How heavily does military vote Republican?

[lolly]

Earlier today, I heard someone claim over and over again that, since 85% of the active military voted for AWOL, we should listen to our troops and support him too.

IIRC, there never was a published summary of how the military voted. Is that correct?

Any idea where this "85%" number comes from? Is that from 00 or 04? Or is is wrong for both?

Any answers?

[lonestarnot]

1. I know when I was in brass did their damnedest to convince enlisted

pukes that repukes was the party for them. Use to make me sick!

[Autumn Colors]

2. Ugh....

I have a young friend from another political forum who is going into the Navy shortly. I am so afraid that the pukes will get to him and brainwash him into becoming an automaton. This doesn't comfort me at all...

[lonestarnot]

9. Keep talking to this person... constant contact! Letters every day w/o

fail! Because believe me, they will be after him/her.

[Autumn Colors]

30. I gave him my postal address

but I won't have one for him unless he sends it to me from Basic. Hopefully, he'll be back online after the 8 weeks of Basic. After that, it's 2 years of schooling in South Carolina (he's going nukes ... oh, goodie, submarines - </sarcasm>) - so even if he gets to read local papers, it'll still be slanted red.

I'm hopeful that they won't get to him with all the hatred of one target group of "the enemy" just because he's very sensitive about prejudice/racism since he's been a victim of it in the past (he's Mexican-American).

I do plan to stay in touch as often as possible.

PS: I'm thankful that his actual "active duty" role won't start until Bush's term is almost over.

[unrepuke]

19. Same here, but I hated them so much I voted Dem just to be

opposite.

[buddysmellgood]

3. I don't have the source, but I believe I heard on Franken that the rank

file vote pretty much like the general public. The officers are more repuklican.

[napi21]

4. Most of the officers do, although I'm not sure why. The enlisted

is another story. I'm sure the officers try to convince their guys to vote Pub, but many don't. There are problems with votes that are cast by people aboard ships since their votes aren't really secret. Those guy might vote as they're told just to stay out of trouble with the commanders.

[PatriotGames]

6. My thoughts exactly. Kind of like in law enforcement. I've heard that

they strongly recommend voting Republican.

[bliss_eternal]

29. I was going to pose this question--about law enforcement...

I know the ones here in CA, must be kicking themselves. Most of them helped get Shwarzenneger in office and now he's screwed them all w/no lube.

Hahahahahahaha!

I feel badly for the Firefighters, Nurses, Teachers and law enforcement,too--but if they voted for him--they can suck on it!

[CarbonDate]

5. Statistically speaking....

The officer corps is about 89% Republican. The enlisted corps is about 33% Republican, 33% Democrat, and 34% independent/apolitical, with the third category growing.

I think that statistic kind of speaks for itself. The 85% for Bush number is from 2000; we haven't had any reliable numbers for 2004.

[lvx35]

20. Damn, must be dangerous to be a dem in the armed forces.

All of the commanding officers are repukes? Guess who gets sent into dangerous spots....

[Swamp Rat]

26. But as things go bad, who's more likely to get fragged?

Repuke officers.

[Mick Knox]

7. anyone have any sources for these numbers?

I'd like to see them...

[PatriotGames]

10. I've never heard of exit polls for the military. Who would have this data?

[FreedomAngel82]

8. Tell them to show the proof

I haven't seen any proof that the military voted for George. If George did get the military vote he'd be screaming it from the roof tops but he has yet to do so. Especially since he's a "war president." I googled military votes last December/ late November or so and only found three results. Two out of three voted for JOHN KERRY. My grandfather was a navy veteran and voted for Kerry.

[lolly]

11. OK

Any idea where the "85" number came from? Did some wingnut radio host pull it out of a hat?

Any idea where I might be able to find some actual numbers, or was this all kept under wraps? That's what I thought the situation was. I think it was Bartcop (?) who suggested that the reason the actual numbers were never released in 04 was that they looked pretty bad for Simian Sociopath.


on edit--

OK, somebody above answered some of my questions. I'd still like to be able to point to something reliable to refute the 85% claim.

I'll keep looking--anybody find anything, a big internet hug and kiss if you post it here!

[FreedomAngel82]

16. Just do what I did

I went to yahoo and typed in military votes and just searched until I found something. I only found three results and two out of three voted for John Kerry.

[FreedomAngel82]

12. I also wanted to add

that earlier last night I was watching again Moore's F911 film and he was at Walter Reed and was interviewing a guy who was there and he said he used to be a republican but now that everything has happened when he got back to his home he was going to work as hard as he can and get involved in helping the democrats.

[Name removed]

13. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Raster]

14. you know, until 2004 that was the story constantly repeated,

however, we have not had any verifiable information. The pentagon seemed to clamp down on the results. Many were anxious to see what the military vote was in 2004. There was a prevailing feeling that bushco* wouldn't be pulling in the military tallies like they supposedly did. google it...try to find out. It's almost like the military vote just fell off into a big black hole.

Several other things. In 2004 the pentagon supposedly developed this secure, electronic voting infrastructure. Haven't hear too much about that either. Also shortly before 2004, the state department made a stink about the pentagon trying to take over the responsibility of elections for Americans out of the country. We didn't hear much about that either.

[Name removed]

15. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Pirate Smile]

23. Bummer. Welcome navyboyatc!

:hi:

There are a ton of vets on DU.

There have been some enormous threads with all of them posting their info. Does anyone have that Memorial Day thread?

Here it is http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=3734985

There are 938 responses. Dial up warning!

[me b zola]

24. Which nation's navy is this?

Doesn't sound like the US Navy. :rofl:




Edited because I forgot my manners.


Welcome to Du, navyboyatc :hi:

We do have wonderful veterans, military families, and active duty military that are a part of this community. Welcome aboard. :patriot:

[w8liftinglady]

17. My dad, a lifer,voted republican all his life..until=

Bush...he has absolutely no use for him,and thinks he is destroying the country.My dad voted for Gore and Kerry.Miracles do still happen:)

[me b zola]

18. They still haven't released the numbers from 2004

You can bet your bottom dollar that if the vote went for shrub we would have all heard.

I don't know the actual numbers, but my gut tells me it is a perception thing. Just like the repukes put out the perception that over-whelminly repugs are anti-choice, the reality is that they are somewhere close to 50% pro-choice. They do this with the "religion" issue as well. People buy into it, even our Democratic "leaders".

Although I would agree, that, on average officers tend to vote more toward repub, and enlisted are fairly evenly split, I believe the 2004 general election military vote went overwhelmingly for Kerry.

These are just my thoughts. :hi:

[proud patriot]

22. bingo

:hi:

[ThoughtCriminal]

21. No figures for 2004

Which is a bit strange - and makes one wonder. There was a pre-election poll by Army Times in which Bush out polled Kerry 73% to 18%, but the poll was EXTREMELY biased by the fact that it was over-represented by officers and further the poll responses were self selected. It was probably no more valid than a FOX online poll.

[LetsGoMurphys]

25. I have several friends

who served. They are all no doubt from homes that vote democrat. With the exception of a few they all became brainwashed to vote repug. My one friend who is a marine said that their DI in boot camp said that the president is their boss so they should vote for him. Clearly twisted logic. On the other extreme my one friend wore a "Dont blame me i voted for Nader" shirt around base all the time. I'm sure he got some flack for that.

[barb162]

27. From my conversations, I think they tend to vote heavy GOP

Something with shrub being commander in chief, therefore you vote for him. Makes little or no sense, but there it is

[TheDebbieDee]

28. I was active duty Army from Dec 1982 - Jul 1991......

I can't recall one time where a group of us enlisted soldiers sat around discussing politics.

We may have discussed current events and how these events would affect the liklihood of deployment, but we never brought up Reagan or Bush by name.

When I was in the reserves, I remember hearing a group of reserve officers standing around and casually discussing how disreputable they thought Clinton was (this was in 1996). I was shocked at the time but I didn't do anything or say anything about it - after all, I was just one Sergeant and they were 4 or 5 officers ranging in rank from Major - Lt. Colonel.

Besides, these officers weren't directly in command of troops - they were dentists. What were they going to do? Foment a coup by not filling enough cavaties?