Submitted by Lawrence Rafferty, (rafflaw), Guest Blogger
The other day I came across an article about Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann, who has a big idea to save money in the Federal budget. When I read the article I was disappointed because Rep. Bachmann’s idea to save $4.5 Billion from the Federal budget is to take it away from Veterans disability payments. “The Air Force Times reports her plan would slice $4.5 billion from the VA, including reducing 150,000 veterans’ disability compensation and the amount they receive in Social Security Disability Income.” http://thinkprogress.org/2011/01/28/bachmann-veterans/ Now, I am all for saving money from waste and inefficiencies, but Rep. Bachmann’s idea would take it from our wounded heroes!
I wish I could say I was making this up. Rep. Bachmann has tried to downplay the report by claiming that it was meant to start a discussion on saving Federal dollars. A few questions come to my mind for Rep. Bachmann and any other politician of any stripe that thinks the way to save money is to reduce the already paltry disability payments now being made to the disabled Veterans who protected us and allowed us to have this free discussion on budgetary issues. Why should the wounded vets lose their disability payments or have them reduced, when this very same politician went to the mat to save the almighty tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans that added billions to the deficit? Should any soldier, Marine, sailor or Airman or any military person give up their limbs, their health and all too often, their lives in order to come home to politicians who want to sweep their injuries under the table, because they are just too costly?
Thankfully, the VFW, DAV, and many other Veterans organizations have come out publicly to blast Bachmann for suggesting that the United State of America can’t afford to take care of its wounded Veterans. I think the National Commander of the VFW, Richard L. Eubank’s words say it best. ‘ “I want her to look those disabled veterans in the eye and tell them their service and sacrifice is too expensive for the nation to bear.” ‘
I am particularly sensitive to these issues of Veterans benefits, because my Mother and my siblings and I benefitted greatly from VA and Social Security benefits while growing up. Without them, I may not have been able to attend college and my mother would have been destitute trying to feed and house her 5 children. These payments are vitally important to survivors, let alone the men and women who are disabled! Where is your shame Rep. Bachmann?
I have two more questions. First, to the people of the 6th Congressional District in Minnesota; What were you thinking when you reelected this ungrateful person to Congress? Second, to all who are reading this post, don’t you think we can find better ways to save this money without terrorizing our wounded warriors?
Submitted by Lawrence Rafferty (rafflaw), Guest Blogger
Swarthmore mom,
How’s your husband doing … healing nicely I hope and enjoying the trip.
I have a friend that was on the staff of the Minnesota Senate Judiciary Committee. He told me that he sat next to a State Senator named Michele Bachmann, and that she was very strange and had a strange look in her eye. Little did he know that she would later become a leading GOP congresswoman with a bunch of crazy tea party backers.
Good for you. I hope you are enjoying it. Send some off that warm weather North.
I am in Boca. Went to Palm beach, South beach, etc. Good weather today, but yesterday morning was a bit brisk.Went to Joe’s Stone Crab for lunch today. It has been there since 1913.
Aren’t you suppose to be in Palm Beach.
Was hoping Bachmann would be redistricted into an unfriendly district this year, but the republicans swept the legislature in Minnesota so it won’t be happening.
Being a vet myself this really hits home,If you notice the people who seem to be envolved with the Tea Party all seem to be connected to the very programs people like bachmann want to cut.
There seems to be quite a few people who seem to be on Social Security at their rallys and to collect that means you had to have worked for those benefits and for some reason they don’t seem to get it.
There also seems to be people who have gotten caught up in losing a job through no fault of their own and may be collecting Unemployment Insurance Payments another program which you had to have had a job and you had to be laid off to collect those benefits.
And as far as the Vets when is the last time Bachmann payed a visit to the VA let alone the soldiers who are there nursing injuries that they and their familys will never recover from.
Just a small example why these people make me SICK!!
Since we are speaking of Bachmann I posted this interview on a previous thread regarding her.I dont usually go for Chris Matthews style of interviewing ,but it paid off here:
lottakatz
Two thumbs up ! !
rafflaw,
I remember reading about this Bachmann story recently. Thanks for posting about it. Ain’t she a loverly lady?
Stamford,
“bullpucky”! Now that is a great word! It is so descriptive and not offensive unless your bulls play hockey.
“The best way to avoid having to pay soldiers for disabilities would be to end the wars.” (Lottakatz)
Perfect … and wise!
Ms. Bachmann has a lot of explaining to do. The picture above was from her Congressional website and she has pistures of her with many members of the military. I wonder if they would agree to be seen with her now?
Lottakatz,
I like your budget reduction idea: stop the wars.
“Bill Maher commented about her budget visual aid for her teabagger SotU rebuttal: until October 2009 the budget was the Bush budget and since 2009 the cost of the wars have been reflected in the budget. The wars Bush started:”
It was rather amusing watching Jack Kingston try to spin Bachmann’s silly graph. Just goes to show how much those, particularly on the right, cherry-pick what they want their constituents to hear, knowing full well there’s no way in hell they will bother to find out that what they’re being fed is bullpucky.
The best way to avoid having to pay soldiers for disabilities would be to end the wars. I guess that wasn’t on her list of budget options.
Bill Maher commented about her budget visual aid for her teabagger SotU rebuttal: until October 2009 the budget was the Bush budget and since 2009 the cost of the wars have been reflected in the budget. The wars Bush started:
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2011/01/26/2011-01-26_michele_bachmann_tea_party_response_to_obamas_state_of_the_union_urge_budget_cut.html
I suggest that instead of cutting the benefits of wounded vets, we cut the benefits of former senators and representatives and cabinet officials and other high level federal workers.
Well, there goes the presidential bid.
This woman is both ignorant and hateful. She is targeting the very people that are protecting her free speech and exclusive life style. Evil just evil.
But, I am sure when the MSM reports this we will be told that we just misunderstood Ms. Bachmann’s BS.
This is all wrong. Representative Bachmann supports the troops. She participated in Troopathon 2010 for pete’s sake! She spoke so eloquently about the need for supporting our soldiers because of their sacrifices; for their tireless efforts in protecting our freedoms and liberties. Troopathon raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to send care packages to our troops overseas! She spoke so eloquently and with such feeling! Ah, it was a sight to see!
You just don’t understand Ms. Bachmann. She knows for a fact that our troops don’t need VA benefits – they need care packages!!
Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann … just keep feeding her the rope … she’ll keep hanging herself