“What T’s me off is NO COLA raise in either hubby’s Military pension or our SS. While congress got a big fat raise and welfare queens, illegals and refugees got raises.
Food cost are double or more than they were just last year. Property taxes are going up, co-pays went up last year too”.
I hope recipients of the largesse mentioned on this thread appreciate that taxpaying Americans who often cannot afford even a fraction of the benefits you receive for themselves are forced to pay for yours.
Many may not care, but it separates you from the challenges of Americans, and indeed the bitterness you show towards the lack of increase of your largesse is an attitude that fails to consider thone who must pay for all of this.
Such contempt for your fellow Americans who pay for their and your benefits is more of a problem than you realize, and will eventually lead to a loss of your benefits. You should not expect it to continue forever. Show compassion for Americans who could be self sufficient if not for folks like you who demand more and more and more from those who must pay.
“I hope recipients of the largesse (meaning generous giving or generous gift) mentioned on this thread appreciate that taxpaying Americans who often cannot afford even a fraction of the benefits you receive for themselves are forced to pay for yours”
Mr Engineer, haven’t we’ve had this discussion before?
Give your life, your best years, over to Uncle Sam, give him a blank check payable up to your life, frequent deployments to nasty places where you may live in primitive conditions and sometimes you get shot at (or shot or maimed), constantly moving so your family is uprooted and you can never build up equity in a home, you don’t have a hometown, your children are constantly uprooted their entire life attending different schools, and it is a rare thing where the wife can establish a career in an environment where you are stationed (”dream sheet” is just that. . .a dream), if the wife sticks around to raise the kids when you are deployed, don’t forget the stress on the family as they experience sleepless nights, wife staring at the TV hoping for news or a brief glimpse of you, the wife serving as head of the home and father, and bill payer, and the children are not immune from the stress, and lets not forget acclimation when you return and you try and fit-in with the family and society in general. . .and so on.
Why do it?
It is service before self, country first, willing to sacrifice it all for a nation of people that do not understand nor care about the dangers and difficulties you go through during your career to EARN the benefit.
Of course, some may have a different opinion.
Tommy
I WENT into a public ‘ouse to get a pint o’beer,
The publican ‘e up an’ sez, “We serve no red-coats here.”
The girls be’ind the bar they laughed an’ giggled fit to die,
I outs into the street again an’ to myself sez I:
O it’s Tommy this, an’ Tommy that, an’ “Tommy, go away”;
But it’s “Thank you, Mister Atkins,” when the band begins to play,
The band begins to play, my boys, the band begins to play,
O it’s “Thank you, Mr. Atkins,” when the band begins to play.
I went into a theatre as sober as could be,
They gave a drunk civilian room, but ‘adn’t none for me;
They sent me to the gallery or round the music ‘alls,
But when it comes to fightin’, Lord! they’ll shove me in the stalls!
For it’s Tommy this, an’ Tommy that, an’ “Tommy, wait outside”;
But it’s “Special train for Atkins” when the trooper’s on the tide,
The troopship’s on the tide, my boys, the troopship’s on the tide,
O it’s “Special train for Atkins” when the trooper’s on the tide.
Yes, makin’ mock o’ uniforms that guard you while you sleep
Is cheaper than them uniforms, an’ they’re starvation cheap;
An’ hustlin’ drunken soldiers when they’re goin’ large a bit
Is five times better business than paradin’ in full kit.
Then it’s Tommy this, an’ Tommy that, an’ “Tommy how’s yer soul?”
But it’s “Thin red line of ‘eroes” when the drums begin to roll,
The drums begin to roll, my boys, the drums begin to roll,
O it’s “Thin red line of ‘eroes” when the drums begin to roll.
We aren’t no thin red ‘eroes, nor we aren’t no blackguards too,
But single men in barricks, most remarkable like you;
An’ if sometimes our conduck isn’t all your fancy paints:
Why, single men in barricks don’t grow into plaster saints;
While it’s Tommy this, an’ Tommy that, an “Tommy, fall be’ind,”
But it’s “Please to walk in front, sir,” when there’s trouble in the wind,
There’s trouble in the wind, my boys, there’s trouble in the wind,
O it’s “Please to walk in front, sir,” when there’s trouble in the wind.
You talk o’ better food for us, an’schools, an’ fires an’ all:
We’ll wait for extry rations if you treat us rational.
Don’t mess about the cook-room slops, but prove it to our face
The Widow’s Uniform is not the soldier-man’s disgrace.
For it’s Tommy this, an’ Tommy that, an’ “Chuck him out, the brute!”
But it’s “Saviour of ‘is country,” when the guns begin to shoot;
Yes it’s Tommy this, an’ Tommy that, an’ anything you please;
But Tommy ain’t a bloomin’ fool—you bet that Tommy sees!
Rudyard Kipling
Moving every couple of years, being head of household because the service member is OVER deployed, and under paid in primitive places being shot at and may NOT come home. During this time you are also paying taxes, rent, car payments, dental, vision, and health ins for your family. Clipping coupons to make your food dollar stretch or you go hungry, giving up meals so the kids can eat. Hoping the used car won’t break down so you can still get to work at that low wage job you have to take, because you can’t build on that kind of job. Trying to put by a little for college for your children if you are lucky. If one of them is handicapped you are in hot water over your head. Repeat every couple of years after all of you have been uprooted repeatedly and have to start over again.
Not to mention being treated like dirt both in the Military and as the spouse in one of those low wage jobs. I have another word for them, but it is not a polite word. Miss a rank eval because you are laid up in the hospital, there are no retakes, means less pay the next year or more.
Every bit of what our Military receives they EARNED the HARD WAY! So some can stay safe and get a great education and job and all the perks that go with being able to live in 1 place for 20 or more years.
And when you do retire you still pay INCOME taxes on your SS and Pension. And are still subject to government control of your lives. Loath DOD MANDATES as bad as Medicare ones.