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Democrat Barack Obama and Republican Ron Paul have little in common politically, except their opposition to the Iraq war.</p>
<p>Both top a new list of presidential candidates receiving campaign contributions from people who work for the four branches of the military and National Guard, according to a study released Thursday by the non-partisan Center for Responsive Politics.
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<p>What happend, are the neo-cons out of touch with the military?</p>
<p>Hard to actually draw any conclusions when the candidate with the most contributions (Obama) from the military has received 44 of them and number 2 in terms of contributors (according to the article it's McCain with 33 then Paul with 23). All told there are almost no contributions from the military.
"In 2004, military personnel contributed $1.2 million to presidential and congressional candidates, the center said. This year, those donations are about $200,000." "Altschuler cautioned against reading too much into the early contributions, particularly in such small amounts. "These figures could look very different in a few months"</p>
<p>Classic example of making a story out of virtually no data.</p>
<p>It's only 120 days till the election. I haven't gotten any word the numbers have changed. Have you? Also there's an article out there from months ago that registered Democrats outnumber registered Republicans among the military for the first time in 20 years.</p>
<p>An Internet troll, or simply troll in Internet slang, is someone who posts controversial and usually irrelevant or off-topic messages in an online community, such as an online discussion forum or chat room, with the intention of baiting other users into an emotional response or to generally disrupt normal on-topic discussion.</p>
<p>Thank you, DolCi. This is about supporting <em>all of</em> our young men and women in uniform, not our own political agendas. </p>
<p>Our service academy cadets/mids have the freedom to cast their own votes for their Commander-In-Chief based on their own consciences and world views, but when all is said and done, they follow the orders of their Commander. Regardless of party affiliation. I just pray the new Commander, regardless of party affiliation, really understands what each of these service men and women has given up in order to serve in this capacity. </p>
<p>So to those who choose to serve their country in an environment that is sometimes hostile to its own, my hat is off to you. You have my utmost respect.</p>
<p>"It is no secret that the MSM has fallen in love with Barack Obama. Chris Matthews gets chills down his leg listening to Obama talk a lot but say nothing. He is not the only one to go ga ga over the Obamination that could be our next president as many in the media have dropped off the Clinton bandwagon and climbed aboard the hope express. The MSM helped decide the Republican nomination and now it is working on ensuring Obama wins the primary and the general election by using biased reporting to make Obama appear more popular among certain groups than he really is.</p>
<p>This is the case with ABC’s recent report on the military and the presidential race. ABC reported that many of the troops were supporting Barack Obama (with one Hillary supporter) because the troops wanted out of Iraq. About 80% of the people in the military vote Republican so 20% of them vote for some other party. It is not surprising that ABC could find people that support a candidate who is not Republican. What is surprising is that ABC was unable to find one single John McCain supporter. Assuming that 20% of the military has switched due to the prolonged war ABC would still stand a better chance statistically of finding a McCain supporter than supporters of Obama and Clinton."</p>
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is no secret that the MSM has fallen in love with Barack Obama. Chris Matthews gets chills down his leg listening to Obama talk a lot but say nothing.
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<p>Chris Matthews has an editorial show, not a news program.. He gives his opinions, how can one have an unbiased opinion? :)</p>
<p>The reason why McCain is the nominee is because the Republican Party is dumb. Having a winner-take all for state delegates will distort things. So when McCain got 30 percent in Florida or South Carolina, he got the plurality and therefore all the delegates from those states. Since on Feb. 5, you had big Democratic states vote like CA, NJ, and NY with winner-take-all those states made John McCain the nominee. </p>
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What is surprising is that ABC was unable to find one single John McCain supporter. Assuming that 20% of the military has switched due to the prolonged war ABC would still stand a better chance statistically of finding a McCain supporter than supporters of Obama and Clinton."
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<pre><code> Democrats outnumber Republicans among the armed services now....
</code></pre>
<p>Neither political party represents the military, just as the military supports no political party---that's how it should be. Anything other than that is a danger to our freedom.</p>
<p>Actually, Sheepdog, the military is dissuaded from showing active support for a particular candidate or political party. Regulations prohibit such. Also, federal law prohibits candidates from campaigning on military bases. So it is not surprising to me at all that no one would risk reprimand by voicing partisan support. In my day, an officer would never even display a bumper sticker. Politics was the original "don't ask, don't tell" policy. A taboo subject really in ready rooms and wardrooms.</p>
<p>I can honestly say that I have no idea the political affiliation of my USNA roommate to whom I have kept very close contact throughout the years and whom I would still today consider one of my closest friends.</p>
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[quote]
WASHINGTON — The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff has written an unusual open letter to all those in uniform, warning them to stay out of politics as the nation approaches a presidential election in which the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan will be a central, and certainly divisive, issue. </p>
<p>“The U.S. military must remain apolitical at all times and in all ways,” wrote the chairman,
<p>Yes politics are a big problem especially when General's and Admiral's place their poltics ahead of their reponsibilities. I admire Gen. Shwarzkopf becuase he chose not to do the political thing but the right thing as a military leader. After he retired many in both parties tried unsuccessfully to recuit him and unlike some recent others Powell, Zinni, McPeak, Clark he resisted. </p>
<p>I will say I believe Obama will be the next president, and my military side is deeply concerned. When the President has more in common with the ladies of Code Pink then the Men and Women who serve our nation it is a new day. The media will try hard to say one candidate or the other has the support, but when that becomes a reality we are a short step from something really bad. Our Military should not be about politics but about defending our nation.</p>
<p>Interesting accusation. Could you give us some examples please?? The names and situations you mentioned were after they retired, where they have no responsibilities per se and are free to do as the choose (within limits, of course).</p>
<p>Sheepdog - Contrary to that article you linked, ABC News did find lots of supporters for McCain, they just "neglected" to show them, focusing instead on the Obama/Hillary supporters. </p>
<p>I have to say I have first hand knowledge that many in the military are supporting Obama over McCain. This is a new generation of kids without the baggage of Vietnam. They have their own opinions and I think Obama holds a lot of appeal for them.</p>
<p>Oh they are tired and it has been a long haul the last few years, but Obama has a long way to go with them Boss51. Saying it doesn't make it true. Obama would sit down to lunch with the ladies of code pink much sooner then anyone wearing a military uniform, and why not he has more in common with them. </p>
<p>I didn't sit in a liberal congressperson office acting as a military officiando, I wore the uniform. I am out at Nellis almost daily and I know the kids you are talking about. They maybe tired of how things have been, but they aren't flocking to Obama. They know what party wanted their vote discarded in 2000, and they know who talks about supporting them while having their surrogates cast spells at the Marine Corp Recuiters office. That doesn't make them any happier with how the republicans have acted either. There is a lot more to supporting the troops then lip service.</p>
<p>I know the strategy is say it enough and it is true, but you still have a lot of work on this one. With a little luck they will be the kids that throw both parties out and get back to what is best for America instead of the party.</p>
<p>"They know what party wanted their vote discarded in 2000"</p>
<p>Not so sure about that--these kids (18-26) in the military today couldn't vote in 2000. They simply weren't old enough. There certainly appears to be a lot more interest among young people with regard to voting today than there was 4 or 8 years ago.</p>