I need DUs help answering a brainwashed fundie...

[Viva_La_Revolution]

Conversation today at work, started by fundie saying we should privatize something (I don't even remember what, something to do with the military) discussion that followed, explained that there is NO WAY privatizing anything is cheaper, just add on the PROFIT that every company must show their shareholders.

Does anyone know how much more it costs us for Halliburton to feed our troops than if the military does it themselves (like we have until the last 6 years)?

anyway, conversation moved on to those dirty muslims (they're all out to kill us, ya know). :eyes: He seems to think that they have been invading and burning all kinds of 'sovereign nations' for hundreds of years, while Christians have just been sitting at home knitting socks for the homeless. Can someone point me in the right direction to factually dispute his argument?

[NavyDavy]

1. tell him to look up the crusades

[file83]

2. Just tell them that it isn't "privatized" when the bill is paid for by the

taxpayer - that's called wellfare. In this case, corporate wellfare.

[The Wielding Truth]

11. Good perspective.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

14. I like that!

I'll be using it!

[tuvor]

3. For starters, I'd ask him to show exactly what Muslims have done.

Invading and burning sovereign nations for hundreds of years? Proof, please.

[judaspriestess]

4. tell him to take cheneys advice and go fuck himself

just kidding. I couldn't help it though :)

[Viva_La_Revolution]

12. I can't. He's my new boss.

and all-around a nice guy. Says his Conservative opinions sometimes clash with his born-again teachings. (that should be a CLUE! :eyes: ).

I am trying to gently educate (as opposed to getting fired. :rofl: )

[Name removed]

16. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

17. No. It sounds like I evaluate people on their actions, not their

political views.

He treats his employees well, hates the state the country is in, thinks people come before politics. Even though I'm a "pinko commie liberal tree-hugger" he LISTENS when I speak, and I have been able to introduce him to many 'alternative' opinions.

I've just started educating him on the "supporting torture, outing CIA agents, WMD lies and conspiracies, rigged elections, fake terror alerts, pedophiles, spying, etc".
He has a ways to go, but he IS listening.

It's a slow process, but I'm sticking it out for the long haul, because I love what this country was meant to be, and I'm determined to see it happen.

[cynatnite]

5. The inquisition seems like a nice place to start n/t

[Ksec]

6. I dont think its been studied yet but

I guaruntee you if they did these things in-house it would be much cheaper. This 500 billion dollar war will be the end of the privisation of military, most of that money goes into security. Hard to believe, aint it?

[LostInAnomie]

7. A distorted lens skews the view of "Muslim conquest"

Because many people view Islam as an enemy whenever a nation comprised of Muslims in the past conquered another nation we viewed it as a religious conquest. Sure religion played an important part but so did the ambition of the leaders and their own personal quests for empire.

Whenever Westerners do a self examination of their own history we don't view it with the same religious skew. We view our own past wars as the product of monarchical ambitions, economics, etc. We ignore the part that our own religions played.

[madmusic]

8. Audit: U.S. lost track of $9 billion in Iraq funds

Pentagon, Bremer dispute inspector general's report

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Nearly $9 billion of money spent on Iraqi reconstruction is unaccounted for because of inefficiencies and bad management, according to a watchdog report published Sunday.

An inspector general's report said the U.S.-led administration that ran Iraq until June 2004 is unable to account for the funds.

"Severe inefficiencies and poor management" by the Coalition Provisional Authority has left auditors with no guarantee the money was properly used," the report said.

http://edition.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/meast/01/30/iraq.audit/

[Viva_La_Revolution]

10. this man is a contractor, he understands "no bid contract"

I explained to him that it would be different (maybe) if several companies placed bids and were awarded the contracts on merit, but that MOST (I didn't have the percentage handy) were no-bids... just given over without oversite.

That seemed to throw him for a loop.

[LostInAnomie]

9. The problem with war time contracts is that the government...

... doesn't have to shop around for the best price. During a time of war contracts are essentially awarded at the discretion of the government, meaning that anyone who has a few political favors to pull can be awarded a huge contract without having to worry about competition. This means that contractors are not competing under a free market and with no competition they are in no way looking to lower their costs.

[bperci108]

13. How about this for "efficiency":

Coca-Cola: $45 per case.

Bag of laundry: $100

$50,000 trucks abandoned because of a flat tire.

Contracted mess facility serving troops drinking water contaminated with feces. (Can you imagine service personnel doing this???)

Just a few that I've heard reported. :grr:

[Viva_La_Revolution]

15. yes.. the contaminated water...

luckily, he knows my son's father, knows our boy is in the Military. I said today that our kids are being SCREWED by the 'service' Halliburton is providing, he had no reply. That's when he diverted the conversation to the "crazy Muslims who want to kill us all".

speaking of, I also need to find out the percentage of Fundamentalist Muslims compared to mainstream. I say it's about 1%, he thinks it's more like 10%.

Google is my friend. :)