[allmendream]

I remember when Saudi Arabia offered to send bonus $ to our troops who served in the first Gulf war. George HW Bush said ‘our armed forces are not mercenaries’. I said “SHOW ME THE MONEY!!!” I was mad that I didn't get paid - but I saw the point about not having our troops beholden to and paid by foreign powers.

If you don't think we get our money's worth from our overseas commitments - that is one argument to make - that we should charge people.... well Germany and Japan and South Korea have a big bill to pay!!!

Having our Armed Forces set up to be a means of making money? Gee, what bad could happen from that? It worked so well when we set up our Police to make money rather than enforce the law and protect public safety!/s

As far as starting a tariff war with the rest of the world - making foreign products more expensive in the USA and our products more expensive in the rest of the world isn't going to replace a sensible trade policy based upon mutual advantage and weaning ourselves away from toxic products made by slave labor in Communist gulag nations (I am looking at YOU China!).

[itsahoot]

when we set up our Police to make money rather than enforce the law and protect public safety!/s

Too late motorcycle cops have one function, to raise revenue, like traffic cameras.

Ever been in a fake speed trap where practically every car was pulled over and ran by a JP where you were sized up and fined accordingly, or went to jail? Happened to me in 1957 just outside Chicago.