3 ms·

Paying to skip conscription has been going on for hundreds if not thousands of years

• FirmwareBurner 3y ago
  In the US, the government pays you to conscript yourself.
  • twelve40 3y ago
    in other words, we the taxpayers pay so that someone else can serve (voluntarily for a market salary) instead of everyone getting drafted.
    • FirmwareBurner 3y ago
      The taxpayers pay so that someone else can protect them (or invade other countries so some oil corporation gets dibs). Socialized defense, a fair deal. If only the same collective principle could work for healthcare ... shots fired!
    • Eumenes 3y ago
      https://www.militarytimes.com/pay-benefits/mil-money/2021/11/16/rising-costs-for-troops-pay-and-benefits-could-hurt-military-readiness-experts-warn/ https://www.militarytimes.com/pay-benefits/mil-money/2021/11... > The average cost per active duty service member for the department in fiscal 2021 was $136,000 How many service members could command salary/benefits like this in the private sector? Most count beans and clean things. I bet that doesn't factor in pensions and lifetime benefits either. The US military is the country's largest welfare program.
      • devilbunny 3y ago
        > The US military is the country's largest welfare program. If they were all as successful as the military is at inculcating middle-class habits in people raised without them, welfare would be a lot more popular.