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Everything About Trump’s Massive Military Parade Idea Is Bad
Everything. Would one of America’s top generals please tell Donald “George S. Patton” Trump to chill out?
As I discussed with Steve Hayes and the Washington Examiner’s Sarah Westwood in today’s podcast...
The Washington Post is reporting that President Trump has told the Pentagon to plan a massive military parade in the streets of Washington DC. Trump was reportedly inspired by the Bastille Day parade he saw in France, featuring military tanks, armored vehicles, gun trucks and fighter-jet flyovers. Afterward, he looked around and asked, “Hey—why don’t we do that?”
So now, apparently, we are.
But before we dump millions of tax dollars into the Trump du Triomphe Military March and Motocross Rally (“Sunday, Sunday, Sunday! Watch our monster tanks jump four nuclear-tipped missiles!”), I’d like to answer the question about why we don’t do it.
Because, Mr. President, we don’t have to. If you want to see a French fighter jet in action, you pretty much gotta wait for a parade. But if you want to see an American one? Just look up in the skies over Afghanistan, where US jets are blowing the crap out of the Taliban. No need to wait for Bastille Day to see American soldiers on the march, either. They’re mopping up ISIS in Syria and Iraq right now.
In short, everything about Trump’s massive military parade idea is bad. It’s big government, it’s wasted tax dollars, and worst of all—it’s French! Let’s hope SecDef Jim Mattis knocks some sense into Trump’s head before it’s too late.
Published in Military, Politics
Trump never needs to hold the parade to win politically against his foes in both parties on the campaign trail.
I can hear it now. In his version of a hushed more in sadness tone (he has one): “We wanted to celebrate our beautiful, beautiful, beautiful military. Our brave, beautiful veterans. Beautiful and strong. But the Democrats wouldn’t. And, neither [dramatic pause] would some Republicans. You know who they are. [Wait for boos to die down] Sad. Sad. Congressman [insert] supported our beautiful veterans …”
Are we going to ground the Blue Angels and flyovers at ballgames and mothball the Intrepid to protect ourselves from the fascist goosestepping inclinations of Trump’s voters?
I actually think many Trump voters would enjoy the spectacle and rumble of American firepower roaring overhead and take some pride in it.
Heaven forfend.
Everybody loves a parade! I gotta say, however, when first hearing this idea, I wasn’t bowled over. The first vision to appear in my mind was the May Day parade in Russia with the tanks and the missiles rolling down the street as the men and women in uniform march goosestep along. It was not an appealing concept. We are the strongest, we are the best, we don’t need to show off. But as a few folks here have suggested, a parade honoring our men and women who fought and sacrificed for all that we hold dear…perhaps corresponding with Veterans Day…well that I could get behind.
Hitler did it, so it must be bad! Get rid of highways while we are at it. ;)
Context matters. Some governments do such things as a show of force against domestic revolutionaries. Others do it in healthy promotion of national pride.
The proposal gave me pause, but it seems alright in principle. It matters how Trump spins it. As another Ricochet member pointed out yesterday, a military parade will probably serve primarily as another opportunity for Trump to needle hysterical opponents while he maintains the spotlight (the bully pulpit, strategically speaking). Exhibitions of national pride are as old and as regular as national governments. But a President should try to unite citizens in spirit, if not in policy.
Is this proposal deliberately divisive? Or is it for all Americans?
Oh lord, it is going to be hilarious to watch the Left and NeverTrump arguing against the military and its service people. You have to wonder if the Trump people sit around and brainstorm all the ways to make their opposition lose it.
Dumb. Works against our military interests, our credibility and will provide endless clips juxtaposing fascist parades with our own. It’s the kind of empty gesture dictators do to intimidate their own populations and neighbors. Want to make a military show? Deal with North Korea…..after the Olympics.
Fixed it for you.
The PowerLine guys think it is.
Nothing wrong with the idea. Let’s show these tyrannical regimes around the world we’re very proud of our military, and don’t mind flaunting our military might as they do. It would send a message that we’re not on the sidelines any more.
In fact, I’d even include a truck with a bunch of NFL kneeling protesters on it, just to show we don’t imprison or kill people for differing opinions.
(Unless of course, there’s a Democrat like Obama in office . . .)
They need to have a massive show. Then afterward cut to Oval Office with Trump and a GIANT red button that says North Korea as a target then have Trump slamimg his hand down and cut out before it hits.
Yes^
And let it be noted, that the words Military Parade connote varied thoughts, ideas and images. Whatever celebration of heroes is planned, should be sure to be a clear message of support for our sung, and unsung military.
You want to include hardware, bring out the delegations of scientists, engineers, designers, and all manner of worker who make the hardware.
Message to Pentagon: it’s the people we celebrate.
S’il vous plait, demandez votre question à M. Jean Kerry.
He can have his triumph as long as there’s a staffer repeatedly whispering “you too are mortal” in his ear.
This is what I’m saying. Two words military parade mean different things to different people.
The success of this thing is going to be presenting it in a way that captures and expands our admiration for our military.
And it needs to be local, even if there is one central formal location like Washington DC. The last thing we need is to emphasize DC.
So in that this leak about a military parade informs the planners to celebrate the PEOPLE who are the military: Yaay for the trolling leak.
This is so Trump.
My guess is that the military guys themselves will rein him in a bit, and make it —if it happens at all—touching and really cool at the same time. More Americans should get the chance to see the Marine Corps Drill teams that otherwise are confined to 8th and I Barracks. And the Blue Angels—why not? And they can showcase all the humanitarian missions that My-Son-The-Marine participated in.
Or…it won’t take place and everyone will have gotten their knickers in a twist over nothing.
By the way: I don’t remember military vehicles, but my kids got to ride in their Dad’s state police cruiser and throw candy out the window at the Fourth of July Parade in Thomaston, Maine (Midcoast’s best!). And there were usually fire trucks and, after the military started unloading surplus tankettes onto the nations police departments, even some painted-for-D.A.R.E. humvees.
How is this?
My first thought was sitting on the curb on a hot 4th of July while my dad tried to set up a chair for my (probably) pregnant mother as we watched local military and vets, school marching bands, ROTC color guards, and colorful floats go by. Then we’d watch the fireworks. Why don’t we do that anymore?
I like parades. I don’t know about a full-scale military parade, but why don’t we do parades anymore? Because a bunch of cold-war witnesses got their knickers in a bunch cuz Russia does it, too.
I’d also be up for an old-fashioned Pollyanna-esque 4th of July festival to go with the parade.
Maybe y’all need to loosen up a bit. I have fond memories of parades.
No we dont do it because it shows love of country which a definite No-No with the Democrat side of the country.
See how you left out the modifier military.
It conjures up a different picture.
Town parades are built around the community. And although they are parades, they are not exclusively featuring the military.
I think you are right…Let’s have a parade!!
How about a giant fireworks show and for a finale set off a nuke?
I did hear they might be giving the Norks a spot in the opening pageant. To be frank, I have seen footage of the North Korean’s grand performances, and they are impressive feats of coordination and choreography. Then again totalitarian regimes always put on a good show. That is kind of their thing.
In North Korea, it’s probably also “will march for food.”
Now you are just being silly…aren’t you?
Okay, I flunked French in 9th grade, but I’ll give it a shot:
“Please, don’t listen to anything John Kerry doodoo pants has to say, because he is a freakin’ leftist moron, and any miniscule intellect he has is questionable.”
Am I close?
We do have these kinds of parades. I was at one last Veterans’ Day. This Fourth of July, every community in a fifty mile radius of my house will have one. High school marching bands across the country are planning their scheduled appearances in them all summer long even as we speak. They are not extinct.
People who oppose the idea oppose a military parade – military tanks, missiles, and hardware marching down Pennsylvania Avenue before Trump in a reviewing stand — do so at least in part because it conjures up too many images of fascist and communist states. Everyone would have been crying foul if Obama had ever dreamed of suggesting it.
But instead of engaging that concern, we’re getting “I love parades” and “why do you have against the military/veterans?” Which is nuts. If this turns into a Veterans’ Day parade honoring those who served, literally no one will object to it. Left, right, center, Never Trump, Always Trump, whatever. No one will object. A “veterans’ day parade” and a “military parade” are not the same thing. It is possible to be for one and against the other.
At the last World’s Fair I saw video of a really impressive North Korean display in their pavilion: it involved a woman singing a patriotic song while ice skating and juggling live birds. The live birds really sold it.
This level of TDS is disturbing.
Yes I think we would. The Military is not what preserves our system nor the institution from which our prosperity flows. Our civic and civil institutions are responsible for our success and liberty and for the strength and efficacy of our military. The US military does not exist independent of our civilian institutions, and has always been subservient to them. Throughout our history we have often greatly scaled down and dismantled our military with no commensurate loss of liberty or prosperity.
We have a powerful and illustrious military because we are prosperous and illustrious people. We are not prosperous because our military is powerful. Many poor nations have powerful militaries that are maintained at the expense of their people. Our soldiers deserve recognition and gratitude, but so do all public servants.
Here is the solution then maybe we need a grand public servants parade. Where we can cheer on and thank all those who work on behalf of us all and out elected government. Where we can thank tax agents, EPA inspectors, FBI investigators, prosecutors, judges, national park rangers, border enforcement agents, customs agents, and all the other workers that enforce our laws and carry out the public will.
I can’t tell if you are kidding… with North Korea anything is possible I feel.
I think you are close to contradicting yourself.
Yes indeed, our military “preserves” our “system” and “institution” from attacks from abroad. (And our prosperity flows from our capitalist economic system.)
And yes, our military does do so at the behest and command of civilian masters.
You state this, but I think the way you stated it undervalues what our military means to us, and the fact it’s a vital tool for our freedom. If I’ve misinterpreted your words, please say so.
Valiuth, a country is going place its honors somewhere.
Remember the opening ceremonies in London. Yikes.
The average soldier earns less than $30,000 to risk death and dismemberment. The average federal worker earns $90,000 to risk repetitive motion injury and a life pension.
Let’s honor our soldiers. Sure, it can be done poorly. Or it could be done with dignity and grandeur.
Personally I feel free markets, free trade and free labor have contributed most to our prosperity.
But I’m not turning out for a Comparative Advantage Day or Right To Work Day Parade.
Agreed. But an argument can be made that such military displays should be taken back from tyrants in much the same way conservatives need to reclaim vocabulary (“tolerance”, “extremist”, “woman”, etc) from the Left’s clever distortions. If so, it still might not be worth the costs.
yuh, but we don’t have to make a choice here, do we–