NYFD on 9/11 a "Decent Career', Congressman Rangel?

Bottom Line Up Front:  D-Charlie Rangel believes soldiers serving in Iraq are there because they couldn't get a "decent career." 

Who hates the military more; Bill Clinton who wrote in 1969  that he "loathed the military"? John Kerry who joked that soldiers are uneducated and stupid? Charlie Rangel who believes the military isn't a "decent career"? It's hard to say, but new comments from D-Congressman Charles Rangel of NY are yet another example in a long line of put downs aimed at the military from Democrats.  Rangel on Fox News Sunday with Chris Wallace said this:

I want to make it abundantly clear: if there’s anyone who believes that these youngsters want to fight, as the Pentagon and some generals have said, you can just forget about it. No young, bright individual wants to fight just because of a bonus and just because of educational benefits. And most all of them come from communities of very, very high unemployment. If a young fella has an option of having a decent career or joining the army to fight in Iraq, you can bet your life that he would not be in Iraq.

Before addressing the insult, let's address the error. The Heritage Foundation Report: Who Bears the Burden? did an in depth analysis of U.S. military demographics to include household income, level of education, race/ethnicity, and region/rural origin. Here are some of their findings:

ON INCOME:
Indeed, the U.S. military's qualitative superiority is what makes it the most efficient and lethal combat force in history. In economic terms, high-skill human capital among troops makes the military more productive overall.

The proportion of high-income recruits rose to a disproportionately high level after the war on ter­rorism began, as did the proportion of highly edu­cated enlistees .

We found that recruits tend to come from mid­dle-class areas, with disproportionately fewer from low-income areas.

On average, recruits in 2003 were from wealthier neighborhoods than were recruits in 1999.

Very few recruits—less than 5 percent—came from neighborhoods with average incomes below $20,000 per household.

ON EDUCATION:
We find that, on average, recruits tend to be much more highly educated than the general pub­lic and that this education disparity increased after the war on terrorism began.

98 percent of all enlisted recruits who enter the military have an education level of high school graduate or higher, compared to the national aver­age of 75 percent.

In summary, we found that, on average, 1999 recruits were more highly educated than the equiv­alent general population, more rural and less urban in origin, and of similar income status. We did not find evidence of minority racial exploitation.

RACIAL REPRESENTATION:
The demographic data on race reveal that mili­tary enlistees are not, in fact, more heavily recruited from black neighborhoods.

The Washington Times reported last year that “Middle-class youths, not the poor, are providing the bulk of wartime recruits to the armed forces. The poorest neighborhoods provided 18 percent of recruits in prewar 1999 and 14.6 percent in 2003. By contrast, areas where household incomes ranged from $30,000 to $200,000 provided more than 85 percent.”   Hmmm.....

When confronted by Chris Wallace about these statistics, Rangel summarily dismissed it with no counterargument. He also said on Fox News Sunday:

Those with the least opportunity at this age find themselves in the military, as I did when I was 18 years old.

Time to question his patriotism:  Rangel just admitted he joined the military because he had no opportunity.   Duty?  Honor?  Country?  Cash?  At least Rangel admits the military offers opportunity in hopeless situations. 

Oddly enough, Rangel can portray his service as a result of not having any decent job alternatives, but it led to his career in the House of Representatives.  It could be said that if someone had the option of a decent career or becoming a Congressman we can bet no one would choose to be a Congressman.

Here are some suggestions for the Congressman from New York:  He should speak for himself, and only when spoken to, HOOAH?  He should do some research and accept the findings.  He should learn English and ditch ebonics.  He should stop referring to GEN Abizaid as "the top military guy over there" if he wants any credibility with the military. 

The good news is that Rangel is echoing the true belief in the Democratic party about the military loud and clear. Their "love the soldier, hate the military" attitude is as believable to those in uniform as the "love America, burn the flag" ideology is to the average American, or "love the sinner, hate the sin" principle sounds to the average homosexual.   No one believes it except the one saying it.

The fact is that liberals like Rangel are so out of touch with practical patriotism that there is no other explanation in their fascist brains other than to assume it is either stupidity, trickery or poverty that traps a young man into military service.  These liberals who love their freedom of speech but disrespect the soldier (who guarantees it) are the cornerstone of the egotistical, spoiled elitism that has become the Democratic party.  Duty, honor, country is simply an out of date slogan to liberals replaced by "Ask not what you can do for your country, ask what your country can do for you."

Rangel said last week:

It seemed to me there's not enough patriotism in this country to warrant us going to Iraq and staying in Iraq."

Clearly, Rangel has not been talking to servicemen when coming to his conclusions.  In order to make such a statement, Rangel must fundamentally discount the overwhelming patriotism of soldiers who continue to re-enlist to go back to Iraq and Afghanistan in this war on terror. He doesn't understand the kind of patriotism which prompts a person to risk their lives to save others.  Hypocritically, Rangel praised the firefighters of 9/11 who entered the burning World Trade Centers to save others.  Really, if young firefighters had "an option of having a decent career or joining the fire department to fight blazes in New York, you can bet your life that they would not be in the NYFD," right Rangel? To his credit, Rangel hasn't been praising any vocations lately but the Democratic Congressmen in the House.  At least we know where he stands.

David S.C. Chu, undersecretary of Defense for personnel and readiness, said in October that one of the main reasons recruitment and reenlistments are high is because of

"Patriotism. One of the things we read into the survey results of young Americans today is (that) patriotism has risen to a much higher place on the list of reasons why people join the military. In a sense, we are seeing right before our eyes the unfolding of a new 'greatest generation' in the history of our republic."

Chu said enlistments lag in New England and the upper Midwest and are strong in all other parts of the country.  Patriotism lags in New England?  And apparently New York. 

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Comments

[Pennsylvania Independent]

Charles Rangel goes into my own personal list of political figures I cannot tolerate.
Included in that list are former presidents Nixon, Johnson,and Ford!
I don't care what political party they are.
This man wants to re-instate conscription!!!
A veteran of the Korean war and he is a sell out.

[Leticia]

Why is it the politicians choose to insult the people who are protecting them and keeping them free?

Where is the appreciation?

Furthermore, most of these men and women want to be in the military and it is not because they are uneducated. My husband wanted to learn a lot more about electronics, and guess what he used to troubleshoot, the Patriot Missile! That is an intelligent mind. Ignorance is on the part of the blind politician.

[damdYankee]

" Charlie Rangel who believes the military isn't a "decent career""

I have met more military personnell of whom I have thought better than ANY politician I know. Personally I believe that is the reason some go into politics, because they could not develop the skills necessary to get a 'decent' career.

[CalPatriot]

So Rangel joined the military because he was not smart enough to get an employer to hire him? He must love being reminded of this fact of his life. Has anyone looked to see of his election campaigns if he touts himself as a veteran of the military to boost his status?

[chrys]

No surprise. How can we expect people with a "surface" mentality to get past the 60's. Maybe that was the last time THEY had a real job!

[Mike]

He surely doesn't like it, but even Rangel knows the truth: without those wonderful men and women he keeps insulting, those fighting and dying for his freedom of speech, he would never be able to spout such rhetoric. Aside from that, he is a liar, hypocrite and opportunist...did I leave anything out?

[Prospector]

I'd like to see some demographics on Rangel's constituency. I'll wager that military recruitment is low and that he feels he risks few votes with his bombast. He can throw around his call for a draft, with zero conviction, because he knows there will be no debate and that, when called, even he will vote against it. Last time this happened and the Republican controlled House called a vote, he had the audacity to cry foul! It would be highly entertaining to see a Republican colleague(s) suddenly, enthusiastically support the draft and propose a bill to re-instate the draft -- with Rangel's name attached to it.

[Tim]

This guy belongs in San Francisco with the rest of the Russians.

[Gayle]

I did a post on Rangel's bleating for the draft, so I left a trackback to you. The title is "Poor Charles Rangel Isn't Getting His Way Either..." I'd leave the link, but it's far too long and overides your comment box. I'ts the sixth one down under "previous posts" on my sidebar.

His howling for the draft is just too funny! I agree with Prospectors' take on this... and Tims' too; a straight jacket at the very least. :)

[PATTY]

I don't know about anyone else but in my mind its time to stop giving these politicians that use their time and service as a trump card.
Lets just call a spade a spade they were in the military for one reason only to get the shiny buttons so they could tout them in the future and say anything they want and get a pass.
They are not American Heros they are cowards cheats theives and liars. Lets look at the things they have tried to keep hidden eh?

[Amy P]

Even Dems don't take Rangel seriously. He's an embarrassment. There should be some sort of test to pass in order to run for the Senate and Congress, like basic English and knowledge.

What's offensive is the democratic colloborative slap to the military. Enough is enough. These people are simply out of line.

[Sgt Dub]

I have been amazed that the Dems have not wasted as much time as I thought they would on boasting their "win" in Congress, but if they keep this up, there should be several of them looking for new jobs (provided they can find someone to hire them).With only two years to the next election, I say we support the Dems whole heartedly and send them on their way.