What I Did Not Find In Iowa AND New Hampshire

A lot of people would have you believe that the Democratic nominee for 2008 is a foregone conclusion. I traveled across Iowa and New Hampshire with Governor Bill Richardson over the last few weeks and can tell you that this is not the case. I know that, in spite of what various polls and political pundits tell us, most people in Iowa and New Hampshire have not yet made their final decision on which candidate they will support in the primary and the caucus and that the same is likely true for voters all across the Country.

I joined Governor Richardson on his "Keeping Our Promise to America's Heroes" tour where he announced his 15 billion dollar comprehensive plan for Veterans and Military Families. The plan will be paid for by closing a tax loophole on the under-reporting of capital gains earnings. Every place that we visited we were greeted by crowds of enthusiastic veterans and their families, along with other people concerned about the current state of veterans care. It was truly an honor and a privilege to be a part of these events

I served in the Central Highlands of South Vietnam as a member of the U.S. Army's 4th Infantry Division. I am a founding member of the Vietnam Veterans of New Mexico and served as the National Deputy Director of the Vietnam Veterans Leadership Program in Washington, DC. I currently serve as the New Mexico Secretary of Veterans Affairs. I am also the current president of the National Association of State Directors of Veterans Affairs ("NASDVA"), an association consisting of the top veterans affairs official in each of the 50 states. I have spent much of my life fighting for better treatment for veterans and their families. Governor Richardson is a leader in this fight also. Here are just a few of the details of his plan:

* A fully funded VA.

* A "Heroes Health Card" that will be offered to all veterans. This will allow veterans to be treated anywhere they want.

* A GI Bill for the 21st Century that can be used by family members.

* 100 percent federal tax relief for the first year out of service and 5 percent for the rest of their lives

* Increase funding for mental health services and work off an automatic presumption that mental illness, especially PTSD, is service-connected, putting the burden of proof on the government, not the veteran

I encourage you to visit his website, www.richardsonforpresident.com, and read the entire plan. This plan will allow us, finally, to treat our veterans and their families with the honor that they deserve. We can, of course, wait until tens of thousands more come home mentally and physically wounded by this war. It is a national crisis now, but by waiting, this will become a national epidemic. Those that claim that we do not have the money to pay for this must quickly acknowledge what we are facing and make a decision. Spend the 15 billion that Governor Richardson is proposing now or wait and pay a much higher price in the very near future.

Veterans and their families must fight to elect the person that best understands their collective plight and someone that will treat veterans as their own constituency group. As a constituency, veterans have the power to swing this election, so when the so-called experts tell you this election is over, and the odds-on favorite has not addressed the constituency most affected by war then you have to concede that this election is very, very, far from over.

Comments

[Researchguy66]

So, what's the answer to the freakin' question? Did I miss it somewhere in the long Richardson promo?

[Lazslo]

This is BY FAR the best policy proposal for veterans and active duty men and women - BY FAR. No one else is proposing such fair and honorable policies for the men and women who serve this country. Every person connected to the military should vote for Richardson, and anyone who claims to support the troops should vote Richardson just on this proposal, which will greatly benefit military personnel and veterans. It's time the government really thank military personnel and their families for their service to this country. Richardson knows what military life is like, and these proposals evidence this fact. Once again, right on the mark Gov. Richardson.

[oldpotsmuggler]

To me, Richardson rates as so-so. On the other hand I've tried to get excited this cycle and haven't been able to do it. But even if I had been moved by some candidate, the main principle I would apply in evaluating the field this year would still be the same.

I'm not completely sure of the math but I know that we have gone somewhere over two hundred years in this counrty with a standard American whiteboy in charge of the government. They've come in many shapes and sizes, and varying levels of competence, but you put out a row of their portraits and the sameness would be striking. If we had a history of diversity of leadership I would not discriminate against a white guy, but our history makes it hard for me to go any longer without doing it.

I'm throwing out all of the Republicans, but there's no great loss there. In fact, aside from Ron Paul, all of them run from bad to atrocious. And they seem to be fighting over most atrocious.

But I'm also throwing out Gravel (is he even still in), Kucinich, Dodd, Biden, and Edwards. No knock on any of them because all seem to be generally competent, and at least a couple might have been satisfactory in the past. Good enough for ordinary times, but I really want for this not to be an ordinary election.

As for Hillary, Obama, and Richardson, none of them are a clearly superior candidate in my mind, but all can do the job, and it's just plain time for us to give a new look to the Whitehouse. It would give us a credibility boost around the planet too, because at least no one could look at the outcome and claim that there is no proof that we are going to try something different for a change. It would be great to see someone jump out and sparkle, but at least none of them are duds.