Bernie Sanders’ surge is partly fueled by veterans (older article June 2015)

[leftcoastmountains]

-“He is revered,” said Paul Loebe, a 31-year-old who served in both Iraq and Afghanistan during eight years of active duty and spends three hours a day updating a Facebook page promoting Sanders to veterans. “He’s very consistent with where he stands. He’s the first politician that I’ve believed in my life.”

Sanders battled over veterans issues as chairman of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee from 2013 until early this year, giving him an easy pitch to a crucial voting bloc of veterans, particularly in South Carolina where veterans make up more than 11 percent of the voting-aged population. There’s stiff competition for these voters, with front-runner Hillary Rodham Clinton wooing them this month during a round table in Nevada.

https://www.bostonglobe.com/news/politics/2015/06/27/bernie-sanders-surge-partly-fueled-veterans/e1qNTpzFpIaoxIGKygKa9J/story.html?utm_content=buffer8e3bb&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer

[HassleCat]

1. What have you done for me lately?

The problem with our buddies in congress is they think we're heroes while we're on active duty, but pretty much useless after we get out. This view is skewed in both directions.

Not all of us are heroes, but we do (or did) endure days and months away from friends and family to perform some boring, menial task the military gives us. Those with combat duties are actually lucky because they stay occupied running, jumping shooting, etc. to stay ready. Only problem is, the enemy shoot live rounds. Personally, I was definitely not a hero. I got into a technical specialty so I wouldn't get put in combat.

When I got out, I went to school on the GI Bill. It paid me $480 a month to be a student. That was OK when tuition and books added up to $200 or so, and I rented an apartment for $90 a month. What amazes me now is the people who refuse to support improvements to the GI Bill to give today's veterans the same opportunities I had. This is an issue close to my heart, and people like John McCain really piss me off. He specifically opposed the improvements because some of his military pals told him it would encourage people to get out after one tour and go to college. If they had lousy prospects, they might have to jump on another burst of four. That's nice, isn't it? Talk about cynical.

Beyond issues of basic fairness, people are forgetting what the GI Bill did for this country by building an educated work force and supporting the middle class. Even if they care nothing about veterans, they ought to keep in mind that education and home purchases really help the economy. Well, OK, not if you believe in trickle down, supply side graphs drawn on bar napkins.

[leftcoastmountains]

2. Our family benefited from that GI bill.

My Dad went to college after getting out in '45 and was able to buy a
house. And yet he's been a life long Republican go figure! But that's
a whole other issue.

[roguevalley]

3. my dad was navy and went into tokyo bay. he went to college on the GI bill earning

$13 a month to pay for his non-school stuff. He was my hero. He would love bernie. God bless this guy. I know how he feels.

[Enthusiast]

4. Kicked and recommended!