More, this apparently means that to the VFW the Iraq vet offers no guarantees that she would have any neither particular military wisdom nor experience that would guide decisions she might make on ssues near and dear to the VFW heart.

Choosing the republicans for such a sissified reason demonstrates not only a lack of current courage, but a blind-sighted gullibility to the cheap talk of a desperate republican party.

The same republican party which also includes an extra-ordinary number of citizens the age of the VFW'ers who not only did not serve, but went out of their way to avoid the military.

This has demonstrated a manipulated foolishness that is pretends gratitude for the mushroom food tossed in their direction in times oembarrasing. Although VFW would certainly not want to support an anti-war candidate perceived as a "socialist/commie" espousing lots of contraries to American political and economic traditions, to choose a did-not-serve party puppet over one of their own for shabby and inaccurate reasons displays no veteran wisdom to the rest of the country

Senator McCain typifies the waffled-thought and behavior manifested by the VFW.

The mantle of being the last great Republican veteran seems now to be Robert Dole and not John McCain who has cheapened his life with a political hypocrisy that has in no justified itself by McCains courageous performance and record while wearing the uniform. There was a time at the end of the 1990's when I was willing to put down the TV clicker and get out to work for McCain for president - regardless of party affiliation.

No longer. McCain's performance over the past two years is emarrassing. The VFW has now joined his club. What we'll see next - as we saw with George and John -  is VFW and the little president in a foto bear hug to complete the deal.

When I finally arrived at a time of interest in organizations like VFW and the American Legion I ignored the temptation to join them - primarily because I had become dismayed by their tendency to look the other way while blindly believing and supporting insincere and manipulative presidents ... er, commanders-in-chief.

There is no reason for a Veteran to support this particular CIC in his pretend uniforms and pilot jackets  can perform the one simple thing his puppeteers require - talk cheap flag talk. I like to think that the older generation - particularly the older veteran's organizations - contain thinking-person's experience, perception and common sense.

The younger veterans' more contemporary groups have demonstrated repeatedly a greater and wiser perspective of how civic duty blends with military duty.

Why is that one may ask?

Perhaps because the older American Legion and VFW veterans were not betrayed by presidents who prioritized genuine national best-interest behind party priorities and  unsound economic ideologies - ideologies which have proven themselves extremely advantageous for business and wealth at the expense of the working class.

Veterans on pensions should know better than to support robber barons.

Veterans For Peace and Viet Nam Veterans against the war are primarily populated by military veterans whose sense of civic responsibility transcends any blind and naïve trusting of a leader merely because of his supposed CIC uniform.

VFW and the American Legion have supported this current American shyster president and refused to behave - for example - as devout Catholics support the Pope. Wise veterans do not ascribe to the little president the highest moral authority and patriotic wisdom despite the fact that his election has never been satisfactorily and absolutely established.

Nevertheless, because the little man became President of the United States, VFW behaves as if there is a tooth fairy-type of spirit that visited small George in the dark quiet of his first night in the White House;

that the patriotic tooth fairy in some mystical way poured a spirit of civic wisdom into that small mind;

forcing his born-again dreams aside so the wisdom of Lincoln and the courage of Eisenhower somehow blended.

Some version of this assumptive logic lies behind the VFW decision to repudiate the Democratic candidate who has paid more than her fair share of dues;

all the while making national fools of themselves because maybe they are old and gullible - and I find that very hard to believe.

As a military veteran I continue to withhold any endorsement of the VFW and will continue my refusal to join them in any kind of society of pretend patriotism that worships lack of form without substance;

that lives in darkness and pretends gratitude for the mushroom food tossed in their direction in times of republican need.

Cross-posted to Willapa View