Trip up to New Jersey last week with a stop out on Sandy Hook to visit Fort Hancock...http://www.nps.gov/nr/twhp/wwwlps/lessons/37hancock/37hancock.htm
Energy Year in Review
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Despite occasional policy obstacles, the U.S. energy revolution continues
to enhance America’s economic and national security and deliver major
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7 years ago
8 comments:
Retired Gen. Wesley Clark of Little Rock figures prominently in a column by Nicholas Kristof about how well the U.S. military functions. A real liberal outfit, you might say.
Income gaps? Modest. A general makes only about 10 times what a private makes, versus 300-plus gap between a CEO and lowest paid worker in the private sector.
The military has single-payer health insurance. And lifelong coverage for retirees.
It invests in all sorts of training and education for its members.
It's the most successfully diverse workforce around — racially, ethnically and otherwise (except sexually, if you don't count those in the closet.)
There's a daycare system for children of working military.
There's career education for constant improvement.
“It’s the purest application of socialism there is,” Wesley Clark, the retired four-star general and former supreme allied commander of NATO forces in Europe, told me. And he was only partly joking.
Discuss?
I have always found when working with or dealing with people in the military you find disciplined and dedicated people whoare there because they believe in what they are doing and want to be there...
Not something we find in the general public where many of those in our population are looking out only for themselves and to get what ever they can get....
Gotta wonder how accurate those Nike missile batteries were...
Interesting base and in fact the whole sandy hook is full of defenses for the gateway into New York...
"in the general public where many of those in our population are looking out only for themselves and to get what ever they can get...."
Which rationalization and generalization fails to explain the socialist ethic of the US military as defined by General Clark. There are many people in civilian life dedicated to working and building and creating in the US who are offered no outlet by our corporate leaders who offshore factories to make more than they would employing Americans at home at a decent living wage. We were better off in the 50s when that was how it was done than we are today. And reducing us to penury will only make our current situation worse.
Obviously we can work both sides of the topics and issues and yes I agree there is a majority(?) of hard working people out there in civilian life. My statement that military personnel are more dedicated and disciplined is something I have observed and believe why\how the military can operate as you described...
In that same manner does not everyone benefit from global manufacturing and economy? If we keep all jobs here in the U.S. and pay that high "Living wage" that many seem required, how will that effect our economy? If that entry level guy down at Walmart is started at a "Living wage" of $40,000 what will that do to the prices of all items?
It is a much bigger picture than what talking points each side provides....
You have to pay the wage sufficient that the worker can buy the product- Henry Ford figured that out. So you pay the wage that Walmart pays (with no health benefits) and wages stay depressed.
Weird though how the people at the top never have to put an oar in and take a cut. We face cuts to medicare and social security and republicans want to give the top earners a tax cut!
In the feudal system it was called noblesse oblige- the obligations of nobility- when the people at the top (by the grace of God back then...) were expected to look out for the well being of the people who depended on them. That 1950s corporate philosophy has been derided everywhere in the US except in the military which is the point I'm making. Why doesn't corporate America take a leaf out of the military's playbook?
Interestingly I am having the same type of discussion at work with a co-worker. Henry Ford was wise to make his vehicle affordable by the “common” worker and I believe the Volkswagon beetle followed the same track…
There is no doubt that the corporate philosophy has changed over the decades and so has society. Just look at our elderly and how the family unit came around and supported them as compared to now. Many of those who now lead our corporations have a much different focus than the ones in the past and unfortunately the “Bubba” system and self enrichment has taken major control in most areas. But not all…
My friend at work has made it a point and continues to assume that I am only supporting the corporate interest and car little of the workers or those in need of aid. The truth is that I understand and contribute to helping those in need but unlike many out there blaming “Corporate America” for all the ill’s we are now facing…
My simple question to my friend has been how much should the “Rich” be paying if they are not paying their “Fair share” as claimed by many? If we could eliminate all loop-holes and deductions, what % should be paid a person making $1 million dollars and why?
What amount should a person pay in taxes if they also have been successful in their planning and have been able to obtain a comfortable living? If there deferred pleasure, saved and invested instead of taking the nice vacation, etc and buying the toys along the way, how much should we take from them to support those who did not make wise choices?
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