The price not paid, and not paid again
Published March 26, 2003
George W. Bush famously refused to serve his country during wartime when he was draft age. In fact, he even went AWOL on his state. (Well, okay, admittedly there's a question of whether it was AWOL or desertion.) He was also apparently opposed to the notion of a draft to accompany the war he chose against Iraq. (He is consistent--he doesn't like drafts. Never has.)
Obviously, the vast majority of American service men and women who will be killed in the Iraq adventure will be of a different economic stratum, shall we say, than George W. Bush. But surely the wealthy are making sacrifices in their own way for this war--at least they'll have to do a little belt-tightening while military families do a little family-tightening, right?
Well, actually, no. Mark A.R. Kleiman's blog alerted me to a story that discusses how the rich will not be paying more in order to finance this war. This war will be paid for by Rosie the Riveter and...Rosie the Riveter. In fact, the wealthiest 2% of the country recently got a special piece of tax-cut legislation exclusively for them--just before the expensive bombs started to fall.
So the wealthy won't pay in blood, and they won't pay in taxes. Who would frame the issue this way? Wait until you see a certain famous Dad's byline on this offensive class-warrior rant.
- The price not paid, and not paid again
- Published: March 26, 2003
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- Section: Politics
- Writer: Brian Flemming
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Well Brian, I don't support the draft either. The Military doesn't want a draft, the last 25 years have proven that a volunteer military works, and better than any conscript military system.
Don't be so indignant about the draft, and whether or not the current president served in the active duty military, at least he served in the military.
By your picture, I'd judge you to be my about age, and by that, I would doubt that you served in uniform, it was not the cool thing to do after high school for our generation, not a path to success. If I am incorrect I apologize.
Thre idea that this is some class/economic war, "the poor man's fight, the rich man's war" is crap. You can find the stats for yourself, more whites go into the combat arms of military service, and more minorities go into the support arms, less likely to see direct combat with the enemy. THe army of Vietnam, in which poor whites and minorities are cannon fodder is gone. In fact, we have no cannon fodder, out military has been so down-sized, and each trooper is so highly-trained, that we don't have throw away troops. How about you stop making so many facile arguments and read up on a subject, rather than just go with the "sounds right to me " gut instinct?
Rob, "...and whether or not the current president served in the active duty military, at least he served in the military."
The point is not active vs. inactive duty military, but that he likley played willy-nilly with his Guard service and did not report for a year. He apparently refused to honor his commitment to serve via the method through which he chose to serve.
"...idea that this is some class/economic war, 'the poor man's fight, the rich man's war' is crap."
Enlisted military service remains a rare choice for young men and women of means, that is, with significant financial resources or ready access to higher education. Have you not been aware of complaints from the military itself over the last few years that they are not attracting an acceptable number of desirable candidates for enlisted service?
I did have a reply to Brian's article and san's post, but the "comments" monster must have eaten it. I will say that I could have written my response without the personal attack, and for that I apologize. The rest will have to wait until after work.
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(Or ping: http://blogcritics.org/mt/tb/4096)
Well Brian, I don't support the draft either. The Military doesn't want a draft, the last 25 years have proven that a volunteer military works, and better than any conscript military system.
Don't be so indignant about the draft, and whether or not the current president served in the active duty military, at least he served in the military.
By your picture, I'd judge you to be my about age, and by that, I would doubt that you served in uniform, it was not the cool thing to do after high school for our generation, not a path to success. If I am incorrect I apologize.
Thre idea that this is some class/economic war, "the poor man's fight, the rich man's war" is crap. You can find the stats for yourself, more whites go into the combat arms of military service, and more minorities go into the support arms, less likely to see direct combat with the enemy. THe army of Vietnam, in which poor whites and minorities are cannon fodder is gone. In fact, we have no cannon fodder, out military has been so down-sized, and each trooper is so highly-trained, that we don't have throw away troops. How aboput you stop making so many facile arguments and read up on a subject, rather than just go eith the "sounds right to me " gut instinct?