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You’re right about one thing: civil conversation is good. But let’s not pretend you’re just offering a benign “opinion” here. You’re framing Canada as somehow taking advantage of the US - despite the US being the one who unilaterally tore up trade deals, started tariff wars, and spends more on defense not out of charity, but to maintain global influence. The US-Canada relationship is one of the most balanced and mutually beneficial on earth. Our trade is near perfectly reciprocal. Canadian tourists and part-time residents who typically pour $20+ billion into the US economy every year - especially in places like Florida, Arizona, and yes, Western New York. To act like Canada is freeloading is both factually wrong and rooted in a tired, MAGA-style grievance narrative that refuses to recognize the reality of international partnerships. And on NATO: the 2% guideline isn’t a bill it’s a goal. Canada fights, bleeds, and dies alongside US troops in every major conflict. They’ve been there from Normandy to Kandahar. So, spare me the selective outrage. You’re entitled to your opinions, but not to misrepresentations dressed up as concern. The irony is you moved to a state that’s now overwhelmed because of the very policies MAGA types cheer - low taxes, weak planning, and deregulated sprawl - and now you want to blame “outsiders” instead of looking inward. That’s not logic. That’s deflection. And finally, yes - your random response to me came after I praised Canadians for being good people to the US LGBTQ community. That clearly struck a nerve, probably because the party you support has spent years telling you to hate those people. Talk about lacking intellect and maturity.

I grew up in Buffalo, and yes, I remember them being good people. I haven't lived there since I joined the army in 91, and stayed in Middle Tennessee when I retired in 14, so I can't speak first hand as to the economic impact on Western New York, nor is it my concern. More my concern is the year over year influx of people moving down here at a greater rate than our infrastructure and first responders can keep up with. It's logical to a degree that the WNY economy may take a hit, it's also logical that Canadians living close to the border who regularly did thier shopping in WNY will continue to do so because its still cheaper and its human nature to want to spend less, especially if they're struggling to make ends meet, ideals be damned. As I said, and you agree with according to your first paragraph, I don't fault Canada for prioritizing healthcare over NATO, nor did I say anything derogatory about the people who live in Canada. You obviously disagree with my opinion that the relationship between Canada and the US is not balanced, that's okay, I still talk to you in a civil manner. Calling me ignorant and pathetic because I don't share your view is no way to change my mind, it only shows you lack intellect and maturity.

Canada has a sizable and affluent economy, but it’s still just one-thirteenth the size of the US. To meet NATO’s 2% threshold, Canada would need to increase its defense spending by roughly US $15.7 billion annually - no small lift for a country of 41 million. And before Trump started threatening to make them the 51st state, how much do you think Canadians were spending in the U.S. each year? Now ask yourself how much they’ll be spending over the next 3.5 years. Do you think WNY will take a hit if Canadians stop coming over to spend money? Regardless, none of this changes the fact that Canadians are good neighbors and good people. Anyone trashing the country or its people is just showing how ignorant and absolutely pathetic they really are.

Their own politician (I don't recall her name) said they don't have enough money to meet thier NATO financial requirements and fund thier free Healthcare system, and they prioritized Healthcare. I don't fault them for that, I don't think any reasonable person would. No, I don't believe we get enough in return from Canada for the security we provide them.

"When we recently went overseas to the NATO summit, I had senior staff in foreign governments come up to me and ask me how he achieved the 'Trump miracle' on his border, and could that be replicated in their countries?" "For individuals who don't work in this space, to have zero successful illegal entries in an entire month should be an IMPOSSIBLE achievement. There's a 2,000 mile border with one of the poorest countries in the world, and you have open travel from 150 countries into Central America and South America." "There are 2 billion people in the world that would economically benefit from illegally coming to the United States." "And through the deployment of the military, through the deployment of novel legal and diplomatic tools, through the building of physical infrastructure, through the empowering of ICE and Border Patrol, and the entire federal law enforcement apparatus, President Trump achieved absolute border security." "And now, once this legislation is passed, he will be able to make that with those resources permanent."

@JDHillFan What are you rolling your eyes at? Military missions are gambles, maybe they work, maybe they don't. In 1999 Yugoslav forces tricked NATO into bombing fake targets. Deception is a major part of war

As an aside, Trump labelled CNN, MSNBC & the NYT 'scum' during his presser with the NATO chief - you have to love the way he stands up for his guys and his nation. I wish Australia had a leader like him, but alas we have a useless woke arsehole.

Yeah, the two previous “big boys” were really listened to by any of them… And are you joking about NATO? Who do you think got them to pledge more money? Do you think it just happened on its own? 🙄

Your right …Putin taunts him…fires offensives before phone calls…Netanyahu ignores him NATO pledged it….Trump complimented them….how do you get that he “got” them to do it? Talk about TDS dt is a small small child in a big boy job

Not even remotely true. And even less true after Trump got NATO to pledge an additional $4 billion.

i’m sure he does. Not gonna happen. But we know the sites to monitor going forward. and didn’t know a better place to put this, but Trump just got almost all of the NATO countries to spend 5% of their GDP. That’s $400 billion more. So much for trying to destroy it.

NO ! Volodymyr Zelensky Demands $40 Billion in Annual Budget Support for Ukraine This is madness. Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy sends a twitter message as if he’s ordering coffee from the guy down the street, telling NATO members not to forget to send him his $40 billion in “budgetary support.” Budgetary support means we pay for the operational cost of Ukraine government, including govt payrolls, pensions, healthcare services, welfare and social services for the people in Ukraine. (snip) The crazy thing is, unless Trump stops it, our congress will give it to him. And even if Trump tries to stop it, congress will demand the payment as part of their appropriations process. As if we don’t have important priorities here at home Maybe it’s just me, but the in-your-face hubris of it is, well, just off-the-charts. https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2025/06/21/volodymyr-zelensky-demands-40-billion-in-annual-budget-support-for-ukraine/

And NATO.

Russia attacked NATO, when?

Exactly, but thanks in large part to U.S. and NATO resolve.

Agreed. Which is why I've never understood both of these propositions are not clearly in America's best interests: 1. Iran is run by a theocratic regime committed to the destruction of Israel and the establishment of of new caliphate, such that allowing it to acquire a nuclear weapon is a threat to the region and, in turn, to the United States and global security. 2. Russia is run by a dictator who has openly and repeatedly stated his desire to reconstitute - by any means necessary - the former Russian/Soviet Empire, such that contesting Russian aggression, particularly in Europe, is a threat to NATO, to the United States, and to global security. I see no reasonable argument to the contrary, nor do I see any way to find (1) is true while denying that (2) is true.

What?? Ukraine is “essentially” NATO?? Um. No. Israel is our ally. Iran is a legit global threat especially to the West. Lost. You people are lost.

Israel attacks Iran, with our significant financial and military support but against our wishes- stay out. Russia attacked Europe and essentially NATO- we support Ukraine, Europe and NATO Europe is (waS OUR ALLY) Russia is (was) our enemy. What's so difficult? didn't some maga here post something derogatory about neo cons?

Summarized - 25 years of Neo con Uni party foreign policy led to Iran today. That one act did more to set back non-proliferation than potentially any single event in modern history, and yet we are told by the same neocons who designed, demanded, and executed it to trust them when it comes to Iran policy. Iraq showed that American intelligence was not to be believed, Libya showed that America and NATO were not to be trusted, and Afghanistan showed that America was not to be feared. These are the fruits of neocon American foreign policy over the last quarter-century. If you want the next twenty-five years to look any different, you’d be well advised to do the opposite of whatever the neocons demand. And right now, they’re demanding war with Iran.

@BillsFanNC VPN really running on high today. Biden did quite a bit - record job growth, infrastructure bill, lower prescription drug prices, and led NATO through a global crisis. But sure, let’s pretend he was just napping the whole time.

Frightened, no. Maybe you should read the small print in the big beautiful bill. Nov 26 is on jeopardy. War against NATO because of Greenland and Canada is real. Trade with Russia is close.. I want to be wrong, but I am not. Watch this trade judicial thing. By next week those judges will be household names, ridiculed , threatened. There is no organization left in government to stop him....no impeachment, no arrest capability, no judge, no congress, no rule of law.

I don't see this at all. trump is unique if not only for Jan 6. He fomented an insurrection against our democracy unparalleled in our history other than by the actions of the traitors in the civil war. None of the country club, establishment R's were gauche and purposefully showy. A pine covered porch on a grand old house in Maine has been replaced by gold toilets and trophy wives. Oakhill and Augusta and the Masters have been replaced by mar a lago, doral and the Saudi based LIV tour. Most importantly, seasoned advisors and cabinet members have been replaced by totally unqualified tv news presenters and podcasters who swear loyalty. Cheney was awful but at least he was seasoned. Real R's rarely drastically cut social spending because they knew it could result in unrest and conflict that could also injure their well heeled contingency. Welfare is cheaper than quelling rioting. They never publicly hung out with white supremacists and hate group leaders. They never tried to alienate our allies, especially Europe and NATO. They never attacked academia and science head on. Yes, they wrongly believed in trickle down economics would work but trump doesn't believe it. he doesn't care. Finally, the old fashioned conservatives never engaged in the level of self dealing and corruption trump has. Most had tooo much respect for their and their families' legacies. trump doesn't care.

Frankly, it would give him these two simultaneous actions, 1. We need Canada as 51 and use more than economic pressure 2. Emergency actions, emergency powers (if fentanyl is a good excuse then war is better) to postpone 2026 election cycle. He has purposely been harming friends and NATO economically, and helping dictators. Within a month of today, he will be offering trade deals with Russia to help with cease fire..then you will know his true intentions.

So much for a quick peaceful end to the war. trump is putin's beech https://www.cnn.com/2025/05/19/europe/analysis-putin-trump-phone-call-ukraine-latam-intl For the best part of three years of war, Russia’s state media has been lecturing its audience they are not only in conflict with Ukraine, but also with all of NATO, including the United States. The presidency of Trump has created a small window in which the Kremlin might talk its way into a better position, or even alleviate the pain of some Western sanctions. But it does not change the central calculation or message of the Kremlin: this is an existential war, about re-establishing their pre-eminence in their near abroad. So much pain and loss has been inflicted on the Russian people through staggering war casualties that delivering middling to poor results might significantly limit the longevity of Russia’s leadership. This isn’t a war they can be seen to have lost.

Excuse me, but trump is talking about getting out of NATO, not help defending countries who the US was once friends with, about being isolated...so why spend billions defending an oil payment system he doesn't need to use, and cut Medicare. This makes Hunters lap top look like a Commadore 64.