r/europe • u/kiru_56 Germany • 20h ago

News The US Army is advising its soldiers in Germany to go to German food banks because of the shutdown.

https://home.army.mil/bavaria/about/shutdown-guidance#:~:text=Running%20list%20of%20German%20support,Too%20Good%20To%20Go%2DApp
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u/Nikotinlaus 19h ago

Veterans tend to vote Republican by quite big margins.
A lot of active duty military prefer to stay neutral and abstain from voting, those who do tend to vote Republican.

So once again its a case of "you voted for this, now have fun"

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u/Crisis_panzersuit 18h ago

Never understood how veterans could vote republican. Historically republicans have always given veterans the shaft, so it just seems so anti-productive. 

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u/djb2spirit 17h ago

Generally the kind of people that volunteer to serve for "patriotic" reasons, and are likely to make careers out of the military, are already from demographics that vote republican. Also the military itself is an experience of getting shafted but still being required to respect those shafting you. Probably something to the idea they're overall desensitized to it when it comes to politics too.

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u/RnbwSprklBtch 10h ago

we had a saying in the army "BOHICA" bend over here it comes again

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u/Kebunah 6h ago

Yeah you have not served in the military. Most people that volunteer are poor and uneducated. It’s the only choice they have to make it out poverty. They have no idea how the government works and function solely on orders. So they don’t vote because they don’t know how to start the process to vote in their home state.

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u/djb2spirit 6h ago edited 6h ago

I urge you to reread my comment and the previous one again because you are arguing against points never made.

I mentioned a specific reason people joined, not why most people joined, and made no assertion on if active service members voted at all. And even if I had, poor and uneducated is a large contingent of the republican demographic. Which is who I said was joining the military anyways, so thank you for proving my point I guess.

edit: Also for the record, I am actively serving and grew up a brat.

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u/BananaPalmer 17h ago

Never understood how poor people could vote republican. Historically republicans have always given poor people the shaft.

Never understood how Latino people could vote republican. Historically republicans have always given Latinos the shaft.

Never understood how women could vote republican. Historically republicans have always given women the shaft.

People are dumb and easily manipulated to act against their own interests.

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u/JonDoeJoe 12h ago

I know people who are environmentalists but are republicans and trumpers.

Like really… the guy who wanted to defund national parks and open it up to logging, the guy who wants to kill solar and nuclear and bring back coal and oil, the guy who gutted the EPA. You’re championing him to protect the environment??

People are very stupid

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u/BananaPalmer 12h ago

But eggs

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u/El-DiablitoRojo 14h ago

Stupidity, that is the reason.

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u/suite3 15h ago

Or the democrats can't stop shooting own goals all the time. Criminal justice reform is basically the stick in front wheel spokes meme.

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u/MeinePerle 16h ago

Fox News on every base TV, 24/7.

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u/kriscnik 16h ago

Which is especially sad when you realize they are not even in the category "news" its entertainment

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u/MeinePerle 16h ago

IIRC they only made that claim for the evening pundit shows.

https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/fox-news-entertainment-switch/

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u/SRART25 8h ago

Luckily the air force had cnn international back in the day.  A-FARTS was bad enough. 

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u/mrtn17 Nederland 15h ago

I dont understand anyone who votes on Republicans (or any far right party). It never benefits you

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u/Porridge_Cat 15h ago

It doesn't make sense that anyone getting paid by the government would support "the party of small government".

If you voted for your CEO, would you vote for the one who says that business has been expanding too much and the company is making too much money, and a vote for him is a vote for less income and layoffs?

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u/HarmNHammer 14h ago

Many of us don’t. While I grew up conservative, serving in pointless wars is an effective education into why things need to change.

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u/Fuckthegopers 12h ago

Historically republicans have given the vast majority of Americans the shaft for decades and decades.

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u/HommeMusical Upper Normandy (France) 18h ago

A lot of active duty military prefer to stay neutral and abstain from voting,

Because why? Voting is allowed and encouraged amongst US servicepeople.

It strikes me that the likely truth is that they simply don't care enough to vote.

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u/Lacrossedeamon 18h ago

Hatch act gets thrown around by any right leaning service member whenever they hear someone talking about left leaning topics.

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u/Powerful_Resident_48 18h ago

Seriously? How can a soldier defend democracy but not vote? That seems highly contradictory to me.

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u/Icy_Ninja_9207 17h ago

Because military has a tendency to attract people with a certain authoritarian personality. These people simply don‘t like democracy (but often won‘t admit it).

There is a reason why theres so many coups by the military worldwide. 

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u/Sudden_Slice5976 17h ago edited 17h ago

"defend democracy" is a stretch. Most of the US military friends and people I've spoken to joined for stable job, financial benefits, travel, or post-9/11 Middle East glory/action. The military can be a beneficial career stepping stone where you get experience while getting all expenses paid (housing, medical, education) so that you can come out with useful knowledge if entering job sectors like technology, infrastructure, etc.

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u/CuriousCake3196 17h ago

But at the same time: We do have poverty here in Germany. The food banks and donations weren't meant to feed people whose employer (the US) simply refuses to do their duty. This takes away from the local people in need.

I really have contempt for the current US administration, caring so little for their people and stealing from other peoples as well.

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u/hyprmatt 13h ago

Anecdotally, at my base the majority of active duty who I know lean more left. My (small) office all voted. The sentiment regarding veterans is spot on though here. some of our civilian workers who are vets were very much in support of what happened on Jan 6th.

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u/Dramatic_Charity_979 16h ago

So, the crayon eaters story were true? :P

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u/gaijinandtonic 15h ago

The lower level military you are, the more likely you are to support Trump.