GOP Wants To Privatize VA System/End Military Pensions. Vets Vote GOP????

[TheMastersNemesis]

The GOP and Trump support privatizing Walter Reed and VA Hospitals, turning veterans' care over to private insurance through vouchers, changing Tricare for military retirees to vouchers, ending military defined pensions and making them 401K's and even privatizing MASH units during war (a scheme Rumsfeld and Bush cooked up). et al. So why do vets vote GOP? The American Legion & VFW are a den of racists and bigots and did not endorse Hillary. They hate Obama.

The country is so twisted.

[Cha]

1. Those who hate Obama are stupid.. no one has done more

for them than the President, Michelle, and Jill.

You'd think they'd be smarter than vote against themselves.

[madokie]

5. Hatred of their Black brothers is where the problem lies

the gop hated Obama with a passion from the get go. Never gave him a smidgen of a chance. I in return HATE anyone with an R by their name

I remember before little boots and the dick I never hated anyone.

[SHRED]

2. Can you link it?

I wonder if you read all this somewhere?

I have some people to share links with...thanks.

[hollowdweller]

3. I heard an interview with a farmer last night

He voted for Trump and went on to say how he hoped that he would roll back clean water legislation that hurt farmers.

Then he went onto say he hoped that Trump would not crack down on trade because exports had really helped agriculture.

THEN he went on to say that it would be devastating to farmers if Trump cut off illegals from working on farms because they were doing jobs nobody in the US would do. (ie they didn't want to pay enough to get US citizens to do it.

So really on 2 of 3 economic issues he was at odds with Trump but voted for him?


Then in a separate story they detailed how this couple struggled to keep their home but Trumps secretary of treasury
Mnuchin's company screwed them.

They both voted for Trump and expressed hope that he would change his mind about Mnuchin.

Now vets.

What was it that Bush said???? "Fool me once....."

[madokie]

6. I wish we all had

health care based on the VA model. I know its not perfect but with funding it could and would be.

[TheMastersNemesis]

8. Ever Since Bush The VA Has Been Purposely Damaged & Underfunded By GOP.

The VA systems has been under assault by every GOP president, the GOP and conservatives. It is having problems that were deliberately caused by these entities. I worked at DOL before Reagan and we had veterans assistance programs at DOL. VA was a good system that worked is now destroyed.

So I do not buy into your premise at all. The GOP set up a dysfunctional VA so they could give all the money to corporate cronies and private health care system. The health care system won't take care of vets.

[Wounded Bear]

7. This Vet doesn't vote GOP...

not since Nixon. They suck.

[TheMastersNemesis]

9. Sadly A Lot Of Vets Are RW And Support GOP.

The Legions and VFW has not endorsed A Democrat for president for a long time. Plus if you are a Democrat the VFW's and Legions I know of are solid RW GOP.

[Wounded Bear]

10. Not a member of either...

I'm sure the gun culture has more than a little bit to do with it. So many of them think Dems are anti-gun because of the propaganda.

[The River]

11. I'm Not Giving In

to all the Fear just yet.
Nothing has been finalized.
The Tangeranus hasn't even been sworn in yet and we are all "doomed"!

There is a term used in the PTSD community called "Awfulizing".
We make things out to be a lot worse than they are before they even happen.
When and If changes are made we will access, adapt and overcome.
Even if it is changed, in 2 or 4 years a Democratic Congress or a
Democratic President could restore the VA.


If I believed all the doomsday posts I see on DU, I'd have shot myself
a long time ago.

[TheMastersNemesis]

12. I Agree. The Point Of The OP Is Informations.

A lot of people and even veterans do not know what the GOP wants to do. Even during the Bush years these ideas were being pushed. Few Americans know how much the of the military has been privatized already. I worked with vets programs at DOL and I am familiar with them. Also being a vet and a company clerk in Vietnam I know how the system worked and how occupational specialties operated.

WE now have a lot of contractors doing jobs soldiers used to do. So training is more limited now when you are in the military.
Walter Reed was already partially privatized when Bush was in office. The abuses that happened were because of privatization.

Based on what the GOP wants to do there would be no reason to serve and no reason to stay in the military. The military runs on long term noncommissioned officers. We need what we call lifers. And the military needs institutional knowledge. People stay because they have a defined pension after so many years. And they make tremendous sacrifices during their time. Nowadays combat arms troops have multiple tours in combat. Some troops have continuous tour 2,3,4,5, or more times.

Plus families of troops suffer grandly. There are many social problems when soldiers are gone for long periods of time. More and more tours families cannot be present.

My message has more to do with explaining what the GOP wants that will destroy our military over time. Having 401K and private health care if you are disabled is just plain criminal. The private system DOES NOT WANT these vets.