Do Dems Hate the Military?

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After reading the following article, I am wondering what the Democrats think about the Military or is it just their leaders?

Daschle blocks bill on military voting By Rowan Scarborough THE WASHINGTON TIMES

Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle is blocking passage of a bill that would authorize polling places on domestic military installations and ease the obstacles some service members face in absentee balloting. The Clinton administration also opposes the bill, which the House approved in a 297-114 bipartisan vote Oct. 12. Many Republicans accuse Democrats of stopping the bill as part of a larger strategy to suppress the military vote, just as the party did in Florida in challenging hundreds of overseas military ballots. Senate aides say Mr. Daschle, South Dakota Democrat, placed a "hold" on the bill, a maneuver that would kill the measure if the Senate does not vote before the current session expires at year's end. "They're shutting down military absentee ballots in Florida and putting a hold that could have increased the total number of people who could have voted in this election," said Rep. Bill Thomas, California Republican and the bill's chief sponsor. "It would have been a lot nicer if Daschle had cooperated and it would have moved through both houses. . . . It's a little embarrassing. They are still stopping this thing. Some people can't be shamed into anything." A spokesman for Mr. Daschle did not return a phone message yesterday.

-- JLS in NW AZ (stalkingbull007@AOL.com), December 12, 2000

Answers

Yes.

-- Joe (jcole@apha.com), December 12, 2000.

I was in the Air Force overseas during the last presidential election and my absentee ballot arrived after the election. I was currently the resident of a democratic state and promptly switched my residence to a republican one (when it was legal to do so). During the last few years, seeing what the democrats have done to the services....I have to enthusiastically agree that the democrats have it in for the military. There's too much to type here...

-- Chris Stogdill (cstogdill@rmci.net), December 12, 2000.

One of my nephews is a Navy officer. I asked him about the general military attitude towards Gore. He said it is his observation about 80% of military personnel vote Republican. No wonder the Democrats want to try to keep them from voting.

-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), December 12, 2000.

Well, of course there could be some alternative explanation, couldn't there? Maybe that they don't want military bases as polling places for, oh security reasons? Or something. Or maybe there is a rider attached to the bill for something wholly unrelated that Mr. Daschle doesn't support. Or maybe he's having a bad day. Or maybe HE hates the military. Or any number of things. But what an opportunity to make a big political deal out of this and suggest the Democrats hate the military. You don't think the current electioneering going on would have anything to do with this perspective? ;)

This politicking is getting insane. I can't wait for this election to get resolved so we can go back to big issues like who put the sweater in the dryer or something....sorry, just crabby these days I guess....

-- sheepish (rborgo@gte.net), December 12, 2000.


Do not forget that the "Fearless leader" of the democRATS, one Despicable Bill, went so far as to state that the "abhorred the military"! The rest of them are not far behind, and as a career military man, I frankly ABHOR them. But then, "THEY" are really socialist/communists anyway. What would you expect?

-- Brad (homefixer@SacoRiver.net), December 12, 2000.


Remember the quote "I loath the Military"?

Clinton, gore, daschle, et al, don't understand the mindset of self sacrifice necessary in the makeup of the successful modern military person.

The trust and cohesivness needed in a military unit is foriegn to those who look only to gain power at anothers expense. Such ideas as giving of yourself for others, Honesty, Truth, doing the right thing for your Country and Countrymen, sharing and facing danger, even to the point of death, are looked upon as foolish. Denying their right to vote,or at least making it harder for their voices to be heard by the democrats, isn't difficult to believe. The values so common amoung the military are very uncommon amoungest the Democratic Leadership.

I think what is missing is... Honor. The leaders of the Democratic party are without Honor. The absence of Honor explains so much about the things they do and say.

I'm sure to get dumped on for this answer. Oh well. John

-- John in S. IN (jsmengel@hotmail.com), December 12, 2000.


Both parties have no idea of the needs of the military or what we need in a military. If we mind our own business and maintain for our protection we need less militart. Funds could be switched to needed areas. I was in the military over 4 years and don't remember either party hating the military. Benifits were recieved by votes of both parties. Also the military was kept out of politics until little Bush came along and it should go back that way. It is a very dangerous mixture.

-- Nick (wildheart@ekyol.com), December 12, 2000.

I'm with Sheepish on this. The first thing I thought of was, "What OTHER items (riders) are attached to that bill?"

-- Joy Froelich (dragnfly@chorus.net), December 12, 2000.

Yes, the socialist dems HATE the military.

-- Wendy@GraceAcres (wjl7@hotmail.com), December 12, 2000.

Nick reaches into his tackle box and ties on an old favorite, his Bush bait. W/ a deft flip of his LEFT hand, he smoothly casts it along the old log, where the wily conservative bass waits. The bass watches the ripples gently ring out and away. A waiting game ensues between two. The bass twitches, as if He can't stand it and by relex alone will have to devour this tasty Lefthanded offering. Almost. But he ignores it. Knowing it's not the best His antagonist has to offer. Maybe tomorrow.

-- John in S. IN (jsmengel@hotmail.com), December 12, 2000.


John, ooohhh..very clever!!

Smiles.

-- Wendy@GraceAcres (wjl7@hotmail.com), December 12, 2000.


Oops guess I ran into the good ole liberal haters!! Gettin my commie butt outa hear!!!!....Kirk

-- Kirk Davis (kirkay@yahoo.com), December 13, 2000.

I generally lean toward the liberal end of things, politically speaking, although I no longer consider myself a Democrat, more out of aborrance to the apathy than anything else. I don't hate the military at all. Actually, I am eternally grateful for those who have the will and desire to put their asses on the line for me and mine. What I do hate is how the govt. uses the "poor, wittle beaten down miwitawy" bulls**t routine to load their plates with pork when they belly up to the revenue buffet.

I hate exhorbitant and unneccessary contracts which result in weapons R&D that produces aircraft that are obsolete before they hit the air (or do go into service and kill these brave folk like flies because the contractor couldn't keep his greedy mitts off of all that money and cut corners on testing and development.)

I hate money spent on readiness issues using politically slanted statistics basing perceived readiness (or lack thereof) on word problems that no real military short of a global one could ever possibly be ready for (ie: could our boys on So-and-So base cover a Gulf-sized war and still be able to actively respond to another such war breaking out simultaneously elsewhere? How about two more such wars? Could they do it if half of the base were somehow sick at the same time? Standing on their heads? It could happen. No? Well then, our boys are obviously not up to our strict readiness standards and that's a crying shame that should have tons of taxpayer money showered on it. By the way, I know a guy that really needs a gvt. contract to get off the ground...)

That's what I hate, not the military but the stooges who use them to cover their own useless selves with glory at the expense of the taxpayer's cash and good humor. When the gvt. takes more than it needs in the name of a particular branch of the gvt, that branch receives the ire of those fleeced. This is not (or should not) be suprising. I personally think that the military (if it is tired of being everybody's whipping boy) should exercise their readiness against the fat hogs in DC who are fundraising for their kin in the military's name. Just a thought.

-- Soni (thomkilroy@hotmail.com), December 13, 2000.


I'll look through my tackle box and see what other Flim Flam Bush lures I have. But good post I liked it.

-- Nick (wildheart@ekyol.com), December 13, 2000.

Hey John- How did you know Nick was an avid fisherman?Too many fishy tales? Great analogy! Hohoho.

-- sharon wt (wildflower@ekyol.com), December 13, 2000.


Good post, Soni -- you're on a roll today! :-)

-- Joy Froelich (dragnfly@chorus.net), December 13, 2000.

Kirk I'm sorry to hear thatyou're constipated, or were you refering to communism. A commie is also a little turd. Which were you refering to. On a different note did you notice when kennedy was in office the Military was very strong and morale very high. But of course he just got us into a major war and no-one knew how bad it was going to be.Of course old Ike was great for the military and he wanted to keep out of any new wars. Nixon just wanted to kill,kill,kill.But if the military does not have the draft and pulls in people from all areas it just is not the same. Mostly republicans joining now for the benifits. Also Military upset over all the useless bases being closed.And lack of money due to loss of advisaries. Guess that is why they attacked Yugoslavia. There was no one else and they need to justify the budget.

-- Nick (wildheart@ekyol.com), December 13, 2000.

That is a dumb question,to begin with ! To ask if "Democrats" hate the military,is like asking if all men are white,5'8",weigh 156 pounds,and are married to a girl named Sue ! I am a Democrat,and I for one dont hat the Military,but I do hate being lumped into a group category,don't you ? The election is over,get over it.If you voted for Bush,then be honest with us all,and accept your fair share of all the dumb things that will happen to America in the next 4 years !

-- D.M. Sloan (hillside@gcecisp.com), December 13, 2000.

Nick, are you callin' my son a commie??? He may be a little turd, but he's not a commie!!! Why did God ask Aberaham to sacrifice his 12 year old son? If he'd waited a year or so......it wouldn't of been a sacrifice!!

Sharon, it was easy to figure out...something smelled "fishy" about the Gov of Tx deploying the U.S. Military. Been about 130 years since Tejas had their own Army!!! John

-- John in S. In (jsmengel@hotmail.com), December 13, 2000.


Ahhh John- the terrible teens.Been there,done that. Just wait till he turns 16 and thinks 'cause he can drive,you don't have any right to tell him what to do,anymore,bc in his mind he is now a adult and,as such, can tell you where to go. I recommend home arrest, until he turns 21...or maybe 30.Lock the bedroom door-feed him thru a slot.

Trouble is as our brains atrofy with age,it get harder and harder to remember just how unbelievably obnoxious we were as teenagers. These are, of course, the first memories to go.

Told my parents a few years back that I don't know how they survived 5 of us going thru the teens one right after the other-especially with their sanity intact.Of course,the outcome of last part is still up in the air!

As my older friends told me, this is the part you just survive,not enjoy.Welcome to my island,fellow survivor.

-- sharon wt (wildflower@ekyol.com), December 14, 2000.


I don't think the original post was meant to contend everyone who identifies with the Democratic Party hated the military. Rather the military has suffered far more under Democratic administrations than Republicans ones. What caused the collapse of the Soviet Union. Simply, Reagan (and a friendly Congress) bankrupted their ecomony by their trying to keep up with U.S. spending, particularly on high-tech weapons (e.g., B-2) and Star Wars.

-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), December 14, 2000.

Through a contact in the military I was able to find out a bit more about this. Would apply mostly to those living on military bases, such as in military family housing or barracks. Sometimes it is difficult for them to find out where they are suppose to vote off- base, and those living in barracks might not have transportation to get there. Bascially a separate precinct would be set up on the base for them. Part of the Democratic Party concern is having a unique precinct like this is it would rather make it evident how military personel felt about the various political parties. Would be rather embarrasing for one party (read into that what you want) to learn voters in that precinct went say 90% to the other party. This is third-part so take it for what it might be worth.

-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), December 16, 2000.

Sharon, why do you people not like teenagers?? I have two who are my best friends! In fact, have just acquired a new one (we'll hafta see how this goes!). An old friend of mine's daughter (Minnesota), who was being continually threatened at school by bullies, and became terrified of attending. AFter being threatened by the nazis who run the school district with arrest and seizure for truancy, she asked my friend if she could come stay with us in WI, cuz we unschool and have no stupid legal restrictions over here. So I scooped her up and brought her over. She is in for a serious culture shock, having lived a typical suburban existance all her life, but we will do our best to keep her happy until such time as I can get her mother some legal and networking help to homeschool in Minnesota. She has no confidence in her ability to homeschool, so needs lots of help. (Sorry, this is totally off-topic; I'm babbling again!). Anyway, I love teenagers, but realize most of em are hiding behind a facade created by the school system, and our cultural conditioning tellin us teens and adults are SUPPOSED to not get along. Oh well....

Blessings,

-- Earthmama (earthmama48@yahoo.com), December 16, 2000.


Earthmamma -must I use (o: to let people know I'm joking around? or LOL? Personally don't care for it,but if I must.

I thought the "Survivor" reference would tip one off.

Well now I'm feeling grouchy-been one of those years.

Truth is teenagers can be a handful,until their hormones stop playing pingpong ball with their brain cells. Haven't met anyone, till now, who actually raised one thru the thick & thin and told me otherwise,including some wonderfully patient and competant mothers.

Only other person to think otherwise was my sister,who never had children.Which is also why she, at age 50, has resentment over perceived slights done to her as a child and has a bit of an arrested developement problem,while the rest of us have been able to move onand get over it.

Well,you asked.I'm sometimes too blunt.Not saying that is you.I wouldn't know.

Taking responsibility for a child can change one's perspectives.Nice of you to volunteer.My best to you.

-- sharon wt (wildflower@ekyol.com), December 16, 2000.


Ken, I think you are correct in stating "Part of the Democratic Party concern is having a unique precinct like this is it would rather make it evident how military personel felt about the various political parties. Would be rather embarrasing for one party (read into that what you want) to learn voters in that precinct went say 90% to the other party. It appears the answer to my question is neither the party members or it's leaders, in general, really hate the military, BUT it sure sounds like the top party leaders FEAR the public finding out what the military thinks about them!!!!!

-- JLS in NW AZ (stalkingbull007@AOL.com), December 16, 2000.

Just one question, how The Hell, did we regess. from one simple question? To everone tying into a personal agenda? Your call, you decide......

-- Jesus, I don't (likethis@job.com), December 19, 2000.

Don't ask me, I do not know why. I have read every intelligent answer of Man-Kind, for over two years. God did not make me stupid, he made me observant. Holly Cow! Observe, that I have. And conserve, on the side. I am on a bigger Victory and I need all those who hear, behind me. Those with money and power (not mine, this lifetime) a gross deficite and injustice is about to be delivered , to those who are subservant. It is not right, nor is it Just, Your call, if you pursue. Thank you....

-- tea polite (upyour@nose.com), December 19, 2000.

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