MAGAts want to shoot down the Chinese balloon.

[no_hypocrisy]

Listening overnight to talk radio in NYC, a majority of callers were eager to shoot down the balloon. Partially to own the Chinese and the Libs. Partially to force Joe Biden's hand.

Don't know how they'd do it, but it reminds me of the Confederate soldiers itching to start the Civil War.

[Mike Nelson]

1. I think...

... they would - even if it was over populated areas of the US. They don't think things through... shoot first, ask questions later. My plan would be to wait until it can be deflated, captured, and examined. Of course, if it was a threat, it would be destroyed immediately.

[BootinUp]

2. If we haven't examined one already

then yes, we should definitely do so.

[gordianot]

4. Strange the path this is taking over military and nuclear bases.

St.Louis is home of signals collection for the NSA and is especially troubling. It literally ran a track from Whiteman Airforce base home of the B-2 to St. Louis.

[BootinUp]

12. Mother nature is involved. nt

[gordianot]

18. Like hell this thing is controlled.

NSA HQ in St. Louis is restricted air space.

[claudette]

3. I'm worried that

even if they find a safe way to shoot it down that maybe it would release toxins that were meant by the Chinese to harm us if we destroyed it. Maybe that’s what the Pentagon is investigating?? I’m glad the Feds are not acting hastily.

[Rhiannon12866]

5. First, we want it intact so we can examine exactly what it's doing here.

And second, blasting it out of the sky could injure people on the ground and do damage. This is not a kids' balloon, it's quite large if it can be spotted this far away. And it's too far away for the gun nuts, or they would have likely tried.

[BlackSkimmer]

8. Yes, it seems we should have the capability and know-how to tow it somewhere.

Get it under our control, and then decide what to do.

[Rhiannon12866]

16. If we can put a man on the moon, we should be able to bring it down safely.

And we have to be careful since we don't know what it might contain.

[JackSabbath]

10. Yep.

Apparently the surveillance package it's carrying is larger than two city busses.

[Rhiannon12866]

15. So it definitely shouldn't fall out of the sky and hit the ground.

We also don't know what it might contain.

[snowybirdie]

6. The American people

hired Joe Biden to make decisions for our safety. He has all the facts, let him decide.

[Walleye]

11. ☝️Yes, the voice of sanity, thank you

[snowybirdie]

7. The American people

hired Joe Biden to make decisions for our safety. He has all the facts, let him decide.

[dutch777]

9. Take it down when it clears the east coast

It would be interesting to know what gear it is carrying. As noted, it is probably not seeing or hearing anything Chinese satellites couldn't. A little disturbing though if it was not detected before it got over land.

[dalton99a]

17. +1. Do it today and see what it carries

[no_hypocrisy]

13. Yes, the balloon IS concerning.

However, we have a cadre of wouldbe "Patriots," dying to override the President and the Pentagon and take matters into their own hands. And perhaps start a war.

[ProudMNDemocrat]

14. MTG's Jewish Space Lasers could do it...

If she knew where they were.

[Ocelot II]

19. The thing is floating around at 66,000 feet.

Do they really think they can shoot it down with their Glocks or their shotguns or their AR-15s? No doubt some of those morons will try (if they can even find it), but what goes up must come down - and it won't be the balloon.

[Torchlight]

20. Once recovered, reverse engineering of the components and data

could be useful. The choice of its targets will be especially revealing. Of course, a .22 shot from the hillside outside Hawgs Holler ain't gonna do that, but it gives them an excuse to exercise happiness with a warm gun.