Why don't we support the Troops more?

Question

Why don't we pay the troops more, or make sure they have a home to come home to? Why are the veterans so neglected? We pay sports stars like football, basketball, and NASCAR more than the troops that protect our freedom. The VA hospitals are in such horrible conditions, and no one notices. We don't have enough room to ocomodate the wounded soldiers yet we keep paying sport stars more, why?

Answer 1

Contrary to what a few have stated here , WE DO decide how much the men & women in our armed forces are paid!! WE decide when WE select the people WE send to Congress to represent US !!

WE decide when WE don't find the time to call or write those elected officials to express our desire to see better pay implemented for those in uniform

Sadly too many Americans are too busy on the internet to do something as simple as write a brief letter. And until VERY recently , pay & benefits for our troops wasn't even something they considered an issue.....certainly not as pressing as say....the abortion issue which is already decided.

This is a non partisan issue. Facts be known our troops had their pay raised to a level reasonably comparable to the civilian world for the first time by ........YES!! President Bush!!

I'm a lifelong Dem, so before you attack me check the facts. I'm not joining the Bush fan club myself, but respect his action on this issue paid only lip service since I served six years in the USN 30 years ago!!

Answer 2

Maybe now, they're getting the attention they deserve. I hope the US has a long enough attention span to see it through. One reason for the deplorable VA conditions was that, like the war, there was no plan for the aftermath-600,000 returning soldiers. I won't say that Dems aren't just as responsible to fix things, the Republican administration has a lot of responsibility. How this is strictly the Liberal's fault escapes me(like some others have said.)

People have been so busy saying "we support the troops"-with bumper sticker flags on large SUVs. Taxes should be raised but nobody is willing.

And for those who said Dems/libs hate the soldiers, that is so wrong. I'd pay but the rich won't. Not only are we in a war we can't afford, taxes were lowered mostly for the top 5% of Americans. Who lowers taxes during wartime-nobody but Bush.

Answer 3

It is the world we live in. Being a retired Air Force Veteran, I can attest to both sides of the story. The military is being cut to the bone, but not just by the liberals. Please don't lay this all on them.

Look at our recent activities since the Bush Administration took over. Sec of Def. Rumsfeld was given the task of "transformation" of the military into a smaller more agile force. Then boom, 9-11 happened. We were thrust into a global war on terror. We went into Afghanistan, a haven of terrorism.

I'm sorry, I am getting off track. I do not think the military is underpaid. As a matter of fact, they receive more compensation than do most professions. I may get arguments on this, but I do believe I am correct.

You take into account that they receive a Base Salary. If we based the compensation strictly on that, then yes, they would be severely underpaid. But we have to take into account the other benefits. Housing allowance, that is not taxed. Food (subsistence) allowance, that is not taxed. Hospitalization, health care, subsidized by the military (Free for active duty). Gym memberships, some bases have world class facilities. Subsidized groceries, tax free purchases at the Exchanges. And now, we are at war. The receive allowances for being in the war zone. Des this compensate for the life changing injuries, NO. Does it compensate for the loss of life, NO. I know first hand also, as we lost our Son-in-Law in Afghanistan. There is not enough money in teh world to compenstae for this loss.

I could go on and on, but they are well compensated. Granted the military is in the job of defense of our great Republic, but how much is too much?

As for veteran facilities, I have been in quite a few and found them to be more than adequate. Granted, they are not the standard for the hospitals you may see in the private sector, but they provide great healthcare. If they could just cut out the red tape to get anything done, there would be the service that our wounded veterans deserve.

If you really want to see changes, then write to your congressman. Get others to do so also. Make them aware that the American people are watching and that your vote is contingent on them listening to the people.

God Bless our Troops and God Bless America

Answer 4

The very idea of a professional military sent overseas to establish control by our rich privileged class over foreign countries is a betrayal of the original idea of this Republic.

America was designed to be a republic, not an empire. The American people are supposed to fe fully armed citizens and that is why the Second Amendment was written.

The American people should have the power to resist any foreign invader who dares touch us. But it is entirely wrong for our government to take it on itself to send them outside our own country for the private purposes of the oil elite, such as the Bush family, the friends of the Bin Laden clan.

Those who feel driven to go intervene in somebody else's civil war such as the centuries-old conflict between Shi'ites and Sunnis are welcome to do so on their own dime. It is not the business of the United States. Three thousand brave Americans went to Spain in 1938 at their own expense to fight against Franco's Fascism, and 900 died. The US Government didn't send them there and the taxpayers didn't pay for them. Why is the intervention in Iraq's civil war being billed to the taxpayers?

America was intended to be a "city on a hill," an example to all nations, not their ruler. The founding fathers never intended for us to set up puppet governments in distant places and then to protect them from their own people.

Bring all our troops home from overseas. Start taking proper care of our own people, both civilian and military.

America first.
America first.
America first.

Answer 5

We don't pay sports stars, at least I don't. Apparently NOT ONE politician ever bother to make the SIX MILE journey from DC to Walter Reed Army Hospital to visit a troop until this came up. So it is as much thier fault as anyone in the Army Chain of Command. The Administration hides the casualties by brining them in unmarked vehicles with covered windows after midnight. A typical Bush solution.

Answer 6

Because frickin sports stars are selfish and big business helps fund that... Most military members unselfishly joined the service outta pride and service to one's country, not just to get money for college anyway this is enough for some pay is extra. Most enlisted members are only a hair above poverty level( American standards)... KInda like Upper poverty if there is such a thing..

Answer 7

Why don't we support the troops more, is just a play on words. What YOU mean and what every other person that asks that question is asking is WHY DON'T WE SUPPORT THE PRESIDENT?

Have you ever heard of the NATIONAL GUARD being the main TROOPS in the military before? The national guard is for the STATES not the country.

Yes, I SUPPORT THE TROOPS, BRING THEM BACK TO THE STATES.

Answer 8

Because our society's sheer lack of BASIC moral standards and/or beliefs have mostly crushed our nation's hope/will of ever returning to our forefathers tenets of truth, justice, patriotism, honesty, integrity, etc...

We The People would rather pay and watch overgrown babies in tights run around throwing and kicking a football or bouncing a basketball or driving a fast car millions of dollars than give an amputated vet all the services our country could render to him/her...

Now that's the hard truth, and if our forefathers could wake up from their graves at this very moment in time, believe me they would either do one of 2 things: 1 -Puke their guts out and ask the Good Lord to put them back in their graves or 2 -Well, we know what they bound their lives to in order to found this nation, now don't we?

Answer 9

Oh, you haven't figured it out yet...

Well, it has to do with Empire and how the global elite run the world. The prop up the most fascist regimes all over the globe to smash any force that stands for the People of the countries they invade.

They use a few dictators, a strong military and open markets to do so.

In the US, the military comes from the pool of middle class people who are not a part in any way of that elite. So, they are treated as hired representatives of the elite, but are not welcomed as family by far.

So, you have the People of the country (who by necessity reject Empire, to save their future mainly) thus rejecting support in any meaningful way of the troops. The elite will not spend any more than they have to to hire these willing fools to do their bidding. In the end it is they who suffer and feel really used and abused at the end of it all.

This is why the People need to resist Empire, not be bought out and sold by it for a little college money or useless job training... Certainly not for honor, Country and Patriotism... all of that is simply blinders and drugs so that soldiers don't think about the realities of Empire.

Answer 10

Unfortunately, it does not matter what party is in office the military & Veterans are the bottom of the list when importance of money or concern is handed out. They are only considered when it is time to vote & since they vote 80% Republican, the Democrats do not care & the Republicans take them for granted.
Sports stars & Hollywood are grossly overpaid by a vain society mostly concerned about being entertained.