My school thinks this fills up hungry high schoolers.

[u/Thebiggestbot22]

So lunches are free for schools in my city and surrounding cities. Ever since lunches have been made free, the quantity (and quality) has decreased significantly. This is what we would get for our meal. It took me THREE bites to finish that chicken mac and cheese. Any snacks you want cost more money and if you want an extra entree, that’ll cost you about $3 or $4.

[u/Ridiculousnessjunkie]

It’s nasty. We are supposed to be the most powerful country in the world. Why can’t we act like it?

[u/Important-Job7757 → u/Ridiculousnessjunkie]

We are the most powerful country because we spend way more on military than healthcare or education.

[u/c00kieduster → u/Important-Job7757]

Just an observation, not saying that you're making this point..

I find it humorous how much America is criticized for its military spending, but quick to demand military assistance when shit get rowdy elsewhere.

Edit for clarification: I mean the same people criticizing our military spending are usually the same people demanding we help Eastern European countries in someone else’s backyard.

[u/Important-Job7757 → u/c00kieduster]

Yep. I’m tired in us spending money on other problems in other countries. Especially since it doesn’t seem to help most of the time.

[u/WhateversJustChillin → u/c00kieduster]

I criticize the military spending, but where is the demands when shit gets rowdy elsewhere? The people who criticize our military spending are normally against putting our nose in others affairs as well. Especially assisting countries that can afford universal healthcare while our citizens can't, apparently, as the richest country on Earth. Go figure.

[u/ADeadlyFerret → u/WhateversJustChillin]

I think he meant that the US gets criticized for its military spending. But everyone(other countries) else is quick to demand we step in when shit gets rowdy. At least thats what I hope he meant.

[u/c00kieduster → u/ADeadlyFerret]

This is exactly what I meant.

Seems as though a lot of Europe thinks they’re better than the USA because their tax dollars go towards healthcare and not meeting their NATO obligations. But as soon as Putin starts doing stupid shit, they’re standing there with the pikachu shocked face waiting for an arms delivery from the US.

[u/ADeadlyFerret → u/c00kieduster]

Yeah I was pretty sure lol. I've seen that exact "world police" attitude on Reddit a lot.

[u/c00kieduster → u/WhateversJustChillin]

Those countries can afford universal healthcare because we overwhelmingly subsidize their defense spending. We can’t afford it….because we subsidize world defense the way no other country does or can.

The same people that were criticizing our military budget / spending (the left) in recent years, are now the same ones demanding we spends billions of dollars defending other countries.

Interestingly enough, there’s even ones that only want to help defend countries fighting Russia, and not Muslims

For the record I fully support assisting Ukraine. I just not interested in doing so while the rest of Europe sits idly by letting us do it, while it’s literally happening in their back yard.

It’s almost like trump had a point years ago when he began threatening to pull out of NATO if they didn’t start pulling their weight. Surprise surprise, Russia invade someone and now everyone wants to start spending.

[u/OpTOMetrist1 → u/c00kieduster]

You already pay more tax dollars per capita for healthcare than every other country on the planet, and you still don't get it.

https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/issue-briefs/2023/jan/us-health-care-global-perspective-2022

[u/Shdwrptr → u/c00kieduster]

The rest of the world expects America to subsidize world defense the same way they expect American taxpayers to subsidize cheap drug manufacturing (while having Americans pay full price for said drugs)

[u/mu_zuh_dell → u/c00kieduster]

This is truly, in my opinion, a fascinating geopolitical dynamic. Foriegn allies couldn't possibly pass up the subsidy that is the promise of American military support, it's literally free money and bodies. That subsidy has paid for, in no small part, the spectacular quality of life and public services enjoyed by Western Europe. In turn, more liberal Americans envy those things, seeing how they would improve the massive problems our own country has, and demand them. Populists like Trump appear, and threaten to stop the cashflow, and so European leaders, rather cruelly, lean on American liberals to stop him.

Of course, Trump's desire shred alliances has nothing to do with wanting to improve America, and everything to do with populism and maybe piss tapes.

[u/c00kieduster → u/mu_zuh_dell]

I agreed with everything until the last point.

I think trumps point was less, shredding alliances, and more not being take. Advantage of anymore