Posted on 11/10/2007 4:51:52 PM PST by Extremely Extreme Extremist
Congress narrowly passed a budget last week that calls for the federal government to spend in excess of 2 trillion dollars in 2004, which is more than double what the federal government spent in 1990. Yet while Congress finds hundreds of billions to fund every conceivable unconstitutional program and special-interest pork project, it fails to provide adequately for our nation’s veterans. In fact, the budget passed by the House calls for cuts of $15.1 billion from veterans programs over the next ten years. These cuts will affect programs that provide education benefits, compensation for veterans with service-related disabilities, and pensions for disabled veterans.
We should understand that veterans programs, unlike so many federal programs, are constitutional. The Constitution specifically provides for Congress to fund armed forces and provide national defense. Congress and the nation accordingly have a constitutional obligation to keep the promises made to those who provide that defense. This is why I support increased funding for veterans, while opposing the bloated spending bills that fund corporate and social welfare, pork favoritism, and special interests at the expense of those veterans.
Unfortunately, the trust that members of our armed forces put in our government has been breached time and time again, and last week’s budget vote represents anther blow to veterans. Even as we send hundreds of thousands of soldiers into Iraq, Congress can’t get its priorities straight.
We should remember that Gulf War I and II will swell the ranks of our combat veterans, many of whom will need medical care as they grow older. Congress should immediately end the silence and formally address Gulf War Syndrome, which has had a devastating impact on veterans who served in Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait. As a medical doctor, I believe the syndrome is very real, and likely represents several different maladies caused by exposure to conditions specific to the Gulf region at the time. Congress and the Veterans Administration should stop insulting our Gulf War veterans and recognize that the syndrome is a serious illness that needs treatment. We can only hope and pray that our soldiers in Iraq today do not suffer from similar illnesses in the future. Congress must, however, ensure adequate funding for the medical care that today’s soldiers will someday need.
Having served in the U.S. Air Force for five years, I feel an obligation to our veterans and current armed forces. Congress wastes so much money that only a small portion of that waste could make a huge difference in the lives of our veterans. Depending on what the Senate does, Congress may have a chance to revisit the 2004 budget and find the resolve to fully fund needed veterans programs.
As a twenty year veteran I can tell you he has it partially right. But the other half of the equation is that he who would be president also has to know when to employ the nations armed forces in our nation’s interests, applying military force at the right time and not waiting until it requires the full commitment of all the nation’s resources to defeat an enemy allowed to become so strong that nothing short of full-scale congressionally mandated war will protect the nation’s ability to survive.
Ron Paul is an idiot because he does not comprehend this, and he should never be allowed to be Commander-in-Chief. Our nation should never do this disservice to those who wear the uniform in defense of our nation.
OMG, another useless Ron Paul thread.... stuff IT
You can post that garbage a million times for all I care.
So you agree things Paul has said and done are garbage?
What about his 80s and 90s archives?
I don’t see those on the Nutter08.com site.
Why is that?
There are two Ron Paul periods:
- pre-www, where he could say what he really felt (and temporarily get away with it).
- The present day age, where it’s catching up to him.
So Paulbots how many times have Paul voted against increasing funding for the same Veterans that he now suddenly embraces? How many times has Der Paul voted against adequate pay and resources being provided to our Military?
But that right, don't confuse the Paulbots with facts, they have their god and they are sticking to him.
Two things would have helped enormously 1] also pick the right place where bin Laden is and 2] have the guts to actually declare a war [not implied] per the Constitution so as to get the full backing of the nation which the troops deserve.
All unsubstantiated hit-pieces.
Paul has always supported our veterans, Johnnie. This article is from 2003.
Declaring war confers certain rights and benefits to the one with whom we are fighting. There is a reason we haven’t done so.
For instance, it would make the terrorists automatically the beneficiaries of the Geneva Convention, where we are allowed only name, rank and jihad number.
Nonsense. What benefits did we confer upon Nazi Germany and Japan when we declared war on them? WW II committed the nation and that is what is lacking today [missing in Vietnam and Korea also]. Writers of the Constitution knew that war requires the full support of the nation.
Negative. There is a BIG difference between war and military operations. You declare war when the you need the full commitment of all national resources to defeat another nation or nations. When that situation occurs it means that your nations economy will need to be transformed to production of the means of making war...a full transformation...meaning no longer making automobiles but instead making tanks. Military operations short of war are at the direction of the Commander-in-Chief to achieve limited political objectives as one of the components of national power (diplomatic, economic, military, information). His role in directing military operations are SOLELY his as Commander-in-Chief and do not require a declaration of war.
?????
Speaking of Veterans, I have often wondered why we have VA hospitals. They are a constant source of complaints and lousy care. They are also hard to get to for most Veterans. They are understaffed, under funded and just not able to accomplish their assigned mission. Wouldn’t it make more sense to put eligible Vets on Tri-Care?
Im a twenty year vet and am not eligible to use VA services. Tricare is retirement benefit not a veteran benefit.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.