damn_registrars's Journal: Data? Where he's going, he doesn't need DATA!

Smitty's new favorite conspiracy - just as fact-free as so many others - seems to be that Biden is secretly destroying the American Military. here's one case of smitty rolling that out

I pushed on this a bit and asked smitty to show some numbers to support his argument of

that have destroyed recruiting

He countered with this link which seems useful, except it only discusses this year's recruitment numbers compared to the goals for this year. In other words, it's one data point, with orthogonal metadata. Was recruitment down this year? Was it even, or even up? We cannot conclude that from this data.

Then after linking to a conservative echo chamber (no, not more slashdot - a different conservative echo chamber where conservatives go to chat with each other) on something else that doesn't show numbers, he eventually tried a different source. His next source was the Heritage foundation , who gave a rather lengthy description of military "readiness". However this is also orthogonal to recruitment numbers, and notably there was no mention in this article on how this year's recruitment numbers compare to any other year.

Well, you've at least copied the links

[smittyoneeach]

That's something.

how this year's recruitment numbers compare to any other year

Is that the gambit? To focus on some narrow tree at the expense of the surrounding forest fire [thecentersquare.com]?

Re:

[damn_registrars]

The only part of your argument that you could put numbers to was your claim of recruitment being down. The rest of it is subjective. I have repeatedly asked you to show me numbers that support your argument on recruitment being down, and you have so far been completely unable to support that claim.

Re:

[smittyoneeach]

This is a beautiful strategy that I need to stand back and admire. Grab onto a peripheral point like a dog with a bone and just suck all of the marrow out of the topic rather than discuss the actual point that the US military is falling behind [dailysignal.com]. Across the services, across the board.

You may return to your table-pounding, and me, my sardonic laughter.

Re:

[damn_registrars]

You personally brought up recruitment issues. You claimed yourself that recruitment is down. It might be, but you can't find any factual evidence to support that claim.

I never claimed the military was perfect. I only have repeatedly pointed out that you have not supported your recruitment claim at all. I would presume the data is out there, yet you can't seem to be bothered to find it. Is that because it doesn't support your claim?

Re:

[smittyoneeach]

Here is more evidence for you to deny: https://redstate.com/streiff/2023/12/18/armys-recruiting-woes-are-aggravated-by-a-tiktok-mutiny-of-gen-z-soldiers-n2167675 [redstate.com]

Re:

[damn_registrars]

I still don't see any data from any other year. Comparing this year to the goal for this year is not useful for your statement of recruitment being down. Only by comparing this year to another year can we determine if your statement is supported by facts.

That said, you might also want to consider what Your Team is doing to disincentivize enlistment. For a long time one of the big prizes has been the G.I. Bill. Yet Your Team spends large amounts of time and money telling people to not go to college.

Re:

[smittyoneeach]

So, as long as there is no prior data, and we live in the present tense, then we can deny, say, that the ship is sinking? There may be a reason that you are in academia...

Re:

[damn_registrars]

I never claimed the military to be perfect. I merely pointed out that your primary claim has no supporting data. You stated that recruitment was down, yet you have not been able to find any data to support that.

As I pointed out in another reply, your activism against higher education isn't helping recruitment, though. Many men and women enlisted to get the GI Bill and go to college, now you are enthusiastically telling them not to go to college. If you are telling them that carrot is worthless, then