Changes in the Military...

Much was made last week of the disapproval among many sectors of the military, from top to bottom, of Bush's new Iraq plan. However, the changes are even deeper than we can imagine, as, for the first time in years, less than half of the active-duty service members identify themselves as Republican. Of course, this doesn't mean that 54% identify as Democrat, but it's potentially important in the short- and long-term. In the short-term, it reveals a basic discontent with the Republican party's stance on the war and treatment of soldiers, and if this shift continues/lasts, it could come to play a major role in election politics in the longer term.

(Thanks to Randy at Beautiful horizons for this).