First lady announces travel industry jobs for vets

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

First lady announces travel industry jobs for vets
The Associated Press
Published: Wednesday, February 29, 2012 at 1:57 p.m.
Last Modified: Wednesday, February 29, 2012 at 1:57 p.m.

The travel industry is promising to create nearly 3,000 jobs for veterans and military spouses by 2014 as part of a program announced Wednesday by Michelle Obama.

The first lady's office said the American Society of Travel Agents was creating a coalition to help veterans and military spouses get jobs in the travel industry and hang on to them as families are transferred to different military bases.

Mrs. Obama and Jill Biden, the wife of the vice president, are leading the Joining Forces campaign to encourage businesses, communities and others to support military families.

The travel industry coalition includes companies such as Orbitz Worldwide, American Express Consumer Travel network, Amadeus North America, and a number of leading rental car companies.

Read more: http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/article/20120229/APW/1202290918

[Vincardog]

1. The Democratic party needs to be working for good paying jobs for everyone.

I applaud any push for more better paying jobs.

[onehandle]

2. First Lady? Travel? TRAVELGATE!?

Noooooooooo!

[snooper2]

3. Sights and Sounds of Kandahar?

First thing that popped in my head LOL...



Oh, and fuck Orbitz, (just want to get that in whenever I get a chance)

[Myrina]

4. Everybody sing it with me ... "The loovvvvveboatt ..."

Oh wait. Not? Hmmm.

[lunatica]

5. Wow! This jobs for vets didn't just disappear after it was announced

Source:



No link yet.

[naaman fletcher]

6. Why should vets get priority?

Some people choose jobs where one part of it is killing people.

Some people choose jobs where one part of it is making the weapons for those who choose to kill people.

Some people choose to create things at home.

Some people choose to teach.

Some people stay home and raise kids.

What is so special about the first group?

[nenagh]

8. I sometimes wonder what real courage is.. And although I've looked after children as a single Mom..

Put their education before even car ownership.... Known tough times..like many people...

I've never had to show real courage... The chance of being maimed or killed,

Have repeating deployments..

I'm old now....and from reading DU and other places.. I realize that the Vets from Vietnam were not appreciated oR did not feel appreciated.

And in my little way, I'd like to thank the Vets and people currently in the Military for their service, now.

So they understand that there are people at home who appreciate their choice.

I do not know what real courage is.... maybe facing land mines down a road.

I applaud Michelle Obama 's efforts...

[freshwest]

12. The Assumption is that the First Group provides the safety for the latter groups.

Last edited Wed Feb 29, 2012, 10:15 PM - Edit history (1)

I don't agree with It, but it's the last argument that will be made to counter your point.

We can do better with a good example instead of all this militarism. At this point, the only people I know who are getting ahead are those who are or were involved in the military.

It reminds me of Starship Troopers, but also the Nazi social model. If one was unable to serve in the military, they were worthless mouths. I see the attacks on the old, poor, young and disabled as an attack on the conscience of mankind.

I'm hoping the day will come, when the human race will get beyond this point. People have denied there is an equality of all living things on this planet, for too long. It's a mental disease, IMHO.

Your point is well made and courageous; But Americans appear to believe the military budget is sacred and so are soldiers. I do not know one family who has not had a member serve, and they will not allow any cuts to anything related to the military. You speak heresy against accepted norms but someone needs to say it.

I appreciate any effort to get people jobs. It's just that all the civilian jobs you have mentioned, that build a peaceful and creative society, are not being funded because of the MIC. Many of those who served were unable to get either the education to get those civilian jobs. It's an endless circle that keeps feeding the current state of affairs.

[whathehell]

14. Because they endure many hardships for little pay and put their lives on the line?

[naaman fletcher]

19. not really

They are not drafted any more. They go willingly. They want to join the army. They are young men, they want to shoot things and blow crap up. They prefer it to all the other things that they could do.

If they were drafted then you would have a point.

[Summer Hathaway]

21. A person of even average intelligence

and even a modicum of common sense, realizes that young men and women join the military for a myriad of reasons.

To state they all join because "they want to shoot things and blow crap up" sounds like something straight out of the mindless skull of someone who has his head up his ass - and undoubtedly "prefers it to all the other things they could do".

[whathehell]

23. Really

If you check out the backgrounds of most of these soldiers, you will see a greater degree of poverty and a lesser degree of opportunity than in the larger demographic of young people in the country. Most do not HAVE a lot of "other things they could do" and the current economy intensifies that situation.

Most come from small towns and families in impoverished or working class circumstances. The military offers them opportunities for job training and/or money for college they wouldn't ordinarily have.

[naaman fletcher]

24. OK fine

so, how does that change the point? They choose it willingly. Why should they be more in line for a job then someone from the same background who chooses McDonalds because he does not want to kill someone?


Let's take two kids from the same background and opportunity level:

Person A: I'll join the Army and get training and opportunity, and yeah I might have to kill people in Iraq.

Person B: I'd love that training and opportunity, but I am not going to kill people in W's war, so i'll work at McDonalds.

Now, 4 years later a good job comes along, why should person A have priority?

[whathehell]

25. Clearly it's not "fine" with you

and you're entitled to your pacifist's position, but in stating it,

you are ignoring the obvious, and that is that: A. Having to "kill" people

also means you stand the chance of GETTING killed, or maimed YOURSELF

and I suspect the worker who makes the fast food choice is as likely to choose

the option for THAT reason as any other.

You ascribe a juvenile "I like to play with guns" mentality which may apply to some,

but certainly not all and I think you do them a disservice in failing to

recognize that MANY make the choice out of patriotism, however misguidedly.

Do you have NO veterans in your family?

I honor the courage and bravery of fighting men and women.

I'm sorry that you seem not to.

[naaman fletcher]

26. You completely ignore my point.

I accepted that people go into the military for a variety of reasons. BY CHOICE. Sure I have veterans in my family. I don't ascribe any particular value to their career choice over that of others in my family.

[whathehell]

28. I don't ignore your point

and though you've chosen to acknowledge a broader criteria of reasons for joining the military,

you certainly DID limit their reasons for entering to the juvenile

"they like to play with guns" theory in your first two posts, so let's not

try to backpeddle that now.

I think people in ALL low income jobs should be offered job training to lift themselves out of

their situation, but with that, I do think veterans are owed a bit more for putting life and limb

on the line their country, even if that patriotism is ill-informed or misguided.

[Jokerman]

30. They shouldn't.

This is just another example of a sick and twisted society that worships the military.

[Skittles]

36. if someone attacked America you'd expect our military to respond

you remind me of people who trash the police yet expect them at their doorstep if they call for help

[BadtotheboneBob]

37. Yes, I do... and Kipling said it best in his poem 'Tommy'

http://www.poetryloverspage.com/poets/kipling/tommy.html

[Skittles]

38. I'm not reading a fucking poem

I was born on an Air Force base, grew up as a military brat and served in the military - I KNOW the hardships involved, and take exception to assholes who dismiss the military as a bunch of murderers

[BadtotheboneBob]

39. Easy! Easy! I'm on your side!

The poem was meant for the dismissers, not you. I am a service connected disabled vet (16 years service) and a Life Member of the DAV. But, it is a cool poem, anyway, about what we are trying to say...

[naaman fletcher]

40. huh?

Why would I expect them not to respond? We have a large volunteer military that is extraordinarily professional. Of course they will respond, and they will receive pay, training, and experience that they think is worth it or else they would not have taken the job.

[Skittles]

41. yes and they sacrifice greatly

try being 22 years old and realizing the longest place you ever lived was 22 months - and you thought that was a LONG time - try to think how that would be

[MindMover]

7. Travel agents average wage is $15-17.00 an hr or $36,000 yr or $600-800 weekly......

Last edited Wed Feb 29, 2012, 09:46 PM - Edit history (1)

better than a sharp stick in your eye but certainly not a saving wage.......

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/41483660@N04/6796050710/" title="101a by pbmus, on Flickr"><img src="" width="75" height="75" alt="101a"></a>

[RebelOne]

15. You kidding? I was earning $13.50 an hour when I was laid off.

And that sure did not come out to $36,000 a year.

[MindMover]

16. you must be a Republican, paying attention to numbers like that......

[boppers]

22. So, better wages than half the country is making, then?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personal_income_in_the_United_States

[MindMover]

31. proud to be a 99% and earning my subsistence wages master.....thanks be to God....

[jtuck004]

9. That's gonna present some really tough choices. I mean, is the career ladder better for a barista

Source:



No link yet.

[InkAddict]

10. Sing it, Michelle...

NOT!

[Iliyah]

11. At least she trying and

not not sitting around whinniing about how MEAN people are against her, her husband, family and friends. Go Michelle!

[freshwest]

13. +1. Although I'm sure Rush Wind Bag will find something wrong with helping Vets..

[randome]

27. And then Santorum will add his half penny in.

"The Obamas want EVERYONE to have a job so they can control us!"

Yeah.

[Skittles]

17. I think Michelle is doing a FINE job as First Lady

yes INDEED

[freshwest]

29. Conservatives are terrified of her intelligence and envy her accomplishments. Thus the foul mouths.

Rush and the others have tried to drag her down in the public eye with insults, usually race or gender related. But it is all jealousy and fear, and a reflection of their own failures.

That has been all over the internet, cable news and hate radio since Day One. But there is nothing about her to insult, but they try to find something to degrade her positive programs, to bring her down to their level. They can't.

Likewise Obama has kept faithful to his family, his marriage and his mission. The two of them are like salt in the wound of these hypocrites. Makes 'em crazy.

[Skittles]

32. CORRECT!!!

hence we get, well, shit like this!!!

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/mar/1/sheriff-arpaio-obama-birth-certificate-forgery/

[freshwest]

33. Obama's Birth Certificate: The Conspiracy Deepens

Obama thinks the story ends because he released his "birth certificate". Unfortunately for him, we aren't that stupid. This conspiracy goes deeper and deeper. Watch this video and prepare yourself. Prepare yourself to go further down the rabbit hole.

Glad to see Joe is availing himself of all the Internets have to offer... Shall I post the Alex Jones movies on Obama?

[Skittles]

35. I had to cut off a relative because of this birther nonense

I told her I considered the obsession with Obama's birth racism - she asked if I was calling her racist and I said YES

[freshwest]

34. Skittles, here is that resume that they can't compete with:

Michelle LaVaughn Robinson Obama (born January 17, 1964) is the wife of the 44th and incumbent President of the United States, Barack Obama, and is the first African-American First Lady of the United States. Raised on the South Side of Chicago, Obama attended Princeton University and Harvard Law School before returning to Chicago and to work at the law firm Sidley Austin, where she met her future husband. Subsequently, she worked as part of the staff of Chicago mayor Richard M. Daley, and for the University of Chicago Medical Center.

Whereas Rush Wind Bag, who avoided the hard work of achieving what she did with her education, was set up in broadcasting with his family's money and was excused from military service by a cyst on his posterior, and has never learned the value of hard work and service to others. What a tiny, petty, jealous little man.

Instead of promoting the health of children, Rush is known for smoking cigars, gross obesity, doing drugs and traveling for questionable activities abroad, and really has nothing of value to say in reference to the First Family.

The GOP just make themselves look petty, stupid and jealous the way they carry on about the Obamas. It's amazing that none of them can see the immense difference between their heroes and someone who has actually achieved anything besides ill-gotten gains as they have unfortunately desired this is what they admire and love. What terrible role models they have, Romney, Gingrich, Delay, Cheney, etc.

I never cared for republicans in general, although at one time I tried to respect them as the other side of a coin, a necessary foil to bring all to the middle. Whatever credentials they once had they have lost in their demonization of their opponents and their desire for money at all costs to other humans and the planet. And they are not winning many friends with their bigoted ranting.

[lonestarnot]

20. K & R!

[midnight]

42. Every little bit helps, but lets get them off the streets, and into some of those empty homes...