> it treats Social Security and Medicare/aid as a liability instead of the service that they are
replyIt's a liability because the U.S. has promised to pay it. We haven't committed to a level of military spending backed by our full faith and credit.
EDIT: Never mind! Apparently we can just cut social security payments.
The NATO treaty says that we have to maintain our ability to resist armed attack, so there is some minimum. And we’ve made public commitments to spend at least 2% of GDP (though that isn’t part of the treaty).
replySurely NATO has enough competent people to know that the biggest and only threat remains the USA and pretty much any othed conflict is a direct result of provocation or invasion by the US, right? Or do we all watch Jarhead 2-5 on repeat until all we can say is OORAH
replyGermany is in the middle of a massive military build up because the primary threat they’re concerned with is Russia and they’re worried that the US won’t back them up anymore.
replyNeither of those are full faith and credit guarantees. Congress can nullify them in a way it Constitutionally cannot actual debts.
replySS and Medicare aren’t debts either in that sense. Congress can reduce benefits if they please.
replyIn Flemming v. Nestor SCOTUS ruled that SS benefits are not guaranteed contractual rights but are instead statutory entitlements that Congress may modify or revoke.