And last I checked, abortion is legal in this country. Not to mention, that's not the only service they provide (in fact it's a very small % of their services provided). How is Obama gutting our national defense? He's not getting rid of the military. And it will continue to grow just at a slower pace.
Obviously we don't need all the troops we previously had. Conservatives are always whining in here about how government is over bloated with employees; well, now they are working on reducing the size of government and your still whining. You can't have it both ways. Wait until the next Republican gets elected into office and starts up a few more wars, then maybe they'll increase the size of the military.
There are approaches to national security that require less military personnel and are equally effective. Take Switzerland as an example. There is compulsory military service for all males, with women serving voluntarily. All homes are required to have firearms, and all adult citizens are required to learn how to properly utilize them. Switzerland has remained relatively nuetral in modern military history, staying out of almsot all conflict during the two world wars, and remaining out of every other conflict completely since then. Switzerland has been an independent Republic since 1291, a 720 year history of stability. If armed nuetrality is such a bad policy approach, Switzerland's confederation would have broken apart hundreds of years ago.
No we will one quarter the man power and 500,000 more on unemployment. we gain nothing because they will not be able to find jobs so now they will sit at home and collect government money instead of earning it. I assure you they would rather be serving the country earning the money than collecting unemployment
We will no longer be able to fight 2 wars at once. National defense is weakened and good men are now unemployed
There are a plethora of veterans benefits that provide employment, educational, and vocational opportunities. The costs saved from this troop downgrade can easily be allocated towards bolstering these benefits for a massive influx in those seeking opportunities to get jobs and develop marketable skills. The Post 9/11 GI Bill created programs for on-the-job training, apprenticeships, and non-college degree programs.
That is nice but will not work here. I already have guns in my house. The US broke records at Christmas time for background checks for fire arms. we get the message first Obama guts the military then he will take away our guns and will put us in fema camps.
Don't worry, they can always call up the ready reserve if they need more troops. According to many neocons in here, the unemployed will find new jobs.
9% unemployment? Millions can't find work. I doubt 500,000 can find jobs. They will be fighting many others for what few jobs there are
47 percent of those homeless veterans are from the Vietnam Era. One should know that the federal government did little to help veterans of the Vietnam War. One should also know that veterans benefits for Vietnam veterans have been scaled back to deal with other veterans from the more recent conflicts. However, here are some basic facts on Vietnam veterans: http://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/vietnam/postwar.htm I am pretty sure our politicians have learned from the post-Vietnam era that inadequate veterans benefits entails homlessness, and extensive unemployment.
Many of them may not look for jobs. Maybe they will go for vocational training, or for a college education.
So you want to put the unemployed on government money or do you not think our veterans could get jobs? Get them off my tax payer money!
In order to get them off your taxpayer money, you will have to bolster veterans benefits. Ptif seems to think that no amount of money could deal with such a massive increase in people applying for benefits.
Politicians learn? That sounds like an oxymoron to me. You can justify all you want but we have over a million homeless vets and Obama wants to fire 500,000 to go where. There are no jobs we have millions already unemployed.
The downscale is from 570,000 to 490,000. The idea of a half a million troop withdrawal is not being proposed or forwarded: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/06/us/obama-at-pentagon-to-outline-cuts-and-strategic-shifts.html
You are implying that these veterans have no marketable skills, no value to offer to society. I am sure many of these soldiers and military personnel are well-versed in math, science, history, etc.
9% unemployment. They will fight all the millions already unemployed for the jobs available. The only option is they will go off the government military payroll and go on the government unemployment payroll. Nothing is accomplished.
One is less than the other, use your noggin'. I want to save tax payer's money. Now why would I choose to put MORE people on the government's books when I could have them in the private sector fighting for real American jobs and actually doing something? Government needs to employ less and step back.
Veterans benefits is still taxpayer money. This is my point. Obama has done nothing to solve unemployment and now he wants to add to it. This is a stupid thing to do. This will hurt the people being let go because they will not like being forced into unemployment.
