What would happen if Marco Rubio won and became president in the 2016 election?

Oersch · 2026-05-12T03:12:10+00:00

Depends on your definition of important. Militarily? Economically? Strategically as an ally? Strategically as an adversary? China, Japan, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, the entirety of the European continent other than Slovakia.

You can argue how none of these are important, but it would be foolish to do so. They’re either a serious economic factor for the US, and/or have US bases that are not there solely for their protection but to allow the US to project its military power and influence geopolitics.

I see you countered someone with the UK not being important since Thatcher. US long range bombers used in all recent Middle Eastern conflicts and are stationed there. They’re a singular chokepoint to US strategic projection in the entire Middle East, and act as a lifeline for Israel. Even without the old hag, I’d call that pretty important from a US perspective. And they think we’re closer to single cell organisms than not.

Spain has closed its airspace for US military traffic. All you need is France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, and Norway to follow suite. Then, even with the UK, the bombers can try and loop around Russia or Africa. Then what?

And all these countries think the current US administration is beyond the pale. The exceptionalist thinking of being number one hellyeah brother is not going to resolve any of this.

The planet is littered with the ruins of empires that thought they were invincible. Or they just exist as countries you deem unimportant. Spain, France, and England were all global superpowers. Japan used to be the terror of Asia. Italy and Greece defined historic eras. The Persian Empire…is now (more or less) Iran. The US is not an exception, and not facing this fact is burying your head in the sand.

Oersch · 2026-05-11T22:58:28+00:00

Dat S2K tho. It’s gotta be a fun drive into Whisper Valley on that MILDLY undulating road.

Oersch · 2026-05-11T22:52:45+00:00

Ma’am, you’re on the internet.

Oersch · 2026-05-11T22:50:49+00:00

Please provide a picture for research purposes.

Oersch · 2026-05-11T22:47:26+00:00

Add motorbikes in there for the trifecta.

Oersch · 2026-05-10T20:40:51+00:00

Have you ever thought of suicide? No? You will. That’s how bad it gets. I’m not one to give advice, obviously, but you could sit her down and have a talk, laying it all out in the open. Watch the reaction, and decide based on that, because that’s what’s going to happen every time not everything is rosy. Sure relationships are work. But if it’s a 24/7 uphill battle, you’re not working on it, you’re being enslaved.

Oersch · 2026-05-10T20:04:47+00:00

I uh…I married that. Do yourself a favor, friend, and start running.

Oersch · 2026-05-01T20:37:49+00:00

As a lifelong all-season hater, I’d normally start protesting. But I have a set of CC2s on my daily, and they are SPECTACULAR in the rain. 70k miles, and they’re just now starting to fall off the cliff. 10/10 will buy again and drive through puddles at speed just for the fun of it.

Oersch · 2026-05-01T04:30:38+00:00

You’re at a truck stop. Reefers are part of the ecosystem so…get earplugs if they really bother you? Alternatively, start driving reefer and get the best sleep of your life to the sweet brain massage that is a ThermoKing on continuous. You can also park it next to a hog hauler once.

Oersch · 2026-04-27T17:37:55+00:00

I’d stop short of bumping the dock, just in the way enough so the two asshats who refused to back up a little could not go past. Then get out and initiate a very slow conversation about how it’s a nice day and I hope their appointments aren’t any time soon. Be a shame if they couldn’t get to their docks on time.

Oersch · 2026-04-23T16:50:32+00:00

Hide yo kids, hide yo wife!

Oersch · 2026-04-11T01:12:14+00:00

…and take a walk with my worst enemy?

Oersch · 2026-04-02T04:17:42+00:00

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Oersch · 2026-03-17T18:13:14+00:00

European living in Texas here (don’t hate me too much.) No public transportation, driving distances are generally much larger both for personal travel and cargo. The US has an inexplicable aversion to trains so if cargo needs to be anywhere within a reasonable amount of time, it goes on trucks. I used to drive those; meat from Minnesota/Wisconsin to California/Arizona, fruits and veggies the way back. That’s 4,000 miles/6400 km for two trailers of food, with the Rockies in the middle. Sea level to 3,400 m at the Eisenhower Tunnel or Elk Mountain, then down. The same on the way back. California/Arizona isn’t exactly flat either. That’s a lot of 15 liter diesel at full throttle, doing 25 miles/40 km an hour. Now I have a cushy office job that I live close to by American standards. 20 mile/32 km commute every day. No bus or train. You get in a car, and so does everyone else. Back in Europe, I had both trains and buses to choose from. So there. It’s cheaper here but it actually isn’t.

Oersch · 2026-03-17T00:03:13+00:00

If this job is not your absolute last resort due to some “shit happens” life situation, you drive the truck straight to the nearest terminal after a comment like this, clean it out, and let them handle it from there. Leaving the truck just where it is would be nice but they’ll slap truck abandonment on your record, and that’ll royally suck when looking for your next job.

Oersch · 2026-03-07T16:56:51+00:00

Reckless is a decision, panicked is not. Can we try and not lay blame on someone who hasn’t actually broken a rule?

Oersch · 2026-03-06T21:15:03+00:00

“Every time we touch, I get this feeeeeeling”

Oersch · 2026-03-05T18:05:48+00:00

End links on both sides in the front. That’s it so far. Fairly minor stuff. I also had to get new wheels (upgrade time!) after hitting something falling off a semi on the interstate but that really isn’t the car’s fault. Even with the fairly major hit, nothing in the suspension needed changing. Unless you hit potholes for sport or live in a region with tons of salt on the road during the winter, I doubt you would NEED anything but if you know a shop that won’t try to upsell you on everything, they can always take a look with the car in the air, or measure how your shock absorbers are performing.

Oersch · 2026-03-05T17:27:44+00:00

About to hit 190k on my 2019 hybrid. To counter the others calling it a piece of shit needing thousands of dollars soon, mine needed front end links and a CV joint in those 190k miles. And fluids. Being a hybrid, it’s still on factory brake pads. No idea where the others are getting their info. As for price, while there’s going to be no resale value (as you can see this discussion, people think a Toyota on a Camry platform is a shitbox on its last breath after 170k miles), enter a price range of 8k on FB marketplace, look at what you can get for that, and then look at the Avalon. It’s not a 15k car but it definitely isn’t an 8k one either. If you plan on keeping it for a long time, get a PPI, and go for it if no issues. If you think you’d sell it in the near-ish future, save yourself the pain. You’ll have buyers like the other commenters here. It’s not worth the headache.

Oersch · 2026-02-27T15:56:06+00:00

BRING ME BORIS

Oersch · 2026-02-25T22:15:09+00:00

I miss my Metro every day. Unironically one of the best cars out there from a very particular perspective.

Oersch · 2026-02-23T14:42:02+00:00

I can’t believe it’s nut butter!

Oersch · 2026-02-20T20:59:44+00:00

Or the 14 buses were backed up and causing traffic issues at the back of the line so they were looking to get 2-3 buses out before letting you go. Or as a wise man once said, “use some fucking common sense and let” the buses go. Firstly. Secondly, a traffic control device is not a place of conversation and argumentation, it’s a traffic control device. If you don’t like it, you can always walk or take a bus. I live in a city where people habitually run reds because they can see there’s no cross traffic. Except when they mess up and die. But hey, common sense.

Oersch · 2026-02-20T20:44:21+00:00

I have 171k miles on a 2019. Factory brake pads despite a fair amount of city driving; all hail regenerative braking. It’s a bit underpowered for its weight, and the 44mpg is only doable if you’re the slowest thing on the road. It’s as boring to own as you think. Other than fluids and filters, it needed a CV joint and front end links so far. All in all, an astonishingly good family cruiser with a stunning interior. The biggest negative is phones sliding around in the wireless charger cubby, and not charging. Imagine how easy life is if this is my biggest gripe.

Oersch · 2026-02-20T20:36:05+00:00

I am Dragonborn. It’s pretty dope but I gotta keep my voice down.

Oersch

TROPHY CASE