Current Events Watch

I am not in the least surprised by this. The military is needed to expand empire, while civilians need to suffer in order to learn obedience. Does anyone in this country study history, or do they just watch Fox/Faux News?

More Americans Joining Military as Jobs Dwindle

By LIZETTE ALVAREZ

Published: January 18, 2009

Ryen Trexler, 21, is learning about heavy equipment at the Jobs Corps Center in Pittsburgh, skills he will take to the Army in July.

As the number of jobs across the nation dwindles, more Americans are joining the military, lured by a steady paycheck, benefits and training.

The last fiscal year was a banner one for the military, with all active-duty and reserve forces meeting or exceeding their recruitment goals for the first time since 2004, the year that violence in Iraq intensified drastically, Pentagon officials said.

And the trend seems to be accelerating. The Army exceeded its targets each month for October, November and December — the first quarter of the new fiscal year — bringing in 21,443 new soldiers on active duty and in the reserves. December figures were released last week.

Recruiters also report that more people are inquiring about joining the military, a trend that could further bolster the ranks. Of the four armed services, the Army has faced the toughest recruiting challenge in recent years because of high casualty rates in Iraq and long deployments overseas. Recruitment is also strong for the Army National Guard, according to Pentagon figures. The Guard tends to draw older people.

“When the economy slackens and unemployment rises and jobs become more scarce in civilian society, recruiting is less challenging,” said Curtis Gilroy, the director of accession policy for the Department of Defense.

Graphic scenes of horrible deaths do tend to make people hesitate to volunteer for it. At least as long as there is any possible chance of making a living at anything else. Now that the chances of finding work outside of the military is so drastically reduced, thanks to the current economy, people are being forced to enlist. It doesn’t matter if it’s a law, like the draft, or circumstances, like the economic situation, people are still being forced to enlist. That’s wrong, no matter how you excuse it.

Our government needs to stop caring more about banks, corporations, and other bureaucratic entities than they care about the people who elect them to office. It’s like once they’re in office the politicians completely forget that it’s the people who put them there, even if their corporate masters footed the campaign bill.

It’s our votes that put them in and take them out of office, not the companies that “sponsor” them. That’s exactly what it is too, corporate sponsership of politicians. Only they like to hide who is sponsoring them, in case the “people” might think they’ve been “bought”. Like we don’t already know that almost all of them have been bought and sold for a very long time now.

Take-Charge George W. Bush stepped up to the plate today out West in inferno-plagued California, requisite entourage in tow, pledging all manner of Federal resources, assurances of fellow-Americans’ prayers and support, a brighter future, promising that those in Washington would not forget the plight of the victims … and some other stuff that also seemed to go over well when he made a quick stop in the French Quarter a couple of years ago, post-Katrina. Way-post. Encouraging, reassuring, placative rhetoric, sympathetically delivered from a makeshift podium to pacify the disadvantaged. Follow through in the Big Easy hasn’t seemed to go quite according to the proposed plan, though, hence my cynicism. Promises, promises. Hey, at least there were some most excellent West Coast photo ops today, that’ll come in handy for posterity.

But, to his credit, it didn’t take him seventeen days before making an appearance this time, I’ll give him that. And at least he was able to stay awake while demonstrating his rote speech-delivering skills. Meanwhile, and not for the first time, Sharpshooter VP Dick Cheney succumbed to the siesta. Dozed off mid-speech. Must not have had enough Z-time onboard AF1, en route to the Golden State. Of course, when you’ve no doubt already heard the Boss’s speech ad nauseum, why not take a power nap? I would think, though, that given his medical history, those nearby might consider checking for a pulse when the guy at the table practically falls prostrate. He does run on batteries, after all, and batteries do go dead. Or maybe his table-mates, as I would have done, pretended simply not to notice. No, no … that was a bad thing to say. I would take it back, but my “delete” key doesn’t seem to be working at the moment.

His spokesperson said he was simply meditating. Still, whether napping or entering some sort of metaphysical meditative state while your boss is babbling, probably not such a good idea. I’m afraid either way, that he might either be dreaming about or meditating on which nation to invade next (although that’s pretty much a given, I guess) … but I may be over-reacting. He was probably just contemplating this weekend’s hunting trip to Poughkeepsie, NY. Poughkeepsians, beware!

And to those back in Cali, still aflame, don’t get your hopes up. At least not for anything promised by your VIP tourists today, those folks can’t be trusted. But you can bet, no doubt, that there will be plenty of support and resources from the other of your fellow-American citizens. We usually come through in a crunch. Unlike your visiting leaders who know how to talk the talk, but far too often fall asleep at the wheel.

california wildfires, natural disasters, hurricane katrina, george w bush, dick cheney, federal assistance

My starry-eyed fellow blogger Beth has recently suggested that with November just around the corner, Turkey Day (my favorite holiday!) being part of the Fall-package deal, that perhaps this is the perfect time to focus our attention on those who may not be quite so enthusiastic about the looming day of gluttony. Or is that the day of giving thanks? I never remember. Oh well, either way, it’s hard to be either gluttonous or thankful if you’re one of the 36.5 million in this country living in poverty who is barely able to feed the family on any given day, whatever the month. Or in Bush-speak, one who finds it hard to put food on the family.

Actually, those poor folks would probably be indeed thankful if able to celebrate the holiday with so much as an Oscar Mayer-processed-turkey-lunchmeat sandwich come November 22nd. After all, it’s called Turkey Day for a reason, and what better way to observe a national tradition than the gathering of family around the dinette set for that once-a-year special meal! Truly something to give thanks for.

Even a SPAM sandwich might work. There’s probably some sort of discarded fowl parts in there somewhere. Turkey lips or something. Mystery meat is always questionable, but it could probably do in a pinch.

Meanwhile, the rest of us, oblivious to the plight of those less-fortunate, will be gorging on our respective feasts of Honeysuckle turkey breast (unless you’re a leg man, of course), replete with stuffing, mashed potatoes (lots of gravy, please), and the ever-popular Campbell’s mushroom soup green bean casserole with those tasty French’s French Fried Onions on top. Yum! (One of my personal favorites, hence the recipe link.) But wait, there’s more! Unbutton the britches, because here comes the pumpkin pie!

So while that needy family downtown might be giving thanks for simply having food on themselves, as George would say, we’ll be most thankful for having the day off! No need to even call the boss with that contrived raspy voice and occasional coughing spell, explaining why you won’t be able to make it into the office today because of an overnight flu onset. Save the sick day for another time. I guess we all have our priorities.

I do love Thanksgiving. And I love the big meal, the day off, the tryptophan-induced nap that zonks you out usually just before the winning touchdown in whichever football-marathon-day game you happen to be watching at the time. However, in the true spirit of the day, it would behoove us to remember that everyone is not so fortunate, and that we should be sincerely thankful for the abundance and blessings that we normally take for granted. Even if you think your life sucks, be thankful that, if for nothing else, you probably don’t have to stoop to celebrating the holiday with a SPAM sandwich.

We should also remember that to whom much is given, much is required. (Okay, that’s getting Biblical, but I’m sure that there are similar Koranical, Book of Mormonical or choose-your-religious-bookical lessons as well.) As good as it is to enjoy the opportunity to spend the day with family and friends, it might be a nice change of pace to opt to forego just one indulgent Thanksgiving, and instead volunteer at your community shelter, for example, serving those less fortunate than ourselves a real turkey, stuffing, mashed potato with extra gravy meal. Maybe even a helping of green bean casserole, with no canned luncheon loaf in sight.

Who knows? It might just be the eye-opening experience that will give us the perspective we need to appreciate the things we should be truly thankful for, every day. I’ve already checked with my local Salvation Army to see what opportunities are available this year. There will always be another Thursday in November to hook up with the gang, pig out, take a snooze on the sofa. Thankfully.

poverty, thanksgiving, volunteering, hunger