Kerry files for Veterans Budget Increase & A MA letter from JK

[TayTay]

First the money story:
Democrats Press for More Veterans Funds By ANDREW TAYLOR, Associated Press Writer
1 hour, 36 minutes ago

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050627/ap_on_go_co/congress_veterans_1

WASHINGTON - Senate Democrats say they will press for a vote as early as Tuesday to address a $1 billion shortfall in the budget for veterans' health care programs.

Two congressional panels have summoned Veterans Affairs Secretary Jim Nicholson to Capitol Hill to testify about the VA's miscalculation of how much would be needed for the current fiscal year for veterans' health care. VA officials told the House Veterans Affairs panel that additional costs for veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan and poor budget forecasting contributed to the problem.

Even before further details are known, Democratic senators fashioned amendments for a pending Interior Department spending bill, ranging from a $600 million proposal by John Kerry, D-Mass., to a $1.4 billion plan by Robert C. Byrd, D-W.Va.

Nicholson is expected to testify that the VA can juggle its budget — taking $600 million in capital infrastructure spending and $400 million in carry-over funding for next year — and avoid the need for emergency funds for the current budget year ending Sept. 30.

[TayTay]

1. E-mail from Sen. Kerry to MA folks 6/27/05

Dear TayTay,

Fourth of July in Massachusetts is a special time. Ours is the state where America was born -- the cradle of liberty. But this Fourth of July, instead of heading down to the Cape, helping their kids decorate their bikes for the parade, or barbecuing in their backyard listening to the Red Sox, hundreds of Massachusetts men and women are spending their Independence Day fighting for our country thousands of miles from home.

Let's take a moment to remember those who are putting their lives on the line in the name of freedom and democracy. Let's let them know we are thinking of them this Fourth of July and that we are so proud of them. Let's send our Massachusetts patriots a message of thanks in honor of the Fourth of July.

Please join me in showing our pride by sending our troops a special Fourth of July Message of Thanks.

Or send me your loved one's address and I will send him or her a special message with my best thoughts and wishes.

Here are three ways to make this Fourth of July special for Massachusetts men and women serving overseas:

1) Send a soldier a Fourth of July e-postcard

http://www.johnkerry.com/features/troops/epostcard.php

Send a special Fourth of July thank you message to a soldier you know serving overseas.

2) Donate to the USO's program to provide 4th of July picnics to servicemen and women abroad.

http://www.johnkerry.com/features/troops/uso.html

3) Send me the address of someone serving overseas and I will send your solider a personalized special Fourth of July thank you message.

http://www.johnkerry.com/features/troops/letter.php

The Fourth of July is a special time for Teresa and me. It's a time to reflect on the values which make America great -- freedom and democracy. It's also a time for family. There are thousands of Massachusetts men and women who can't be with their families this Fourth of July. Send them a message today that they are in our thoughts and prayers. And take a moment of silence to honor those who have given the ultimate sacrifice for our country. We salute them and will never forget them.

http://www.johnkerry.com/features/troops/


Whether you are an immigrant who came to this country looking for a life of freedom, someone who served in the military, or someone who just grew up loving America -- this Fourth of July, it's important for the nation to join together and celebrate patriotism and pride in America.

Please join the johnkerry.com community in telling our men and women serving their country how proud we are of them and their courage every day in face of danger.

Thank you for you everything you have done this year to make America stronger.

God bless America, God bless our troops, and God bless you and your family.

Sincerely,

John Kerry

[Island Blue]

2. Thanks for sharing the letter with all of us Non-Mass folks!

That was great! :applause: My respect for your junior Senator grows daily!

[TayTay]

3. Now, I'm gonna get verklempt

That was great. I saw the story on putting in an amendment to the Interior Bill on DU General and I thought that was very good. The Vets health care budget is down $1 billion and those idiots in the WH should haul their sorry asses to Congress and explain this disgrace. (Opps, I forgot, the Rethug Congress doesn't give a crap. They have forsaken Vets. Shame on them.)

I love the letter. It's now my favorite ever sent. (Veterans issues just get me. I cannot for the life of me understand how The Idiot King can send people off to possible death and injury and to suffer the psychological stress of war and then fail to take care of them when they come home. It's indecent and immoral.) That is so sweet. I love the idea of Sen. Kerry sending out a letter to any MA resident who is currently serving. I don't have family members, but I do have friends and co-workers with folks in the service, so I will forward a few names. I really like this.

:loveya: :loveya: :loveya: I love this.
(The USO donation looks good. I love that ideer!)

[whometense]

6. I loved it too.

:loveya: :loveya:

I think I'll donate to the USO again. They've been my faithful correspondents since the last time, and they're so grateful. I love to think of some of that gratitutde going to the man who prompted the donation. Who is an actual veteran, btw...

[MH1]

4. Aw, man, it's not fair!

Why can't PA have cool Senators like MA?

I love that letter. I wish my Senators would do that too - but I don't know anyone on whom I'd want to inflict a letter from Santorum, anyway.

Thanks for sharing, though, even if it does make me all jealous and stuff.

[TayTay]

10. Ahm, you've gone and tapped into my Catholic Guilt

Ahm, I'll share. And we can have a vote and you can become an honorary Masshole. (Drving test will be excluded though for safety reasons.)

I vote we grant MH1 honorary Masshole status. All Massholes in favor signify by saying: Wicked good ideer.
All those opposed can bite me.

You're in. All you have to do is buy a Red Sox shirt, and the initiation ritual can begin. (It involves ice cream, actually finding Hahvid Yahd and getting a pahking spawt, ahm, on street and correctly pronoucning the name of the city of Worcester.) Welcome to Massholeyness. Be sure and tip your waitress on the way out.

[Island Blue]

11. OK, now I'm just jealous!

And you pronounce Worcester "Woster" right? Or maybe "Wosta". I have been to a game at Fenway before. Many years ago - they played the Mariners, and it was back in the day when Ken Griffey Jr. & Sr. were both playing for Seattle. I sat behind a pole. Does that qualify me for honorary status?

[TayTay]

12. Yeah, it does

Actually, everyone in this groups gets honorary Masshole status. Gawd, you folks earned it.

However, the keys to the beach house do not come with the honorary thing. I have to draw the line somewhere.

[Island Blue]

13. Damn, no keys to the beach house.

I really had my heart set on the beach house. I understand though.

[karynnj]

14. That is a great letter

I've never gotten a letter like that from either Lautenberg or Corzine. Kerry and Kennedy seem to correspond more personally with you than our Senators do.

Having just spent Friday and Saturday in Worcester - for college orientation, I've finally gotten used to pronouncing it correctly. (my daughter will be a Holy Cross freshman. The weather was hot! But that area and the area west were beautiful.

[TayTay]

15. Holy Cross is a great school

She'll love it. I know a kid who goes Clark in Woosta. Worcester is actually a good town, my daughter goes to lots of conerts there.

I do like the letters from my greatly esteemed Junior Senator. (And the ones from Tedy as well.) It's a new development for me. The technology got better and so did the communication. I really think this is a result of what the Kerry folks learned in the election last year. They have been great at keeping in touch. I love the personal tone of these letters, they really feel like they were written BY someone, rather than your generic 'send money' letter. I love getting them.

The weather ha been awful. There are only 10 perfect days in New England in any given year anyway. (I have to work on 7 of them. Sigh!)

[karynnj]

16. She loved the orientation

even finding another Freshman to room with. She is very excited about going there. My husband and I were impressed how nice and concerned about the kids all the administrators were.

I think the letters he's sent to all of us johnkerry.com people have gotten better. I was really surprised when he sent letters when he first lost - it was unexpected and the tone was totally unlike the standard form letters. The voter email (that I saw on the web - I don't have it yet) was great as well in that he seems to be trying to help people get involved on the voting issue.

(I mostly get form letters from my Republican Congressman which do not answer the questions given to his office. (Usually simple "why are you voting ..." ) which really should be answered - I know you've posted Kerry statements about many, many votes.

[whometense]

19. Congratulations!!

As the proud mom of two (nice Jewish) kids who graduated from a Jesuit college (and a third entering his sophomore year), I say welcome. It's a great education.

[karynnj]

20. Thanks, we were very impressed by the school.

My daughter actually converted to Christianity this spring - after a long spiritual search.

[MH1]

17. Thank you! I am so proud!

:woohoo:

:bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

Running out to buy that Red Sox shirt now! And I think...maybe... I actually know how to pronounce Woostehr. Thanks to once dating someone from there (who was a good basis for the Masshole nickname, but I don't hold it against y'all as a state). As for Hahvid Yahd, I'll have to work on that one...but once I find it, I'll put my Philly street pahking skills up against any town's drivers. My cracked bumper is from some Philly Phreak crashing into my pahked cah. Honest. ;-)
:toast:

[rox63]

5. I didn't get mine...

WAAAHHH!!! :cry:

[TayTay]

8. Patience, my dear, patience

I didn't get the Voting Rights one yet. I'm sure that Sen. Kerry loves all his loyal constituents equally. I will receive the Voting Rights e-mail and you will get the lovely MA vets one. I'm sure it's just an internet thing. Or the Database is so friggin huge that the letters role out in some sort of sequence.

I'm quite sure you haven't been forgotten. (And I can't be that special. That defies logic. Though there is the leftover matter of the Christmas Card. That was really special.)

[Island Blue]

7. Here's to all of you folks from Massachusetts!

http://209.150.59.148:8080/dontphoto/gunther/image/image3.jpg


(Can you tell I just learned how to post photos and I'm very excited about it?)

[MH1]

9. Nice pic!!

I hadn't seen that one before.

Congrats on learning how to post pics, too! :toast:

[ohtransplant]

18. Excellent letter

Again, he's just a class act.

I too have become a friend of the USO. The phone cards at Xmas was a big one. I like to contribute through JK's links. In fact, when I contribute, I also make the contribution in honor of JK and list all his Senate office contact info.