Obama summons veterans to White House, warns them to brace for changes

[Bluebear]

BECKLEY -- Leaders of veterans groups met with administration officials Tuesday to discuss what is at stake if Congress cannot come to a consensus.

President Obama has said that if a default occurs, the administration will be forced to prioritize who gets paid. That means those receiving veterans benefits, social security, unemployment insurance, tuition grants, food stamps, and child care subsidies may be forced to compete for coverage.

“If that happens, and we default, we would not have enough money to pay all of our bills –bills that include monthly Social Security checks, veterans’ benefits, and the government contracts we’ve signed with thousands of businesses,” said the President...

“The fact that the President comes out and threatens to take away our social security checks and not pay the veterans is despicable,” said David Hern, a veteran (who) fought in Korea.

http://www.wvnstv.com/story.cfm?func=viewstory&storyid=104194

[Cool Logic]

1. " “If that happens, and we default,..."

And the lies continue...

[Bluebear]

2. "Obama threatened veterans..."

The ads are going to write themselves.

[sunwyn]

3. What the he'll is he doing? Is he actively trying to lose the election?

We all know this will all be spun in a way to blame the President. I am at a loss for words as 80% of our household budget comes from Social Security and the Veterns Benefits. Who know, my whole household could be homeless by next months end.

[sunwyn]

4. What the he'll is he doing? Is he actively trying to lose the election?

We all know this will all be spun in a way to blame the President. I am at a loss for words as 80% of our household budget comes from Social Security and the Veterns Benefits. Who know, my whole household could be homeless by next months end.

[madrchsod]

5. is he going to be a one term wonder?

if he keeps this up he`ll have a new job next year. probably working for one of his corporate sponsors.

[dameocrat67]

16. citibank or goldman n/t

n/t

[Obamanaut]

6. Will there be enough money left to bring the troops home if their pay stops? nt

[O_a_DEMorDINO]

7. For the Troops to come come it will

take a minimum of 18 months.

Yes I want the wars to end, in fact they never should have started in the first place.

But get real, it will take at least 18 months AFTER the fighting stops to bring the troops home.

That is just a simple reality.

[Obamanaut]

9. You mean, 100,000 people cannot be brought back home overnight?

Imagine!

[Tennessee Gal]

8. Blame the Tea Party. Obama is not threatening. nt

[Bluebear]

10. Baloney 100%

We don't suddenly "run out of money" if this happens and you're damn right he is threatening.

[Joe the Revelator]

12. Thank you for showing your ignorance.

[Tennessee Gal]

13. It is not threatening to explain the consequences of what could

happen if Congress continues on it's destructive path. It is reality. Choices will have to be made about expenditures. That is a fact.

[Bluebear]

15. And you think veterans benefits will be one of the first "choices"?

Not gonna happen . And using the vets to push back against the tea party is cynical and politically stupid.

[indurancevile]

11. i'd like to know if he is tryng to rally various groups to push back & the media is spinning or what

who is pushing the default? it seems to me its republicans -- but who can tell, because the media spins everything.

[BadtotheboneBob]

14. I'd like to know who advised him to do this...

... and what their reasoning behind it was. If it was to 'lean' on the Vets to have them go scream at the GOP, that ain't gonna happen. There's probably more GOP Vets than Democratic Vets and even the Democratic Vets will resent being intimidated or threatened. The White House is whacking the wrong hornet's nest here. Veteran's organizations (DAV, VFW, American Legion Et al) don't scare easily... they just get mad... and have long memories... and hold grudges... and vote. Tactics such as this could back-fire badly for the Democrats, particularly at the congressional/senate level in 2012. I am a DAV Life Member and voted for Obama, but I'm leaning toward what Sen. Bernie Sanders said about a primary for 2012. This 'summons' was not a smart move.

[liberalla]

17. My first thought is that he wants the veteran groups to

exert pressure on the T-baggers to come to their senses and compromise. Aren't a lot of the T-party types older folks, many of which are veterans? If their own peers are screaming at them, many they'll think again?

I'd like to hear from others who attended that meeting. There's likely to be differing opinions.

[Bluebear]

18. see 14, I guess.

Not a good move politically.

[bullwinkle428]

19. Political tone-deafness on par with Repuke Broun's "drop your

country club memberships" remark.

[Strelnikov_]

20. Why would Social Security be effected?

SS tax revenues still exceed outlays.

Is this the curtain finally being pulled back. That SS revenue is simply an additional 6% tax on the poor and middle class?