Supporting WHICH troops???

[Gimpy]

Supporting Which Troops?


Posted 06/28/2005 by Ari Bermam



By now, it should be obvious that the "pro-defense" party doesn't give a damn about our troops, least of all veterans.


House Republicans ousted (kicked him out) fellow conservative Chris Smith as chairman of the Committee on Veterans Affairs for his tireless advocacy of veterans rights.

Current Chairman Steve Buyer was promoted, in the words of one Republican aide, "to tell the veterans groups, 'Enough is enough.'"


Senate Republicans have repeatedly voted down funding increases for vets to keep pace with inflation and meet rising needs.


The Bush Administration tried to add an enrollment fee and double the prescription co-payment for VA health care.


And now the VA admits it is $1 billion short on health care funding for this year alone.


After months of dodging Congressional questioning, VA undersecretary for health Jonathan Perlin finally gave the House VA Committee an unexpectedly honest answer last week. It turns out the $1.6 billion spending increase promised last year has been a matter of accounting trickery, achieved by shifting money from one account to another, and cutting almost $1 billion for medical administration, facilities and prosthetic research.


After the testimony, irate Republican Senator Larry Craig joined his Democratic colleague Patty Murray in demanding emergency funds from the Bush Administration. "We're going to pound them like hell 'till we get them," Craig said of VA hearings scheduled this week. "Then we'll make some judgments."


Before Senate Republicans voted down Murray's plan to adequately pay for VA health care, for the second time in two months last April, VA Secretary Jim Nicholson promised the Senate he had the resources required.

"I can assure you that VA does not need emergency supplemental funds in FY2005 to continue to provide the timely, quality service that is always our goal," Nicholson (lying Bastard!----Gimp) wrote in a letter to Republican Kay Bailey Hutchison.


The understaffed hospitals, lengthy waits, red tape and frequent complains seemed to be a figment of the Democratic imagination .


At a time when VA funding is 25 percent lower than it was 5 years ago (adjusted for inflation), Murray's amendment would've provided badly needed funds for mental health treatment, new veterans and local clinics.

Instead, the $80 billion supplemental for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the $2.6 trillion Senate Budget Resolution for 2006 denies full quality treatment to returning and current vets.

The 13,000 soldiers wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan since March 2003, 30 percent of whom return with post traumatic stress disorder or other psychological problems, can't even get a little help from their Republican friends.


"The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional as to how they perceive the Veterans of earlier wars were treated and appreciated by their country." George Washington said that in 1789.

############

AMEN Brother! AMEN!

[Advisor]

They're too busy figuring out ways to give our money to pisspot dictators & illegals. Citizens be damned..veterans double damned.

[Gimpy]

VA Confirms 103,000 Iraq and Afghan Veterans Seek

Healthcare: Senate Plans $1.5 Billion Spending Boost for Veterans

By DAVID ESPO

The Associated Press

Tuesday, June 28, 2005; 3:26 PM



WASHINGTON -- Struggling to prevent political damage, Senate Republicans intend to raise spending on veterans programs by $1.5 billion to make up for a shortage caused partly by the return of troops from Iraq and Afghanistan and underfunding from the Bush administration , officials said Tuesday.


"I'm glad they have seen the light," said Democratic leader Harry Reid of Nevada. He said majority Republicans had refused to provide the money when members of his party called for it earlier in the year.


Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho, who chairs the Veterans Committee, said a vote was likely Tuesday or Wednesday.

The decision to approve the funds came in response to last week's disclosure that the Department of Veterans Affairs needs $1 billion more for veterans health care this year.

Republicans swiftly retreated on the issue in the Senate, but not in the House. [COLOR=red](Evil bastards!....Gimp) [/color]

There, the GOP defeated a Democratic effort to provide an extra $1 billion for veterans health care. The 217-189 vote was along party lines.

Rep. Chet Edwards, D-Texas, accused the GOP of hiding behind procedural excuses _ that the House was debating legislation unrelated to veterans. Rep. Nita Lowey, D-N.Y., said that either Veterans Affairs Secretary Jim Nicholson misled Congress with his earlier statements or he himself had been kept in the dark by other administration officials.


Reid poked at the Republicans as Democratic officials circulated printed material accusing the GOP of having "ignored early warnings on funding for veterans."

Specifically, it cited an attempt by Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., to add $1.98 billion for veterans health care to a spending bill for the current year and an attempt to raise spending by $2.8 billion for next year. Republicans defeated the first proposal on a vote of 54-46, the second on a vote of 53-47.


VA officials testified last week that the shortage in funds resulted from poor budget forecasting as well as additional costs to provide services to veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.
VA officials have said the agency could juggle its budget to meet the health care needs by taking $600 million from funds earmarked for maintenance and another $400 million in money built in as a cushion.


It was not clear how the additional funds would fit under an overall spending cap that Congress and President Bush have imposed on themselves for the fiscal year that ends Sept. 30.


Presumably, lawmakers could cut funds from another program to stay under the limit, or they could finesse the issue by declaring an emergency and spend the money without having it count as part of the total.


Senate Republicans made their decision as Nicholson told lawmakers in the House and Senate that demand for veterans health programs rose by 5.2 percent this year, more than the 2.3 percent increase that had been forecast.


About one-quarter of this year's $1 billion shortfall results from the services needed by veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, he said, adding that the estimate of roughly 23,000 returning veterans proved far below the actual total of 103,000.


Nicholson said the agency now estimates its earlier forecast for the next fiscal year will leave it about $1.5 billion short .


House Appropriations Committee Chairman Jerry Lewis, R-Calif., told Nicholson the delayed notice about budget shortfalls "borders on stupidity."


Across the Capitol, Senate Democrats took turns criticizing the agency and the administration.


Murray said the disclosures were "another indication this administration has not taken veterans needs seriously."

She added, "Any plan to get us through this year based on borrowing funds from future years is fundamentally flawed."

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Unless and until I hear the religious right speak out against Bush's treatment of our veterans, I will be prepared to accept the fact that they in fact approve of it. Talk about a bunch of Christo-Hypocrites!


Patriotism and love of country does not demand endless sacrifice on the part of our troops in a war justified by lies and mindless slogans, or our Government leaders broken promises to it's veterans! .

[BLUEHAWK]

a. The Congress, not the President or his adminstration, is reponsible for approving all proposed budget items.

b. Healthcare costs are improverishing the greater majority of our nation's people, across the board, with no end in sight. There is, however, no excuse for failing to find a way to live up to any promises that are made to Veterans... if nothing else.

c. Congress has recently attempted to cut back on certain of its programs in order to have sufficient budget for other more important things. The hew and cry that goes up every time they try such a thing is horrendous, and they usually cave in.

From the Constitution:

Section. 8.

" Clause 1: The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;

Clause 2: To borrow Money on the credit of the United States;

Clause 3: To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes;

Clause 4: To establish an uniform Rule of Naturalization, and uniform Laws on the subject of Bankruptcies throughout the United States;

Clause 5: To coin Money, regulate the Value thereof, and of foreign Coin, and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures;

Clause 6: To provide for the Punishment of counterfeiting the Securities and current Coin of the United States;

Clause 7: To establish Post Offices and post Roads;

Clause 8: To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries;

Clause 9: To constitute Tribunals inferior to the supreme Court;

Clause 10: To define and punish Piracies and Felonies committed on the high Seas, and Offences against the Law of Nations;

Clause 11: To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water;

Clause 12: To raise and support Armies, but no Appropriation of Money to that Use shall be for a longer Term than two Years;

Clause 13: To provide and maintain a Navy;

Clause 14: To make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and naval Forces;

Clause 15: To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions;

Clause 16: To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the Militia, and for governing such Part of them as may be employed in the Service of the United States, reserving to the States respectively, the Appointment of the Officers, and the Authority of training the Militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress;

Clause 17: To exercise exclusive Legislation in all Cases whatsoever, over such District (not exceeding ten Miles square) as may, byCession of particular States, and the Acceptance of Congress, become the Seat of the Government of the United States, and to exercise like Authority over all Places purchased by the Consent of the Legislature of the State in which the Same shall be, for the Erection of Forts, Magazines, Arsenals, dock-Yards, and other needful Buildings;--And

Clause 18: To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof. "

[Gimpy]

Blue, Blue, Blue, Blue, Blue, Blue, Blue.

OK................that should be enough to show you how ridiculously redundant, insufficient, and totally mistaken your response is........and evidently will continue to be.


(1)......The President submits a "budget" to Congress for their "advice & consent", ie; approval or DISapproval.

(2).... In EVERY PHUCKIN YEAR since George W. Bush has been responsible for this "budget" the "Congress" has had to place MORE $$$$$ into the VA budget to barely meet system requirements (over objections from the President BTW), and in nearly ALL cases THAT hasn't even been enough!

(3)...In 2003 Preznit-nit-wit decided to play "hard-ball" with the Congress and threatened to "VETO" the fiscal year 2004 budget if they kept "adding" $$$$ to the VA budget, ie; ---health care, con-current receipt, etc.------Result?---Lowest amount of increase % for VA budget in modern history! Things started getting even worse than before.

(4)....in 2004 Preznit-Piss-Poor-Play-Boy decided that "tactic" worked SO well......he'd do it AGAIN (threaten VETO) and the $$$$$ needed were NOT added to the VA budget because the Senators & House were "kept in line" to the Whitehouse proposals for the VA budget.

Result-----------it's been on the network news and all the major newspapers this week as the articles I've placed on this forum show. $1,000,000,000,000 shortfall in $$$$ needed to fund the VA health care system! that's ONE BILLION $$. Do you GET IT?

Just what in the phuck makes YOU so almighty convinced that YOU are "correct" in YOUR asumptions about this bit of historical neglect of the VA by your boy Bush.................and yet ALL THE EVIDENCE TO THE CONTRARY is announced, proven to be accurate without a DOUBT by all the service organizations (ie; DAV, VFW, AMVETS, etc., etc.,), military retiree associations, life-long veterans advocates and others......and yet you're unequivocally either dumb as a box of rocks,......... or so brain-washed that your intellect has been overwhelmed by the delusional ravings of your poster boys for putrid behavior??

How DO you explain your irrational conclusion(s)???

[BLUEHAWK]

Okay...

Based on what has been said:

a. Congress evidently has approved spending too little on VA needs, or has not disapproved of spending too little.

b. Every fiscal year the President has added more money to the proposed VA budget.

c. There is not enough money in the VA budget to cover all the expenses of medical care. Join the club. There hasn't been enough money in my budget to cover the family medical care either... for at least 20 years, and I have worried about it constantly. I'm a Vet... with four kids (that I am sure of), and four ex-wives.

d. The President is not "my boy."

e. What does "phuck" mean?

f. Don't call me names anymore.

[urbsdad6]

If Congress has the right to coin money and the power to lay and collect taxes uniformly throughout the United States, why do we bow down to the Federal Reserve (a private corporation not part of the Congress, Government, etc., etc.) and the IRS (strong arm of the Federal Reserve and never completely ratified by the proper number of states (http://www.prisonplanet.com/index.html see video interview with former IRS agent Joe Banister)? Also (but off topic) the simple solution to Social Security is to remove the $250,000 cap on earnings and make the wealthy pay into it and maybe we could take the burden off the middle class and even get some benefits for the Vets. Just posing some questions.


Doc Urb

[BLUEHAWK]

Originally posted by urbsdad6 If Congress has the right to coin money and the power to lay and collect taxes uniformly throughout the United States, why do we bow down to the Federal Reserve (a private corporation not part of the Congress, Government, etc., etc.) and the IRS (strong arm of the Federal Reserve and never completely ratified by the proper number of states (http://www.prisonplanet.com/index.html see video interview with former IRS agent Joe Banister)? Also (but off topic) the simple solution to Social Security is to remove the $250,000 cap on earnings and make the wealthy pay into it and maybe we could take the burden off the middle class and even get some benefits for the Vets. Just posing some questions.


Doc Urb

If I may offer this response... I never said I was, am or ever will be a Federalist.

In fact, in a certain way, I wish NOBODY was a Federalist!

Don't think we "bow down" to the Federal Reserve exactly.

People need to remember that after our revolution, there did not exist any uniform currency among the original states, nor was there a national bank, nor could the war debts be paid, nor were the enlisted Veterans getting their pay for quite a long time after the shooting stopped and the amputations had healed.

In addition to which, certain representatives of the people (Patrick Henry excluded) at Philadelphia took it upon themselves to create a Constitution in "closed session", rather than to reform our Articles of Confederation, which is what they had been sent there to do in the first place.

We eventually ended up fighting our own brutal War of Rebellion (aka "Civil War") over those decisions... and, by some lights, the wrong side "won."

So, now we are with the Union, and we carry her blessed flag.

[Gimpy]

Originally posted by BLUEHAWK Okay...

Based on what has been said:

a. Congress evidently has approved spending too little on VA needs, or has not disapproved of spending too little.


Well.........Your gettin closer to admitting your "boy" Bush is guilty of the things I've stated. It WAS "his" budget that Congress voted on and Bush threatened to VETO if they didn't do it his way!----Gimp

b. Every fiscal year the President has added more money to the proposed VA budget.

That's just a damn "cop out" and YOU know it!...His $$$$ he's "added" to the VA budget have been about as effective as treating a sucking chest wound with a damn asprin tablet for God's sake!

That damn last years so-called "increase" was the LOWEST INCREASE IN MODERN HISTORY! And, is EXACTLY what has led to the current disatrous emergency the VA health care system is facing as we speak!----Gimp

c. There is not enough money in the VA budget to cover all the expenses of medical care. Join the club. (seems like you're willing to do that......NOT ME!----GIMP) There hasn't been enough money in my budget to cover the family medical care either... for at least 20 years, and I have worried about it constantly.(That is NO comparison, is the Federal Government charged with giving you and and your children "health insurance" as it is every disabled veteran that's eligible????----Gimp) I'm a Vet... with four kids (that I am sure of).....(then why in the HELL aren't YOU doing MORE than you ARE to fix this $hit, huh????....Gimp) , and four ex-wives.


(Damn fella, you got FOUR "ex wives"? I'm starting to see where your difficulty in comprehending details of irrational behavior come from now!----Gimp)

d. The President is not "my boy."

(Sure seems like it to me----Gimp)

e. What does "phuck" mean?

(Phuck:....To copulate, or engage in intercourse sexually...A "metaphorical" adjective purposefully mispelled to describe more vulgar example of commonly used word..........Gimp)


f. Don't call me names anymore .

(I did NOT call you a "name". I simply used an adjectival description....Ie; DUMB.... to denote a quality of the intellectual capacity that you evidently are lacking in to comprehend facts?

If I wanted to call you a "name" I would have used ..........DUMB BELL, or, DUMB ASS, or DUM DUM or some other derogatory or demeaning "name". That Sir, I did NOT do!-----Gimp)

[BLUEHAWK]

It doesn't seem that you really WANT to solve any of those problems...

Seems like, instead, you want most of all to cuss the President and anybody who might defend him. When yer done with that, lemme know.

About the only thing I know how to do to DO something legal about any of it is to write more letters to people in government, and receive back more form letters expressing their "appreciation" that I have taken the time to make them aware of a "vexing" problem they already knew about and could not solve themselves.

I wrote my last one of those letters about three years ago, and threw away the tall stack of meaningless responses signed by automatic pens that I had been collecting since 1966, too.

Deserving Vets need to get their due, everybody knows that, including the President.

My VA classification is so far down the line that I'd be lucky to get a business card at the front desk from them. That's okay by me, I'd rather people who really need help got it. I'll do okay as it is but, factually, there isn't ANYBODY I can go to for help with medical costs. So, in a way, deserving Vets at least have an advantage over that, eh?