Setting aside my Trump hate for a moment: this is a good thing. “Department of Defense” was always a euphemism. “Defense spending” my ass. Let’s call it what it is and then see if Americans feel as good about spending so much on a “Department of War” versus “Defense.”
Thinking like that its a good thing right up until the voters are actually stoked about a department of war.
Guarantee it wont be long until youre seeing red hats going off about how cool it is they finally have a department of war as if its a whole new thing.
“Remember how much ass we kicked with only a defense department? Look out world! MIGHTY TRUMP finally made a department of war too!”
I’m sure you’re right about a certain segment of people. I don’t think the euphemistic name is holding those people back from loving the military though.
I do think it’s hard for Congress to sell the general public on “cuts to our defense” though, and cuts to the “Department of war” will be an easier sell.
I mean that after WWII, the public sentiment was “We’re done with war. Whew!” That’s exactly why officially declaring war and using the war powers workaround was used in ever example you gave.
It was the Department of War for 150 years before 1947 when Truman changed the name.
Setting aside my Trump hate for a moment: this is a good thing. “Department of Defense” was always a euphemism. “Defense spending” my ass. Let’s call it what it is and then see if Americans feel as good about spending so much on a “Department of War” versus “Defense.”
This isn’t a good thing because it’s not an effort to be more honest, it’s a signal of future intent.
How does this future intent differ from current reality?
The future intent is a bad thing. Signaling it clearly instead of euphemistically is arguably a good thing.
Thinking like that its a good thing right up until the voters are actually stoked about a department of war.
Guarantee it wont be long until youre seeing red hats going off about how cool it is they finally have a department of war as if its a whole new thing.
“Remember how much ass we kicked with only a defense department? Look out world! MIGHTY TRUMP finally made a department of war too!”
I’m sure you’re right about a certain segment of people. I don’t think the euphemistic name is holding those people back from loving the military though.
I do think it’s hard for Congress to sell the general public on “cuts to our defense” though, and cuts to the “Department of war” will be an easier sell.
Do not underestimate this country’s propensity to proudly engage in jingoism. Just look at our history to see how that went.
There’s a reason why after WWII the Department of War was renamed Department of Defense.
We weren’t at war. We’re not currently at war, either. Chester’s gotta ask Congress to rubber-stamp a war first.
That’s some very antiquated and naive logic. NONE of these conflicts involved a formal declaration of war:
Korean War
Vietnam War
Persian Gulf
Afghanistan
Iraq War
So you’re going to tell me we weren’t at war for any of those? Bullshit. There’s been plenty of work for a Department of War in the US since WW2.
I mean that after WWII, the public sentiment was “We’re done with war. Whew!” That’s exactly why officially declaring war and using the war powers workaround was used in ever example you gave.
It was the Department of War for 150 years before 1947 when Truman changed the name.
lol ok.
Officially, as declared by Congress.