Aging vets' costs concern Obama's deficit co-chair

[deminks]

Source: Associated Press

RALEIGH, N.C. — The system that automatically awards disability benefits to some veterans because of concerns about Agent Orange seems contrary to efforts to control federal spending, the Republican co-chairman of President Barack Obama's deficit commission said Tuesday.

Former Wyoming Sen. Alan Simpson's comments came a day after The Associated Press reported that diabetes has become the most frequently compensated ailment among Vietnam veterans, even though decades of research has failed to find more than a possible link between the defoliant Agent Orange and diabetes.

"The irony (is) that the veterans who saved this country are now, in a way, not helping us to save the country in this fiscal mess," said Simpson, an Army veteran who was once chairman of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee.

The Department of Veterans Affairs has also allowed Vietnam veterans to get money for ailments such as lung cancer and prostate cancer, and the agency finalized a proposal Tuesday to grant payments for heart disease — the nation's leading cause of death.

Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5i51binYNGhTWqS0oMMp8itl20ZjgD9HUMB4G0

---

Please do away with the deficit commission. Before it is too late. Keeping this twit on any committee speaks volumes.

[sfwriter]

1. Oy vey...

This guy has really become a tool.

[The Magistrate]

7. Become A Tool, Sir? He Has Always Been One, From His First Assault On A Policeman Till Today

If he was not the son of a Senator, he would be a felon with multiple convictions who had spent most of his life since puberty in state custody.

[Lagomorph]

23. Would that be like...

Al Franken and his famous tackle from behind on a protester during a Howard Dean speech? Assault is assault, right?

But I agree, I don't like viscous thugs in government.

[alp227]

24. Elaborate?

I googled and can't find any sources to substantiate any crimes by Simpson. Except a comment on Firedoglake saying that Simpson got arrested for shooting at a stop sign.

[The Magistrate]

26. He Has Himself Acknowledged Punching a Policeman, Sir

This critter has been around a long time; as a young man he was a thief and a vandal, and a general hard-case. Family political pull shielded him from the consequences any urban youth or poor rural boy would have suffered. He remains an unrepentant thug in his soul, a any close observer of the species will see clearly.

[alp227]

27. Oh i see, i remember listening to him say that on NPR or something

Just found this ABA Journal article via Wikipedia's article about Simpson: "Adult Time for Adult Crimes". Says: "Simpson committed arson on federal property, punched a cop and—in his own words—'was a monster.'"

Simpson admitted to his misdeeds when the US Supreme Court was hearing those cases about the teenagers who were locked up for life for non-homicidal crimes. The Times of London also reported on Simpson's violent youth:

In his submission to the court, Simpson describes how he and some friends set fire to a federal building; played a gun game with friends to see how close they could fire without hitting someone; went on shooting sprees, blasting away at mailboxes and killing a cow; and finally punched a police officer, who arrested him and threw him in jail.

Alan Simpson, the Bushgang, etc. are all evidence of how the well-connected get away with everything.

[The Magistrate]

31. This Stuff Started Coming Out, Sir, Twenty Years Ago During The Thomas Hearings

There has been enough of it down the years it is common knowledge, or ought to be.

The man is a thug: was a thug, remains a thug, ought to have done time like a thug.

That he was ever elected to public office is a disgrace to Wyomng.

[alp227]

32. So when will Simpson share a prison cell with the Bushgang?

That'd honestly make for a great grouping and substitute for solitary confinement. When will Simpson serve out his punishment for crimes committed as a wild child?

But wait, won't you add Roman Polanski in the mix too?

[HereSince1628]

2. Somehow this makes sense...republicans sacrifice their dear veterans

in order to balance the burden of democrats slashing medicare and ss.

Jeez, I don't even recognize this country anymore.

[FiveGoodMen]

3. Support the Troops!

No, really. For fuck's sake support them now that they've done what they could for us.

These wars were/are stupid, but those who followed orders, risked life and health for their country deserve better than they're getting.

This Bush admin just doesn't give a fuck about the people who gave so much!




What?

Are you sure?

Well, the comment still stands.

[bluestateguy]

4. He should definently be canned

These stupid "biapartisan commissions" are always a waste of everyone's time, anyway. They push paper and hold hearings for months, and then issue a much heralded report, which is then ignored within a few days.

[jgraz]

16. He knows his job is safe. That's why he's popping off like this.

[Downwinder]

5. Well, he has pissed off the Social Security recipients, now the veterans.

Who next?

[msongs]

6. there you go again picking on Obama's republican best friends nt

[Downwinder]

8. How do you spell senile? Simpson? n/t

[frylock]

28. who's left?

[LiberalFighter]

9. When they are in harms way and their ailments are the result of their service.

They should receive the benefits. Even those that made the military their career should benefit no different when others go into the private sector.

I don't consider all the military to be heroes and they shouldn't be. But when they serve in harms way they deserve the benefits.

On the other hand Simpson should lose all of his benefits.

[nyy1998]

10. I do like the idea of the deficit commission, but Simpson should be canned

[bvar22]

15. I will accept a Deficit Commission ONLY if:

1) Military Spending is ON the Table.

2)Social Security is OFF the table.
Since SS does NOT contribute to the Deficit, it should NOT be On the Table.

3)Liberal Democrats from the Democratic Wing of the Party are given a VOICE on the commission.
There is no need for ANY Blue Dogs or DLCers to have a seat on the Commission since the Republicans will already be represented.

[Iowa]

21. +1

[laughingliberal]

34. +2 nt

[Rozlee]

25. You forgot one biggie.

INCREASE TAXES ON THE DAMNED RICH!! They want to get rid of the deficit? A little history for the Republicans. We had a surplus when Clinton left office. Bush and the Repukes squandered it on a 1.3 trillion tax cut on the rich. Then, they declared an unnecessary war. AND THEY DIDN'T PAY FOR IT. Taxes alway go up to pay for a war. How else are you going to pay for tanks, F-15s, my damn paycheck. And they cry about free lunches. I guess free wars are OK. That's the biggest reason we have a deficit. Spending for tax cuts and wars and no revenue coming in and a President and Congress that are too chicken to spell it out to the American people. Throughout the 40s, 50s, and 60s, the tax rate on the wealthy was 80-90%. Increasing it even to 50% would help wipe out a great deal of the deficit. Repukes are great at demonizing. We should have done some demonizing of our own. While people were furious over the excesses of Wall Street and the extortionate CEO bonus, Dems should have demonized the ultra wealthy. Main Street would have gone for that. They were angry enough. Now, after two years, Repubs have managed to take over the argument and turn it back on Demos. Because, as usual, we have pussies for leaders that don't know how to fight dirty. I wish we could clone Alan Grayson. If we had two dozen of him, the Repukes would be toast.

[nyy1998]

42. No complaints here

The thing here is that the projections are suppose to be see the deficit fall to around 4% of GDP. They don't need to cut the deficit too much(1-2% is actually very healthy). So why Simpson is talking about cutting SS, Vets program and other such programs is really beyond me.

[IndianaGreen]

11. What will it take for Obama to fire Simpson and disband Catfood Commission?

Until this moment, Senator, I think I never really gauged your cruelty or your recklessness.

<snip>

You have done enough. Have you no sense of decency sir, at long last? Have you left no sense of decency?

http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/6444/

The Army-McCarthy Hearings
Special Counsel for the Army Joseph N. Welch addressing Senator Joseph R. McCarthy (R-WI).

[laughingliberal]

35. +1000 nt

[Bitwit1234]

12. So he and his republicans crooks are millionaires and

now he wants to get rid of all things social services and turn people out on the street to die. And who was Sarah Palin accusing of having Death Panels....looks like it is the republicans.

[lib2DaBone]

13. Republicans have a deep simmering hatred of the New Deal...

They have worked tirelessly for the last 50 years to take away anything that benefits working America.

If it's War, Big Corps, Big Banks or the Church.. they are all for it. This could be the final death blow for all social safety nets in the USA.. as we slip into third world status.

Mr. Obama... "Tear down this commission.."

[IndianaGreen]

14. and the DLC hates the New Deal just as much

Al From attacked New Deal programs at the founding of DLC.

[Mushroom]

17. The Simpson Party is pure evil.

How much money did he and his fellow pukes not mind spending to make people's lives horrible. Fucking buzzards.

[Dr.Phool]

18. Do they have an Alzheimers wing at the White House?

One where they keep the patients hands off policy?

[wellstone dem]

19. This reminds me of a certain General who arrogantly pushed the limits and

pushed the limits, until Obama finally had to fire him.

[Blue Meany]

20. Will they propose DEATH PANELS???? n/t

[mbperrin]

22. Simpson needs........

well, I'm not going to break the law, but I know what he needs. Desperately.











The man is an insanely greedy and self-centered f*****.

[Autumn]

29. Nothing says it better to the troops than

"fucking die already you are costing the government too much money". What a sorry piece of work he is. I really hate that scumbag.

[Zoeisright]

30. God, Simpson, you are just a mean old fart.

GO AWAY. Talk about only the good die young - he's the perfect asshole who proves that saying.

[alfredo]

33. Hey, Alan, you asshole, come and try to take my VA benefits away.

[laughingliberal]

36. He was a hateful, old asshole 20 years ago. WTF is he doing anywhere near the public trust? nt

[burrowowl]

37. Fire him already!

:mad:

[amandabeech]

38. Somebody should spray this guy with Agent Orange and then drop some napalm on him.

Then turn him away at the doors of the VA.

Obama is giving anyone who challenges him in the primary in 2012 lots of ammunition with clips of Darth Simpson and the Catfood Commission.

[FMBM]

39. People in the military...

are required to go where they are told, do what they are told, when they are told...

They do not enjoy the freedom to opt out...

When the Government puts a person in that situation, then subjects him/her to whatever... And believe me, there is a lot of whatever...

It seems to me that the Government acquires a really long term obligation to that person to mitigate harm suffered by him/her...

Sure, the connection between later illness, particularly those illnesses also suffered by an aging population in general, and his/her military service may become increasing harder to discern... But in essence, the Government promises their soldiers medical care for life...

War, like many things, reverberates through the ages...

If a country cannot pay the extended costs of a war, it should not wage that war...

I'll stand with the vets...

[Downwinder]

40. When you get a Reserve commission and a one year tour in Germany

to avoid the draft, you might not think that deeply.

[katandmoon]

41. And it's Obama's hand that's up his back

[defendandprotect]

43. Tax the warprofiteers -- and the privatized military -- and help the VETS!!