Veterans groups blast proposed tea party cuts

[CallMeJoe]

Excuse me if I'm mistaking you with someone else, but aren't you the one that was defending the confederate battle flag?

You definitely have me confused with another poster on that one.

And yes I see the difference between someone who is unable to work while they're in WW2 and then getting government aid to get a college degree that he could have saved up for if he hadn't been at war and someone who volunteers to serve during the Bush administration.

Interesting perspective, but you might bother to note that Representative Bachmann is not proposing reductions in veterans' educational benefits or VA mortgage subsidies; she's going for health care funding and disability compensation.

 

[Throckmorton]

Did you read the thread idiot? That's not what I'm talking about.

Did you read the article?

 

[Throckmorton]

I don't understand how Michelle Bachmann can get away with calling for cutting benefits for wounded veterans. It's like Republicans are somehow immune to bad PR. Maybe it's because they have managed to wrap themselves in the flag like some kind of armored cocoon. Imagine if it was a Democrat calling for reducing disability benefits by $2224 per month and freezing healthcare funding.

 

[Infohawk]

You definitely have me confused with another poster on that one.

Interesting perspective, but you might bother to note that Representative Bachmann is not proposing reductions in veterans' educational benefits or VA mortgage subsidies; she's going for health care funding and disability compensation.

And I'm talking the subject generally. I'm not endorsing Bachmann.

 

[nageov3t]

You definitely have me confused with another poster on that one.

Interesting perspective, but you might bother to note that Representative Bachmann is not proposing reductions in veterans' educational benefits or VA mortgage subsidies; she's going for health care funding and disability compensation.

Bachmann is a moron. I wouldn't trust her opinion on the color of the sky.

that said, I think the appropriate response to VA budget cuts should be "are they reasonable?" not "buuut think of the soldiers!"

 

[Infohawk]

Did you read the article?

Yes. Nice evasion though.

My message was pretty clear that there's room for cuts but that I don't support cuts for injured soldiers or families of the dead. You come like an asshat and say that I'm for cuts to the injured and families of dead. Now you're trying to move the goal posts to take attention away from your gaff.

 

[Generator]

The military has long been the beaten wife of Bush Republicanism, the funny thing is that they just keep coming back...

Cuts do need to be made, but if I was a Republican why the hell did I fight so hard for the a few hundred wealthy families when I knew cuts of all sorts were going to happen? Once again serfs, eat shit.

 

[Infohawk]

that said, I think the appropriate response to VA budget cuts should be "are they reasonable?" not "buuut think of the soldiers!"

Exactly. Like you said everyone has their sacred cow. It's always going to be something. "Think of the children," etc... Many causes are noble but in the end we have to be reasonable if we want to be able to pay for all or any of them.

People need to stop with the appeals to emotion and demonizing of people who are willing to look at cuts.

 

[Phokus]

The military has long been the beaten wife of Bush Republicanism, the funny thing is that they just keep coming back...

Cuts do need to be made, but if I was a Republican why the hell did I fight so hard for the a few hundred wealthy families when I knew cuts of all sorts were going to happen? Once again serfs, eat shit.

If you think about it, people who sign up for the military typically aren't wealthy plutocrats. They're excited to send them out to war, but what use does the GOP have for the troops once they're done with fighting, or if they're seriously injured? They're just another peon to them. Don't get me started on how hard it is for the troops to find a job once they're done with the military.

I think Bush was pretty clear about who the GOP gives a shit about:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mn4daYJzyls

 

[pcgeek11]

That's bullshit. Everyone participates towards the battle and a war. Your grunts on the ground get shredded without air support and die from injuries because helicopters don't fly because those mechanics couldn't get their helicopter flying because that worthless POS air force logistics guy you have such disrespect for didn't order the correct parts and get them out to the air crews.

We all rely on each other out here and the nature of this war means that guy sitting in his logistics tent gets just as dead from a stray rocket or some suicide bomber slipping on the base as any else driving around and hitting an IED.

There are other places to cut money from the budget. You motherfuckers sent us out here and asked us to do this job and we did it. We made the sacrifices and we deserve better than to be berated by little worms like you trying to judge what level of sacrifice we made based on what job field we belonged to. There are plenty of grunts out here that never leave the wire because they're asked to contribute in other ways.

Excellent post my friend. Excellent.

Infohawk you know nothing.

 

[pcgeek11]

Did you read the thread idiot? That's not what I'm talking about.

Then why did you call them a " Special Interest Group "?

 

[Hacp]

Cut it all. These people are putting a burden on job growth. Cut taxes, cut spending. Ya, they were veterans, but guess what? They got paid to do their job. Now that that is over, we don't owe them anything.

 

[nageov3t]

Then why did you call them a " Special Interest Group "?

they're special, they have a common interest (protecting their benefits), and they're a group?

 

[Phokus]

Cut it all. These people are putting a burden on job growth. Cut taxes, cut spending. Ya, they were veterans, but guess what? They got paid to do their job. Now that that is over, we don't owe them anything.

lol

 

[LegendKiller]

Homeless military widows and children.


Smells like patriotism in here.

Do they actually pay off the mortgage?

If so, don't agree with that at all.

 

[Hacp]

How many revolutionary war wives were fully compensated and had their mortgages (if any) or a pension established? How many civil war wives?

Sorry, but hundreds of thousands of men have died for this country and we didn't pay off their mortgages or provide for them in the same way.

If you want life insurance, buy life insurance. Hell, even subsidize it, but don't go paying 100%.

Personally, I'd cut the military budget by a third.

Most military personnel have life insurance don't they? I think they get insured for like 1/2 a million.

 

[LegendKiller]

Most military personnel have life insurance don't they? I think they get insured for like 1/2 a million.

Fine with me, as long as they are paying market rates or some subsidized rate.

 

[Throckmorton]

Yes. Nice evasion though.

My message was pretty clear that there's room for cuts but that I don't support cuts for injured soldiers or families of the dead. You come like an asshat and say that I'm for cuts to the injured and families of dead. Now you're trying to move the goal posts to take attention away from your gaff.

You said:

There's room for veterans' benefits to be cut. For example, if you're a veteran and you pass away your outstanding mortgage is paid off by the government and your family takes the property outright. That is not necessary.

I doubt anyone really wants to put disabled vets on the street, but there needs to be more distinction made between combat veterans (who are more and more rare these days) and perks for former helicopter mechanics.

Did I not say "people who fight and get injured and die for us"? You think veterans who are uninjured aren't included in that?

 

[Throckmorton]

BTW I think this needs to be preserved before Infohawk deletes his post. I had forgotten this was what I was replying to.

Originally Posted by Nintendesert
And without those of us volunteering now there would be a return to a draft. It's not like this country is going to stop fighting wars. You can try to justify it however you want, but if the Republicans and these Tea Party people want to go after one of their own voting blocks, that's fine. We'll be more than happy to show them the door.

Originally Posted by Infohawk
Just like any other special interest group... "Don't touch mine."

 

[pcgeek11]

they're special, they have a common interest (protecting their benefits), and they're a group?

Yes they are a group that has a common interest. However they are so much more than that. I was just rebutting the comments by Infohawk...

If any SIG has a right to protect their interest it is they. They spend months and sometimes years away from their families and loved ones to do a job that is hard and mostly thankless and unappreciated for the common good of our country. They do not have the all of the rights that they have to defend. In war they face daily the threat of dying and usually in a horrible fashion. Even when we are not at war the jobs are unpleasant and sometimes very dangerous in itself. Guess what happens when you get blown overboard off a carrier in the middle of the ocean and no one notices. What do you think the odds of finding you?

For all that think they need to cut these benefits and have never served, well you need to shut the hell up as you don't have a clue.

For those that served honorable, Thank you very much!

20+ years and retired USN. I have enjoyed my monthly retirement check and medical benefits since 1993 and plan on continuing for a years to come. Thank you taxpayers. I earned every penny of those benefits. If you disagree, too fucking bad. Maybe you should spend a few years away from your family and work for days without sleep and endure a hardship or two then maybe you could have a clue of what you are talking about.

 

[nageov3t]

BTW I think this needs to be preserved before Infohawk deletes his post. I had forgotten this was what I was replying to.

Originally Posted by Nintendesert
And without those of us volunteering now there would be a return to a draft. It's not like this country is going to stop fighting wars. You can try to justify it however you want, but if the Republicans and these Tea Party people want to go after one of their own voting blocks, that's fine. We'll be more than happy to show them the door.

Originally Posted by Infohawk
Just like any other special interest group... "Don't touch mine."

preserve what? Vets are a special interest group and they're out to protect their interests. you don't think Vets have lobbying groups? that doesn't make it a bad thing, it's just the way Washington works.

and tbh, without you guys volunteering, we probably wouldn't be mired down in Iraq/Afghanistan right now. congress would vote to end those wars 30 seconds after a draft order was issued.

 

[nageov3t]

Yes they are a group that has a common interest. However they are so much more than that. I was just rebutting the comments by Infohawk...

If any SIG has a right to protect their interest it is they. They spend months and sometimes years away from their families and loved ones to do a job that is hard and mostly thankless and unappreciated for the common good of our country. They do not have the all of the rights that they have to defend. In war they face daily the threat of dying and usually in a horrible fashion. Even when we are not at war the jobs are unpleasant and sometimes very dangerous in itself. Guess what happens when you get blown overboard off a carrier in the middle of the ocean and no one notices. What do you think the odds of finding you?

For all that think they need to cut these benefits and have never served, well you need to shut the hell up as you don't have a clue.

For those that served honorable, Thank you very much!

20+ years and retired USN. I have enjoyed my monthly retirement check and medical benefits since 1993 and plan on continuing for a years to come. Thank you taxpayers. I earned every penny of those benefits. If you disagree, too fucking bad. Maybe you should spend a few years away from your family and work for days without sleep and endure a hardship or two then maybe you could have a clue of what you are talking about.

this is why budgeting should be a cold and dispassionate process.

we can't touch defense spending, think of the soldiers.
we can't touch education spending, think of the children.
we can't touch medicare spending, think of the poor.
we can't touch social security spending, think of grandma and grandpa.

it's exhausting.

 

[pcgeek11]

preserve what? Vets are a special interest group and they're out to protect their interests. you don't think Vets have lobbying groups? that doesn't make it a bad thing, it's just the way Washington works.

and tbh, without you guys volunteering, we probably wouldn't be mired down in Iraq/Afghanistan right now. congress would vote to end those wars 30 seconds after a draft order was issued.

That is just too Stupid for me to even comment about. How long do you think we would last as a country without a military.

Go back to your parents basement.

 

[Throckmorton]

preserve what? Vets are a special interest group and they're out to protect their interests. you don't think Vets have lobbying groups? that doesn't make it a bad thing, it's just the way Washington works.

and tbh, without you guys volunteering, we probably wouldn't be mired down in Iraq/Afghanistan right now. congress would vote to end those wars 30 seconds after a draft order was issued.

To Infohawk, it's a bad thing. That's why he posted that.

 

[Jhhnn]

Sometimes I think Hacp is a parody poster, lampooning the self righteous right wing. Other times I'm sure he's serious, and therefore just another self absorbed psychopath.

If veteran benefits need to be cut along with other stuff, disabilities and medical care aren't the place to do it.

And anybody who thinks we'll see top tier tax increases with Repubs running the HOR, they're vacuum packed between the ears.