# Wall Street Journal Op-Ed from their Editorial Board: Defense Is Now a Republican Target **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [January 9, 2023, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wall-street-journal-op-ed-from-their-editorial-board-defense-is-now-a-republican-target/977923 "2023-01-09T14:19:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2023, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wall-street-journal-op-ed-from-their-editorial-board-defense-is-now-a-republican-target/977923/41 "2023-01-09T20:37:51Z")
> [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > There is no shorter route to political expatriation than going after the defense industry. Social security. The “third rail” os American politics. But yeah, the Defense industry is a very poor choice of targets for a politician. > [@bump](#): > > If they were serious about reducing Federal spending, they’d figure out how to knock back some of the mandated spending (i.e. Medicare, Social Security, tax credits, Medicaid, etc…) as it consumes something like 70% of the entire Federal budget. Except Medicare, Social Security etc have their own taxes and pay for themselves. ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2023, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wall-street-journal-op-ed-from-their-editorial-board-defense-is-now-a-republican-target/977923/42 "2023-01-09T20:39:22Z")
> [@Babale](#): > > Those gains could be distributed differently, in ways that would ensure we can fund things like healthcare or retirement benefits. Agreed, but good luck getting all but a very small number of politicians to agree to raising federal corporate tax and eliminating loopholes. Biden proposed raising the tax last year from 21% to 28% and that went over like an audible fart at a Victorian tea lunch. Really, the larger need for immigration is a ‘touch labor’ base to take care of all of those old people in ways that automation is not really equipped to do. Immigrants have been filling in the role of child and elder care (including, in many ways, uncertified home health aids and other quasi-health care roles) and although politicians prefer to ignore this reality it really has been the only way that the economics of the elder care industry can function for middle and lower income people who do not have substantial retirement savings. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2023, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wall-street-journal-op-ed-from-their-editorial-board-defense-is-now-a-republican-target/977923/43 "2023-01-09T21:58:53Z")
Not to pick nits, but I prefer to define baby boomer generation ended with anyone old enough to have been drafted for Viet Nam. Say born around 1955. Those of us born after the draft also were kids during the epochal 60’s. We went to high school in the late 70’s and had disco. Culturally, little in common with the post WW2 and Viet Nam draft generation. IMHO ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2023, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wall-street-journal-op-ed-from-their-editorial-board-defense-is-now-a-republican-target/977923/44 "2023-01-09T22:00:52Z")
FWIW the accepted generations seem to be: - The Greatest Generation (GI Generation): Born 1901–1924. - The Silent Generation: Born 1928–1945. - Baby Boom Generation: Born 1946–1964. - Generation X: Born 1965–1980. - Millennial Generation or Generation Y: Born 1981–1996. - Generation Z or iGen: Born 1997–2010. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2023, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wall-street-journal-op-ed-from-their-editorial-board-defense-is-now-a-republican-target/977923/45 "2023-01-09T22:05:37Z")
> [@China\_Guy](#): > > Culturally, little in common with the post WW2 and Viet Nam draft generation. Culturally, yes, late Baby Boomers are somewhat different from the earlier part of that cohort (and are sometimes referred to as “Generation Jones,” a term that I’d not been familiar with until I learned it here on the SDMB). But, for purposes of this discussion, the typical 1946-64 definition does fit with the substantially higher birth rates (and, thus, larger number of current and soon-to-be retirees on Social Security). ---
**Author:** ![Thing.Fish](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thing.fish/32/9168_2.png) [@Thing.Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing.Fish)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2023, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wall-street-journal-op-ed-from-their-editorial-board-defense-is-now-a-republican-target/977923/46 "2023-01-09T22:10:03Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > Culturally, yes, late Baby Boomers are somewhat different from the earlier part of that cohort (and are sometimes referred to as “Generation Jones,” a term that I’d not been familiar with until I learned it here on the SDMB). I’m not familiar with that one either. It appears something is happening here, but I don’t know what it is. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2023, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wall-street-journal-op-ed-from-their-editorial-board-defense-is-now-a-republican-target/977923/47 "2023-01-09T22:13:23Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > The GOP has been dumping on veterans for years and they still keep voting for them. Not this veteran. After years of having pay raises cut by both parties, I had to go with the party that shares my beliefs. Starting with Reagan in 1983, military raises languished, dropping lower and lower, really hitting rock bottom [under Obama](https://www.navycs.com/charts/). This coming year is supposed to be 4.6% (largest in 20 years), but I’ll believe it when I see it. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2023, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wall-street-journal-op-ed-from-their-editorial-board-defense-is-now-a-republican-target/977923/48 "2023-01-09T22:14:53Z")
I mean, any definition of “generations” is ultimately going to be handwavy, and fuzzy around the edges. The first time I (born 1977) ever heard of the term “millennial” for a generation was in an email from my sister (born 1974), proclaiming that that was what we were. Of course, nowadays, that same sister constantly complains about what “those millennials” are doing. ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2023, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wall-street-journal-op-ed-from-their-editorial-board-defense-is-now-a-republican-target/977923/49 "2023-01-09T22:15:47Z")
> [@Thing.Fish](#): > > It appears something is happening here, but I don’t know what it is. So close… ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2023, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wall-street-journal-op-ed-from-their-editorial-board-defense-is-now-a-republican-target/977923/50 "2023-01-09T22:18:02Z")
Well, this recently happened: > **[Anger as Republicans block bill to help military veterans exposed to toxins](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/jul/28/republicans-bill-healthcare-military-veterans-jon-stewart)** > > Jon Stewart, who has lobbied for bipartisan bill to expand healthcare for veterans, condemns ‘stab-vets-in-the-back senators’ ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.winston_oboogie/32/2945_2.png) [@Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Winston_OBoogie)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2023, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wall-street-journal-op-ed-from-their-editorial-board-defense-is-now-a-republican-target/977923/51 "2023-01-09T22:19:17Z")
> [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > the _Soylent Green_ solution? I’ve got a Modest Proposal for that… > [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > > [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > > > The problem with waiting for “Boomers” to die off is two-fold… > > Well, the alternative is to start killing them off, and I don’t think anyone is seriously proposing that. too tough and stringy. Infants are much more tender. OK, I’ll stop with the cannibalism jokes. Not exactly in good taste anyway (oops - sorry 'bout that. Really was unintentional as I started writing it. ) > [@Babale](#): > > For example, eliminating our for-profit system of medical insurance in favor of a single payer system would save us billions I don’t have a proposal (modest or otherwise) for that. I understand and agree with what you’re saying - OVERALL, it would save our society money. However, it would mean less payments by businesses (do you really think all the big-money interests are going to allow a payroll tax?); more by…? Someone’s got to set up that single payer (takes time and money); someone has to run that single payer. If the Federal Government does that, they’ll have to raise taxes, and as soon as you say “raise taxes”, you lose 2/3 of the population. See GHWBush. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2023, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wall-street-journal-op-ed-from-their-editorial-board-defense-is-now-a-republican-target/977923/52 "2023-01-09T22:19:35Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > I mean, any definition of “generations” is ultimately going to be handwavy, and fuzzy around the edges. The first time I (born 1977) ever heard of the term “millennial” for a generation was in an email from my sister (born 1974), proclaiming that that was what we were. By the usual definitions, since I was born in 1966, I’m early in the GenX crowd but my brother, born in 1964, would be a boomer. That doesn’t seem right to me. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2023, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wall-street-journal-op-ed-from-their-editorial-board-defense-is-now-a-republican-target/977923/53 "2023-01-09T22:21:35Z")
> [@Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](#): > > If the Federal Government does that, they’ll have to raise taxes, and as soon as you say “raise taxes”, you lose 2/3 of the population. See GHWBush. Just because propaganda makes it easy to convince uneducated people that they’re better off paying $10 to a company instead of $5 to the government doesn’t make it true, and shouldn’t mean we govern our country that way ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Mouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mighty_mouse/32/7776_2.png) [@Mighty\_Mouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Mouse)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2023, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wall-street-journal-op-ed-from-their-editorial-board-defense-is-now-a-republican-target/977923/54 "2023-01-09T22:21:52Z")
There has to be a cutoff somewhere. If I have a farm on the equator, do hemispheres not make sense because my cows are grazing in the northern hemisphere while they are milked in the southern hemisphere. ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2023, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wall-street-journal-op-ed-from-their-editorial-board-defense-is-now-a-republican-target/977923/55 "2023-01-09T22:22:38Z")
> [@China\_Guy](#): > > to pick nits, but I prefer to define baby boomer generation ended with anyone old enough to have been drafted for Viet Nam. Say born around 1955. > > Those of us born after the draft also were kids during the epochal 60’s. We went to high school in the late 70’s and had disco. Culturally, little in common with the post WW2 and Viet Nam draft generation. You may define it that way based upon cultural identity but from a demographic standpoint the 1945 or 1946 to 1964 is definitely a specific cohort not seen before the Great Depression, and occurring during the most broadly prosperous time in US economic history: [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:US\_Birth\_Rates.svg#/media/File:US\_Birth\_Rates.svg](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:US_Birth_Rates.svg#/media/File:US_Birth_Rates.svg) Stranger ---
**Author:** ![Borborygmi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/borborygmi/32/217_2.png) [@Borborygmi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Borborygmi)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2023, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wall-street-journal-op-ed-from-their-editorial-board-defense-is-now-a-republican-target/977923/56 "2023-01-10T02:26:33Z")
> [@Mighty\_Mouse](#): > > If I have a farm on the equator, do hemispheres not make sense because my cows are grazing in the northern hemisphere while they are milked in the southern hemisphere. In this particular case I would find hemispheres to be udderly confusing. ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2023, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wall-street-journal-op-ed-from-their-editorial-board-defense-is-now-a-republican-target/977923/57 "2023-01-12T23:40:38Z")
> [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > You may define it that way based upon cultural identity but from a demographic standpoint the 1945 or 1946 to 1964 is definitely a specific cohort not seen before the Great Depression, and occurring during the most broadly prosperous time in US economic history: > > [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:US\_Birth\_Rates.svg#/media/File:US\_Birth\_Rates.svg](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:US_Birth_Rates.svg#/media/File:US_Birth_Rates.svg) I’m not trying to change the definition, but am pointing out the cultural differences that are really huge. May not seem that way to a Zoomer but there ya go ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2023, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wall-street-journal-op-ed-from-their-editorial-board-defense-is-now-a-republican-target/977923/58 "2023-01-12T23:42:33Z")
> [@China\_Guy](#): > > I’m not trying to change the definition, but am pointing out the cultural differences that are really huge. Again, not denying this, but cultural differences between older and younger Boomers aren’t particularly relevant in **this** conversation, which is about the sheer size of the Baby Boom cohort, and its impact on government spending for Social Security and Medicare. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/wall-street-journal-op-ed-from-their-editorial-board-defense-is-now-a-republican-target/977923.md?page=2)