The United States has long rejected the holding of military parades featuring tanks, missiles and other heavy weapons as a symbol of authoritarian regimes like the Soviet Union, North Korea and other countries. We commonly have parades with marching military and military bands in Washington. What we generally have not done is add heavy weaponry — the signature display of so many of the history authoritarian enemies of this country (though, as some have pointed out on this blog, there have been exceptions where tanks or missiles were present in inaugurations). Trump’s desire for military equipment at the presidential inauguration was reportedly rejected by the Pentagon as running counter to the long traditions of the country. Now Trump appears to be close to getting such a parade, modeled on the Bastille Day parade. A military official told The Washington Post is quoted as saying“The marching orders were: I want a parade like the one in France.” (The current results show 77 percent against such parades with around 800 polled. The Army-Navy Times is reported opposition at 89 percent). Opposition is also coming from Republicans who are calling it “cheesy” and “wasteful.” The Navy Seal who killed Osama Bin Laden has called it “third world bulls**t.”
Ironically, as many on this blog know, I am a military history buff and love to review both vintage and modern weaponry. However, I like our tradition in not holding such military parades. Our military has long maintained its apolitical and professional distance in our system. We celebrate and honor our military but do not use heavy weapons as props. We also avoid the high costs associated with such parades. However, people of good faith can disagree and I wanted to ask the blog about the consensus (if any) on this issue below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOfYnVLu9uQ
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
PS: I remembered this song from my first dance recital sooo many years ago.
Squeek – was this before or after Cotillion? =)
Oh, waaaaay before! I was like 4 or 5. Which is usually too young for even the Kiddie Cotillions.
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
So many towns have parades with rehab military equipment. . . . . why not have one with the latest? How many people know the difference between a Bradley Fighting Vehicle and a Humvee?
How many people care?
How many care?
Here’s the thing: We really don’t “honor our military!” When do we do that? And to say we’ll have a “military parade” does not mean heavy equipment! I grew up on posts and the parades of
My childhood featured soldiers marching in lock step and uniformed marching bands playing rousing John Phillips Souza and the like. It was so
Amazing! Talk about bridging the divides and bringing people together to feel pride in our country! I took my kids to a Fourth of July “parade” in DC when W was prez. What a disappointment/travesty! No mmilitary bands, no marching soldiers. Instead, wave after wave of Brazilian and other exotic dancers and the finale was a “parade” of Hari Krishna’s carrying a dais upon which their idol
sat. I wanted to vomit! Once again, kudos to Trump for understanding that there are still Americans who take pride in this country and want to celebrate it together as brethren!
One can have pride without wasting taxpayer money and wasting the time of our military, who I’m quite sure have more important things to do than to stroke Trump’s infancy.
Using the military to prop up Trump’s ego: how very patriotic.
I thought our military was broken and needed rebuilding and absolutely requires more and more and more and more money. I mean what agency could exist on merely $700 billion a year, on top of a classified black-budget? So let’s have a parade, I’m sure it’s cheap.
Oh, because PICTURES. Trump look strong — now go buy ties. And hats. And water. I’m glad taxpayers now pay for his advertising (along with his weekly vacations to his own properties where he pays himself with taxpayer money for hosting himself).
U-S-A, U-S-A
I’m not the first to say this but, I’m sure there would be thousands standing in the street blocking the tanks.
I would make the trip to DC to stand in the street.
They can not stop that many people from blocking the street, unless they tear gas. And what message would that send?
I think the message would be don’t ignore an order to disperse.
Somehow I knew this would happen – Trump is enamoured by military parades. One commenter said “I’m all for this, might remind the rogue FBI who they work for, and what resources Trump has at his disposal for getting them back in line.” Perhaps the war happy generals are behind this.
Take the monies that would be used for a parade and give it to organizations helping veterans.
T rump is jealous of da parades da other dictators have. Putin is smilin.
Ken – According to RT Trump was inspired by the French – last I checked Macron is not a dictator…
“Impressed by a Bastille Day military parade, which he witnessed during a state visit to Paris in July, Trump first suggested the idea of showcasing American military muscle back in September.
“It was one of the greatest parades I’ve ever seen,” Trump said during a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron in New York. “Because of what I witnessed, we might do something like that in Washington on July 4 down Pennsylvania Avenue.”
https://www.rt.com/usa/418099-trump-military-parade-washington/
T rump wants to be a dictator with a police state at his command. If T rump wants to imitate da French he could go for single payer healthcare but no he wants to scare people all over da world. Macron does not threaten nuclear war. BTW.
T rump wants to be a dictator with a police state at his command.
What evidence do you have that proves your statement true? How many dictators can you identify that aggressively oppose the weaponization of their own top law enforcement agency, seek to expose abuses committed by their IC and defend their citizen’s right to defend themselves by anything remotely close to our 2nd amendment?
Does the Second Amendment outrank the First Amendment?
Neither outranks the other. They are independent and dependent of each other.
Ken do some research – France does not have entirely single payer – most people still have supplemental insurance. A bigly difference though is that the healthcare industry is regulated
Government regulation is a major reason why the French pay far less for medical services and products. Healthcare providers, drug-makers and others are not allowed to gouge patients or use their brand name to demand exorbitant fees and prices from private insurers. Fixed pricing also leaves less wiggle room for defrauding the government.
Great points! If we just enforced our current anti-trust laws, medical costs would decline by over half!
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
PS: I discovered a new Euro artist, The Legendary Tigerman! Extra points if anyone can identify the singer without looking it up! I couldn’t. I knew she looked familiar but could not quite put my finger on it.
Too much interference by the government has inhibited individual market forces while at the same time created consolidation (near monopolies) among the largest healthcare companies along with creating a vast number of middlemen that are sucking up the dollars. That along with third-party payer (employer tax deduction) creates large increases in costs.
The government is nuts. As an example, a hospital buys an independent surgicenter within a certain distance and suddenly the prices paid by Medicare almost double for colonoscopies. Hospitals buy up physician practices and suddenly their services are paid more by Medicare.
Another example is K-Mart that was apparently fraudulently filing claims for reimbursement of a drug that usually sells between $5-$10 The Medicare insurer in one case reimbursed K-Mart $152.
https://www.lawyersandsettlements.com/articles/healthcare-fraud/healthcare-fraud-lawsuit-4-22818.html
Kmart settles healthcare fraud lawsuit for $32.3 million
K-Mart was the victim of Wall Street, which drove the business into so much debt through successive owners, that they couldn’t survive. Read the history- one more way in which the financial sector drags down GDP.
“K-Mart was the victim of Wall Street”
K-Mart was a victim of its business model and how that model was carried out.
In a functioning free marketplace, the individual decides where to shop. K-Mart determines the price, quality, and type of access. [Willing buyer/ Willing seller]
Walmart and whatever your mind perceives to be Wall Street has little to do with K-Mart’s success or failure. That is determined by the balance sheet which is in turn determined by how the company spends its money and whether or not the company can attract customers.
“Linda” evidently believes that “Wall Street” somehow forced K Mart to stack up a crushing, unmanageable debtload.
A failing business can’t “expand it’s way” out of its downward slide, nor can it borrow its way out indefinately.
It’s like the auto dealer who ” loses money on every sale, but makes up for it by volume”.Now ic Lind has proprietary, inside knowledge of a Wall Street plot to force massive debt upon K Mart, I’m sure that she’ll tell us her reasoning” and her “knowledge” 😄😂of the K Mart decline.
https://twitter.com/votevets/status/961034722775203840
Oh, I am sooo impressed that you found a Democratic/Never Trumper general who confirms your bias! You must have had to look for that for hours, and maybe even weeks, right!
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
(PS: Congrats on surviving the cannibalistic massacre of Democrats on the Incest thread! You were the only one who made it out alive!)
LOL
Hell No!
We should not celebrate and honor Satanism!
Those who find themselves compelled to support every move our fearless leader takes must find themselves between a rock and a hard place when presented with such a stupid and costly idea? With one exception so far, they seem to be taking the path of simply ignoring that he said it, like many of his Tweets, going on as if it didn’t really happen.
In my view I concur with you. This is the type activity occurs in totalitarian dictatorships. Such a parade would be a complete and total waste of taxpayer’s money and I cannot see what the benefit would be to ordinary US citizens
The Science Geek
http://www.thesciencegeek.org
Not at this time. I understand the President’s wishes. But historically we have rejected the “Regime Theme” appearance. America has a mighty military, that is well respected and dedicated to the Nation. No need to brag.
Should there be another “Victory” day, I would support such a parade, to honor our service men and women.
John Austin.
But honestly, if the parade were to happen I would attend.
Of course not.
As long as the 1% pay for it. Use their tax cuts to praise the dear leader.
Da cost of da dictator dear leader parade will be on da back of da middle class. Da tanks will wreck da pavement and Mrs. T rump will take off again adding more cost.
Not no but hell NO!
Agreed.
What so the counter protestors get there asses kicked by supporters during a clash or skirmish?
Then the government gets an opportunity to surveil, ID and track anyone they like with perpetuity.
Ugly. Just like the defense budget itself.
Agreed.
Heck yes! It would be a lot more interesting than watching a bunch of butch shrews in pink hats stomping through the city. Plus, the military wouldn’t make a big mess, and leave a bunch of litter everywhere. Vendors could sell T-shirts, and military toys and stuff. You could even have marching bands!
Like this from one of my favorite youtube videos!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=poJBWQET4Hc
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
In answer to your question: Only if Trump leads the parade wearing no clothes.
The emperor has no clothes.
So Trump should lead the parade rather than stand on the sidelines pretending everyone is there just for him.
Lordy, makes the idea of standing in the street blocking the parade more like a horror movie.
Cadet Trump can’t lead the parade. He has bone spurs in his feet.
It is an ego trip that frankly we can not afford. Money is better spent elsewhere.
Absolutely. Our strength begins with our morality not our braggadocio.
Nyet.