Hey, I wrote some thoughts (too long to post in your comments). But I thank those who served and question the size of our military. Thoughts? http://breedm.posterous.com/happy-memorial-day
Hi Ben – I agree. Without the brave in the military, we wouldn’t be able to enjoy and prosper in liberty. Volunteering for the armed forces is brave and something the majority of people do not do.
But, I do believe we have used the armed forces beyond the Constitutional-charter. I’d like conservatives who argue for the reach of our military beyond Congress-declared war to point me to the part of the Constitution that supports their argument.
If they can’t and still think there are good, but unconstitutional, reasons to use the military beyond the intended purpose, then I encourage them to do the same thing that I encourage liberals who wish gov’t to act beyond in its powers at home, amend the Constitution using Article V.
A friend serving noted this: Most people are in the military for 3 reasons: Free education and career advancement (known as POGs – People Other than Grunts); 2+ generational military, low-education, “America-lovers” who do as they’re told; and the thrill-seekers who walk around hoping someone will shoot at them and will be out as soon as conflict slows down looking to get the rush somewhere else (basically, war-junkies).
He says the people who deserve the thanks don’t really want it because that’s not why they’re there, and it makes them uncomfortable.
I thanked him anyway. I’d rather be in the hands of the thrill-seekers than the thousands who MUST serve for the survival of our country.
General: “Men, we’re surrounded, but the enemy has the same number of soldiers we do. So some man out there is going to try to kill you, and your job is to kill him first.”
Private: “General, could you point to the man you want me to kill? I believe that he and I can make another arrangement.”
Hey, I sent this to a couple of my liberal friends who like entering discussions with me and I thought I’d pass it along to you as well. It’s an article that I found interesting, if just a little long, but I feel like it makes some good points about looking for solutions to problems that lean towards more liberty rather than by limiting liberty. I sometimes feel like I don’t make a strong enough case for liberty because I don’t have all the answers and often times I say “I don’t know the answer, but this isn’t it!” I felt like the similarities the author made between employment contracts and marriages was pretty interesting and made a lot of sense, but I wish he could have addressed alimony and some of the issues related to the breakup of a marriage. But I guess that’s really a different topic altogether.
Hey, I wrote some thoughts (too long to post in your comments). But I thank those who served and question the size of our military. Thoughts?
http://breedm.posterous.com/happy-memorial-day
Hi Ben – I agree. Without the brave in the military, we wouldn’t be able to enjoy and prosper in liberty. Volunteering for the armed forces is brave and something the majority of people do not do.
But, I do believe we have used the armed forces beyond the Constitutional-charter. I’d like conservatives who argue for the reach of our military beyond Congress-declared war to point me to the part of the Constitution that supports their argument.
If they can’t and still think there are good, but unconstitutional, reasons to use the military beyond the intended purpose, then I encourage them to do the same thing that I encourage liberals who wish gov’t to act beyond in its powers at home, amend the Constitution using Article V.
A friend serving noted this: Most people are in the military for 3 reasons: Free education and career advancement (known as POGs – People Other than Grunts); 2+ generational military, low-education, “America-lovers” who do as they’re told; and the thrill-seekers who walk around hoping someone will shoot at them and will be out as soon as conflict slows down looking to get the rush somewhere else (basically, war-junkies).
He says the people who deserve the thanks don’t really want it because that’s not why they’re there, and it makes them uncomfortable.
I thanked him anyway. I’d rather be in the hands of the thrill-seekers than the thousands who MUST serve for the survival of our country.
http://econlog.econlib.org/archives/2012/05/a_memorial_day.html
Some thoughts along the same line…
General: “Men, we’re surrounded, but the enemy has the same number of soldiers we do. So some man out there is going to try to kill you, and your job is to kill him first.”
Private: “General, could you point to the man you want me to kill? I believe that he and I can make another arrangement.”
Hey, I sent this to a couple of my liberal friends who like entering discussions with me and I thought I’d pass it along to you as well. It’s an article that I found interesting, if just a little long, but I feel like it makes some good points about looking for solutions to problems that lean towards more liberty rather than by limiting liberty. I sometimes feel like I don’t make a strong enough case for liberty because I don’t have all the answers and often times I say “I don’t know the answer, but this isn’t it!” I felt like the similarities the author made between employment contracts and marriages was pretty interesting and made a lot of sense, but I wish he could have addressed alimony and some of the issues related to the breakup of a marriage. But I guess that’s really a different topic altogether.
http://bleedingheartlibertarians.com/2012/05/employee-and-employer-rights/
I just recently came across this blog (I don’t recall where exactly, but probably linked by Tyler Cowen) but it’s been pretty good so far!