agreed

you pretend to punish them, and they just go "ow, noooo stop, we're the bad"

and you secretly high-five under the table

so if there was meddeling, i WOULD like to see something more than just sanctions. i agree they are just a lip service type punishment

but what would be the proper punishment

putin in jail would be one to me

but thats just one thing

there isn't really one, I'd guess the best punishment would be a formal apology and monetary payment made

I died a little bit inside when I heard use a Swiss army knife to install computer components

Russia paying the US a few billions

And everyone moves on

meh thats another non punishment punishment though

nah, you actually benefit that way

cuz its a one-way benefit

nah nothing benifits me lol

well the US state would get it, and they'd give it to mexicans 😛

it would just go to the def budget

but the problem with Sanctions is how they work "We wont trade with you" So you stop your own trade too

Meaning both sides lose from it, one just more than others

would be cool if we used that money to make a better election system, but i wont hold my breath for that

and through 3rd parties you can just resume those deals, albeit a bit strained cuz the 3rd parties gain some money from it too

ya just the drug dealers middle men at that pont

so, ok, lets put punishment to the side for a sec

we need a better election system in this country. a more hardened system

people could hack our voter machines with a TI-85 if they wanted too

they are such garbage devices i wouldnt let my mom use one if it was donated

what would you suggest though?

Paper ballots can be falsified too

oh hell no

i mean we need new devices all together

ones that cannot be found just connecting to the local wifi of the library

something that connects directly to a larger database to tally the votes

and who's gonna pay for those machines?

well, this is one of those things that the government SHOULD pay for

the fed

its to secure the elections of the country

yes but government doesn't have their own money

Government money is Taxpayer money

i think thats a pretty easy sell

i dont think you will find too many tax payers that disagree we need better voting machines

and they sure as hell wont use money from other budgets

They'll demand to increase taxes to pay for it, and people wont do it

maybe some will squabble on who pays for them

but that should be pretty easily worked into the budget

let me look that up, im not sure who buys them currently, im assuming the state

oh wow maybe the county level, no wonder some of the places have craptastic devices

besides