What Every Veteran should know before voting this year

[Gimpy]

I realize many veterans vote for other veterans out of loyalty, and their common bond of "brotherhood". It would then appear that Senator John McCain would be the obvious vote come this fall for the nations 26 million veterans and likely many of their family members.

My own family for instance knows how well the VA has taken care of me and afforded them college opportunities, because of this care it has allowed us to have a decent lifestyle and home, despite the fact I am totally disabled due to service connected combat wounds and medical problems.

There are approximately 3 million veterans families like mine, we all receive disabled benefits from the government due to our service, some receive as little as 110 dollars a month for a 10% disability, or for quadriplegics that are bedridden with numerous problems requiring around the clock care can receive as much as $7500 a month, thankfully very few meet this extreme category, even though their numbers have increased dramatically since the wars in Iraq & Afganistan.

Now come this November the citizens of this nation will be asked to vote for either a Republican candidate (John McCain) versus either Senators Barack Obama (or Hillary Clinton). It appears many of these veterans and their family members will vote for John McCain, and the reasons are more than likely.....brotherhood, he is one of us, a highly decorated and respected war hero. Held as a POW for 5 and half years by the North Vietnamese, refused early release due to his father being CINCPAC, as an Admiral, his grandfather was an Admiral. He is a war hero no matter how you cut it, and even I salute him for that.

But now let's talk about bread and butter issue's, how has he helped disabled veterans and their families, when he voted on legislatioin that would help them,

Here is McCains voting record on Veterans Issues:


2006---- Senator McCain supported the interests of the Disabled American Veterans 20 percent in 2006.

2006---- In 2006 Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America gave Senator McCain a grade of D.

2006---- Senator McCain sponsored or co-sponsored 18 percent of the legislation favored by the The Retired Enlisted Association in 2006.

2005---- Senator McCain supported the interests of the Disabled American Veterans 25 percent in 2005.

2004---- Senator McCain supported the interests of the Disabled American Veterans 50 percent in 2004.

2004---- Senator McCain supported the interests of the The Retired Enlisted Association 0 percent in 2004.

2003---- Senator McCain supported the interests of the The American Legion 50 percent in 2003.

2001---- Senator McCain supported the interests of the Vietnam Veterans of America 46 percent in 2001.

1999---- Senator McCain supported the interests of the Disabled American Veterans 66 percent in 1999.

1997-1998---- Senator McCain supported the interests of the Vietnam Veterans of America 0 percent in 1997-1998.


Below you will find Hillary Clintons voting record on Veterans Issues


2006---- Senator Clinton supported the interests of the Disabled American Veterans 80 percent in 2006.

2006---- In 2006 Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America gave Senator Clinton a grade of A-.

2006----Senator Clinton sponsored or co-sponsored 41 percent of the legislation favored by the The Retired Enlisted Association in 2006.

2005---- Senator Clinton supported the interests of the Disabled American Veterans 92 percent in 2005.

2004---- Senator Clinton supported the interests of the Disabled American Veterans 100 percent in 2004.

2004---- Senator Clinton supported the interests of the The Retired Enlisted Association 0 percent in 2004.

2003-2004---- Senator Clinton supported the interests of the Vietnam Veterans of America 50 percent in 2003-2004.

2003---- Senator Clinton supported the interests of the The American Legion 50 percent in 2003.

2001---- Senator Clinton supported the interests of the Vietnam Veterans of America 92 percent in 2001.

Below you will find Barack Obamas voting record on Veterans Issues


2006---- Senator Obama supported the interests of the Disabled American Veterans 80 percent in 2006.

2006---- In 2006 Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America gave Senator Obama a grade of B+.

2006---- Senator Obama sponsored or co-sponsored 12 percent of the legislation favored by the The Retired Enlisted Association in 2006.

2005---- Senator Obama supported the interests of the Disabled American Veterans 92 percent in 2005.

Now in the light of this information, I can see which candidate I prefer and the one most veterans SHOULD prefer, the ones with the history of supporting veterans, Hillary Rodham Clinton and/or Barack Obama, before I could EVER vote for John McCain. These roll call votes are in the Congressional Record...FOR ALL TO SEE!

The democratic candidates are far and above Senator McCain in voting for the wallet issues that affect veterans and their families. It appears Senator McCain loves veterans, just not disabled ones, they cost money. He appears to be on the wrong side of spending on these issues, wonder WHY?

I have always heard that the Republicans are the party that supports the troops, why don't these votes reflect that? Why has it been the democratic Senators like Patty Murray of Washington trying to force the VA to take 2 billion dollars in extra funds in 2006 and Secretary Nicholson made his now infamous remark "The VA doesn't need any extra money" only to have to go hat in hand not once but twice in June 2006 to the Senate VA Committee and ask for a extra one billion dollars on each trip, the same amount of money Senator Murray tried to give the agency in April 2006.

While the "Wars on Terror" have been ongoing and the Bush Administration has tried to run the VA on the cheap, despite record budgets every year, most of it was due to mainly to inflation and it was eaten up by inflation, most services did not improve, claims processing got even fartherbacked up, with waits for adjudication rising to over 400 days, far from their own goal of 180 days.


The Republicans over the past twelve years or so (especially the past seven under George Bush) refused continually to pass legislation that would properly fund the VA programs necessary that would provide the benefits improvements, health care & services which were so desperately needed.


And, in the meantime the veterans and their families, end up lacking adequate benefits & health care. Many veterans actually are dieing while awaiting a decision on their claims for disability benefits due the the increase in waiting times for adjudication of their claims! Many become homeless, lose their cars, their dignity, their credit ratings and many ending up in divorce. How can destroying veterans and their families be advantageous to America?


This is not information many of the candidates or their campaigns are going to lay out there, I imagine they don't want to be seen impugning a war hero. Well, sorry.....but when it comes to my family, my health and my wallet, I will tell it like it is.


I am a 100% permanent & totally disabled combat-wounded Vietnam Infantry veteran. My father served in the United States Army during WW2 until a back injury prevented him from going overseas. I have relatives on my fathers side of the family that served in the Civil War and even go back as far as the Revolutionary War, there has always been someone from our familiy in the ranks as an enlisted man virtually since this nation began. We have a proud heritage as a family who served when called upon, and have ALWAYS supported the "troops", before----during----and AFTER any war or conflict this nation has felt necessary to commit our young men and women into. Evey single military veteran (and their family) should do likewise.


I want a President with a backbone that stands up for veterans, especially disabled veterans, we deserve the best America can offer, not the left overs, our benefits are not welfare, they are earned with our blood, sweat & tears, body parts, and minds. Our families deserve that the "PROMISE" be kept.


John McCains' voting record CLEARLY shows he is not so much for these "PROMISES" be kept to this nations sick and disabled veterans.


It's HIS voting record, out there in public for ALL the world and ALL this nations veterans to see!


HE created it, no one but HIM!


I am just putting it up here where you can all see it.


In a nutshell, it appears these past twelve years or so that Republicans are not just unfriendly..... but are in fact openly hostile to veterans' issues, and they should clearly identified as our enemies in this regard.


It is reprehensible that the same people that continue to send our young men and women into battle, to be killed and maimed, actually couldn't give a damn less about these people when they return, or the troops from prior wars either


I'll sleep with a clear conscious tonight in the fact that I KNOW for sure that my vote will go for the individual who CLEARLY SUPPORTS this nations military veterans! And that IS NOT......................JOHN McCAIN!



Gimp