Assuming that number turns out to be close to reality, how do you weigh so many unnecessary deaths against VTL rockets and the electric cars?
Perhaps a practitioner of Effective Altruism could better answer that question.
Nor how many deaths will be caused by his support for far right parties across Europe, when they start ethnic cleansings.
This doesn't make corruption OK. But he tore out a lifeline for some people without giving them an alternative way to get aid.
In my 30+ years of life I have not seen a single successful project that either: wasn't a facade, or didn't benefit the ruling class only.
The US taxpayer has no moral obligation to send welfare "around the world". If you personally find this frustrating, you're welcome to donate that money yourself, directly. No one will stop you. If the world wishes to partake in the benefits of the American government, it should apply for statehood.
Sure. It's a transactional purchase of stability and goodwill, via which the US has benefited enormously.
I mean, by way of the atrocities we've committed around the world, we kinda do.
Even if we buy your thesis, foregoing morals, geopolitics, and history, it's a useful soft power strategy...
I'm not saying fund USAID before healthcare for all in america. I'm saying of all the insane things our government wastes money on, USAID was far down on the list of most egregious.
I've committed no atrocities. Going to guess that you've committed no atrocities. What atrocities did occur, most of those who committed those are dead, the rest are senile in nursing homes. I have no guilt and certainly feel no guilt for those events.
>it's a useful soft power strategy.
Sure, if you're some sort of tyrant. I thought the left was against colonialism... but you guys really just one a more clever, subtle colonialism eh? Figures.
>I'm saying of all the insane things our government wastes money on, USAID was far down on the list of most egregious.
What you're saying is that no cuts can or should be made, unless they are your favorite cuts first. And maybe after you get those, no others need be made at all.
Drastic misrepresentation. I made no value judgements. I simply offered reasons why the above commenter may be wrong. from different points of view. You misunderstand or are naive to the spectrum of how parasitic to symbiotic those soft power relationships can be
> What you're saying is that no cuts can or should be made, unless they are your favorite cuts first. And maybe after you get those, no others need be made at all.
Nope, just saying there's pretty clear science behind where money could be better spent besides billions in forever wars. Maybe start there? 9$ trillion on pointless wars in the middle east comes to mind? google a map of countries we've overthrown the democratic leader of if you want more examples. all the shahs men is useful too. i could go on.
> I've committed no atrocities. Going to guess that you've committed no atrocities. What atrocities did occur, most of those who committed those are dead, the rest are senile in nursing homes. I have no guilt and certainly feel no guilt for those events
It's not about that. someone simply had to pay that debt. sorry to tell you those bills they wracked up to accumulate wealth are coming due for the rest of us right or not.
That in itself should make you hate the dude.
Wasn't Edison an asshole?
Children were exploited, and we're doing this net positive analysis on whether he should face the scorn. I'm not having a go at you - it's just frustrating to see very little happening after so much has been exposed, and I think part of it comes from this mindset - 'oh he's a good guy, this is a mistake/misstep' while people that were exploited as children can't even get their justice.
It's sickening.
I'd rather have both. Hawthorne doesn't get nuked if Elon Musk goes to jail.
> Children were exploited
Abuse. Exploitation. CSAM. We're mushing words.
Child rape. These men raped children. Others not only stayed silent in full knowledge of it, but supported it directly and indirectly. More than that, they arrogantly assumed–and, by remaining in the United States, continue to assume–that they're going to get away with it.
Which category is Elon Musk in? We don't know. Most of the people in the Epstein files are innocent. But almost all of them seem to have been fine with (a) partying with an indicted and unrepentant pedophile [1] and (b) not saying for decades–and again, today–anything to the cops about a hive of child rape.
A lot of them should go to jail. All of them should be investigated. And almost all of them need to be retired from public life.
[1] https://web.archive.org/web/20220224113217/https://www.theda...
(Clarification: I’m using the term colloquially. Whether Epstein had a mental condition is unclear.)
[1] https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/press-release/file/1180481...
Don't believe me? Go to the epstein emails and try to find it