Mitt Romney's Kids Enlist! ...I'm Just Kidding

While reading about Prince Harry sashaying back from Afghanistan (remember Afghanistan, everyone?) after his three months of duty, I was reminded of a certain politician and his finely-groomed pack of Mormon sons.

If you get past the fact that apparently soldiers can bring their own hair gel to war, and have time to style their red manes into an intense trajectory of spikes, Harry looks like he tried his best to fit in, act mild and unimportant, and do his job. That's more than the Romneys can say.

See, the Romneys didn't enlist, despite the fact that Mitt said the ONLY reason they hadn't rushed overseas was because - gee golly gosh - it was just so DARN important they help him with his campaign!

Well, he didn't win, nor did he "step aside" as he claimed. He lost. He lost despite the fact that he spent more than $1million per delegate. He showed himself to be a racially insensitive, wildly out-of-touch corporatist, who thinks so little of the serfs crammed into Iraqi desert bunkers that he compared his sons campaigning for his pathetic presidential run to soldiers serving in the armed forces.

Mitt Romney compared his sons riding in his air-conditioned bus with the service and sacrifice of soldiers. He did so with a straight face, despite almost 4,000 bodies having arrived back home (an increasing number of them suicides), plus anywhere from 23,000 to 100,000 wounded, and approximately 80,000 Iraqi civilian deaths from violence, which is a conservative estimate.

Perhaps those startling statistics, coupled with his presidential loss, would inspire Mitt to take his boys down to the recruitment office to enlist in the war, which Republicans like Romney claim is going swimmingly. No such luck. Instead, Mitt stayed silent, which in all fairness, was his only choice because he had firmly attached his thin lips to the teats of Washington's lobbyists.

Mitt Romney is a terrible politician. He's a terrible liar, too. In debate, part of Mitt's problem was that he couldn't keep his lies straight. He flip-flopped constantly, and McCain tore into him every chance he got. Mike Huckabee even got in on the Mitt-bashing, and if Mike Huckabee can out-politician you, you're in trouble.

But Mitt is a good father. He's a good father because he wants to protect his sons from a stupid war, which they could very likely die in. He knows their lives are too precious to waste on such a silly commitment. Unfortunately, Mitt's arrogance allows him to believe other people's children should die for that same mission of greed.

That's not true, of course, and if Mitt and his fellow politicians (Republican and Democrat) continue to vote for this wasteful, illegal war, they better plan on enlisting their own brood first.

Comments

[RBScott]

Allison: Judging from picture, I figured you to be about the same age as Mitt Romney"s five sons. Shall I assume that you are about to enlist in the Army, Navy, Air Force or Marines? Or, do you think you are doing your bit for your country by being a desk warrior?

I am not sure why Mitt"s religion is a factor in your story. Call me a bleeding heart if you must, but I cringe whenever anyone writes derisively and gratuitously about a candidate"s religion, ethnicity or skin color. When a liberal like you does it, I wonder if they"ve sold out to the dark side, those crypto fascists who only pretend to be liberals. Could I be on to something?

We do agree on one thing. The draft should be reinstated. Pronto. No one should be exempt. No more all- volunteer military because, as we have seen, it takes unfair advantage of the poor and uneducated.

A final note " and to address points raised by other bloggers here: when there was a draft, I think most Mormon lads who served their church as missionaries ALSO did time in the military " regular military as well as National Guard and Reserves. I just checked the current stats, and it seems this tradition continues. As we all know, joining a Guard unit these days is no slick way to avoid combat or long stretches of active duty. Check it out!

[Trittydi]

Mitt Hairdo might still need them to help him get elected. Of course they can't enlist.

http://www.rugorreal.com/assets/definitions/ken.jpg

[CArmstrong909]

This writer hates the war and yet want Gov. Romney's sons to serve the war. Just want to write to smear a candidate and incinerate people against the great Romney family. Wonder if she has a perfect SAT score just like Gov, Romney. If just for instance, Gov. Romney and his sons emlisted and served, they most probably be needed at a different level and branch of the military because of their credentials. They will be great in strategies and tactics, working out solutions and surprising the enemies. Or working out budgets and distribution. Everyone has great talents and focus. Gov. Romney and his family had served our country by bringing jobs and providing income so our country can pay for this war and other necessities. Best Wishes to the Romneys and May God Bless Them.

[tecpatl]

Are you saying that since his sons are supposedly intelligent and well-educated that they shouldn't be in combat? I have news for you: plenty of intelligent and educated men and women are in combat and serving our country proudly. My cousin has a degree in painting from an art school - he joined the Marines and served 24 years, with combat experience in Grenada, Panama, and both Iraq wars. The Romneys are hypocrites because they support the war but want to fight it with someone else's children. Just like Bush, they are brave with the lives of others. My family hates GW Bush because he is such a hypocritical hawk. He supported the Vietnam War but he spent it in the Texas National Guard thanks to his father's connections. My uncle was against the war but he volunteered and died in Vietnam because he believed what his government told him. I have had family serve in WW2, Korea, Vietnam, Grenada, Panama, Bosnia, Gulf War 1, and I have had 2 cousins in Iraq, with one there now. All Democrats. Keep throwing the whole "cut and run" argument if you want , but it's not sticking.

[Berettasskeeter]

By your reasoning, would that mean that young people who decide to join the military against their parents wishes should be barred from citizenship, or some other sort of public degradation?
Semper fi

[rich3324]

War is sweet to those who have no experience of it. But the experienced man trembles exceedingly in his heart at its approach.
Greek poet Pindar, 518-438 BC

[larry278]

Mitt''s sons are searching for a recruiting station for Coxey's Army.

[TimN]

"Mitt Romney's Kids Enlist! ...I'm Just Kidding"

Let me get this right. Hillary and John Kerry both voted to authorize force to invade Iraq and both of them have daughters old enough to serve, and you're making political hay of Mitt Romney and his family? Mitt Romney wasn't even a Congressman and didn't vote to authorize force. Both of these Senators did. Why do expect that Mitt's kids to go to war and not theirs? It wasn't until about two years ago that Hillary and John actually flopped and pushed for a draw down - plenty of time for their kids to have enlisted at the outset of the invasion, do a couple of years in combat and then push for conscientious objector status when their political party ran out of courage.

[Sciguy]

Hillary Clinton and John Kerry aren't still rabidly pushing for the war. Romney is.

[CArmstrong909]

I am on Tim's side on this one. Why single out Gov. Romney. Why not ask other Democrats who voted for the war? The Kennedys, Clintons etc who truly authorized the war. Governor Romney can govern and being a businessman and entrepreneur, he has the highest standard and integrity of all. Investors with millions of dollars did trust him and they made more millions if not billions. American soldiers had saved this world from dictators and unrighteous dominions that claimed more lives than the 911 and Iraq war combined. So the war is not at all wasteful but the BAD guys are the ones who are wasteful and drove us to this expensive war. I respect Gov. Romney and hold him in the highest regard. He is a great leader and we miss him.

[GWashington]

Tim, you are my hero.

[MilwaukeeDan]

Ms. Kilkenny, this is nothing new. 56,000 mostly poor Americans died in Vietnam and 1 million poor Vietnamese died to stop the spread of communism in SE Asia, now the communist Vietnamese make Nike shoes for us. As I have stated here many times before, Rich people don't fight wars, they just make money off them. Also, many of the people responsible for our foreign policy are Likkudists who have never shot a gun in anger, just at quail.

[FirstShirt]

We have a voluntary military. Keep up the attacks on a persons right to "choose" and you might get a draft. That is equitable and would ensure everyone has a chance to serve their country.

[JoshD]

If there was a draft and the burden of fighting wars was evenly spread and not taken on by a small group of people, then we probably wouldn't be fighting a war of choice in Iraq right now.

[amamomofsons]

As my name implies, I have a brood of sons who I am grateful and proud to say are not a part of this war . If we trusted the government to do the right thing and not commit us to an illegal war and to really care for the wounded and affirmed after the fact, as well as keeping them safe on the ground with the proper equipment, then maybe we would feel better about sending our children out for a cause that was honorable . This president has changed the way we look at our military forever. What was once something we were proud of is now something we look at with mistrust and less respect that ever before. What a shame. I personally do not fault Romney or his sons for the decisions they have made about participating in this fiasco. I do fault him for thinking that sending OUR sons and daughters off to fight this war is OK!!! This war was waged to line the pockets of the oil guys and Haliburton group !!!. George Bush will go down in history as the worst leader this country has ever had the misfortune to "elect".

[Berettasskeeter]

When will you decide that your country's war is right? When its too late to do anything about it? When will you encourage our youth to join the fight? Before you've completely convinced them that their country isn't worth the effort, or will it be too late.
Who are you? We elect our representatives to make the decision for us.
Semper fi

[tbone99]

What about Jenna's fiance? He's a gung ho up and coming Repug twenty something ,in favor of war as she is - but the closest you'll see him to a military uniform is accidently at a D.C. happy hour.
Basic traing for Repug kids consists of boozing,banking and berating the poor.

[MarkFinelli]

Allison,

I never thought I would agree with you.

Great article.


Mark Finelli
Sole WTC 9.11 Survivor to Enlist in the Marines and fight in Iraq

[bronceye]

This is the only thing milton got right. I have 7 sons and none of them are going on this oil expedition. Of course, I don't think anyone should sacrifice their child for corporate profit. So, we are a bit different.

[Independent_voter]

Gee Allison,

You conveniently forgot to mention that the clinton hedge fund manager didn't enlist either. Remember equal opportunity?

[ylpatriot]

Gee, sounds like she is discribing Bu$it!!!! after all its his war eh ?

[jvarga]

Gee it's almost like the Senate voted to authorize the war, voted against further debate on the invasion and voted to allow the invasion of Iran. Gee guess who was a Senator who voted the above? Gee guess whose daughter isn't being subject to the same ridiculous attacks as the children of republicans?

[doodlefarbe]

I agree. Mitt should force his sons (those not over enlistment age, anyway), to join the military.

Hey, is "Allison KilKenny" a nom de plume for "Larry O'Donnell"?

[Berettasskeeter]

How does one force adults to join the military? Is there some law giving parents control over the actions of their grown children, that none of us have heard of?
Semper fi

[WilliePilgrim]

Can you imagine Romney's kids enlisting? That's a laff! There's an idea for a nice satical comedy. What a farce that would be. In some ways I'd like to see a law that says if you're Mormon you can't serve at all or that their so-called missionary service is recognized as an alternative. Why? Because it would finally and clearly draw attention to the hypocracy of organized religion and the totally undeserved special considerations it recieves in our supposedly secular society.

[quadman]

Please Willie, enlighten us as to what, if anything, Romney's religion has to do with his sons enlisting. If you are suggesting that Romney completely avoided Vietnam by serving an LDS mission, then you are grossly uninformed. Here is a little info about Romney. He received a mission deferral and served his mission in France. After completing his missionary service, he was once again draft eligible but was never called up.

Let me ask you another question, since when has the US been a secular society? The Founders certainly didn't. They envisioned a pluralistic society where the government refrained from dictating to its citizens how they should believe or think.

Unfortunately, I suspect that your post is more revelatory of your own contempt towards Christians, and more specifically towards Mormons.

[idahoblues]

Quadman, read Jeffersons' letter to the Danbury Baptists. Follow that up with Madisons' "Memorial and Remonstance Against Religious Assessments".
Regarding Mormons and military service... Utah has been at or near the top in support for GWB and his administration. That should translate into greater participation in the war effort. Sadly, that is not the case. In 2007 the Average number of army recuits per 10,000 population nationally was 4.9. Utahs' contribution was .46, less that 1/10th the national average according to Statemaster and the National Priorities Project. Many of us feel contempt towards the kind of hypocrisy. Mitt does provide a window into the way his LDS brothers feel about their obligation to support the policies he promotes.