They're not talking in the Legion clubs about banning books & things.They're wondering why Project 2025 cuts VA benefits

[Nanjeanne]

Link to tweet

?s=61&t=_R0eaN5XDTx3hnl2jyXBTA]

[werdna]

1. Well if 2025 is truly Trumps baby -

- since Trump dodged the draft with the mythical bone spurs, he just can't stand to see veterans getting money that he isn't eligible for. Eliminate VA and that's more dough he a
can grift for himself.

[yardwork]

38. Trump likes veterans who don't need health care.

Trump sneered at John McCain for being a POW. He has no empathy. He is disgusted by people who need help.

[BComplex]

2. This is a voice that is needed right now.

I really like this guy!!!

[Owl]

4. Yes indeed!

[geardaddy]

23. Glad he's our governor

Although I'd love to see him as VP, we need to keep him here in Minnesota.

[displacedvermoter]

3. Honestly not sure it will change the votes

of a lot of these largely older white guys. They have consumed the Kool aid by the pitcher full.

They don't believe cuts will impact them, it will impact "others" who are less deserving anyway. They also will convince themselves its all made up because the only media they consume is Fox and its crazier derivatives.

And a lot of these folks will never vote for a woman. They have stories they love to tell about how the "standards in the Name a Branch of the Service" went to shit when they started bringing in women.

Hope I am wrong but -- having been invited to join such groups before -- I found Legion and VFW halls to be hotbeds of misogyny, racism, and cultivated ignorance.

Another group that has consistently voted against its own interests, and seems to do so proudly.

[Nanjeanne]

7. Well it's the best way unless we totally

give up the white rural men’s vote.

I’m not talking about the die hard Trumpers. But plenty of disenfranchised white men in both D, R and Independents we can’t afford to keep losing.

Another great line that resonates. Walz: "Where do they come up with these ideas? Where's the focus group of people sitting in a bar in Racine, Wisconsin, saying... yeah, we need to ban "Animal Farm."

[displacedvermoter]

16. These ARE, by definition, "die hard Trumpers"

and they are not necessarily rural voters. Just saying reaching them might not be feasible, the New York Times is more likely to reach them when sticking a mic in their face to report their bitching about how Biden screwed them on gas prices, or Kamala is a "ding dong" cause they heard it on Fox.

I believe lots of other voters we haven't connected with in the past will be attracted to our message this time, and will make for a winning coalition.

[edisdead]

21. bad idea to turn yourself away from white male viters

You are talking about 50% of the country and when you turn your back on some of them, their message to the rest of them increases. You give them the talking point that the democratic party does not care about them.

It is our job to convince them that we have something to offer them. Denigrating and writing iff voters is the trump way. And it is beyond stupid.

[displacedvermoter]

24. And it is beyond stupid to try

and convince people who don't really care about core issues we value, that Joe Biden isn't senile and Obama isn't a Moslem terrorist. Our efforts are better served elsewhere.

You go do missionary work at the local Legion Hall, I got told to fuck off with my liberal notions too many times while in the Air Force. But thanks for the guidance.

[BComplex]

27. White males only make up 31% of the US population, and 40% of those vote for democrats.

You probably won't sway the other 60% of white males, so they aren't worth the extra effort. But the intelligent ones will switch if they hear our platform clearly and enthusiastically stated, like what Walz does.

There are enough republican white men to drown in a bathtub.

A reference to the info stated here:
https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2024/04/09/partisanship-by-race-ethnicity-and-education/

[displacedvermoter]

33. Folks who aren't hanging out

at the Legion Hall, I would guess.

I would buy a Juicy Lucy for Governor Tim, though, if they served them at the Hall where he hangs out!

[Farmer-Rick]

17. Yeah,

Made the mistake of taking my female friend, a retired Naval officer too, to a VFW meeting. We walked out after 30 minutes. Old white men loudly proclaiming how women ruin everything.

So, yeah, I can see why they would be proud that bone spur Trump is going to take away those other people's benefits. Not touch their benefits of course.....so they think.

But it's how Pedo Trump rolls. The dismantling of our federal government is to capture those tax dollars to put into Pedo Trump's pockets. It's why he goes bankrupt so often.

He always cuts wages, benefits and fires people. He stops infrastructure improvements and does the absolute minimum in maintenance and repairs. He gobbles up all the resources and redirects them towards his and Malaria's excessive lifestyle.

He serves shitty food at his golf clubs. And the rooms are dirty and out of date, several had bed bugs.... except for his and Malaria's rooms, and maybe a few other choice rooms for show.

He did this to the GOP and closed most all their field offices throughout the states...even some in battleground states. He put in someone who was easily manipulated, his daughter-in-law. He took those resources to pay off legal bills and buy Malaria another purse. He sold off the GOP's ground game.

He will do the same thing to our federal government. Despite whatever the US Constitution says.

He's going to cut the Supreme Court's pay even though the Constitution says he can't because he's got immunity baby. Then he'll buy Malaria a coat with more than 5 words on it.

[dslyahoo]

20. Except a lot of veterans DO see trump and his minions for who they are.

Even Kool Aid drinkers get tired of the same flavor over and over and over and over and over. Military people and subsequently veterans are smart and know who supports their benefits. Their patriotism can only be manipulated for so long before they realize the truth of leadership. When Gen. Mark Milley gave his speech about taking an oath to support the constitution not to an individual, he was not only speaking for himself but also for the millions of active duty personnel, and the separated and retired veterans. I don’t drink Kool Aid anymore and I believe the same is true for many, many veterans.

[displacedvermoter]

22. God bless you and the millions of us who

are still proud to abide by the oath we took. Just saying that among MAGA's most ardent supporters are the bar hugging VFW types, many of whom never did much more than hug the NCO club bar when they were in the Service, who show up at Trump rallies and embarrass the shit out of folks like us

[liberalgunwilltravel]

30. I don't remember...

I don't remember "untaking" my oath. Do you?

[displacedvermoter]

31. No, I think it is always in force

Maybe Mike Flynn got a waiver.

[liberalgunwilltravel]

29. Yes!

This veteran certainly sees the monsters for who they are.

[Prof. Toru Tanaka]

28. I am a former Legion and AmVets member.

The clubs were nice facilities and the meals were good and a good value.

But I was so fucking bored when I went in those places (during daylight hours). There was nothing to do as neither place had a pool table or any other amusement game to play. The one thing both clubs had PLENTY of was pull tab games (around here, we call them “tip jars”) and at $1.00 per ticket, a person’s wallet could get emptied quickly unless they quit buying them. But after a person loses some money, the first response of a lot of people is to try and win that money back by buying more. Combine that with cheap beer or liquor provided by your friendly bartender well, you can guess the result.

And yes, it is the same around here- older white guys and their spouses who are very set in their ways. I’ll bet if I walked in one right now, the TV would be on Fox.

Overall, I don’t miss these places or bars as I quit drinking years back.

[Prairie Gates]

5. I like awkward, too.

Seriously, Stephen Miller is awkward.

[newdeal2]

8. Creep is more than generous for him

[90-percent]

19. Miller

Reptilian vampire kidnapping sadistic nazi-lite destroyer of lives seeding future generations of Democracy hating skyscraper destroying hate spreading suicide fanatics. Thanks for making the world a more threatening fearful ignorant place for all of us.

-90% jimmy

[travelingthrulife]

6. Don't Republicans usually cut VA benefits while in office?

Seems it is always on their to-do list.

[ProudMNDemocrat]

9. As they wave their American flags, pretending to be PATRIOTIC!

HYPOCRITES the lot of them.

Any Veteran voting Republican, VOTES against their better interests as well.

[AllaN01Bear]

12. they wrap themselves behind the flag, the constituiton and the bible , when cornered they come out swoinging.

my late mum said that .

[haele]

14. Remember in 2017, TFG's "VA advisory group"?

Ike Perlmutter (Disney studios executive; military service - member of the IDF), some Palm Beach doctor/clinic manager type (apparently a vet with 6/7 years experience in the 80's), and some investment/fund manager with no military service.
These guys had "great ideas" to streamline and improve the VA.
Even though none of them really used the system.
The Secretary of the VA was forced to listen to these guys and implement their plans. Apparently 15% were good. The rest were typical business-focused cost cutting, not related to improving service.

Haele

[SidneyR]

10. They would do that because they don't care about vets.

They care about rich people. Vets are just suckers and losers to them.

[Old Crank]

11. Because the GOP only care about the wealthy.

They only want the military for props. And to help get contracts for defense compamies.

[AllaN01Bear]

13. a good friend and dem said , it really sad and hurts when your government dosent care for you.

he used stronger language . vietnam vet .

[dlk]

15. It should be abundantly clear by now

Billionaires want it all, every last dime.

[alarimer]

18. Good and maybe discuss their plans to get rid of the FDIC

Book bans matter, but they are small potatoes compared to the real threat of the plan: dismantling whatever economic and social safety net we still have.

Of course people tend to care about things that affect them personally (or potentially will), so we need to find all the ways this plan hurts people.

[Warpy]

25. GOOD

This is neoliberalism really run amok. The guys at the VW and Legion halls realize this means the rich want them to fight their wars for them but if a soldier gets broken, he just gets thrown away and replaced by some other young guy, just like the Russians do.

I don't care if this stuff sounds self serving, Something has to wake people up as to what the Heritage Foundation and the TFG inner circle have planned for us and it's ugly beyond belief.

Cus to the VA make me furious, I've worked in the VA and I've seen what their wars do to the "lucky" ones who survive them.

And guys, it's not just you. Women head the list of poeple they want to punish for existing without being rich.

[liberal N proud]

26. Veterans need to wake up

I have a brother who refuses to read or believe anything related to Project 2025.

[UTUSN]

32. K&R - 40 yrs ago I became aware at the VFW of many vets being wingnuts and

was puzzled for a long time until one of them put their reason into words: "We tend to do better with (checks/benefits) with them (wingnuts)."

That was in the days when wingnuts peddled their propaganda about being more patriotic than thou, law and order, all the rest of family values, everything that we suspected was crap but now know it is.

[displacedvermoter]

34. Best pay raise from USAF I remember

came when Jimmy Carter was C-in-C. A veteran himself, he was never a rich man and understood how hard it was to make ends meet on a military salary!

Ask about President Carter in your local VFW, you'll here about the goddamn Iranian Hostage Crisis and the fucking helicopters that didn't work during rescue attempt!

[Nanjeanne]

35. I think by saying Legion Clubs, Walz isn't ONLY talking about Legion Clubs. He says bars in a different clip. It's

a way to acknowledge that many disinfranchised voters have different reasons for turning away from the Democrats and we should stick to our Democratic principles and still try to reach them - rather than change our principles to try to reach some unattainable voter.

His quote: Who is sitting in a bar in Wisconsin saying we need to ban Animal Farm?

[wordstroken]

37. I totally agree!

Well said, Nanjeanne.

[wordstroken]

36. Let's hope Gov. Walz is right about Legion members' latest conversations.

I met my beloved husband of 32 years when he was my science college professor and I was a nursing student in his class.

Later, as a long-time clinical and administrative nurse, often at VA hospitals, I saw how veterans benefits improved and saved lives.

My husband had joined the military at age 17 and left as 100% total/permanent disabled veteran. He was an active, dedicated Dem until the day he died of that service-connected disease.

As former Legion members we saw way too many who were misogynistic, etc. On their behalf and on behalf of all veterans, I hope that now they are truly listening to everything Tim Walz is saying.

From my perspective: cut VA benefits to surviving widows and I’m toast.