Here's how the Bush Administration will be thanking vets who return from Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere (as well as those who already did their service). Just passing this along, admittedly without spending the whole weekend fact-checking (hey, aren't we "over" checking facts anyway? froth away, Wapologists).
"MASSIVE CUTS TO MILITARY FAMILY HOUSING: Bush's 2004 budget proposes $1.5 billion in cuts to military family housing. Last year, the government spent $10.7 billion on these priorities, while this year the 2004 Bush budget and GOP bill proposes just under $9.2 billion. This cut affects military housing, barracks, child care centers, schools, hangars and office buildings. House Democrats offered an amendment to reduce the proposed tax cuts to millionaires by $5,000 (they would get $83,000 instead of $88,000) in order to restore $1 billion of these cuts. House Republicans voted it down. [Source]
MASSIVE CUTS TO SCHOOLS FOR MILITARY KIDS: President Bush's 2004 budget proposes to cut $200 million out of Impact Aid - the program that funds schools near military bases. Total funds for the military portion of the program would drop from about $635 million in the current year to about $435 million next year-a cut of more than 30 percent. [Source]
REDUCING PAY TO SOLDIERS IN HARMS WAY: According to the Army Times, "the administration announced that on Oct. 1 it wants to roll back recent modest increases in monthly imminent-danger pay (from $225 to $150) and family-separation allowance (from $250 to $100) for troops getting shot at in combat zones."
IGNORING TAX RELIEF FOR SOLDIERS: According to the Washington Post, "Bush's signature on the latest tax cut, which failed to extend a child tax credit to nearly 200,000 low-income military personnel." [Source]
RAISING PRESCRIPTION DRUG PRICES FOR VETERANS: The House GOP this week passed a White House proposal to charging some veterans enrollment fees of $250 a year and double the amount they now pay for prescription drugs. [Source]
OPPOSING LEGISLATION TO MAKE SURE RESERVISTS HAVE HEALTH CARE: "Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld sent a letter to House and Senate leaders stating the Bush Administration's opposition to the TRICARE legislation" sponsored by Senator Tom Daschle that would prevent thousands of National Guard reservists from potentially being cut off health insurance 30 days after they are deactivated. The legislation is strongly supported by the National Guard Association, Adjutants General Association, Enlisted Association of the National Guard [Source, Source]
UNDERFUNDING VETERANS MEDICAL CARE: According to a letter sent to the President by the major veterans groups, Bush's 2003 budget "falls $1.5 billion short" of adequately funding veterans care. [Independent Budget, 1/7/02].
CUTTING VETERANS OFF MEDICAL CARE: According to the VA Center in Palo Alto, CA, "On January 17, 2003, Secretary Principi announced VA was suspending enrollment for new Priority Group 8 veterans...VA has been unable to provide all enrolled veterans with timely access to health care services because of the tremendous growth in the number of veterans seeking VA health care...It is estimated this decision will affect approximately 164,000 veterans nationally for the remainder of this fiscal year." [Source]"
[Sources available via this link.]
| Military | Budget | Veterans |
And people actually think Marx had nothing to teach us about the exploitation of the working classes by capital?
Comment #1 :: link :: July 28, 2003 09:00 AM
