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Not just that, they are also getting nothing in return. The US voters need to realize just how much are they getting fucked over by the military-industrial com
by adamnemecek 8y ago
Not just that, they are also getting nothing in return.
The US voters need to realize just how much are they getting fucked over by the military-industrial complex.
I’m not against taxes, I’m against taxes that go to pay for wars as opposed to medical insurance, infrastructure and education.
- viburnum 8y agoYeah, it’s totally insane, working Americans pay for a Nordic-level welfare state but don’t get it (fun times for rich Americans though).
- z2 8y agoThat budget seems to be always nonnegotiable, despite the occasional media outrage. Realistically, how can US voters change this? As an aside, the US is the only country I've seen give military personnel priority boarding for civilian flights. With all due respect to veterans, it seems so strange to do this sort of worshiping in what is effectively peacetime.
- decebalus1 8y ago> this sort of worshiping in what is effectively peacetime https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_wars_involving_the_United_States https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_wars_involving_the_Uni... The US has been 'at war' with something continuously. There is no or never was peacetime.
- mikeash 8y agoI think we could stand to do significantly less worshipping of our soldiers, but a lot of the ones boarding commercial flights are on their way to places like Afghanistan where groups of unfriendly armed crazy people will attempt to kill them.
- kelnos 8y agoI agree with you in principle, but calling people you've never met from another country and culture "unfriendly armed crazy people" is a big, sad reason why we even need militaries in the first place. I imagine many of those "crazy people" in Afghanistan consider the US military to be invaders who won't leave them alone. It's of course all not that simple, but... why the need for unnecessary name-calling? It just perpetuates the "us vs. them" mentality that seems to be at the root of many of society's ills.
- mikeash 8y agoI would agree with you in the case of a generic enemy, but I see no problem with calling religious extremists “crazy.”
- rootusrootus 8y agoIt's a small thing, and I consider it a bit of payback for what society did to veterans back in the days of Vietnam.
- adamnemecek 8y agoIt’s bullshit because the govt makes these meaningless gestures but when it’s time to open the wallet, all of sudden they are out of respect.
- gwright 8y agoIt isn't worship. It is gratitude for their service. Your implication that military service should only be valued during wartime seems odd to me but I'm guessing that your perspective on the proper role of the military in society is probably very different than mine.
- pxeboot 8y agoUnfortunately all that waste creates millions of jobs. If military and healthcare costs were brought under control too quickly, it would literally destroy the economy.
- adamnemecek 8y agoThat’s like saying let’s not put out the wildfire, the firemen need a job.
- seppin 8y agoMilitary yes, that's millions of jobs for people that would struggle to be employed otherwise. The health insurance industry, however, needs to die. The sooner the better. The resulting boom in people actually receiving healthcare in the US will cover the job losses over time.