Posted on 12/05/2014 9:54:30 AM PST by Attention Surplus Disorder
Dear Senator Cruz:
I am a great admirer of yours.
I have a suggestion, which would be to offer up a bill guaranteeing combat-grade benefits to US military personnel engaged in this widening Ebola battle carried out on foreign soil.
These folks are risking their lives, and every American knows this. They did not sign up to fight horrific diseases and undoubtedly have paltry training to do so. You know and I know that of the several thousand military people engaged and sent over there, a hundred or so are going to come down with this horrible disease and die. They may die from the disease, they may die from aircraft accidents delivering aid or supplies. But make no mistake, there will be casualties and deaths.
It cannot be allowed that these folks are shunted aside and given the utterly despicable treatment the "bystander" personnel who were shot by Major Nidal Hasan (in that Fort Hood "workplace violence" incident) have been shown. That remains a profound embarassment, yet is EXACTLY what will happen to the folks who are being shipped overseas to who-knows- where in undoubtedly miserable conditions to do whatever they are being tasked to do.
This would not only be an attention-getting move, it would resonate profoundly with the American people who are completely fed up with this president. This would be getting out in front of this issue, to the extent possible, versus the reactionary incompetence epitomized by the 0bama regime.
You must do this.
very truly yours,
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
December 5, 2014
Greetings,
This week I was pleased to speak with veterans on the importance of standing with the men and women of our military. Right now it is essential that we recognize the sacrifice of our troops combatting Ebola, and I have introduced a bill to ensure they are justly compensated for putting their lives at risk. Sen. Cornyn and I have also introduced legislation that would extend Purple Heart eligibility to the 14 men and women who were killed by a radical Islamic terrorist at Fort Hood in 2009.
America’s leadership rests on a strong defense, and we are grateful to every member of the Armed Forces who keeps us safe.
Please keep reading for an update on the latest in the Senate.
All the best,
TC Sig Ted Cruz
Good work!
Wonderful.
Where are the news headlines?
Paul Shanklin needs to rewrite the Freddie and the Dreamers “hit” into “Do the Teddy”
Cruz/the Nuge 2016
So even peacetime missions are combat now? How will we treat military people who are in combat and war?
During the Reagan years an average of 2200 GIs died a year, almost 18,000, do we move them to the combat column now?
Well, my thinking in suggesting the idea was severalfold.
1: Sending troops to thwart or battle a virulent deadly disease is a potentially lethal mission, and even the left has to acknowledge that, as much as they can acknowledge any kind of common sense conclusion. The very word “Ebola” has that same kind of emotional reaction, even in the peabrains of the left.
2: Semi-clever pro-military political sentiment value because 0bama has done all he can to reduce the strength of the military via budgetary means. So we can spend hundreds of millions to send those troops over there without combat pay, but combat pay for those troops would be a drop in the proverbial bucket. This is not what they signed up for, and I don’t care how well they are trained, some are going to be killed/wounded.
3: This prevents 0bama from claiming credit for the idea (or put him in negative light should he veto the bill) by pre-emption and even so, I do not doubt for a second he will try to claim credit for the idea anyway. He’ll claim credit for the idea and blame the Republicans for blocking his brilliance even as he signs the veto, should he do so.
If 2200 a year were dying under Reagan, then everything is obviously potentially lethal.
The troops we have in Africa that are on the Ebola mission are doing construction, logistics, aviation, and are not treating patients or at great risk, it is part of what the military does.
Now we do have troops in Africa that are actually involved in combat oriented missions and operations, we have lots of activity going on in Africa.
A link to this thread has been posted on the Ebola Surveillance Thread
Thanks for the ping!
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