VA defends plan to cut thousands of dollars from elderly vets' benefits

[yuiyoshida]

Last edited Thu May 25, 2017, 05:16 AM - Edit history (1)

snip--
“The budget plan unveiled yesterday completely abandons many of the most severely disabled veterans of the Vietnam generation and could make thousands of elderly veterans homeless,” said John Rowan, national president of Vietnam Veterans of America.

“We’re extremely alarmed by this budget proposal, because this is the opposite of what President Trump promised veterans.”

VVA officials said they spent have spent the last day since the budget announcement fielding panicked calls from veterans dependent on the program, wondering how they’ll make ends meet.

VFW National Commander Brian Duffy said his membership likes many parts of the budget “we are absolutely against forcing wounded, ill and injured veterans to pay for improvements elsewhere within the VA.” AMVETS released a statement Wednesday demanding the IU provision be dropped, labeling it "stealing" benefits from veterans.

Administration officials have also proposed rounding down cost-of-living adjustments to veterans benefits next year, a practice that would take no more than $12 from an individual vet in annual payouts but could save the government $20 million next year.

more at the link
http://www.militarytimes.com/articles/va-plan-iu-cuts-benefits-elderly-veterans
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REPUBLICANS and TRUMP SAYING FUCK YOU TO WOUNDED KOREAN AND VIETNAM VETS.....

[Tanuki]

1. Stealing from elderly veterans to pay for Trump's weekly out-of-town golf junkets

and a helipad at Mar-a-larceny.

[yuiyoshida]

3. Republicans suck...

They want to suck the life blood from Veterans, who fought wars, and sacrificed body parts and even their lives for this Country, and Republicans kick the crutches out from under them, throw them out of of their Wheel chairs and tell them to get out of their hospital beds and go get a fucking job to pay for any benefits they once were given for Serving their country honorably.

Republicans are fucking scum.

[pfitz59]

2. How low can Trump go?

Well, this has to be near rock bottom.... sadly many veterans supported Trump and his tough talk. Blowback is a real thing....

[yuiyoshida]

36. nope..

^ ^

[Wounded Bear]

38. On this, Trump is more a symptom than the real disease...

The real fault lies with Repubs in general. They support this kind of thing. They have made no excuses for wanting these very actions for decades.

I hope we can generate some blowback.

[rpannier]

4. Cue that idiot Varney from faux

It's a small trim, a haircut...

[Chemisse]

5. Simply vile.

I hope every single veteran gets out in 2018 and votes against the GOP.

[not fooled]

6. O.K., Vets

Any of you who vote GOPee, please stop.

MAGA hats, HRC bashing, and swaggering bravado during the presidential campaign--by a multiple draft-dodger and chickenhawk, no less--clearly did not mean that dump and the GOPee would be looking out for you.

This latest atrocity aka budget proposal should be the final straw.

How much more proof do you need that they are not on your side?

[madokie]

17. I'm a disabled 15 month in-country Vietnam Vet

and I can assure you that I did not and will not vote for a republiCON under any circumstances any time in the future. I did vote for a republican candidate for sheriff years ago because I knew him and he was a good man and made us a good Sheriff. Other than that I don't/won't vote for the 'CON nor spoiler party, ie Greens, whatever they want to call themselves.

The 'CONs hate us simple as that

[yuiyoshida]

24. Republicans are all for you going to War ...

its just they complain when Soldiers, Sailors or Marines come back wounded. One Representative said it be far better if they didn't come back at all, because it be someone less to pay a pay check to.

I heard that about two years ago, and couldn't believe the audacity

[Silver Gaia]

7. This is terrifying. We will not be able to pay our mortgage if they do this.

I don't see how they think someone who has been UNEMPLOYABLE can live off their Social Security benefits???! If you are unable to work, then you aren't paying in, so what little you might get in SS benefits from when you paid in when you were younger is NOT the same as someone who was able to continue to work until normal retirement age. It also means there's no pension either because you had to retire early for health reasons. What the hell? My husband has skin cancer from exposure to Agent Orange in Vietnam. It is abnormally aggressive and causes him to be forced into several surgeries each year. There is no way he could hold down a regular job, so they gave him IU (Individual Unemployability) benefits. He is past retirement age now, so he is one of the veterans they want to dump out on the street. Trying to live on Social Security would be impossible, because there isn't much. This is an incredibly stupid idea, and terrifying as well.

[Silver Gaia]

11. Oh yeah, I will lose my healthcare, too, if they do this, because it is tied to his VA disability.

[DFW]

8. Every vet who voted for Trump deserves exactly this

Trump voters need to realize what they voted for, and live by the consequences, or they'll vote that way again and again and again. Women, minorities, handicapped, children, the environment, our currency, our alliances--all those and more will suffer (if they haven't already) because Trump is president and Hillary is not. In a presidential election, ignorance is not an option. Stupidity, unfortunately, is.

The ones who saw through him and voted against him deserve to be taken care of. The ones who voted for him and now feel betrayed deserve to suffer any and all effects of that betrayal, no matter how heartbreaking some of those stories may get--and there are sure to be some tear-jerkers. Why? Because with their votes they betrayed not only themselves but every citizen of our country. These people shouldn't bother to come wave their flags in my face on the fourth of July.

[Silver Gaia]

9. Well, I don't think those vets who didn't vote for Trump are going to somehow be taken care of.

Like my husband. If this happens, he is just as screwed as the elderly vet who voted for Trump. They are all in this together.

[WinkyDink]

10. I would rather avoid that "lesson" and instead have every American Legion notify its

membership.

[DFW]

37. That is an excellent suggestion, actually

Still, when these people voted for Trump, they voted against my family, my children and my country. I don't advocate active retaliation, but nor do I advocate an attitude of "forgive them, for they know not what they do." I do NOT forgive them, for every single one of them either did know, or consciously refused to.

[dansolo]

12. Did anyone else find this line disturbing?

"VFW National Commander Brian Duffy said his membership likes many parts of the budget"

I'm sorry, but if the VFW membership really likes many parts of Trump's budget, then I have no sympathy for those of them who are getting screwed.

[Silver Gaia]

15. Yes, it was disturbing. But this would hurt people like me, too,

not just members of the VFW. So, hoping they get screwed doesn't help those of us who would be screwed right along with them.

[wishstar]

16. I believe he was only referring to the overall 6% increase in VA budget (not other non-VA cuts)

He had previously voiced support for the VA Budget increase of 6% announced a couple of months ago, before the details were known involving this drastic cut to vets payments.

When Trump's proposed cuts to Meals on Wheels, housing and other community programs were announced earlier, several veterans and military publications issued articles criticizing those cuts and emphasizing that those other programs help many vets.

But I personally know several Vets who get thousands per month in generous payments (Civil Service and/or Soc Security retirement plus service connected VA payments) and have incomes too high to qualify for any low income programs. They are shocked over this proposed cut since it involves service connected Vets. Many service connected Vets had long careers in civil service or private sector because their service connected disabilities were minor but they have had their ratings increased due to worsening medical or PTSD conditions as they became older and retired. The Vets I know were so sure their benefits would never be touched by Trump while they strongly supported Trump and Repubs' cuts to low income social safety net programs, Medicaid, Food Stamps and Obamacare subsidies.

[beachbum bob]

13. no matter if trumps budget [proceeds or not...we must make use of it for 2018

campaign to tie EVERY CONSERVATIVE to the intention

[barbtries]

14. are there still people

who think he was telling the truth during the campaign? i don't get these people at all.

[Achilleaze]

18. chickenhawk republicans pissing on America's veterans

a familiar story.

[bresue]

19. Vets in general tend to vote Ruplican

I imagine that will stop immediately. And that is a very large block of voters for 2018.

[yuiyoshida]

22. My friend Kimi told me

While working at the VA hospital, she witnessed a near altercation between two vets. The TV in the waiting room had been set to CNN, and someone stood up and tried to put the TV channel to FOX NEWS.,..in doing so a number of Vets stood up and told him to put it back, that they didn't want to listen to that Right Wing shit, and the guy was so overwhelmed he turned it back very quickly.

[bresue]

28. Awesome!!!

The vets are turning.....

[Silver Gaia]

30. Those vets probably diidn't need to turn!

There are many liberal vets, too. Please don't assume all vets voted for Trump!

[keithbvadu2]

20. Thank you Trump and GOP

from Trump, the guy who said avoiding venereal disease was his personal Viet Nam.

from Trump, the guy who denigrated all POWs because they had been 'captured'.

[yuiyoshida]

21. I wonder how he would feel if

Vets showed up with pitchforks and torches outside the white house.

[keithbvadu2]

35. Veterans probably would not be yelling "Russia is our friend".

[Thrill]

23. A lot of these vets vote Republican

[yuiyoshida]

25. There are many that are Democrats as well

Why hurt them, because of a couple of Asshole Republicans? Most Veterans were honorably discharged, and there are those who were in the Korean and Vietnam wars, who were wounded and still recovering, if not from their old wounds, but from the PTSD as well. They should not lose their benefits. They did their duty with honor and deserve respect from all Americans.

[Silver Gaia]

31. Thank you!

[yuiyoshida]

32. you are most welcome

my friend Kimi works at the SF VA hospital and I hear stuff all the time, about how hard the Vets have it navigating thought the bureaucracy and red tape that it takes for Veterans to even qualify for benefits.

[Silver Gaia]

33. I figured that the event at a VA hospital your friend witnessed must have been at the SF VA hospital

Beautiful place. Some of my husband's many surgeries took place there.

And yes, it's not like they hand out benefits like candy. Vets have to fight for what little they get, and most don't get near what they deserve.

[yuiyoshida]

34. Yup

That's what I have heard too.

[lpbk2713]

26. Death Panels are alive and well at the VA.

They have made the decision it is time for elderly vets to go away.

[yuiyoshida]

27. and to drive Veterans to be homeless

and in the cold and rain, trying to survive on the few nickles and dimes they can gather from people who look on them kindly, which is very few. Most Republicans prefer they just die... unfortunatley

[dalton99a]

29. Spread this far and wide