Michelle Bachmann wants to cut $4.5 billion from the Department of Veterans Affairs

**min0 lee** · 02-19-2011, 09:12 AM

I've never understood the whole "Republicans are pro-military" belief so many people, including many soldiers, have. The Republicans They don't give two shits about the soldiers.
Sure, serve your country...lose a limb...go months without seeing your family...

Minnesota’s Tea Party star touched a third rail when she proposed cutting billions from Veterans’ Affairs. Laura Colarusso talks to the senator protecting vets from the budget slashers.
There is an unwritten but widely known rule in the modern political era: Don’t talk about taking money away from veterans. Even as Republicans and Democrats fight over the minutiae of highway funding, carbon taxes, and corn subsidies, they usually agree that vets deserve the best health care and disability benefits Uncle Sam can muster—and more often than not find the dollars to pay for it. Stiffing veterans, they realize, would be wildly unpopular.
Which is why Rep. Michele Bachmann created quite a stir when she suggested slashing $4.5 billion from the Department of Veterans Affairs. Her proposal—which was part of a $400 billion spending-cut strategy to avoid raising the debt ceiling—was to freeze funding for health care and cut disability payments for vets who also collect from Social Security.

Bachmann’s plan drew fire from many quarters, most notably from Sen. Patty Murray, the new chairwoman of the Veterans Affairs Committee. When I talked with Murray, she had little patience for Bachmann or anyone else that would slice the VA’s funding.
“That injures, I think, our country… because these men and women have paid a tremendous price,” said the Washington state Democrat. “Their families have been left at home without a dad or mom for months at a time. They’ve struggled economically. They’ve seen horrific things, and we can’t just abandon them when they get home. Our country asked them to go. We said fight for us. Protect us. Be there for us. We owe them something.”
Bachmann’s proposal would affect about 132,000 veterans who receive disability payments from both the VA and Social Security. There is a cap on how much an individual can collect from multiple sources, but disability payments to veterans don't count toward this limit. Proponents say vets deserve to "double dip" because of their sacrifice, and that forcing them to live under the cap would unfairly reduce their incomes.
Bachmann eventually relented and scrubbed the VA cutbacks from her proposal. (Her office didn’t respond to requests for comment, but the Minnesota Republican noted on her website that idea had “received a lot of attention” and she decided to back off.)
Murray, the panel’s first female chairwoman, knows full well that the mushrooming national deficit is dominating the political calculus these days. If there was any question that veterans might have to sacrifice to help rein in spending, it was resolved when Rep. Jeff Miller, Murray’s Republican counterpart in the House, called for a review of VA funding. "I think it's fair to say the veterans in this country have sacrificed in their service to our nation, but they are willing to do what's necessary to help get this country's fiscal house in order," Miller explained.
Murray, the daughter of a World War II veteran who was wounded on Okinawa, responded swiftly, saying she’ll be watching the GOP “like a hawk.” The 60-year-old lawmaker narrowly held on to her seat in November, having made veterans’ issues—and her role in legislation that, among other things, improves the VA’s suicide-prevention programs—a major part of her campaign.

**min0 lee** · 02-19-2011, 09:15 AM

Now the money that they love to spend on their contractor buddies....oh that's something else. They should shoot all of these politicians.

**min0 lee** · 02-19-2011, 09:16 AM

"The day this nation can't afford to take care of her veterans is the day this nation should quit creating them."

- Veterans of Foreign Wars

**LAM** · 02-19-2011, 09:53 AM

Originally Posted by min0 lee

I've never understood the whole "Republicans are pro-military" belief so many people, including many soldiers, have. The Republicans They don't give two shits about the soldiers.
Sure, serve your country...lose a limb...go months without seeing your family...

because the GOP is the political party of bullshit...during campaigns they use the same machiavellian tactics, promise change and reform but once they get into office it's business as usual..handing over money to corporations for short term economic growth while they ship jobs overseas and focus on social reform (abortion, etc.) to fulfill promises to their far right supporters..but there actions make no logical sense and are based on an idealogy and not the real world...

they want to take away a women's right to abortion AND cut food stamps, housing, etc. for that same woman when she has that baby that she didn't want..they offer no solutions to real world problems .

just like extended unemployment benefits, etc...Aid to unemployed workers is an excellent way to stimulate job growth, because the recipients spend their benefits immediately to fulfill their day-to day needs. But the GOP wants to prevent job growth, as long as Democrats are in power. Not only are Republicans trying to deceive voters by preventing solutions to problems they caused and blaming Democrats, but also, they are manipulating the progressive base to turn against Obama.

**min0 lee** · 02-19-2011, 10:09 AM

Don't forget that Bush wanted to close VA hospitals..

**Work IN Progress** · 02-19-2011, 10:13 AM

Preach ON Sista.......

**AdmiralRichard** · 02-19-2011, 04:37 PM

Man thats fuck up

**GeorgeForemanRules** · 02-19-2011, 04:39 PM

The Republicans have fucked vets for decades and the people in the military love them for it.

That sums up America in a nut shell.

**AdmiralRichard** · 02-19-2011, 04:48 PM

Still its fuck up

**irish_2003** · 02-19-2011, 04:52 PM

i'm a veteran and i believe it's because of the same abuse of the system that's happening in the private health industry......many of the current and former military personnel definitely need and are benefiting from services, but unfortunately it's those that are abusing it that are ruining it for everyone

**AdmiralRichard** · 02-19-2011, 04:54 PM

Originally Posted by irish_2003

i'm a veteran and i believe it's because of the same abuse of the system that's happening in the private health industry......many of the current and former military personnel definitely need and are benefiting from services, but unfortunately it's those that are abusing it that are ruining it for everyone

So punish everyone......nice

**KelJu** · 02-19-2011, 04:57 PM

Originally Posted by irish_2003

i'm a veteran and i believe it's because of the same abuse of the system that's happening in the private health industry......many of the current and former military personnel definitely need and are benefiting from services, but unfortunately it's those that are abusing it that are ruining it for everyone

So, cut it for the ones who need it because a few abuse it is why you think they are doing it? You didn't say whether you agreed with it. I would love to know your opinion since it is your boys in office shitting in your face.

**GeorgeForemanRules** · 02-19-2011, 04:59 PM

Originally Posted by irish_2003

i'm a veteran and i believe it's because of the same abuse of the system that's happening in the private health industry......many of the current and former military personnel definitely need and are benefiting from services, but unfortunately it's those that are abusing it that are ruining it for everyone

I did two clinical rounds in the VA, I watched vets abuse the system every day.

Still all you need are simple rules like, you are diagnosed with esophageal and lung cancer, and you go for a smoke in the hospital you lose your benefits. I had patients pull this shit all the time. They had medical problems caused by alcohol and tobacco and they refused to even fake that they would quit.

You want to kill yourself.....fine by me but I wont pay for it.

**min0 lee** · 02-19-2011, 05:06 PM

Then again why should the American Taxpayer continue to provide money to someone that is no longer providing a useful purpose??

**irish_2003** · 02-19-2011, 05:10 PM

Originally Posted by min0 lee

Then again why should the American Taxpayer continue to provide money to someone that is no longer providing a useful purpose??

with that same thinking, i believe that food stamp and welfare payments should be limited to a certain time frame to discourage those who play the "born into it" card will be forced to deal with their lives and get a job......i don't think 5 years max for welfare payments is unreasonable.....also it's unfortunate the people i've met in my life, but many sell portions of their food stamp cards on the street....they are overpaid in those benefits.....

**awhites1** · 02-23-2011, 09:08 AM

Originally Posted by GeorgeForemanRules

I did two clinical rounds in the VA, I watched vets abuse the system every day.

Still all you need are simple rules like, you are diagnosed with esophageal and lung cancer, and you go for a smoke in the hospital you lose your benefits. I had patients pull this shit all the time. They had medical problems caused by alcohol and tobacco and they refused to even fake that they would quit.

You want to kill yourself.....fine by me but I wont pay for it.

such an insightful comment. is there anything you don't know? My head is going to explode from all the wonderful knowledge you impart on this site. I'm quitting my job and I'm going to full time devote my life to reading your post. All hail George

**LAM** · 02-23-2011, 09:12 AM

Originally Posted by GeorgeForemanRules

I did two clinical rounds in the VA, I watched vets abuse the system every day.

Still all you need are simple rules like, you are diagnosed with esophageal and lung cancer, and you go for a smoke in the hospital you lose your benefits. I had patients pull this shit all the time. They had medical problems caused by alcohol and tobacco and they refused to even fake that they would quit.

You want to kill yourself.....fine by me but I wont pay for it.

The Vets that I have met that left body parts in Vietnam sure aren't faking it...the combat Vets from the Gulf that are missing body parts, sure aren't faking it...and the 1M + Vets that suffer from PTSD sure aren't faking it

**Big Pimpin** · 02-23-2011, 09:17 AM

The entire federal government needs to be cut by at least 10% (if not 20%). There's no sense in picking favorites not to cut unless you have political motivations.

VA hospitals sucked ass when Clinton was in office and no wars were going on, yet the bed wetting liberals weren't whining then.

**LAM** · 02-23-2011, 09:21 AM

Originally Posted by Big Pimpin

The entire federal government needs to be cut by at least 10% (if not 20%). There's no sense in picking favorites not to cut unless you have political motivations.

VA hospitals sucked ass when Clinton was in office and no wars were going on, yet the bed wetting liberals weren't whining then.

that was because GWB sent our very, very expensive military off to war when it wasn't prepared...it would have been nice for the guys in the CZ to have had proper body armor on their persons and vehicles but he was in a rush...

then maybe those VA hospitals wouldn't have filled up so quickly when Gulf War II started..

**MDR** · 02-23-2011, 09:31 AM

Originally Posted by LAM

The Vets that I have met that left body parts in Vietnam sure aren't faking it...the combat Vets from the Gulf that are missing body parts, sure aren't faking it...and the 1M + Vets that suffer from PTSD sure aren't faking it

I agree. Slashing support across the board is not the answer here. Too many Vets who need help would lose the assistance they have earned. Terrible idea.

**Big Pimpin** · 02-23-2011, 09:44 AM

There isn't any proof that this $4 billion cut is going to slow the treatment of any injured combat veteran. It's nothing more than dramatic press release material for CNN, MSNBC and the Huffington Post to try and slam some Tea Party bitch they don't like with.

**Big Smoothy** · 02-23-2011, 10:10 AM

Michelle Bachmann wants to cut $4.5 billion from the Department of Veterans Affairs

It's a good start, but it's a "proposal."

Also, it's a drop in the bucket.

Interesting.....how Social Security and Medicare have not been seriously pursued in these "cuts."

**LAM** · 02-23-2011, 10:19 AM

Originally Posted by Big Smoothy

It's a good start, but it's a "proposal."

Also, it's a drop in the bucket.

Interesting.....how Social Security and Medicare have not been seriously pursued in these "cuts."

anyone that proposes that legislation or were to vote yes on it might as well not run for re-election...

**Big Pimpin** · 02-23-2011, 10:39 AM

Originally Posted by LAM

anyone that proposes that legislation or were to vote yes on it might as well not run for re-election...

Too bad. It's time to cut back on welfare for the retirees. This is one big shit sandwich and everyone is going to take a bite.

**Big Smoothy** · 02-23-2011, 10:58 AM

Originally Posted by LAM

anyone that proposes that legislation or were to vote yes on it might as well not run for re-election...

Yes, it will hurt many if they did.

Some politicians could get away with it.

We are entering a new era....the coming era of "austerity."

Yes, the banksters not only got off, but got rewarded, while the rest of us common folk get screwed.

I see possible violence in the US within the next 15 years. I honestly, do.

**LAM** · 02-23-2011, 10:59 AM

Originally Posted by Big Pimpin

Too bad. It's time to cut back on welfare for the retirees. This is one big shit sandwich and everyone is going to take a bite.

how is it welfare if they followed the rules of the system and people are expecting benefits they signed contracts and spent decades working to get?

**maniclion** · 02-23-2011, 05:57 PM

I'd rather die than get treatment at the VA hospitals, yeah cut funding so the service that is already sub-par can get worse. Our government could care less about broken soldiers, you know that I had an XO who tried to get tattooing banned because he saw it as destruction of Government Property.....that's all the gov. see's our military men and women as gov. property...

**Zaphod** · 02-23-2011, 07:01 PM

Originally Posted by min0 lee

Then again why should the American Taxpayer continue to provide money to someone that is no longer providing a useful purpose??

Keeping that in mind, why do we pay politicians?

**Zaphod** · 02-23-2011, 07:03 PM

Originally Posted by LAM

how is it welfare if they followed the rules of the system and people are expecting benefits they signed contracts and spent decades working to get?

The people it is welfare to just aren't benefitting from it. But when it's their turn, better not get in their way of the handout because they're the only ones that "earned" it.

**Dale Mabry** · 02-24-2011, 04:56 AM

Originally Posted by irish_2003

with that same thinking, i believe that food stamp and welfare payments should be limited to a certain time frame to discourage those who play the "born into it" card will be forced to deal with their lives and get a job......i don't think 5 years max for welfare payments is unreasonable.....also it's unfortunate the people i've met in my life, but many sell portions of their food stamp cards on the street....they are overpaid in those benefits.....

I agree with this 100%. In fact, I think for 5 years of pay, 2 years of service in the Peace Corps in a 3rd World country be absolutely mandatory. Cutting benefits and pensions, however, is not the same thing. That is essentially breaking a contract and shouldn't be allowed. Hell, raising the SS retirement age 1 day is breaking a contract I have because I have been paying into that system for 14 years under the premise that I can retire when I'm 65. Honestly, I couldn't give a shit if they raised taxes on the rich 20% to pay for it, how they come up with the money is no concern of mine. I just want them to honor the deal as I have for 14 years.

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