Yes, the military healthcare is free, but in my experience its pretty terrible...
I thought i had a knee sprain that ended up being a torn meniscus.
I was 5 minutes late to my appointment due to a delay getting past the gate at the base. The military doctor then proceeded to make me stand at attention while he chewed me out for being late.
Then told me that the reason my knee hurt is because i needed to strengthen my leg muscles. And told me to stretch more and be on my way...
I'm paying for the best military insurance package but because I'm in a podium town in Utah they recommend I demote my insurance to get better access to a doctor who can give me the medicine I need. And my situation is even as bad as others.
So why not have the people who went to college for free just make your insulin for free. Not like they have debt to pay back. All free college grads should contribute their work to those who paid for it... you know, socialistically. Free college but 70% your income pays for the next social program. Ooooh, I like that idea. Kinda like the vote for wars you will personally fight in.
Taxes aren’t really so apt here I think. It’s philosophical. Taxes pay for the administration of government, and for programs provided by the government for social good. They aren’t strictly speaking a necessity provided that one provides for the social good. This is actually reflected in current tax laws- we allow deductions of tax burdens for actions seen to benefit society- investing in commerce, buying a home, raising a family, donating to charity. These things lessen tax burden because the individual has performed acts in the benefit of society that are decided equivalent to a certain mitigation of tax burden.
But philosophically in how one structured an economy- a Corporatocracy wouldn’t need taxes as operating income would be made through profit, and a strict corporatocracy would have workers supplied their needs and social services administered by corporations on a merit and profit based system.
Likewise a strict socialist collective or even communism wouldn’t by default need taxes. But the idea that by paying taxes one has obfuscated any and all debts to society is a dystopian capitalism- where legal and social or other obligations can be substituted for money. In our current system- people don’t pay enough taxes to cover the cost burdens of things like free education within our national budget.
And quite ironically- people who make more money often pay less taxes- with upper limit caps on income effectively making money earned above a certain threshold as “free” and with tax codes designed such that those with the most money have the most access to ways to reduce their tax burdens- and many options to reduce tax burdens not available to those who do not earn in the top percentiles.
So there isn’t a “guarantee” that a person graduating from a university on a tax funded scholarship would ever pay back their debt while also paying the other social burdens taxes represent.
In simple terms- look at social security. A relatively fool proof and simple (in concept) social welfare system which had been pushed to a breaking point- and even at full health is inadequate as a system of support for those who need it most.
The idea that those getting “free school” should have to perform some level of service to the community with those skills is in my opinion- a wise one. We offer “free school” to those serving their country through armed forces contracts- and people say “well you shouldn’t have to: risk death/kill people/fight other people’s wars to get an education!” Ok. What should you do? At what point does the individual who benefits MOST from the thing- have some obligation to do SOMETHING other than show up, to get a benefit?
It’s civics minded. And that I think is where we should go as a country. Rebuild communities and a sense of purpose beyond just getting whatever you can out of life while you’re here. That attitude is destroying our planet. We want and we take, we feel entitled to take. So why not? Why shouldn’t we give “free school” to anyone who wants it- but expect them to put the next kid through “free school” or to use the skills they got from the public trust to serve the public trust and not just take vacations and buy big TV’s and go to music concerts and buy shit they don’t need on Amazon?
JFK once said to ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country. Hate the government, hate the administration- but your country is your home, it’s your neighbors and friends and family- it’s people. So maybe as old as that speech is and as seemingly forgotten as it is- in 2020 more people- including those in power- need to ask not what their country can do for them- but focus on how they can give back to others.
The C-130 Hercules is a transport and heavy airlift craft. The AC-130 variant IS a “gunship” often configured for ground support. The plane pictured is an AC-130 variant- you can make out the sensor pods on the port side of the plane (usually night vision radar), and can BARELY make out (it’s a low res photo) the guns on the flanks of the craft. The flares are used defensively in nature (generally) and technically speaking the AC-130 isn’t a “Hercules” as variants include the “Specter” “Spooky II” “Commando Solo II” etc- but then again... we can say it is still a “Hercules variant” and we start splitting hairs. Likely they just called it a “Hercules” because it works for the marketing play on the popularized chant and involves the concept of “strength,”
And also because the general public or even the “military fan” like kids playing COD...
Aren’t overly concerned or aware of DOD designations by sub type. People often have SOME idea of certain weapons groups- the public knows a whole family of small arms as “AR’s” even when some aren’t designated “AR-x” etc- that’s what they recognize as an AR. F-18, F-15, blah blah. Many folks can’t tell an F22 from an F35 and good luck with a poll on the F35 variants even if many are plain as day.
Doesn't your military offer free healthcare, best of both worlds?
I thought i had a knee sprain that ended up being a torn meniscus.
I was 5 minutes late to my appointment due to a delay getting past the gate at the base. The military doctor then proceeded to make me stand at attention while he chewed me out for being late.
Then told me that the reason my knee hurt is because i needed to strengthen my leg muscles. And told me to stretch more and be on my way...
And also because the general public or even the “military fan” like kids playing COD...