[GB]

I agree fully with you, but the conventional wisdom around here seems to be that on July 28, 2003, G.W. has an easy victory in 2004 already in the bag, and anything that might indicate otherwise or cause someone to say "hold on there" comes from a DNC or DU fax.

Guys, I know about this one, because my father-in-law was a 30-year man in the service, and is so conservative he makes me look like Noam Chomsky ... but he's extraordinarily PO'd about stuff like this, although he isn't threatening to vote Dem or stay home just yet. And one can make the argument that such folks shouldn't have the level of expectations that they do about what the government owes them for their service, but the fact of life is that they DO have those expectations and that isn't likely to change without a fight.

[exodus]

To: taxcontrol
... Guys, I know about this one, because my father-in-law was a 30-year man in the service, and is so conservative he makes me look like Noam Chomsky ... but he's extraordinarily PO'd about stuff like this, although he isn't threatening to vote Dem or stay home just yet. And one can make the argument that such folks shouldn't have the level of expectations that they do about what the government owes them for their service, but the fact of life is that they DO have those expectations and that isn't likely to change without a fight.
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They have those expectations because THEY ARE TOLD that they will have free health care if they dedicate their life to the Service. They're not told "we'll let you pay us back later if you need medical care."

Military recruiter's promises are a big joke, but those promises are where men get the idea that "free" does not mean "loan."