Why The FUCK Do Vets Still Support This Stupid Racist FUCK And The GOP? Really Pisses Me Off.

[TheMastersNemesis]

When anyone comments about my service in Vietnam I sometimes say I did not volunteer but I went anyway. Being a draftee you had that choice or refusal and jail or Canada. I never considered the last two options. Not even for one second. And I was drafted with a trick right shoulder that had been dislocated 3 times and high blood pressure that I did not discover until I was 30.

I will never understand why these veterans organizations still support the GOP and POS like Trump. The GOP has never really helped veterans or supported any of the programs to help vets. They also have pretty much sabotaged the VA and want to turn our wound warriors over to the private insurance companies. They even want to let companies refuse care for pre existing conditions. So 100% of our wounded and sick veterans could be turned down for medical help if the GOP has its way.

So where the hell is the public on veterans matters. The GOP's screwing of veterans should guarantee the loss of elections. The public does not seem to give a crap about the VA being closed, which is what will happen in the end of GOPPERS have their way.

I simply do not get it and never will. Sorry for the language but it is so important.

[skylucy]

1. [phone]

[alwaysinasnit]

2. K&R

[2naSalit]

3. Indoctrination?

The one military person in our family at present is a cheato supporter, she is otherwise a smart girl but this part freaks me out about her.

[LuvLoogie]

4. I thinks it's because many of them joined the military

to kill foreign people and take their resources. It's the punitive, police state of mind to which the GOP is given.

[world wide wally]

5. Some weird kind of brainwashing,

Military people have always supported Republicans for reasons that do not stand up to any kind of logic but twisted.

[oberliner]

6. Do non-white vets support him?

[DownriverDem]

26. There are Vets that don't support trump

See votevets.org They are a progressive vets organization.

[oberliner]

28. Yes, indeed

But the vets who do support him, I would bet, are mostly white. But that's just a guess.

[Ananda62]

27. Well, I don't

Nonwhite (Indian) female vet - who has always voted for Democrats - never supported Trump. My sister - another vet- doesn’t support him either.

Actually, none of my female veteran friends supported Trump, even the ones who are Republican.

[oberliner]

29. Glad to hear that

He did seem to get a rebuke from some veterans groups with his response to McCain.

[calguy]

7. This vet will NEVER ever support the TraitorTrump

[treestar]

8. Never sure, but they may mistake opposition to a war

or sending them to a war for opposition to themselves. Of course it is possible for a servicemember to oppose a war, but they usually don't, and the mindset that any war is important and must be necessary is there and the Republicans are always more likely to support a war.

[msongs]

9. because they share his beliefs and values. nt

[TheRealNorth]

10. From what I understand, they only get opinions like Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity

on Armed Forces Radio. My world views and opinions at 18 were not fully developed, so if you are only being exposed to RW propaganda that is going to have an effect.

[TryLogic]

13. Getting this (Limgaugh & Hannity) crap on Armed Forces Radio is outrageous and inappropriate.

[James48]

17. Again, NOT TRUE.

Armed Forces radio carries a wide variety of programming. I worked for Armed Forces Radio before Rush Limbaugh existed, and can tell you that no point of view dominates Armed Forces radio.

Just Like America, it broadcast a cross section of many views. Limbaugh and Hannity have been included in the past, and so have lefter-leaning shows.

AFRTS strives to reflect the sounds across thenpolitical spectrum to ensure that no viewpoint dominates.

[john657]

34. Don't you just love the ignorance of some people? N/T

[john657]

33. Then you know NOTHING about AFR.

There is a wide variety of opinions on AFR.

[JaneQPublic]

11. Trump dumped a load of cash on the DoD.

Otherwise, there's no good reason.

[Garrett78]

12. Stupidity and racism.

[BigmanPigman]

14. Best answer so far.

[James48]

15. Not true!

Not all vets support Trump.

I retired from the Army National Guard, and among my circle of fellow soldiers, Trump is despised by at least half of them.

The military has been a reflection of American society. Some are Republican, some are dems, some are independents. It’s a cross section. The educated I know in the Army aren’t Trump fans. (most military since about 1980 have been higher educational attainment than their civilian counterparts, and education leads to NOT supporting Trump.)

Are there Trump supporters? Yes , just like in the civilian world, the lower income , less educated tend to vote republican, just as The lower income, less educated civilians do.

The military isn’t monolithic.

[luvtheGWN]

25. The military is a socio-economic cross-section of the country.

However, I understand through discussions with military types in the family that the intense training and adherence to rules and regulations and, most especially, one's superior officer(s) does not encourage individual thought. Also, sharing such close quarters with members of your platoon does tend to lead to group-think, and he/she who has the loudest voice.......

However, that's just my 2 Canadian cents, which may or may not be worth even that amount to those vets who are here.

[Ron Green]

42. It WAS a socioeconomic cross-section when I was in (1966-69),

but not so much now. The all-volunteer military is way too close to a mercenary outfit.

[rpannier]

32. From my experience in the army I am going to disagree

Most officers skew right. When I was in (late 80's early 90's) it seemed to be mostly conservative and often Republican. I remember an interview with Wes Clark's son and he said most officers (90's) were conservative
Officers are better educated on the average than enlisted because they require a degree

[Mr.Bill]

16. I don't know what the percentage is,

but I've met and know a good number of veterans and active duty military who are convinced McCain collaborated with the enemy while he was a POW. They are as likely to love him as they are Jane Fonda.

The way Trump is acting now reinforces their beliefs.

[MadLinguist]

18. Military personnel are still overwhelmingly male (and white and non-officer)

And men predominate among Trump supporters. So, it may not be that they support the piece o shyte because they are military, so much as because they are men. Women, minorities and officers (as opposed to rank and file) in the military are not so favorable.
But again, the bulk of military personnel in both active and veteran populations are white, non-commissioned and male.
Here is some data reflecting favorability among these sub-groups:
https://www.militarytimes.com/news/pentagon-congress/2017/10/23/military-times-poll-what-you-really-think-about-trump/

I coudn't find any more recent poll, but the demographics of the military haven't changed since October of last year, and the male white support for the shyte-faced no-primate-willing-to-claim-him hasn't either

[rpannier]

35. From my experience in the Army

Officers skew conservative and Republican
They have university degrees
Yes, they are white, not as male as when I was in (late 80's early 90's), but most officers are pretty conservative
Enlisted tend to be more representative of society: there are large segments of African-American and Hispanic
Line units tend to be very conservative as well (at least that was the case when I was in)

on edit:
The military, at least those that I interacted with, also tended to be from the south.

[Armymedic88]

38. Your edit at the

End says more then rest above. It's regional political views more than anything else in my opinion

[rpannier]

40. Yep

Agree 1000000000000000000000%
Regionalism is a huge reason
Among the enlisted I knew the one's from the south were the more conservative. And I think that's only gotten more so since I ets'd

[MadLinguist]

39. yes of course, they skew conservative and republican

but the question of the OP was why they'd be supporters of DJT. The question directed at ANY demographic that supports his vileness is worth an analytic answer. It doesn't seem to me that traditional party adherence -- like military tending GOPish -- actually gives us much of an explanation. The POS in the White House cannot be said to uphold conservative principles (not that he upholds any principles at all). In contrast, I would say that the military mindset is conservative in its outlook, almost by definition. So, to me at least, the explanation for their support doesn't line up with their membership within the military nearly as well as it lines up with their membership within the group white and male.

[zentrum]

19. My understanding is

...that "Vets for Peace" do not support him.

[Pepsidog]

20. Send soldiers to war ill-equipped, no problem. Never understood why military supports Rs

[rpannier]

41. I think it's a lot of things, some little, some big

Lot of southerners in the army and they tend to swing conservative
Vietnam still has a certain hold. The republikkans are viewed as more pro-military
So, I think it starts with that mindset.

And I think being pro-Republikkan is also a result of eliminating the draft. The military slowly has become a family business. You see more-and-more second and third and fourth generation lifers. Because of the downsizing of the 90's the military became more insular due to fewer bases and fewer troops. In many cases, the cities/communities that have these bases have also become more conservative as the retirees settle there and the area is dependent on military money. The last thing I would add is the warrior worship that goes on now. After WW II most men served, and those that didn't aided the war effort, so everyone was fairly equal. Since the end of Vietnam the country has slid further into this 'the military as god' slather. And, conservatives slather more than liberals do

[Pepsidog]

44. Good observations

[Hulk]

21. Messaging.....for the past 40+ years

The repuKKKes have ALWAYS Bull horned how they “support the troops”. W and Cheney perfected the propaganda to a fine point.....it wasn’t whether or not the Iraq invasion was a crime, but rather did you support the troops...or no??

RepuKKKe have ALWAYS demanded out of control budgets for the military....not because they support the military personnel, but rather because they support the massive war machine that buys their re-elections. Our economy is based on the war machine. More spending = bigger kickbacks into their coffers.

So in essence, it’s all bull shit, but the serviceman swallows the talking points that the repuKKKes actually care about THEM. Nonsense. They quite honestly couldn’t care less about them. The Democrats have to fight and scream for VA benefits, and when the repuKKKes give them 1/10th of what they ask for, they use it as a talking point that THEY increased VA funding. A shell game, and the military personnel are too ignorant to see the picture at all.

It’s marketing. Remember how the decorated Vietnam vet was a treasonous traitor while the “fortunate son Air Force reserve action-dodger” who went AWOL the last year or two of his duty was hailed as a hero.

Marketing.

[BlueJac]

22. No shit...

fools.

[Aristus]

23. Because so many veterans are stupid racist fucks.

I should know; I served with a lot of these clowns. Serving one's country does not absolve one from being a bigoted asshole.

[elmac]

24. According to CNN exit polls, veterans voted at a 2-1 ratio for Trump over Democratic opponent

and other polls back this up. The main reason they gave was draining the swamp, I think being easily brainwashed, not being the brightest bulb in the pack & unable to think for themselves is the reason they voted for a draft dodging criminal.

[Saboburns]

30. Individual-1Republicans

Republicans=Individual-1

Same Same

[jayschool2013]

31. Authoritarian personalities

Republicans tend to be authoritarian or at least are comfortable with being led by authoritarians.

In the military, you have no choice but to follow orders and trust your commanders. Skepticism isn't a trait that is rewarded at most levels of the military.

Conversely, journalists need to be skeptical in order to do well (not in show-business TV journalism so much), and skeptics tend to be more liberal.

In short, certain professions attract certain personality types because of the nature of the job.

[cutroot]

36. Fear and Hatred are greater motivators than morality.

[doc03]

37. Many of Vet organization's members are an bunch of old racist drunks nt

[Bonheur]

43. Someone doesn't become a better person just because they've served in the military

I hate this jingoized, bullshit notion. If someone is an evil Trump-supporting racist before going in, they will likely be the same evil Trump-supporting racist coming out. So I have no problem at all believing there are vets supporting him no matter what. "Veteran" does not equal "good person".