🧵Since it's vogue within the incoming administration to talk about cutting the federal workforce (33% of which are military veterans) and slashing the Department of Veterans Affairs, pull up a chair and let Uncle Joe tell you a story about the last time the federal government tried this shit. - ThreadSky

stterrificus.bsky.social • 104 days ago

🧵Since it's vogue within the incoming administration to talk about cutting the federal workforce (33% of which are military veterans) and slashing the Department of Veterans Affairs, pull up a chair and let Uncle Joe tell you a story about the last time the federal government tried this shit.

Comments

jesgg.bsky.social•104 days ago

Thank you for the historical reminder!

galenlittle.bsky.social•104 days ago

Great thread, thanks

paulytheism.bsky.social•104 days ago

I'm just afraid that now they would show up and thank them

therockafellaskank.bsky.social•104 days ago

I'd almost forgotten about the Bonus Army. Thank you for the needed reminder.

tepidlatte.bsky.social•104 days ago

If it happened today, J.G. Wentworth would buy up the bonus notes for pennies on the dollar. "It's my cash and I want it now!"

kathyswords.bsky.social•104 days ago

📌

liberalgigi.bsky.social•104 days ago

To all of the Veterans here: Thank You For Your Service & Sacrifice. My father was a vet and had a military funeral. I will fight for all of you the same way I am trying to protect my own (women) & my family. I hate that they want to reduce your benefits y’all should be given so much more!!!

agoredox.bsky.social•103 days ago

As a Vietnam veteran I don’t like the phrase “Thank you for your service.” I believe it is an obligation of citizenship to give back to the country that has given me so much. No thanks are needed for me to do what is right and necessary.

liberalgigi.bsky.social•103 days ago

Ok I’m sorry if that offends you. 💙💙

stterrificus.bsky.social•103 days ago

I get what Xander is saying, and I don’t think he’s offended. Many of us veterans are uncomfortable with the TYFYS because we feel we did a job the taxpayers paid us to do and we are all in this democracy together.

liberalgigi.bsky.social•103 days ago

Not everyone has the courage to join the military. You all did what many are not able to do. I admire people who do!!! I was in nursing school and realized I’m too emotional to do that job. I cried every night I was there. It takes a special kind of person and that wasn’t me. Same with military 💙

stterrificus.bsky.social•103 days ago

Thank you for your kind words. Truly.

stterrificus.bsky.social•104 days ago

We are all in this democratically elected Constitutional republic experiment together, and there are many ways all of us can serve our great nation. Thank you for your kind words.

regalc1921.bsky.social•104 days ago

Didn't some of this play into an almost-coup as well?

llamahansa.bsky.social•104 days ago

Very very much so. Like wack POTUS coup.

regalc1921.bsky.social•104 days ago

Like, the big bank heads (at the time) were mad about restrictions, etc and played on the unrest to try & overturn the govt. Or am I totally making this up? Lol

mrsdewinter.bsky.social•104 days ago

Yeah, the Business Plot. They tried to get Butler to lead a military coup.

rogerfreedman.bsky.social•104 days ago

Indeed! Which was depicted in the really superb recent film AMSTERDAM. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10304142/?ref_=ext_shr_lnk

zoltar76.bsky.social•104 days ago

📌

llamahansa.bsky.social•104 days ago

No idea about this! Thanks.

llamahansa.bsky.social•104 days ago

Gangsters of Capitalism by Jonathan Katz is how I knew about this. It is a pretty entertaining read.

regalc1921.bsky.social•104 days ago

Thank you!

llamahansa.bsky.social•104 days ago

The wankster banksters were coopting the anger from the Bonus Army IIRC.

dr-prall.bsky.social•104 days ago

I learned a lot from this thread and these responses--thanks!

tree03.bsky.social•104 days ago

I wish we’d see this kind of reaction today. Sadly Trump has already expressed a desire to shoot protesters. So far he is facing no consequences for his crimes and has been given permission by his bought Supreme Court. And that’s the plan, to keep us afraid. I’m so disappointing by this country.

mrjohnajackson.bsky.social•104 days ago

Hoover never faced legal consequences for these actions, only electoral. The voters punished Hoover.

around-world.bsky.social•104 days ago

Trump has escaped real legal consequences for his actions, too. Unlike earlier times, we now know SCOTUS will let the next POTUS get away with anything.

mrjohnajackson.bsky.social•104 days ago

What I was attempting to say above is that POTUS has always escaped punishment from SCOTUS. Chastisement, sometimes, but punishment? Not that I can remember.

around-world.bsky.social•104 days ago

I agree with you. We were taught about how the separation of powers created a checks-and-balances system that would stop abuses of power. That might have been mostly true in the past, but no longer. We were also taught about the Rule of Law, but you know how recently that was broken.

stterrificus.bsky.social•104 days ago

Yes. It is concerning and recent events show we have a two-tiered justice system: one for those rich enough to buy their way out of accountability for their actions and one for the rest of us.

juniemo2.bsky.social•104 days ago

The voters punished trump in '20. He came back found a rich billionaire to "buy" him the '24 election and won by rigging it. But nothing happened. What are we to do when that kind of corruption is ignored and allowed to take place w/o consequence knowing that any actions we may take r under threat.

therightiswrong100.bsky.social•104 days ago

Out of the $6 Trillion Federal Budget, about 76% is Interest on Debt, Social Security, Medicare & Medicaid (non-discretionary spending); about half of what is left goes to military spending leaving programs like Veterans Affairs more vulnerable than ever

linkhogthrob.bsky.social•104 days ago

This was outstanding. Thank you for sharing. So much of history is repeating itself.

pcoop1960.bsky.social•104 days ago

I really hate the R’s especially the looney tunes MAGAts. The “trickle down economics” from Reagan only made things worse for “we the people”. The rich got richer is what fing happened

technogaijin.bsky.social•104 days ago

Trample Down Economics. Been the same since they decided to pretty it up by calling it "trickle down economics."

buddhaclauser.bsky.social•103 days ago

There are enough American’s who no longer believe in honoring promises or rules, laws and regulations. I no longer think that comparison to the past is an accurate fit. Too many of us have no conscience and no morals. Feeling exceedingly cynical today.

catblanketflower.yuwakisa.com•104 days ago

They are working as hard as they can to recreate the late 20s in minute detail

artsytrish.bsky.social•104 days ago

1929 and economic depression are right around the corner.
Trump and his oligarchs will milk the country dry.

z1matto.bsky.social•104 days ago

I’ll never understand why HBO hasn’t made a mini-series about this event. It would blow a lot of people’s minds.

pictographer.bsky.social•104 days ago

Could it be someone at HBO/Warner Bros believes the trouble this could lead to would be bad for business?

z1matto.bsky.social•103 days ago

Wouldn't be surprised. They portrayed the 1921 Tulsa "Black Wall Street Massacre" in an episode of THE WATCHMEN series and so many didn't know it was a real event. Since it was a "comic book" show they assumed it was part of some fake origin of a fake world.

stterrificus.bsky.social•104 days ago

Would be a great show

z1matto.bsky.social•103 days ago

I think they would know where to find the crew to do it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ge4C9lx2Xo

lightunite.bsky.social•104 days ago

As a granddaughter of one of those Vets —who died too young and sick in a VA hospital in 1946—and for any Vet suffering today, thank you for sharing this.

kz1022.bsky.social•104 days ago

Thank you for this!! I’m one of those Veterans who continues to serve my country and I’m so worried about what’s going to happen to us next month and beyond.

wwpanko.bsky.social•104 days ago

I don't think we'll have a legitimate election to remove him. He won't leave

inigomontoyota.bsky.social•104 days ago

bbjran8.bsky.social•104 days ago

Having 9 uncles,1 aunt,1 daughter i-l,5 brothers i-l and 1 godson nephew in the military, I have a vested interest in this cutting of the military workforce. My family could start its own army and damned if we won’t should the fu—ers do this to us!

samhainnight.bsky.social•104 days ago

The things they don't teach you about in school!

drnoreendunnett.bsky.social•104 days ago

And never will if the Trump administration has its way!

moviegeek.bsky.social•104 days ago

I'm sure the "that was then, this is now" crowd will be at it again trying to repeat history. 🤔

ps9714.bsky.social•104 days ago

I'm a combat veteran. Was wounded in action. I'm also a Fed contractor. If the MAGA Administration pulls this shit on us, I'll guarantee you it will get ugly.

If they cut my VA benefits, I'm a dead man anyway. Catch my drift? #armyretired

jainabledsoe.bsky.social•104 days ago

they trained us to KILL OUR ENEMIES, and work together as a team to literally erase governments.

Bold move, and I'm not in the mood to stand TF down.

retiredpatriot.bsky.social•104 days ago

After 30 yrs of FoxNews on AFRTS & every chow hall in the world, there is a consequential number of uniformed military who will gladly take on the role of crushing a #VetInsurrection.

ps9714.bsky.social•104 days ago

I live near and work at the largest Army base in the world. The prevalence of #FauxNooz on base TV sets is overstated. The role of ESPN is greater. Uniformed military going after military vets is the stuff of fiction.

retiredpatriot.bsky.social•103 days ago

I hope you're right.

ps9714.bsky.social•104 days ago

Precisely stated. Thank you. 🙏🏽

nancyspantsbelt.bsky.social•104 days ago

Damn right! Our founding fathers would not put up with this kinging billionaire b s!👹👹👹

stterrificus.bsky.social•104 days ago

2/ The year was 1932, and many WWI veterans (along with the rest of the nation) were suffering in the Great Depression. The 1924 World War Adjusted Compensation act awarded WWI veterans bonuses they could not cash until 1945 - a deferred payment.

stterrificus.bsky.social•104 days ago

3/ More than 3,600,000 adjusted service certificates were issued to WWI veterans - with a face value equivalent to $65B in today's dollars. The issue was that the WWI veterans didn't want to wait until 1945 to get their money. They were poor and suffering and needed their cash today.

jonreilly1313.bsky.social•104 days ago

Today, a finance vulture will offer to buy them at a steep discount for use as an investment vehicle.
Similar to how Titlemax and other same day lenders already prey on veterans and active-duty personnel.

stterrificus.bsky.social•104 days ago

4/ So about 17,000 of them gathered in Anacostia, near Washington, DC with another 26,000 supporters and family members and they set up camp and demonstrated to advance their interests.

stterrificus.bsky.social•104 days ago

5/ Retired Major General Smedley D. Butler of the US Marines met with the Bonus Army veterans and encouraged them. This video is great. Butler was a real character. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ralneHEMiCM "So many people are calling you tramps. Well they didn't call you tramps in 1917 and 1918!"

nananancy.bsky.social•104 days ago

The original gangster of capitalism! Love me some Smedley!

follicular.bsky.social•104 days ago

OMG, he's a legend! I had no idea there was video of him!

stterrificus.bsky.social•104 days ago

Hell yes there is! The dude has some passion in his bones!

terilyn.bsky.social•104 days ago

Stud alert 🚨

stterrificus.bsky.social•104 days ago

Total.

ferrerman.bsky.social•104 days ago

Two-time MOH recipient, Smedley Butler! And to think a gang of millionaires chose HIM to lead a coup against FDR!

stterrificus.bsky.social•104 days ago

Well, they approached him and tried and then he turned the whole lot over to the FBI. Ever read the book Gangsters of Capitalism about Butler? It's a fantastic read.

radiobill.bsky.social•104 days ago

Probably the last person on earth to be named Smedley

stterrificus.bsky.social•104 days ago

6/ Embarrassed by the spectacle, in mid 1932, the US Attorney General ordered them off all government property. The DC police clashed with and shot at the veterans and their families. President Hoover ordered Army COS Gen. Douglas MacArthur to clear the camp.

drsunshinewa.bsky.social•104 days ago

Iirc Generals Ike and Patton were also involved in camp clearing, presumably bc this was considered a legal order

stterrificus.bsky.social•104 days ago

7/ So the US Army drove off the WWI veterans with tanks and bayonets and burned their encampment.

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