Friday, February 17, 2006

Why do fools fall in love?

I spend too much time pondering the imponderable. Why do people fall in love with totally unsuitable people and refuse to leave abusive spouses? Why do people in the military continue to support leaders who betray them, use them and abuse them and keep them on a pay scale all out of proportion to the importance of their role and the risk involved in performing it?

George “Mission Accomplished” Bush, who in 2003 tried to cut $75 a month in "imminent danger pay" and $150 a month in "family separation allowances" for the troops in Afghanistan and Iraq under the pretense that the hard part was over, has proposed a pathetic 2.2 percent pay raise for federal civilian employees and members of the armed forces yesterday, marking the first time in his presidency that he has called for equivalent raises for both groups rather than a higher rate for the military. This may be the smallest increase since 1994 and it seems like the only ones asking for a few more bucks for military pay are the Democrats.

“Getting our troops the pay raise they deserve is the very least we can do to show how much we value everything they do for us. I’m going to fight for a fair military pay raise until it becomes a reality, and I thank my colleagues who have joined me in doing so,” said Senator John Kerry, who is leading a ten Senator effort to increase pay to at least keep up with projected inflation rates.

Once again, it’s more important for the War President to support the fellows who drive $150,000 cars with “support the troops” stickers on them than to actually support the troops. It’s more important for him to use them as a background for his pep rallies than to allow them to feed their families. Is it that we can't afford to pay them or is it that we can't afford George Bush, the Corporate Santa Claus?

Talk is cheap, the Republicans are cheaper. They love to tell you that freedom isn’t free when they leave you with the check.

6 comments:

Intellectual Insurgent said...

This should be an op-ed piece somewhere. So true!

Capt. Fogg said...

Thanks - I've published similar things in the local papers and it usually generates a firestorm of denunciation. It's easier here.

Anonymous said...

I hope John Kerry is successful in rallying the politicians to do what they can to increase the raise for the military. Perhaps he can get some of our current troops to testify about what an insult it is to be suffering this war while politicians at home give away our cash reserves in tax cuts to the super-rich. I'm sure there are many soldiers who are silently outraged.

Capt. Fogg said...

I have a lot of confidence in self defeating human stupidity and now more than ever.

Hardly anyone notices what's going on and fewer care. I've given up trying to understand why, because it's hopeless.

Let them have their king and bring on the dark ages. We might as well get it over with.

phinky said...

Did you know Armed Forces Networks are dominanted by conservative pundits like James Dobson, Paul Harvey, Dr. Laura and Rush Limbaugh? That maybe one explanation. I know many soldiers who actually bought into the Swift Boat Lies.

Capt. Fogg said...

Yes, I know. As I've said too often, it's all about what side you're on and what you believe is about what side you're on and what side you're on is all about what side you're on.

The human race hasn't become one bit smarter than back in the days when we spent our lives squatting in the mud picking lice. There is no such thing as truth.