This can't be good midwar / not war.

[What Would Jesus Do?]

oftentimes folks in cabinet positions leave after 2 years so they can capitalize on their knowledge of the system and the people in it. Hegseth has a brood of kids and a net worth of "only" $3million or so. It wouldn't surprise me to see him as one of those who bolt for higher paying positions in the defense or think tank industries

You say "capitalize" I say "corruption." It doesn't have to be that way, but it too often looks exactly like that with these revolving doors between government and the private sector.

 

[What Would Jesus Do?]

Still truly shocked anytime a grown man parrots these incredibly juvenile and stupid terms.

Boomers can't go away fast enough

Some of the best living defenders of our democracy are boomers.

 

[other1]

https://www.axios.com/2026/09/01/army-secretary-dan-driscoll-resigns-hegseth

 

[What Would Jesus Do?]

Right, the military bureaucracy was functioning at a high level before Hegseth had the crazy idea to try to make it more efficient. What was he thinking? Everything was great as it was. Just ask defense industry reps like Lloyd Austin if you don't believe it.

Hegseth’s Acquisition Reform: From Red Tape to Rapid Response | National Guard Association of the United States

Nice straw man. No one was saying any of those things about the military prior to Trump and Hegseth. The problem isn't that there weren't things that needed fixing. The problem is that idiots and children have replaced those who actually know how to fix things.

 

[THE_DEVIL]

 

[What Would Jesus Do?]

Conservative Veterans Given Secret Pentagon Jobs​

The Washington Post is reporting that several conservative veterans with big online followings have been given secret Pentagon jobs, where they promote Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s agenda and attack the Trump administration’s critics. Those involved include Rob Maness, a retired Air Force colonel, and Kurt Schlichter, a retired Army colonel. They both have active official government email addresses and are assigned to the office of Anthony Tata, the undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness.

Adam Kinzinger, a former Republican congressman and Air Force veteran, said on social media, “How many more people that are blue checkmarks on X that are putting out information on behalf of the federal government, and Donald Trump, and the Republican Party, … are actually special government employees?”

 

[Riveting]

Nice straw man. No one was saying any of those things about the military prior to Trump and Hegseth. The problem isn't that there weren't things that needed fixing. The problem is that idiots and children have replaced those who actually know how to fix things.

Are you saying the autopen admin knew how to fix things but chose not to?

 

[baltimorened]

No I didn't. Why? Because, as I said, you don't seem to have added anything that otherwise well-informed people didn't already know, or couldn't figure out for themselves.

Don't get me wrong. Saying things that other well-informed people already know or can figure out for themselves isn't a bad thing. After all some smart folks might not already know this or that, and others might not have gotten around to figuring your point out for themselves. So I consider those to be useful contributions even it they don't help me personally.

What I'm dinging you for is seeming to claim the high ground of knowledge and understanding without (yet) having added anything new.

By all means share what you know, and give your informed opinions, but spare us the high horse act.

I'm not sure about what you mean by "high horse act"....my background is significantly different from most on the board...I try to share my thoughts based on those experiences. If it comes across that I'm denigrating the opinions of others, that certainly is not my intention....

and to be honest, it's hard, if not impossible, for me to know what someone else knows before they post it. And, I admit I don't read all the posts from everybody who is a member of the board. So, if someone has posted something and I'm just regurgitating it's not because I'm on some high horse, but maybe I haven't seen it before.

 

[baltimorened]

You say "capitalize" I say "corruption." It doesn't have to be that way, but it too often looks exactly like that with these revolving doors between government and the private sector.

the revoving door has been a fact for as long as I can remember. I'm a product of it...army one day and defense contractor employee the very next day.

Companies/think tanks/law firms will pay a lot of money for the knowledge and the access that former high level government employees/executives have. It's the same with members of Congress who might be barred from directly lobbying but are allowed to advise others on how to play the system.

I'm not sure how you stop it completely or even if it's possible to stop it.

 

[baltimorened]

Some of the best living defenders of our democracy are boomers.

Tigres should look up the YouTube video on "what happens when the boomers are gone". If you're interested in demographic analysis and consequences, it's very interesting

 

[tigres88]

Tigres should look up the YouTube video on "what happens when the boomers are gone". If you're interested in demographic analysis and consequences, it's very interesting

No thanks!

 

[o_wausauhawk]

Could very well be right,... Why would you assume that he was good at his job?...

Because Hegseth forced him out.

 

[pjhawk]

We are doomed.

 

[Huey Grey 2]

I'm not sure about what you mean by "high horse act"....my background is significantly different from most on the board...I try to share my thoughts based on those experiences. If it comes across that I'm denigrating the opinions of others, that certainly is not my intention....

and to be honest, it's hard, if not impossible, for me to know what someone else knows before they post it. And, I admit I don't read all the posts from everybody who is a member of the board. So, if someone has posted something and I'm just regurgitating it's not because I'm on some high horse, but maybe I haven't seen it before.

Dude you're all high horse. I've even mimicked your style in other threads. You throw out long winded post after long winded post, but when you drill down what the point is of your posts, many of us get frustrated that their largely isn't one.

 

[Wobmam Rulez!]

I think people need to stop pretending there is some deep state controlling what’s happening in DC. Trump is a narcissist with a cult of personality, and he’s surrounded himself by fall guys that are each bad in their own ways. Hegseth is an insecure drunk womanizer, and he’s purging anybody that can challenge him from the pentagon. There doesn’t need to be some hidden figure making the decisions, by all accounts it is Hegseth making them.

Whenever I hear someone mention that there's a "deep state", they immediately lose all credibility.

 

[Wobmam Rulez!]

Conservative Veterans Given Secret Pentagon Jobs​

The Washington Post is reporting that several conservative veterans with big online followings have been given secret Pentagon jobs, where they promote Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s agenda and attack the Trump administration’s critics. Those involved include Rob Maness, a retired Air Force colonel, and Kurt Schlichter, a retired Army colonel. They both have active official government email addresses and are assigned to the office of Anthony Tata, the undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness.

Adam Kinzinger, a former Republican congressman and Air Force veteran, said on social media, “How many more people that are blue checkmarks on X that are putting out information on behalf of the federal government, and Donald Trump, and the Republican Party, … are actually special government employees?”

Sounds very 1930s Germany. The only "good" thing is this "Hitler" is an overweight, senile 80 year old.

 

[magaboy]

You vote your way into fascism, not out of it. Buckle up.

 

[Wobmam Rulez!]

Dude you're all high horse. I've even mimicked your style in other threads. You throw out long winded post after long winded post, but when you drill down what the point is of your posts, many of us get frustrated that their largely isn't one.

Rambling word salads that say nothing.

 

[Jfcarter3]

It wouldn't surprise me to see him as one of those who bolt for higher paying positions in the defense or think tank industries

As a kind of emotional support pet? He hangs around a “think tank” so cerebral people feel better about being themselves when they have thinker’s block?

 

[Thefunksouljon]

For a war that is already won against a multi-decimated mid-tier military, the US is now sending the 5th aircraft carrier into the region.

Also looks like the military is denying benefits for the soldiers killed in action, playing a "we weren't actually at war" status game. Keep it up, to the most incompetent "leadership" we have seen in a long time.

 

[Anon1750875978]

Joni Ernst will fold like a cheap tent if ShitStain summons her to the Oval Office.
We know that from experience.

 

[WDDT]

For a war that is already won against a multi-decimated mid-tier military, the US is now sending the 5th aircraft carrier into the region.

Also looks like the military is denying benefits for the soldiers killed in action, playing a "we weren't actually at war" status game. Keep it up, to the most incompetent "leadership" we have seen in a long time.

Lolz, a lady told Facebook she hadnt gotten the benefits yet cant say which ones she didnt get......

Seems super legit and totally worth getting up in arms over.

Also***Klinner added on Tuesday that the director of mortuary affairs had contacted her following her initial Instagram post to audit her benefits.***


She is getting what she is owed.

 

[lucas80]

The part of all this that I REALLY don't like is getting rid of people who don't agree with you at high levels of government. I don't have a problem with firing folks that don't do their jobs, but a person that's doing their job and you just don't like them? That's a bad move. Trump also seems to like having "Interim" people running things. Ever been an interim person? Your job isn't really to be the guy running things, but to keep things running until the job is filled. There's a difference there. AND in this case you are serving at Trump's whim. He has total control, which is what he likes.

The problem is that when you are running the country like this and by using executive orders for everything, is that the next guy ESPECIALLY if he's from another party, is going to undo everything you've done. You can bet your ***, if there's a Dem elected in 2028, the 1st thing they are going to do is to undo everything Trump did by executive order and purge all the folks Trump hired. That's a lot of effort and wasted time everytime we have a different POTUS and then time on top of THAT while the new people learn their jobs. That's no way to run a railroad...

Well, Trump bankrupted multiple casinos and had Trump Org teetering on bankruptcy multiple times. Of course he has no long term vision to run things. Using interim people is his idea of getting to do what he wants at a department without Senate approval. He only thinks in terms of news cycles and in smashing things he doesn’t like.

 

[lucas80]

We are doomed.

I fully believe this. We have an 80 year old in steep mental and physical decline running things. He cares about his pet projects and nothing else. He walks away from problems he created like a wife he grew tired of.

 

[fatpiggy]

 

[What Would Jesus Do?]

Tigres should look up the YouTube video on "what happens when the boomers are gone". If you're interested in demographic analysis and consequences, it's very interesting

Good topic for its own thread. I nominate you to start it. Better you than having a boomer-basher sounding the clarion for mandatory euthanasia.

 

[What Would Jesus Do?]

Whenever I hear someone mention that there's a "deep state", they immediately lose all credibility.

Yeah, mostly.

Or else what you just said is a trick by the deep state to keep us from taking it seriously.

 

[GesterHawk]

Whenever I hear someone mention that there's a "deep state", they immediately lose all credibility.

 

[baltimorened]

As a kind of emotional support pet? He hangs around a “think tank” so cerebral people feel better about being themselves when they have thinker’s block?

you might be surprised. What do you think a person like lloyd austin brings to board of directors of defense companies? As a retired general, he has little knowledge of all the systems that company produces, or the manufacturing techniques, the accounting or financial procedures..and if he hasn't been in the aquisiition roles in the military he likely has little knowledge of those procedures. So what does he bring to the table? He knows the outyear plans, the funding, has access to the civilian leadership, the members of the Congress...these are the same things Hegseth would bring....

DC is a strange place....defeated or retiring senators/representatives somehow end up on their feet with good, high paying, low stress jobs. I'd be surprised if Hegseth is any different, and if he's smart he knows his time at the Pentagon is short, even if he stays through Trump's term, and is building relationships that will pad his pocket in the future...human nature