Just before Memorial Day, Veterans Affairs Secretary Anthony Principi said, "Our active military respond better to Republicans" because of "the tremendous support that President Bush has provided for our military and our veterans." This is true
The same day, the White House announced plans for massive cuts in veterans' health care for 2006.
This is a typical left wing taken out of context lie, or sometimes referred to as BS. Under President Bush the Va has received a 28% increase in funding (almost $8 billion in three years), after Clinton balanced(?) the budget on the backs of the veterans, and the 2006 budget contains a further increase, but less than the VA wants, which is normal for all government entities. This is what the left calls "massive reductions".
Last January, Bush praised veterans during a visit to Walter Reed Army Medical Center. The same day, 164,000 veterans were told the White House was "immediately cutting off their access to the VA health care system."
Another left wing(Molly Ivins) lie. No veterans with service connected disabilities or non-service connected illnesses have been cut from treatment. The only change has been in eligibility for medications. Above a certain(high) income level those without service connected disabilities must pay a yearly fee and co-pay for medications, those veterans under the income level continue to receive their meds free, or at a small co-pay, depending on income. An ill veteran with no medical insurance and unable to privately pay for his own care is eligible for VA care. No change has been made.
My favorite in this category was the short-lived plan to charge soldiers wounded in Iraq for their meals when they got to American military hospitals. The plan mercifully died a-borning after it hit the newspapers.
I see this is your favorite, and it confirms my feeling you, and Moly Ivins, are complete ignorant of military pay procedures. All persons in the military receive a monthly rations allowance. If they eat in a military mess hall on base, or meals supplied by the military, this ration is deducted from their pay. It is a matter of bookkeeping. Since the persons in the hospital were being fed by the government they were not entitled to the monthly rations allowance in their pay check. This is double dipping and had nothing to do with President Bush. I doubt very much he watches all the military allowances to make sure a GI does not get overpaid. If a person lives 0ff-base he receives this ration. When transferred to a situation where he is required to eat at military facilities the ration is stopped until he returns to an off base condition.
Molly Ivins is the last person you should use as proof of anything pertaining to the Bush administration. She is a typical Bush hater, along with the other fine reps of the left wing loonies such as Al Franken and Michael Moore. There is not a shred of integrity or class between them. I am sure you were gleeful to see her column, but she has lied to you again, and you fell for it, and look foolish. You might try going to VA.gov. Truth is there.
I could refute all her other statement also, but this will have to suffice for the moment.
Yours for honesty, not found among the Democratic party or its shills.
KM |
