It’s Time To CALL OUT THE REAL VILLAINS

[Segami]

Last edited Sat May 31, 2014, 01:47 PM - Edit history (1)

"...I think the decision we've got here as we debate this legislation is whether we're gonna commit to a promise thats bigger than what are kids, can fulfill. IT COSTS MORE THAN OUR KIDS CAN AFFORD....."

Sen. Richard M. Burr

When Senator Bernie Sanders proposed a bill to substantially improve the quality of life for America’s heroes, our veterans, his intentions were to vastly enhance care and education. On February 27, 2014: A massive veterans legislative package that would have expanded a host of post-military benefits was sidelined after Senate Democratic backers failed to find enough support among their Republican colleagues. This impressive and comprehensive bill rectified so many of the ills at the Veterans Administration. I encourage everyone to glance at the bill and then ask the journalists why is this is not THE REAL ISSUE?



The GOP, the self-appointed party of “patriots,” was overjoyed President Obama’s West Point Commencement address was received with tepid approval. Why? Because he spoke the truth? “America’s costliest mistakes have stemmed not from restraint but from rushing to armed adventures without thinking through the consequences, without building international support and legitimacy for our action, without leveling with the American people about the sacrifice required.” Imagine if the address given by George W. Bush at that very same place in 2002 was as insightful, logical and considerate to the soldiers he stood before, many of them would not have become casualties of his poorly-planned wars.



Senator John McCain would entangle our military in dozens of wars if he had his way. Famous for being a POW, he has been voting repeatedly against his fellow veterans for years against needed funding for benefits. He was among the Republicans who voted against the Sanders Bill. He and his fellow Arizona Republican, Senator Jeff Flake need to do some serious soul-searching after laying the blame on Secretary of the VA Shinseki and the Obama Administration.



Does anyone else see this pattern: the GOP votes against funding (embassy security and Veterans’ care) and an inevitable crisis ensues? Perhaps if the Chris Matthews and Chuck Todds of the MSM would stop reading from Frank Luntz’s daily manifestos, the real villains would be held to account for the problems they create. I’m sure veterans would appreciate a government that actually cares for them rather than those who live to demonize the Obama Administration and fail our nation’s heroes.





http://www.alan.com/2014/05/30/its-time-to-call-out-the-real-villains/

[Octafish]

1. Times have changed in America.

Money really does trump peace.

[malokvale77]

12. You are so right Octafish

This whole business just kills my very soul.

[randys1]

2. Most veterans LOVE these guys, always will

They will break land speed records getting to the polls to vote for someone who's agenda is to let them rot in hell...

insane, cant be fixed, only time will change this

[Enthusiast]

6. Those veterans are victims of the greatest propaganda mechanism the world has ever known.

They believe Democrats are responsible for their problems. You know, due to Obama's tendency to spend spend spend.

Our problems stem from an unfair media.

[randys1]

7. Repubs support defense CONTRACTORS , not soldiers

[Enthusiast]

8. ...

Well, we know that.

[randys1]

9. LOL - it would be funny if not for the tens of millions of rightwingers dumber than a post

[progree]

10. "Obama's tendency to spend spend spend." YES. $64 B *LESS* in FY 2013 than in FY 2009

I know you were being sarcastic, but anyway I thought I should post this because it is a widely held misimpression...

Note: all figures in this section are actual, not budgeted. I only point out that Bush signed the FY 2009 budget.

[div style="display:inline; font-size:1.37em; font-family:monospace; white-space:pre;"] v-last Bush budget was FY 2009 (all figures are actuals, not budgeted)
[div style="display:inline; font-size:1.37em; font-family:monospace; white-space:pre;"] 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 Fiscal Year
[div style="display:inline; font-size:1.37em; font-family:monospace; white-space:pre;"] 2,983 3,518 3,457 3,603 3,538 3,454 Total Outlays, $Billions
[div style="display:inline; font-size:1.37em; font-family:monospace; white-space:pre;"] (450) (1,413) (1,294) (1,300) (1,089) (680) Surplus (deficit), $Billions
[div style="display:inline; font-size:1.37em; font-family:monospace; white-space:pre;"] (3.1) (9.8) (8.8) (8.4) (6.8) (4.1) Surplus (deficit), % of GDP

Source:
. . . http://www.cbo.gov/publication/43698 which links to the complete document at
. . . http://www.cbo.gov/sites/default/files/cbofiles/attachments/44716-%20MBR_FY2013_0.pdf

[font color = blue]So FY 2013 federal spending was 64 B$ (1.8%) LESS THAN FY 2009 (the last Bush budgeted year). [/font]

Since the nominal (current dollar) GDP increased by 17.58% between FY 2009 (a recession low point) and FY 2013 (see next paragraph), while federal spending dropped 1.8%, that means federal spending as a percentage of GDP dropped substantially during those 4 years -- from 24.46% of GDP to 20.42% of GDP (calculations below). Something to keep in mind when some rightie rants and raves about the socialist Obama spending us into the poor house.

In Current Dollars: GDP FY 2009 (2009 Q3) = $14,384.4 billion . GDP FY 2013 (2013 Q3) = $16,912.9 billion -- an increase of 17.58% over FY 2009.
Source of GDP figures: http://www.bea.gov/national/xls/gdplev.xls
where FY 2009 = Q4 2008 through Q3 2009. And FY 2013 = Q4 2012 through Q3 2013.

FY 2009: Spending / GDP = 3518/14384 = 24.46% . FY 2013: Spending / GDP = 3454/16913 = 20.42%

The Fiscal Year 2009 budget (Oct. 1, 2008 - Sept 30, 2009) was signed into law by G.W. Bush, and the CBO on January 7, 2009 (13 days before Bush left office) projected a $1.2 trillion deficit for FY 2009. So all but about $200 billion of FY 2009 spending and deficits was "baked in" before Bush left office.

Oh, BTW, the CBO projects a $459 B deficit for FY 2014, according to an AP 5/13/14 story, a 32% drop from the FY 2013 deficit.

[Enthusiast]

11. The media always supports this false meme.

I think we should start to ask ourselves what in the hell is going on in this country.

[Tsiyu]

3. KICK

[Segami]

4. Where were you Senator Burr when....

the Bush/Cheney crime cabal were busy scheming to begin their bogus wars? Did you and every other reTHUG not ask yourselves that 3 TRILLION DOLLARS "COSTS MORE THAN OUR KIDS CAN AFFORD?"

[malokvale77]

13. The thing is...

They plan to get it from our Social Security. They have already started.

[abakan]

5. This just shows what is important to these sorry excuses for humans..

MONEY and nothing but..