Funny thing is, you keep lying to people, and sooner or later they quit believing you. From Kelly Beaucar Vlahos at responsiblestatecraft.org:
Partisans have rushed to explain why, but the answer might be complicated — and quite simple — at the same time.
It’s official. The state of the U.S. military is on the fringes of malaise era territory and it isn’t clear how the institution will be able to turn around the negative spiral with the American people anytime soon.
A new Gallup Poll has found that 60 percent of the American public trust its military. Still over 50 percent, but a far cry from 70 percent just two years ago in 2021 and an even further fall from the 80-plus figures just a decade ago. The drop is seen among all party affiliations: Republicans (68 percent), Democrats (62 percent) and Independents (55 percent).
For perspective, Gallup pointed out that that the last time it dipped to 60 percent or below was in 1997 and actually lingered below 60 percent during the late 1970’s, the post-Vietnam phase when the military was transformed into an all-volunteer force and the national was wracked by what then-President Carter called a “crisis of confidence,” later coined “malaise.”
The left claims that racism and other intolerances in the ranks have caused Americans to turn against the military; the right says “woke” politics are at the root of increasing alienation. Perhaps the culture indeed is responsible for the 25 percent shortfall in recruitment, but beware of partisan narratives that appear to speak for everyone and explain trends so neatly. Never is anything that simple.
Bathhouse Barry heard all that talk about at least we have the military and poleece and got busy fundamentally transforming.
The No Fans Left league led the way with the kneeling and why didn’t Colon Krapertnick claim his white heritage? (no privilege there)
The draft lotto will reduce it even more and no one should invest their son in the MIC bottom line of the Ukrainian graveyard.