Official 2020 US Presidential Election Thread

[Cyran]

NightlyPoe said:

I'm just amused Kanye's decided his party will be called the Birthday Party.

Ka-pi96 said:

Isn't that a good thing?

Maybe it's just because I'm not American, but personally I wouldn't want anybody with a military mindset leading the country.

The majority of United States presidents have had a military background of one type or another.  Matter of fact, from 1945-1993 every president served in World War II in one capacity or another.  They almost made it to the 21st century as Bob Dole, the final WWII candidate, lost in 1996.

It's been a recent shift that military service has become such a low priority among the electorate.  In the 1990s, Bill Clinton had to face questions about his lack of military service in the Vietnam era.  As recently as the 2000s, 4 of the 5 people nominated for president by the major parties served in the military (Obama being the lone exception).

It's actually served the nation pretty well I think.  If you've been in the military, you've presumably learned discipline and leadership.  If you've been a commander, you have real-life experience making consequential life-and-death decisions.

I don't disagree with anything in your post.  I just want to offer a explanation for the shift in thinking.  For most of our history almost everyone knew someone that have serve in the military but after 1973 when our military became volunteer that started to shift and human nature is when you not expose at a personal level to all the great people in the military, unfortunately people start conflicting Military policy (which made by politicians) to the people who actually serving.

I am a civilian and never served my self but I been lucky enough in my job to work along side many people who have served and I completely believe we would have been in less not more conflicts over the last couple decades if people who have experience military conflicts first hand was in charge.  Let not forgot it was the only general who ever been president Eisenhower that warned against the military industrial complex.