Obama Losing Veterans Vote To Romney
In reporting from Politico today, President Barack Obama is lagging behind Governor Mitt Romney by double-digits in veteran support. This appears to be especially true of veterans from post-9/11.
Republican media strategist, Elizabeth Blackney, states, “Romney’s quiet, respectful approach stands in stark contrast. He listens, he learns. His heart is true. That is what our nation’s defenders deserve.”
While we may never know the actual underlying reason why veterans tend to vote for Republicans, I have some ideas based on perception. After all, what we perceive tends to be our reality right? Spin-masters in DC love to tell us what to think. So here’s my two cents on the issue regarding perception.
My Voting Disclaimer
To be clear, I have voted for Democrats and Republicans and consider myself to be rather independent on most issues. I decide for myself what makes the most sense and vote for the politician who most closely embraces those ideals. I do this without worrying about the ridiculous “you’re throwing away your vote” concern. That’s a red herring in my view – this country has never existed solely on just Democrats and Republicans for its political parties.
Why Veterans Vote Republican
I think more veterans vote Republican because, while we were in the military, Republicans seemed like the ones who were funding our weapons systems and other military endeavors. Therefore, they appeared to be very “Pro-Military.” Then, there’s the matter of the Constitution.
It’s the Constitution, Stupid
I wanted to say this really badly when I testified before the Democratic Platform Committee a few months ago. Veterans love the Constitution. We do. Can’t get enough of it. And when you think about it, we did swear to defend and uphold that piece of hemp paper with our lives. So, our attachment to voting for the party that appears to support it “more” than the other party makes sense.
Republicans appear to be very “Pro-Constitution” when it comes to their rhetoric. To me, this is the bigger issue. Since we took and oath to defend that enormously important document, we also like to support political parties who look like they also want to protect the Constitution.
Since the GOP is the party of gun ownership and seemingly pro 2nd Amendment, most of us veterans like them. We also like the 1st Amendment – freedom of speech. We like to be able to speak our minds whenever and to whomever we choose. And by God, many veterans take full advantage of this liberty.
Vets Perceive Democrats as Weak on the Constitution
Meanwhile, we know Democrats appear weak on the 2nd Amendment (I’m not even going to go there on military issues, where most Democrats tend to lose – not all though.) In fact, as I understand the whole debacle on the Fast & the Furious in Mexico, the whole goal of that operation was to make an asserted attack on certain kinds of gun ownership. Tisk, tisk Democrats.
Then there is the issue of the 1st Amendment. Most immediately, I can think of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton blasting the 1st Amendment after the Lybian Embassy attack. There were rumors of that anti-Muslim video was the reason the Ambassador was killed. Clinton went on and on in front of cameras about how there must be limits to the 1st Amendment…
Talk about embracing a crisis to support an agenda in classic Rahm Emanuel style – “You never want a serious crisis to go to waste.”
Democrats Support Disabled Veterans
On the other hand, Democrats tend to support veterans benefits, and as such, they are perceived to be the party to take care of the disadvantaged. I think this is very important. However, when it comes to votes, only the minority of veterans fall into this category. Plus, many veterans that do, also do not want to be thought of as needing handouts.
So, that’s my synopsis. Republicans appear stronger on military, stronger on 2nd Amendment, stronger on 1st Amendment.
Democrats are stronger on caring for the military after war.
What Benjamin Krause Thinks
Now, do I agree that Democrats are anti-2nd Amendment and anti-1st Amendment? No, I think there are many arguments on both sides of that coin. Republicans have not always been pro-2nd Amendment and pro-Free Speech, especially when the issue comes up relating to Big Business and donors. But, this article is not about facts here; this whole rant is about perception.
I want to know what you think!
Do you think that the President’s waning support has to do with his policies or a perceived weakness of Democrats on national security issues?
Informed veterans support President Obama, and his plans for America, that include the well being of veterans: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qznsnvdP1C8
Combat disabled in Tet Offensive, Vietnam, 1968. Draw 100% VA Compensation & Social Security Disability. Obama/Biden 2012
it would be a cold day you know where, he is the worst choice ever, he thinks Disabled Veterans are the 47% and don’t deserve any benefits.
bush changed a lot in his reign of horror, read several books that back this up. 2005 budget highlights, lowlights under estimated the cost for the Vets coming back from the two wars he created. so instead he needed more money for all his friends in contracting. He didn’t visit the troops he disabled or watch as their American Flag Coffins landed at Dover, which is a very short ride from the WH….
mitty has stated what he would do… one of two things he will either tax us or cut the benefits…
POTUS Obama has my vote. 100%, because I am the 47% and need to keep my Disability…
Please, don’t vote for mitty for: he does not fit, don’t vote for mitt….
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Active servicemen seem to vote for Republicans, simply because they put money in our pockets so to speak. They also seem to line the pockets of their own friends through needless wars. As a soldier I hate war, a lot of people I call friends ten to die in these wars. So yes, we love Republicans during peacetime and pray for a democrat in office after the melee has begun. Personally we are for a more advanced warfare where less loss of life is involved, this is a Republican agenda. Secretly we hope for peaceful resolutions to avoid a war and this is why we love democrats. So when it comes to active duty votes we like to have our cake and eat it too. On the issue of Disabled veterans and VET care, I whole-heartedly believe that enough is not done for those who voluntarily protect their countries safety and security. Are the Republicans the party of use them up and throw them away. I have a friend with a disability and when I see his life I know they are not doing enough. The way you treat your veterans will be the cause of your military being strong, if the younger generation feels the military is not worth the sacrifice they will simply pursue a more reasonable mode of service. Any cuts by either party would be an afront to the security of our nation and will one day unite us against them and their systems.
Firstly, I too vote by particular issue and not lock-step like a bunch of sheep running over a cliff; clinging to one Party–as a smart Veteran, I take pride in thinking for myself and want to believe that many, if not most Veterans are just as intelligently inclined.
With that said, I think this is where “POLLS” and “GENERAL ASSUMPTIONS” are dangerous when dished-out by the main stream media. A statistic is very easy to fudge the data to attempt to MOVE people or group of people a certain way, especially if they wish not to think for themselves. The same type of thinking is applied by majority of Republican Blogs, where they simply SCRUB all opposing free-thiner’s posts so it APPEARS one whole group thinks and votes a certain way.
“Perception” can easily be grayed when mixed with “Assumption”. “Assume” is a rather dangerous word as your English 101 teacher should have warned everyone that when we “assume”, we are making an “ass” before “u” and “me”. Thjis is not meant to be crass rather, I am having a hard time understanding why this article was made more newsworthy than the FACT that SENATE REPUBLICANS DEFEATED THE VETERAN JOB’S BILL 58 TO 40…60 votes were needed to make it pass. This Bill was entirely BIPARTISAN and FULLY PAID FOR but yet AGAIN, like Lucy in the Peanuts comics; the football was pulled-out just as they went to vote!
I love this very informative site for Veterans and have referred MANY civilians, regardless of their political affiliation to this great website so they can SEE what is NOT being painted FOR THEM or conversely, NOT SHOWING THEM, about Veteran related issues.
You asked for thoughts on this article and for the first time on disabledveterans.org have I been a bit let down by simply copy/paste what Politico or whomever states in “general perceptions and assumptions” how Veterans generally tend to vote. I argue that Veterans that have seen first-hand how the Halliburton’s and other Republican-based war profiteers are lining the pockets and buying their votes at THE EXPENSE of we Veteran’s pledge to our Country–are smarter than a “perception” or “assumption” in how we vote or think.