Congress: Money for War, But No Money for the Troops?
by Paul Rieckhoff
In 1944, FDR signed the original GI Bill, which gave every veteran a chance to go to college. It paid for tuition, fees, and books, and gave veterans a living stipend. The GI Bill helped the "Greatest Generation" readjust to civilian life, it helped pull us out of a post-war recession, and it helped build the middle class. Every dollar spent on educational benefits under the original GI Bill added at least seven dollars to the national economy. [emphasis added]
Today, 1.7 million troops have come home from Iraq and Afghanistan, but the GI Bill no longer covers anything like the cost of college. So a bipartisan coalition of veterans now serving in the Senate introduced a new GI Bill, modeled on the World War II legislation. This bill recently got added to the war funding bill currently in Congress.
In the real world, two things are obvious:
1) If you send troops to war, caring for the veterans who come home is an unavoidable and necessary cost of that war.
2) The GI Bill is a proven program, and a smart financial investment that pays for itself.
It just makes sense.
^^^
A couple of Congressmen, including Rep. John Tanner (D-TN), Jim Cooper (D-TN), and Allen Boyd (D-FL), all members of the Blue Dog Coalition, have gotten together to OPPOSE paying for the GI Bill this week. (If you live in their districts, you can urge them to support the GI Bill by clicking here.)
^^^
This circle is the spending bill we're talking about. The big red part? That's spending that is A-OK with these Congressmen (more than $180 billion). It's that tiny blue sliver that represents the GI Bill, and that's the dealbreaker for these folks ($780 million).
Click here for the complete text.xxx
So, between the Blue Dogs and the right wingnuts, our nation is all set to, once again, screw the troops.
4 comments:
It is an absolute sin the way veterans are treated. My son is back in Iraq and just reenlisted so he can continue to work on his degree as he can't afford to go to college otherwise.
During Vietnam it was the States at least in Mass that let veterans go to State Colleges free plus we got a monthly stipend from the Fed. With the PTSD and horrible wounds survived today veterans care is 29 Billion and scheduled to double in 25 years but I think it will be worse than that. I am afraid we'll have worse problems by then. What a future. By the way how is it in your area, any fires? Take care!
hi, AAP--
the [not so] new criminal class: the people who send the children to war-- again and again. and desert them when they come home.
xxx
I've heard the fires have begun but I don't know where they are.
last year, the smoke around here was choking. haven't smelled any smoke this year, yet.
Just another example of where some folks priorities are. Injure them but don't take care of them. How sad is that
hi minnesotablue--
I tipped over into anger and am headed toward rage right about now.
I truly wish there were something comparable I could do to these people.
unfortunately, none of the people listed in the article are in my district so I can't even vote against em.
the ones who do 'represent' me have been told I'm watching their votes and that I, too, vote -- for all the good that's doing, these days.
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