McCain Targeted For Opposing Vets College Aid Bill
I will be the first to say that our country should take care of EVERY service member of our armed forces. I believe the benefits should last a lifetime. They should receive the BEST care. But not at the cost of what the Democrats are proposing…
If the Democrats were truly looking out ONLY for the troops, why now, would they address this issue? Why not address the issue throughout the years since it was put into effect and stay abreast of the situations that have arose over the years?
You can NOT buy patriotism…
You can NOT buy courage….
You can NOT buy strength…
You can NOT buy honor…..
You can NOT buy dignity…
You can NOT buy selflessness….
Its something your born with. Its a calling.
Oh and before I forget, you can NOT buy votes….
WASHINGTON - Democrats and their allies are ready to convert Sen. John McCain’s stance on college aid for military veterans into a presidential campaign cause.
McCain, the all-but-nominated Republican presidential candidate, opposes a Democratic-backed bill that would significantly expand the breadth of education benefits for veterans, first adopted for those returning from World War II. Democrats want the proposal included in a war spending bill the Senate is scheduled to vote on this week.
Sen. Barack Obama, McCain’s most likely general election opponent, already has raised objections to McCain’s resistance. And on Tuesday, a veterans’ group that has been critical of the war in Iraq is launching an ad in Washington to pressure McCain to change his mind.
By taking issue with McCain on the subject of veterans, Democrats hope to weaken one of his biggest assets—his personal biography as a former Navy pilot who became a prisoner of the North Vietnamese and endured torture at the hands of his captors.
The legislation, sponsored by Democratic Sen. Jim Webb of Virginia and Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel of Nebraska, also veterans of Vietnam, would guarantee full tuition payments to veterans at any public school in their home state. Its expected cost is $52 billion over 10 years.
McCain says the legislation is too expensive and has proposed his own version, which would increase the monthly benefit available to most veterans to $1,500 from $1,100. It would not offer the equivalent of a full scholarship.
The ad by VoteVets.org Action Fund, features Iraq and Afghanistan veterans noting that both McCain and President Bush oppose the bill.
“McCain thinks covering a fraction of our education is enough,” one veteran says. Another one, pictured recovering from head wounds, adds in a voiceover: “We didn’t give a fraction in Iraq. We gave 100 percent.”
“Senator McCain” an announcer concludes, “we respect your service. Please respect ours.”
The ad is running Tuesday and Wednesday on broadcast and cable television stations in Washington, primarily during news broadcasts. VoteVets is running a similar ad targeting Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, in San Antonio and Waco—two Texas markets with military bases.
Other veteran’s groups—from Veterans of Foreign Wars to the American Legion—support the Democratic bill. But VoteVets, which has been aggressive in its criticism of Bush’s war policies, is the first to take McCain on directly.
“He’s trying to run interference for the White House with a watered down bill,” said Jon Soltz, an Iraq war veteran and chairman of VoteVets.org. “How could this not be an issue in the presidential campaign if he doesn’t vote for this bill? There is no way for this to go away if he votes against it.”
VoteVets is a nonprofit corporation and part of a Democratic-leaning coalition of war critics that has vowed to spend millions linking McCain to Bush’s war policies. Earlier this year, VoteVets ran an ad on Washington cable stations urging McCain to abandon his commitment to Iraq.
The Pentagon opposes the Webb-Hagel bill, saying the benefit could hurt retention by encouraging members of the military to leave after serving only three years.
Obama, campaigning in West Virginia last week, said the bill is necessary to make veteran’s benefits match the rising costs of tuition.
“I have great respect for John McCain’s service to this country and I know he loves it dearly and honors those who serve,” Obama said. “But he is one of the few senators of either party who oppose this bill because he thinks it’s too generous. I couldn’t disagree more.”
(AP)
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I don’t think I know any vets that think they are owed a life of ease and luxury. Most just want us to acknowledge their service. We should do what we can but there are practical limits. Education benfits are a great way to go(up to a point) and continuing care for those wounded in body, mind or spirit is a must.
May 19th, 2008 at 9:42 pmI would advocate offering college money to the children of all combat vets who marry and have at least 3 kids. Think of it as societal insurance. Get out there and breed Marines!!
“VoteVets is a nonprofit corporation and part of a Democratic-leaning coalition of war critics that has vowed to spend millions linking McCain to Bush’s war policies.”
Leaning?? Fuck you AP.
May 19th, 2008 at 9:56 pmOh and it’s Democrat-leaning.
Not Democratic-leaning.
There has been nothing *democratic* about them for about 40 years now.
And did I already say fuck you AP?
Do we really want to encourage people to join the Armed Forces for the education benefits and drop out after a handful of years of service?
Our oath says: “I, (NAME), do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice.”
And this oath has to be re-sworn at every promotion.
I bring this up because I knew wives of military men back in Desert Storm who were very, very upset that their husbands *had* to go to fight the war. Their reason for joining the military was to pay for education and/or to pay for their student loans for college.
I really don’t want to see people like that fighting alongside my husband who have their hearts in the wrong place. In other words, selfish and self-serving and not truly patriotic and willing to serve the country.
That said, I’m all for education and I know that currently the Air Force does offer 100% tuition assistance for anyone wanting to attend college while they are *in* the Air Force.
Obama, campaigning in West Virginia last week, said the bill is necessary to make veteran’s benefits match the *rising costs of tuition.*
I say, the rising costs of tuition is a supply and demand issue, and should be attacked by changing how student loans are awarded. The student loan industry (the giving of “free” money to schools) is the reason which led to the rise in tuition. When the schools have a direct say in how much money to loan to students, they become freer at setting the price of tuition, thereby increasing the costs of tuition and passing on the costs to the students who spend upwards to 20-30 years paying back those loans..
May 19th, 2008 at 10:33 pmthe GI Bill was truly intended to provide for housing, education, food, and “incidental” costs for a college edumacation.
it hasn’t kept with it, due to negligence, and inflation. It certainly needs to be re-worked, and as a guy who plans to take advantage of his GI Bill relatively soon, gotta say I’d like to have more money.
But let’s be realistic. We’d bankrupt the government if we gave every vet a free ride, free house, free food, and booze money on top of it.
Times change, and unfortunately, in this case, not always for the better.
McCain’s policy isn’t as glamorous, or as soothing to my heart (because you’d better believe I’ll milk everything I can out of whatever GI Benefits I can get), but it’s more grounded in reality.
May 19th, 2008 at 11:25 pmI am, and always will be for funding the GI Bill very well.
I am not in favor of Dhimwits using this as a polital weapon. Any money given under those pretexts is tainted and I personally do not want it.
May 19th, 2008 at 11:44 pmAs a McCain diehard, unfortunately I have to say that McCain is on the wrong side of this one. Economic arguments against this don’t really make much sense. The original GI bill was one of the best investments the government ever made in terms of future tax revenue and economic growth.
The “alternative” plan being pushed by McCain increases benefits from $1100 to $1500. Give me a break. That’s weak fuckin’ sauce.
Basically the Webb bill would let me go to the best grad school I could get into, while the McCain bill would mean I’d have to stay in-state. So yeah, I have a dog in this fight. And by the way, I’m getting out regardless, so I don’t buy the retention argument either. I sure as shit didn’t join the Marines for the money or benefits, and I don’t feel like the government owes me anything. If anything, I’m the one who should be grateful for being given the opportunity to lead Marines. But still, this bill would definitely help me out.
Another thing to think about…. if this generation of veterans is given the opportunity to go the school of their choice, don’t you think that’ll translate into more leaders in government, business, medecine etc. who are veterans in a couple of decades?
May 20th, 2008 at 3:13 amDan O, absolutely. It IS an investment, and one that clearly paid off once, and most likely will once again.
However, the issue at hand, for me at least, is can we afford the down payment on this investment right now?
I’m by no means an expert, but where is this money going to come from? It seems to me we don’t have it right now.
May 20th, 2008 at 3:47 am$5 billion a year is a lot of money. However, given the size of our GDP, it’s not that much. Look at the $300+ billion farm bill that just got passed, or the $100+ billion we’re spending every year in Iraq.
As far as budgeting goes, I think they’re planning on getting the money by taxing the top percent of the income bracket an extra half a percent annually.
May 20th, 2008 at 4:30 am“As far as budgeting goes, I think they’re planning on getting the money by taxing the top percent of the income bracket an extra half a percent annually.”
lame.
oh well, apparently it is the plight of the rich to be picked at and nibbled on by lesser folks.
May 20th, 2008 at 4:41 amI think they are twisting McCain’s reason for opposing the bill. Somehow I think there is more to the story. I can’t see McCain of all people opposing anything that benefits our Vets. Something about this doesn’t sound right or complete.
And as said before.. there is more substance to our military men and women than looking for money. You can earn college money anywhere. It takes a special type of honor and courage to do so through military service. I would like to see all Military certification receive civilian certification also. Too many of these Vets have training and knowledge that the civilian world does not acknowledge because it is “only” military.
May 20th, 2008 at 4:57 amMcCain is being a dumb ass over this, he should just get behind it not just to deny them something to grandstand on but to get more of the servicemen who have been abroad and seen the shit intermixed with the colledge kids of today and putting dents and scratches in the bullshit the liberal acidemic elite is pushing out.
When I went to school I fought EVERY day when my instructors (who generaly couldnt find ther ass with both hands and a Greys anatomy) about the bullshit they would quip over or shit that was just plain wrong. Hell that and chasing trim were the best things about school.
5billion is a drop in the bucket, hell they give more than that to contries who dont like us every year in aid. You wana serve to go to school? I am all over that.
May 20th, 2008 at 5:18 amYOU CAN BUY VOTES.
May 20th, 2008 at 6:18 amthat’s what the democrats did in Louisiana when they subsidized gas down to 1.50 a gallon.
Yeah, agreed, the way they are proposing paying for it isn’t cool. This is a new tactic, before that I think they were just trying to insert it into the war spending bill.
Another thing… this will probably hurt retention a little, but it will help recruiting a lot. Not much of an issue for the Marines, but a huge one for the Army. We worked with an Army unit for a while out here and dude, they are hurting for people. Offering potential recruits a no-shit full ride to college (unlike the current GI Bill which at most might get you a full ride to Coastal Carolina Community College) would do a lot for recruiting. We’re doing just fine with our recruiting numbers right now, but the army needs this big time. Especially given the fact that both presidential candidates are planning on growing the army by like 100,000 dudes.
May 20th, 2008 at 7:03 amYo seriously, look at the numbers of people in the service who wind up getting a degree after their service - it is a very low number. Anecdotally speaking, I know a handful of veterans out of hundreds who actual did more than a class or two after getting out of the service.
How many people do you really think are going to start college at square zero when they are 21, 22, 23 (and finally out of the service)? Especially, when their peers already have degrees and they have to go from being god-like-worshipped sergeants and corporals to hanging out with other peoples idiot kids? If they really wanted to go to college and serve, in my opinion, they would have gone to college first (the military gives out thousands of ROTC scholarships) and then went in as officers. Most people who join the military do it for the specific reason that they did not want to go to college! Im not a sociologist - and this is not a comment on any class in American society - but that is basically the only choices you get after high school: join the service, go to college, or get a job. You pick one because you dont want to do the others.
The GI Bill is for very serious veterans who are willing to delay their lives for a few years (getting their start in “the real world” at a very late age) by pursuing college later in life. You can dispute these numbers but there have been statistics that show for every dollar the US spent on the original GI Bill they have gotten back seven from the veterans who benefited from the bill. They paid our nation back by getting involved in business, government, technology and innovation, and other things that contribute to the GDP.
Giving veterans money for college WILL NOT BANKRUPT THE NATION.
IT WILL NOT PUT A DENT IN OUR WALLET.
OUR WALLETS AND COLLECTIVE SOCIETY WILL ONLY GET RICHER.
May 20th, 2008 at 7:25 am