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An Unholy Alliance Is Forcing Veterans To Pay For 12 Years Of War
Business Insider ^ | 3 Jan 14 | Tony Carr, John Q. Public

Posted on 01/06/2014 4:32:25 PM PST by SkyPilot

Led by Paul Ryan and Patty Murray but abetted by Barack Obama, Congress recently gambled with our nation’s future for an extremely modest short-term gain.

In doing so, it was given aid and comfort by knowledge-starved pundits, axe-grinding editorial boards, and self-anointed armchair analysts everywhere, as it left the military and veteran community standing with their jaws on the ground in despairing disbelief. Exploiting pressure to strike a budget compromise, Ryan and Murray entered into an unholy alliance to reduce veteran pensions – including those already vested under previous covenants – by an average of $84,000 to $120,000.

They obscured this act, as often happens when attempting to mislead, by employing complex-sounding budget doublespeak to minimize the magnitude of the associated moral breach as well as the consequences to veterans and families. In a way, this debacle can be seen as part of our nation’s continual inability to comprehend and bear the costs of being a global superpower with quasi-imperial interests secured by less than one-half of one percent of its population. But the particulars in this case suggest something more disturbing lurking behind the standard wallet-grabbing Congressional milieu: a startling absence of strategic deliberation. When such a deficit impairs elected leaders responsible for national security, potentially grave consequences attend.

Good strategists always ask of any potential course of action two key questions. First, what will this do for us? And second, what will this do to us? Given the dearth of statesmanly impulse at the national level in modern America, it is perhaps unsurprising that in crafting the recent budget, Paul Ryan and Patty Murray asked only the former question, leaving the latter for others to worry about.

The provision at issue retroactively renegotiated the deferred compensation of more than two million military veterans...

(Excerpt) Read more at businessinsider.com ...


TOPICS: Editorial; Foreign Affairs; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: jihadists; kenyanbornmuzzie; military; pensions; veterans; war
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To: Ciexyz

“My COLA for 2014 is only 1.5 percent for my modest federal pension... Respectfully, why should I care about military vets - government is saying they’re double dipping.”
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I don’t know whether you left off a “/sarc” tag or not. If not, I’m sure that just as this subject legislation applies to ALL military members (both CURRENT and future) and retirees similar legislation needs to be passed to apply it to ALL current federal employees AND FEDERAL RETIREES. For federal retirees the 1% annual reduction in the yearly COLA should be applied for the first twenty years following the legislation’s enactment or the employee’s year of retirement (whichever is later). This 20 year 1% annual COLA reduction will be in addition to any other reduction that may apply.

Surely you’ll agree with this in the same spirit in which you have no care about our military retirees’ reductions. Write your congressman now and demand this. Hell, maybe it can be used to pay for an extension of unemployment benefits.


21 posted on 01/06/2014 6:12:12 PM PST by House Atreides
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To: SkyPilot

As one of those filthy retired Veterans, let me make it clear again. If my country needs some of my COLA to survive,then I’ll go down to the IRS and write a check on top of it. That’s not what this theft from retired Veterans is about. Nobody’s taxes go down. The deficit doesn’t go down. The budget isn’t balanced. It’s not even an attempt at any of this. This “compromise” budget was Ryan and Murray taking money from retired Veterans to give to HEADSTART and Education TO BUY VOTES FOR THE DEMOCRAT PARTY. It was never about helping our nation. It is about helping the Democrat party.


22 posted on 01/06/2014 6:14:43 PM PST by blueunicorn6 ("A crack shot and a good dancer")
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To: RFEngineer

Since money is of no concern to you, please send everything you have to Free Republic. It’s only your money, so who cares?


23 posted on 01/06/2014 6:25:12 PM PST by blueunicorn6 ("A crack shot and a good dancer")
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To: SkyPilot

Remind me about how much time Mr. Obama, Rep. Ryan and Sen. Murray spent in uniform.


24 posted on 01/06/2014 6:32:01 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet (A courageous man finds a way, an ordinary man finds an excuse.)
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To: SkyPilot

“The shorthand employed by Ryan to sell his beloved pension cut envisions healthy, well-adjusted, fattened mercenaries ...”

But he forgot about the ones who had lost arms, legs, paralyzed, etc., you know the ones that are significantly less than healthy, well-adjusted, fattened, etc. with no possibility of stepping into corporate America or anywhere for that matter.


25 posted on 01/06/2014 6:34:24 PM PST by RetiredTexasVet (It's difficult to differentiate between a hog calling contest and a Senate rollcall.)
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To: SkyPilot

And besides, why am I seeing ads on TV everyday for Paralyzed Veterans, Wounded Warriors, etc. doing VA’s job?


26 posted on 01/06/2014 6:36:00 PM PST by RetiredTexasVet (It's difficult to differentiate between a hog calling contest and a Senate rollcall.)
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To: RFEngineer

Understanding Military Retirement Pay
http://usmilitary.about.com/cs/generalpay/a/retirementpay.htm


27 posted on 01/06/2014 6:39:31 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet (A courageous man finds a way, an ordinary man finds an excuse.)
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To: blueunicorn6

“Since money is of no concern to you, please send everything you have to Free Republic. It’s only your money, so who cares?”

So should taxpayers (like me) make every federal, military, state, and municipal retiree a millionaire (like you, maybe)?

I’m just asking.

I already know that we can’t afford it, but I’m just wondering about folks expectations.


28 posted on 01/06/2014 6:47:38 PM PST by RFEngineer
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To: blueunicorn6; All
As one of those filthy retired Veterans, let me make it clear again. If my country needs some of my COLA to survive,then I’ll go down to the IRS and write a check on top of it. That’s not what this theft from retired Veterans is about. Nobody’s taxes go down. The deficit doesn’t go down. The budget isn’t balanced. It’s not even an attempt at any of this. This “compromise” budget was Ryan and Murray taking money from retired Veterans to give to HEADSTART and Education TO BUY VOTES FOR THE DEMOCRAT PARTY. It was never about helping our nation. It is about helping the Democrat party.

THIS.

29 posted on 01/06/2014 6:48:33 PM PST by TADSLOS (The Event Horizon has come and gone. Buckle up and hang on.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

So should taxpayers (like me) make every federal, military, state, and municipal retiree a millionaire?


30 posted on 01/06/2014 6:48:50 PM PST by RFEngineer
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To: RFEngineer

I’m just asking, too. I’ve already posted that I’m a filthy retired Veteran. Please list your name and employer with address. Then, we can all write and let them know you don’t need any money and especially no retirement. We’re your buddies. If you want to be free with my money, I’ll be free with yours.


31 posted on 01/06/2014 6:54:38 PM PST by blueunicorn6 ("A crack shot and a good dancer")
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To: Ciexyz

Not sure what to think. Obviously I don’t like the idea of a pension I am planning on changing. On the other hand, I do hear the old guys talking about retiring at 40 and getting a federal job to get two pensions.


32 posted on 01/06/2014 6:57:18 PM PST by chargers fan
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To: blueunicorn6

Don’t you think a multi-million dollar retirement package is excessive for federal, military, municipal, or state retirees?

It’s like Detroit on a national level.


33 posted on 01/06/2014 6:59:54 PM PST by RFEngineer
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To: RoosterRedux

Finding those who are willing to do the work at cost and not skim will be hard. Always check the give rate on any charity. There are untrustworthy groups using vets now. Charity is not something anyone likes to ask for. The problem is they were promised these benefits by the people, by us. We have to get together and fight for them now.


34 posted on 01/06/2014 7:05:48 PM PST by huldah1776
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To: RFEngineer
You're lumping apples (military) retirees in with oranges (federal, state and municipal) retirees. When enemy forces seize or assault DMV or IRS offices or the county tax department, then you can conflate government drones and bureaucrats with Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines. When civilian employees of the government are forced to go overseas, away from their families and live in tents or foxholes or the hold of a ship and are shot at, bombed, bayoneted, gassed or raped on the job without surcease, then your post would make sense. Because of my service, for example, I have heart disease, hypertension, edema, nerve damage and hearing loss. Should I lay along the thoroughfare and beg for alms?
35 posted on 01/06/2014 7:07:20 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet (A courageous man finds a way, an ordinary man finds an excuse.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Since federal, military, municipal, and state retirees all require present year taxpayer funds (and funds to be borrowed to make up the difference) to be taken in order to get paid, I ask again:

Should federal, military municipal, and state retirees be awarded multi-million dollar pensions?

If you are worth it, just say so.

Nevertheless, we can’t afford it, and can’t pay it. It’s just a financial fact.

So what do we do? Pretend that it isn’t true?


36 posted on 01/06/2014 7:14:59 PM PST by RFEngineer
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To: RFEngineer
Again, the nation didn't promise any civilian workers retirement pay (really retainer pay, as they can be recalled to active duty) after 20+ years service and free medical for life (which they've already reneged on) but that is EXACTLY what they promised the armed forces. BTW, I'm not military retired, I'm a service-connected disabled veteran, but six of one, half-dozen of another. I don't know that we can afford to fulfill the expectations of the civilian bureaucrats, but if we don't respect the military retired and other veterans, who, exactly, do you think will fight the next war or insurrection? You and your neighbors?
37 posted on 01/06/2014 7:21:01 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet (A courageous man finds a way, an ordinary man finds an excuse.)
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To: RFEngineer

Can’t afford it? There are about 50 million on food stamps, millions on TANF, millions in Section 8 housing and many millions in other welfare programs. Until all those programs are kaput, I don’t want to hear a peep out of you or anyone else about cutting veteran’s benefits of any kind. Comprende?!


38 posted on 01/06/2014 7:25:53 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet (A courageous man finds a way, an ordinary man finds an excuse.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

So should federal, military, municipal, or state employees be awarded multi-million dollar pensions?


39 posted on 01/06/2014 7:29:48 PM PST by RFEngineer
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Isn’t a multi-million dollar pension excessive for federal, military, state and municipal employees though?


40 posted on 01/06/2014 7:31:38 PM PST by RFEngineer
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