Yesterday in Waterloo Iowa, I sat down and discussed two things that I hope people will pay a lot of attention to over the next two weeks: Iraq, and its devastating effect on our veterans and their families.
Based upon my experience in the region as United States Ambassador to the United Nations, and my conversations with military advisors, I know we have to get our troops out now. I have written about this position extensively here, here and here.
And here is the t.v. spot my campaign released this week on the core issue of the campaign.
The first thing we need to do to help our veterans is to end the war in Iraq and bring our troops home to their families.
We need to withdraw our troops to bring peace and stability to the region, and we need to withdraw our troops because our military is at its breaking point, stretched thin, under-supported when they serve overseas and too frequently abandoned when they return home.
And if we don't end this war that is costing us almost $10 billion a month, we simply won't be able to afford to make the big changes we need here at home - including helping veterans and military families regroup.
Yesterday, I was joined at the event by New Mexico Secretary of Veterans Affairs John Garcia, Vietnam veteran Rick Bolanos, Iraq veteran Sergeant Julie Gorman of Iowa, and Sue Dinsdale of Huxley, Iowa, the mother of an Iraq veteran.
We discussed some of the issues facing veterans and what I will do about getting our veterans they care they need when they return home.
But just as I promise to withdraw troops from Iraq in 2009 not 2013, let me make clear my pledge to our veterans and their families.
When I am President, every single one of our veterans will have a Heroes Health Card so that they can get the high quality care they deserve wherever they need it, and without any bureaucratic hassle.
I will guarantee full mandatory funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs. Guarantee it.
It is essential that we fix Walter Reed and the rest of our military hospitals. Also, we are going to treat mental trauma, such as PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) the same way that we treat physical wounds-- like the battlefield injuries that they are.
As President, I will reduce the federal income tax on veterans by five percent for the rest of their lives. Senator Jim Webb is exactly right on this issue. I also will eliminate the federal income tax on all troops in their first year out of the military. We are going to do right by military families.
But the first thing we need to do to help our veterans is to end this war and bring our troops back home to their families.
There's much more here on my campaign site and be sure to check out the video below from our discussion on Iraq and Veterans.
Read several of the Governor's past posts on Iraq here, here and here.
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There is a simple and fundamental reason why Senator Obama should never become our president or vice-president which everybody can understand. In plain English, Senator Obama has been one of the "paymasters" for the war in Iraq which makes him co-responsible for everything that happened and will happen in that war.
Bill,
As a ten year veteran I have been watching my benefits dwindle every year, and with the budget crunches coming I know they will dwindle further.
I have always been a supporter of your national campaign, and after this article I am more so.
I don't think veteran's health benefits will ever get the attention they deserve until they are tied to the same benefits congress gets. Why should congress get better health benefits than veterans?
Bill,
I think I speak for practically everyone when I say that "We love you".
A bit heavy on the self promotion, and a bit light when pointing fingers and naming names (especially Repubs), but thanks for keeping the vets' needs in the spotlight.
So point Bill, POINT...
point at McCain. - Shouldn't he be ashamed for not pushing harder for radical changes in vets' post-war care?
point at Rudy. (chuckle)
point at Bush. - Shouldn't he be ashamed every time he speaks?
point at Cheney - Shouldn't he be ashamed "to be"?
Exactly how will you raise the money to offset the reductions in revenue?
- Either by raising taxes on someone else,
- Reducing services to someone else,
- or, increasing the Debt
While I applaud the goals - I am soooo tired of Bush economics - spending without telling us how it will be paid for - even for goals as noble as you outline.
As a vetern, I applaud Gov. Richardson for
posting here in an effort to get his positions
known. It would be helpful if we had all of the
candidate's position's on Vetern's Issues for
this commununity to evaluate and comment upon.
I will submit that I was disturbed upon reading
that a representative of Illinois veterns was
deeply disappointed by the lack of representa-
tion by Sen. Obama was giving them not showing
up to sessions called. Sen. Biden very active
in support of veterns and Sen.Clinton. She
along with Sen.Lindsay Graham have crafted a
bill that waiting for the president's signa-
ture. You can go to her website and her overall
platform on behalf of veterns AND their famil-
ies. It is about ending the war, as quickly as
we can, and getting our troops home. There is
also, war in Afganistan and we have service personnel deployed around the world,
for whom these issues matter a great deal.
Not only those who are currently serving but,
those who have prior service and whose ONLY
healthcare is the VA.
It's not about the candidate's personalities, it's about their competance, experience, vision,....most of all their stand on the issues!
Bill, my fear is that 2009 also will be too late, as is obviously 2013. Bu$hCo has intimidated the congressional anti-war movement into continuing the economic support he needs to prosecute the war his cynical way.
He is now getting ahead of the field by beginning his own troop withdrawal from Iraq. This will be substantially completed by the time of the November 2008 election, proving that BuShCo was right all along. This will leave you and the other progressives with promises not to get the troops out until later. The Rebublicons then march tripumphantly back into office for another 8 years, at the end of which time our constitution will have disappeared. Get ahead of that one!
"But the first thing we need to do to help our veterans is to end this war and bring our troops back home to their families."
That says it all, Governor, it's a message that OUR citizens seem more concerned with than do OUR elected prevaricaters, ...I mean representatives.
It's a dialog the current leaders in the presidential race should be continually pressed on.
However, voters strapping on 'the usual' blinders and NEVER questioning motivations COULD, unfortunately, again also saddle the rest of us... with what THEY deserve.
Thank you, sir, for continuing to try. More are hearing you every day...
My home has had a yellow ribbon hanging in a tree when I purchased it a year and a half ago. I remember the previous owner saying that he had a son and a daughter in Iraq. Over the years there had been children moving out and divorces and new jobs. The ribbon has become very tattered and lost all of its color. Neighbors have mentioned that it looks rather unsightly but I'm waiting for the troops to come home to remove it.
When I look at the ribbon clinging to the tree I wonder how much longer it can stay there. More recently I've wondered whether the tree is not dying.
It seems that there is this conspiracy to have us forget the troops this Christmas. I wish that all the Richardson, Kucinich and Paul supporters had organized some activity for Christmas Eve to remember the troops. I know you and I are not pandering. We do remember those that serve. I am proud that I served my country.
Thank you, Governor Bill. You are the only one who has a comprehensive, persistent and consistent solution for ending the war. You are the one that also knows how to support our troops economically, socially and medically.
I hope the press will give you the coverage to express your views on other issues as well. We are very fortunate to have you as our Governor in New Mexico and our country would greatly improve with your leadership in the White House.
I'm with you on that !!
Frankly I would be pleased to see the Armed services begin the redepolyment regadless of The Exec Branch,Congress' and the SC "orders'.
I'm all for out and out Mutiny by those who are to protect US.
Not only are they being killed, maimed and personally sacrificed. But they are not her to secure our borders, repond to a threat or attack, nor is their equipment available to assist in disasters, funds to maintain a 'Standing' Army, nor the people.
They have been led into a suicide mission - at best if not a full out imperialistic doctrine. they have been pawns too. for the corrupt Gov't/Corporate agenda.
The goal appears to be to obliterate the Gov't maintained military and replace it with a Army for Hire. Unfortunately they have failed (or more likely disregarded) the fact that they are just that 'For Hire' by anyone, anytime for any reason. Highest bidder wins (or work for all the bidders and the Corp wins big!! Right Rudy?). It was called a "Protection Rackette" at one point in time, but then again 'waterboarding' was called Drowning torture in the not so distant past.
'Privatization' of any public service means Unregulated free for all for Multi national corps who have no allegiences to US (or any other nation) when it comes to the profit margin.
I saw first hand what happen to Medicare and the elderly when HMO's sprouted up in the '80's. they soaked Medicare and denied services at a far more frequent basis then Medicare ever did. They were Gatekeepers to essential services. Corps who took over the industry were happy to play ball and milk Medicare too.
It's bad enough considering our nations demographics but unconscientable to be done systematically by the entities that claim their service to the elderly.
Now consider this happening to our military.
Your duty is to Defend US against Foreign and DOMESTIC ENEMIES.
START THE PROCESS HOME NOW- regardless of what these traitors order!!!!
As usual, you are right about this issue. The Cheney/Bush regime use and abuse our military then throw the men & women away as if they were soiled tissues, and everybody (in the MSM anyway) just looks the other way and pretends it's not happening. Talk about obscene!!
It's too bad you won't get the nomination. I think you'd be a great prez.
"The first thing we need to do to help our veterans is to end the war in Iraq and bring our troops home to their families."
As long as this man's Iraq "strategy" is so simplistic and narrow-minded, he should not be allowed to use the phrase "end the war." Bring troops home, fine. But don't equate that with peace.
The VA card should be to pay health care providers for services given to a veteran & all costs for hospital treatment in a veterans's community to allow the VA to phase out its many obsolete hospitals & clinics. The exams needed to document that a veteran needs medical & dental care should be done by private health care providers in the veterans's community to end the delays in examining the veteran. The veteran must be presumed to be eligible for VA benefits to end the farce of the VA adjudicating the matter. All too often the VA uses the adjudication process to deny &/or delay giving the benefits to which a veteran is entitled because of service related injuries & diseases.
Governor Richardson, you have some great ideas about how to help our military servicemembers and veterans. I would only add that job training/retraining would be another way to help veterans, which would also be beneficial to our nation.
But ending this insanity that is called a War is paramount.
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Posted December 21, 2007 | 03:08 PM (EST)