Capitol Hill Blue Forums Political Issues Politics In General Is it too soon to be talking 2020?

We're hoping to change that, and in the next decade or two turn the Democratic Party into the progressive body that Pero thinks it is now.
Republicans are going to have a hard time staying relevant moving forward. They appear to be on the wrong side of history on every single issue.

The Democratic Party is certainly on the opposite of some issues I hold dear, but so too are the Republicans. That makes me a swing voting non-partisan, non-affiliated individual. In other words, most would call me an independent.

As for the democratic party being a centrist party, that depends where you stand at looking at the democrats. If you're far left, a progressive, certainly the Democrats are a centrist party just like the GOP is a centrist party if you're far right. If you're someone like me, you always wonder why these two major parties can come together, make some compromises, govern more toward the middle where most or the average American is.

Regardless, we'll see how Biden governs. If he governs like the old Senator Joe Biden the Democratic Party may be able to reverse its shrinkage. It may be able to gain some of those who deserted them over their litmus tests back into the fold. If he doesn't, if Biden makes them angry, this huge group in-between the two parties will vote Republican in 2022 probably giving them control of the House back.

Americans Favor Compromise to Get Things Done in Washington

https://news.gallup.com/poll/220265/americans-favor-compromise-things-done-washington.aspx

Democrats are not totally averse to compromise. They are willing to deal.

Republicans on the other hand...not so much.

The godless communists across the aisle are not worthy of anything other than banishment to whatever country their ancestors came from or simply death outright. They've made it clear with their guns and god rhetoric. Nothing that passes in the Democratic House will ever see the light of day in the Republican Senate.

Our president has stated clearly that anyone who opposes anything he wants is the enemy. Anyone who disagrees is the enemy, the free press is the enemy. They do not bargain with the enemy...they attempt to destroy them.

Pero, as I recall you are a one issue voter. It's all about the military and everything else is neither here nor there. Republicans are strong supporters of the Military Industrial Complex and the billionaires who profit from it. Indirectly, that benefits the military. My concern is not the billionaires. It's the troops...are they receiving adequate pay for the job they are doing? Are they receiving adequate healthcare? Are they receiving adequate pensions?
Or is an unhealthy amount of our military budget going directly into the pockets of billionaires?

I'm not sure why you cling to the Republican party nor why you are proud of occasionally voting for them. I am personally ashamed to vote for either party but will hold my nose and vote for democrats. The stench of death and decay around the Republican Party simply makes it impossible for me to consider any of their candidates.

The Republicans set on the course of never dealing with Newt Gringrich in the 1980's It actually served them well over time. The Democrats continued to deal but the Republicans didn't so, basically, the Republicans won no matter what. I think the Dems have finally got the message. I remember when Obama spent a LOT of time trying to deal with them and we all know how that went. If, this time around, the Dems actually take it all it might be interesting to change the seating in the congress which would force the congressional jerks, on both sides, to at least say things like; "Good morning", etc.

Trump has turned the Republican support for the military back on its head. He stopped, for instance, fixing housing, rebuilding facilities destroyed in hurricanes, etc. to "build" his wall as well as other wastes. Then, when you add in his obvious disdain for virtually all military I think he has pretty much wrecked that so called support.

The part I really don't like is the so called support, from congress, of the military/industrial complex wherein they actually have built billion dollar airplanes that don't fly when they knew they didn't fly but did provide jobs. One would think that if we had a congress that actually gave a damn they would have spent the money on infrastructure instead so everybody might bathe in their extravagance. I know, not gonna happen - but, some day it might!

The F35?

I heard one DOD wag saying ‘there’s just no end to what it can’t do’

I remember a time when there was a public sentiment against ginormous military spending. After Vietnam.

The brass got to work thru film and media and no we can’t spend enough. I don’t know what’s worse. Having Hollywood full of pentagon ghouls or the CIA capture of need media,

It seems like a lifetime ago when there was wide public animus towards the spook house with the weapons of mass destruction hoax of Iraq.

Now, after massive death and destruction, it’s the Dems who love the ‘intelligence’ community and the Republicans who distrust them.

I agree with Gore Vidal. Truman was a jerk letting the army bloat up. We’ve been dealing with it ever since.

What I see when it comes to the military is those on both sides of the aisle using the military as a civilian jobs creator and maintainer. I've always said, even on this site that if congress only gave the military what it needed, what it asked for, you could easily cut 100 billion from DOD's budget without harming the national defense, the security of this country or anything else.

What more can JCS or the military in general do? They tell congress they have enough of this or that, that they can't use this and yet to keep jobs back in their districts or states, to create more, congress makes the military buy these things.

A lot of that stuff end up in warehouses where it sits, unused for 10-15 years and then is sold at a DRMO auction. I've seen this many times.

I don't know about the military industrial complex, perhaps it is they who are forcing these congress critters to make the military buy all this stuff. But I always had the feeling it was more to protect civilian jobs, bring back the bacon so to speak. Perhaps it a combination of both.

My Democratic congress man is great at keeping a C-130 plant going producing more and more C-130's. A prop job first made in the 1950's. I went to a DRMO auction a year or so ago and bought 3 brand new lap tops for 50 dollars. Unused, still in the original box, only they still had Windows 7 on them.

I'd say yes to pay, the retirement system has change some, I'm retired, no complaints. Heath care, excellent for active duty. The VA provides excellent care once one gets into the system. But getting into the system is very difficult. There's a huge backlog of those who apply. It can take 3-4 years before one can get in unless one is wounded in action or is injured while on active duty and given a medical discharge. Then it's automatic.

But the problem with VA goes back to when I was first drafted back in 1966. It spans all the different presidents and parties who controlled congress.

The VA is in terrible shape and that is not really the problem. The current problems started with Obama and something called 'Choice' which, now has been superceded by "VA' (I know, makes little sense). This has all been reported over a year ago. The problem is, basically, not unlike the play with the Post Office, that this administration, and the Republicans, and the Libertarians all want to privatize them both. The obvious plan is to make them both so screwed up there won't be a choice and they are doing a pretty good job at that one. I have heard several folks that work in either place trying to figure out just what the hell is going on and, if they don't know, why would they think somebody else does?

Anyway, back to the subject. I can remember back to Vietnam and then Iraq. I also remember when they got rid of the draft and, in spite of some saying we were turning our military into a group of Mercenaries instead of citizen soldiers, went ahead with it. All that being said the military continues to be underpaid but a great training place for genuine mercenaries which our government tends to hire more of every year. I have friends who have moved to the evil side for the money, incidentally.

The military probably deserves a topic all by itself if folks are going to start talking about it. I have always wondered, for instance, why we seem to have military bases is something in excess of 78 different nations! (and that's just for starters). Then there is the alive and well the industrial/military which is also worthy of examination.

I, incidentally, favor the draft for several reasons. One is that kids learn, in the military one lesson that they don't otherwise. There is ALWAYS somebody bigger, better, faster that can kick your ass. This was a lesson I got and one everybody else gets too and its a worthwhile one I think. I also don't think we would have any 20+ year wars with drafted military. It just wouldn't be allowed! It also provides employment. In many countries there are armies that exist more to get people off the dole than any military reason for instance.

I also had a grandson who died of cancer whilst serving. He was one of the loons who jump out of airplanes, sneak into and out of places, etc. He had 4.5 rows of ribbons on one side and more on the other. He also didn't have all that many stripes because he had mouth problems. AND they killed him and everybody who served with him. I learned that he belonged to a 'bad luck outfit' and everybody in that outfit died of cancer. This one is going on all-the-time and worthy of some time I think.

One can go on and on and on but the military, as a subject seems to me to be worthy of such.

Trump cancelled his "victory" party at his DC hotel - even Trump is knows he's gonna lose and is making these 6 campaign stops a day in the last days fo the election really his Covidpalooza Farewell Tour.

There's four or five retired military around me where I live, you might say my community is a retired military community. All are happy with the care they receive at the VA. I also have a grandson who served with the 1st ID in Afghanistan, wounded and the VA takes great care of him. The biggest problem or complaint is the length of time it takes to get into the system.

But your opinion is duly noted. A lot of folks have died while on the wait list, that is for sure. But this problem has been around ever since I can remember. It just doesn't get any media attention. Another problem is sometimes one has to travel a long way to be seen if there isn't a VA facility in your area.

All I can say is as far as I'm concerned, it's not the care received, it's all that darn paperwork and rigmarole one has to go through just to get into the system which can take years.

Everyone has an opinion, but I'm satisfied with the VA.

LOl, with close to half the country already voted, seems kind of like a waste of time, energy and money. If the polls are close to accurate, there's only around 7% of the electorate either in the undecided or stating they'll vote third party column. Not much left to convince them to vote for you.