7 Jul 2007
Jenny Hanniver
I'd like to add comments to Mikey Weinstein's article but can't get past your antispam although I'm typing in the letters correctly--very frustrating. So I'm trying this way.

I was a Navy careerist but got out after 12 years because I loathed the Vietnam War. I too must make do on Social Security and Medicare, and yes, they are inadequate. I’m also a student of religious history and all kinds of dissent—social, economic, political and religious—and have been warning about the neo-Manichaean (ultra-dualist) doctrines of Fundamentalism since the 1970s. It's sad to see from these replies that some veterans have no idea how hard other veterans work to support active duty troops in the only way possible--by bringing them out of harm's way from an illegal war made by Chickenhawks, based on puffed-up self-aggrandizement, greed and lies) AND by stepping up pressure on Congress to restore former health benefits and create new ones. Those who think other veterans aren’t doing anything should click on the following URsL: http://www.veteransforamerica.org/ and on http://www.arlington-libertybell.net/. There are other vets sacrificing time and money to keep the pressure on Congress. (We tried Bush, but he listens to no one but his self-delusional “God”.) As a member of several veterans' organizations I struggle, hard and long, to help other veterans, especially the Lost Generation coming home from Iraq & Afghanistan only to find that the Bush-Cheney Chickenhawks have REDUCED their benefits, are clueless about PTSD and aren't even paying attention to potentially lethal Depleted Uranium! Let all those reading this go to work themselves, if they haven’t already done so, to bring the troops home while some are still alive and reasonably healthy! The BEST solution is to force Congress into giving up its own bloated benefits (healthcare, retired pay, and many others) that began in the greedy 1948 Congress and have ballooned ever since, and go back to the franking privilege, SMALL pension, and join the ranks of us who have to exist under Social Security and Medicare. Then watch 'em scramble to improve the lives of veterans—and ALL Americans!

11 Feb 2006
WrestlingCoach
Check these facts out. The very first people to take it on the wallet in a time of Government spending cuts are the military. Not the poor nor the old! The military. When Jimmy "wear a sweater' Carter gave budgets for the military the pay increases (Cost of living increases) were less than half of the prior year's inflation rate. Ditto for Reagan's budgeting. In fact, the military got what was essentially a pay cut for 13 out of 14 years from the seventies, eighties and ninties. The total loss of buying power was on the order of 26% over time. Now it is more pronounced. They may be getting a better salary by norms, but they are paying more for their health care and stuff. And, the elder soldiers, those retired are losing also. Bush and the Bushits think that giving the rich a pay raise and the poor a pay cut that they are helping America. They need to read Emile Zola's books. "Let them eat cake?" is the Bushits mantra.

11 Feb 2006
Warped99
As usual, the GOP continues to show its true colors. For years they have been saying that they are BIG on DEFENSE. What they really mean is that they are BIG on DEFENSE CONTRACTORS. Munitiions suppliers, yes. Airframe and ship MANUFACTURERS, HELL YES. But the guys who have to use thier substandard crap? Oh, HELL NO!.. VETS USE YOUR POWER and INFLUENCE and sweep out the Neo-conservative republican scum who denigrate your service while making the world safe for PARIS HILTON. at your expense. IN NOVEMBER, get out to vote, get your frends and familyout to vote and let your congressman or senator KNOW if he or she is not willing to stand with us for our benefits, to cross the party line when vets needs are being addressed they should expect to be on the sidelines in 2007. We earned our place and our priveleges in blood and service. ANyone who doesn't respect that does NOT deserve to represent us in congress. Continue to fight for what is right. VIVA LA REVOLUTION!!!