Soldiers Voting With Their $

[Hassan]

[quote name='CatherineM' post='1632089' date='Aug 19 2008, 08:21 PM']I remember reading that same article, but in the Navy Times edition. I based what I said on the % of military absentee ballots that voted Republican in Florida in the last two elections. I think it could be that more of the Republicans actually voted. That could be because more of them were from the officer ranks, don't know.

In the Army, used to be that you weren't even supposed to talk about politics. You're not allowed to wear political pins obviously, but you can't have campaign stuff showing on base housing. You're not allowed to run for office, and they used to be very particular about doing any campaigning. My dad once told me that they didn't want soldiers involved in politics because they understood too well what happens when bad decisions get made because soldiers are the ones in the mud usually because of it.

And criticizing a superior is a no-no in all the services except in the prescribed manner through appropriate channels. Even then, don't expect to get promoted anytime soon.[/quote]

I once heard a Marine Corps Officer (Colonial now) when talking very much off the record up in Pittsburg say of Iraq (he served in both Iraq wars and others), "The American People got sold a lie and they know it". I was shocked, it just doesn't happen much, especially in the combat arms like that guy (who will remain nameless for obvious reasons).



I understand why the military doesn't want subordinates criticizing their superiors, but this fellow was towards the end of his 20 so I guess he wasn't to worried about retribution from the Corps.

[CatherineM]

There was a female officer, either army or air force, who spoke on some documentary that I saw. She said that she was pressured to bring out any information about Saddam, even if it was 20 years old, and to suppress anything that might show he didn't have WMD. She eventually retired rather than keep silent. They aren't even allowed to publish a work of fiction without permission.

[kamiller42]

[quote name='MakeYouThink' post='1631411' date='Aug 19 2008, 02:36 AM']I don't trust the American Voting system anymore. It's all electronic, so nobody will ever, ever, ever, see a paper trail showing who really won.[/quote]
Yea, yea. Electronic machine manufacturers are out to ruin this country. Digital is evil. Analog is superior. Elections by paper are not error prone and the winner is clear. The 2000 U.S. election and hanging chads prove the greatness of paper. Just look at the incredible accuracy of paper.

[img]http://www.broward.org/sue/images/2000election.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.azcentral.com/ent/pop/pics/1013chad.jpg[/img]

[quote]Who ever controls those machines decides who gets put into government. I am afraid it will be Obama, because his ideas seem more intune with a toltalitarian dictatorship to clamp down on our freedoms more, while encouraging more abortions, and the homosexual agenda.

The guy is a creep, and this is definitely one step closer to the spiritual fire that will erupt soon![/quote]
Obama is an empty suit, but he is not going to destroy America.

[MakeYouThink]

[quote name='pvtmiller' post='1631427' date='Aug 19 2008, 03:44 AM'][size=5]
So how does it feel to know that someones kid in the heart of america
Has [color="#FF0000"]blood on their hands, fighting to defend your rights[/color]
So you can maintain the lifestyle that insults this family's existance[/size][/quote]

I am proud you serve the army. I appreciate all your hard work. I just don't like the people who lead you. They consider you nothing less than a pawn to be discarded at a moments notice, and I don't like that. No person is a commodity!

How do you feel about politicians who don't care about you?

[kamiller42]

[quote name='MakeYouThink' post='1632395' date='Aug 20 2008, 12:46 AM']I am proud you serve the army. I appreciate all your hard work. I just don't like the people who lead you. They consider you nothing less than a pawn to be discarded at a moments notice, and I don't like that. No person is a commodity!

How do you feel about politicians who don't care about you?[/quote]
Which politician doesn't care about sending troops in harm's way? What is your proof he/she doesn't care?

[kenrockthefirst]

[quote name='Madame Vengier' post='1631930' date='Aug 19 2008, 04:06 PM']No one is saying McCain is a good option. I'm saying there is no indication that Obama is a BETTER option.

I wonder if you can understand the difference.[/quote]
[list=1]
[*]I already said that I don't support Obama. To be clear, that's partially because I don't think he's a good option.
[*]My main point was to comment on how I found it interesting that soldiers were voting with their dollars for Obama, despite the fact that McSame is supposed to be the "mililary guy" and the "foreign experience guy." I'm not advocating anything, I'm simply making an observation.
[/list]

[Justin86]

What I find most interesting is most of us in the military really don't have the money or interest in politics to actually donate to someone's political campaign. Most of these may come from flag officers whose promotions are highly politcized, and they may just be betting with their wallets that Obama has the election in the bag. We'll find out in November if they're correct. However, opinions do vary widely in the military regarding the war on terror and how it's currently being fought. We also hardly ever talk about it amongst each other.

As for campaigning for a candidate in an election it really all depends on how you go about it. Obviously, you can vote in all the branches. I don't know about any of the others, but both the Navy and the Marine Corps don't allow you to attend political rallies in uniform, however, I have seen campaign signs on base housing, and bumper stickers on privately owned vehicles, and to my knowledge that's perfectly fine. You are allowed to write letters to editors of newspapers to be published supporting a political candidate, and arguing for him, but you may not state your rank, or that you are military at all. You also can write letters to your elected officials, supporting this or that policy as long as you don't make threats to them.

It's a delicate balance living in a republic where we have the freedom to elect our leaders, and keeping military discipline whether those in uniform agree with those leaders or not. Ultimately we all swore when we enlisted to protect the Constitution, and simply obey the lawful orders of those appointed over us. It's surprisingly not much of a problem.

[Madame Vengier]

[quote name='kamiller42' post='1632358' date='Aug 19 2008, 10:50 PM']Obama is an empty suit, but he is not going to destroy America.[/quote]


You're right, he's not. He's just going to be pandering and ineffective while others destroy our couuntry.

[cmotherofpirl]

I think the only reason the military would vote for Obama is that they haven't heard enough about him to see how terrible he will be for the country.

[cmotherofpirl]

[quote name='MakeYouThink' post='1630957' date='Aug 18 2008, 08:11 PM']You guys are stupid enough to believe 9/11 was performed by a bunch of Arabic Terrorists, and therefore, many of you have gone to war for an illegal government who has killed its own people to launch a war.[/quote]
I suppose you believe in flying saucers, the da vinci code, and big foot as well?

[MakeYouThink]

[quote name='kamiller42' post='1632452' date='Aug 20 2008, 01:11 AM']Which politician doesn't care about sending troops in harm's way? What is your proof he/she doesn't care?[/quote]

Lets see.

Bush lied about WMD being in Iraq, to send 250,000 troops there. So, in effect, he sent 250,000 people to potentially die over something he knew was false. . .

If that doesn't scream he doesn't care about your safety, then what will kamiller. I cry for every innocent soldier who is killed there, and I want to see Bush pay for his crimes even more!

[MakeYouThink]

[quote name='cmotherofpirl' post='1632614' date='Aug 20 2008, 10:31 AM']I suppose you believe in flying saucers, the da vinci code, and big foot as well?[/quote]

flying saucers - is that a new kind of flatware we can eat off of. I would love my plate to hover just at the right height to eat off of.

da vinci code - Free Mason attempt to discredit that Jesus was truly the son of God, so no.

But I believe there are Basketball players who have some big feet, so I have to say, there has to be one person out there what lost a foot, and has one really big one too, making him Big Foot!

Now, thanks for the laugh, lets get back to the correct discussion.

[MakeYouThink]

You guys are so blind, I can't believe it.

Obama or McCain?

Are you guys so blind. Why does it have to be one person or the other?

Are you so indoctrinated that is how the political process should be and not realize, maybe we need to think of a way to send a message that no politician in the United States will ever forget?

Have you guys forgotten what a constitutional republic is all about? You have the power, and the Politicians work for you! They should be afraid of you, and not the other way around.

[Hassan]

[quote name='pvtmiller' post='1631427' date='Aug 19 2008, 02:44 AM'][size=5]
So how does it feel to know that someones kid in the heart of america
Has [color="#FF0000"]blood on their hands, fighting to defend your rights[/color]
So you can maintain the lifestyle that insults this family's existance[/size][/quote]


I'm sorry, but soldiers in Iraq are not fighting defending American freedom(some may feel that they are, however objectively they simply are not).

Soldiers in Afghanistan are fighting for security domestic and regional security, but your hyperbole is unwarrented.

[Hassan]

[quote name='MakeYouThink' post='1632958' date='Aug 20 2008, 04:25 PM']You guys are so blind, I can't believe it.[/quote]

With all due respect. There is absolutly no evidence supporting your conspiricy theories reguarding 9/11.

It is psudo-scientific non-sense and has been roundly disproven.

[quote]Obama or McCain?

Are you guys so blind. Why does it have to be one person or the other?[/quote]

no

[quote]Are you so indoctrinated that is how the political process should be and not realize, maybe we need to think of a way to send a message that no politician in the United States will ever forget?[/quote]

Why don't you expand on this

[quote]Have you guys forgotten what a constitutional republic is all about?[/quote]

no
[quote]You have the power[/quote]

false

[quote]and the Politicians work for you![/quote]

false

[quote]They should be afraid of you, and not the other way around.[/quote]
correct