Joe the Plumber? What About Jim and Jane the Veteran?
First it was Main Street. Then it was Joe Six-Pack. And the other night, Joe the Plumber took center stage. After three presidential debates between Senators McCain and Obama, our nation's veterans can't help but be left wondering: What about us?
Beyond the fact that there was no real talk (straight or otherwise) at all about the war in Iraq and Afghanistan, foreign policy or military affairs, Iraq and Afghanistan veterans are facing unbelievable challenges when they come home. More than 300,000 new veterans are suffering from a serious psychological injury, and less than half are receiving the care they need. Tens of thousands of troops have suffered disabling physical injuries, new veterans are also facing high rates of unemployment, and almost two thousand brave men and women who served in Iraq or Afghanistan have already wound up homeless. And all the economic issues hitting the average American are hitting our military folks even harder. Millions are wrestling with the mortgage crisis, rising food costs, and the high price of gas. Now imagine dealing with all that while being deployed to a war zone for 12 months for the third time in five years. This is what our servicemembers are facing.
But not once during the presidential debates did we hear any substance from the candidates about how they plan to support our veterans.
We've been bombarded with talking point after talking point on the economy, healthcare, and energy. Joe the Plumber even had his name repeated more than a dozen times. But Jim and Jane the Veteran have been left behind.
We have nineteen days to go until Election Day, and for our country's newest generation of veterans, there is a lot at stake. Our nation's 25 million veterans need to hear about the critical issues that matter to them. How are we are going to fund the VA on time? Who will be the next VA Secretary? How will we address the shortage of mental health professionals? Until our country's leaders begin this dialogue, veterans across the country will be waiting.
Check out our Top 10 Actions that the next President must take, and remind the candidates that in a time of war, it is a top national responsibility to support the troops who have served.
Follow Paul Rieckhoff on Twitter: www.twitter.com/PaulRieckhoff
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Having watched the "debates" and the endless commentary, I began to wonder if Iraq was still on anyone's radar screen. October surprise? You betcha.
People will spend 7 bucks on a support our troops magent, but not give one dime to a homeless vet on the side of the street. If everyone put there money where their mouth is, Mr. Rieckhoff wouldn't have to spend so much time begging people to REALLY give a damn. So come on guys, let's get off our butts and do something! Let's start with giving a bit of money to the next homeless person you see, he or she just may be a veteran who has worked harder than any of us for our country!
Hey, Paul--what have I said that deserves to be censored here? I agree with nearly every point you make in this article. In fact I don't think your plan goes far enough to rectify the abuse and lack of support our government shows to our troops!
But it seems that your readers--or censors--won't put up my post if I ask the question of whose side our Troops will be on if Bush declares martial law and orders them into the streets. I won't go on. You know the question. You, hopefully, also know the answer. But, even if you won't give it, at least allow me to ask the question here, even though we are now safely past the cycle.
I used to believe in religious tolerance, spiritual tolerance, and nonsense tolerance. Then one day it finally dawned on me that the problem with all of these specific kinds tolerance - is that each generally encourage intolerance in their own ways. We should never tolerate anything less than the most accurate truth that can be repeatedly demonstrated. Palin is one big collections of untruth and unfortunately represents our tolerance of the worst kinds of intolerance.
Hey Veteran196
Hi Mr. Commonsense,
Did John McCain get fleas when he "laid down " with G. Gordon Liddy? Let me remember, Liddy was a plumber also like McCain's make-believe Joe -and he didn't have a license either!
Fox will also NOT report on McCain's absolutely dismal record on Veterans issues (or anything else that shows him in a bad light). But, then neither will anyone else.
Hey, Obama already has done alot with the Gi bill that he helped get passed. McCain was dead against it and when it came up, he didn't even vote. Obama also did a lot of non-legislative work to get the VA hospitals to clean up their act and to change certain policies adversely affecting veterans.
Paul, it looks like Biden's doing a conference call with the Veterans for Obama/Biden group Sunday around 7PM EST. Do you plan to be involved? (I hope so.)
Paul- Perhaps there wasn't anything in the debates about the veterans but beside all the comments Senator Obama as made at rallies - I have watched a few Obama town halls that Senator Obama talked quite a lot about his plans for improving veteran benefits, such as: better access to heath care, electronic records, college, etc.... and for those still enlisted: more time at home between tours of duty, more support for the families, better training and equipment, etc.
It 's hard to fit all the issues, which are many, into the debates. On Senator Obama's website there is a whole section regarding Obama's plan for the Veterans. www.Barack
Actually there WAS something in the first debate-McCains' bold statement:( to paraphrase) "The veterans know that I love them and will always take care of them"-pretty brazen considering his dismal voting record on veterans' issues. This infuriated a lot of vets all over the country-and since McCain hit the ball out into the court with that statement I find it incredible that the MSM has been absolutely silent about this(especially since he continued to play the War Hero card). Even the so-called "fact check" on the major stations after the debate ignored it.
It sucks to be forgotten, and treated like a worn out shoe. We all know it does. Veterans "MUST" be cared for.....he
There's another war out there, a "SECRET" war where people also get hurt. Some injuries are severe. Some die as a result. For some despicable reason, these people whose lives are destroyed.
Thanks for your support powertoolb
We don't see the caskets coming off of the planes, we don't see
families greet their fallen heros. Why? The need to know, according
to the White House. We have our attention diverted from Wall Street
by a "joe 6-pack", and the sparring between the two candidates keeps
our attention away from the possibility of manipulation of voter registration.
Even though 9/11 was very serious, we were told not to worry, just go
shopping. Amazing times we live in!
Our vets need all the help we can give them or 40 years from now they'll still be dropping to one knee every time they hear a car backfire
If Obama gets in office I expect within the first two years of office his first $$$ cutback will be military funding. It seems to be the way the Democrats use more often than not.
Check McCain's record on this.
The Joe the Plumber thing was just a cynical political diversionary tactic employed by McCain to get everybody talking about taxes the next day instead of the financial crisis and everything else the republicans have screwed up. He knew the slap happy media would go running around talking about Joe, looking for Joe, joking about Joe, and debating about Joe. Bringing up veterans won't help McCain at all because he didn't help them. That's how sick his campaign is, end of story.
Precisely why is it cynical or diversionary to get people focused on taxes, when Obama's proposed programs will raise taxes on everyone who is paying them?
Semper fi
Hi Berettasskeeter,
I think you were somewhat blinded by the green smoke! Most of us vets make far less than 250k and most of us make less than 100k. Obama , based on the way taxes are presently paid, assured no increase for 250k and below, reduction for 100 k and below and somewhat more for those at 250k and above.
The programs proposed will cost money and the money has to come from somewhere and the somewhere is the people of the UnitedStates. We pay for everything whether its a bribe to Pakistan, or hushed up money to the clericks(?) in Sader City. If we want better education, better health care, better care for veterans, it has got to come from what we now spend.. Problem over the last 8 years -administration hasn't paid attention to much of anything-see the collapse of the economy, the imbalance of trade, the devalued dollar., the importation of dangerous trade products poisoning adults and children . The mess we are in is much ado about many things-the biggest being that less than 10% of Americans control over 90% of the wealth and their Washington influence is good enough to let them keep it , play poker on wall street with Joe or whomever and the Taxpayer supplying the ante. Score: over 5 trillion National defecit.
Thank you sincerely for your service to our country. You deserve a lot more than you are getting,
One of the worst miscalculations of the fascist "free" marketers was overlooking the lasting enmity of the pawns they've used, to fight their wars of empire. They must have thought that putting a uniform on a person and requiring and oath of fealty would stop that person from thinking about what they were being used for.
Now we see the very first wave of resentment at that (mis)use of American power. Veterans are running for office on the Progressive wing, and are getting active politically in all ways.
And there's more (much more) to come. No amount of manipulation of public sentiment will obscure the Right's record of cynical manipulation and rigging the system. Now they start paying the bill, for their abuse of the American system of governance -- and the trust of the citizens who trust that system to work for the benefit of all, rather than for the fortunes of a few.
Vets are not a politically acceptable topic.
We cannot afford to take care of them so we need to ignore them.
If they are down on their luck they need to pull themselves up and become productive citizens.
If vets need hand outs they should check with food banks and Goodwill!!!
There are plenty of post offices and stuff they can get out of the cold in ... or they can head south.
You people who drank the above cool aide need to grow up... vets can never be repaid in full for their services ... vets make this country what it is... vets fought so that even you can say what you want no matter how pathetic it is.
If McCain takes a hatchet to spending if elected President,
will that not also eliminate all Veterans programs? What about
funding for the "wars"?
Actually McCain appears to have already done that, having voted against every bill to help veterans. And it's a good question to ask how he intends to fund the war(s) AND cut taxes.
It appears that McCain has already been doing that-by voting against every bill designed to help veterans. And you raise a good question-how is he going to fund the war(s) AND cut taxes?
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