oh and by the way, this friday you might wanna go place some flags on the graves of military veterans who came before you. It's because of them and what they did in the past that gives you the right to express your opinion without the fear of imprisonment.

Amen to that!

Uh, no. We do not need to drastically cut the military budget. And education should be paid for by the state at least most of it (though if help is needed). As for social programs, what do you mean?

welfare reform. job training, child care, etc. and by education i meant higher education as well as public primary and secondary schools, which does receive federal funding as well.

By welfare reform I hope you mean taking measures to ween people off welfare. As far as job training, thats what school is for.

This is a very touchy subject. One of the reasons is that approximately half of the military budget goes for retirement and disabled vets. It is a not a question of just cutting back funds, it is using available funds wisely.

With regards to education. Well "No Child Left Behind" has really screwed up education. Of course the lack of parent involvement after the 6th grade doesn't help.

Remember your basic economic classes. You cannot have both a "guns and butter" economy.

Good idea. And schools are going to find the funding for vocational training where? Check your state's department of education web site for the standards that need to be taught. As teachers we are being forced into teaching to standardized test.

If you want education for a career you typically go to a school that offers that training and they typically have tuition. If its an out of highschool job then burden of the training should fall on the employer.

Plus you quoted me when I said that if the state needs help funding I am fine with that. My highschool got $22 million dollars from the state my Senior year.

Don't mean to be rude but it's gone off the original topic.


Thank u for bringing this up somewhatshy2

We need to show more sympathy for these people.
* They travel miles in the heat.
* They risk their lives crossing a border.
* They don't get paid enough wages.
* They do jobs that others won't do or are afraid to do.
* They live in crowded conditions among a people who speak a different language.
* They rarely see their families, and they face adversity all day ~ every day.

I'm not talking about illegal Mexicans ~ I'm talking about our troops! Doesn't it seem strange that many Democrats and Republicans are willing to lavish all kinds of social benefits on illegals, but don't support our troops, and are even threatening to de-fund them?

hey, i was defending them. Someone wanted to cut military spending and that would hurt them.

I love this Country!

And I'd rather be deprted!

Don't Let the Border hit ya in ass Bye BYe

There was a time ( not in some distant galaxy either) when joining a force, whether it was the military or the police force, automatically gained an individual respect from the rest of his/her nation. It saddens me that the barrier of honouring those who serve their country has been broken down by the leaders of the countries they serve, this goes for all forces in all parts of the world. These men and women work extremely hard, are placed under a lot of pressure and get very little back...............Ask the British Gurkas, read their stories. They go to battle just like any other British soldier,they like some British born and bred soldiers get killed in action too, yet the families they have left behind get very little from the British Government, and it took a national newspaper editor and countless citizens of the British nation to campaign on behalf of a widow of a Gurka (quite recently) to receive the same amount of death benefit given to a British born and bred soldier.

I mean, duh, c'mon the Government is corrupt!

not for the work we do,
Come spend a two months with me on deployment and see if your views don't change a little I personally think firefighters, grunts, and police-officers all need a raise.

Check this out
http://s259.photobucket.com/albums/hh289/Impish_Dragon/?action=view&current=Untitled.flv

"Democrats and Republicans are willing to lavish all kinds of social benefits on illegals, but don't support our troops, and are even threatening to de-fund them?"

Is the topic helping the troops or anti-"social benefits for illegals"? What are these "lavish" things anyways? Have you looked into the issue of immigration? Have you seen the things that are given to soldiers such as lobster dinners? They are not taxed. They are given a college education after serving. They are given loans which are not available to the rest of us. They are given preferential treatment in job hiring. I could go on but it's not all bad being in the military. One other thing is legal aliens are now in the military serving with the understanding they will be given citizenship. I could make a reasonable assumption that some or their relatives are here illegally.

Sorry but this is a topic which revolves more around emotion. Your intention I am sure is very well-meaning but it has basic structural flaws which make it open for debate.

Edit: My father was a marine. He died of lung and stomach cancer. He was an engineer involved in atmospheric testing of atom bombs during the 50's when safety precautions were not taken. My uncle died on Iwo Jima in WWII. I am not anti-military. I am anti-military industrial complex. I know of the suffering and the honor of those who are in the military.