The Military Is More Liberal Than You Think

Here is a direct quotation from a column written by Maureen Dowd in the New York Times on July 23: "Asked by a Democratic lawmaker a while back why there weren't more democrats in the military, General Petraeus smiled slyly and said 'there are more than you think.'"

Now go to Colonel Steven Boylan of the General's public affairs office in Baghdad who said of the quotation that it is "in error, as he never made nor never would make such a statement."

Well, I certainly believe that Petraeus did not want to make such a statement given that it is inappropriate that a military officer make any partisan comment at all. But it does bring up an interesting question : Is the military more liberal than the clichés would have you believe?

The answer is "yes" and the reason that Obama will win the active duty vote this November.

Most people with whom I talk, often quite educated, think the military is made up of knife-between-the-teeth grunts, uneducated robots without any kind of free will whatsoever -- people who goose step to Republican philosophy and particularly the Bush cowboy mentality.

It is true that in the recent past most members of the military have voted Republican. This is because the GOP is far more likely to flood the military with cash and thus make the lives of the service member bit easier. However, I believe any sort of polling will show, on an issue-by-issue basis, that the military is mostly made up of people with a liberal mindset. And that is what Petraeus was talking about.

Let's take a look at the most ardent post-military political leaders in our nation today. Who are they?

John McCain -- Vietnam vet, former prisoner of war -- is a Republican. Robert Dole is a World War II hero. George Bush, the elder, is a World War II hero.

But now look at the rest of congress. The former military that serve in the House and Senate are mostly Democrats

Here are the political leaders with military experience who have taken prominent positions on defense issues. They are:

Wesley Clark - Democrat.
Jimmy Carter - Democrat.
John Kerry - Democrat.
Bob Kerrey - Democrat (winner of medal of Honor)
Max Cleland - Democrat.
John Murtha - Democrat.
Jack Reed - Democrat.
Daniel Inouye - Democrat. (winner of Medal of Honor)
Jim Webb - Democrat.
Charles Rangel - Democrat.
Al Gore- Democrat

Why do so many members of the military who decide on continuing in public service join the Democratic Party? There are several answers to this, here are a few:

1) Forty percent of the military is made up of ethnic minorities. Most of those, as is also the case with most of the Caucasian members of the Army, Navy, and Air Force, come from the lower economic classes. These demographic groups have largely voted Democrat in the past and will continue to do so. When officers (the more likely to go into politics) live with their soldiers day in and day out, a certain empathy builds. It is unavoidable. Those officers begin to understand and respect the problems their soldiers and their families face or have faced on a day-to-day basis. Indeed, the primary reason that young men and women join the service is not their fetish for combat or killing but to satisfy the dire economic needs of their family.

2) The United States military is probably the most socialistic institution in the United States. Think about it. There is universal health care in the military (though we have seen how unconscionably horrific our medical attention has been to our soldiers in places like Walter Reed). Housing is available to all members of the military. Educationally, the children of the officers, even the Generals, go to a school with the children of the lowliest Private in the army.

The major institutions that produce our most elite officers come from a position of absolute meritoriousness as opposed to wealth or contacts. Right now Annapolis and West Point are two of the nation's most difficult colleges to get into. Those two schools, as well as the Air Force Academy and the Coast Guard Academy, are blatantly transparent in who and how they admit because they are federally funded. The students who are accepted have to come from the highest academic stock. Were a qualified high school student to be be rejected in favor of somebody because of that person's family's wealth or political connections, it would create a gigantic scandal, given that it is Congressmen who nominate (though do not appoint) cadets and midshipmen.

Just for myself to be transparent myself, I graduated from West Point in 1984.

3) Former soldiers will almost always gravitate to the anti-war party. This happens for obvious reasons. The men who have been in battle tend not to romanticize it and tend not to take it flippantly. The reasons for going to war need to be extraordinarily convincing before anybody who has taken a bullet, seen their friends take a bullet, or who has lodged a bullet in the enemy's brain will put their support behind a war. Recent history has shown that the Republicans are more likely to use the military as a tool of policy rather than as a tool of defense. That is unacceptable to anybody who has served.

4) Finally, and maybe most importantly, is the Iraq war itself. The Bush administration sent our soldiers in on a mission that was initiated either by a lie or by the greatest act of incompetence in the history of this nation's intelligence gathering. In battle, our soldiers were ill equipped and not properly supported. (The "surge" was needed because Bush didn't send in enough troops to begin with). Our wounded soldiers have returned him to find inadequate medical care. The "love" that the soldiers felt from Republicans in peacetime turned into neglect and apathy during war.

The latest poll from Military Times shows that less than half of the military identify themselves as Republicans. The poll goes on to show that much of this anti-Republicanism comes from the bungling of the Iraq war.

As of the start of the year, only 35% of military personnel approve of the president's handling of the war, and 75% said the military is "stretched too thin to be effective."

A few weeks ago I was in Las Vegas playing blackjack. Two soldiers who were a couple of days away from being re-deployed to Iraq sat at the table with me. After a few minutes of conversation I asked them whom they were voting for. They both said they were voting for Obama (these two guys were white). When I asked them why, they very simply and honestly told me they want to vote for the guy that will get them out of Iraq.

I think this year we will see, for the first time, the active duty military voting for the Democratic candidate.

Comments

[SD61]

Excellent points, but may I add another:

Most young men join the military because (1) They need steady income, and (2) They want to make the world a safer, better place for their families and fellow citizens.

Number (2) is a thoroughly Democratic idea, and has absolutely nothing to do with partisan politics. Number (2) needs no explanation in the American economy of the early 21st century.

[SD61]

Change (2) to (1) in the last sentence.

[Bongborg]

I did 12 years in the US Navy and was a liberal the whole time, and like most liberals was intent on protecting this country. I survived working for Donald Rumsfeld , Caspar Weinberger , Ronald Reagan, and Bush 41. It wasn't easy, but then it isn't supposed to be an easy job, is it? That's probably why so few of the enlisted ranks are Republicans. They love it when things are easy for them.
Some military people feel that the Repugs are the most likely to give them a raise and lean that way even if they are mostly liberal; saw a lot of that when Reagan was running the first time. My regularly expressed opinion on it at the time was: " Are you crazy? Yeah, they might give us a raise, but they will reduce all our other benefits, overwork us, and probably get a bunch of us killed. Are you crazy?"

[JBS]

Republicans are more likely to favor high dollar equipment boondoggles that benefit defense contractor political contributers over increasing benefits to the soldiers. Consider the recent fight over the new GI Bill and Bush's repeated veto threats and Congressional republican's repeated filibuster of defense legislation including troop pay raises.

[SDnavyPROUD]

I can totally confirm this article. Based on just anecdotal experience and no scientific study; military personnell are a macrocosm the entire society. Though a few issues will certainly be weighted differently, most want and need the same things as the rest of the country. Republicans and neo-cons among our ranks freely broadcast their affiliation. Then chastize those (only true die-hard neo-cons) who voice dissent, for politicizing the work environment.

Just as in the general public the natural rifts exist. Certain groups develop that are more amiable and generally easier to get along with. While other groups are always on the lookout for next big fight. It's the age old dynamic of drama in the workplace. It has been with us since days of Socrates, and the neo-cons would be better off realizing that liberal agendas will not "fizzle-out". The best bet is to work with us and practice the art of compromise.

[mouselion]

"military personnell are a macrocosm the entire society"

You've said it well. I noticed this when I served during the 80's. Not all soldiers think alike.

[dogman44]

Another reason for national service requirerments! Expose us to who we really are as
a people and give us a look at America outside of the very, very little circles we grew
up in.

[JBS]

Microcosm.

[HamletsMill]

When you serve in the military of any nation, you learn many things about human nature. You learn about incompetence and stupidity on a scale far beyond civilian incompetence and stupidity. You learn about amorality far beyond anything you could have ever imagined. You learn that some people in life should never, ever, be put in charge of anything. Even if they went to the best colleges. And some people should be put in charge because they are sane. Some of the things you learn stay with you all your life. Some of them get your soul into a voting booth at 7AM on Election Day when the polls open.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=X7EshD3T5AE

HamletsMill
1st Lieutenant
U.S. Army
1969-1971

[dogman44]

I'm listening to pandora as I'm reading. Ironicly as I was watching that clip
pandora was playing Dylan's "Ain't Gonna Work on Maggie's Farm"

[ocinemod]

This puts a whole new perspective on the military, for me anyway.
And it is very interesting that ex-military men in office seem to be more often Democrats. Of course it shouldn't.

[dogman44]

The military stresses the good of the unit over the individual. Not hard to figure out what turns
people that accept this premise to go into public service as liberal democrates

[lisakaz2]

I think the military will not support McB--- for several reasons. One involves families and the lack of care for them bythe Boooo$hies. Next comes the lack of care to returning vets. I would soldier pay attn to this. Or who has created the bad conditions for electrocutions or unreported assaults/rapes/etc. Don't forget the Tillmans, too. Finally, this unmitigated fiasco of a elective war was created by this administration and McB--- seeems wedded to its continuance. Do a majority of soldiers really think they're being treated well and this conflict is worthwhile?

[Sheridan1]

Please go to www.votevets.org

[ClevelandTom]

I agree with the article that the military was never as Republican as many assume. I also agree with the conclusion that more military people are likely to vote Democratic this year than have before. But several of the arguments in between do not scan.

For example, Lurie sites a long list of political leaders who are Democratic. But you fail to note that none, except for McCain and Clark, were professional soldiers. All were either drafted or joined in a time of war when they probably faced the draft.

And the idea of the military being a socialistic organization just doesn't wash. True, healthcare is provided to all members and their families but that is also true of most major corporations. Does that make the corporations socialistic? Hardly. And while it is true that the military is more of a meritocracy than most of the rest of society, it is also less tolerant of non-conformity than most any other part of society.

[Swedishgal]

You don't pay for the medical care and when space is available on bases then military members can live on base. Also you are given a housing allowance if you live off base. Most corporations don't provide health care for free, the employee has to pay a portion of premium, 50% or less, depending on how generous their corporation is and nobody employed by a corporation or small business gets a housing allowance, even if they are a government contractor. My dad described the military more of living under martial law than socialism but the guy writing this article knows more about it than I do.

[ClevelandTom]

If the military paid the same housing allowance to all members, that would be socialistic to a degree but they don't. Your allowance is based on rank. The quality and location of on-base housing also varies by rank. Enlisted families don't live among officer families.

Seems to me the set up is quite counter-socialistic.

[tecpatl]

My cousin that served 23 1/2 years in the Marine Corps is a lifelong Democrat and served in combat in Panama and both wars in Iraq. When I asked him about what he felt about going to Iraq the first time, he told me this: "I never thought that I would be fighting to put a monarchy that oppresses women back in power."

[Berettasskeeter]

If your cousin actually said that, he wasn't paying any attention at all, was he. There is no monarchy in Iraq, and hasn't been for over 25 years. The current regime is not from any past royal family. I served 26 years in the Marines, and knew that well before I retired in '96.
Semper fi

[MajorKong]

True, it was the 1991 Gulf War where we fought to put an oppressive monarchy back in power, and to protect another oppressive monarchy in Saudi Arabia.

[tecpatl]

We put a monarchy back in power in KUWAIT - the country we went to "liberate". Perhaps I was not very clear, but I did write "going to Iraq the FIRST time". And, yes, he actually did say that.

[dogman44]

tecpatl, are you absolutely sure your cousin said monarchy and not theocracy?

[JBS]

The first war was to restore the monarchy in KUWAIT.

[altohone]

If Bush taught us anything, it's that self-applied labels are rarely accurate.

There's nothing "conservative" (let alone compassionate) about wars of choice.

How about we drop the veneer of interpretation?

Progressives seeking progressive change in Washington-
Is it helpful to learn the military is more "liberal" than assumed?
Wasn't it some of the "liberal Democrats" that dashed the hopes of progressives by voting for Bush's war?
Are progressives supposed to read the headline of this post and cheer or boo?

I'm all for party unity, but in the battle of ideas (remember the primaries?), and in determining our goals and sculpting the party platform, I would hope that all writers would DEFINE the terms more fully so we're all on the same page.

I'm not ashamed to hold liberal principles, but in no way do I want to be associated with self-described "liberals" who to this day support policies I oppose and oppose policies I support... the cadre more accurately described as corporatist neo-liberals.

Using the terms interchangeably is tantamount to an ethical lapse that misleads readers.
A liberal is not a liberal is not a liberal.

[Berettasskeeter]

I'm not sure what you mean by "war of choice". Aren't all wars "of choice"? Both sides have a choice: go to war, don't go to war; defend your country, surrender. Choices, choices, choices.
Semper fi

[MajorKong]

A "war of choice" generally refers to one that is fought for some abstract "national interest" versus one in which the survival of the nation is threatened. I'll use the most extreme examples here, most of the wars of the 20th century fall somewhere in between:

World War II was a war of necessity in that we would have been invaded by Nazi Germany and/or Imperial Japan.

The Spanish-American war was a war of choice. We were under no threat from Spain at the time, but felt it was in our interest to take their colonies.

[dogman44]

Hello marine. Good to see you again. I think what the poster meant by war of choice is
wars waged against a weaker unthreatening enemy for reasons other then defense.
Like the bully in the bar choses his victim, and choses to set up and start a fight. The one
attacked doesn't have a choice other then fight or flee. And in many cases are caught
in situations where escape is impossible, removing that option,(ambush). I think what
they're trying to say is somebody chooses to start the fight .

[doofmann02]

Excellent article. All I can say is that is has been EASY to get military friends and family to contribute to Obama, and no doubt the main reason is the cluster *&#*& in Iraq and the Neocon record on Vet benefits. Case closed.

[UltraClassic]

Rod, you answer your own question. Members of the military who continue in public service tend to be democrat as are most people who are paid by tax dollars.

Those of us former military people who go into the private sector remain quite conservative and pro GOP in it's traditional libertarian sense. That does not mean we support the current administration.

[Annette]

Some if you former military may be GOP. But both my husband and I are Vietnam vets, fortunately not wounded seriously enough to need care by the VA. I have watched since 1975 as the GOP stands around with Vets and uses them in photo ops. I have seen them wear little flag pins and say we support the vets, we support the troops. However when they are injured and wounded the GOP is the first to cut their benefits. Starting with in 1985 the GI bill turned into encouragement to save for an education. Under Reagan Veterans benefits were dumped, Injured veterans benefits were cut. VA hospitals started having funding problems. Then under the GOP after 2000 we saw everything from charging the injured for their food when injured and in a VA hospital. To making the injured live in roach and mold infested buildings. Increased Co-pays for injured veterans who needed care. We saw over the last 25 years more and more active duty personnel become eligible for food stamps. The care and concer the GOP has exibites for veterans has stopped at their mouth. They talk so nice and act so mean. That includes McCain who has voted consistantly to cut veterans benefits, and to deny them any decent pay or care. We were fortunate enough to serve when the democrats were in charge. We were treated way better by the government than those in the military have been treated under the GOP.

[jfor]

So accepting tax dollars makes you a liberal. (I wonder does Karl Rove know this? Is Newt Gingrich and Tom Delay up to speed on this bit of news? ) And former military people who get out are conservative and do not support the current administration? ( explain Jim Webb)

Who are you? The guy coming up with McCains ads that make no sense?

Black is white, up is down, we won in Iraq, and as McCain says we were greeted as liberators.

[Annette]

You say you were for the Republicans in their traditional Libertarian sense. When was that. Not under Theodore Roosevelt, Not under Eisenhower, Not under Nixon. Perhaps Calvin Coolidge or Herbert Hoover fits your bill as well as Warren G Harding probably the most corrupt president before George Bush. Herbert Hoover the man that ordered McCarthur to fire on the starving vets.
Reagan, George HW Bush and George Bush have all decided that those in the military are to be verbally honored while having their benefits and pay cut. McCain, the guy who didn't want the veterans to have educational benefits, because it hurt retention, (translation they might get a decent life outside the military) voted 10 times against veterans benefits. Has a 20% approval rating from the Disabled Veterans of America. Obama has an 80% approval rating. I don't know when you think the golden age of Republican was but I can tell you I volunteer at a VA hospital and work with the Disabled vets. They are finally realizing that it is all photo ops with the Republicans to get treated right you have to have Democrats in office. All of us, except the most severely wounded are in the private sector, though I retired 7 years ago. I do not hear a songle positive thing about Bush, McCain or any republican at my local VA hospital. I do see lots of Obama stickers on the cars.

[jfor]

People who enter the military right out of high school are still impressionable and probably would tell anyone that they are Republican. Some would call that brainwashing or succumbing to peer pressure but as a vet I know it is more along the lines of this blog. People in America seem to assume the military is republican which as you point out using actual veterans as an accurate example is not true.

As these soldiers mature and grow and become more in tune to politics and how the system works many of them wake up and realize that being a republican today and over the last twenty odd years or so just is not in ytheir interests. As any American who is honest can see by taking a roll call of our elected officials the majority of veterans are in the democratic party. Maybe Hannity, Oreilly or Limbaugh could of made the percentage smaller but they chose not to serve but rather to crtitcize those of us who did but does not agree with their narrow backward thinking agenda.

[Mojane]

Exactly. My son-in-law, now 43, joined the Marines out of high school, got married 15 years ago to my daughter, went back to school (while serving), got a B.S. in computer engineering, is now a Sgt. or Captain (shameful that I don't know). His mother works for a govt contractor, votes straight Rep and has for years. They have incendiary arguments about McCain and Obama. He's voting for Obama.

[Swedishgal]

Did O'Reilly, Hannity, or Limbaugh serve in the military? Ever? Even for one day because that's about as long as they would've lasted? It's easy to support a war if you've never been shot at or shot someone. Maybe more vets, such as those that have written here, should send those cowards a message or two. I've never been in the military due to a health issue I was born with, but my dad served in the Marines and the Army for a total of 21 years. He teaches now and encourages his students to THINK about what's going on and who the cause of it is. He has changed many a mind from the Repub beliefs to the Democrats by using logic and reason and giving them facts and telling the truth about both sides and who really cares about the troops.

[Rockerbabe]

Surprise, surprise, surprise!