Posted on 11/18/2011 2:29:23 PM PST by katiedidit1
VFW Presses Senator McCain on Support: VFW National Commander Richard DeNoyer expressed the organization's strongest opposition today to ongoing efforts by Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin (D-Mich.) to further balance the budget on the backs of military service members, their families, and retirees. In a letter, the Chief wrote that McCain's acceptance of proposals to examine the current retirement system along with military pay, allowances and their tax implications, plus to suggest excluding military retirees from TRICARE Prime, implies that his unwavering support of the military exists only as long as you are wearing the uniform. "Troops are of one voice against cutting their pay and benefits," wrote DeNoyer. "That is why we are so adamantly against any proposal that would have those who sacrifice the most to sacrifice even more." Read the full letter: http://www.vfw.org/uploadedFiles/VFW.org/VFW_in_DC/VFW%20to%20McCain%20Nov%202011.PDF
(Excerpt) Read more at vfw.org ...
Military retirees may very well face cuts and hikes in their insurance
If McCain supports this, he will lose whatever amount of support he has from veterans. Unconscionable.
I am curious as to who else is getting cut in the govt? congress? foreign aid? illegals? sure, that may not make up for the deficit but if I was a soldier that just completed 20 yrs and was face with paying for my insurance (after tours of duty in war zones) I would be furious. It is a wonder they don’t descend on DC like the OWS crowds
Why is it every time I see the words “balance the budget on the backs of....” I know its going to be followed by a group of people getting checks (or something) from the taxpayers and it never seems to be followed by the word “taxpayers”.
Now I might agree in this particular instance but thought just occured to me.
Why did the GOP agree to this crap? Why not an across the board spending cut that would hit every agency?
Cut the Illegals
VFW National Commander Richard DeNoyer expressed the organizations strongest opposition today to ongoing efforts by Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin (D-Mich.) to further balance the budget on the backs of military service members, their families, and retirees.
I have to tell you Richard, McCain doesnt give a good damn what you want.
This “Super Committee” had to be the stupidest thing the Republicans could agree to and was basically a cave in to Democrats. It puts them in the driver’s seat and they never would negotiate in good faith. They hate the military anyway.
Absolutely! and O appointedd a special committee to look into the cuts..Panetta has been salivating over doing this for years. That is why Obama appointed him as the hatchet man
What a heartwarming image, two old friends reunited like that. ...................................... It reminds me of an alleged comment made by a fellow prisoner that McCain was the only prisoner who left heavier than he was when he entered the camp.
Personally, I have long thought that giving veterans a full retirement after 20 years, as well as allowing those that got government jobs to “double dip”, was both unacceptably expensive and wasteful of talent.
A far better alternative would be that after an appropriate level of military service, probably less than “20”, personnel would in effect be guaranteed a federal or state government job, at *or near* their same grade and pay. Some of course would prefer “free agency”, and that is their choice.
First of all, retirement at about 40 years of age is just silly. And only personnel with connections are going to go the double dip route, but no reason they should be paid a military retirement when they are still working. Retirement should be for when you are retired.
Many military personnel leave the service and head into unemployment, because there are only a small number of jobs that care about prior service.
But having a “lateral transfer” into the federal or state bureaucracy is a superb way to increase the quality of the bureaucracy. And though it won’t be a “double dip”, they will still be saving up money for their real retirement.
This is McCain’s last lap around the old senate. I think he’s 75. That will make him 80 when his number comes up again.
He’s just doing now what he wants to do; probably what he’s always believed in down deep.
Won't surprise me when they do; only without fanfare, with purpose and unlike the douche's at OWS, with finality.
The line between "foreign and domestic" isn't so grey anymore if one actually takes the time to read the Constitution at face value with none of the deluged "living document" crap we hear bandied about these days.
Today's politicians are selfish and corrupt. They hide behind a "vote for what their constituency wants" instead of doing what is right for their constituency and they damn well know it. It is a death spiral as they keep selling their vote to remain employed by a constituency that discovered it can vote itself the treasury if only they can find the right sellout to send to Federal and State Houses'.
We are truly fighting what Ayn Rand called "the looters".
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