However, I would've gone more in depth in your supporting the troops letter. The GOP filibustered an attempt to add 500 million in mental health services to the military.
Here is an excellent example:
In 2005 the 'tax relief act of 2005' had an amendment by Barbara Boxer, add $500 million in increased spending for mental health, addiction and suicide prevention spending for veterans. The GOP blocked it.
I sincerely have no clue what motivates someone to do that, of any political persuasion. It is $500 million, which sounds like alot of money but considering that the federal budget is 3 trillion a year, we can spare $500 million on veteran mental health services. No matter your political beliefs (GOP, dem, libertarian, green, socialist, etc), who has the audacity to block $500 million in suicide, mental illness and PTSD treatments for veterans one day then claim to support the troops the next?
They have also filibustered attempts to reduce deployment from 15 months down to 12 and to increase R&R time until it is a 1:1 ratio with deployment time.
http://www.theleftcoaster.com/archives/010639.phpThe contemporary GOP, while talking a big talk about how they love the military, are turning around and blocking their healthcare and education benefits while increasing their deployment.
My sister in law once said (she is a diehard GOP) 'nobody supports the troops more than me' about a year ago, and a month ago we were debating Iraq. I brought up the increase in suicides and mental illness among veterans and she replied 'they joined voluntarily'. That makes no sense to me, how that kind of logic works. You support the troops (even though you didn't join and don't wnat anyone in your family to join) but brush them off when they are mentally disabled? How did we become so damn stupid as a nation that this even passes for a bumper sticker slogan, let alone a policy?
I am trying not to politicize the military, but the reality is just that this is what is going on nowadays. There are some GOPers who support increasing healthcare or education benefits for the military and some dems who oppose them. But 80-90% of the time, it is the dems who support benefits and the GOP who block them. I am never going to vote for Dick Luger when he goes up for reelection just because he joined these filibusters, and if he ever holds a town hall meeting anywhere near me rest assured I am going to ask him why he is ok voting for hundreds of billions a year in tax cuts for the well off but won't support $2-3 billion in healthcare and education benefits for veterans or Iraq & Afghanistan.
Printer-friendly format
Email this thread to a friend
Bookmark this thread
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
