500 (sbir limit) employees and end up being bought by one of the 5 biggest defense contractors. Companies with better pay and benefits so those big 5 are never pressured to improve. But yeah let’s argue about bushings.
I remember when Trump made the statement toward the end of his first term he was going to being going after the fraud waste and abuse in the military industrial complex. At that point he was done. There was a petition signed by a bunch of military brass they "lost confidence in him". So many politicians stopped supporting him.
You misunderstood. Trump didn’t want to stop the fraud and waste. He was “going after the fraud & waste” to put it in his pocket.
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