Veterans May Face Budget Cuts in 2008

[Kadie]

Veterans May Face Budget Cuts in 2008

By ANDREW TAYLOR, Associated Press Writer
7 minutes ago



WASHINGTON - At least tens of thousands of veterans with non-critical medical issues could suffer delayed or even denied care in coming years to enable President Bush to meet his promise of cutting the deficit in half — if the White House is serious about its proposed budget.

After an increase for next year, the Bush budget would turn current trends on their head. Even though the cost of providing medical care to veterans has been growing by leaps and bounds, White House budget documents assume a cutback in 2008 and further cuts thereafter.

In fact, the proposed cuts are so draconian that it seems to some that the White House is simply making them up to make its long-term deficit figures look better. More realistic numbers, however, would raise doubts as to whether Bush can keep his promise to wrestle the deficit under control by the time he leaves office.

"Either the administration is proposing gutting VA health care over the next five years or it is not serious about its own budget," said Rep. Chet Edwards (news, bio, voting record) of Texas, top Democrat on the panel overseeing the VA's budget. "If the proposals aren't serious, then that would undermine the administration's argument that they intend to reduce the deficit in half over the next several years."

more...
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060227/ap_on_go_pr_wh/budget_cuts_veterans_1

[Mythsaje]

1. Go to war

get fucked up.

Come home

just get fucked.

A great example of Republicans "Support for the troops."

[MADem]

2. Bastards. Unmitigated bastards. n/t

[acmejack]

3. I didn't use the VA when I had a job.

If I get another one with a medical plan perhaps I will give it up again.

[0007]

4. Is this a joke or what? And they wonder why no one wants to join

the armed forces these days.

Those cuts would prove traumatic to the already troubled VA medical system, and would force staff cuts, delay investment in new medical equipment and deny care to hundreds of thousands of veterans.

"The only way you can do what they want to do in terms of actually cutting the budget is to throw a lot of veterans out who are already in the system and/or redefine who is a veteran," said Rick Weidman, director of government relations for the Vietnam Veterans of America.

Redefine who is a veteran? That's truly rich.
These motherfuckers are killing me!

[Not Sure]

6. I saw an Army ad on TV the other day

And one of the bullet points they mention is "health care" right before they say, "Call now, and get this free boonie hat." They're appealing to the "dude, I finally beat Ghost Recon last night on Elite" kids who would say, "cool, free boonie hat."

That said, kids aren't stupid: mom's been working for Wally World and hasn't had health care in years so the 17 year old seeing this ad after school really "hears" it when health care comes up, especially if he's beginning to wonder how mom's going to feed everyone now that older sister and her baby had to move in.

My family is pretty solidly Republican, which is due mostly to the fact that so many of my family members are active or retired military. I sure hope they see the light before my retired relatives get their benefits cut and my active duty cousins don't ever get to see theirs.

[northofdenali]

5. And the asshole chickenhawks

get tax breaks.

[Kadie]

7. .

:kick:

[misternormal]

8. Watch a great Movie about the VA...

Article 99...

Worth a look.