Sen. McCain: Which Veterans' Benefits Should We Cut?

While no one would argue that the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are stretching the Department of Veterans Affairs' resources close to the breaking point, Sen. McCain's suggestion yesterday that we ration veterans' health care to "concentrate" on people with wounds that "are a direct result of combat" is dangerously wrongheaded.

The stress of repeated 15-month deployments is taking an unprecedented toll on our soldiers' mental health and thousands of soldiers are coming home with PTSD as a result of living for extended periods in a combat zone under constant threat of enemy fire. Is Senator McCain suggesting that we can't afford to give them benefits?

These wars are the first to be waged in large numbers by a new generation of brave women - but 15 percent of our women soldiers that served on the front lines who walk into a VA facility screen positive for military sexual trauma. Is Senator McCain suggesting that we can't afford to give them benefits?

Senator McCain's campaign did not return calls for comment about his statement, but these are questions he must answer. All veterans respect John McCain's service -- if he too respects ours, he should not be suggesting that we shortchange our soldiers with non-combat injuries who have served with such honor and dignity.

Lt. General Robert G. Gard Jr. (USA, Ret.) is the steering committee chairman of Vets for Obama. Visit their official site or join them on Facebook.

Comments

[Gidster]

Perhaps one of the 894 Midshipmen that graduated ahead of him could run......
No matter how he spins it, his policies and voting records does not paint him in a good light Veterans wise.

[plafayette]

Will somebody explain to me how it is possible for McCain and Obama to be running neck and neck in the polls? 76%-80% think country going in wron direction- fact. 95% of African Americans voting for Obama - fact. Huffpo states 66% of Hispanics voting for Obama- fact. Chuck Todd said roughly 40 something% of Whites voting for Obama -fact.

Will you explain it to me like I was a five year old? Cause this does NOT add up to truth!

I think the GOP- Corp owned media is creating the news, polls, and proposed outcome of this election. Obama could be Jesus himself and the MSM will support the GOP candidate no matter who it is. McCain is the worst political puppet ever. The contrast between the candidates could not be any more clear. Yet they are tied. McCain can barely remember his own talking points, calls wife C-word, 3rd Bush term, Hiding his health problems, Gaffes daily, doesn't support veterans, but lies about it - Obama eloquent, respects women, few gaffes, very statesman like, supports veterans. YET WE HAVE A TIE!

[scooperss]

Of course they are. No one wants to back a loser so if the media keep spinning that obama and mccain are neck and neck for now, in a month they can say mccain is ahead. and garner him more votes.

The same thing happened with the primaries. We were told by the media that ONLY clinton or obama were in a position to win so what did voters do?
They ran right to the polls and voted for one of them instead of the BEST.

[mairs]

Perhaps this 100millionaire would care to donate his $2,000 a month SS payment to the Department of Veteran's Affairs for a start.

[demfriend]

why is it that not one group of veterans has come out with a listing of the bills and things McCain has opposed since his time in the Senate? I would have expected by now with the amount of no votes and his put downs on the things brought up for the vets would be top of the list for the vets to get out to the masses but it seems like the vets are quiet on this. Why? When I can get so angry at the thought of Mccain not supporting the new GI BILL the Hosuing of homeless GI's/Vets and now the healthcare that is so much lacking in the poor system the VA and the Pentagon has now and yet the noise of compliants about these issues and Mccains absence of support of them is deafening. Why are there no groups upset? Sad thing that it's one more thing Mccain is given a pass on by MSM.

[BassMonk]

Apparently, you don't know about VoteVets.org, I'm not sure they have a complete history of McCain's voting record, but they have been taking him to task in the short time since coming into existence. Oh yes, also IVAW (I think - Paul Reickoff's group - he blogs here). Plenty of vets are upset, if you know where to look.

[BillKen]

This represents just one more reason why no Vet in his right mind would vote for this guy.
THIS MAN IS NOT A FRIEND OF VETERANS. Semper Fi

[tompoe]

Lookit, who knows better than McCain which veterans are deserving of care and which are not. There are good veterans, like McCain, and there are not so good veterans like . . . well, like . . . Lookit, McCain understands what it means to be a veteran, and who knows better than McCain which veterans are deserving of being veterans and which are not. There are good veterans, like McCain, and there are not so good veterans like . . . well, like . . . And, besides, the invasion/occupation of Iraq has to be won, and it can't be won, if we don't call it a war. If we don't call it a war, then there's no good way to win an invasion/o­ccupation, and our veterans (the good ones) and the veterans deserving of care (not the ones who aren't deserving of care) won't be veterans, after all. That's just the way it is.

[Gidster]

That was Brilliant! You sounded just like a Republican pundit!

[BobApril]

Perhaps Sen. McCain would prefer to cut benefits for veterans whose injuries or disabilities came from peacetime or garrison service - thus disregarding the fact that they, too, volunteered to serve, and performed necessary duties outside the combat zone. In today's Army, with the combat-zone units receiving first priority (as they should), some garrison units are manned at 50% strength or less, while still required to perform their normal missions. I don't mean to suggest that their sacrifices are truly comparable to those of our combat-wounded veterans...but neither should their sacrifices be ignored.

[mommamia526]

Instead of rationing veterans' healthcare let us do something different for a change. Let us get Universal Healthcare Insurance. Then let us do what the VA already does: No Medical Malpractice Lawsuits and Insurance. Another thought: (temporary) relocation of whole families, not only the patient, plus cost of housing, etc. That is top dollar spent on unnecessary overhead and NOT healthcare. I have this info from a physician who works at the VA. Restructuring Medicare/Medicaid and how much is paid for it will also help, as will physician reimbursement, physician reimbursement fee schedules, and as Medicare premiums are paid out of Social Security checks, inflow of means would help. One already suggested measure is increasing the cutoff income level for paying social security. This is rational as the value of the dollar has declined, and therefore the value of income on which social security tax is levied; it should be adjusted. We need more nurse practioners, who get paid well,but less than a physician, and more local and community access to care. Doctors already have practices in different areas of town to accomodate patients. Nurses do this as well, and as visiting nurses too. Lots of ways to improve the situation and use the dollar to go further.

[Liberal2]

"...Instead of rationing veterans' healthcare let us do something different for a change. Let us get Universal Healthcare Insurance. ..."

Hoo-ray! Precisely...This is also why I opposed the new GI Bill, why force the poor and middle class into joining the Iraqi meatgrinder just to get an education. A high school eduction was once considered elitist (iow, more than the average farmer needed). Now a 4 year degree is a minimum for a decent job. Most modern industrial nations provide university educations to any who qualify, not just to those who can afford one.

[katiec]

This is additional proof that Mccain will continue Bush policies and incompetent,
thoughtless support of our troops.
The man is totally incapable of running our country.