Barney Frank Erotica

Barney Frank's wet dreams come true: he'll have 1.3 million guys in fancy uniforms at his beck and call (lalalala Y-M-C-A... Y-M-C-A....) -- MAYBE. Cut the number of those to do the work. Reduce the number of tools to do the job. Cut their pay. Cut their benefits. Increase their health care costs. Just  Who the hell will want to enlist or stay???

(from the MOAA newsletter my emphasis [my comments] )

Legislators Urge $100 Billion Cut in Military People Programs

On Tuesday, Reps. Barney Frank (D-MA), Ron Paul (R-TX), and Walter Jones (R-NC) as well as Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) released a copy of their letter to the National Commission of Fiscal Responsibility and Reform requesting serious consideration of major cuts in defense spending. They expressed "an ongoing commitment to strong national defense," but said the ever-growing national debt requires a reduction in defense spending over the next 10 years. [funny how that time period just happens to coincide with the astronomical debt calculations for gov't forced health care... why not just repeal obamacare if you really want to save some money and reduce the deficit, you moron!]

Specifically, their letter endorses the recommendations of the Sustainable Defense Task Force, a group of analysts and scholars [anyone with military experience??] seeking to reduce military spending in procurement, research and development, personnel, operations [you mean, like WARS??] and maintenance, and infrastructure. The Task Force proposes a series of measures that could possibly save $960 billion between 2011 and 2020. ["could possibly"? you mean coulda shoulda woulda maybe might perhaps???]

That task force proposed reducing personnel costs by more than $100 billion during that period by cutting 200,000 military personnel, yielding a peacetime active duty end strength of approximately 1.3 million, recalculating military compensation to curtail pay raises, and imposing substantial increases in military health care fees.

MOAA finds it appalling that, in the midst of a decade-long, two-front war - when we are demanding far greater sacrifices from military people and families than we have in generations - any panel of so-called "experts" can conclude that the force is too big and that military people don’t deserve their current compensation package. [could not have said it better myself!!]

But I will finish with this message to Bwaney Fwanks: ARE YOU FRIGGIN' NUTZ?? (ok, I may have answered that already!)

Ant & Grasshopper: Old Story, New Moral

based on an email from my sister Paula...

OLD VERSION

The ant works hard in the withering heat all summer long, building his house and laying up supplies for the winter. He has a small business that employs 10 bugs of various colors. He provides a living wage and provides as many benefits (health insurance, holidays, sick time) as his business can afford and still have money left to invest and grow his business (so that he can hire more people).

The grasshopper thinks the ant is a fool and laughs and dances and plays the summer away. He thinks nothing of spending his welfare money on the newest car, the newest phone, the newest game system and is outraged that anyone could expect him to spend money on adequate housing or health insurance.

Come winter, the ant is warm and well fed as are his employees.

The grasshopper has no food or shelter, so he dies out in the cold.

MORAL OF THE STORY: Be responsible for yourself! Work hard, live within your means, save for a rainy day and your future.

MODERN (Democrats) VERSION

The ant works hard in the withering heat and the rain all summer long, building his house and laying up supplies for the winter. He has a small business that employs 10 bugs of various colors. He provides a living wage and provides as many benefits (health insurance, holidays, sick time) as his business can afford and still have money left to invest and grow his business (so that he can hire more people).

The grasshopper thinks the ant is a fool and laughs and dances and plays the summer away. He thinks nothing of spending his welfare money on the newest car, the newest phone, the newest game system and is outraged that anyone could expect him to spend money on adequate housing or health insurance.

Come winter, the ant is warm and well fed as are his employees.

Come winter, the shivering grasshopper calls a press conference and demands to know why the ant and the other hard-working bugs should be allowed to be warm and well fed while he is cold and starving.

CBS, NBC, PBS, CNN, and ABC show up to provide pictures of the shivering grasshopper next to a video of the ant in his comfortable home with a table filled with food...

America is stunned by the sharp contrast.

How can this be, that in a country of such wealth, this poor grasshopper is allowed to suffer so?

Kermit the Frog appears on Oprah with the grasshopper and everybody cries when they sing, 'It's Not Easy Being Green.'

ACORN stages a demonstration in front of the ant's house where the news stations film the group singing, "We shall overcome." Then Rev. Jeremiah Wright has the group kneel down to pray to God for the grasshopper's sake.

President Obama condemns the ant and blames President Bush, President Reagan, Christopher Columbus, and the Pope for the grasshopper's plight. Mrs. Obama says she has never been proud of the ant's country but likes the grasshopper's country better.

Nancy Pelosi & Harry Reid exclaim in an interview with Larry King that the ant has gotten rich off the back of the grasshopper, and both call for an immediate tax hike on the ant to make him pay his fair share of the grasshopper's needs (but not his own. The ant is too "rich".)

Finally, the EEOC drafts the Economic Equity & Anti-Grasshopper Act retroactive to the beginning of the summer.

The ant is fined for failing to hire a proportionate number of green bugs and fined for laying off the green bugs he has employed because he can no longer afford the salaries, taxes and health insurance premiums for all, and, having nothing left to pay his retroactive taxes, his business closes, all the bugs are unemployed, and the ant's home is confiscated by the Government Green Czar and given to the grasshopper.

The story ends as we see the grasshopper and his free-loading friends finishing up the last bits of the ant's food while the government house he is in, which, as you recall, just happens to be the ant's old house, crumbles around them because the grasshopper doesn't maintain it.

The ant disappeared in the snow, never to be seen again.

The grasshopper is found dead from over-consumption, and the house, now abandoned, is taken over by a gang of spiders who terrorize the ramshackle, once prosperous and once peaceful, neighborhood.

The entire Nation collapses under the debt created by self-serving legislation bringing the rest of the free world with it.

MORAL OF THE STORY: Be very careful how you vote in 2010.

Hey! Mr. President & Congress! Listen Up (Healthcare Forum)

First, the big mistake in this "forum" stuff IS THAT YOU DID NOT INCLUDE CONSUMERS.

Since I wasn't invited, here's some of my thoughts.

1. If you want to immediately reduce the impact of health care costs, reduce -- and then eliminate - the threshold for tax deductibility of medical expenses. Not everyone -- in fact very few -- Americans have access to pre-tax Medical Expense Accounts. Why should only SOME citizens have access to tax-free money for medical expenses?? Let us deduct ALL of our medical expenses from our income. Yes, that will have an income consequence for the Feds, but if the goal is TO HELP AMERICANS AFFORD HEALTH CARE, this is step one.

2. Pres. Obama IS WRONG. The government does NOT have to legislate the minimum standards for health insurance. The government simply needs to require full disclosure and let the consumer choose. The government decided to protect investors this way when they required companies to include in their proxy statements and annual reports a STANDARD FOR DISCLOSURE. Companies are required to compare their performance to comparable companies in terms of return on investments and disclosure of compensation, etc.

Same thing would help ME -- as a CONSUMER -- to choose MY insurance and how much I want to pay for it. Pick the 10 most common and/or 10 most expensive health conditions and make the insurance companies tell me whether they cover it FULLY. Make every insurance company tell me IN READABLE TYPE what the lifetime limit on the policy is. Tell me how much of my premium is used to cover administrative costs -- including executive compensation.

Yes, let me shop for insurance anywhere in the country, but give me a way to compare the coverage AND LET ME CHOOSE. That's the American way. I don't need no stinkin' "protection" from the Feds. If a company covers two days for childbirth and that is disclosed when I buy the policy, that's it. Let ME decide what I want, when I want it and how much I'm willing to pay for it.

Let me choose the coverage I want -- like well-care and preventative care -- and eliminate certain coverages I don't need. I do not need Obstetrics coverage and I don't want to pay for it. I get the idea that this is part of spreading the risk & spreading the cost... but then do something to LIMIT my exposure -- like meaningful tort/litigation reform.

There should be two types of coverage: HEALTH coverage for well care and routine care and the hospitalization and catastrophic coverage -- for surgeries and long-term treatments. Now we don't have a choice -- these are all rolled in... separate them and let me shop separately. Maybe I want to cover my own routine care and only want catastrophic coverage? Let ME choose.

3. The high risk pool for those with pre-existing conditions. Yes, it's abhorrent... but if you require each health insurer to assume a certain number of those policies -- as they require auto insurers to do for high risk drivers -- then everyone in the U.S. will assume a fair portion of that risk. That's fair to me. No one gets dropped and no one is denied insurance and everyone assumes some of the risk.

4. Community-based health care. No one is talking about that. Where I live, there are two LARGE community health clinics. People who cannot afford (or choose NOT to buy health insurance) can use the community health clinics. What you pay is based on what you can afford. Many people who have insurance  also use the clinics. They are full service. They are principally funded by tax dollars but also by charitable contributions and donations of time from health care professionals and the community.

5. Fraud and waste. Exactly WHY does it take THIS health care proposal to address that?? If this is a problem, deal with it NOW. If you cannot agree on anything else, carve this out and JUST DO IT.

All of these should be separate pieces of legislation. If one works, great. If one doesn't, it gets dumped or tweaked.

If I hear one more person -- from the President to the Congresscritters tell me one more time that this is such a complicated issue -- implying that we are uninformed or too stupid to figure this stuff out -- I am going to shoot my television!!

 

=============================================================

 

So I watched the health care forum... mostly political theatre and posturing... but, Mr. President, besides the not-even-thinly-veiled threat that either the Republicans do it your way or you'll do it without them...  if you are the President of ALL the people, why did you only ask the Republicans if they could compromise?? Isn't the very definition of compromise for BOTH sides to give & take?

Vigilance: The Good Kind

Over at PBS - Point of View, I blog about the necessity of being vigilant in protecting the warrior legacy:

It is important for all of us — citizens who truly support the troops and who honor our veterans — to become active and remain engaged in protecting the warrior legacy. As we head into a new year, I implore everyone in the military, veterans, their families and the general public to learn about proposed and pending legislation and to be energetic in communicating their opinions to their Senators and Representatives. This is important not just at the federal level, but at the state levels as well. 

As state and federal legislators look to reduce spending or find funding for pet (read: pork) projects, military and veterans programs will be looked at as likely sources for cuts, because of their relative size to other budget commitments. Our watchfulness will be vitally important to the roughly 1.4 million personnel on active duty, the additional 900,000 members of the Reserve and National Guard and the 23.2 million military veterans in the United States.

Please go over and read all of it and bookmark some of the links to military and veterans organizations -- and to your legislators -- that are provided.

You should also take the time to read the contributions by the other bloggers at the PBS/Conversations - On Coming Home blog... and leave your comments!

Retroactive Stop Loss Special Pay

Retroactive Stop Loss Special Pay

What is it?

Soldiers, veterans and survivors of those whose service was involuntarily extended under Stop Loss between September 11, 2001 and September 30, 2008 can apply to receive $500 for every month, or portion of a month, they served under Stop Loss. The 2009 War Supplemental Appropriations Act established and largely funded the payment for all military services, but dictated that each service process and pay their own applicants. The Army estimates that 136,000 of the approximately 174,000 eligible servicemembers served in the Army.

What has the Army done?

The Army has created an application process for active-and-reserve component Soldiers, veterans, and survivors of Soldiers to process claims for Retroactive Stop Loss Special Pay. By law, the Army can only accept claims between October 21, 2009 and October 21, 2010. Eligible candidates must submit their request within this timeframe, or the Army will not be able to process their request. The Army has set up an email address to field questions people have regarding the benefit.

How can people apply?

Candidates for Retroactive Stop Loss Special Pay must submit a claim at Retroactive Stop Loss Web site . This Web site is the preferred method for submitting applications; however, other means for doing so, such as by mail or fax, will be available to those without access to computers. Additional communications will provide instructions for alternative forms of submission. During the application process, candidates will be asked to show documentation that indicates the time they served under Stop Loss. The necessary documentation, depending on their type of service, includes the following:

● Enlisted Soldiers need to present their DD Form 214 and DD Form 4 Enlistment/Reenlistment/Extension contract(s).

● Enlisted Soldiers who were in an indefinite status need a memorandum showing retirement/separation request was denied or an approved retirement/ separation was amended.

● Officers need a DD Form 214 and memorandum showing Retirement/ Separation request was denied or an approved retirement/separation was amended.

● National Guard Soldiers need to show DA Form 4187 for Stop Loss adjustment of ETS, separation documentation NGB Form 22, and/or NGB Form 1966.


What continued efforts does the Army have planned for the future?

The Army will review, process and pay qualified candidates as they submit their applications at Retroactive Stop Loss Web site. Candidates who meet the criteria and show the required documentation will receive their retroactive payment in a one lump sum. The Army will not accept applications submitted after October 21, 2010.

Resources: Retroactive Stop Loss Web site

DEAR ILLINOIS 41st Dist.: VOTE FOR MATT BURDEN

Matthew Currier Burden. Matt Burden to some. Blackfive to others. He's taken the plunge. He's running for the Illinois House of Representatives from the 41st District.

I personally have known Matt for a number of years. He and I have exchanged emails and we have had long talks. He was% one of the first people to contact m after Noah was wounded in Iraq. He put Soldiers' Angels in touch with us so that Noah would have whatever he needed (including hugs and clothing) when he arrived in Germany.

Matt is a special man. He served his country both as an enlisted Army soldier and as an officer. He is a military blogger (actually, the largest).

He is a family man. He has a great wife and two wonderful kids.

He was the editor of The Blog of War (to which I contributed and essay).

He works tirelessly for wounded warriors (Soldiers' Angels, among many organizations) and in defense of warriors' legacy (Warrior Legacy Foundation). And that's in addition to his full time job and milblogging.

He is kind, caring, intelligent, and a no nonsense kind of guy. He describes himself as a Reagan Conservative. Above all, Matt Burden is HONEST. If we're going to change this country back to what it should be, start with little steps. This is one of them.

VOTE FOR MATT BURDEN (but only if you live in his district)

Donate what you can. $10 or $25...

I'm only sorry that I do not live in Illinois any more, but Matt makes me proud to say I am a native Illinoisan.

The only complaint I have is that Matt has set his sights (for now, at least) too low in running for the Illinois State Legislature. I personally think he should run for the U.S. Senate seat!!

HERE'S THE OFFICIAL WEBSITE.

HERE'S HIS BLOG ENTRY.

Matt, we are so proud of you!!! You are JUST what Illinois needs!!

New Leave Rule to Provide Warrior Care

from the American Forces Press Service via Military.com

New Leave Rule to Provide Warrior Care
August 27, 2009
American Forces Press Service|by Donna Miles

Defense Department federal employees could receive up to 26 weeks of unpaid leave to care for a military family member injured in the line of duty if an Office of Personnel Management proposal is adopted.

The proposal would allow eligible federal employees to take 26 "administrative work weeks" provided for under the Family and Medical Leave Act to care for a servicemember wounded in the line of duty, OPM officials explained during a telephone conference call.

The provision would extend to families of National Guard members or reservists injured while on active duty, explained Jerry Mikowicz, the OPM deputy associate director for pay and leave administration.

To qualify, the federal employee must be the spouse, child, parent, or next of kin of the servicemember declared medically unfit to serve, he said.

The OPM proposal also would allow agencies to advance up to 30 days of sick leave to federal workers who care for wounded military family members.



The OPM proposals were published in the Federal Register Aug. 26, and the public will have 60 days to comment on them.

OPM officials will review the comments before issuing a final rule, which will proceed through the regulatory process required before it is implemented, Mr. Mikowicz said.

© Copyright 2009 American Forces Press Service. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. [my emphasis]
[Note to the AFPS: what's the point of issuing these stories if you don't want the information REDISTRIBUTED... you know, so that PEOPLE CAN BE INFORMED???]

Truth Hurts??

The Daily Mail:

But the President's supporters have condemned the image, calling it 'mean-spirited and dangerous.'

A spokesman from the Los Angeles urban policy unit said that depicting the president as demonic and a socialist 'goes beyond political spoofery.'

First, WTF is "the LA urban policy unit"?? Is that ACORN?? You get zip -- except European and UN references -- when that term is googled... European and UN... that's about right.

And I didn't hear anyone on the left say it was mean-spirited when such images or worse were made of our previous President.

Just a reminder: GOES.AROUND.COMES.AROUND.

And in the case of this poster, I figure it's because the truth hurts, doesn't it??

For those libtards who are offended, please read the First Amendment to the Constitution in regards to FREEDOM OF SPEECH. Yah.

The Sotomayor Hearings

I am so impressed with Senator Kyl's opening remarks at the confirmation hearings. He hits every salient point -- in a reasoned, straight forward manner -- on why this woman's nomination should be setting off alarm bells!! A little long at 8+ minutes -- but SSSOOOO worth the time!!

Fox video

PS HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ADub!!

Job Vacancies. Any Takers???

On my way to looking up something entirely unrelated...

Director - Office of Professional Responsibility

Department: Department Of Homeland Security
Agency: Immigration and Customs Enforcement


JOB SUMMARY: The President has challenged cabinet Secretaries and senior Federal agency heads to create a government that is more citizen centered, results oriented, and market based. To achieve this vision within The Department of Homeland Security, we are searching for high caliber leaders who possess high standards of excellence and enjoy challenges and opportunities.

Among the many things listed under "MAJOR DUTIES" besides the typical serving, managing, planning, directing, coordinating, developing, administrating, evaluating, implementing, exploring, maintaining and conducting, there is the responsibility to "establish and maintain effective working relationships with various high-level individuals, including Members of Congress and their staffs and other legislative and executive agencies. "

Not to mention

As a member of the agency's executive team, you will implement the President's Management Agenda within your specific area of responsibility. [Does anyone know what the President's Management Agenda is???]

Then we get to the qualifications for this position:

QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED: To meet the minimum qualification requirements for this position, you must show in your resume that you possess the five Executive Core Qualifications (ECQs), the Technical Qualification, and other qualifications, if applicable, listed below.

And the no. 1 qualification for this position?

ECQ 1 - LEADING CHANGE: This core qualification involves the ability to bring about strategic change, both within and outside the organization, to meet organizational goals. Inherent to this Executive Core Qualification (ECQ) is the ability to establish an organizational vision and to implement it in a continuously changing environment.

Pray tell! How exactly does an individual bring about strategic change OUTSIDE their organization??

The other qualifications for this position are:

ECQ 2 - LEADING PEOPLE
ECQ 3 - RESULTS DRIVEN
ECQ 4 - BUSINESS ACUMEN
ECQ 5 - BUILDING COALITIONS

So, any takers??

OH... and then there's THIS SPECIAL OFFICER VACANCY:

DUTY LOCATIONS: 1 vacancy - Office of Protective Operations, Clinton Protective Division, Chappaqua, NY [Wonder who quit??]

And THIS ONE looks vvvveeeerrrryyy interesting as well.

AHOY, NAVY SEALS !!!

Taxed Enough Already Protest - Prescott

Prescott, AZ -- Everybody's Hometown (and Arizona's Christmas City)! The Protest started with a prayer to the Almighty asking that He impart on our elected officials real wisdom to deal with this economic problem... wisdom which has escaped them all so far!.Then there was the singing of the National Anthem and the Pledge. There were 4,000 people at the height of the TEA Party -- and people were riled up throughout. The cold temps may have kept people away, but there was an exuberant bunch on hand. We live in horse & cow country and while no one was suggesting we string up the horse thieves, the sentiment was not lost on this crowd. The crowd was filled with veterans and conservatives -- and the joke of the night was just how dang proud we all were to fall in one or both of those groups! I could not get my pics or videos to post up at PJTV... so I'm putting some up right here!

My Tax Protest Poster

My Taxed Enough Already (TEA) Party Poster!!

DON'T TAX ME, BRO!!

Veterans: Can't Catch A Break

Thanks to some mighty good and generous friends from Fort Benning who paid his expenses, Noah is currently away on his first vacation since he was wounded in 2005 and was medically discharged (we won't count his mid-Iraq tour R&R and his 30-day convalescent leave after he was wounded) and hasn't seen his mail in the past 3 days. Really. This poor kid just can't catch a break.

As this recent post illustrates, he has been busting his a$$ since the day he left the Army. He arrived here in AZ on a Friday and began his classes in Fire Science on Monday. He certified as an EMT within 6 months of leaving the service, has completed the basic and advanced Wildfire Academy, completed the seriously rigorous Firefighter Academy, as well as classes in fire codes, inspections, hazardous materials, fire management, business management, and many others. He currently has a 3.85 GPA. He tried to find a job (any job) to supplement his VA disability allowance, but what few jobs were/are available, could not (or would not) accommodate his class schedule -- which is inflexible because the classes in his degree program are offered progressively, i.e., one class is offered one semester and the follow-on class offered the next, then the next. If you opt not to take a class this semester, it's not offered again for 2 or 3 semesters AND you're then ineligible for the follow-on class. Since this degree program is not only geared to those seeking a first-time career, but also to those already working as firefighters and to those working in some other field but wanting to change careers, many of the classes are late afternoon/night classes (longer classes-- fewer days) or every weekend for say 10 weekends.

For the past 18 months, Noah has attended school full time, has almost full time hours as a student intern at the Veterans' Center, PLUS he is a single Dad with custody of his fifteen-month old son. He also attends regular counseling sessions. He has a lot on his plate for a 23 year old. Hell, for a man of any age!

So here's what has come in the mail since he left to relax a few days ago:

Even though Noah has had his son living with him for almost a year, it was considered "informal" because there was no court decree. Prior to his divorce being final, he and his (ex-)wife received a subsidy from the state for child care which enabled her to work full time and Noah to attend school and work. When custody was formally granted to Noah, he went to the Department of Economic Security and asked that the subsidy paper work be put in his name and he gave them a copy of his divorce decree -- only to learn that the State of AZ considered that a whole new application for a subsidy which, because of the budget deficit in this state, are frozen, and his "new" application WAS DENIED. There was no arguing with these people that nothing had changed except the formality of the baby's custody. If Noah wants to keep his son in the licensed child care center, it will cost Noah an additional $400-$500 per month!!

Next, he applied for health insurance through the State because he has no real income and (as I wrote here) he has no health coverage (the VA only covers his service-connected conditions):

Veterans of the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan who are medically unable to continue in the service but receive less than a 10% disability from their service branch, receive no medical insurance once they separate. For those with service-connected disability ratings of 10 or 20% (ratings are 0% or greater in 10% increments), they receive UP TO 12 months of medical insurance (Tricare) for themselves and their families after separation; for 10% and 20% ratings it is typically 6 months but can be 9 or 12 months depending on the medical condition. If a service member receives a disability rating of 30% or greater from the service branch (a medical retirement), medical insurance for themselves and their families continue at no cost to them FOR LIFE.

Remember: 90% of Soldiers, 83% of Marines, 73% of Airmen and 64% of Sailors who were injured, wounded or became chronically ill while in the service received a disability rating of 20% or less. Unless they were covered by an employer or can afford other insurance within say 6-9 months after their discharge, they and their families have no health insurance coverage.

Although the case worker told Noah that they do not count disability allowances as "income" for purposes of the "how poor are you?" test, they DID, in fact, count his VA disability and -- you guessed it -- his application for health insurance WAS DENIED. (He has already been turned down by other private insurers because he has too many combat-connected injuries/conditions -- and he can't afford those premiums any way!)

Next, Noah had applied through USAA (I'm not even linking them!!) for some life insurance because, well, he is a responsible parent (and a great Dad, I might add), and he wanted to be sure that his son would be provided for if anything were to happen to Noah. Now, USAA is a membership association and the single requirement for membership is that you (or a close family member) are or have been a member of the Armed Forces of the United States of America -- active, Guard, Reserve. Now my DH has been a member since the 60's and our children have been members since they got driver's licenses -- before any of the sons even entered the services. Today he received a letter saying that his application for life insurance WAS DENIED BASED ON HIS HISTORY OF (symptoms associated with) PTSD ??

WHAT THE HELL??!! This country has sent more than 1.7 million men and women to war over the past 8 years and as many as 20% of these men and women will suffer symptoms of post-traumatic stress and many of those will develop post-traumatic stress disorder/syndrome. This is a business organization who states its mission is "to facilitate the financial security of its members, associates, and their families through provision of a full range of... products and services;" and "to be the provider of choice for the military community"??? Well, USAA, in this regard you are doing a piss poor job of meeting those needs. Will this be just one more reason NOT to seek treatment for the invisible wounds of war?? I'm trying to figure out how they justify this -- if they're wary of say, suicide, don't most insurance policies limit benefits within 2 years (or some period) or say that benefits won't be paid in the event of suicide??

Golly gee!! I can't wait to see what comes in the mail for him tomorrow!! Seriously, I can't imagine Noah coming home to these things... He just can't seem to catch a break. And I'd venture to say he's not the only young OIF/OEF veteran facing such obstacles. (See HERE, for example.)

Doesn't all this just suck?? As a parent, I am frustrated and angry beyond measure! Already veterans and veterans organizations have had to rant and rail against the new administration to turn them from their proposal of having combat-wounded veterans pay for their care with their own private insurance (if & when they have it). I ask -- as I have asked before -- IS THIS HOW WE TREAT OUR WOUNDED?? IS THIS HOW WE TREAT OUR VETERANS??? Why would any parent now consider encouraging their child to enlist if it means that they will have to fight and claw for any and every benefit they have EARNED or have to fight against discrimination and reprisal for having served their country and been wounded in that endeavor?? Really. Why would anyone volunteer for that??

Two Alligators

Two Alligators were sitting at the side of the swamp near the lake. The smaller one turned to the bigger one and said, 'I can't understand how you can be so much bigger than me. We're the same age; we were the same size as kids. I just don't get it.'

'Well,' said the big Gator, 'what have you been eating?'

'Politicians, same as you,' replied the small Gator.

'Hmm. Well, where do you catch them?'

'Down the other side of the swamp near the parking lot by the Capitol.'

'Same here. Hmm. How do you catch them?'

'Well, I crawl up under one of their Lexus cars and wait for one to unlock the car door. Then I jump out, grab them by the leg, shake the shit out of 'them and eat 'em!'

'Ah!' says the big Aligator, 'I think I see your problem. You're not getting any real nourishment. See, by the time you finish shaking the sh*t out of a Politician, there's nothing left but a butthole and a briefcase.'

Truly Honoring Our Dead

Dear Secretary Gates and President Obama (and the media):

For the past week or so, many milbloggers have been discussing the media's request for you and the President to reconsider the ban on photographing the flag-draped coffins of military members killed in service to their country as they arrive at Dover, DE.

Read: OBAMA Speech Addressing Nation on Monday 2/9/09 - Did I hear the question I thought I heard Ed Henry CNN ask?

The Return

Bring us your dead!

It Is About Family

Coffins, Photographs and the families rights

Dover

I have commented on a number of these blogs, and now I weigh in here.

If you read my blog, you would know that in Oct. '05, our youngest son, Noah had the honor of escorting his good friend and brother SPC Thomas Byrd to his final rest. He accompanied Tommy from Dover to Chicago to Tucson. He and I spoke a number of times before, during and after his mission. He spoke (and I blogged) of the kindness and the respect of those he came in contact with on his journey. I told the story of Tommy and Noah's last journey together HERE HERE HERE and HERE.

Because our son had been wounded and returned stateside a few weeks before, he was not there when the IED took Tommy and four other brothers in his squad. When he first learned that he had been granted the honor of taking Tommy home, he told me that when they all went off to war, they promised each other that they would bring each other home. "This isn't how we thought it would happen, Ma." To our son, the opportunity to greet his friend at Dover and have that private reunion with him and the interactions as they transferred between planes and when they reached their final destination were moments that would not be -- nor could they ever be -- the same if the media were present and snapping away.

The final minutes with his friend were solemn and special and private moments that are -- and should remain -- reserved for those who understand the sacrifice. They do not have to personally know the soldier, but they do have to BE a soldier or family to understand. And understanding in this case is just not the same as knowing. You will find many of those moments recounted in "Taking Chance" (be sure to read all the links -- it will be worth your time) and in Jim Sheeler's "Final Salute".

As I have said in any number of comments on this story of reconsidering the ban, what is to be accomplished by lifting the ban? Will it somehow make the death(s) more meaningful? Will the image of a flag-draped coffin on the front page of the local newspaper or the New York Times or on the local television station somehow ease the grief of the families? Or could the release of such photos for any all purposes demean and belittle the sacrifice of the dead and their families?

Those who say that it is a "right" for all Americans to pay their respects for those who made the sacrifice and should not be a right held exclusively for the families, I say it is a right that SHOULD be held exclusively for the families. If a family wishes the media at their soldier’s arrival, fine… but otherwise the media should remain barred. To those who say they wish these photos so that the "public" can show their respect for the dead, I say, if it takes photos of flag-draped caskets to inspire someone to mourn our war dead, “respecting” the dead is not their intention.

We do not hide our heroes. We speak their names. We tell their stories. We celebrate their lives. We mourn their deaths. Any who wish to honor those who have died may join us in those undertakings. However, photos of the caskets are so singularly subject to misuse and abuse — to demean their deaths, to undermine the cause for which they willingly served, to serve purposes for which the dead have no say — THAT is why the ban should remain.

Is there some monetary or political profit to be made on the dead? Yes, I see. Maintain the ban.

I have sent my comment, but ask that you share your thoughts with Secretary Gates:

Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates
1000 Defense Pentagon
Washington, DC 20301-1000

Loose Lips... & Ships??

This just makes me (and the DH) absolutely head spinning CRAZY!

WASHINGTON - For the third consecutive year, a classified Pentagon assessment has concluded there is a significant risk that the US military could not respond quickly and fully to any new crisis, the Associated Press has learned.

[snip]

Senior military officials spoke about the report on condition of anonymity because it is a classified document.

What part of CLASSIFIED did they not understand??!! (Not confidential... not embargoed info to be published at some later time -- but CLASSIFIED!!!) Find the "senior military officials", try them and then HANG them or put them IN FRONT of a firing squad. I bet that would end these "anonymous" leaks PDQ. It's not that I think the information that was leaked (or at least published) is not something we all know (generally), but let's start with the PRINCIPLE of classified... Perhaps we need to dumb down the instructions: CLASSIFIED means SECRET information that you do not discuss with the media, the public or anyone that does not have the appropriate SECURITY clearance (as in secure... as in keeping us safe...)

On the other hand, if the report really isn't classified in the sense that those in the military or the [professional] Intelligence community might understand (that would exclude DiFi HERE and HERE among other places calling her out) but is, instead, only confidential until sent to Congress (whose members can't keep a secret and haven't the wherewithal to parse through more than the media's opinion of legislation and all things governmental (the Congressional Recovery Assistance Program, for example) and this report has been leaked to underscore the stupidity and folly of calling for budget cuts to force readiness initiatives in the DoD budget... well, then OK. But CLASSIFIED?? CLASSIFIED??

And lastly, the truly important part of the assessment isn't that the military is stretched thin, but these:

The assessment finds that the United States continues to face persistent terrorist threats...

and

This year's assessment finds many of the same global security issues as previous years - ranging from terrorist organizations and unstable governments to the potential for high-tech cyber attacks.

and

"This is a chairman who looks around the world and sees - right now, today - immediate, near-term problems like North Korea, the larger questions of Pakistan and its future, Iran and what is going on there, Russia and Georgia, Venezuela, which has a close relationship with Russia and is buying arms all over the place, and Cuba," Goure said.

In case you can't suss the message in those quotes: you cannot get rid of crime by getting rid of the police or reducing the weapons available to them. I was going to say that it was not a suggestion that the U.S. be the policeman of the world, but then it occurred to me: "If not us, then who??" (Just a gentle reminder that WE ARE THE GOOD GUYS! even if imanutjob, hugobaby, vladimir, et al. don't seem to think so.)

A SOVIET AMERICA

Our friend CJ at a Soldier's Perspective (h/t Greyhawk) has a MUST READ posting of some of the things in the Congressional Recovery Assistance Program (as Mike Huckabee so aptly calls it)... and a friend sent this to me this morning:

THE STIMULUS IS A STEP TOWARDS A SOVIET AMERICA
Written by Senator Tom Coburn
Tuesday, 10 February 2009

[Senator Coburn recently gave this speech on the floor of the Senate]

We are going in exactly the wrong direction. We ought to be standing on the principles that made this country great.

There ought to be a review of every program in the Federal Government that is not effective, that is not efficient, that is wasteful or fraudulent, and we ought to get rid of it right now. We ought to say, Gone, to be able to pay for a real stimulus plan that might, in fact, have some impact.

I would be remiss if I didn't remind everybody that next week we are going to hear from the Obama administration wanting another $500 billion. Outside of this ["stimulus" bill], they are going to want another $500 billion to handle the banking system.

I want to make sure the American people know what is in this Stimulus bill. I think once they know what is in this bill, they are going to reject it out of hand. Let me read for my colleagues some of the things that are in this bill.

The biggest earmark in history is in this bill. There is $2 billion in this bill to build a coal plant with zero emissions. That would be great, maybe, if we had the technology, but the greatest brains in the world sitting at MIT say we don't have the technology yet to do that.

Why would we build a $2 billion powerplant we don't have the technology for that we know will come back and ask for another $2 billion and another $2 billion and another $2 billion when we could build a demonstration project that might cost $150 million or $200 million? There is nothing wrong with having coal-fired plants that don't produce pollution; I am not against that. Even the Washington Post said the technology isn't there. It is a boondoggle. Why would we do that?

We eliminated tonight a $246 million payback for the large movie studios in Hollywood.

We are going to spend $88 million to study whether we ought to buy a new ice breaker for the Coast Guard. You know what. The Coast Guard needs a new ice breaker. Why do we need to spend $88 million? They have two ice breakers now that they could retrofit and fix and come up with equivalent to what they needed to and not spend the $1 billion they are going to come back and ask for, for another ice breaker, so why would we spend $88 million doing that?

We are going to spend $448 million to build the Department of Homeland Security a new building. We have $1.3 trillion worth of empty buildings right now, and because it has been blocked in Congress we can't sell them, we can't raze them, we can't do anything, but we are going to spend money on a new building here in Washington.

We are going to spend another $248 million for new furniture for that building; a quarter of a billion dollars for new furniture. What about the furniture the Department of Homeland Security has now? These are tough times. Should we be buying new furniture? How about using what we have? That is what a family would do. They would use what they have. They wouldn't go out and spend $248 million on furniture.

How about buying $600 million worth of hybrid vehicles? Do you know what I would say? Right now times are tough; I would rather Americans have new cars than Federal employees have new cars. What is wrong with the cars we have? Dumping $600 million worth of used vehicles on the used vehicle market right now is one of the worst things we could do. Instead, we are going to spend $600 million buying new cars for Federal employees.

There is $400 million in here to prevent STDs. I have a lot of experience on that. I have delivered 4,000 babies. We don't need to spend $400 million on STDs. What we need to do is properly educate about the infection rates and the effectiveness of methods of prevention. That doesn't take a penny more. You can write that on one piece of paper and teach every kid in this country, but we don't need to spend $400 million on it. It is not a priority.

How about $150 million for a Smithsonian museum? Tell me how that helps get us out of a recession. Tell me how that is a priority. Would the average American think that is a priority that we ought to be mortgaging our kids' future to spend another $150 million at the Smithsonian?

How about $1 billion for the 2010 census? So everybody knows, the census is so poorly managed that the census in 2010 is going to cost twice what it cost 10 years ago, and we wasted $800 million on a contract because it was no-bid that didn't perform. Nobody got fired, no competitive bidding, and we blew $800 million.

We have $75 million for smoking cessation activities, which probably is a great idea, but we just passed a bill, the SCHIP bill, that we need to get 21 million more Americans smoking to be able to pay for that bill. That doesn't make sense.

How about $200 million for public computer centers at community colleges? I mean, did we talk with Dell and Hewlett-Packard and say, How do we make you all do better? Is there not a market force that could make that better? Will we actually buy on a true competitive bid?

No, because there is nothing that requires competitive bidding in anything in this bill. There is nothing that requires it. It is one of the things President Obama said he was going to mandate at the Federal Government, but there is no competitive bidding in this bill at all.

We have $10 million to inspect canals in urban areas. Well, that will put 10 or 15 people to work. Is that a priority for us right now?

There is $6 billion to turn Federal buildings into green buildings. That is a priority, versus somebody getting a job outside of Washington, a job that actually produces something, that actually increases wealth?

How about $500 million for State and local fire stations? Where do you find in the Constitution us paying for local fire stations within our realm of prerogatives? None of it is competitively bid.

Next is $1.2 billion for youth activities. Who does that employ? What does that mean?

How about $88 million for renovating the public health service building? You know, if we could sell half of the $1.3 trillion worth of properties we have, we could take care of every Federal building requirement and backlog we have.

Then there's $412 million for CDC [Centers for disease Control] buildings and property. We spent billions on a new center and headquarters for CDC. Is that a priority? If we are going to spend $412 million on building buildings, let's build one that will produce something, one that will give us something.

How about $850 million for that most ``efficient'' Amtrak that hasn't made any money since 1976 and continues to have $2 billion or $3 billion a year in subsidies?

Here is one of my favorites: $75 million to construct a new ``security training'' facility for State Department security officers. We already have four other facilities already available to train them. But they want theirs. By the way, it is going to be in West Virginia. I wonder how that got there.

So we are going to build a new training facility that duplicates four others that we already have that could easily do what we need to do. But because we have a stimulus package, we are going to add in oink pork.

How about $200 million in funding for a lease - not buying, but a lease - of alternative energy vehicles on military installations?

We are going to bail out the States on Medicaid. Total all of the health programs in this, and we are going to transfer $150 billion out of the private sector and we are going to move it to the Federal Government. You talk about backdooring national health care.

Henry Waxman has to be smiling big today. He wants a single-payer Government-run health care system. We are going to move another $150 billion to the Federal Government from the private sector.

We are going to eliminate fees on loans from the Small Business Administration. You know what that does? That pushes productive capital to unproductive projects. It is exactly the wrong thing to do.

We are going to spend $524 million for information technology upgrades that the Appropriations Committee claims will create 388 jobs. If you do the math on that, that is $1.5 million a job. Don't you love the efficiency of Washington thinking?

We are going to create $79 billion in additional money for the States, a ``slush fund,'' to bail out States and provide millions of dollars for education costs. How many of you think that will ever go away?

Once the State education programs get $79 billion over 2 years, do you think that will ever go away? The cry and hue of taking "our money" away, even though it was a stimulus and supposed to be limited, it will never go away. So we will continue putting that forward until our kids have grandkids of their own.

There is about $47 billion for a variety of energy programs that are primarily focused on renewable energy. I am fine with spending that. But we ought to get something for it. There ought to be metrics. There are no metrics. It is pie in the sky, saying we will throw some money at it.

Let me conclude by saying we are at a seminal moment in our country. We will either start living within the confines of realism and responsibility or we will blow it and we will create the downfall of the greatest nation that ever lived.

This bill is the start of that downfall. To abandon a market-oriented society and transfer it to a Soviet-style, government-centered, bureaucratic-run and mandated program, that is the thing that will put the stake in the heart of freedom in this country.

I hope the American people know what is in this bill. I am doing everything I can to make sure they know. But more important, I hope somebody is listening who will treat the ``pneumonia'' we are faced with today, which is the housing and mortgage markets. It doesn't matter how much money we spend in this bill. It is doomed to failure unless we fix that problem first.

Failing that, we will go down in history as the Congress that undermined the future and vitality of this country. Let it not be so.

Too late... too late, America...

Three dead bodies turn up at the mortuary, all with very big smiles on their faces. The coroner calls the police to tell them what has happened. The Coroner tells the Inspector:

"First body is a 72 year old Frenchman. He died of heart failure while with his mistress. Hence the enormous smile."

"The second body is an Irishman, 25 years of age. He won a thousand euros on the lottery and spent it all on whiskey. Died of alcohol poisoning, hence the smile."

The Inspector asked, "What of the third body?"

"Ah," says the coroner, "This is the most unusual one. Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House, 66, struck by lightning."

"Why is she smiling then?" inquires the Inspector.

"Thought she was having her picture taken."

Do You Know A Veteran in Need of Health Care?

From the Military Officers Association of America:

Fallen on Hard Times? VA May Help With Health Care

2009/01/27 00:00:00

The VA offers an assortment of programs that can relieve health care costs or provide care at no cost to veterans who are struggling financially because of a job loss or decreased income.

Veterans whose previous income was ruled too high for VA health care may be able to enter the VA system based on hardship if their current year's income is projected to fall below federal income thresholds. The fall must be caused by job loss, separation from service, or some other financial setback.

Veterans determined eligible because of hardship can avoid copayments applied to higher-income veterans. Qualifying veterans may be eligible for enrollment and receive health care at no cost.

"With the downturn in the economy, VA recognizes that many veterans will feel the effects," says VA Secretary Dr. James B. Peake. "Therefore, it is important that eligible veterans learn of the many ways VA has to help them afford the health care they have earned."

Also eligible for no-cost VA care are most veterans who recently returned from a combat zone. These veterans are entitled to five years of free VA care. The five-year "clock" begins with their discharge from the military, not their departure from a combat zone.

Enrollment coordinators at each VA medical center across the country can provide veterans with information about these programs. Veterans also may contact the VA's Health Benefits Service Center at (877) 222-VETS (8387), or visit the VA’s Health Care Eligibility and Enrollment Web site at www.va.gov/healtheligibility.