[paraclete]

and I'm fed up to the teeth with ingrates that rely on American protection at the same time they complain about it.

I don't rely on it Tom you see you like to give the lie that America protected Australia in WWII, we were just a convenient base in the South Pacific, what you were really doing was protecting yourself and prosecuting the war. We had that meglomaniac Macarthur posturing all over the place.

"The President of the United States ordered me to break through the Japanese lines and proceed to Corregidor to Australia for the purpose, as I understand it, of organising an American offensive against Japan, the primary purpose of which is the relief of the Philippines. I came through and I shall return."

I don't see anything about defense of Australia in that statement

The self-styled "Hero of the Pacific" was greeted with adulation by Australian politicians, public and media. Despite this adulation, MacArthur's passion for self-glorification drove him to lie about the manner in which he had arrived in Australia. He told the press that his aircraft had been closely pursued by Japanese fighter planes and had narrowly escaped Japanese bombers as it was landing at Batchelor Field. This story captured the public imagination but it was all a lie. Master Sergeant Graf, who was the wireless operator on MacArthur's flight from the Philippines, later exposed MacArthur's story as a figment of his imagination. According to Graf, the flight to Australia was uneventful. MacArthur's aircraft was never under threat from the Japanese.

MacArthur came to Australia with an obsession to return to the Philippines as a hero. With his mind unwaveringly fixed on a triumphant return to the Philippines, MacArthur would neglect the northern defences of Australia and almost hand the Japanese a victory on the Kokoda Track.

We have stood beside you fellows in a number of wars, none of which were particularly in our national interest and yet you like to be condescending towards us as if you are doing us a favour of allowing us to die on your battlefield. Let me remind you that we were in the teeth of battle in WWI and WWII, while you were still deciding whether you were neutral or not. It wasn't concern for us that shook you out of your lethagy but concern for yourself interest.

So stop with the yankee B/S Tom and let us have a rational discussion

[speechlesstx]

hey speech I don't have any misery when you stop projecting misery on the world I'll stop sending it back where it came from. I know you don't like to look in the mirror but sometimes you have too, Just remember it is your country that spends more than the rest of the world combined on the military. What are you afraid of?

Our country also spends more money publicly and privately on foreign assistance than anyone else. I love it, too when whiners bite the hand that feeds - and protects them. I really think all you ingrates' tune would change if we were to get out of the picture.

With your constant whining about my country, and yes I do tire of it and take offense, all I can say is some "friend" you are. I've always spoken highly of your country, it's not my problem that Aussies like Big Macs so get over it.

[paraclete]

Our country also spends more money publicly and privately on foreign assistance than anyone else. I love it, too when whiners bite the hand that feeds - and protects them. I really think all you ingrates' tune would change if we were to get out of the picture.

With your constant whining about my country, and yes I do tire of it and take offense, all I can say is some "friend" you are. I've always spoken highly of your country, it's not my problem that Aussies like Big Macs so get over it.

Speech I know you don't like it when we call you fellows on the rhetoric but we get a little fed up with the we saved you crap. I'm not sure what it is you think you are protecting us from. Go protect yourselves from the Cubans, they are a real threat.

Australians don't like Big Macs but your marketing techniques put the small business hamburger shops out of business, so we don't like the way you do business because what you market is an inferior product and you even recognise this yourselves, Ask Michael Moore. I am for the underdog by the way. You call my comments whining when you fail to recognise the truth of what I say. It is time you took a real good look at yourselves because from where I stand, something isn't working.

You want to look at your record on foreign assistance, your percentage of GDP spent on foreign assistance is the low in comparison with developed countries and most of that is tied aid flowing back into your own industries. It doesn't wash speech

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aid

[speechlesstx]

Speech I know you don't like it when we call you fellows on the rhetoric but we get a little fed up with the we saved you crap. I'm not sure what it is you think you are protecting us from. Go protect yourselves from the Cubans, they are a real threat.

If I had said that you may have a point, but I didn't.

Australians don't like Big Macs but your marketing techniques put the small business hamburger shops out of business, so we don't like the way you do business because what you market is an inferior product and you even recognise this yourselves, Ask Michael Moore.

I couldn't give a rat's arse what Michael Moore says. You can't get any more lunatic - and hypocritical as a man who makes millions slamming the system that made him rich - than him. But yes, McDonald's is an inferior product, but we aren't making Aussies return for more. Or are you saying your lack of self-control is so profound you just couldn't help but support 701 McDonald's restaurants in your country?

Gimme a break and take responsibility, I didn't force a Big Mac down anyone's throat and I darn sure didn't force them to keep coming back for more.

You want to look at your record on foreign assistance, your percentage of GDP spent on foreign assistance is the low in comparison with developed countries and most of that is tied aid flowing back into your own industries. It doesn't wash speech

You suffer from the same spin problem as our own leftists. Total dollars from the US dwarfs the rest of the world, and that doesn't include private giving. From your source, our 30,353 (USD millions) is more than double the next, Germany at 12,985 and nearly 8 times yours at 3826. And again that does not take into account private charity abroad which as of 2005 reached nearly 4 times that of our government's foreign aid.

What would you rather have, more dollars or more inefficient federal dollars as a percentage of GNI?

[tomder55]

Well I was primarily speaking post WWII . But since you bring it up ;what fleet was there between you and the Japanese?. You telling me that great Aussie fleet that blocked the attack of Darwin ?
Yeah I've always given Australia the credit for putting up it's fair share in the alliance. But you know and I know that without the US umbrella you would've quickly fallen under the sphere of the other super power... just like you will fall under the sphere of China if the US abandons or gets pushed out of the region. That is why you continue the alliance.. out of your own brand of self interest.

[paraclete]

You suffer from the same spin problem as our own leftists. Total dollars from the US dwarfs the rest of the world, and that doesn't include private giving. From your source, our 30,353 (USD millions) is more than double the next, Germany at 12,985 and nearly 8 times yours at 3826. And again that does not take into account private charity abroad which as of 2005 reached nearly 4 times that of our government's foreign aid.

What would you rather have, more dollars or more inefficient federal dollars as a percentage of GNI?

You suffer from a spin problem yourselves You want to say you give 8 times as much as we do, not that our giving is high on the list but yours is the largest economy and ours is the 13th largest your population is more than fourteen times ours. Our GDP is a 10th of yours and Germany about a fifth of yours. In the days of the Asian tsumani we out gave you many times over
http://www.theage.com.au/news/Asia-tsunami/PM-pledges-1bn-in-aid/2005/01/06/1104832185285.html

[paraclete]

Well I was primarily speakin post WWII . But since you bring it up ;what fleet was there between you and the Japanese ? ....You telling me that great Aussie fleet that blocked the attack of Darwin ?
Yeah I've always given Australia the credit for putting up it's fair share in the alliance. But you know and I know that without the US umbrella you would've quickly fallen under the sphere of the other super power ...just like you will fall under the sphere of China if the US abandons or gets pushed out of the region. That is why you continue the alliance.. out of your own brand of self interest.

Some sort of twisted history there Tom I think there might have been a US warship sunk in Darwin harbour but I don't recall the US preventing raids on Darwin. I think you might have been eluding to what we call the battle of the Coral Sea where as I recall you and the Japs mauled each other but I thought you were preventing an attack on Port Morsbey.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Coral_Sea
Which as it happens is not in Australia but was at that time in an Australian mandated territory. Some elements of the Australian navy took part in that engagement.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombing_of_Darwin

Thing is Tom smaller countries are always under someone's sphere of influence, the Chinese recently suggested we should consider being under theirs, however we won't desert you yet in your hour of need, our relationship is too long for that, but we don't want to get drawn into a stoush between yourselves and China. We have a long history of fighting someoneelse's battles, first with the British and more recently with you, so we understand something about it you may not. (It is called being screwed no matter which way you turn) It appears to be the price of friendship

[talaniman]

Careful Clete, conservetives love to rewrite history. You should see what they want us to think aout the civil war here. They claim it was about states rights, but don't want you to know it was states rights to own slaves.Thats what the shooting was about.

Just like the new war is about church right, but they don't want you to know its about the church being aove the law, and can make everyone do as they want them to, whether they are in the church or NOT!!

[tomder55]

They claim it was about states rights, but don't want you to know it was states rights to own slaves.Thats what the shooting was about.

I have written plenty of times about the cause of the Civil War ;and you have never seen me write anything about States rights .I don't believe in States Rights . States and the Federal Government have powers . People have rights. Powers of the Federal Government are enumerated and limited . All other powers not given to the Federal Government ,or prohibited by the Constitution belong to the States.
The Civil War was totally a slavery issue.

Same thing with the power of the government to prohibit free exercise. It is a Constitutional restriction .

[paraclete]

Why is it my posts disappear

[talaniman]

Maybe not you specifically, but conservatives in general.

[paraclete]

Conservatives generally delete posts?

[speechlesstx]

You suffer from a spin problem yourselves You want to say you give 8 times as much as we do, not that our giving is high on the list but yours is the largest economy and ours is the 13th largest your population is more than fourteen times ours. Our GDP is a 10th of yours and Germany about a fifth of yours. In the days of the Asian tsumani we out gave you many times over
Australian aid sets the standard: Oxfam - Asia tsunami - www.theage.com.au

Really now? Government, NGO and public aid from the US (not including corporate contributions and the assistance of our military) was $2,825,000,000.

From Australia it was $1,322,000,000. How many times over did you out give us?

[speechlesstx]

Careful Clete, conservetives love to rewrite history.

I didn't know you were a conservative.

[talaniman]

That's the problem with conservative friends, and family... they rub off on you!

[speechlesstx]

I would hope so.

[talaniman]

Be careful what you wish for. Because repealing Obamacare, and not expanding Medicaid is NOT fiscally responsible. For liberals,or conservatives.

The funniest/sadist part is its RED states that benefit the most, predominately in the south. Boggles my itty bitty brain.

[speechlesstx]

The funniest/sadist part is ... my itty bitty brain.

See, we can agree on some things. :p

[tomder55]

"The State governments will, in all possible contingencies, afford complete security against invasions of the public liberty by the national authority."
Alexander Hamilton Federalist Paper 28 .

[speechlesstx]

President Rerun is set to announce a "new" proposal to raise taxes on those making $250,000 or more.

President Obama on Monday will propose a one-year extension of the George W. Bush-era tax cuts for people earning less than $250,000, his latest election-year effort to appeal to middle-class voters.

Gee, where have I heard that before? And before that?

Even Schmucky Schumer argued that 250k WAS middle class the last around when even Dems bumped it to $1 million and didn't get it through.

One way or another if Obama wins he still plans on raising taxes on those he needs to get the economy moving. I don't see how you can take this guy seriously, he has nothing new to sell you but the same old useless reruns.