Wednesday, June 20, 2007

How Young Republicans 'Support' Our Troops

This is directly off of the Young Republicans national website [seriously]:

YRs Support Our Troops

Here's the latest and greatest about the YRNF's Support Our Troops Spring Initiative! Get the tools to hold a new round of events to support our military and take our YR resolutions to your elected officials to eliminate taxes for our soldiers.

Calling All YRs to Support Our Troops This Spring

For the next two months, the Young Republican National Federation (YRNF) will be conducting its annual "Support Our Troops Spring" Initiative. Young Republicans clubs participate in events year-round to support our troops, but the organization is pooling its talent and energy nationwide to make a special push this Spring. YR Clubs are encouraged to schedule official "Support Our Troops" events in the next two months. Additionally, the YRNF has passed a number of resolutions recently in support of our troops. In addition to passing resolutions honoring all Young Republicans who are currently serving, or have served, in America's military and honoring all troops and their families, the YRNF unanimously passed resolutions committing YRs to work toward the elimination of state and federal income taxes on all military income.

"Any way and any time we can show our support for the men and women defending America's freedom, we should do it," said Wil Westholm, Chairman of the Arizona Young Republican League and national coordinator for the 2007 YRNF "Support Our Troops Spring" Initiative. "As we conduct this campaign, we understand that this is really highlighting what we do year-round."

One unique feature of this year's campaign is the effort to eliminate state and federal income taxes on military income. "Both the state income tax and federal income tax resolutions were passed unanimously by the YRNF National Committee, which attests to the merits of the resolutions," said Westholm. "While it's not a pay raise, it does give our brave men and women -- and most importantly, their families -- a larger paycheck. It's not much, but, speaking as a veteran, I know it will help them tremendously. Additionally the benefits to the military, from morale to retention and recruiting, are immense."

"YRs are eager to support our troops in every possible way. In addition to care packages and holding rallies, this year we will also work to increase our troops' bottom-line. If we can encourage our state and national legislators to eliminate taxes on military pay, troops and their families will feel more appreciated," said YRNF Chairman Nicolee Ambrose. [End excerpt.]

They're Serious!

Real American Citizens who pay taxes tend to demand honest, competent government and are not shy about insisting that problems be fixed. This includes our servicemembers and their individual and extended families. Do the Young Republicans really want to treat our servicemembers as hired help, in return for what the Young Republicans are at least honest enough to admit is "not much?" Note that tax-free military pay does not seem to encourage the Young Republicans themselves to consider military service.

If the Young Republicans really wanted to Support Our Troops, they would pass a unanimous resolution at YRNC2007 urging their non-veteran members [if healthy and heterosexual; YRs are all under 41 already] to contact military recruiters and Be A Man! Enlist!

Tax relief for servicemembers' families would make lots of sense: Rich people would strongly 'encourage' at least one son to Be A Man! Enlist! if earning the Combat Infantry Badge [or equivalent] lowered the family tax bill.
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Perhaps the Young Republicans are onto something after all.

5 Comments:

At 20 June, 2007 20:14, Anonymous Anonymous said...

If the Young Republicans really wanted to Support Our Troops, they would pass a unanimous resolution at YRNC2007 urging their non-veteran members [if healthy and heterosexual; YRs are all under 41 already] to contact military recruiters and Be A Man! Enlist!

Your problem is that you do not understand the purpose for the YRs. It isn't about supporting the President. It's about developing new leadership for tomorrow.

Where would we be if, let's say Ronald Reagan, had "been a man", by your definition, and had been killed on the beaches of Normandy? The USA would have been denied our greatest president ever!

I consider it my true patriotic duty to complete law school, start my career and my climb up the GOP leadership ranks. It would be tragic should some impressionable Young Republican heed your misguided advice, and cost our great country our next "Ronald Reagan".

We are your future leaders. It would be a terrible waste to sacrifice us in Iraq.

 
At 20 June, 2007 21:00, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Active duty pay is already exempt from the income tax.

http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode26/usc_sec_26_00000112----000-.html

Perhaps the YRs, who have doubtless done their homework and are aware of this, believe that by calling for endless tours of duty they (in their own perverse way) support the troops?

 
At 21 June, 2007 18:10, Anonymous Anonymous said...

If the young republicans really really really wanna support the troops, they could join those of us protesting the war, and work on ending this war which is based on lies.
That would be an ideal way to support the troops. After all, troops are human beings.

The Army reserves and Army national guard are understaffed, and those in the inactive reserves are being forced to serve again.

Before any YR starts to whimper and whine about how 'I'm-more-patriotic-than-you' crap, they have to start with the FACTS about this war.

 
At 21 June, 2007 19:34, Blogger a progressive crank said...

I consider it my true patriotic duty to complete law school, start my career and my climb up the GOP leadership ranks. It would be tragic should some impressionable Young Republican heed your misguided advice, and cost our great country our next "Ronald Reagan".

Really? Where to begin....

It sounds to me like the YRs, or this one at least, assume that death in combat is a given, that service in the Iraq theater is a guaranteed ticket to Arlington. What does that say about the fact that they support the war at all?

And if they don't think that's the case, why not take the same chance everyone else there is taking, many of whom are National Guardsmen who did not sign up for extended tours in a combat zone?

Far better to be part of the political machine than to actually serve your country, it seems. For all the complaints that we make too much of national service in election campaigns, it does signify a willingness to serve.

 
At 22 June, 2007 10:18, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Annon...

You don't support the troops and their mission...they need replacements, they need a rest, they and their families are paying a horrendous price with no end in sight.

It’s easy for ignorant young ideologues to brush these things off…but the world is a little more complicated when you GROW UP.

I wouldn't have the contempt for the YR if they weren't so vehement in denouncing anyone against the war… otherwise know as people FOR THE TROOPS.

People in the military are DYING, going BROKE, getting DIVORCED, are GRIEVIOUSLY INJURED for the rest of their lives…and you and your ilk want that to continue and get worse and you don’t even have the courtesy to serve yourself to give them a little relief.

I don't personally care if you don't want to be a soldier...but I get a little steamed knowing that you and your ilk will call (and have called) people against the war the most vile names… traitors, and scum etc.

You’re a bum, you’re a sham, and you should be ashamed of your pathetic, self-serving stance. But it's been shown that

~Foo Fighter~

 

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