If we accept that logic, then the converse is true. There are Russian tanks a few hours drive from Germany, on their border, missiles etc. They have no choice either.

Further, if Russia were to take Ukraine, how long would it last as a buffer?
Not long, I expect. Soon it would become "our land" ( Russia's ), and in need of a buffer...
Wash, rinse, repeat...

From a previous post by you in this story: "I don't live in either Ca or Texas."
( by iAmWaySmarterThanYou ( 10095012 ) .. on Monday January 23, 2023 @02:41PM (#63233740) )

If you dont live in CA, why are you buying power from California?

If the one detail that makes the difference in inflation rate is our President, why is inflation up all over the world?
Why is it, mostly, better here than elsewhere?

x[ 0 ] = 0;
x[ 1 ] = 0;
x[ 3 ] = 0; ...
x[ 999999999 ] = 0;

Company executives that benefit from denying climate issues make enough as individuals to make Fauci's earnings look like nothing.

Not to mention that Anthony Fauci doesnt seem to have a dog in this fight. So, that scores as a non-sequitur.

beelsebob made an accurate point, the scientists that are claiming climate issues make nothing compared to Anthony Fauci, who makes nothing compared to the executives I named above.

Once upon a time, we didnt have Operating Systems.

Code managed hardware on it's own. Fine for single app at a time stuff.

Then we starting working on systems that would support multiple direct users and multiple running apps.
The coordination of the hardware access prompted a need for an Operating System.

Government's rise was not as principled, but it has lead to the ability, to some extent, for the competing elements of society to have some kind of "Operating System" like coordination.

So, your desire for anarchy ( or support for "only laws and regulations you think are "good" " ) just doesnt play.
There will be a government. If you chase off the Democrats and Republicans, you will find you are under a warlord.
It is very unlikely to be you, so, hoping for it is kinda stupid.

"Also, we have a not insignificant amount of the population that is absolutely unable to think critically"

They are able to think critically. If they post on a non-political subject, they engage their brain wonderfully.
On a political topic, they seem to have a "Team" mentality.
Their brain is working, overtime even, to construct the most fantastic levels of nonsense to justify the position they support.
Facts, science, truth, evidence, rationality, basic morality: all go out the window.

"How did China "force IP transfers""

In order to start manufacturing in China, a western company has to partner with a Chinese company and share how the products are made.
I understand they steal IP all the time as well. I have seen/read about any number of knock offs on the automotive front ( complete autos and parts ), and have read any number of articles about such issues in electronics and airplane/helicopter.

"preferred we sell them things of value instead of just giving them cash."

Tariffs, Quotas, and other trade barriers keep us out of that market. So....

"IOUs", then why do they trade with us?

"I find no reason other than petty partisanship to distinguish Trump printing money from Biden printing money." says "RightWingNutJob.

It appeared to me that you were maligning Biden/"the left" as an exercise in petty partisanship. If I was wrong, I ask your forgiveness.

Interesting methodology.

On the public health establishment et all versus the economic fallout.

Im not sure what you are driving at. I dont see where you can fault them on any of the fronts you mention.

Maintaining public trust: Any lack of trust in the public health establishment was fostered by political elements.
        Too many on the right were saying "it is nothing more than a bad cold or flu"
        It was clear that that was not true, that while some had minimal impact, that others were at high risk.

Political neutrality: Given the environment they had to work in, with the political establishment stepping into their business, I think they did a pretty good job.
        If they did anything, they allowed the Trump administration too much say over their position.

Unimpeachable transparency: Early on they recommended people not go after masks as there was a great need for first responders to have them.
        Sort of like the "dont take your hose and wash down your house, the fire department needs the water to fight the fire where it is" idea.
        Having first responders lack equipment so people could try to be "normal" in an abnormal time strikes me as silly.
        As they learned more, they modified their views.

People did die and people did get sick. If they had been allowed to perform without hindrance there would have been fewer in both camps.
Attribution for why, there is still a difference between right and left on vaccinations.
There was even a short while when conservatives where claiming that there was intentional manipulation on this.

On the economic effects, yes, there was an impact. Bad.
Are you arguing that the public health establishment is responsible for that impact?
If lockdowns had not happened, what would the death and sickness numbers look like?
What would you have recommended instead?

I am not sure what cheerleading in the summer of 2020 you are referring to.

Liking or disliking the Chinese is not at issue here. Racist commentary doesnt add anything of value.
China does indeed have nukes. Are you saying we should obey their every wish because of that?

Engagement, trade and friendship would be nice. It has been tried for many decades. All we have done is give them money and a huge leg up in technology.

You will have to explain your "we ripped off China by giving them useless cash and uncollectable i-owe-yous instead of products and services they can use".
It is my opinion that they have ripped us off. First in currency manipulation, then in forcing IP transfers ( which I have to say, we should never have agreed to ), and now in belligerence both economic and military/political.

We made them make stuff? They were falling all over themselves to make stuff.

Curious math.

The start of the pandemic and the start of Biden's term of office do not coincide.
Yet your claimed investments gained 1.5. But that is since the start of the pandemic.
Did you note your gain/loss when Biden's term began? If not, Im not sure you can claim much about the last two years.
Further, you dont know how much money was printed under Trump and how much under Biden.

Assuming your assumptions are correct ( and I dont, necessarily ), how do you justify claiming inflation rose with stock values?

So, interesting, but too much "I feel" not enough data for me to agree with your conclusions.

I find it interesting that you see that poor economic consequences are borne by the bottom half of the income distribution ( by person or by dollar? ), but you want to defund "public health". Not sure what you mean by "replace it ( public health? ) with people ( people making decisions? ) who are capable of quantitative reasoning and arent, to a man ( are they really, to a man? ), CPP lockdown fanbois ( everyone who thought lockdowns were a better choice than not locking down is a communist? )"

To unroll your claim a little.

Biden stood up to Putin. This increases risk of war and increased inflation.
Trump would have bent his knee to Putin and allowed him to take it.
Peace in our time.

That would have been a better outcome? Where would Putin have stopped? He would continue.
China would have likely moved on Taiwan seeing the above. Trump would have accepted it.

I prefer Biden's handling of the Ukraine invasion. You give in to a monster who has nuclear weapons, he will continue to take until stopped.

Lets imagine for a moment that every environmentalist did everything they could on the environmental front.

Perhaps they die the moment they decide to be an environmentalist, in order to reduce resource usage.

There are still nutters like the OP that will "roll coal" on everything to mock environmentalism and deny it's existence.

On bringing kids into this, sure. But the argument presupposes that I had the kids at a time when I was as aware of our impact on the environment, and as aware that we would be as stupid as we have proven to be. We are shitting our cage every day. We are, or should be, aware of this. Some of us try to do something, some try to make it worse.

I didnt buy into the fatalism that has infected you, but I am starting to.
But only because there are so many who refuse the least thought of anyone aside themselves.

Im so overwhelmingly glad you find that funny.

But I think you assume a lot. Population growth is an issue. How people live is also an issue.

No one in the world but you, eh?

I'm guessing you dont have kids. I do, and it is trash everything nutters like you that are threatening their lives.
Tell me, how I should feel about that?