“I think it’s time to tell the military-industrial complex they cannot get everything they want,” said Sen. Bernie Sanders. “It’s time to pay attention to the needs of working families.”

    • stoicmaverick@lemmy.world
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      7 hours ago

      Only a Sith deals in absolutes. I think “Defund” is a bit drastic given the current state of the world, but it is possible that we don’t need to maintain 11 aircraft carriers, in the same way that every small town Pennsylvania Police department doesn’t need their very own armored personnel carrier. Moderation in all things.

      • funkless_eck@sh.itjust.works
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        2 hours ago

        “Don’t defund them, just reduce the amount of funds they can spend aircradt carriers and remove the funds for armored vehicles.”

      • Maggoty@lemmy.world
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        6 hours ago

        The problem is we maintain half of them forward deployed in roughly 3 areas at any one time.

        But yeah that’s why our military is so expensive. If it wasn’t constantly forward deployed it would be much cheaper.

        • unalivejoy@lemm.ee
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          6 hours ago

          We really should be working with our allies to get their own military in the area. Mainly in Europe. If I’m being realistic, we probably will never leave Asia.

      • ghen@sh.itjust.works
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        6 hours ago

        Defund is the only slogan that has had actual sticking power though. To have nuance on this topic and have it actually matter, you would have to create a new slogan on the same level. Otherwise you’re just armchair politicking from the internet same as everyone else

        Now, with that out of the way, defund is still a good slogan. The primary reason is if we defund the police then we can create something that is not called police that isn’t beholden to all of the laws and regulations and the corrupt unions that perpetuate the current systemic problems

        Defund as a slogan is about cutting past the red tape of reform and starting from scratch to build something systemically better

        • LandedGentry@lemmy.zip
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          4 hours ago

          Who cares if it has sticking power if it’s produced no results? All that talk of reforming the police has completely evaporated, and that was before Trump was elected.

          “Defund” was a terrible word to use and people need to stop using it. Frankly I thought it was already retired.

          • ghen@sh.itjust.works
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            4 hours ago

            Protests don’t work so we should stop protesting? That is honestly the most brain dead thing I’ve heard yet on the subject!

            If you want to retire it, make something better like I already said. We can’t retire it until there’s something to replace it.

            • LandedGentry@lemmy.zip
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              3 hours ago

              When did I ever say protests don’t work? What are you talking about? I am saying this specific term did not prove to be good. In fact, it was VERY useful for the right wing media machine to easily twist words and distract from the end goal.

              There are other tactics and verbiage that should be used.

              • ghen@sh.itjust.works
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                59 minutes ago

                Then do it. Make it a bigger deal. But don’t just sit there and decry what is actually working as a rallying slogan when you have nothing to contribute. When your slogan is a better slogan with a better message behind it, then I will switch my own tune to your ideas.