Patriots??
Nothing is easier than pontificating about “Support Our Troops” or “America, Love It or Leave It,” “Why Do You Hate America So Much,” yada yada. If you yourself don’t run off at the mouth with a facefull of slogans, try this:
Here’s a test you can run. When someone starts running off at the mouth about how we need to support our troops in Iraq, ask this person some questions:
How do you feel about the low pay of American military personnel?
What sacrifices would you as a taxpayer be willing to make to ensure higher pay for U.S. soldiers?
What about the huge number (and I do mean HUGE ) of Easy Loan and “Easy” everything (no money down, cheap price, no salesman will visit your home) stores near every military base? Every item, every kind of “loan” that a cash-poor military family might need, is right there (and don’t read the fine print, just Sign Here please…)
If your political philosophy is described as laissez-faire, free enterprise, let the chips fall where they may, then how do these slogans reconcile with the low pay and easy victimization of U.S. Army soldiers constantly victimized by the above (as verified by constant news stories)?
At some point, the non-schizophrenics among us are going to have to register a cerebral JOLT of “uh, hmm, the soldiers that I claim to support are being preyed on by sleazebag bankers and merchants and here I am blubbering about the free market, uh, what should I say here?”
Our current “president” (if he even deserves that title) came to power by simultaneously chirping contradictory slogans about “supporting our troops” and “let the market forces prevail.” Now, with the spotlight shining, our America First politicians might have to choose which buzz word, which slogan, they want to spew out to their constituents. Is it right to charge soldiers (and their families) a 390% interrest rate for a loan? Newsflash to America First Conservatives: that shaking and trembling you feel is the call to come out of your Ivory Tower and down to Earth with your constituents and Listen to them. This is the real world if you’re not a pampered legislator or corporate lobbyist.
Do you: A) Support Our Troops; or do you
Sorry, only one answer is correct; you can’t check both A and B.
posted by Tom Harper @ 11:29 AM
1 Comments:
Lets not forget Bush tried to cut combat pay from the troops in Irag supposedly because the mission was accomplised and they are no longer in combat. Kerry brought that up on the debates.
A Career reservist once told me that it is easier to get issues like more pay and better benefits for military and their families from the liberals - the supposed "anti military doves" then from conservatives who love to be labeled pro-military Hawks. It seems the Hawks love to spend plenty on weapons and weapon systems, new plants, contracts etc., but turn a deaf ear to things like more pay and benefits.
I challenge you to find a right wing hawk that actually served in the military.
This same reservist also told me that for years they were trying to get the loopholes closed which allowed employers to fire them while they were serving their country. That's because those reforms were pushed by the then chairman of the house armed forces committee the "ultra-liberal" Rom Dellums of Berkeley.
As much as the Hawks cringed when he got the chair there is one fact they cannot denay: he is still the only chairman of the house armed services committee who has ACTUALLY served in the military
Erik
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