The Professionalization of the Military Represents a Threat to Our System of Democratic Government

As a veteran who served as a volunteer before the advent of our current "professional" non conscripted military, I have long believed that the professional military is based upon flawed thinking. Among other things the poor and near poor bare the heavy burden of service, but more importantly, as this piece factually demonstrates, a wall exists between our military and our civil society at large. . .only a tiny fraction of our total population has any military connection. . .the military culture and the civil culture are separate and distinct. As several of our founding Fathers observed this is not a situation that bodes well for a democratically controlled society.

Freed from the pressure of civil involvement and ultimately control, the numbers indicated that our military involvement in the affairs of the world have increased dramatically since the end of military conscription:

"The Congressional Research Service has documented 144 military deployments in the 40 years since adoption of the all-voluntary force in 1973, compared with 19 in the 27-year period of the Selective Service draft following World War II — an increase in reliance on military force traceable in no small part to the distance that has come to separate the civil and military sectors." 
jflynn

Americans and Their Military, Drifting Apart

www.nytimes.comA chasm has opened between our citizens and our men and women in uniform. Soldier and citizen must once again be brought to stand side by side.

The Isa IRS Hearing in the House are a Fraud, a Sham and Hoax Designed to Protect the Right-Wing Tax Exempt Political Action Committees!

The political implications of the recent IRS investigation have been grossly overblown. Lost in the partisan debate has been, so far, any real attempt to come to grips with the many political/religious groups who are in fact engaging in political activities that do clearly violate Tax laws.

 It seems absurd to conclude that because a group with profound anti-government sentiments is flagged by name, that the flagging represents IRS discrimination. 

There seems to be an expectation among conservatives in Congress and among conservatives generally  that IRS examiners should do every kind of mental gymnastics imaginable to avoid finding IRS abuse.

On the other hand if, in fact, an analysis of the specific cases shows a consistent clear pattern of abuse,  that the IRS is in fact targeting political opponents  because of their political beliefs, we need to be concerned.  Thus far that does not appear to be the case.  The evidence put forward does indicate that the conservative groups in question were grossly abusing their IRS non taxable status by egaging in highly charged partisan activities.  That should be stopped.  The Isa Hearing in the House should not be allowed to divert attention from the real violations that have in fact ocurred.  

Nonprofit Applicants Chafing at I.R.S. Tested Political Limits

www.nytimes.com

An examination of nonprofit applicants reveals activities that tax experts and former I.R.S. officials said would provide a basis for closer review.