John McCain is FULL OF CRAP!

[Gimpy]

We have heard the opposition's argument against the 21st Century GI Bill time and time again:

At a time when the United States Military is fighting in two wars and we're finally, finally beginning the long overdue and very urgent necessity of increasing the size of the Army and Marine Corps. one study, one study estimates that Sen. Webb's bill will reduce retention rates by 16%.--Sen. John McCain R-AZ

First, let's point out that the same study Sen. McCain cites also determined the 21st Century GI Bill (Sen. Webb's bill) would increase recruiting by 16%, thereby offsetting any reduction in retention (re-enlistment). But what do these percentages really mean? How many soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines are we talking about? The truth is the increase in recruiting represents a far greater number of troops than the decrease in retention; resulting in a net increase of our Armed Forces.

Based on this rule the 21st Century GI Bill would increase the end strength of our Armed Forces more than 39,000 troops, and considering the Navy and Air Force were left out; one could easily assume this increase would be in excess of 50,000 additional troops. The 21st Century GI Bill is a sound means to increase the end strength of our Armed Forces. Furthermore, at a time when only 79% of new Army recruits possess a diploma and 13% of new recruits were granted criminal background waivers; the 21st Century GI Bill is the ideal mechanism to increase the quality of new recruits.


In a recent Army Times article unrelated to the 21st Century GI Bill titled: Have recruit incentives reached their limit? Lawrence Kapp, a military manpower analyst with the Congressional Research Service stated:


There has to be some way to of re-connecting service, broadly speaking, with kind of the white-collar expectations of many of our youth today


David S.C. Chu, Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness who was also featured in the article stated:

In order to increase the pool of best-quality recruits...the military must make itself attractive to young Americans...the military cannot reverse course on its standards. The military strives to recruit individuals with a high aptitude for service and a high level of personal behavior.


Lastly, Heidi Goldberg, a CBO analyst noted:

she would place more emphasis on the college "market." Recruiters tend to focus on the high school market, she said, but "many people who begin college don't complete it."


The evidence speaks for itself. The 21st Century GI Bill is the modern solution to today's recruiting demands and fulfills a much needed niche in society; bridging the gap between secondary education and institutions of higher learning. It is apparent that the current GI Bill is outdated and must be replaced in order to keep pace with the rapid social changes occuring in our society.


Anyone with a pulse knows that the Pentagon has a history of wasting huge sums of money. Just last week, an internal audit found that the Army squandered $8.2 billion of taxpayer money on contractors in Iraq.


Sadly, while their wallets always seem to be open for the contractors, the administration has a habit of tightening the purse strings when it comes to the troops. From body armor to bonuses, our troops continue to be shortchanged. Currently, the administration is "strongly opposing" a 0.5 percent pay raise for troops passed by Congress, calling it "unnecessary."


And now, the Bush administration is threatening to do it again. The Department of Defense and the administration have come out against the new GI Bill. The GI Bill, originally introduced by Senators Webb (D-VA), Hagel (R-NE), Warner (R-VA) and Lautenberg (D-NJ), is one of the single most supported pieces of legislation in Congress right now. It has over 300 cosponsors in the House, and almost 60 in the Senate. It's also got the support of all the leading Veterans Service Organizations, including the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Veterans, and IAVA.


The Bush administration's argument (and John McCains') is that if a GI Bill benefit is too good, it'll reward veterans too richly for their service and draw them away from re-enlisting:


Seriously though, it is both shocking and appalling that after seven years of war, anyone thinks an education at one of our nation's public colleges is more than our troops have earned. It is also profoundly implausible and insulting to argue that the troops who have continued to re-enlist and to serve, even under the incredible strain of multiple combat tours, would suddenly abandon the military in droves.


Opponents of the new GI Bill will tell you the retention issue is a question of national security. It isn't. It's a question of money. If these guys were so worried about keeping troops in the military, why not suck it up and just give these troops a pay raise? How about 15% across the board? Or how about they accept that troops who've served multiple combat tours deserve a bonus?


But what really kills me about the retention argument from McCain and the Whitehouse is how short-sighted it is. You can't retain troops you've never recruited in the first place. Since 2004, our military has been struggling to meet recruiting goals. We're spending $4 billion a year to bring folks into the military, and we're still having to lower our enlistment standards. In 2007, only 79% of new Army enlistees had a high-school diploma. The maximum age for a new recruit has been raised to 42 from 35. And 12 percent of recruits are receiving waivers for criminal convictions.


We can do better. As Senator Webb, who is also a former Secretary of the Navy, has said, a new GI Bill would strengthen our military by encouraging more high-aptitude, college-bound young people to join up. Getting money for an education is the number one reason civilians enlist in the first place. A new GI Bill is an amazing opportunity to keep the promise we made to our veterans and to revitalize our military, all in one step.


John McCain is FULL OF $HIT!


And, all you have to do to see that he is NO FRIEND to military veterans is check his Congressional voting record at the Disabled American Veterans web site.


Gimp

[Gimpy]

The DAV (Disabled American Veterans) has been accumulating evidence regarding Senators (and Congressmen) voting records on veterans issues for some time now.

See below........

http://capwiz.com/dav/keyvotes.xc/?lvl=C

As these records show:

From 03/09/2004 through 05/04/2006 John McCain had the opportunity to vote on veterans benefits and/or health care issues a total of twenty (20) times. He voted AGAINST the veterans issues sixteen (16) of those times according to the roll call votes in the Senate as reported by the DAV (Disabled American Veterans). This gives McCain a piss-poor TWENTY PERCENT (20%) affirmative voting record on veterans affairs during this period. WHILE THE REPUBLICANS HELD CONTROL OF CONGRESS. You can also check out his most recent voting records at the links below.



U.S. Senate
109th Congress, Second Session


http://capwiz.com/dav/scorecard.xc?c...1092&x=12&y=13

U.S. Senate
109th Congress, First Session

http://capwiz.com/dav/scorecard.xc?c...91&x=10&y=13\\



U.S. Senate
108th Congress, Second Session

http://capwiz.com/dav/scorecard.xc?c...1082&x=11&y=13


Gimp

[reconeil]

6/5/08

How come many responses exposing duplicitous: "Democrat/Socialist/Leftist Political
Supremacist Hacks (now Hackers also) posing as Liberals" for what truly are,...get
quickly removed, deleted or censored from this thread?

A few days ago there were 2 pages worth of debunking responses & over a hundred
viewers listed. What happened. Every day appears as if some new: "Hate McCain"
posting/thread by Gimpy?

Do members have that much easy control over what obviously cannot answer to, on
this supposedly Open and/or Non-censored Forum?

Neil

[Advisor]

"Democrat/Socialist/Leftist Political
Supremacist Hacks (now Hackers also) posing as Liberals"
Some of their's are missing too

[reconeil]

Apparently "They" had to sacrifice their bull so that more unarguable
truths about such phonies and/or ACTUALLY Wartime Underminers for
Political Gain, wouldn't be further publicly exposed for what truly are.

We live in Sick Times amongst some Truly Sick People, Ad.,...and
unfortunately even here on Patfiles there are some obvious Fanatically
Leftist Political Hacks doing their best to deviously dupe people.


Granted, Gimpy & Clique not near as masterfully duplicitous & conniving
as The Clintons or Obamas.
But, he has certainly proved himself devious enough here. Don't you think?

Neil

[David]

The posts have not been removed on purpose. We have been having a few issues with the database server and have had to reset the database a number of times in the last week. We have no intention of losing any material as that is counter to the purpose of the site. We apologize for the inconvenience and thank you for your patience as we iron out the bugs.

[Gimpy]

What have I been trying to tell you.

Your ridiculous rightwing PARANOIA has once again shown it's ugly head!

As I previously stated, WHY would I want to "delete" any of your ridiculous rantings and ravings?

Thanks to David for setting your butt straight!

Your garbage postings only go to show just how supremely obnoxious and stupid they continue to be.

You have NEVER once attempted to offer any evidence to the contrary of the information on McCain that I have posted.

Why?.............BECAUSE YOU CAN'T.........IT'S ALL THERE IN BLACK & WHITE IN THE CONGRESSIONAL RECORD.......FOR EVERYONE TO SEE!

All you can do is BLOVIATE, BLUSTER, RANT & RAVE...........without an ounce of verifiable evidence that would or could attempt to discredit or disprove the F-A-C-T-S I've posted about McCain!

Won't you EVER learn?????

Obviously NOT!


Gimp

[MORTARDUDE]

Originally Posted by reconeil

Apparently "They" had to sacrifice their bull so that more unarguable
truths about such phonies and/or ACTUALLY Wartime Underminers for
Political Gain, wouldn't be further publicly exposed for what truly are.

We live in Sick Times amongst some Truly Sick People, Ad.,...and
unfortunately even here on Patfiles there are some obvious Fanatically
Leftist Political Hacks doing their best to deviously dupe people.


Granted, Gimpy & Clique not near as masterfully duplicitous & conniving
as The Clintons or Obamas.
But, he has certainly proved himself devious enough here. Don't you think?

Neil

Neil :

First, I am saying this is as a friend and a brother. What purpose does it serve to continue to call folks names ? You do not even try to present anything to counter anyone's arguments pro or con. I do understand your anger and frustration with those who disagree with you, even though you may not believe that. There are over 300 million folks in this country and each has his own personal ideas about a myriad of subjects, due to their personal experiences. Wouldn't it be better to listen and argue calmly, without all the names, labels, and large lettering ? Like I said, I do understand how you feel. I was very much like you some 5 - 6 years ago....

There are less than 23 million veterans left in the USA right now. That is about 7.7 % of the total population. I read the obituaries in the Memphis paper everyday. Most all of the men over 50 years old that die are veterans.
Project this out another 10 years, and many of us on this site will be 70 or more. Almost all the WW2 vets will be gone, and the majority of the Korean War vets will be in their mid 80s...

( examples : anyone 17 in 1945 will be 90 in 2018

anyone 17 in 1953 will be 82 in 2018

anyone 17 in 1972 will be 63 in 2018

also, in 10 years many of the Iraq War and Afghan vets will be in their mid 30s )

What I am trying to say, is that we have to stand TOGETHER as brothers and fight for the rights the Federal Government promised all of us. If not us, who will ??? Wouldn't it be better to work together and solve our differences ?

Just picture someone, veteran or not, coming to this site for the first time and seeing some of us engaging in name calling, vitriol, and debates without the benefit of evidence, or even a chance for any compromise. I am sure many will not come back....but I hope I am wrong.

As I said, you are my brother Neil.

May God Bless,

Larry

[Robert Ryan]

I guess the one I posted on this issue must have been not suitable for posting.

[Gimpy]

Originally Posted by David

The posts have not been removed on purpose. We have been having a few issues with the database server and have had to reset the database a number of times in the last week. We have no intention of losing any material as that is counter to the purpose of the site. We apologize for the inconvenience and thank you for your patience as we iron out the bugs.

I don't think you've accurately understood what David has said. Please see above.

Thanks ..

Gimp