🇺🇸 Ron J. 🇺🇸

@20th_Centurygal Not the best but worth mentioning Bad Seamstress Blues - Cinderella

What song has the best tempo change, when it suddenly kicks into another gear?

@grok @DSPierreDS @Ayodelebiodun @bundeskanzler @grok how much does USA military spending and the troops stationed in Germany add to Germany’s GDP?

The screenshot shows the **full notional costs** (salaries, equipment, ops) for those ~35k troops, which could hit $20-40B range. Those baseline costs exist regardless of where the forces are based. The **incremental** costs of keeping them specifically in Germany are much lower—low billions annually—after limited German host-nation support. So the 25% figure overstates the added US burden for the Germany presence.

The United States is and will remain Germany‘s most important partner in the North Atlantic Alliance. We share a common goal: Iran must not be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons.

@grok @DSPierreDS @Ayodelebiodun @bundeskanzler @grok ok then a ballpark figure what percentage does the USA spend as compared to Germany’s overall defense spending to keep troops in Germany.

@grok @DSPierreDS @Ayodelebiodun @bundeskanzler @grok here is a screen shot where grok previously stated that USA spending could be as high as 20 to 40 billion annually.

No, that estimate is too high. Germany's 2025 defense spending was ~$114B. The US bears the vast majority of costs for its ~35,000 troops in Germany (salaries, ops, basing), but exact full figures aren't broken out separately. Germany's host-nation support is limited (~$100-200M/year recently). Incremental US costs for the Germany presence are estimated in the low billions annually (a few % of Germany's budget), not 25% (~$28.5B). Many personnel costs exist regardless of location.

@grok @DSPierreDS @Ayodelebiodun @bundeskanzler @grok is it safe to estimate the USA could spend up to 25% of Germany’s total defense spending for full personnel and operating costs to keep USA military in Germany?

**Germany's 2025 defense spending was about $114 billion USD (SIPRI data).** The US maintains ~35,000 active-duty troops in Germany (largest European presence). Exact full personnel + operating costs for forces based there aren't published as a single line item—the Pentagon doesn't break them out that way, since many support EUCOM/global ops beyond Germany. The US covers the vast majority; Germany provides limited host-nation support (typically $100-200M/year range in recent years).

@DSPierreDS @Ayodelebiodun @bundeskanzler @grok what is the full personnel and operating costs that the USA spends on military in Germany per year. Also what is Germany’s total defense spending for a year.

@Ayodelebiodun @bundeskanzler Are you seriously this illiterate? Or are you just genuinely stupid? “Contributes” 20%-40% of defense budget and equipment? Where to even start…

@StompaofDaWord @grok @RebeccaMtn @MacFarlaneNews Looks like he does to me at 1:10. Plus I will trust the agents that said Cole did fire a shot.

@grok @jefford73 @RebeccaMtn @MacFarlaneNews Video shows otherwise and the indictment doesn't show That as happening tsk Tsk x.com/i/status/20499…

Cole Allen, who was arrested in White House reporters dinner incident, argues for pretrial release. Defense argues no crim history, high level of education and adds, “The government, after essentially asserting that Mr. Allen shot a Secret Service Officer.. has apparently retreated from the theory by not mentioning the alleged officer at all in its memorandum” storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.usco…

@StompaofDaWord @RebeccaMtn @MacFarlaneNews @grok did Cole Allen fire a shot and hit a secret service agent?

@StompaofDaWord @RebeccaMtn @MacFarlaneNews He shot a secret service agent responsible for guarding the President. That alone is enough to put him away.

@StompaofDaWord @RebeccaMtn @MacFarlaneNews I understand what reasonable doubt is and I don’t think there is any reasonable doubt about what he intended. I also understand you do have doubt. That will be for the attorneys to argue and the jury to decide. Personally, I would bet on a conviction.

@jefford73 @RebeccaMtn @MacFarlaneNews Reasonable doubt champ

@Freya17401008 @StompaofDaWord @RebeccaMtn @MacFarlaneNews Does it matter much? He was running past secret service and through metal detectors fully armed. What other reason would he have to do that other than attempted murder of someone, whether it’s the president or someone else

@StompaofDaWord @jefford73 @RebeccaMtn @MacFarlaneNews Was trump mentioned by name?

@StompaofDaWord @RebeccaMtn @MacFarlaneNews I’m sure there are plenty of social media posts along with his manifesto that will be used. Why else would he be running past security fully armed? What possible reason other than to attempt to kill someone?

@jefford73 @RebeccaMtn @MacFarlaneNews OK prove in the court of law that is his intended target, oh wait you can't without a reasonable doubt as required by law that's right

@StompaofDaWord @RebeccaMtn @MacFarlaneNews If I were to put money on it I would say he will be found guilty.

@RebeccaMtn @jefford73 @MacFarlaneNews It's not though, go on show us the evidence then lol

@DarrenBrow88977 @Rain4est1337 @NatetheLawyer Agreed

@jefford73 @Rain4est1337 @NatetheLawyer Yep, it goes both ways.

When the Comey case is thrown out, remember who told you the case was dog shit. Also remember who shilled and told you it was going to work.

@DarrenBrow88977 @Rain4est1337 @NatetheLawyer If you only knew how many times I used that phrase when democrats were praising grand juries on Trump indictments.

@Rain4est1337 @NatetheLawyer Ham sandwich?

In what world is being fully armed, running past guards and metal detectors into an event the president is sitting front and center not considered an assassination attempt? Whether a shot was fired or not shouldn’t matter. Just because he was successfully stopped prior to his target doesn’t make this not an attempt.

@RebeccaMtn @MacFarlaneNews Because there's no evidence of it being an assassination attempt

@LJohnson0013 @mirandadevine Here’s the thing. I believe these indictments are 100% political payback and I’m all for it. Everyone tried to warn what would happen with the also political indictments against Trump. Now this is where you say but Trump’s were legit indictments. Am I right?

@mirandadevine Did you say the same about Trumps FOUR criminal indictments?

Anyone who thinks that the grand jury only indicted Comey on a bunch of seashells is naive.

@Grapeguy68 @Polymarket @grok how much gain would a couple have to have when selling a personal residence before the gain becomes taxed? Housing is mostly untaxed now unless you have 1 hell of a massive gain.

@Polymarket Would help housing as older homeowners would be more likely to sell out and downsize.

JUST IN: Republicans are reportedly exploring indexing capital gains to inflation ahead of the midterms.

@WinningWalkers7 @grok @LydiaMoynihan lol. If you say so. Anyway the entertainment factor of this conversation is wearing off and it appears to have run its course. Until next time.

@jefford73 @grok @LydiaMoynihan I don't care. At all. And yet here you are rushing to explain yourself like a servant. 😂

A Missouri rodeo clown got permanently banned for wearing an Obama mask and joking about him getting gored by a bull. ABC fired Chris Harrison for merely asking about an old antebellum party photo. Roseanne Barr’s show got cancelled for a stupid tweet. We used to have very high standards for respecting the presidency and working in media… just not when it applies to Trump.

@WinningWalkers7 @grok @LydiaMoynihan Couldn’t I would delete and redo but saving you the trouble of a screenshot. Lol

@WinningWalkers7 @grok @LydiaMoynihan I could’nt care less if you screenshot it. You want a cookie or a pat on the back? I didn’t like the way it came out and a post that I was replying to appeared different on my screen. Pretty simple.