Democrats Call Republican Plan a War on Vets

[saigon68]

Fri Sep 12, 5:40 PM ET



WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A Republican proposal on Capitol Hill amounts to "a declaration of war" against disabled military veterans, U.S. Senate Democratic leaders charged in a letter to President Bush (news - web sites) on Friday.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=615&e=5&u=/nm/congress_veterans_dc

The measure, still under review, would limit disability benefits in the future to those who suffer injuries while in the performance of official military duties, aides said.


Under current law, veterans get compensation and health care for all injuries and illnesses sustained while in uniform, regardless if they occurred while on duty. Some put in claims after leaving the military, saying they were service-related.

[lcordero]

1. It is not a 9 to 5 job

A soldier is a soldier 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and 365 days a year. So everything that happens in that timeframe is service-related.

[blm]

2. They are thugs.

They have lost the veteran and the military vote in 2004. They will never be able to fool them ever again. At least for another generation.

[JohnKleeb]

3. they should had never gotten away with in the first place

They actually resisted and this was when they were moderate and some what respectable, they resisted the GI Bill. Senator Lautenburg can thank the GI Bill for helping him out, hes a democrat for the record.

[Deja Q]

4. Are you so sure? Some think it's their duty...

I've got two co-workers who are vets. They love what Bushbastard* has been doing. Maybe they haven't heard about what's going on, or they accept what Bushbastard* is doing as part of doing their duty to the country they (stupidly) fought for.

[blm]

6. That's only a small percentage that will stay loyal.

He's losing more vets every day as they learn about the truth of their agenda.

[jonnyblitz]

8. The few active duty that I know and/or their families whom I speak with

tell me they totally despise him now, particulary if they have any connection to the "invasion/occupation". It's not so much that they are all flaming liberals its mostly because of what has transpired (quagmire). I don't speak to many vets although I am one.

[leftbend]

5. It's shameful

It's a shame how the veterans are treated by the repugs. There has always been this myth amoung vets that the republicans are for the veteran and veteran's issues. I ask them to just look at the voting records of their reps in congress and senate, nothing more needs to be said. Veterans, like many other segments of our society, are waking up and understanding but they need education about repug goals and policies. I fought for my country for many reasons, the war may have been stupid, but I don't consider myself stupid for having served.

[newyawker99]

9. Hi leftbend!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[leftbend]

10. Thanks for the welcome

Thanks newyawker99, glad to be here.

[teryang]

7. Repugs have been hacking away at VA

...since Reagan. The reform which created the Court of Veterans Appeals to try to get repug VA officials to follow the law was undermined and subverted at every opportunity by the repug appointees in the office of general counsel, the central office and COVA. I met most of these people and knew some personally because I worked with them in the Army. I had worked at the VA before they got there, then worked with them in the Army and then saw what havoc they brought to the COVA reforms when I returned six years later. They'd do anything in their power to delay and obstruct an award of service connected benefits or a rate increase to a disabled veteran.

Their view as repugs was that people who seek benefits are parasites. Money that could go to contractors to refurbish and decorate their offices should not be wasted on veterans. I shit you not. Of course if a powerful Senator or Representative took up the case of a veteran and focused on it like a laserbeam, they couldn't get on their knees fast enough. They had a PR guy from Kennebunkport undermining the program at the Board of Veterans Appeals. Principi and his psychophants suck.

The problem for the phony patriotism of the repugs is that the VA laws are "too liberal." Rather than publicly cut benefits and face the repercussions, the award of benefits to veterans was fought tooth and claw behind the scenes. Now the knives are out as the representative function of government and the media are failing in their constitutional functions. That they would seek to cut benefits during wartime is an outrageous testimony to their arrogance and grip on power. It reminds of how Cheney and Bush gutted the all volunteer forces legally while the first Iraq war was being fought, and then cheated tens of thousands of enlisted soldiers out of separation pay while "victory parades" were taking place in major cities for those same soldiers. With the BFEE it is always symbol over substance.