Thomas K. | Red Phoenix correspondent | Ohio–

Trump and his cohorts at the Department of Defense have disbursed a one-time appreciation payment to current service members, which they are calling the Warrior Dividend. This payment is alleged to be in honor of the 250th anniversary of America’s independence. It didn’t take long for reports to come out explaining and even showing exactly where the money for this payment came from: the housing stipend already allotted to service members.

First and foremost the entire charade is just a slap in the face to service members both past and present. Trump and all his cronies are showing their thanks by cutting them a check for $1776 (less than the average cost of rent in the U.S.)? Meanwhile the U.S. government is perfectly comfortable egging on wars all over the world, offering up service members as a down payment for their next oil venture. They are also perfectly content with rampant homelessness among the veteran population. They sleep soundly knowing they have left them completely abandoned. 

Secondly the funding for this bonus payment comes from the housing stipend! Members of the military have spoken up about the current housing crisis. The money that was being supplied in the housing stipend was not sufficient enough to cover the cost of rent in most areas. This is a partial relief to a well documented systemic issue. The bourgeoisie would also have us believe that this is being paid out from money received from tariffs. This is money fought for by the working masses enlisted in the military. This is also just a one-time payment! The ruling class cannot be let off the hook by measly one-time payments. The working class needs rent control. 

Where are our tariff checks are that we were promised? The cost of living has skyrocketed; groceries are up 2.7%, electricity is up 5%. Have we not played our part? The working masses are not naive, we know that it is money pocketed by the ruling class to continue their profit wars all over the world. However it was still promised, and much like the elephant the working class does not soon forget!

In true capitalist fashion they take us for fools. They expect us to magically delete memories of such callous indifference for a symbolic check? The working class is not naive; these checks are well understood as pacifiers. They have pocketed our labor and all the value attached to it, and they turn around and give us the scraps.

The whole event could only have been imagined by goblins guarding bank vaults, by individuals who truly view the working class and all those attached to it as mindless cogs happily accepting any lot handed to them. This very action once again solidifies the lack of respect for the working class. 

Categories: U.S. Military, U.S. News