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First it was Main Street. Then it was Joe Six-Pack. And last night, Joe the Plumber took center stage. Beyond the fact that there was no real talk (straight or otherwise) at all about the war in Iraq and Afghanistan, foreign policy or military affairs, Iraq and Afghanistan veterans are facing unbelievable challenges when they come home. More than 300,000 new veterans are suffering from a serious psychological injury, and less than half are receiving the care they need. Tens of thousands of troops have suffered disabling physical injuries, new veterans are also facing high rates of unemployment, and almost two thousand brave men and women who served in Iraq or Afghanistan have already wound up homeless. And all the economic issues hitting the average American are hitting our military folks even harder. Millions are wrestling with the mortgage crisis, rising food costs, and the high price of gas. Now imagine dealing with all that while being deployed to a war zone for 12 months for the third time in five years. This is what our servicemembers are facing.
But not once during the presidential debates did we hear any substance from the candidates about how they plan to support our veterans.
We’ve been bombarded with talking point after talking point on the economy, healthcare, and energy. Joe the Plumber even had his name repeated more than a dozen times last night. But Jim and Jane the Veteran have been left behind.
We have nineteen days to go until Election Day, and for our country’s newest generation of veterans, there is a lot at stake. Our nation’s 25 million veterans need to hear about the critical issues that matter to them. How are we are going to fund the VA on time? Who will be the next VA Secretary? How will we address the shortage of mental health professionals? Until our country’s leaders begin this dialogue, veterans across the country will be waiting (source: IAVA Blog)
If you truly care about our military men and women I implore EACH AND EVERYONE of you to research both presidential candidates voting records on veteran’s issues.
Last edited by Marines4Commonsense; 10-17-2008 at 12:27 PM..
Reason: Revision
First it was Main Street. Then it was Joe Six-Pack. And last night, Joe the Plumber took center stage. Beyond the fact that there was no real talk (straight or otherwise) at all about the war in Iraq and Afghanistan, foreign policy or military affairs, Iraq and Afghanistan veterans are facing unbelievable challenges when they come home. More than 300,000 new veterans are suffering from a serious psychological injury, and less than half are receiving the care they need. Tens of thousands of troops have suffered disabling physical injuries, new veterans are also facing high rates of unemployment, and almost two thousand brave men and women who served in Iraq or Afghanistan have already wound up homeless. And all the economic issues hitting the average American are hitting our military folks even harder. Millions are wrestling with the mortgage crisis, rising food costs, and the high price of gas. Now imagine dealing with all that while being deployed to a war zone for 12 months for the third time in five years. This is what our servicemembers are facing.
But not once during the presidential debates did we hear any substance from the candidates about how they plan to support our veterans.
We’ve been bombarded with talking point after talking point on the economy, healthcare, and energy. Joe the Plumber even had his name repeated more than a dozen times last night. But Jim and Jane the Veteran have been left behind.
We have nineteen days to go until Election Day, and for our country’s newest generation of veterans, there is a lot at stake. Our nation’s 25 million veterans need to hear about the critical issues that matter to them. How are we are going to fund the VA on time? Who will be the next VA Secretary? How will we address the shortage of mental health professionals? Until our country’s leaders begin this dialogue, veterans across the country will be waiting (source: IAVA Blog)
If you truly care about our military men and women I implore you research both presidential candidates voting records on veteran’s issues.
very good post. It is going to be really bad with troops coming home, and no jobs for them to fill.
I can see the homeless rate skyrocketing soon. We need to take that money we were putting in Iraq and put on social projects here to help get the returning troops jobs, and rebuild America.
.....( Snip)........ If you truly care about our military men and women I implore EACH AND EVERYONE of you to research both presidential candidates voting records on veteran’s issues.
Spend some time looking at it.
It's no secret that the IAVA's founder is a Democrat.
But:
Much of the postings and the links on the BLOG are non-partisan troop stuff.
I can say from family and personal experience that the Clintons did serious damage to both the VA and Tri-care( the old Champus).
very good post. It is going to be really bad with troops coming home, and no jobs for them to fill.
I can see the homeless rate skyrocketing soon. We need to take that money we were putting in Iraq and put on social projects here to help get the returning troops jobs, and rebuild America.
Something like the WPA of the depression?
Let's be hypothetical:
Suppose the federal government trains 10,000 men and women to repair infrastructure sewerpipe in US cities. There certainly is a need! The infrastructure in many US cities is dangerously near failure because of age and condition.
The federal government would want the cities to pay the worker's salaries, (LABOR), pay for the new sewerpipe and supplies including machinery (MATERIAL) as well as their health insurance and retirement.
How many US cities do you think will want to put these men to work...better yet, how many could afford to?
A true Socialist would say the federal government should pay the salaries and pay for the pipes and material.
Who would pay for it then?
All of us, including the workers themselves. The cities would pay absolutely nothing.
How?
By the Federal Government RAISING TAXES.
If you don't live in a city or you live in a city or town with good sewerpipe infrastructure you reap no benefits. You just pay for someone elses infrastructure!
Since most Americans don't live in large cities. They get highly pissed when city dwellers get the benefit of THEIR taxdollars over and over and over.
It is odd that none of the debates addressed the future of the military, the vets, Iraq, Pakistan, Afghanistan, national security... I suppose they agreed beforehand not to discuss them, but why not?
Some discussion on these topics was included in the first debate:
Quote:
Originally Posted by delusianne
It is odd that none of the debates addressed the future of the military, the vets, Iraq, Pakistan, Afghanistan, national security... I suppose they agreed beforehand not to discuss them, but why not?
Check out the transcripts.
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