Comments on: Military Recruitment and the Economic Crisis

By: Linda M.

Linda M. — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 01:30:36 +0000

There have always been bonus incentives for joining and rejoining the military, but in the past few years, I felt they went a bit overboard on the $$$. Now, they have abruptly cut all bonus’ new and re-signs, and are cutting out the acceptance of GED receipients, regardless of how well they did on their ASVAB scores (and GED scores). There are some really good folks out there who are willing to commit their lives to save our country, and its freedom, but are not being allowed to because of such blanket rules. I understand wanting to “weed through”, and I uphold that, but I think each case needs to be dealt with individually, and also, age appropiately.

By: Julie

Julie — Tue, 19 May 2009 17:15:21 +0000

#
There was no war then and the status of military was probably a motive to enhance future political motives.

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SSG Ret. Molder, on April 19th, 2009 at 11:00 pm Said:

I found this on Google, in order to post it’s facts on another blog. But I’ll add my 2 cents here.

Durring the Regan and Bush I era, I had “Recruits” joining the Army with their Masters Degrees!

And I’m talking about as Privates, Not Officers!
Think about that. And then….today.

By: Jack Tracey

Jack Tracey — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 16:35:36 +0000

I’ve had a number of friends go in and come out of the military. Since 9/11 they have either quit or joined the Guard or a private contractor outfit. Those who just quit have never expressed any regrets; they just didn’t want a military life. The ones who took the other two paths were sharp guys who loved military life but found a way to make a better living.

By: SSG Ret. Molder

SSG Ret. Molder — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 05:00:11 +0000

I found this on Google, in order to post it’s facts on another blog. But I’ll add my 2 cents here.

Durring the Regan and Bush I era, I had “Recruits” joining the Army with their Masters Degrees!

And I’m talking about as Privates, Not Officers!
Think about that. And then….today.

By: Daniel McCarthy

Daniel McCarthy — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 20:10:03 +0000

Thanks for your comment, Tom. PJB’s analysis derives in part from Robert Higgs’s. No, WWII did not pull us out of the Depression in any real sense. It did, however, reduce unemployment through conscription and the industrial war effort. But of course unemployment reduced in that fashion is not a sign of economic recovery. Military Keynesianism only creates the appearance of economic health, and that at an enormous real cost in lives and money that can be better spent elsewhere.

Higgs’s Crisis and Leviathan and Depression, War, and Cold War are good places to look for a full account.

By: TomT

TomT — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 18:50:17 +0000

You might try reading Buchanan. He makes a pretty good case for the possibility that World War II did NOT pull us out of the depression, but rather countered unionism, brought financial deflation, controlled entitlement mentality, and stored up demand that decended upon the American market as the war ended. He posits that it was the FREE MARKET that took off AFTER the war.

If some of the LIB BLOGGERS on this site were photographers, we’d only see the LEFT LEG of any championship runner, and the RIGHT HAND of any thief they could get a picture of.

While I don’t have much of a bone to pick with any of your analysis, only your agenda and conclusions, I am left with a question.

What effect has the “left handed propaganda” had on recruitment?

Everybody, quick, go look at an episode of Nancy Grace on CNN, from 4 months ago, before Obama. Notice the tear-jerking “pause to remember a DEAD HERO from BUSH’s ill-conceived war”?

Anybody notice those are gone? Now, some fake conservative on CNN, between muttering obscenities about BUSH and CEOs of Large Corporations, will present the HEROIC UPDATE of a LIVE HERO currently serving in the backward and tiny country that used to be no threat to us.

If we add back into your equation the admission of existence of PATRIOTISM (on the part of both liberals AND conservatives), then some of your conclusions lose weight.

Finally, as even the most “dead brained Rush Limbaugh listener” will have noticed, part of your argument is based on the fact that it is SO MUCH SAFER in the military now, than 4 months ago.

That overlooks the slipping OBAMA timetable for withdrawing from an IRAQI TERRORIST MOVEMENT suddenly and mysteriously re-invigorated.

That overlooks OBAMA’s statement that he might need to attack one of our allies, Pakistan, who possesses nuclear weapons, as well as a general worldwide resurgence of AlQuida over the last 4 months, no doubt BUSH’s fault.

We need both the LEFT and the RIGHT. Because people like me might only focus on the RIGHT SIDE of the championship runner.

You asked “…how long before Obama realizes…”? What? That he can cut the military budget, ask more of them, control the media, and we won’t hear charges of soldiers who have inadequate vests or humvees, or medical care, or post-service followup? …as long as he wants, depending on how many of the right-wing media he can silence… …or get to promote HIS wars.

By: Daniel McCarthy

Daniel McCarthy — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 17:11:19 +0000

Here's a program Republicans and Democrats alike can get behind: sure, it's adding to the public employment rolls, but it's adding them to the big-government program the Right loves. Military Keynesianism offers something for everybody. (And how long before Obama realizes that war is the biggest stimulus package of all?)