Well, we LOST!

[Gimpy]

I guess all the efforts to get folks to contact their representatives went for naught!

We got screwed again!

But, don't worry cause "Help is on the way", as G. W. Bush said during the 2000 presidential campaign refering to his pledge to improve and properly fund the VA. Yeah right!

I'll have a "roll call" vote available ASAP ---but from what I could tell on C-span today it went pretty much along "party" lines. With democrats opposing the measure and the majority of republicans voteing to pass this SHIT!

Here's what the head of the VFW has to say about it.

*******************************

VFW Chief Charges House with Betrayal; VA Funding Amendment Rejected


Washington, D.C.,July 25, 2003 --The U.S. House of Representatives today through a procedural maneuver struck down an attempt to restore $1.8 billion in veterans' health-care funding even though the House leadership had assured veterans and the nation that this would be a budget that "meets the needs of America's veterans."

On Monday the House Appropriations Committee approved a VA-HUD subcommittee recommendation for a meager $1.4 billion increase for veterans' health care, a level that is a full $2 billion less than the House leadership had agreed to provide for this purpose

"Those who voted today in favor of this rule governing final action on the VA-HUD appropriation are guilty of betraying this nation's veterans in need," VFW Commander-in-Chief Ray Sisk said.

"For the Congress, in this case the House, not to appropriate this amount is a clear betrayal of the assurances made to America's veterans by the House Republican leadership," Sisk said. "It is beyond my belief that a Congress that voted to send Americans to war would not financially support the health care system that cares for our nation's veterans."

********************************

Get out the "vaseline" guys & gals---cause you just got ANOTHER "screwing" by the republican leadership in the Congress & the whitehouse!

Welcome to GEE-DUBYA'S way of doing "business"!!

I hate to be the one to say --- I told you so----but I WILL anyway!

[blues clues]

Gimpy, when you said"I told you so". I hate to say it but no body cares they've got their's everyone else is on their on,and for all the guy's and girl's to whom are fighting in the sands of saddam place just wait untill they get home and go to the VA then they will all see just how much the country really loves them. OH well, we'll just have to flood the white house with E-mail snail mail telephone calls and when all that dosen't work we'll have to put the Democrats in charge of both houses of congress.just hope there something left of this country.
razz

[Andy]

Based on this news there is only about a 33% chance I'll be voting for GW in '04. Don't see a Dem I like yet but I can't see my way to voting for George. At a time when you ask people to put their butts on the line for the country, you don't screw over their "fathers".

One question. How did the VA and HUD get hooked up? HUD has a Very bad reputation around here. HUD is sort of seen as a basket of money given to anyone who lives in the inner-city and asks for it. The VA needs to be it's own Line-item.

Stay healthy,
Andy

[Arrow]

Andy,

I absolutely agree on both counts. I need to go thomas.org and read the whole bill. Usually what I hear back from the congressional reps is: "Well,we couldn't pass such and such because this or that was attached. My question is why are you not fighting harder to make sure the bill is clean before it gets to the floor? Look I don't think any of this is going to change until Veterans are united and determined to take care of their own. There are some movements out there to do that. Some have come on this site and invited us to join them.When I saw that the bill was hooked up with HUD, I thought well there goes the neighborhood and the Republicans will use it as an excuse to turn the whole deal down. Hide and watch. That will be the next thing I will hear through the mail or on the phone. I'm sick to death of it. The DAV has done a lot of good things for the Veterans of this country but it's not enough. Instead of depending on someone else to do it for us we are going to have to do it for ourselves. I hope everyone reads what Shirley Deakins wrote to us. The only way we are going to have power is if we have one voice. I don't have a clue as how to do that. It seems that the Veterans community is so divided concerning so much petty stuff that they can't see the forest for the trees.

[HARDCORE]

FRIEND GIMPY et al -

"A man or woman has never lost until they themselves admit defeat!" And neither you, nor I, nor most of those (regardless of political party) who call themselves Americans, are truly asleep at the switch or unaware of what is being done (in their names) all around them! Especially by people that are supposedly sworn to protect and preserve, but instead, rip and plunder!!

"Within the laws of the land that many a politico seeks to hide behind, or capitalize upon, often rests the legal instrument of their own undoing!?"

God Bless all of the "Valiant American Troops" who are serving, being killed, or wounded in Iraq! And also bless the veterans who served and are now doing battle anew for earned benefits that are being stripped away from them by those who so quickly choose to forget all but self and their captured ($$) audiences, foreign and domestic alike!!

But "BLESS NOT" those who politically seek to enslave honesty, honor and dignity in the names of but power and personal gain! But rather, sit beside those who earned (or seek to earn daily) the magnificent kudos, granted in blood to us, by our Founding Fathers and all who followed in honor!

These patriots too, "Shall Never Forget", for they were once the servicemen and servicewomen who fought and/or served behind but a single banner - THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES!

They were also the civilians who lived their lives with honor, and who follow, not a political banner above all others, but rather the one true banner of honor and courage - AMERICANISM! And this banner "IS NOT" a vested, ever vacillating "Political Jolly Roger", nor is it a pennant of political folly and me-ism! Rather, it is the flag of true dedication and majority ideals, and not the political whims of the one, or the few!

And shame be to he (or she) who would even attempt to gather in "Political or Personal Gain" in the name of patriotism or the patriot's blood - for he (or she) shall reap but the contempt of God & Lady Liberty Herself in the end! (opinion)

"I respectfully plead" for all veterans and civilians alike, to preserve the dignity of past sacrifice, the blood of present sacrifices, and the responsibility of sacrifices yet unmade! Not for the benefit of a few or a select, but rather for us all, past, present and future alike to reside beneath in honor! "This is, after all, our right, our duty and our responsibility!"

And above all, let no individual, organization, or other vested entity (no matter how powerfully endowed), ever again dare to try to tear us (or what we truly stand for) asunder!!

VERITAS

[Gimpy]

H.R.-2861---Department of Veterans Affairs, and Housing and Urban Development and Idependent Agencies Appropiations Act>

This is how this 'funding" has been "appropiated" for a number of years now. I think it started back in the late 1980's or early 1990's. Even though it "sounds" like the 'other" agencies are somehow "involved" with VA appropriations---they're actually NOT! If you go to the web site that lil Sparrow is talking about you can see that the 'seperation(s)" of individual "funding" is quite distinct and unrelated to one another.

Well, I'll tell you my Yankee buddy (and I REALLy mean that cause I REALLY do respect your opinion and involvement with "our" issues.) You're giving Ol Gee-FREAKIN-DUBYA about a 33% more chance than I will---same, same for all his "compassionate conservative" co-horts in complicity and "constipation"--cause they're ALL full of $HIT in my book!

Look I know a lot of folks around here don't like me "hammering" the republicans like I do a lot of the time.

But, DAMNIT--they DESERVE every damn thing I've been saying about them. Now don't get me wrong----I got some real close republican friends (hell even some of MY family votes Repub----course they ARE considered the "black sheep" in the family--har, har) and I love and respect them all! It's those f--king, assholes in Congress and now in charge of the Whitehouse that I'm so upset with. Well, I guess I'm also pretty upset at folks who BELIEVE their horsehit as well. But, not NEARLY as much. Maybe NOW some of "these" folks that have been "hoodwinked" by the "right-wing" agenda these folks in Washington are guilty of will finally begin to see that what I've BEEN saying for the past TEN years is TRUE!

Also, Paco tells me you might be headin my way (Tampa) this fall. If so, I'd love to have you and your "sweet thang" over for dinner, drinks and maybe a swim in my new pool? Let me know.

***********************************


PS --RAZZ as usual, you're RIGHT AGAIN!

PPS---Hardcore, you ARE undoubtably the most "eloquent" contributor of meaningful, logical & intelligent & fundamentally sound information in this "neighborhood". Thanks for your efforts!

PPPS--Lil Sis----Once again, I agree----divided we WILL "fall"---flat on our asses! Hopefully we'll see some REAL progress in "coming together" of all the Service Orgs now that's it's OBVIOUS we're ALL gettin "screwed"! And--don't worry---my lil lady (Jackie) called my doctor the other day when this shit started and he INCREASED my blood pressure medication! Thank God I got her---I'd-a been dead a LONG time ago except for her!

Now I'm gonna take about three or four "pain" pills to go along with that "blood pressure" stuff so maybe I can knock myself out and forget about this SHIT for a while!

Nighty, night all :cl: :cl: :cd:

[Arrow]

Nite brother...God Bless You and God Bless Jackie for taking care of you...Sis

[HARDCORE]

GIMPY OLD FRIEND, et al-

I don't blame you, not one damned bit, for being so pissed off and disillusion! Unfortunately, it often goes along with the hidden political turf!

"Were I to ever write a published novel", I can already envision some of the 'fictional' characters that would be contained therein!? The cretins that are hidden deeply behind the dense foliage, hoping that their intended targets would blow a fuse and die from fright or sickness before they are forced to risk open attack!

And the further within this stinking jungle this cringing beast is hidden, the better this cowering predator likes it, and the safer the beast feels, or so it would be written?"

Getting back on line Friend Gimpy, I too can understand the meaning of "Ire Personified!" I have been fighting my own case for benefits for many years (like an army of others), and have been privy to eternal lies, record destruction and alterations, attempted intimidation, and when all else failed, the good cop/bad cop scenario (verifiable)! "Acts that not even a jungle beast would perpetrate against another living creature!"

For what animal, other than a human being, could be as vicious and untruthful as the mythical piece of "Oinker-Excrement" mentioned within this fictional novel? A vulgar creature, that uses enlisted trust in an attempt to further steer it's next meal away from truth, or to guide it into a trap of lies?

Worse yet, this "tantalizing Creature of Darkness", toys with you like a rabid shrew, and by doing so, exhausts your remaining time, while it eats up what is left of your trust!

Are there detestable liars like this, even within the animal kingdom? "What do you think?!"

Naturally, and if this were transcribed into a what-if novel (?), these "Not Even Barely Human" (hypothetical) cusses" would be unaware that on occasions, they could be observed by unseen eyes and/or ears? Just as in the human world, in this book, one or two of their beastly growls just might be recorded for posterity!?

"Of course, any intended meal of the beast would never be (knowingly) involved in such a purely human thing! "As by doing so, that creature too, might sink to the level of the lowest of beast that could be depicted within this imaginary novel!?"

"But then, in my opinion, only filth, and not even a jungle beast, would resort to lies and subterfuge to sneak up upon and attempt to destroy a fellow being!!" And those who could condone, through whatever feeble logic or lies they might seek to create, the acts of such a loathsome creature, are themselves, naught but honorless flotsam, regardless of any (usually self awarded) position within the pack! (opinion)

But of course, no such fictional novel has yet been written, as no member of animal society, especially if the creature had an ounce of worth, would ever sink so low as to befriend another of its kind, and then betray that trust!? This would be the act of the lowest of life forms, and even the crawling creatures of Earth would never even consider, so foul a betrayal as to feast upon their own, now would they?!

I once heard a politico ask: "Can something still call itself a man (or woman), who would knowingly lie to betray it's peers", especially for something as petty as connections, money, or bonuses? "Well, not since Judas, in my opinion, but then I have always been somewhat naive, as my trusting nature painfully proved in the past! "The key words here being - In The Past!!"

And besides, again, this is all but fiction, as no member of this race would lie to such a degree as to risk the loss of salvation, especially for a mere 20 pieces of silver, or for anything else as corruptly vested or vicious??

Hey, I told you that I was naive (Maybe)! And any similarity between the characters addressed herein, and anyone(s) within the real world, are purely coincidental!! (again - MAYBE?)

VERITAS

[Andy]

Can't believe I never knew they combined the VA budget with HUD for "bills". That, all by itself, answers a lot of questions. Once something is done in Washington, not sure it ever gets undone, bummer.

Fall 2004 I may very well be campaigning for George O'Brien for president again. It's a Massachusetts thing.

As far as my magical mystery tour; going to drive down to Limestone Tn. and visit some friends. Wife flies in and out. Then it's on to Ga. (again) to see Sid and John again and maybe the mythical X-Grunt. Not sure what will happen after they are done with me but would like to visit some kin-folk in Orlando, Hitchcocks and Rizers. It seems I'd be sort of driving by your house, if I make it that far in Annette's new gas guzzler. Seems it would be impolite not to say howdy. However, after Georgia all bets are off (Sid worries me).

Hey Hardcore, don't give the bastards the satisfaction, keep fighting and win. I swear some people at the VA hire 700 pound, man eating zucchinis to work with vets but the best fights are those worth winning. Keep at it. If there was anything I might do, please ask!

Stay healthy,
Andy

[HARDCORE]

"THANK ANDY!