--- In [email protected], off_world_beings <no_re...@...> wrote: > > --- In [email protected], "shempmcgurk" <shempmcgurk@> > wrote: <snip> > > The ONLY category applicable is "defense". > > > > See Barry's original post, above. No mention is made > > of other categories that tangentially have something > > to do with defense (i.e., people who work in those > > departments once saw "Saving Private Ryan").> > > I see. What you mean to say here is: Shemp admits he was > wrong, and that military spending is more than half of > the annual US budget when Social Security is taken out.
Look, what Barry said wasn't ambiguous. If it had needed clarification--if he had meant defense as a percentage of the budget minus Social Security and Medicare/Medicaid instead of percentage of gross national product, he's had ample opportunity to admit his mistake. But he hasn't done so, so we can assume he stands by what he said to start with, even though it was wildly wrong. Shemp was right to call him on it, and you aren't doing Barry any favors by trying to cover for him by changing what he said.
