Matthew Yglesias » Countercyclical

Nov 29th, 2008 at 5:18 pm

Countercyclical

One silver lining in the dark clouds of the economy is that it looks set to alleviate the military’s recruiting woes as declining labor market prospects in the civilian economy leave more people looking kindly on joining up. As the story notes, the decreasing casualty levels in Iraq and the prospect of a new, popular, non-horrible commander in chief also seem to be playing a role.

Comments
30

30 Responses to “Countercyclical”

joyncassie Says:
November 29th, 2008 at 6:12 pm
And a great new GI Bill.
Fu Says:
November 29th, 2008 at 6:21 pm
dbags like Yglesias are one reason the US should have mandatory military service
Capn America Says:
November 29th, 2008 at 7:41 pm
Go back to China, Fu.
Campesino Says:
November 29th, 2008 at 8:02 pm
The active-duty Army, which like other branches has increased benefits and added recruiters, said last month that it had recruited more than 80,000 soldiers during the past fiscal year, the third year in a row it has met its recruiting goals.
=============================================================

What recruiting woes?
Don Williams Says:
November 29th, 2008 at 8:20 pm
RE Matthews comment “the prospect of a new, popular, non-horrible commander in chief also seem to be playing a role.”
————–
1) Matthew forgot to mention the peace-loving pacifist that the non-horrible President has chosen to be Secretary of State:

“I want the Iranians to know that if I’m the president, we will attack Iran,” Clinton said. “In the next 10 years, during which they might foolishly consider launching an attack on Israel, we would be able to totally obliterate them.”

Ref: http://abcnews.go.com/WN/Vote2008/story?id=4698059&page=1

2) Anyone remember the interview Haim Saban gave to Haaretz?

[Haaretz] Will she [President Hillary Clinton] be good for Israel?
[Haim Saban] I think so.

Tehran by Valentine’s Day.
kforceone Says:
November 29th, 2008 at 9:09 pm
Igloo, come on man, seriously? Silver lining? The article and you may both be right, but simply stating as such wreaks of elite Romneyism.

Again, I see your point and you’re right, but no need to parrot this PoV.

Scene: Cocktail Party (choose location DC/NY/LA/SF/TX et al)

IBanker: Hey I saw on the news the unemployment rate is up to 10%

CEO: Yeah, we had to “furlough” 30,000 just last quarter

Rich Wife: Well the good thing is this bad economy has driven military recruitment up tenfold. Maybe you can give your furloughed employees a pamphlet, I’m sure the military could reduce their downtime between jobs.

I-Banker: (Laughs). Great one Karen! Seriuosly those numbers have been low for a while, do you remember all that draft chatter back in 2004?

CEO: Yeah, kinda scary. But I knew once our boy won, it wouldn’t be a problem, I saw him when I was in DC and with all the money I raised for him he assured me it wouldn’t be a problem. And it wasn’t, Megan’s in her second year at Yale and Matt will be freshman at Harvard this fall.

Rich Wife: And we’ve still got two wars on…how great!

All: (Pregnant pause….laugh in unison)

IBanker: Speaking of Harvard my oldest Ross has been waitlisted, all of sudden they’ve got a heart and are increasingly looking to “help out” equally qualified low income students.

CEO: Yeah, but they still need to come up with some money right?

Ibanker: I think so….

CEO: Well with college loans drying up, those low income students won’t be a problem. Expect an acceptance letter for Ross anyday.

Rich Wife: Well, there goes that problem…thanks bad economy…maybe all those low income students can enlist instead! Besides, like ole Babs said during Katrina, they’ll probably get better accomodations then they have at home.

All: (Pregnant pause….laugh in unison)

IBanker: This recession couldn’t have come at a better time. The indigent, poor and self-marginalized are actually starting to BELIEVE they can do better. This Barack character has gone to far.

CEO: I agree. Limited competition is a good thing, I don’t want everyone thinking they can run a company….

IBanker: …into the ground? No only you can do that Dick.

CEO: (laughs) Hey Mr. CDS, don’t throw stones.

RichWife: Oh boys cut it out. Seriously though is there a better way to limit competition than pushing the military? I mean look, those Romney boys they’ll be running corporations, summering in France and sloping it up in no time, they couldn’t have done any of that had they enlisted or went to the academies.

IBanker: I don’t know ole McCain’s boys are in combat, and I’m sure they’ll be okay.

Rich Wife: Hey, you always get a few richies who stray from the beaten path, believing in all that (make cliche quote marks with fingers here) serve your country mumbo jumbo. Plus, there Dad’s a fighter, and he’s never been like us, so I wouldn’t suspect his kids would be soft, spoiled or weak either.

IBanker: HEY, speak for yourself, my kids are none of those things.

RichWife: Really? The McCain’s are actually wealthy, we’re just rich. There was a fight and there kids ran towards it ours from. What’s more we’re doing everything to keep them from the fight, but in control of everything else. How’s that for balance? On the whole Tad, I’d say all of our kids are kinda soft, not that there’s anything wrong with that.

CEO: She’s got a point Tad. Hey, in the end soft is not so bad, eh? Plus, just because you didn’t join the military doesn’t make you soft right honey.

RichWife: You’re right. (Gently whispers to husband) But I can vouch, you’re soft, so are our kids.

IBanker: Fine, I see your point, but let’s agree on two things. First, the term soft is relative. Second there is absolutelyy nothing wrong with pushing for other families 18 and 19 years olds to join the military in service for country while eschewing your own…remember the whole competition thing.

CEO/Rich Wife: Agreed.

CEO: (too passing waiter) Hey get me another of these (point to glass) , please.

k1

IBanker: I don’t know Karen. The McCain’s are pretty rich, those boys will be okay regardless.

Rich Wife: You may be right. But they’ve seen combat in a war, as we speak. Is that any place for Ross, Matt or Megan?

k1
24AheadDotCom Says:
November 29th, 2008 at 10:24 pm
MattY ruminates: the prospect of a new, popular, non-horrible commander in chief

That’s pretty funny. Now, use this as your starting point for learning. (The organization is not endorsed, but the idea that BHO is such a departure from Bush is ludicrous. It’s also, of course, yet another example of something MattY doesn’t understand).
Dave Bennion Says:
November 30th, 2008 at 12:37 am
Not entirely sure if the “silver lining” was genuine or snark, but I would rather we focus on unwinding our military commitments abroad and downsizing the armed forces.

I’ll put it to Matt directly: Do you think that improving military recruitment is a good thing or a bad thing?
pseudonymous in nc Says:
November 30th, 2008 at 1:01 am
Matt understands quite clearly that Wacko Kelly is spammer first, spammer second and spammer third.

Eventually, the US will have to adapt to not having the military and the prison system as Ways Of Dealing With Poor People. Sooner rather than later. That will mean less military stuff in every aspect of civic life, and that will be a good thing.
novakant Says:
November 30th, 2008 at 10:31 am
more poor people = more cannon fodder for the empire = cool!

Honestly Matt, a 19th century British upper class snob couldn’t have been more callous and pathetic than you.
Mooser Says:
November 30th, 2008 at 4:20 pm
As long as the Army isn’t being used on us here in the US, we are getting off easy.
Mooser Says:
November 30th, 2008 at 4:20 pm
Honestly Matt, a 19th century British upper class snob couldn’t have been more callous and pathetic than you.

Yes, but they didn’t have the internet.
24AheadDotCom Says:
November 30th, 2008 at 5:37 pm
Just think. In two hundred years, these archives will probably still be around somewhere, and instead of using a “19th century British upper class snob” as the example, people will be able to shorten it to “Yglesiasian”.

P.S. Hello people of the future!
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Countercyclical

30 Responses to “Countercyclical”

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