"Why not focus in rebuilding our country instead of trying to fix other countries problems"?

SGT Juan Soriano — Wed, 16 Sep 2015 03:57:50 -0400

Why? Instead of focusing in our problems and country why are we trying to repair other countries. Yet, here we are talking about others countries and their issues.

It's very sad that we spend some much time and money on other things rather than to pay our debts and make more jobs for our people of the United States of America.

"We used to expressed and talk so bad about the crime been so bad in other countries. Yet, look what's going on in our own backyards of our house. Police officers getting killed left and right. But our people focused more on immigration topics rather then to focused in all the criminal activity in our own place, cities and country.

Before we speak bad about someone else, let's check ourself out first.
It's sad but our country is not safe, all who I, blame for it, is our Executive Officers in the Administration house.

Good night and GOD BLESS OUR UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 16 at 2015 6:36 AM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 16 Sep 2015 06:36:50 -0400

The president is just a figurehead who's job it is to protect America's interests. Unfortunately lobbyists get the funding to focus more of the efforts to benefit the capitalist nature of America rather than its more social conscious side

Response by SSG Gerhard S. made Sep 16 at 2015 7:22 AM

SSG Gerhard S. — Wed, 16 Sep 2015 07:22:11 -0400

Trying to remove the mote from the eye of another with a beam in our own eye?

Response by Sgt Tom Cunnally made Sep 16 at 2015 7:33 AM

Sgt Tom Cunnally — Wed, 16 Sep 2015 07:33:38 -0400

Excellent Discussion...our new Republican Governor of MA used this subject as one of his campaign promises. He is trying to rebuild the MBTA , & repair our roads and bridges. The roads here are horrific and everyone I know has had to replace blown tires because of pot holes. So I guess what I am trying to say is that Governors should tale on this task because Washington DC is hung up on just being re elected for another term ..

Response by SPC David Hannaman made Sep 16 at 2015 7:57 AM

SPC David Hannaman — Wed, 16 Sep 2015 07:57:34 -0400

You're looking for a simple answer to a complex question. That's a good thing, I love simple answers when we can find them.

I like to mentally scale down the problems so that I can wrap my mind around them... I typically think of foreign affairs like dealing with neighbors... sometimes you have good neighbors, sometimes not so good, and sometimes you have to call the cops on them.

We (the United States) are the rich neighbor, but we're house poor, heavily in debt and have one kid that is a spoiled rotten and a couple more that are pretty good kids.

Now the spoiled rotten kid gets all the attention (of course) but he's mostly a good kid, he just takes up 90% of the energy and attention (that's the drama that the press seems to highlight week to week).

Also if I have a neighbor that is a couple dollars short on paying the bill for trash pickup it makes sense for me to do something to make sure trash doesn't pile up and attract roaches and rats (that's foreign aid).

The biggest problem is when everyone in the house starts getting selfish and quits working together. Around election time "Mom and Dad" (the politicians) start fighting dirty and make the kids (the citizens) feel like their parents are worthless and hate each other, they get the impression that other people in the neighborhood have it better, even though they live in the most beautiful house (by far) in the neighborhood.

Response by SSgt Alex Robinson made Sep 16 at 2015 8:14 AM

SSgt Alex Robinson — Wed, 16 Sep 2015 08:14:33 -0400

Let's focus on caring for our vets. Those with mental illness and the homeless. We owe them that much

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 16 at 2015 8:40 AM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 16 Sep 2015 08:40:09 -0400

Unfortunately, when a plan comes up to fix our infrastructure, crumbling bridges, inadequate schools, lack of homeless shelters, or elderly electrical supply grid, the plan gets voted down by people who say it is "wasteful government spending". Meanwhile, we give huge tax breaks to corporations that are already turning record profits.

A lot of state representatives or senators will vote down things that are good for other states, simply because they themselves don't get their states to benefit from them as well. So, "if I can't have some, neither can they". Or, they add a bunch of not-very-important earmark spending just for the hell of it, so money goes to support unneeded things just to keep politicians happy.

We end up with things crumbling here, and some notion that we also have to ride out and save everyone else in the world from themselves.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 16 at 2015 12:10 PM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 16 Sep 2015 12:10:21 -0400

SGT Juan Soriano here is the thing, we have a massive DOD budget that we use for war. We also have a budget we use for the things like providing foreign aid and what not. Also we have a budget the gov funding infrastructure.

To do things like rebuilding roads, upgrading our public transportation. (But it's one of the worst in the developed world speaking as an immigrant from the EU), or upgrading the counties web infrastructure...these would require our taxes to increase. Problem with that is congress and the presidency is a popularity contest so no one is willing to raise taxes and anger constitutes. Congress especially being now a career to earn a lavish lifestyle opposed to an undertaking of service to country... They absolutely won't support tax increases.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Sep 16 at 2015 1:59 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Wed, 16 Sep 2015 13:59:18 -0400

I can understand invading Afghanistan. Iraq was out of the blue. The migration of imperial power shifted from Europe to the US after WWII. This is our collective trajectory.

Response by SPC Donald Moore made Sep 16 at 2015 3:16 PM

SPC Donald Moore — Wed, 16 Sep 2015 15:16:55 -0400

The reason that we don't fix the US is because there are too many people looking outward rather than focusing on the problems down the street. It is a psychological problem. It is really the same thing as complaining about the neighbor doing something when you are also guilty of doing it. People (human nature) is to look at what the other guy is doing instead of looking at what we are doing wrong in our own community.

Response by SPC Luis Mendez made Sep 16 at 2015 3:29 PM

SPC Luis Mendez — Wed, 16 Sep 2015 15:29:33 -0400

There will never be a shortage of Scapegoats in this culture/society. As long as there's SEOSE to blame for whatever; he/she/they/them/ it will be found. Is just ingrained too deep in the culture, the consciousness, the way of being, the thinking, the character or lack thereof. Nothing new under the sun.

Response by SGM Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 17 at 2015 4:02 PM

SGM Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 17 Sep 2015 16:02:05 -0400

PFC Soriano, this question leads to a slippery slope. I encourge you to remember we swore an oath to support and defend our nation ............you get the meaning. We need to be careful in how we frame our questions to keep a "neutral" appearance. This may not be popular, but we are not alowed to talk bad about the President.

Every country has its issues. But in todays world where globalization has decreased the stand off the U.S. has enjoyed for so long, it would be dangerous not to address potential threats to the U.S. There are other ways to deal with problems than military might. By assisting less fortunate countries in handling their problems, we can help them get on their feet and possibly avoid military action in the future. There are examples of sucsess. Before I mention them, I want to caveat with this. We have become a " Microwave Society". This means we want it, and we want it now! It has taken us 200 years to become the great nation we are today. It is not feasible to think that we can fix a country in a year and not have problems. The examples of sucess are Germany and Japan. Again, didnt happen overnight. 9/11 has shown us that we cant standby and allow safe havens for our enemies. we cant afford to give them space to plan and excute more attacks. This is why we are involved in helping other countries.

As for crime, I would argue that overall the increases are nominal. This goes back to globalization. 20 years ago, if someone commited a crime in California, the news wouldnt make it to the East coast for a day or two. Now, when something happens here in the U.S. the world knows about it in less than 15 mins! On the Cops issue. There are hundreds of thousands of Cops in the united states, there are bad apples in every profession, so if a handfull of Cops are doing wrong and the media chooses to focus on those, then that means the rest are getting it right. If there was a systemic problem in law enforcement, we would hear`about. The old addage is true, a few bad apples spoil the bunch!

CSM Smith

Response by SPC Don Stringer made Oct 2 at 2015 12:18 PM

SPC Don Stringer — Fri, 02 Oct 2015 12:18:19 -0400

Since we as a nation borrow money and are grievously in debt, we should not spend one red cent overseas on any development. We have internal problems in spades and could ear mark all that money into development of our aging infrastructure, which would create jobs, generate tax revenue and serve our communities.

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 13 at 2015 6:09 PM

Sgt Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 13 Oct 2015 18:09:07 -0400

Because if we don't then they will bitch about why we arnt helping them. Also when our countries economy is linked to so many others you don't want them to fail and bring you down too.

Response by SPC Kelli Morrison made Oct 18 at 2015 6:34 PM

SPC Kelli Morrison — Sun, 18 Oct 2015 18:34:31 -0400

My mission now is to help find ALL our homeless heroes a house. What pisses me off is I fight to get monies for my mission and anyone coming into this country is given a home,food stamp, medical, and a job???? How about we take care of our own. That should be number #1 priority. What the hell is wrong with this picture?????

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Oct 18 at 2015 7:45 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Sun, 18 Oct 2015 19:45:49 -0400

After WWII the US became the Western and some Asian countries military leader. We seem to go to war every 10 years. Pardon my math but my memory is not good.

Response by SSG Eddie “JD” Brown made Oct 21 at 2015 1:26 PM

SSG Eddie “JD” Brown — Wed, 21 Oct 2015 13:26:26 -0400

I totally agree we have devastation on our own streets, children dying of hunger and abuse but were promoting healing other countries when sadly how many millions of pounds of food and care items have set to ruin on ported ships! We need to feed and care for our own families before feeding neighbors! I love my military but damn I too love my country! Were gonna be spread so thin healing everyone else "which have we ever really healed an issue in any foreign country?"

Response by SPC William Vann made Oct 30 at 2015 12:39 AM

SPC William Vann — Fri, 30 Oct 2015 00:39:41 -0400

Well said. I like the Executive Officer's and Administration House example. We as Americans need to replace the Admin with new... too much time wasted flapping lips with no action. It will soon be 240 years of back and forth bickering, actionless support for Americans while saving the world from itself.
Let some other country help for a minute. We can fix America and continue to help others again later.
Proud to have served my America in the Army.
May God continue to bless us all.

Response by SPC Richard Montalvo made Oct 31 at 2015 3:11 PM

SPC Richard Montalvo — Sat, 31 Oct 2015 15:11:02 -0400

Ive sat here for months trying to figure it out myself, People would come from all over the world to live in the free world raise there kids to be american and respect our laws and at times fight for this country .But how things are different the aclu has cross the line .first they take the pledge of allegiance out of out school,next they religon an prayer,then they have to remove our monument of the constution from every federal building that has the word god on it.
I would like to take a survey of every adult in the united states from the age of 18 on up to ask there self what this country means to then and would they like to change it..
we need to go back to were our kids were taught respect
I am tired of all this politcal correct crap.
last night i heard someone bitch about all this and i ask him did he vote and all i got was no cause it doesnt matter This is way we kept get all the crap down our throat cause american dont get out and vote. I can go on an on but you should know what i mean our brothers died for this country