Why do so many think all Democrats hate the military?

Question

I vote democratic but I dont hate our military. I see the services as very important to our nation and strongly support a vital and strong military and I know plenty of other dems who feel the same way, including some buddies of mine who are in the military and vote democratic. But why do so many brand the Dems as military haters?

first...I dont think Ive ever heard Rush Limbaugh, but wont judge what he says because I feel its all part of our freedoms. Second...I should have said I am registered as a Democrat but I vote on issues NOT party. So that said, I vote for both democrats, republicans, libertarians, etc. I dont call myself "liberal" either

Answer 1

I'm a liberal IN the military. My mother was a liberal JAG in the military. My grandfather is a liberal WW2 vet. And so on, and so forth...

My mother worked with the Geneva Conventions at the UN for a time, making sure we fight honorably so that those that would torture our boys aren't even more inclined to do so. I was raised for 18 years in and out of my mother's offices, at the Pentagon, UN, etc, and I've seen how a lot of military personnel who work on our R.O.E. think...it's easy for the "Patriotic Everyman" to say "Let's get in there and kick some *** and take names later", but the guys up top working around the terms Bush has laid forth are trying to make sure we don't get ourselves into trouble by doing things we shouldn't. (Which, in war, equates to ****-ups and our boys getting killed or tortured). The people in charge of how we conduct ourselves are working to make sure we're a better military, fit to represent America. And the guys really conscious of that, I hate to say it, are not "kill-em-all" conservatives.

There are more and more military "higher ups" coming out now as liberal, voicing displeasure with how our military and government is being handled. I think you'll find that many more officers (eg, those with college educations) are liberal than those that go in out of high school with a "kill the Dune-Coons" mentality and no big-picture thinking.

That isn't to disparage enlisted...I have many, MANY friends and coworkers who are enlisted and upset with how the military is being used. However, in the military many of the liberals are officers who can actually see the big picture of how the policy is implemented, versus the "boots on ground" who just have the scope of their immediate vicinity (assuming that's the sole source of their information).

I realize this wasn't a complete answer...I'm just trying to illustrate that Democrats and Military are not antonymous.

In general however, Democrats are branded as anti-military because we don't support the majority of tax-dollars going straight into military spending. We also advocate intelligent discourse as opposed to knee-jerk military reactions, which you will find a lot of in the armed services. (We get bombed? Let's go kill all brown people!) Democrats are less inclined to enlist because the armed forces are predominantly conservative and it's difficult to work towards an intelligent military with this ratio. If you get the chance to work with a "thinking" service member, it truly makes all the difference. I wanted to just leave during training more times than I could count because I was tired of hearing the same white, "Christian", FOX watching officer trainees talking about how they can't wait to pin on metal so they can get out and start shooting. I was tired of watching videos of Iraqis getting blown up and hearing peals of laughter. It's mindless, and it's not what we're capable of. We would be so much better as a military if we had political diversity, but at the moment we're run by the same type of cookie-cutter people, and with no dissenting opinions thrown in, we are propagating the non-diplomatic "norm".

Our military could be so much better than this. I love the Air Force...I love what it stands for and I love what we're supposed to be. We're PROFESSIONALS FIRST. And I'm serving because I want to help us get there.

Answer 2

I'm sure the answer (assuming there is 1 answer) will not be simple. I wonder if "most" is correct? Do they have numbers to back that up. If you had served time in Iraq and seen the screwed up plan or lack of one you might want to run on the other party's ticket. I know nothing about Coulter but Limbaugh's search for the truth by having a discussion with his self is not worth thinking about. If you are inclined to that persuasion (conservative) I would suggest you look for information from someone who is interested in the facts rather than their ratings. As far as the comment "Democrates hating the military" that is bogus.

Answer 3

Umm, there are democrats in the military so they must really hate themselves. Does anyone really think that democrat's service to this country some how means less because they disagree with the war. Where are you and why are you not serving then? This is exactly why the country is tired of the neo-con's, lets cut taxes and go to war, at least them darnit democrat's wont get our guns. We are LESS ready to defend ourselves against a credible military threat currently then we were under the clinton administration. Bush has destroyed the military in my opinion and its costing brave american lives and billions of dollars. WHERE is the sacrafice, tax cuts for the rich while we send some of the poorest people who enlist in the Army to get ahead and serve their country to die in a police action in a state that does not even want us there anymore.

Answer 4

2 reasons really...

1)Because some people have a problem realizing when people have a problem with the policies the military is being used for, and the upper management that makes those policies.

2)Right-wingers like you, come on here acting like a democrat trying to give some credibility to the arguments you hear on Rush limbaugh's show by acting like a democrat who supports the silly GOP talking points.

Other than that most intelligent people do not make such generalizations, but nice try though.

Answer 5

The notion that Democrats hate the military is primarily promoted by conservative talk show hosts. The objective is to label all Democrats as anti-war and anti-military. It is assumed this will somehow aid in the nearly hopeless political bids of Republicans.

Answer 6

Not all do, that's a fact. Look a JFK. He was the man. I'm an Independent so I see both sides but look at so many of the democrats on this board. Most of them are liberals and most of them hate the military and let us not forget the trolls. They are on both sides but there are far more on the democratic side than not. This board is a joke. It's made for fun but all too many take it seriously. I can see that not all democrats hate the military. I joined the military 30 years ago and I'm better for it and thanks to that, I now have all my medical paid for free of charge.

You are one of a few on THIS board and I think you for it. Best wishes to you and yours.

Answer 7

You show how lame your question is. You ask why ALL Democrats hate the military and then admit that although you are a Democrat you don't hate the military. That shoots yourself in the foot.

I don't believe Democrats hate the military that phrase is used by the neocons as a childish way to try and discredit Democrats because the right is scared to death to talk REAL issues.They know they will lose.

Answer 8

Then why do democrat leaders always want to cut military.
Our nation has survived by having a strong military. Maybe the wars that we have fought in may not have been a good idea. But I don't think the freedoms most of the world has today would not exist without the US military. Stop spending money on social welfare. Its like throwing money into a furnace

Answer 9

WELL NOT TO BE INSULTING BUT THATS A PRETTY IGNORANT STATMENT!!!!!!!!!!
DEMOCRATS DOT HATE OR EVEN DISLIKE THE MILITARY!!!! THEY HATE WHAT THE MILITARY IS BEING FORCED TO DO!!!!!!
I HAVE FOUR CLOSE FRIENDS IN IRAQ NONE WANT TO BE THERE AND NO ONE THEY KNOW DOES EITHER!!
WELL I GUESS I DO HATE THE HIGHER UPS IN THE MILITARY BECAUSE THE FIRST PEOPLE THEY ARE SENDING IN ARE NOT TRAINED SOLDIERS THEY ARE KIDS WHO WANTED MONEY FOR COLLAGE AND NOW WILL NEVER GET TO GO BECAUSE THEY ARE DEAD!!!!
THE MILITARY IS VERY IMPORTANT BUT THEY ARE BEING USED A BUSH'S PERSON HITMEN AND THAT IS WHAT MAKES PEOPLE MAD!! WE ARE FIGHTING A WAR OVER OIL AND MENWHILE MONKS PEACFULLY MARCHING FOR DEMOCRACY ARE BEING MURDERED, BUT WE CAN HELP THEM CAUSE WE ARE IN IRAQ.
I KNOW ABOUT 300 PEOPLE THAT WOULD JOIN THE MILITARY TODAY IF THEY WERE FIGHTING A JUST FIGHT. INCLUDING MYSELF.
I AM MAD BECAUSE EVERY NIGHT I GO TO BED AFRAID MY BEST FRIEND IS COMING HOME IN A BODY BAG FOR A FIGHT HE DOES NOT BELIVE IN OR WORSE THEY WILL INVOKE THE DRAFT, WHICH HAS BEEN CONSIDERED BECAUSE NO ONE WANTS TO BE PART OF THIS, AND THEN MY HUSBAND FATHER OF THREE WILL BE SENT AWAY TOO.
LOOK AT WORLD WAR TWO IF THIS WERE A JUST WAR LIKE THAT, IT TOO WOULD ALREADY BE OVER, BECAUSE AMERICANS MAYBE LAZY BUT WHEN WE FIGHT FOR SOMETHING WE BELIVE IN WE FIGHT HARD AND WIN.
NO ONE BUT BUSH AND HIS SUPER RICH ELITE WANT THIS THAT IS WHY WE ARE STILL THERE AND HAVE NOT WON.
AND THAT IS WHAT DEMOCRATS HATE!!!!!!!

Answer 10

Historically, the democrats have never supported a strong military! Any nation, worth its salt, needs a strong military at all times!

Answer 11

Today's conservative Republicans are wonderful as portraying Democrats as being weak on defense and loathing the military. Even though many Democrats have fought and died for this country.
The bigger problem is that today's liberal Democrats are wonderful at not standing up for their beliefs and are weak. Hence, so many think that Democrats hate the military.