Cheer up! It's not all bad

[Evil_Maniac From Mars]

Oh God our transformation into American politics is complete

If respect is American, perhaps we should look to them for a positive example more often.

[Pannonian]

If respect is American, perhaps we should look to them for a positive example more often.

What IA points to is appearances. Proper respect is measured by how active and former soldiers are looked after, in particular funding and direction of funding. IA's argument to appeals to emotions, and is good for the tabloids (and unfortunately is what elections are fought on), but avoids substance altogether. It's the same kind of political discourse that has led to the domination of the suburban middle class I described above - there is a ground that is politically inviolate, and politicos on all sides try to portray their opponents as violating it, all the while avoiding examining the substance behind that accepted position (since they're just as bad).