Personal rant against Democrats

No, I do not mean ALL Democrats and this is my personal opinion on the opinion board where it would seem to be appropriate. Nor is this a cut-and-paste rant off a blog as my loyalty duty to a political party as are most new threads. These are my thoughts and sentiments, not someone else's.

When I first involved in politics I was a full novice to it and knowing little. The way to learn is to involve. It just seemed the right thing to do and seemed right to do as a Democrat without much thought. I was a Democrat primary election judge and involved in many campaigns. But I came to increasingly not like the Democratic Party – or so I thought. While I usually write "Democratic Party" when posting on the forum to stay within the rules, often I really mean "you Democrats" personally, not generically.

It took a long time to realize why the dislike is so deep. While certainly some political issues are involved, it isn’t foremost about any issues. The real reason is at a more core personal, human level. It is not that I don't like the Democratic Party, it is that I don't like most Democrats. I deeply and increasingly dislike most of you Democrats, or at least vocal ones, including most on this forum, on a core personal level. The current matter of the KIA Marine is an exact example of why.

I have an adult child in the military that has repeatedly been in two theaters of combat, coming under sniper, mortar and missile attacks numerous times. Currently is on restricted duty after major surgery, for which there will be livelong negative health effects. <Rule 2>

Here is the reality of what happened concerning the phone call and letter – and everyone knows it. A Gold Star mother is notified that the President will be phoning her to prepare her and make certain she is available for it. She contacts an intensely negative Democrat Congresswoman – intensely negative about both Trump and the military – who claims to have listened in on the phone call. She then drafts up a letter of the standard, repetitious and generic ranting anti-Trump Democrat talking points, 90% having nothing to do with the Marine, for the mother to sign solely for release to the press.

What stands out is what was missing in that letter the Democrat Congresswoman put in front of that grieving mother to sign, with no doubt many such Gold Star parents are angry at the military and president why more was not done to protect their child? The letter doesn’t even mention the KIA Marine son in any positive way. Nothing in this letter written by that Congresswoman for her to sign has to mother praising her son, of how much she loves him, is proud of him, of his sacrifice for country, and what a wonderful young man he was. Literally, the letter the Congresswoman wrote is 100% lacking of anything about the woman’s son – because he and his death are nothing to the Congresswoman <Mod Edit>

All presidents and candidates for president lie. LBJ promised not to send troops to Vietnam, and then sent a million, with tens of thousands of KIAs, hundreds of thousands wounded, and millions of civilians killed. Bill Clinton lied. W. Bush lied. Obama lied more than told the truth. Donald Trump lies. They all lie. That is reality unfortunately adding up to nothing. Presidential campaigns are largely a contest of who tells the better lies the most people want to hear, nothing else.

It is not that I like the Republican Party or Republican talking heads. It is not a pro-Republican sentiment. <Rule 2>

I did not want my child to sign up for the military, knowing what that potentially means. Likely most parents feel this way. While people in the military stand together, our government most often uses our military for political and show purposes. True support by politicians isn’t there. Much of our military is in shambles endangering our military personnel as a result.

As for that Marine, it is 100% accurate to say “that is what he signed up for but it still hurts” – which would be exactly accurate if my child were a KIA and exactly is accurate about the permanent injuries. <Rule 2/3>

<Rule 2/3>

Nor is this anything like Benghazi. I don't care if false reasons such as a video was given. What I cared about was the personnel who repeatedly called for back up, we could have had aircraft there and a land force there in under an hour, and they were told to stand down. I cared about those killed who would not have been. Or air forces could have turned that area of the attackers into an obliterated kill-zone saving their lives but did nothing hour after hour. We could also have had many reinforcements there, but did nothing. Plus at least Republicans went to great lengths to tell what extraordinary and heroic men those who were killed were.
<Rule 2>

To so foully and obscenely use and abuse a KIA's death and the sorrow of a grieving mother is something no person with even 1% of decency would do. Even if my child had been KIA under Obama and even if I blamed President Obama for it, if some Republican politician has brought me a letter to sign of ranting Republican across-the-board talking points against President Obama? I would have thrown that politician (male or female) violently out the door and down the steps wanting it to hurt for trying to use my child's death for that Republican acting like pure scum as that Congresswoman did and continues to do <Mod Edit>

I wonder if that Gold Star mother who so quickly signed the Democrat drafted letter put in front of her now wishes she has signed a letter that had at least one sentence with anything positive and loving about her son? Any hint that she misses him, that he was a fine man, and how saddened the loss is for her, instead of just carefully drafted and repetitious generic Democrat talk point attacks against the President by an anti-military Democrat politician using her and the Marine’s death for race baiting and politics? None, as if his life didn't matter to her in the slightest, only Democrat talking points matter. Only race-baiting and a shotgun talking-points attack against President Trump. A Democrat Congresswoman using the KIA's death and the mother's sorrow to make herself a bragging, smiling and laughing "rock star."

<Rule 2/3>

There certainly are Republicans I don’t like nor think the Republican Party is great in any sense. <Rule 2>

 

The above two postings aren't worth the effort it would take to respond

 

Let me tell you something:

You can make this a referendum on Democrats all you want. It won't fly, since it was the conman you voted into office who is insensitive and disrespecting soldiers' families. Only to lie about it and smear them when he is caught in the act. It is on him and nobody else.

But, while we are at the topic, it was actually also YOUR side's guy. GWB, who sent 3000+ young soldiers to their death for a war based on lies, and then he didn't allow coffins coming back home to be filmed because it would undermine his war effort. Tell me about who disrespects the troops.

I actually have deep sympathy for kids like your child, who are thinking they are serving their country, only to be used as cannon fodder by the politicians, who use them for their wars for oil and profit to perpetuate the military industrial complex. And then these kids come home with life-changing disabilities, PTSD, physically and mentally maimed, and are discarded by society, because many can't hold a regular job after the tragic experiences they went through. The, they become a welfare drone, labeled by the same party that sent them to war in the first place. And someone like Trump, sitting on his gold-plated toilet, uses them for another political gain when they die and Trump wants to appear compassionate to the families and scoring points with the "pro military" crowd. Of course, his lack of compassion easily comes through in these conversations.

Democrats, on the other hand (not Hillary) have long been against war and conflict based on lies and based on the silly premise that we will stop terrorism by just bombing the heck out of them. It hasn't worked for 15 years, why should it work now?

So Democrats are the real pro-troop party. They wouldn't send them into un-necessary wars based on lies, or use young, naive soldiers as cannon fodder. They know what is at stake and would support physical conflict only as the last resort. The war hawks of the right, on the other hand, cannot get enough of war and then they wonder when our soldiers come home broken. Give me a break.

Rant over.

 

Yet you did

Durrrr... Trump is a dumb head durrrr....

 

Spare me this partisan nonsense. Both Red and Blue Establishment hate the principles on which this nation was founded - respect for individual liberty/individual rights and freedoms. They hate hate the constitution and they hate fair and free markets.

According to the Establishment it is now your "Patriotic Duty" to give up essential liberty over a risk of harm that is 400 times less than the risk of harm of walking.

This is a form of "Patriotism" I can do without.

The reason why we are in this horrible situation is because of partisan blindness and hypocrisy... calling out the other side for the exact same thing that your side is doing

 

LOL

 

The astounding thing to me is that the whole brouhaha is based on a single phrase from what, by all accounts, was a five minute phone call, and they expect people to buy into an "insensitive Trump" narrative based on that alone? We all know there is a script with respect to these matters, regardless of Administration, and I for one don't want that released, as it would cheapen the memory of KIAs. They know this too, know that the actual script for the call won't be released, and are using that disingenuously. They are also overemphasizing this story to deflect from new emerging details with respect to the uranium scandal.

I sympathize with your dislike of them as people, some of them are obviously nasty people, but have to temper that with two points 1) In a perfect world, people would display the same character anonymously that they do in person, but we are flawed creatures in an imperfect world. This applies to both sides and your and my posts here too. 2) It's easy to assume malice from people who do or say stupid things, when in most cases, it's just incompetence. This is a mistake I make daily myself, not just here.

We have a culture and educational system that teaches "reasoning by zinger and gotcha," as opposed to facts and adult discussion, and POTUS has admittedly exacerbated that. That sad state is a consequence of a corrupt educational system that purposefully avoids teaching critical thinking to young people. It teaches virtue signaling and "causes du jour" instead, with little or no rational underpinning. We have succumbed to a lowest common denominator form of discourse, and the state of our political discourse is closer to "Idiocracy" than anything these days as a result.

 

Jake, it's hard to take your rant seriously if you can't even call out the hypocrisy on your on side. But thanks man for raising great kids that put their lives on the line for me my family and the rest of this great country.

 

How can you possibly say the Democratic Party is anti-war? Seriously. President Obama ordered more countries attacked militarily than any other president except WW2, and both world wars, Korean War, Vietnam War and Eastern Europe war were all Democrat wars. Unlike any presidential candidate had ever done, Democrats voted for Hilary Clinton who repeatedly vowed to have the US military directly attack the Russian military, literally vowing to go to war against Russia. Now, you included, furiously want to block any even attempt at detente' with Russia still claiming it is the USSR, which as been extinct since the 1980s.

Your hero Congresswoman has voted against the military including medical care for veterans repeatedly. However, it is accurate that both political parties are dominated by warhawks and submissive to whatever the militarists want. Remember your Chuck Schumer saying Trump better do whatever the intelligence community wants because they have too many ways to retaliate against any politician who doesn't?

 

Other than the fact that Trump has shown far more respect and concern for the military than any democrat president.

Oh and the story about Trump disrespecting the soldiers...all lies.

The military knows how Trump feels about them, and the pathetic attempts by Democrats to both smear him and pretend like they're suddenly military supporters is DOA.

 

Well, the statistics do not support your impressions:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_military_casualties_of_war

Casualties under Obama were few, except for the Afghanistan effort, which, in my view, cannot be attributed to Obama, since he inherited the conflict.

As for Russia, NO Democrat wants war with Russia. We just don't want to hand over the keys to the WH to them.

Third, this congresswoman is not my hero. Second, your side is the one who rails against government spending. So, why is it okay when spending is on the military? The more resources it gets, the more war we will have. Generals tend to use the toys that the lobby for. And defense contractors need to replace the equipment that is used in war. That's where the profit comes from, not by having troops and equipment sit at home doing actual DEFENSE.

 

Thank you for your comment about my child. I am exceedingly proud but for other reasons as well.

I have no problem calling out the hypocrisy "on my side." President Trump was elected in the primary because of Republican voters tired of the hypocrisy of Republicans, something the Democrats did not do in their primary about Clinton and Democrat hypocrisy. Without a doubt, President Trump is very flawed and more like other politicians in both political parties than not. Nothing new about that. They nearly all lie and are hypocrites. Nor do I have any hesitation to acknowledge hateful, extreme, exaggerated, ranting and false facts messages by Republicans. I have posted some of those myself, usually in response to someone else's extreme messages.

As I explained, my rant is not in support of or defense of Republicans or the Republican Party. Rather, it was my telling my true internal emotional sense, whether that it fair or unfair. Using that grieving mother and the Marine's death like this truly makes me angry - to put that nothing-but-Democrat-talking points generic anti-Trump ranting letter in front of her to sign - totally ignoring any positive mention of her son.

In general, the rant is nothing because if Trump said exactly what is claimed there was nothing wrong with it whatsoever so it is just fake outrage to being with, other than a grieving mother is going to be filled with emotions, which certain can be anger in that mix with the emotional turmoil horrifically manipulated and misused to try to turn her grieve into hate rather than trying to comfort her. There will always be some Gold Star parents who hate the commander-in-chief and/or military, government, politicians etc as someone to blame trying to make sense of. Such conduct makes me particularly disgusted and angry on a personal level. This does not equate to love of Republicans or any other liars and thieves, hypocrites and criminals in government.

 

trumps wants to give the military more money, that's all. it has nothing to do with respect. In fact, this last episode shows that he treats soldiers like bought commodities -- from his gold plated toilet seat.

 

I can understand when people get emotional about their children, I think everyone can. I have a 12 year old who likes to play computer war games. He has mentioned the thought of enlisting. I hope he won't do it, but I can't prevent him if he does. But, that's why I would never vote for someone who I even suspect would send kids into wars of choice. However, this is exactly what may happen with NK. Little Kim may bait Trump into losing his temper and start a war. if that happens, I pray for all of our service members (even though I don't pray).

 

I agree with you in part on military spending in terms of corruption, that neither Republicans nor Democrats stop or clean up. The majority of US military aircraft literally can not fly, and our military actions tend to now be air power based and even air power supported ground troops, which is increasingly impossible to provide. IF we are going to do these military actions, then they MUST be paid for - or don't do it. This is not optional in my opinion. If there isn't enough money for all the government employees or enough money for the social programs, that generally does not result in violent death or being crippled for life. WHEN IN WAR the war effort MUST be budget priority #1. Don't have the money? Don't do the fight.

Do you agree with that? Or is your view that we spend too much on the military already and the spending makes the wars, not that the wars then demand the spending? Probably, if we actually ever tried to end any of the wars they wouldn't cost as much. Get in with everything we got, maximum destruction of whoever and whatever we declared the enemy - and leave. Instead, pretending we are fighting a human, nice war, the wars never end now - ever.

 

Follow the energy (i.e. money) trail. That's what the study of economics, thermodynamics and life has taught me.

 

I don't agree with you on Kim. He is truly a proven mass-murderer sociopath and sadist who will carry out his promise to kill millions of Americans if he obtains the ability. This may not happen until he is on his death bed having nothing to lose and to make that his historic immortality or it may happen sooner. But he means exactly what he says because at his core he literally is a true murderous sociopath who takes pleasure and finds his pride in the suffer of others he causes. He was raised from birth told he is a god to be worshipped as a god and prove it he must endlessly kill and mass kill and torture people by the tens and hundreds of thousands including the most sadistic, torturous deaths possible including his own family members.

Sometimes, war can not be avoided and delay can be devastating results as we saw in WW2's history. If Britain, France and the USA has put soldiers into Poland, instead of giving Germany Polish territory including thus eliminated Poland's defensive line, it is very unlikely either Germany or Russia would have attacked Poland in the first place. Without Germany rolling across Europe as an ally, Japan would not have had the confidence to attack Pearl Harbor. No retaliation against NK after such an attack would undo 1% of the devastation.

However, I do not think war with NK is necessary at all. NK is not the problem or danger. Kim is.

 

I know a lot of people who are either in the military, work for the military, or are prior military.

I can assure you that's not what they think.

 

No interest in discussing the rest of your post. Thanks for your son's service and the sacrifices you and his mother have made.

 

I don't want to get into another NK discussion. This problem doesn't have a good solution. The best is to stroke Kim's ego. A war is certainly not the answer. Similar charges were brought against Saddam. And where did this get us? Thousands of dead soldiers.

At the end, Saddam was not a madman, but hiding in a hole trying to save his life. So, all the hyperbole in the runup to the war about his suicidal tendencies, taking the US with him in a huge mushroom cloud were wrong. But many young, impressionable soldiers who did the patriotic duty payed for it dearly.

 

Obama increased drone strikes, what the **** are you talking about? <Rule 3> He also sent an additional 40,000 troops to Afghanistan which everyone wants to get out of and removed all troops from Iraq which led to ISIS taking over vast swaths of territory. Democrats and Republicans differ very little when it comes to war, only the rhetoric is different and words are meaningless.

 

"Stroke the ego" of a proven mass murderer sociopath murdering and killing ans torturing his own people by the hundreds of thousands who are required to worship him literally as a god, and who slaughtered his own family brutally, So your idea is we should not only feed this, but praise him for it.

Saddam Hussein was not a mass murderer sadistic sociopath. Hussein never promised to mass murder Americans nor ever claimed he was pursuing doing so nor was ever doing so. Kim is. There is no similarity between Hussein and Kim.

 

For those of you who laugh at the OP for his rant, realize that he's quite correct no matter which side of the aisle you might find yourself. The left despises the right, and the right despises the left.

Whether you agree with the reasons for the hatred, or not, this is a reality that everybody on both sides is going to eventually realize. The more we realize that, the more violence we're going to see.

The question is, can we live with each other despite the utter hatred, contempt, and revulsion? The right does offer a pretty good way to do that by basically saying that the left can have their communist utopia (or whatever you want to call it), but make it voluntary.

<Rule 6>

 

ITA

Externalisations bore me

 

Jake,

A day or two ago I was talking about this "Trump call to the widow" issue, and I was pointing out that these magnificent young people of ours did "know what they were signing up for" when they enlisted. I was using my own son as an example. He was severely wounded in 2007. He was hospitalized and in recovery/rehab for about 7 months, and then he trained for deployment to Afghanistan for 3 months and then, 10 months after having been wounded, left for a tour in Afghanistan in 2008. He did that tour because he wanted to, not because he had to. (He could have just hung out in rehab if he had wanted to.) He now holds a Master's Degree, and he is a federal civilian employee working for the Marine Corps (not a contractor). He returned to Afghanistan in 2014 for 8 months to support the Marines in Helmand Province, and he is overseas as we speak working with American forces who are engaging America's enemies. I was making the point that "he knew what he signed up for" and that the words of President Trump were not meant to hurt, but to acknowledge her son's bravery and commitment. Perhaps not well-phrased, but not said maliciously, but out of respect.

I got a one line response from a leftie on this site.

"Your son is an idiot."

I chose not to answer back <Rule 2> But yes, I understand how you feel about this whole "Trump call" thing, and I am utterly disgusted by this lowlife congresswoman <Mod Edit>

Ha! And the funny thing is ... I'm an Independent, and I don't even like Republicans that much.

Good writing, Jake.

My respect to your son, Jake. As a fellow "war parent", my respect to you and his mother. I know what you've both been through.

Seth