Republicans Object To Bill For Homeless Veterans (VIDEO)

Having had no luck in a political battle pitting deficit reduction against the unemployed, Democrats on Tuesday tried deficit reduction against veterans. It didn't work.

Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) asked for unanimous consent to approve a $3.4 billion bill to help homeless women veterans and homeless vets with kids. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell objected on behalf of Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.), who is taking a stand against any measure that adds to the deficit.

"If we don't start paying for new programs and continue on our path to bankruptcy we'll have a homelessness problem beyond imagination," Coburn spokesman John Hart told HuffPost. "The old Washington excuse that it's too hard to cut spending is undermining our troops, our veterans and our future."

Murray said she would ask again for unanimous consent. "I can't go home and look at someone who's served our country with distinction and honor who today is living on the street because the Senate is objecting."

Senate Democrats wasted no time memorializing the objection on YouTube:

Click HERE to download a PDF of a letter from Coburn, which suggests spending cuts to offset the cost of the bill.

Comments

[buckethead 22]

07:00 PM on 07/10/2010

Maybe the repuvlican would care more about these homeless vets if the did parlor tricks
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/07/07/people-search-way-donate-homeless-man-saves-flag/?test=latestnews#content

[Lore Splitt]

11:04 AM on 07/08/2010

Go out, serve your country, fight in our wars, recently- usually about oil... then, if you've seen too much, and have issues as a direct result of doing what your country asked of you, go live homeless, we don't care.

Not for nothing, even if you're against government assistance for other people, these people are hurting, and homeless as a direct result of dedicating themselves to their country. Their country, our country, should be dedicated to them. How can you be against helping them?

Oh yeah, they're not a big business...

[Erdgeist]

12:18 PM on 07/06/2010

The plight of homeless Veterans, especially those suffering from PTSD, is appalling. It constitutes a national disgrace. And why, because generally those who have served and are afflicted with PTSD had to kill others. Seeing the person whose life you are about to end has a devastating effect on the psyche. Especially Vietnam Veterans suffer from it because the greater majority who were in combat killed. This was NOT the case in the Second World War.

Source: Grossman, D. (1995). On killing: The psychological cost of learning to kill in war and society

[jcabowers]

09:35 PM on 07/04/2010

didn't know the Republicans were trying to alienate veterans as well as the usual Latinos, Gays, the poor, African Americans, immigrants, etc?

[roninroshi]

04:35 PM on 07/04/2010

Rethug's send the troops to war...the ones who don't get killed there can come back and die a slow death here! GOP the thugs of America.

[wollstonecraft]

08:08 AM on 07/02/2010

And this is how the Right "supports the troops"? Is it too much to hope that this will cost conservatives votes among those serving, or who have served, in the military?

[zombywulf]

03:41 AM on 07/01/2010

They should take away Mc Crackheads pension and give it to homeless vets.

[MarkAntney]

08:40 AM on 06/30/2010

What color are the Car Magnets for the Veterans?

Is there an Anti Fonzi "Thumbs Down" silhouette on that American Flag Lapel Pin?

Told y'all the way they planned and executed Iraq and let troops go to jail WHILE they had a Federal Torture Program in place,... they didn't give a Flip about "The Troops", not a one.

Which is why we'll never have a Draft again.

Oh (salt for the gaping wound) OUR govt Seems to do all it can to make sure those Contractors don't go to jail, don't they?:):):):)

[blacktrillium]

08:17 AM on 06/30/2010

you know what wouldn't undermine our troops, our veterans, and our futures? stop fighting useless wars. stop funneling money abroad and spend it instead at home - for the homeless, for example, or for a jobs bill. it's just so sad that so many veterans are homeless, mentally and physically ill, without help or hope. all this talk about supporting the troops and veterans is so hypocritical.

[tompoe]

09:25 PM on 06/30/2010

You can't be a member of the Party of Corporate Welfare, unless you vote against veterans' issues bills. McCain has dedicated his entire career speaking for veterans, and then voting against them. Type in the keywords, mccain non-support, and follow the link to Brandon Friedman's exhaustive compilation of every veterans' issues bill since 1987. Links are provided to read each bill, and then see McCain's NO vote on almost every single bill.

Anyone who thought of voting for a member of the Party of Corporate Welfare this Fall, will be voting against our troops. It's that simple. I'm enraged at their disrespect of veterans.

[Anne Johnson]

07:47 AM on 06/30/2010

If the government was so worried about veterans they wouldn't have put two wars on the credit card in the first place.

[gamoonbat]

07:49 AM on 06/30/2010

What makes you think that Republicans have ever worried about veterans?

[Anne Johnson]

07:55 AM on 06/30/2010

Hmmm.. Because they say so! Republicans treat veterans the same way they treat the unemployed and working people. We're nothing but pawns in their political games. Every time they argue against a new tax or regulation on corporations the first thing they say is that it will take away jobs. As if they care if we're employed or not. Republicans are nothing more than sick, twisted evil b@st@rds who would rather see us all de@d.

[MarkAntney]

08:10 AM on 06/30/2010

Especially one (Iraq) we STILL don't know why we sent all those troops, though ironically not enough and definitely not enough armor, didn't get allies in the region to assist (at all), $$$s, limbs, rep,... as compared to the actual origin of the attackers?

Unless Iran called and asked us to help them to become a greater power in the region? "Mission Accomplished"

[ncconcernedcitizen]

07:36 AM on 06/30/2010

I fully agree to stop this funding. We would not have Rambo if not for homeless vets.

[MarkAntney]

05:49 AM on 06/30/2010

Hey, the GOP has officially gone Gangsta. If you can't possibly do anything for them, why would they do anything for you?

If they can sit back and watch troops go to Prison over a Federal "Torture" Program Climate created at the top (very top) and ruin their careers and lives,...

Why would they have a problem sticking it to Folks not even in the military anymore?

As we speak (type) they're digging up the graves of Civil Rights Icons and seemingly because they had the nerve to not accept State Sponsored Terrorism of certain citizens and those (other brave souls) that supported them.

I love how deficits are bad and matter ONLY when the GOP has finished helping in creating them and aren't the majority!

That's more Gangsta than 50Cent and Suge Knight.

[Jlhines1982]

04:46 AM on 06/30/2010

I joined the Air Force in 2004. I remember receiving my first voter registration form in an auditorium. It asked my affiliation and I didn't really have one at the time so I jotted down Republican. Registering as a Republican in 2004 will haunt me until the end of time. I went into the military a "Republican", I left the military a Democrat. These fools are out of their minds and I don't want any part of it.

[taquinas]

06:30 AM on 06/30/2010

Saved! Few million to go. Being republican simply doesn't make any sense.

[MarkAntney]

08:27 AM on 06/30/2010

Unless, you don't like Unions, want weapons issued in the maternity wards, Gays and NonChristians to Magically disappear, Christian Prayer indoctrinated from birth-death everywhere, Unaccounted for deficit creation and spending on Defense/Contractors and free trade pursuits, Illegal Immigrant Labor (but Ironically not the illegal immigrant????), pretend we've done nothing bad as a nation EVER, Torture Suspects w/no contingency for the aftermath and inspite of international agreements, little or no regulation over industries that manage trillions of $$$s in capital/retirements/portfolios,....

Then you're on your way to being a good Conservative:):):):)

Oh and then once those issues start to IMPLODE (most will) blame the guys elected to try to fix what you unapologetically advocated.

Then you just might be a GOOD Conservative?

[LouisGA]

04:37 AM on 06/30/2010

Conservatwit RepubliKlans: Why would we want to help homeless veterans, they don't have any money to buy our support.
We need to help the rich with multiple homes, that's where the money is, lets give another tax cut to the rich.

[KIVPossum]

03:52 AM on 06/30/2010

Repubs love to use the military and hate to do anything for the cannon fodder when they are finished with them.