Veterans betrayed ....NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

[mystery-ak]

http://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/veterans-betrayed-article-1.1554605?print

Veterans betrayed
Shortchanging those who fought for us
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Monday, December 23, 2013, 4:05 AM

The wrong pound of flesh

In its rush to pass a budget deal, Congress voted to slice the benefits of veterans, even those who retire after suffering injuries while serving their country.

This unconscionable sneak attack on former members of the armed services was evidently inserted into the legislation by GOP House Budget Chairman Paul Ryan during talks with lead Democratic negotiator, Sen. Patty Murray. He ought to be ashamed.

The provision would cut veterans’ cost of living adjustments beginning in 2015 by $600 million a year — less than one-tenth of 1% of the $630 billion Pentagon budget. But the pain would be real. A senior enlisted servicemember who retired at 40 would typically lose more than $70,000 in benefit payments over the years.

Ryan’s breach of faith must be repealed in its entirety.

Confronted by widespread outrage, he insisted the cuts were a mistake — never mind that he has been a longtime proponent of making them. He said the issue “will be solved with the technical correction” when Congress returns next year.

Murray, for her part, promises a “fix” only to exempt disabled veterans. And, shamefully, there was no groundswell among either Democrats or Republicans for repeal. The best that Democrat Carl Levin, chair of the Armed Services Committee, came up with was a vow to review the matter.

To her credit, New Hampshire Republican Sen. Jeanne Shaheen offered a bill to revoke the cuts and to pay the costs by “eliminating a tax loophole for offshore corporations.”

The cuts must be revoked, not “fixed.”

Congress must act right away, so that veterans depending on their pensions to get by, and soldiers close to making a return to civilian life, do not have this uncertainty, and lack of generosity, hanging over their heads.

[Bigun]

The entire episode is truly sickening!

Our warriors should not have to rely on public assistance in order to feed their families but far to many have to do exactly that and it's shameful!

[Oceander]

What "tax loophole for offshore corporations" was that?

[Relic]

Just another example of how the Washington royalty views the rest of us.

The people in Washington view themselves as a de facto royalty, and one would be hard pressed to prove them wrong.

The public are serfs, to be manipulated and used as the royalty sees fit. Veterans are just losers who couldn't do something as noble as become a member of the royalty.

With a distracted, uninterested public, you may as well get used to this type of contempt from the royalty. The ruling class has been emboldened.

[olde north church]

This is nothing new.  Washington had problems getting back pay for his officer corps.  Civil War, no different.  WWI had the same.  WWII was a bit better but back to the slam after Korea, Vietnam, Desert Storm, Iraq and Afghanistan.

[flowers]

What "tax loophole for offshore corporations" was that?

Where was that in this article? Did I miss it?

[EC]

We aren't no thin red 'eroes, nor we aren't no blackguards too,
But single men in barricks, most remarkable like you;
An' if sometimes our conduck isn't all your fancy paints,
Why, single men in barricks don't grow into plaster saints;
While it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an` Tommy, fall be'ind,"
But it's " Please to walk in front, sir," when there's trouble in the wind
There's trouble in the wind, my boys, there's trouble in the wind,
O it's " Please to walk in front, sir," when there's trouble in the wind.

Show me any vet who doesn't know his Kipling.