Shortfall for Veterans' Services Foretold, but House GOP Leaders Fired the

[steve2470]

Messengers (rest of headline)

http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGB6FBH38BE.html

By Suzanne Gamboa Associated Press Writer
Published: Jul 16, 2005






WASHINGTON (AP) - Fellow Republicans warned House Speaker Dennis Hastert and Majority Leader Tom DeLay more than a year ago that the government would come up short - by at least $750 million - for veterans' health care.

The leaders' response: Fire the messengers.

Now that the Bush administration has acknowledged a shortfall of at least $1.2 billion, embarrassed Republicans are scrambling to fill the gap. Meanwhile, Democrats portray the problem as another example of the GOP and the White House taking a shortsighted approach to the cost of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and criticize their commitment to the troops.

New Jersey Rep. Chris Smith, as chairman of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, had told the House GOP leadership that the Veterans Affairs Department needed at least $2.5 billion more in its budget.

<snip>

[mbperrin]

1. Warning: graphic language alert!

"Ben Porritt, a spokesman for DeLay, said that a year ago "we didn't see any indication that there was going to be a shortfall." He said House leaders will "make sure that every veteran will receive the coverage they need.""

Coverage they need!!!??? For what?? For what they need to be thrown in the ground with a flag covering their box unseen by the general public?

Now for the graphic language:

Tom Delay is a fucker of the first order, and how a non-human qualifies for public office is beyond me! Fuck him, and fuck anyone who has ever voted for, worked for, contributed to, or in any other way voluntarily had contact with him! Fuckity-fuck-fuck!

[WhiteTara]

10. amen

[saigon68]

15. kICK

[orpupilofnature57]

2. The true danger is ,while were finally seeing Kkkarl exposed, our eye is

distracted from the real crimes of this administration.

[CGrantt57]

8. Shit, bro...

Who the hell has time to KEEP UP?????

I get so busy keeping track of all the to-ing and fro-ing, and screwing and blowing of the electorate, it makes my head spin.

[classysassy]

3. Veterans

we are no needed so they screw over the vets,wake up young troops it could happen to you, and it will if those bloodsucking rethugs remain in power.

[UpInArms]

4. Welcome to DU classysassy!

:hi:

I agree with your post - I only hope that our military will look at the mis-leadership and stop what they are doing.

This misbegotten war has created far too many (one was too many) casualities :(

[Catchawave]

6. Welcome to DU classy !

Also, the rethugs blame everybody BUT THEMSELVES for recruiting shortfalls !

Good article here:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20050630/pl_nm/iraq_congress_dc_1

An excerpt:

Several Senate Republicans denounced other lawmakers and the news media on Thursday for unfavorable depictions of the Iraq war and the Pentagon urged members of Congress to talk up military service to help ease a recruiting shortfall.

Families are discouraging young men and women from enlisting "because of all the negative media that's out there," Sen. James Inhofe (news, bio, voting record), an Oklahoma Republican, said at a U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee hearing.

Inhofe also said that other senators' criticism of the war contributed to the propaganda of U.S. enemies. He did not name the senators.

Army Chief of Staff Peter Schoomaker urged members of Congress to use "your considerable influence to explain to the American people and to those that are influencers out there how important it is for our young people to serve this nation at a time like this."

The Army on Wednesday said it was 14 percent, or about 7,800 recruits, behind its year-to-date recruitment target even though it exceeded its monthly target in June. With extended deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan, recruiting also is down for the National Guard and the Reserves.

"With the deluge of negative news that we get daily, it's just amazing to me that anybody would want to sign up," said Sen. Pat Roberts (news, bio, voting record), a Kansas Republican.

more....

[Catchawave]

5. It's made the Washington Post !

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/07/16/AR2005071600618.html

and in a related article:

The Bush administration disclosed yesterday that it had vastly underestimated the number of service personnel returning from Iraq and Afghanistan seeking medical treatment from the Department of Veterans Affairs, and warned that the health care programs will be short at least $2.6 billion next year unless Congress approves additional funds.

Veterans Affairs budget documents projected that 23,553 veterans would return this year from Iraq and Afghanistan and seek medical treatment. However, Veterans Affairs Secretary Jim Nicholson told a Senate committee that the number has been revised upward to 103,000 for the fiscal year that ends Sept. 30. He said the original estimates were based on outdated assumptions from 2002.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/28/AR2005062800545.html

****
My "stooopid" rethug Senators and Congresswoman are going to hear from me!

[Mandate My Ass]

7. Recommended for Greatest Page

Shine a light on these cockroaches and watch them scatter. I'd call them leeches but leeches suck the blood of others to live, this particular group of scum sucks it for profit and pleasure.

[DanCa]

9. It is horrible the way veterans are treated in this country.

They are the best of us. They deserve more than what there getting now way more.

[Sgent]

11. You want change

Make the retired military of rank O-8 & O-9 use the VA system, and not Tricare for Life.

TOL=Medicare or Medicare Supplament, so they can use any doctor and any hospital that will accept Medicare (in general).

VA services have to be performed by the VA.

I imagine that all of these policy makers will start paying more attention when they have to use (or are unable too because of distance, income, etc) the Military healthcare system that they aren't asking for adequate funds for.

[napi21]

12. Yea, and the Senate passed a funding bill for $1.2 mil by 97-1

(I think that was the vote #) and when it went to the House, they reduced it to $950 thousand. All the Senators are asking WHY!!!

I sure hope all the military people, both current and retired, are paying attention to all this crap!

Maybe they'll finally change and vote against these AH's!

[Sgent]

14. Retired military don't generally use the VA

They can use it, but they don't have to. They essentially keep their full health benefits between retirement and age 65 -- which means that most doctors who accept Medicare will see them. At age 65, their Tricare beneifts become Tricare for Life -- a Medicare supplament and drug card.

[angryxyouth]

13. Maybe when Halliburton reimburses the government for all of its abuses,

there will be enough money to take care of our vets.

[steve2470]

16. all DU veterans should be outraged by this ! nt

[dbt]

17. I'm not even a veteran and I'm outraged!

Our military is being exploited to make Dick Cheney rich. They are being tossed aside like so many spent shell casings. The LEAST this country owes them is to take care of their every need for the rest of their lives!

And one more thing this country needs to do: re-learn the fact that war is a LAST RESORT.