The G.I. Vote

Benjamin Wallace-Wells has a sharp piece in the November Washington Monthly arguing that Bush is losing support among military voters. "What we're seeing now is almost unprecedented," one source says, "this widespread sense among people in the military that they're being jacked around."

Of course, as with his losses among libertarian-leaning conservatives, the phenomenon might dissolve after voters take a peek at the competition. Wallace-Wells documents some serious disillusionment with Bush and the Republicans; he does not document a newfound attachment to the alternative. "I will vote non-Republican in a heartbeat if it continues as is," one retired officer told the reporter. That's certainly a sentiment that should frighten the GOP. But note that the man still can't bring himself to say "vote Democrat."

All that aside, the article is an interesting and intelligent look at the military's political values and how they've evolved over time. Recommended.