Here's a statement of the obvious: The opinions expressed here are those of the participants, not those of the Mutual Fund Observer. We cannot vouch for the accuracy or appropriateness of any of it, though we do encourage civility and good humor.
As an ex-DOD employee, I have always wondered how many Americans depend on war or potential of war to survive. I tend to conclude/wonder - almost all Americans. This is because of the amount of the economy derived from war dollars. In today's world what is left except insurance and similar vendors of non-productive, but essential hogwash.
@LewisBraham - I'm willing to bet your next years income that the vast majority of Ukrainian citizen investors care less than squat about that prospect at this moment.
+1 Anna I'm also an ex-DOD employee and agree with your sentiment. ISTR that defense spending was spread across the vast majority of the 435 congressional districts !
“A planet doesn’t explode of itself,” said drily The Martian astronomer, gazing off into the air – “That they were able to do it is proof that highly intelligent beings must have been living there.”
Alas and alack. Destruction economics - employ your unemployed, keep blowing stuff up so you have to replace. So sad. Peddling the bs that you can fight a clean war. You Cannot fight a clean war or a gentle war or a half-step war. All you end up with is body bags and no geopolitical gains. Since Korea.
War means if it moves you kill it. Everything. Men, women, children, dogs, cats, sheep, cows, goldfish. Everything. If it doesn't move, you blow it up. Everything. And you keep doing this until they surrender. Now this is about as gruesome an activity as the race has ever created and it should be avoided at all costs. Many, if not most, are not willing to do this. Fine. In that case, you should invite your enemies for dinner and have them bring their families.
What needs to happen soonest, is the 9/11 Presidential War OK must be revoked. In that way, much of this shit would have to go thru congress. It's a war or terror folks. Now how does that ever end? This insanity is bankrupting our grandkids.
As for the military. Damn, bring all the troops home and defend the shores. You could trim $500 Billion a year from the defense budget and still improve the technology, training and readiness of our military.
@Mark I'd rather bet that the vast majority of Ukranians aren't investors at all. Only 56% of Americans are investors and we're the wealthiest country in the world: https://news.gallup.com/poll/266807/percentage-americans-owns-stock.aspx In a country as poor as Ukraine, I imagine the percentage of investors is far smaller. The cynical side of me says the small percentage of wealthy Ukranians who are investors do actually care about the returns on their U.S. defense stocks and less about the lives of their fellow citizens at risk. Historically speaking, it isn't the richest citizens with stocks who suffer and are cannon-fodder during war times. The military-industrial complex is an all-too real thing. Wars, some philosophers argue--Bataille I believe is one--are used to get rid of excess capacity, both in production and in the labor force, and excess capacity is a euphemism for something far worse, referring to what happens to the people doing the fighting and running for cover.
Comments
That includes some well-loved funds which many investors own: https://morningstar.com/stocks/xnys/noc/ownership
Perhaps if building machines to kill people wasn't so darn profitable, there'd be less war.
The Martian astronomer, gazing off into the air –
“That they were able to do it is proof that highly
intelligent beings must have been living there.”
Poem - “Earth” by John Hall Wheelock
Alas and alack. Destruction economics - employ your unemployed, keep blowing stuff up so you have to replace. So sad. Peddling the bs that you can fight a clean war. You Cannot fight a clean war or a gentle war or a half-step war. All you end up with is body bags and no geopolitical gains. Since Korea.
War means if it moves you kill it. Everything. Men, women, children, dogs, cats, sheep, cows, goldfish. Everything. If it doesn't move, you blow it up. Everything. And you keep doing this until they surrender. Now this is about as gruesome an activity as the race has ever created and it should be avoided at all costs. Many, if not most, are not willing to do this. Fine. In that case, you should invite your enemies for dinner and have them bring their families.
What needs to happen soonest, is the 9/11 Presidential War OK must be revoked. In that way, much of this shit would have to go thru congress. It's a war or terror folks. Now how does that ever end? This insanity is bankrupting our grandkids.
As for the military. Damn, bring all the troops home and defend the shores. You could trim $500 Billion a year from the defense budget and still improve the technology, training and readiness of our military.
and so it goes,
peace,
rono