Ron Paul Issues Open Letter to President Obama Concerning Cuts to Veterans' Benefits

[ant1999e]

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/ron-paul-issues-open-letter-to-president-obama-concerning-cuts-to-veterans-benefits-2011-09-20

Ron Paul Issues Open Letter to President Obama Concerning Cuts to Veterans' Benefits
Calls on Obama to keep stated promise to vets

LAKE JACKSON, Texas, Sep 20, 2011 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- The Ron Paul 2012 Presidential Campaign today released the following Open Letter from Dr. Paul to President Barack Obama:

"Dear President Obama,

"As a Doctor, an Air Force Veteran, and Congressman, who serves on the Foreign Affairs Committee and has always fought for the best interest of our troops, I was deeply concerned to learn that our military retirees are now facing benefit cuts under your proposed $1.5 trillion dollar tax hike.

"Our military men and women have fought bravely. In exchange, our country made a promise to them, and we must honor it.

"There are trillions of dollars in unwise and unconstitutional spending we must cut. There are few other leaders in Washington willing to cut spending as deeply as I am and truly balance our budget. But, we must make sure we take care of our Veterans who fought to take care of us.

"We have put our troops in harm's way, and we must honor our promises. And, our troops have paid a heavy price these past ten years. Over 5,000 have lost their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan, 40,000 have seen crushing injuries, and hundreds of thousands more suffer from brain injury and post traumatic stress disorder.

"Failing to meet the promises we have made to our troops would be unjust and immoral. The cuts you announced yesterday, combined with the rumored cuts in benefits reported in publications like Army Times, have our soldiers and Veterans deeply concerned.

"Mr. President, instead of cutting our Veterans benefits, I call on you to support our troops. Support them by bringing them home to our shores, to protect our borders and defend our country. Ensure that they are rested and equipped to repel any real credible attack. Re-unite them with their families. And, make sure they no longer play policeman in dangerous foreign civil wars.

"Cutting the benefits of our Veterans benefits while we subsidize the security of other wealthy nations like Germany and Japan and play World Policeman makes no sense. The money we would save extracting our fighting men and women and our equipment from overseas conflicts and regions will more than offset the savings you seek by upending the manner in which veterans receive care.

"Bringing our troops home would ensure that we keep the promise to our Veterans, strengthen our national defense and secure our borders.

"Do not mistake me for a pacifist or a person solely focused on the economics of the unsustainable global security and state-building that has helped our country arrive at the shores of financial ruin. On the contrary, I consider my military service as an Air Force flight surgeon during the Cold War to be among my highest personal and professional achievements.

"Authentic, Constitutionally-sound national security -- a strong national defense -- begins with guarding our borders and not the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.

"Mr. President, I call upon your to support our troops, honor our Veterans, and ensure our wounded get the care they deserve. To do so, we must end these protracted, trillion-dollar wars and bring them home."

In Liberty,

Ron Paul





www.RonPaul2012.com -----------------------------------------------------------------



SOURCE: Ron Paul 2012 Presidential Campaign Committee




Ron Paul 2012 Presidential Campaign Committee
Gary Howard, 855-886-9779



Copyright Business Wire 2011

[Spider]

agree with alot in the letter ........

[elsid13]

Cut in benefits that he is being talked about is raising the Tricare (health) fee from zero to 10 dollars a visit and maybe an entrance fee. This expense is hurting the DoD and Va budgets.

http://www.standard.net/stories/2011/10/26/key-senators-back-tricare-fees-retiree-colas-return

[alkemical]

He's such a socialist.


;)

[Tombstone RJ]

RP is right. Again.

[Garcia Bronco]

Cuts to veteran benefits is not something I support under any circumstances and I think it's ****ty of our Congress to even think about about it.

[Spider]

RP is right. Again.

Again ???

[That One Guy]

LOL

How about a VA system that properly deals with issues rather than one that gets milked and exploited like it does.

When we talk about pork projects, we're told it's such a small part of the budget that anyone focusing on it is just reaching. How much could a couple hundred bucks really change?

[elsid13]

LOL

How about a VA system that properly deals with issues rather than one that gets milked and exploited like it does.

When we talk about pork projects, we're told it's such a small part of the budget that anyone focusing on it is just reaching. How much could a couple hundred bucks really change?

CBO estimated this would save $111 billion over 10 years.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/22/veterans-benefits-_n_1026320.html

[L.A. BRONCOS FAN]

Q. Where were the righties on this board when Bush was taking an axe to Veteran's benefits?

A: Covering Dumbya's flank every step of the way.

[L.A. BRONCOS FAN]

VETERANS -- BUSH ADMINISTRATION SELLS VETERANS SHORT BY AT LEAST $1 BILLION: The Washington Post reports today, "The Bush administration, already accused by veterans groups of seeking inadequate funds for health care next year, acknowledged yesterday that it is short $1 billion for covering current needs at the Department of Veterans Affairs this year." The acknowledgment by the VA flies directly in the face of VA Secretary Jim Nicholson's testimony before the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee on 2/15/05 when he said that while he had some initial concerns about President Bush's budget request for funding veterans' care, he "end[ed] being satisfied that we can get the job done with this budget." Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) noted that when she tried to add funds back into the VA budget earlier this year, Secretary Nicholson wrote her a letter assuring that the VA did not "need emergency supplemental funds in FY2005 to continue to provide timely, quality service that is always our goal." President Bush needs to recall his pledge last year to "honor our commitment to our veterans, past, present and future."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...062301888.html (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/23/AR2005062301888.html)

AWOL Boy to the troops coming home from Iraq:

"Sorry about that, but I have to take care of my Halliburton and KBR buddies first, you know."

[L.A. BRONCOS FAN]

Funds for Health Care of Veterans $1 Billion Short

2005 Deficit Angers Senate Republicans, Advocacy Groups

By Thomas B. Edsall
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, June 24, 2005; Page A29

The Bush administration, already accused by veterans groups of seeking inadequate funds for health care next year, acknowledged yesterday that it is short $1 billion for covering current needs at the Department of Veterans Affairs this year.

The disclosure of the shortfall angered Senate Republicans who have been voting down Democratic proposals to boost VA programs at significant political cost. Their votes have brought the wrath of the American Legion, the Paralyzed Veterans of America and other organizations down on the GOP.

"I was on the phone this morning with Secretary of Veterans Affairs Jim Nicholson, letting him know that I am not pleased that this has happened," said Sen. Larry E. Craig (R-Idaho), chairman of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee. "I am certain that he is going to take serious steps to ensure that this type of episode is not repeated."

Continued: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...062301888.html (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/23/AR2005062301888.html)

[L.A. BRONCOS FAN]

Bush Screws Veterans <hr style="color:#FF0000" size="1"> Today, many of Bush's strongest supporters call the VA a welfare system. His critics claim he is working to dismantle the VA, to ultimately privatize its services. Bush, who sends soldiers to risk their lives every day in Iraq, strongly supports rescinding the lifetime healthcare benefits promised to WWII and Korean veterans. His proposed budgets, despite dollar amount increases, don't factor in inflation or the increasing numbers of veterans needing healthcare, and thus have repeatedly failed to fully fund benefits to the men and women who have served our country. Consequently, VA hospitals and clinics have closed, many veterans' healthcare programs have been cut back or eliminated, entire groups of vets have been denied eligibility for service, and those that are eligible may wait months and even years for appointments and necessary surgeries at the remaining VA facilities. But the president lectures us
about the importance of supporting our troops.

http://www.boston.com/news/globe/edi...%2FOp-ed+pages (http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2006/05/29/failing_our_veterans/?rss_id=Boston+Globe+--+Editorial%2FOp-ed+pages)

[That One Guy]

CBO estimated this would save $111 billion over 10 years.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/22/veterans-benefits-_n_1026320.html

From your link:

McCain also urged the supercommittee to consider restricting working-age military retirees and their dependents from enrolling in TRICARE Prime. The retirees could still enroll in other TRICARE programs. McCain pointed out that the Congressional Budget Office has estimated that such a move would save $111 billion over 10 years.

Restricting them from TRICARE Prime while in working age seems to be what they said would save all that money. Not what we were referencing before, as I read it.

And, ultimately, I'm not opposed to what they're proposing. I just think you start at those with unearned benefits and work your way to taking back those benefits people were promised. Start by cutting social aid funding that people get just because they're poor and take those earned benefits as the time comes.

And as to whether these would be promised benefits retracted, the last article seemed kinda iffy:
The two groups were unnerved when both parties' leaders on the Senate Armed Services Committee – Carl Levin, D-Mich., and John McCain, R-Ariz. – recommended that the special deficit-cutting supercommittee look at raising enrollment fees and imposing restrictions on the military's health care program, known as TRICARE. Current military members would be grandfathered in.

Are they saying any new changes they make wouldn't take effect for anyone currently serving? What good does it do to implement something that would take effect 20 years down the road? Well, not necessarily "what good...?" but more like "What's the point?" when there's obviously a lot more pressing issues they need to address.

[ant1999e]

Q. Where were the righties on this board when Bush was taking an axe to Veteran's benefits?

A: Covering Dumbya's flank every step of the way.

Bullshyt. Prove it.
Why are you deflecting? Why aren't you posting the daily war death counts like you did sob bush? Don't you care about the.dying.troops anymore?

[L.A. BRONCOS FAN]

Bullshyt. Prove it.

Search for any thread protesting the illegitimate moron's slashing of the VA budget, and you will find ditto monkeys covering Bush's flank.

Either that, or complete silence.


Why are you deflecting?

Not deflecting - just pointing out another right-wing double standard.

I've already said I disapprove of Obama's handling of Bush's wars, so no need to deflect.

[ant1999e]

Search for any thread protesting the illegitimate moron's slashing of the VA budget, and you will find ditto monkeys covering Bush's flank.

Either that, or complete silence.



Not deflecting - just pointing out another right-wing double standard.

I've already said I disapprove of Obama's handling of Bush's wars, so no need to deflect.

Like always, you come up empty all all accounts. You can never prove your accusations and never.answer a.simple.question.
Where are your daily war death count threads?

[baja]

Good priorities!

Also glad to see he has some slick handlers doing well the crap it takes to get elected during these times

[Blart]

UPDATE FROM THE FUTURE

Ron Paul Presidency!!!! All hail the invisible hand of the free market!

http://www.somethingawful.com/d/news/google-ron-paul2.php



Colloidal Silver Approved for Cancer Treatment - AP

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Death Toll Mounts in Tainted Kool-Aid Disaster
Impotent Outrage Today - August 2nd, 2012
By DAVE BROWN Another 73 people succumbed this week to the tainted Chinese Kool-Aid certified as "Gold Standard Safe" by DrugSafe Pro, bringing the death toll to date to 6,403.

Dept. of Education Loses to Dept. of Vouchers
LA Times - August 1st, 2012
By Dana Jennings The Libertarian controlled Congress voted overwhelmingly to approve the Paul White House's plan to replace the Department of Education with a new department that will oversee the distribution of education vouchers for private schools.

Wal*Mart to Offer Low-Income Schools in 48 Stores by October - USA Today

Disney Dollar Plummets Against Euro and Yuan - The Economist

Target to Sell "Made in America" Fingers and Corneas - American Dream

[ant1999e]

UPDATE FROM THE FUTURE

Ron Paul Presidency!!!! All hail the invisible hand of the free market!

http://www.somethingawful.com/d/news/google-ron-paul2.php



Colloidal Silver Approved for Cancer Treatment - AP

SCOTUS Hopeful Authored Texas Law Banning Air in Mexicans - BBC News

Death Toll Mounts in Tainted Kool-Aid Disastero
Impotent Outrage Today - August 2nd, 2012
By DAVE BROWN Another 73 people succumbed this week to the tainted Chinese Kool-Aid certified as "Gold Standard Safe" by DrugSafe Pro, bringing the death toll to date to 6,403.

Dept. of Education Loses to Dept. of Vouchers
LA Times - August 1st, 2012
By Dana Jennings The Libertarian controlled Congress voted overwhelmingly to approve the Paul White House's plan to replace the Department of Education with a new department that will oversee the distribution of education vouchers for private schools.

Wal*Mart to Offer Low-Income Schools in 48 Stores by October - USA Today

Disney Dollar Plummets Against Euro and Yuan - The Economist

Target to Sell "Made in America" Fingers and Corneas - American Dream

Am I missing something? What does this have to do with the thread.

[Blart]

Am I missing something? What does this have to do with the thread.

RON PAULITICS BRO

[L.A. BRONCOS FAN]

Like always, you come up empty all all accounts. You can never prove your accusations and never.answer a.simple.question.

Not my fault that you're too lazy to use the search feature.

You could start with the threads the excerpts I posted above came from.

You will find ditto monkeys either covering for the court-appointed pinhead or remaining silent.



Where are your daily war death count threads?

You allege that such threads exist, so you tell me.

[ant1999e]

Not my fault that you're too lazy to use the search feature.

You could start with the threads the excerpts I posted above came from.

You will find ditto monkeys either covering for the court-appointed pinhead or remaining silent.



You allege that such threads exist, so you tell me.

Like I said, empty. You love to accuse people of things but can never prove your accusations. It's obviously due to the fact that you're full of shyt.

You know what war death count threads I'm referring to. The reason you don't post them anymore is because they don't suit your needs. You were only using the deaths for your political purposes. You're a sorry piece of shyt.

[L.A. BRONCOS FAN]

Like I said, empty. You love to accuse people of things but can never prove your accusations. It's obviously due to the fact that you're full of shyt.

This tells me you didn't look up the threads I mentioned.

Oh well, you can lead a ditto monkey to information, but you can't make him think.



You know what war death count threads I'm referring to.

Then show me one.

You claimed I posted them on a daily basis, so it shouldn't be too hard for you to produce one.


The reason you don't post them anymore is because they don't suit your needs. You were only using the deaths for your political purposes.

You have that one bass-ackwards.

I was opposed to the wars then, and I'm opposed to them now.

You and your fellow ditto tools, on the other hand, insisted that anyone who opposed Bush's wars was a "traitor" who "hated America" - until Bush left office, that is.


You're a sorry piece of shyt.

You're a slimy, amoral, duplicitous, forked-tongued POS.

[Play2win]

If Ron Paul got his way, not just 90% of it, but all 100% of it, we would be in... wait for it... ANARCHY!!!!

[Play2win]

There could be a re-make and "ANARCHY IN THE USA"....

Could be Ron Paul's new campaign song...

[elsid13]

From your link:

McCain also urged the supercommittee to consider restricting working-age military retirees and their dependents from enrolling in TRICARE Prime. The retirees could still enroll in other TRICARE programs. McCain pointed out that the Congressional Budget Office has estimated that such a move would save $111 billion over 10 years.

Restricting them from TRICARE Prime while in working age seems to be what they said would save all that money. Not what we were referencing before, as I read it.

And, ultimately, I'm not opposed to what they're proposing. I just think you start at those with unearned benefits and work your way to taking back those benefits people were promised. Start by cutting social aid funding that people get just because they're poor and take those earned benefits as the time comes.

And as to whether these would be promised benefits retracted, the last article seemed kinda iffy:
The two groups were unnerved when both parties' leaders on the Senate Armed Services Committee – Carl Levin, D-Mich., and John McCain, R-Ariz. – recommended that the special deficit-cutting supercommittee look at raising enrollment fees and imposing restrictions on the military's health care program, known as TRICARE. Current military members would be grandfathered in.

Are they saying any new changes they make wouldn't take effect for anyone currently serving? What good does it do to implement something that would take effect 20 years down the road? Well, not necessarily "what good...?" but more like "What's the point?" when there's obviously a lot more pressing issues they need to address.

The key word is "Current" military members, that excludes their spouses and current retirees. There is also another similar proposal that would charge all military/families/retirees a 10 dollar fee (co-pay) for each office visit.

[Arkie]

If Ron Paul got his way, not just 90% of it, but all 100% of it, we would be in... wait for it... ANARCHY!!!!

It will be for a period of time until we get the republic restored.

[Play2win]

It will be for a period of time until we get the republic restored.

Ever read the Foundation Trilogy?

[Arkie]

Ever read the Foundation Trilogy?

No

[That One Guy]

The key word is "Current" military members, that excludes their spouses and current retirees. There is also another similar proposal that would charge all military/families/retirees a 10 dollar fee (co-pay) for each office visit.

Ahh, gotcha, thanks for clarifying.

[Bronx33]

As i said many times LA lives in a closet and he proves it over and over the thread is about RP and your hero Obama and you think GWB has any bearing on the topic? guess what ( it doesn't) i am amazed you simply just dont get it and refuse to move on choosing to look like a fool with each and every post.

[Play2win]

No

Its a little Sci-fi. Issac Asimov wrote them, but it deals with the "fall of Rome" in a future galatic empire type setting. Dealing with the years of "Barbaric rule" that follows. Its what I first thought of when thinking about the ebb and flow of restoring the republic.

[Fedaykin]

There could be a re-make and "ANARCHY IN THE USA"....

Could be Ron Paul's new campaign song...

The problem with libertarians is they are too stupid to understand that laissez-faire capitalism is nothing like they want to believe. They have it in their tiny little minds the idea that corporations can be controlled and prevented from abusing people by market forces alone, despite the mountains of evidence to the contrary.

Want to know the end game of Ron Paul's dream? See Weyland Yutani, The Umbrella Corporation, Omni Consumer Products, etc.

[Blart]

HOW DARE YOU QUESTION THE INVISIBLE HAND!

Bootstraps, son.


<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/7QDv4sYwjO0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[That One Guy]

The problem with libertarians is they are too stupid to understand that laissez-faire capitalism is nothing like they want to believe. They have it in their tiny little minds the idea that corporations can be controlled and prevented from abusing people by market forces alone, despite the mountains of evidence to the contrary.

Want to know the end game of Ron Paul's dream? See Weyland Yutani, The Umbrella Corporation, Omni Consumer Products, etc.

In my personal vision, taking away the tit of government forces everyone to wake up and make responsible decisions. Once people are making responsible decisions and not always just the easiest ones, the people once again have a voice. Currently, though, everyone is conditioned to trying to take the easiest path possible through life and it's what is causing all the problems today.

[alkemical]

The problem with libertarians is they are too stupid to understand that laissez-faire capitalism is nothing like they want to believe. They have it in their tiny little minds the idea that corporations can be controlled and prevented from abusing people by market forces alone, despite the mountains of evidence to the contrary.

Want to know the end game of Ron Paul's dream? See Weyland Yutani, The Umbrella Corporation, Omni Consumer Products, etc.

That's the "failure" of my "Enlightened Anarchy", and why I realized that there had to be a way to help maximize freedom. I love the libertarian principles and mostly, live an anarchist lifestyle (think Thoreau - no TV, etc etc).

[Arkie]

There’s a reason why Ron Paul has more support from the military than all of his opponents combined. No other candidate stands up for our fighting men and women - whether they're on or off the battlefield - like Ron Paul.

They know that RP will never send them into battle without a clear mission and all the tools they need to get the job done and come home.

They know that RP will never force them to sacrifice our American sovereignty to the globalists' agenda.

And they know that Ron Paul will honor the promises our government made to them when they return home.

Not only that, but while Mitt Romney's (and Cain, and Perry) biggest support comes from Wall Street, Ron Paul’s biggest support comes from the military. Here are the top three contributors for each candidate.

Mitt Romney
Goldman Sachs
Credit Suisse Group
Morgan Stanley

Ron Paul
US Army
US Navy
US Air Force

http://www.supportthemnow.com/donorgraphn.jpg


Most American soldiers are tired of fighting in useless and immoral wars that have nothing do with America’s security. They want to be with their families and have normal lives. RP gives them that hope.