Posted on 12/23/2013 4:34:08 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
In its rush to pass a budget deal, Congress voted to slice the benefits of veterans, even those who retire after suffering injuries while serving their country.
This unconscionable sneak attack on former members of the armed services was evidently inserted into the legislation by GOP House Budget Chairman Paul Ryan during talks with lead Democratic negotiator, Sen. Patty Murray. He ought to be ashamed.
The provision would cut veterans’ cost of living adjustments beginning in 2015 by $600 million a year — less than one-tenth of 1% of the $630 billion Pentagon budget. But the pain would be real. A senior enlisted servicemember who retired at 40 would typically lose more than $70,000 in benefit payments over the years.
Ryan’s breach of faith must be repealed in its entirety.
Confronted by widespread outrage, he insisted the cuts were a mistake — never mind that he has been a longtime proponent of making them. He said the issue “will be solved with the technical correction” when Congress returns next year.
Murray, for her part, promises a “fix” only to exempt disabled veterans. And, shamefully, there was no groundswell among either Democrats or Republicans for repeal. The best that Democrat Carl Levin, chair of the Armed Services Committee, came up with was a vow to review the matter.
To her credit, New Hampshire Republican Sen. Jeanne Shaheen offered a bill to revoke the cuts and to pay the costs by “eliminating a tax loophole for offshore corporations.”
The cuts must be revoked, not “fixed.”
Congress must act right away, so that veterans depending on their pensions to get by, and soldiers close to making a return to civilian life, do not have this uncertainty, and lack of generosity, hanging over their heads.
I retired this past June. I’m not happy with the shortchange from congress but I can live with it. What I would love to hear though is that they also did the same to all the welfare duds and cut every government “entitlement” program by at least 1%.
In the past the government waited until the conflict was over before stiffing the Veteran. This has to be a first (correct me if I’m wrong), taking benefits away before the war is over.
I’m a Vietnam veteran. Learned a long time ago that our people talk a good game about “honoring our vets” but the truth is and always was that nobody actually cares about us but us and our families.
It used to be that able-bodied men signed up to serve their countries but that has morphed to be just a few men and some ladies carry all the brunt of the dangers and difficulty of service. I am proud of those few but really sick of those parasites who posture about patriotism yet leave the pain to “other people’s children”. Now most of our representatives are service avoiders and - big surprise - couldn’t wait to make veteran’s hard-earned retirements the first and only thing cut.
Hope Paul Ryan and his democrat friends get voted out of office but I don’t have any hope that next people elected will be any better.
But Ryan will support Amnesty and betray the American Worker NEXT!
HE NEEDS TO GO!
Agree. Those are the programs that need cutting. I have seen an entire neighborhood that used to be a most desirable suburb practically turned into an expansion of the inner city thanks to Section 8 plus EBT and so many hand outs. The Vets and the retirees appear to be the only ones targeted.
2 SAMUEL 19
1Word soon reached Joab that the king was weeping and mourning for Absalom. 2As the troops heard of the king’s deep grief for his son, the joy of that day’s victory was turned into deep sadness. 3They crept back into the city as though they were ashamed and had been beaten in battle. 4The king covered his face with his hands and kept on weeping, “O my son Absalom! O Absalom, my son, my son!”
5Then Joab went to the king’s room and said to him, “We saved your life today and the lives of your sons, your daughters, and your wives and concubines. Yet you act like this, making us feel ashamed, as though we had done something wrong. 6You seem to love those who hate you and hate those who love you. You have made it clear today that we mean nothing to you. If Absalom had lived and all of us had died, you would be pleased. 7Now go out there and congratulate the troops, for I swear by the LORD that if you don’t, not a single one of them will remain here tonight. Then you will be worse off than you have ever been.”
The long time motto of Congress: “Don’t Forget....FU*K The Vet!”
Nothing new here. Move along.
How much slack is Congress going to give us Vets when we make up less than 7% of the total population?
Think about that.
I think that would be just fine.
Also, since this country has never had a Marine to serve as POTUS, I think it’s about time that we do.
General James Mattis for POTUS, 2016.
It’s about time that we have a C-I-C that has some balls.
I concur.
I hope that PAUL RYAN gets his worthless Amnesty-Lovin ass tossed out of office in the coming primary.
Thank you for your service, brother. Welcome Home.
Oh I do. I think the thing might sway things for them will be if we stop providing their volunteers. They decide that we should dilute our combat troops with unqualified folks, just to keep things balanced and they also decided that we should just as happy as can be to have gay leaders taking care of our young people. All our equipment is “least bidder” specials and now even the promises they made to us after we wrecked our bodies are being broken.
OK, fine. Let’s keep our own kids home and let them figure who they’ll get to take burden.
AMEN!!
Copy that.
I try to talk anybody out of enlisting as long as the Muzzie Infiltrator is in our White House.
I owe them that much.
At least President Nixon had our backs.
I contributed recently to the RNC and received a call from them this afternoon soliciting another contribution. I explained to the young man that I’m a military retiree, and because of Paul Ryan’s budget and what it does to military retirees, I’m making no more contributions to the Republican Party. I will only contribute money to and vote for Republicans who run against the current Republicans in the coming primaries. Our current Republicans in Congress have been associating with Democrats for so long they’ve become no different than Democrats and need to be replaced and sent home.
Active Duty/Retiree ping.
I wouldn’t give the RNC the sweat off my balls.
They have done nothing but stab us in the back.
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