Republicans like to talk loudly about how they support the troops, just as the Republicans I knew back in Florida sneered at Bill Clinton for dodging the draft. However they’ve never had a problem with Republicans who dodge the draft (George W. Bush, Donald Trump) just as they’ve never had any qualms about slamming veterans who vote Democratic.
Case in point, National Review‘s Kyle Smith who says he signed up to pay for college, which is fine, while Pete Buttigieg (whose military service seems commendable) only did it to look good when he went into politics. Evidence? Smith just knows this shit, ’cause Repubs are so tuned in to the subtle signals. I have a strange feeling that even though Smith rants elsewhere about “coddled” Ivy League elitists ducking military service (“There was always plenty of hypocrisy and cynicism to go with the Ivies’ two-generation-long hostility to ROTC.” — no, I’m not linking) he didn’t have a problem with President Bush II, who admitted he joined the National Guard to get out of ‘nam, then blew off his obligation. Or Dick Cheney, who took multiple deferments. Heck, he supports Donald Trump, the president with multiple bone-spur deferments who routinely mocks veterans and called our generals “dopes.”
Republicans work very, very assiduously to present themselves as the strong party that looks out for our security, where Democrats want terrorists to win. Don’t be fooled.
Meanwhile, Donald Trump is removing pollution controls on wetlands. And he’s talking about cutting Medicare to pay for the federal deficit (I’m sure Social Security is on the list too, as Republicans have been trying to cut it for years). So Trump gave himself and other rich people a tax cut that generated record deficits; then he claims we have to cut a program working people have been paying into for years to cover the deficit. And once that happens, I’m sure he’ll push for more tax cuts. Oh, and Trump’s outraged the law doesn’t let American businesses pay bribes overseas.
And then there’s Ken Starr, once famous as the man who brought the Clinton/Lewinsky affair to light, now famous for covering up sexual assault.
The Supreme Court will hear a case on whether states have to support religious schools financially as well as their own school systems. I’m willing to bet if it passes, the next step will be court rulings that no, of course the religious schools can get government money without bothering about discrimination and other government requirements.
To end on a couple of upbeat notes:
The feds have once more arrested Chris “Crying Nazi” Cantwell. I hope he cries his eyes out.
And here’s a really great story, about a Jewish community destroyed in WW II; survivors and their descendants are connecting online.
Fraser Sherman's Blog 