“I spent thirty-three years and four months in active military service as a member of this country’s most agile military force, the Marine Corps. I served in all commissioned ranks from Second Lieutenant to Major-General. And during that period, I spent most of my time being a high class muscle-man for Big Business, for Wall Street and for the Bankers. In short, I was a racketeer, a gangster for capitalism. Looking back on it, I might have given Al Capone a few hints. The best he could do was to operate his racket in three districts. I operated on three continents.” ― Major General Smedley D. Butler, USMC, The Most Decorated Marine In US History
PrairiePopulistsAndProgressives.net 
Tea Party Republicans – where in the Constitution does it state that our country’s military forces be used to secure Corporate profits around the world?
I’ll wait while you read through your little pamphlet you so proudly display while dressed up as George Washington or Uncle Sam carrying your misspelled signs hating Obama.
But, then again, maybe you don’t really understand that your group is being used by a billionaire brothers corporation? After all, just where did all that money come from to even form your Tea Party group of Obama haters?
I made several coworkers mad because I dared to ask too many questions as to why our military has so many bases around the world.
I also made the same coworkers mad because I dared to say that our military was NOT designed to provide security for these corporations to go into foreign countries to suck out all their natural resources – ie oil and/or diamonds – just so America could have the appearance of a super power.
And then we wonder why there is a bullying problem in America?
I know a young veteran that told me he was ordered to stand in front of some huge building that American taxpayer money was used to build – just to watch men that were not in military uniform come and go from that same building – constantly and nobody was ever told what was going on.
This may sound cold and callous – but I can understand why President Obama is sending 275 troops for increased security at our embassy in Bagdahd.
But I do NOT want any troops paid for by my tax dollars to be sent to provide security for any US contractors in Iraq.
To my way of thinking – those corporations SHOULD be made to provide their own damn security. These corporations are likely not paying their fair share of taxes – and we know they are getting paid very high prices for their so-called services.
Besides – these men and women made the choice to go into Iraq to make those obscene profits – they should also know there is a great risk to their safety when they choose to go into a foreign country where a damn war had just ended..
BTW – that young veteran came home to a wide array of choices for his career after the military.
He was working as a security guard – making $9/hour and he was married and had two kids to support.
What future does this young husband and father have – when $9/hour won’t pay for one person to survive – let alone a wife and two kids.
What a sad, sad commentary of our so-called Super Power of America.
My youngest is the same, he came home after two enlistments in the Army and is now an Armor car driver/guard for 12 dollars an hour.
RD – I’ve got a serious question – does your son always hear from his employer that he is lucky to have a job and he should be grateful?
While I can understand feeling lucky to have a job when so many people do not, what I do not understand his how these employers keep making more and more corporate profits while telling their workers that they should be grateful for what they get..
I think this is what is wrong with our economy today – it is top heavy and the system is fixed to make the top cats even more wealthy than before. Citizens United has been the BFF to a lot of these fat cats.
Remember when elected officials at least pretended to be for the average American? Not any more – corporate puppets is all we have in the Congress today – and then we wonder why they are a Do-Nothing Congress.
Yeah, just like their corporate puppet masters – they still get paid their high salaries, health insurance and pensions at taxpayer expense – while the taxpayers get the shaft..
This goes for all the bushies crawling out of their holes to give advice on a subject they bungled. I’ve even heard some of them say the decision to leave Iraq was the worst decision ever made. Two points: 1) that decision was made by Bush; 2) the worst decision was to start that war for profit.
John McCain should be called back into active duty (or he could volunteer) if he wants this damn Iraq War so badly..
Let’s not forget – this is also the same McCain that sang his little song – bomb, bomb, bomb Iran during the 2008 presidential campaign – remember?
This doofus still does not realize the American people are TIRED of war…..
http://t.healthyliving.msn.com/health-wellness/9-weird-health-habits-you-need-to-adopt#image=11
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/06/16/gop-iraq-hypocrisy-hits-overdrive.html
I have to just love it! My father-in-law had my wife to ask me to go mow his yard his son is living in and is behind on rent for six months. My father -in-law still owns the house so he is the one getting nasty letters from the city.
I went over yesterday evening to mow and the grass was so high I did not see a stump. I hit is so hard with the blade then it bent the shaft in the mower. went this morning to the mower repair shop it will cost at least 75 dollars to straighten it. My brother-in-law had the nerve to say he had a good mower and I could brought it anytime I needed it! WTF?
I guess it is the price I have to pay for being such a nice guy and good person.
I have to hope that you will come out on top. I never know how that might happen, but I’m positive being the great good person you are is absolutely who you are and how you will go forward.
RD – this scenario seems to have become the ‘norm’ in our current society.
I can remember the days when your brother-in-law would still be the same type of person – but he would not have as many fellow ‘same types’ around.
What the ‘norm’ is for today is a lot less than my generation would have tolerated..
And why? It does seem those who know how to use and manipulate others are the ones being rewarded.
But – I agree with fnord – one cannot control the other person – we can control how we react to the situations.
http://patriotpost.us/documents/241
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This is an article about Dwight Eisenhower’s farewell speech. Pay close attention to how Eisenhower felt towards our military industrial industry.
Maybe these Tea Party/Evangelical/Establishment Republicans should carry a copy of Eisenhower’s farewell speech along with their copy of the Constitution that they so proudly carry in their pockets.
I like what Obama said last week or the week before – just because we have the best hammer does not make every problem a nail (or something like that).
But – then again – if we did not have war mongerers foaming at the mouth to use our big hammer – there would be not record-breaking profits for those so-called ‘right’ corporations.
In today’s world – profit before people – seems to be the current slogan.
Since it appears we will never stop feeding the military industrial complex beast’s insatiable thirst for wars – maybe we should try to pass a law mandating that we spend dollar for dollar on what we spend for military, wars and weapons?
I know – Republicans will never go for that approach. I’ve often said that it is impossible to shame these Republicans into doing the moral thing – such as taking care of our own citizens.
Maybe we should think about declaring war on ourselves – at least that way, Republicans would be all too eager to throw as much money as they can towards it – since it is a war….
I still say – we should offer to hand over Bush and his Boys – the War Mongerers (Condi Rice included) to make an agreement with any and all Islamist insurgents.
These Islamists might just go for a deal like that ….Hell, I would gladly vote “YES” – take the S.O.B.s
http://news.msn.com/us/phoenix-va-doled-out-dollar10m-in-bonuses-for-3-years
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While I thoroughly agree the VA system needs to be investigated – but please someone tell me what the difference is between the for-profit health care facilities and the VA health care facilities doing the same thing?
Well, I mean in the moral and ethics involved in both scenarios.
Doing wrong by patients is doing wrong by patients – regardless – IMHO
When are Republicans going to get outraged by for-profit places doing the EXACT same thing and giving out millions in bonuses?
Let’s not forget – Wall Street bankers got their bonuses and Republicans fought like Hell to make Obama allow them to be given even after the same bankers got bailed out by taxpayer money.
“Obama took too long to capture the Benghazi suspect,” say the people that had no problem invading the wrong country instead of going after Osama bin Laden.
Did you hear the latest idiotic republican talking point?
The political genius, President Barack Obama, stages events to distract the public. Yep! He staged the capture of the Benghazi suspect to help Hillary Clinton’s book tour and appearance on Fox “News.”
Also, republicans are bitching that the Benghazi suspect will be tried in the United States because he will be “presumed innocent.” Wow, Obama sure is a shitty dictator.
Man, Obama is good! No wonder the republicans have to dream up stupidity — they’re scared and intimidated!
If those five Gitmo prisoners would have been tried in the United States (after being charged, of course) in the past 12 years – perhaps that deal could not have been made to get Bowe Bergdahl back?
Does any Republican remember anything they say or do?
Seriously, Obama wanted to bring the Gitmo prisoners to a maximum security prison in USA (possibly in Illinois?) and what did these same Republicans do at that time? Threw another hissy fit.
Also – I still ask every Republican the same question – why do they condone a Christian man that intentionally posted that anti-Islamic video that WAS a factor in the Benghazi attack.
I’m not saying that was the entire reason for the attack – but it certainly didn’t help – did it?
I suspect the real reason for the attack was due to what we learned from Petraeus’ girflfriend when she let it slip there was a CIA operation at that same Benghazi site.