Posted on 01/17/2014 5:29:08 AM PST by xzins
Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America founder Paul Rieckhoff told Fox News’ Megyn Kelly ...that the budget deal of House Budget Committee chairman Rep. Paul Ryan ... is a “total betrayal” to American military members.
On Wednesday evening, the House voted to pass the second part of the budget deal—
Rieckhoff said the deal is a “whole new level of bipartisan stupidity,” because it cuts the pension benefits of more than 90 percent of military veterans.
“It’s a promise that’s been made with our military folks when they raised their right hand and they sign up,” Rieckhoff said of the deal’s military pension cuts.
Ryan knew the deal contained ...cuts for all veterans’ pensions, including those of wounded warriors, two full days before the House voted on it.
But Rieckhoff argued “Find the money somewhere else,” Rieckhoff said. “You mean to tell me in the entire Defense budget they can’t find somewhere else to make outside of the retirement benefits of folks who have served sometimes eight, nine tours?”
Several plans were introduced in the House that would have offset the cuts to all veterans’ pensions with cuts to various different forms of government waste.
Rep. Ted Poe (R-TX), for instance, introduced a bill that would offset restoring veterans’ pensions with cuts to foreign aid.
The most significant House bill was offered by Reps. Martha Roby (R-AL) and Mike Fitzpatrick (R-PA), one that would have closed a tax code loophole that lets illegal aliens access the Refundable Child Tax Credit.
Part of the reason why House Speaker John Boehner and Majority Leader Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA) would not allow a vote on a plan—especially the Roby-Fitzpatrick plan—to restore the cuts Ryan made to veterans is because it may interfere with their upcoming planned push for amnesty.
(Excerpt) Read more at breitbart.com ...
Knowing that money could be found in illegal payments made to illegals, Ryan/Cantor/Boehner chose instead to BETRAY OUR VETERANS!
Its obvious now they weren't so dumb - just double dealing and extremely dishonest. Now it seems they have let go of pretense and have openly joined the democrats in stripping what little meat is left on this country's carcass.
Very good description. Vivid.
“By admitting that the very illegal aliens Boehner, Cantor, Ryan and other GOP establishment figures want to grant amnesty to actually currently abuse American taxpayers by illicitly accessing the Refundable Child Tax Credit, they could undercut any momentum they hope to create with their forthcoming “principles” for amnesty.”
I cannot tell you how much the boils my blood. Bonehead, the 8 week Navy vet. Wow.
I am now emailing my entire list with details of ESTABLISHMENT REPUBLICANS betraying Veterans.
Betrayal requires that traitors be held to account. A firing squad would have been their lot in olden times.
Paul J. Rieckhoff III is founder and CEO of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), America’s first and largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization for veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Rieckhoff is a nationally recognized authority on the two wars on a broad range of issues affecting troops, veterans and their families. He regularly testifies before Congress and, with IAVA, has helped push through critical legislation to assist and empower returning veterans.
A New York City native and first-generation college student, Rieckhoff majored in political science at Amherst, played football and served as president of the student government. After graduation, Rieckhoff enlisted with the U.S. Army Reserves, completing Officer Candidate School in June 2001 while working for J.P. Morgan in New York. He was among the first responders to the 2001 World Trade Center attack. In early 2003, Rieckhoff was deployed to Iraq as a first lieutenant and platoon leader. All 38 of the men in his charge returned home alive.
Upon coming home to New York, Rieckhoff became disillusioned with the wars’ portrayal in the national media and with the lack of coordinated, relevant support for returning veterans. Seeking action and accountability from the federal government, he created IAVA in June 2004. IAVA now has more than 200,000 members in all 50 states and worldwide. Through a strong and savvy media presence and consistent advocacy, IAVA is transforming the national conversation around key veteran issues.
Rieckhoff has been featured on NBC, MSNBC, CNN, Fox News, NPR, TIME, Rolling Stone and other media outlets. In 2006, he published the book Chasing Ghosts: Failures and Facades in Iraq: A Soldier’s Perspective.
I’m with you. It is inconceivable to me that they’d rather pay out billions a year in illegal payments to illegal aliens than cut just 600 million of the illegal money each year and fund our veterans.
They wouldn’t even have to cut but a small percentage of what I’ve heard is anywhere from 7-20 billion a year depending on whether you include those brought to the US when young or cut only those payments going to kids WHO DON’T EVEN LIVE IN THE UNITED STATES.
It’s amazing to me how evil these Republican leaders are.
Thanks for the background, Sefarkas. Good info.
We couldn’t have taken even just 5% of the money that is sent to government freeloaders and give it tot he men and women who have given their lives and bodies and minds to protect us in the first place?
All those RINO traitors deserve to lose their seats and their own damned pensions...
You would think this would have been a no-brainer for all those big gov RINO bastards that LOVE to spend money on all sorts of crap...
It is almost as if they are all being blackmailed to vote for something that will kill their careers....
If we weren’t all staring at the scores on our phones, we’d be tarring and feathering some people by now.
Yes indeed. The GOP has now become so despicable that what do they think they can present to republican voters that separates them from Democrats?
If they aren't worthy of your principles, they aren't worthy of your vote.
The GOPe are corporatists above all else and amnesty is a priority.
They are at war with the middle class and that includes veterans.
I don’t consider it a betrayal. A betrayal is when you’re promised something but don’t get it. Republicans don’t promise. They simply lie.
This deal is a back door agreement between one party.
Yes, it is ironic that Boner would be worrying about principles of any sort.
I’m afraid the American people lack the insight to understand Ryan’s treachery. It just reinforces their support for Biden.
wHAT ARE THE ODDS.....that Paul Ryan is on the ticket next time around?
Not very good if it’s based on my vote.
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