Dave.

What the incoming president fails to understand is that the money that the US funnels towards NATO helps keep a lid on conflicts “over there”, so they don’t end up “over here”, like WWII.

The US reached the “bread and circuses” stage of politics a decade or so ago. Once the population figures out it can vote itself money (or the promise of money) it’s all over.

Look at the campaign promises of the incoming president. “More for you, not them”, sums it up. The problem is that everyone hopes they are the “you” in that offer.