America’s Military, Not America’s Politicians, are the Real Public Servants

Politicians love to refer to themselves as public servants, despite the outrageous perks and entitlements they vote for themselves, or just take.

America’s real public servants are members of the greatest military in the world.

And what better time as we observe Memorial Day 2025, to remember that Memorial Day honors those who lost their lives while serving the United States during peacetime and during wartime. Memorial Day is not a celebration, and nor was it created to commemorate 3-days of retail blowout sales, but a solemn day to reflect on veterans and military personnel who are deceased.

On Memorial Day 1982, President Ronald Reagan spoke at Arlington National Cemetery about the importance of patriotism, heroism, and freedom:

“The United States and the freedom for which it stands, the freedom for which they died, must endure and prosper. Their lives remind us that freedom is not bought cheaply. It has a cost; it imposes a burden. And just as they whom we commemorate were willing to sacrifice, so too must we—in a less final, less heroic way—be willing to give of ourselves.”

In 2018, President Donald Trump also spoke at Arlington National Cemetery, and highlighted the importance of our fallen military members:

“Our fallen heroes have not only written our history — they’ve shaped our destiny.  They saved the lives of the men and women with whom they served.  They cared for their families more than anything in the world.  They love their families.  They inspired their communities, uplifted their country, and provided the best example of courage, virtue, and valor the world will ever know.  They fought and bled and died so that America would forever remain safe and strong and free.”

They fought and bled and died for our freedom.

Contrast that with the politicians who vote themselves perks and raises; the politicians who exempt themselves from horrible mandates; the politicians who blatantly partake in insider trading; the politicians who live like rock stars and go on travel junkets, have drivers and chauffeured cars, enjoy first class travel and private jets, meals at five-star restaurants…

That is not public service – that is personal enrichment.

Compare the risk averse politicians’ lifestyle to the personal sacrifice members of our military knowingly make, whether it is lower pay, government healthcare, significant time away from family, working in harms way, injury and death, and more recently, destructive DEI policies.

Lance Izumi, Director of Education at the Pacific Research Institute, and formerly an officer in the California State Military Reserve, shared his thoughts with the Globe:

“One of the starkest contrasts that I see between politicians and those serving in the military is travel. On the one hand, we have seen reports for decades that have revealed that California state legislators have gone on overseas junkets to places such as Switzerland, Australia, France, and Singapore. Just search ‘California legislators junket’ on the Internet and see what pops up. In contrast, members of our armed forces also travel overseas but that is called a deployment and they go to some of the most dangerous and inhospitable places on the planet. And while lawmakers are enjoying themselves on their junkets, our service members are tasked with protecting our country and our people from harm. And in some cases, they make the ultimate sacrifice, which is why we honor them on Memorial Day.”

Political insider trading is exposed at Capitol Trades, and it exposes both parties:

In California, the political elites are no different with drivers, travel junkets paid for by lobbyists and political associations, they have staff who do everything from writing legislation, constituent services, to picking up laundry and dry cleaning, laundry, and one lawmaker even had her staff clean her filthy apartment.

The narcissistic lawmakers claim they deserve the rewards because of the important work they are doing.  They claim that it’s for the people – ev en when they give a 10-minute talk at a 5-day Hawaii travel junket.

“Since the first shots fired in the Revolutionary War, Americans have answered the call to duty and given their lives in service to our Nation and its sacred founding ideals,” President Donald Trump said during his Proclamation on Prayer for Peace, Memorial Day 2020. “As we pay tribute to the lives and legacies of these patriots on Memorial Day, we also remember that they sacrificed to create a better, more peaceful future for our Nation and the world.  We recommit to realizing that vision, honoring the service of so many who have placed love of country above all else.”

“Generation after generation, our country’s finest have defended our Republic with honor and distinction.  Memorials, monuments, and rows of white crosses and stars in places close to home like Arlington, Virginia and Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, as well as far-flung battlefields in places like Flanders Field in Belgium and Busan in Korea, will forever memorialize their heroic actions, standing as solemn testaments to the price of freedom.  We will never take for granted the blood shed by these gallant men and women, as we are forever indebted to them and their families.”

“NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim Memorial Day, May 25, 2020, as a day of prayer for permanent peace, and I designate the hour beginning in each locality at 11:00 a.m. of that day as a time when people might unite in prayer.”