Quote Originally Posted by rory_20_uk View Post
A permanent Navy is embedded in the Constitution, not Army or Airforce. The individual State's National Guard is probably OK.

Interesting that the bits that they directly benefit from are just part of the job and so are ok whereas the same for others is clearly going OTT.

VA healthcare is probably not first rate. But given how the average American would be financially crippled for pretty much any hospital care they are in this regard fortunate.

It has to do with it being "earned" or not. To them, if you serve in the military then you deserve to get the free healthcare and college after you complete service. Which is partly why I think a national civil service program (like a new Civilian Conservation Corps or a larger AmeriCorps program) might be a good segue to make the idea of universal healthcare or free college more palatable to parts of the population that previously arent so into the idea. You shouldn't have to risk your life to afford college and get healthcare. But I think it could be a great idea, especially with an infrastructure program to go along with it. Like a program where 18 year olds spend a year after graduating college to help rebuild crumbling roads and bridges or clear underbrush from forests to reduce forest fire intensity. And then after their year of service they get free state college tuition. Something like that.