Fact Checking The Bill Maher Show

During the 2004 Presidential elections, an independent research website named "factcheck.org" was often used by most folks, who really wanted the true statistics our politicians were spewing out. This site was used so often that the Vice President mentioned it in his debate against Sen. John Edwards.

Of course, after the elections, the site slowed down and even stopped posting the true facts of statements or statistics made by politicians. But maybe it should have stayed open to fact check claims made on the news or political programs. A political program that comes to my mind is "Real Time with Bill Maher" on HBO. Fact Check could have made a killing based on the missed facts and statements made on that show, especially by Guest, Richard Belzer (Homicide, Law & Order: SVU). Belzer, apparently made it point to insult every military person who either served or is serving in the United States Military, by claiming that all military people are in the military because they had to because they were to poor or had no choice because of they could not find jobs. And by the way, most of the folks serving have only high school diplomas.

If fact check stayed up to see the show, I'm pretty sure they would have corrected Belzer's statements, so in their absence with help from some articles. I will set Belzer straight.

First, I joined the US. Army in July 1987. At the time of my graduation from Long Beach Jordan High School, I had a 3.2 GPA, I participated and played high school sports and other after school activities such as drama. I was college material..I come from two loving parents, my dad served in the United States Navy for 21 years, he was strict on education and discipline. Hell today, my brothers and sisters still don't curse around our parents. But the point I want to make is I did not come from poverty. When my dad retired from the military and entered the civilian workforce he made good money, like all skilled workers did. My mom worked in the VA Hospital and made good money.

Belzer's assertion that all military personal are so poor is not true, as evident on the attached article. For this matter Representative Rangel's assertion that all the people in the military are poor minorities is false too. Which brings me to this, just who are serving in the military. A few months ago, John Kerry said that the Bush Administration is failing education due to the fact that half of all graduates have diplomas. I know this is false, 78% of all adult between the age of 18-24 have high school diplomas. Well, when it comes to the military, 98% of all military personnel have diplomas. The military does not accept everyone that walks through a recruiter's door. As a matter of fact, all potential recruits have to pass a written test in order to gain entry in the service. If a recruit does not pass the test known as the ASVAB, he or she will not gain entry. And its not over there, if a recruit passes the test, he or she has to pass the school they are being trained in..If a recruit does not make it, they are sent home. So it seems that military have the most of qualified and educated men and women in their ranks.

Source Article: http://www.heritage.org/Research/NationalSecurity/em987.cfm