All Problems Solved?

[SuperScout]

As I recall before the major meltdown of the original PF site, the election that brought da dims back to power was going to solve every problem known to mankind, from Katrina victims to curing toenail fungus. High on that list of da dims priorities, at least those touted by our resident liberals, was the problems with the VA and the benefits that had been promised or recommended. Anybody know of how all the problems were solved? Was there this rushof funds over to the VA, and subsequently down to the veterans? Has the waiting line shortened for those applying for benefits or for an ungrade in their disability ratings? According to the promises made, we shouldn't be having any problems at all now with the VA, right?

[Gimpy]

Originally Posted by SuperScout

As I recall before the major meltdown of the original PF site, the election that brought da dims back to power was going to solve every problem known to mankind, from Katrina victims to curing toenail fungus. High on that list of da dims priorities, at least those touted by our resident liberals, was the problems with the VA and the benefits that had been promised or recommended. Anybody know of how all the problems were solved? Was there this rushof funds over to the VA, and subsequently down to the veterans? Has the waiting line shortened for those applying for benefits or for an ungrade in their disability ratings? According to the promises made, we shouldn't be having any problems at all now with the VA, right?

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


Well now, let us commiserate and peruse what one of this nations finest and most knowledgeable military veterans writers has to say about this, ok?

---START---


Democrats turn on money tap to help veterans

By Tom Philpott
Special to Stars and Stripes


Veterans service organizations are thrilled with a $43.1 billion appropriations bill that Congress is set to pass next month for the Department of Veterans Affairs.


The funding level for veterans programs and facilities is almost 20 percent higher than demoralized Republican leaders left behind a year ago. The $6.9 billion increase will allow VA to hire 1,800 more claim processors, beef up medical staffs and modernize long-neglected hospitals and clinics.


“I can’t praise the Democratic leadership enough for what they’ve done with addressing the budget that was handed to them the day they took office,” said Steve Robertson, legislative director for the American Legion.

The 109th (Republican) Congress adjourned last December without passing a VA appropriations bill. It left the department operating under a “continuing resolution” with VA spending frozen at its fiscal ’06 level.


In taking control of the 110th Congress, Democrats immediately raised VA funding for fiscal 2007 by $3.5 billion. They then turned to veterans groups for guidance on setting the VA budget for ’08.


As usual, four major organizations — Veterans of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Veterans, Paralyzed Veterans of America and American Veterans (AMVETS) — prepared an “independent budget” to guide lawmakers. The American Legion followed up, also as usual, with its own budget wish list.


But then Democrats last spring did something very unusual. To the delight of advocacy groups, they used the budget guidance from vet groups to set their budget blueprint, making VA funding a clear priority.


“In the 20 years I’ve been working in Washington,” said Robertson, “this is the first time that [Congress] met or exceeded every recommendation that was made by both the Independent Budget and the American Legion. It’s unprecedented.”


It still is a little early to access what veterans will gain legislatively this year besides robust VA funding, which is a lock. Committee hearings and reports from special commissions produced many headlines on needed benefit gains. But many of the resulting ideas, from bigger GI Bill benefits to raised disability payments, were controversial and costly. Most likely they won’t win serious consideration from lawmakers until 2008, at the earliest.


Other bills have been endorsed by the veterans’ affairs committees and some have been passed by either the House or the Senate. But their final passage is mired in partisan politics. (republican tightwads and ultraconservative special interests-----Gimp).


In separate phone interviews before Thanksgiving, Democratic Sens. Daniel Akaka (Hawaii) and Rep. Bob Filner (California), chairmen of the veterans’ affairs committees, cited the VA funding increases as the clear highlight of their first year holding their committee gavel.


“The key thing is resources have been put in place to do the job,” said Filner. He described a VA health system “stretched to its limit” by an aging veteran population and the special challenges of veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan with post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injuries.


“Typical for this administration, they weren’t prepared to deal with it,” said Filner, who seldom passes on an opportunity to fire a shot at the current administration. “Here we are four to five years into the war and they still don’t have enough PTSD people or [experts] to consult on suicide. It’s just ridiculous.”


Both chairmen said they continue to emphasis to colleagues, and to Bush administration officials, that care of veterans must be seen as a “cost of war.” Therefore VA budget increases must be part of any wartime supplemental budget bill passed to fund continued wartime operations.


Though Akaka and Filner helped to secure sharp increases this year in VA funding, they also chair the committees responsible for authorizing new programs and raising current benefits. Their success in that role has been established. Akaka confirmed that two major bills, which were cleared by his committee and are flush with initiatives to improve veterans’ health care and other benefits, might not be enacted until 2008.


The Veterans’ Traumatic Brain Injury and Other Health Programs Improvement Act (S. 1233) would extend the period of eligibility for discharged combat veterans to have swift access to VA health care from two years to five. Veterans who believe they suffer one of the “invisible wounds” of PTSD or brain injury would be guaranteed a mental health exam within 30 days of making a request. The same bill would increase the travel reimbursement rate for veterans commuting long distances to get VA care. It would jump to 28 cents a mile from the 11-cent rate set in 1978.


Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho, (remember him?---Gimp) has put a hold on the bill, however, because of a provision was added after it cleared committee to reopen VA health care to new Priority 8 enrollees. These are veterans with no service-connected disabilities and supposedly adequate incomes by government standards set by the previous Republican controlled Congress. (What a great job they did, right?----Gimp)


Akaka and Filner support Priority 8 enrollments. Dan Whiting, Craig’s spokesman, said he opposes reopening VA health care to every veteran “because it would take resources away from returning injured veterans.” (That's a crock of shit and he knows it!----------There are plenty of $$$$ there, they just don't want to spend it!------Gimp)


Craig also is blocking the Veterans Benefits Enhancement Act (S. 1315) which would improve veterans’ life insurance, adaptable housing and other benefits. What he opposes in this bill is language to give service pensions to Filipino veterans of World War II. Craig argues the pensions are too generous and they would be paid with dollars earmarked to provide a special monthly pension for elderly and housebound U.S. veterans. (Another CROCK OF SHIT!----Nice guy this Craig fella,huh?----He needs to stick to "bathroom patrol" and leave the funding to the democrats so we can finally get the help that George Bush promised us more than seven freakin years ago!----Gimp)


Akaka and Filner pushed the Filipino pension provision through committee. .


Whiting said Craig is talking with Akaka about a possible compromise.


---END---

Craig is probably trying to "comprimise" with the "dims" to get the repubs in Congress off his fairy ass so he won't have to leave Congress in disgrace!

Nice "family values" there Craig!----You couldn't get away with screwing young fellas in public bathrooms, so you've decided to screw veterans even more than you did while you were the republican Chairman of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee~????

Fine bunch you're supporting there SuperSleuth.----Fine bunch!

If ALL----I REPEAT------ALL-----the service orgs (ie; DAV, VFW, AMVETS, American Legion, Paralyzed Veterans of America, Vietnam Veterans of America, Retired Military Officers Association, etc, etc, etc, etc, etc.) are praising the "Dims" for the accomplishments thus far in Congress, WTF are YOU bitchin about, HUH? It took "your boys" about 8 years to FUBAR the VA. I'm sure it'll take a little more than a year and a half for the "Dims" to straighten out all the bullshit "your boys" created.

Ya S'pose?

Just asking.

Yo old buddy,

The Gimpster

[Packo]

Sure looks like an answer to Scouts question to me. I have a simple way of looking at these things. If the Major Service Organizations support it....I'm for it. Being a Life Member of the DAV, MOPH, and PVA, I follow closely what they say in their mags and believe me, the last 7 years have been pretty darn bleak for Veterans. These Organizations are not raving Lefties or Rightee's, they are advocates for us. They will call a spade a spade be it "dims" or "reflubs". They have been railing on Bush's Veterans policies for at least the last 5 of 7 years. I would have never believed what I saw from a Repub Pres and Congress on Vets issues but I saw it. Now let's see if the good times for the VA and Vets keep on rollin' or if it's just more politics to get back in charge then, shit goes back to normal. I don't trust any of these bastards but my faith in the GOP has been dying fast, and for me to say that.....would be the same if Gimpy said that about his faith in the Democrats. Doesn't mean I could ever vote for someone like Hillary, who will probably get the nomination, but I don't see anything on EITHER SIDE that excites me. I've never seen so many uninteresting people running for the most powerful office on the planet. It's sad and scarry. Where the Hell is SAM NUNN when you need him!

Pack

[Gimpy]

Thanks Packman, mah Deah Suthern Brother.

And, you're absolutely right!-----If the democrats fail to do what they said they will for veterans during their role of congressional leadership, I will be the FIRST to condemn them for their failures!

But, so far------------it ain't happening that way.

And, you're right on that other statement also.............I say let's start a "Draft Sam Nunn" for Pres as soon as we can!..........This is one guy that I believe the Repubs and the Dems could agree on!

Yo old Bro,

The Gimpster

[reconeil]

Gimpy,

Whether a: "Democrat/Socialist/Leftist leader posing as a Liberal" pandering for votes from anyone on earth insisting that everyone ever wearing a uniform be addressed, or differently a Republican/Conservative believing that only Service Connected Disabilities be cared for by The VA,...even Philpott's title/headline: "Democrats turn on money tap for veterans" isn't very realistic, honest & believable.

His also stating that: "Final passage mired in partisan politics", wasn't very forthright either. After all, The Democrats have had TOTAL CONTROL of The U.S. Congress, Important Committees, policies and thus: "The American Purse String", for almost a year.

Besides, only fools could seriously believe what the TRUE intentions of career-Leftist War Protesters & Underminers of The U.S. Military and its Veterans TRULY will do (or not), anyway. Might just as well believe what Chavez or echoing Penn and other fools will do or say next.

Regardless, I personally believe it downright silly expecting Hollywood & San Francisco types and/or fanatically bent political ideologues to DO THE RIGHT THING or WHAT'S BEST for The Military, Veterans and America & Americans in general. Also, and on both: "DO THE RIGHT THING or WHAT'S BEST" for The U.S. Military & Disabled American Veterans, such should never have been politicized as common/welfare/freebie type Civilian Programs IN THE FIRST PLACE,...and much less during wartime.

Neil

[sfc_darrel]

I guess that I should have posted my most recent bit of information as a response to this.

[reconeil]

Sfc. darrel,

Thank you very much for your last posting over on General Posts.
Same exposes how TRULY concerned about The AMERICAN Veteran
that The Democrats ACTUALLY are.

Such phoney Libs probably figure that they can garner more votes
from The Filipino-American Communities by doing such (?), even though
totally absurd & despicable taking such monies away from Disabled
American Veterans and the so typically duped American Taxpayer,...
by gifting same monies to foreign nationals.

Also, didn't realize that The Filipino Government was so destitute and
much like Mexico, where can't even take care of their own Disabled Veterans
and their people in general?

Neil

[Gimpy]

Bite my ass!

Are you two so freakin BLIND and full of hate that you can't even see what Packo said, can you? And, ALL THE MILITARY VETERANS SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS have gone on record as saying???? WTF is wrong with you folks anyway?

You folks are so full of CRAP you can't even see the TRUTH when it bites you on your ASS!

No surprise.

The Gimpster

[reconeil]

David,
Don't believe that The Political Supremacist Gimpy
understands your very first posting on this Political Debate forum, whatsoever.
Perhaps you should: "Splain" it to him and his vile & personally insulting echoers?

Neil

P.S. Actions & Results count.
Not rhetoric, promises and/or just political bull.

[MORTARDUDE]

The service organizations can see thru all your partisan crap. Good enough for me.

Larry