Posted on 11/23/2007 7:02:20 PM PST by Josh Painter
I don't think counting not voting for adjournment, approving the journal, quorum calls and the like should count against them.
After a quick perusal I think all their salaries should be cut. Did you see some of the junk they vote on? *shaking head* What a colossal waste of time and our money!
Who are those sponsors now...?
October 26, 2007
Sen. Hagel co-sponsors WWII GI Bill
This week IAVA and Congress took another large step toward passing a WW II style GI Bill. Senator Chuck Hagel (R-Nebraska) signed on as a co-sponsor to S.22, the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act. S.22 would greatly expand education benefits for returning servicemembers by paying the full cost of tuition (at most schools) on top of a monthly living stipend.
Senator Hagel joined 23 other Senators as co-sponsors, including Republican Senators Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe. With this level of bi-partisan support it will be difficult for Congress to ignore the growing need for GI Bill reform.
IAVA is grateful to all the Senators who had the courage to co-sponsor S.22:
Sen Baucus, Max [MT]
Sen Bingaman, Jeff [NM]
Sen Boxer, Barbara [CA]
Sen Brown, Sherrod [OH]
Sen Casey, Robert P., Jr. [PA]
Sen Clinton, Hillary Rodham [NY]
Sen Collins, Susan M. [ME]
Sen Durbin, Richard [IL]
Sen Hagel, Chuck [NE]
Sen Harkin, Tom [IA]
Sen Inouye, Daniel K. [HI]
Sen Kerry, John F. [MA]
Sen Landrieu, Mary L. [LA]
Sen Lautenberg, Frank R. [NJ]
Sen McCaskill, Claire [MO]
Sen Menendez, Robert [NJ]
Sen Mikulski, Barbara A. [MD]
Sen Reid, Harry [NV]
Sen Sanders, Bernard [VT]
Sen Snowe, Olympia J. [ME]
Sen Stabenow, Debbie [MI]
Sen Tester, Jon [MT]
Sen Whitehouse, Sheldon [RI]
Sen Wyden, Ron [OR]
http://www.iava.org/blog/2007/10/26/sen-hagel-co-sponsors-wwii-gi-bill
See a pattern there, Smurf?
ANd one of their main issues they lay our thusly....
A Broken Military: Iraq War Threatens Readiness>/b>
| updated: June 29, 2007
Summary
Since 2001, 1.5 million American service members have served in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. As of June 2007, about 26,000 troops were serving in Afghanistan and 154,000 troops were serving in Iraq. The forces currently in Iraq or deploying in the next few months represent half of the Army's combat brigades.
According to military experts from General Colin Powell to former Defense Secretary Lawrence Korb, years of war and the current "surge" in Iraq have pushed our military to the breaking point. Retired Major General Robert Scales has said simply, "We're running out of soldiers faster than we're running out of warfighting missions." And General Peter Schoomaker, the Chief of Staff of the United States Army, warns:
While our Soldiers are responding with extraordinary commitment, particularly in the face of adversity and personal hardships, we cannot allow this condition to persist.
In recent weeks the shortfalls have become apparent even within Iraq. Gen. Benjamin R. Mixon, who commands US troops in northern Iraq, has admitted he does not have enough troops to complete missions in Diyala.
Facing serious problems with recruitment, the military has been forced to lower age, education, and aptitude standards for new recruits, as well as increase enlistment bonuses. The costs of retention have sky-rocketed. The military has also held 70,000 troops on active duty beyond their expected contract end-dates and has called up more than 10,000 veterans who have not put on a uniform in years.
The military now regularly requires troops to serve multiple, extended combat tours. Over 449,000 troops have served more than one combat tour, and many have returned to war with only a few months rest. Active-duty Army combat tours are now 15 months long, with only half the recommended "dwell time" at home between tours. According to an Army survey, "soldiers are 50 percent more likely" to suffer from a mental health problem if they serve multiple tours. For more information about the mental health effects of war, see the IAVA report: "Mental Health Problems among Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans."
Equipment shortages are also a serious issue, contributing to the plummeting readiness ratings of Army and Marine units. As of September 2006, "Roughly one-half of all Army units (deployed and non-deployed, active and reserves) receive the lowest readiness rating any fully formed unit can receive."
The overuse of the Guard and Reserve are threatening our ability to cope with domestic emergencies. About four-fifths of Army Guard and Reserve units not mobilized received the lowest possible readiness rating. State officials have expressed grave concerns about the damage done to our national security. As Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius said after her state was devastated by tornados:
"Fifty percent of our trucks are gone. Our front loaders are gone. We are missing Humvees that move people. We can't borrow them from other states because their equipment is gone. It's a huge issue for states across the country."
Nice, smurf, real nice.
http://www.iava.org/component/option,com_/Itemid,66/option,content/task,view/id,2465/
Couple Continues Crusade For Fallen Service Members -
U.S. Rep. Duncan Hunter Helps Couple In Their Fight
SAN DIEGO — Since their son died, a Rancho Peñasquitos couple has been involved in a crusade to make sure every dead service member gets the proper welcome when their bodies are brought home.
Progress has been made, but there’s still a way to go.
Matthew Holley grew up to be a soldier.
http://www.10news.com/news/6719959/detail.html
G'night y'all.
Gnight Justa!! Pleasant dreams
HUNTER CONDEMNS FLAG-FOLDING RECITATION BAN
House.gov ^ | 10/30/07 | Duncan Hunter/Staff
Posted on 10/31/2007 8:10:42 AM PDT by pissant
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Congressman Duncan Hunter (R-CA), ranking Republican on the House Armed Services Committee, condemned the National Cemetery Administration’s decision to prohibit the recitation of a common flag-folding ceremony at military burials. The ceremony requires that the American flag be folded 13 times while the significance of each fold is recited.
“The National Cemetery Administration’s decision to ban this symbolic and respected tradition is a disservice to anyone who has have ever worn a uniform for this country,” said Congressman Hunter. “The flag folding ceremony serves not only to memorialize the service and sacrifice of those being honored, but also all those who have served in America’s armed forces.
“This decision is completely unjustified and should be reversed immediately. Our veterans deserve nothing less.”
The National Cemetery Administration reportedly changed the flag-folding recitation policy following a complaint at Riverside National Cemetery in California. Specifically, objections were made to one of the many religious references in the ceremony.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1918945/posts
John Holley is a great guy. He also likes our man Duncan!
The American Legion: Defense Bill Benefits Veterans, Troops.
American Legion National Commander John Brieden praised Congress and President Bush for enacting legislation today that strengthens the nation’s defense and improves the quality of life for troops and veterans. The president signed the FY-2004 National Defense Authorization Act.
“The men and women of The American Legion should be proud that Congress passed, and President Bush signed into law, a lot of measures we fought for,” Brieden said, “Those provisions include military pay raises, authority to spend nearly three and half percent of GDP on defense, reasonable environmental regulations that do not interfere with military training, and access to health insurance for Guard and Reserve personnel and their families who lack coverage.
“For generations, the retired pay of more than a half-million military retirees with service-connected disabilities has been taxed the amount of their disability compensation. I am not disappointed that this measure will provide relief to some service-disabled military retirees. I welcome helping some of the service-disabled military retirees, although many who are covered under this concurrent-receipt compromise will pass on before they receive their full benefit, because it will be phased in over 10 years. The American Legion will continue to fight to expedite the benefit and to provide it to all service-disabled military retirees.
“We deeply appreciate members of Congress, on both sides of the aisle, for making long-overdue progress on this issue, especially longstanding concurrent-receipt champion Rep. Mike Bilirakis and the 375 co-sponsors of his bill, especially Reps. Chris Smith, Walter Jones, Rob Simmons and Rick Renzi. I further congratulate Rep. Jim Marshall, and the 203 signers of his discharge petition, and I commend his legislative initiative. On the Senate side, I thank Sen. Harry Reid, who has fought hard on behalf of service-disabled military retirees, and the 69 co-sponsors of his concurrent-receipt bill.
“For sending President Bush a defense authorization that otherwise underscores a commitment to military readiness and gratitude to our troops and their families, I congratulate conference-committee negotiators, including Representatives Duncan Hunter, Ike Skelton, Roy Blunt, Steny Hoyer, Tom DeLay, Nancy Pelosi, as well as Senators John Warner, Carl Levin, Ted Stevens, and Bob Byrd. This is another non-partisan problem that requires a bi-partisan solution.”
The 2.8 million-member American Legion, the nation’s largest veterans organization, supported numerous provisions that were enacted today with the stroke of the president’s pen:
— Authority to spend up to 3.4 percent of GDP on defense (The Legion has been fighting for at least 3.5 percent);
— Regulatory reform to balance, rather than place at odds, military training and environmental protection;
— An average military pay raise of slightly more than 4 percent;
— A $100 raise in military family-separation allowance to $250 per month through 2004;
— A $150 raise in imminent-danger pay to $225 per month through 2004;
— A cut in the average amount of housing expenses paid by service members from the current 7.5 percent to 3.5 percent in fiscal year 2004 and elimination of the out-of-pocket expense completely by FY-05;
— Tricare access for Guard and Reserve personnel and their families who lack health insurance; and
— Full commissary privileges for drilling and retired service members of the Guard and Reserve.
A “tax” on the retired pay of military retirees with service-connected disabilities rated 50 percent to 100 percent by the Department of Veterans Affairs would be phased out over 10 years. Under existing law, military retirees are the only federal retirees who are “taxed” a dollar of their retired pay for every dollar they receive in disability compensation. Further, a special Defense Department pay created last year would be expanded to cover all military retirees (including Guard and Reserve) with Purple Heart-related, combat-related or combat training-related disabilities, instead of merely those with disability ratings of at least 60 percent. A commission comprised of congressional and administration appointees would study the entire disability- and death-compensation programs and other assistance provided to veterans and their survivors.
http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-110536380.html
Duncan Hunter: Fire State Dept. ‘Refuseniks’ Hire Wounded Warriors
The ranking Republican on the House Armed Services Committee has called on the President to fire State Department personnel who refused to be deployed to Iraq and replace them with wounded veterans at Walter Reed and Bethesda Hospitals.
“We have a lot of wounded warriors at the [military] hospitals — a pool of great talent,” Rep. Duncan Hunter (R.-Cal.), the last Republican chairman of the House Armed Services Committee and now a candidate for his party’s presidential nomination in ’08, told me outside the White House last week. Hunter was going to a meeting with President Bush as well as former Sen. Bob Dole (R.-Ka.), former Health and Human Services Secretary Donna Shalala, and other members of the panel recommending reforms of hospital for veterans.
http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=23275
There’s a wealth of info in your posts. Bookmarking to read more thoroughly later.
Well we are all entitled to our opinions.
What a fabulous asset for him and for us as conseratives.
I don’t want Ron Paul anywhere near Fred! Ron Paul is not even on the radar with Fred. Fred won’t even discuss the silly conspiracy nonsense with them so I know he knows about Ron Paul and his quirks.
Good for you two! Thompson and Hunter are both great candidates. The debate should center around what they to the table. Both are worthy of praise, and both would make great presidents. I’m voting for Hunter in the primary, but I’ll have no trouble at all voting for Thompson if he wins. Not so with Mitt or Rudi.
My hope is that Duncan Hunter gets enough exposure to make him a strong contender for the next Governor of California...
2001 Thompson supported the interests of the Vietnam Veterans of America 76 percent in 2001.
1997-1998 Thompson supported the interests of the Vietnam Veterans of America 17 percent in 1997-1998.
In both cases, Fred scored lower than Hunter. Couldn't find ratings for any of those other groups you listed.
And my gosh papasmurf, did you even look at the rest of the ratings on that IAVA site? Take a gander.
Hillary Clinton gets an A-.
Jeff Sessions gets an F.
Diane Feinstein and Barbara Boxer both get a B+.
Tom Tancredo gets a C. Barack Obama gets a B+.
Mike Pence gets a C, Ted Kennedy gets a B+.
Charles Rangel and Chuck Schumer both get a B- and B+.
Ron Paul gets an F. (Which I actually agree with, for once.)
Dennis Kucinich, given his ENTIRE anti-war nuttiness (as we all know), only gets a C-. (Should be an F, but you can see where I'm going with this group. Clearly a bias for Dems.)
Heck, JOHN FRICKIN KERRY GETS A B.
And as the coup de grace, John "Our soldiers killed in cold blood" Murtha gets a B, and Harry "The war is lost" Reid gets an A-.
So pardon me if I don't put too much stock into that group's rating, Mr. Smurf.
Your man has no public "face", lacks "fire in the belly", doesn't really want the job, and is a big fat goose egg in the polls.
I think my man is the best man for the job, is doing what he can with the funds he has, thinks he DOES want the job, and is in the same position Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton were at in the poll during this stage of the election cycle. Your point?
“The MSM do not, more than any other candidate, and I don’t know why, want Fred Thompson and they will go out of their way to make everyone believe that his candidacy is dead.”
I believe the MSM want Rudy for the following reason. They know Hillary can beat Rudy, but if by chance Rudy were to possibly beat Hillary, socialism would live under Rudy since he is really liberal.
Oh please, post 39 is referencing Project Vote Smart. That is George Soros funded baby.
Any reference to Project Vote Smart isn’t even worthy of a response.
Thanks for the info. I need to read this carefully.
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