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this post was submitted on 21 Sep 2023
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It wasn't even a decade ago when the Republican party was all about the wounded vets and veterans in general. They were THE American heroes and were honored extensively. They used them to speak about how the libs didn't give a damn about our soldiers and all that crap.
Then Trump came in with his "I like soldiers who don't get hurt or captured" bullshit and all the POW/MIA flags disappeared and got replaced with the Gadsen flag and the Iron Cross.
They don’t have a good faith position. Trump’s attitude towards both the military in general and vets in particular- especially wounded ones - were voiced in public while he was still just a candidate for the Republican nomination. He thinks only an idiot or loser would join the military because they aren’t qualified for anything else.
People - even Putin - thought his campaign was over when he insulted Gold Star families, but the “pro-vet” republicans just supported him even more.
Any position they take is just for optics and can switch at a moment’s notice.
It doesn't really surprise me that that's Trump's stance on things, but it does surprise me that the military loving Republican voters didn't even have to think about it. They just immediately went "yeah! Fuck soldiers!!".
Hell, most of the active military personnel we have are heavily right leaning and even they didn't have a word to say about it. They just lined up, voted for him, and bought more merch.
It's a bit more complicated than that.
The enlisted/younger/minority troops tend to skew politically in a way consistent with their age and demographics- that is, liberal/left. Commissioned/older/whiter troops also tend to skew politically consistently with their own demographics.
There's definitely a demographic in the military that are drawn to enlist out of right-wing sentiment, especially family-tradition/legacy soldiers, doubly so if they're from the sort of family that can get them a commission. It happens, but it's hardly the rule- after all, a solid contingent of the enlisted folks are there because it promises to help them pay for college
They use them to look good but they're also the party that cuts the services they most need.
They weren't even that before Trump. They were busy dismantling the VA and cutting benefits for veterans before him. Jon Stewart had to go to Congress to argue for benefits for veterans exposed to burn pits.