Freebies Aren't Free

It's Veterans Day.  Time to salute the troops with free meals from local restaurants, great seats at the stadium, and all the uncritical praise you'll ever want from an adoring government and news media.

There are at least three holidays devoted to the military (Armed Forces Day, Memorial Day, Veterans Day).  For some reason, civilian holidays such as Christmas, Thanksgiving and the Fourth of July have been appropriated by the Pentagon to present televised greetings from soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Let's gloss over the fact that the United States is involved in two questionable wars right now, both fought overseas, and both having little to do with the actual defense of the nation.  Though there is a tendency to separate war from the warriors, it's just not possible.  If you support the troops, you're supporting the war whether you agree with it or not.

What does this tell us?  That soldiers are more valued than ordinary citizens whether we're at war or peace, even in a country with high unemployment, a struggling economy and a bloated federal deficit.

Freedom may not be free, as veterans like to remind the rest of us, but they're getting a lot of perks that you and I have no access to.  Do they deserve them?  And can the country afford to do this?

As an example, the Republicans have been hollering about government-run health care.  Well, what about the VA hospitals and all the other medical perks veterans get?  Are they willing to cut those?

If the GOP is serious about cutting the deficit, once they start wielding power in Congress, they should start with the military.  You know they won't do that because they are blinded by patriotism.  It's practically the third rail, along with Social Security, and no politician wants to touch that.

Let's be clear about one thing.  We are not disparaging the men and women who voluntarily defend this country from harm, or to provide humanitarian relief in times of disaster.  We just wish they weren't fighting and dying for the wrong reasons.

But when Johnny (or Janie) comes marching home, they should understand that just because they served their country, that doesn't make them better than anyone else.  The government, the chain restaurants and the rest of us should realize that, too.