Why the military especially the active military leans GOP.

[ranosgol]

The military tends to believe the GOP will spend more on the military and thus they will get a pay raise or promotion.

I have news for the Military. The GOP wants to spend billions on national defense but they want to outsource and downsize as many personnel as they can in the process. They think technology is the only answer and boots on the ground is a liability.

I have news for you, everyone in the military eventually gets out and must enter the civilian work force. You may serve only one term or retire but you will enter the civilian workforce and you well know that a military retirement is not enough to make it.

If the GOP is allowed to continue dismantling the United States you will retire to a third world country.

US Navy, Enlisted, 1991-1997

[HawkerHurricane]

1. GOP is pro military...

CONTRACTOR. Not Pro Military servicmen.

I learned that in the early 1990's, when Bush the Greater started cutting things.

USN Enlisted, 1984-2004.

[tabasco]

4. Absolutely correct. They like the big dollar items like Star Wars.

But when the Army needs more money for boots they're shit out of luck. Many generals retire to lucrative jobs on the boards of profiteering corporations, and the corrupt generals support the republicans to keep the gravy train rolling. A prime example of waste is Star Wars. For the price of this ineffective system, we could have three Army divisions and update port security and a lot of other things. The repugs do spend more but most of the money they spend ends up in CEO pockets, not in a grunt's ammo pouch.

[HawkerHurricane]

6. Or for the cost of the 'Stealth Bomber' B-2...

we could have a full carrier battlegroup, and keep it operational for 20 years...

Cost Plus contracting: welfare for poor defense industry companies... two of the biggest (GE and Westinghouse) own 'Liberal' Television networks, NBC and CBS...

[A_Possum]

2. Not to mention...

The way Bush sent the military into an impossible situation in Iraq that has exposed our soft underbelly by showing precisely how to defeat and neutralize us militarily. Najaf being a great example.

Bush is not only making the world hate us, he's making us look like fools.

[Ron Green]

3. I think the all-voluntary military is partly the reason

for this GOP preference. There's much more "gung-ho" ism than in the days when a more true cross-section of American society was in uniform. I would much prefer a draft, with no excuses. This would solve many problems, including this move toward privatization of our defense department. Not to mention the "democratization" of the Armed Forces.

[CornField]

5. This year I'm betting the active military is mostly for Kerry

You have to remember what Shrub & Co. have done to them with the "back door draft" (aka stop-loss policy). Although they cannot publically take a stand against their Commander in Chief, all of the military families I know in Iowa are fed up with the policies of this administration.

[Sparkly]

7. Al Gore proposed more than twice the funding that Chimp did in 2000

and as noted, it's less about defense contractors and waste and more about real needs and personnel under Democrats.

I think it goes back to an old stereotype from the Vietnam era that Republicans are "strong, brave" and pro-military, and Democrats are "weak, appeasing" peaceniks.

THIS is the year we can turn it around and show that recklessness isn't courage, war isn't strength, and chickenhawks aren't military men.

[Redleg]

8. Say it loud and say it proud... the GOP hates the troops but loves

the defense contractors.

[UTUSN]

9. Yep, Ask in a VFW Hall and That's What They Say

that "we do better" under Repukes. It's like an illness spread in the beer. You can't convince them. They won't read the articles saying otherwise. This vet I know says he gives "credit" to Shrub because his VA disability checks started up when Shrub got into power. Luckily, he says he doesn't vote and still won't, but he thinks KERRY will cut his checks.