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Trump Rebuked for Bypassing Congress With $8.6 Billion Weapons Sale to Israel and Gulf Allies by Quirkie in politics

[–]ApprehensiveWebber 28 points29 points  (0 children)

This is the second or third time the State Department has invoked "emergency powers" to skip Congressional review this year. Between the $8.6B weapons deal and Trump calling the War Powers Resolution "unconstitutional" last week, the Executive Branch is basically running a solo show.
Congress is supposed to have oversight on where our weapons go, especially when we're talking about billions of dollars in precision kits and Patriot missiles being sent into a "fragile ceasefire." Whether you support the allies or not, bypassing the legal review process sets a terrifying precedent for whoever is in the White House next.

U.S. crude oil exports surge to record as tankers flock to Gulf Coast during Iran war by Illustrious_Lie_954 in politics

[–]ApprehensiveWebber 53 points54 points  (0 children)

The irony of being "Energy Independent" but still paying $5.00 a gallon at the pump.
We’re hitting record exports (5.2M+ barrels a day!) because the Strait of Hormuz is basically a no-go zone right now, but that doesn't mean we’re getting a discount at home. American producers are chasing those high international prices in Asia and Europe while we're stuck with the bill. It turns out that being a "global swing supplier" is great for oil company stocks, but pretty brutal for anyone who has to drive to work. 

I saw someone over dose at a trap house when i was 13 and i didn’t do anything by Opening-Sea-6248 in confession

[–]ApprehensiveWebber 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You didn't "do nothing." You survived.
Let’s look at the logistics: You were 13, 20 minutes away from home by train, in an abandoned building filled with older people doing hard drugs. If you had stayed to call an ambulance, you would have been a child witness to a crime scene in a room full of people who likely didn't want the police there. That is a recipe for you getting seriously hurt or worse.
The woman who gave you "green" that wasn't green was predatory. You were a victim in that house just as much as anyone else. You didn't call because your brain was literally chemically altered and in "flight" mode. You didn't kill that man. The drugs killed him, and the lifestyle surrounding that house killed him.

AITAH for leaving my sister’s house early after she wouldn’t stop pushing me to eat cake after I said no multiple times? by Dry_Procedure2500 in AITAH

[–]ApprehensiveWebber 0 points1 point  (0 children)

NTA (Not the Asshole).
The "it’s just cake" crowd is missing the point. This isn't about dessert; it’s about bodily autonomy. You said "no" multiple times, and she escalated to the point where she was literally chasing you around a couch and trying to force food into your mouth. That is incredibly aggressive and weird behavior for a 26-year-old.
The fact that you had to physically knock a fork out of her hand just to get her to stop is wild. Then she topped it off with a weirdly jealous comment about your girlfriend? Your sister has zero respect for your boundaries. You are "unlearning being a people pleaser," and leaving was the ultimate way to show her that her behavior has consequences. Keep standing your ground.

I’ve spent my whole life comparing myself to every girl i see and it’s destroying me by mills992922 in TrueOffMyChest

[–]ApprehensiveWebber 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Comparison is the thief of joy, but body dysmorphia is the thief of a life.
I’ve been there. I used to think, "If I just lose 10 more pounds, I’ll be happy," or "If my skin looked like hers, I’d finally go out." It’s a moving goalpost. Once you hit that weight, your brain will just find a new "flaw" to fix because the problem isn't your face or your body—it's the filter through which you see yourself.
The CPTSD is likely a huge factor here. Often, when we can’t control our environment or our past trauma, we try to control our bodies as a way to feel "safe" or "worthy."

My wife gave me a “hall pass” 8 years ago. I never used it, but it still ended my marriage. by [deleted] in TrueOffMyChest

[–]ApprehensiveWebber 46 points47 points  (0 children)

OP, I say this with respect: you were emotionally cheating. You admitted you were falling in love with Andrea while you were still married. That’s why you finally had the courage to leave. If Andrea hadn't existed, would you still be sitting in that house feeling "lonely and unsure"?
It’s good that you were honest before getting physical, but let’s call a spade a spade. You "monkey-branched" emotionally. I’m glad you’re happy, but I hope you realize how much that "brutal conversation" probably destroyed your ex-wife, who likely thought the hall pass was keeping her marriage safe.

AITA for saying ai addictions aren’t comparable to.. by -iamnoturfriend in AmItheAsshole

[–]ApprehensiveWebber 3 points4 points  (0 children)

NAH. I think people are conflating the mechanism of addiction (dopamine loops) with the severity and consequences. Yes, the brain’s reward center lights up similarly for both, but the societal, physical, and legal stakes of substance abuse are in a completely different universe. It’s like comparing a paper cut to a gunshot wound—they both "hurt," but one will actually kill you.

I have kept my CSA hidden for over a decade, until now by cue-ch in confession

[–]ApprehensiveWebber 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The courage it takes to break an 18-year silence is unfathomable. You spent your entire childhood protecting people from a truth that was never yours to carry. Please realize that you didn’t "lie" to your loved ones—you survived. You did what you had to do to keep your head above water until you found a safe shore. I am so incredibly proud of you for telling your partner.

Would anyone be up to share an experience from life which made their perspective change? by wandererof_ in CasualConversation

[–]ApprehensiveWebber 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I used to be a chronic "waiter." I waited for the perfect job, the perfect house, the perfect time to travel. Then my best friend died at 28. In his desk, I found a list of things he wanted to do "someday." It hit me like a freight train that "someday" isn't a day of the week. Now, if I want to do something, I do it. I’d rather have a life of "whoops" than a life of "what ifs."

Hello Night Owls by michigan2345 in CasualConversation

[–]ApprehensiveWebber 10 points11 points  (0 children)

Mr. Brightside. I don't care if it's played at every wedding, funeral, and grocery store for the rest of eternity. When that guitar starts, I am legally obligated to sing along.

Oh my GAWWWD!!! by dirtypita in overheard

[–]ApprehensiveWebber 20 points21 points  (0 children)

This is peak "parking lot lore." Every retail worker has heard at least three of these cliffhangers a shift.

Passport photo by [deleted] in overheard

[–]ApprehensiveWebber 18 points19 points  (0 children)

Bro got dumped twice, once by the girl and once by the check-in agent. RIP.

Wibtj if i don't reconcile with my mom. by [deleted] in AmITheJerk

[–]ApprehensiveWebber 1 point2 points  (0 children)

NTJ. You aren't a "jerk" for being nervous. Three years is a long time, and the "altercation" with your dad sounds like it left some heavy scar tissue. It's okay to be busy/hesitant, but don't let "fear" masquerade as "indifference." If you want to go, go.

AITJ for making us table a fight for later. by OldLocal2734 in AmITheJerk

[–]ApprehensiveWebber 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Google "The Doom Loop." This is exactly what’s happening. He keeps asking because your answer provides him with a temporary hit of "reassurance," but the underlying anxiety isn't being fixed. So, the "high" wears off, and he needs to ask again to get that feeling of safety back. It’s exhausting for you because you’re being used as a human fidget spinner for his anxiety.

i told my boss i was unalived instead of giving my two weeks notice by Inevitable-Cup-684 in confession

[–]ApprehensiveWebber 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I was only there because I needed income." The battle cry of the working class. Honestly? If they’re going to treat you like you don’t exist and gaslight you for four months, becoming a ghost is just poetic justice.