One's Vet's Opinion on McCain

[MBuzzy]

Disclaimer: This is not me, nor does it necessarily represent my opinions or stance on the matters presented. I just ran across this article. I cannot speak for any biases or the qualifications of the writer to make thes opinions. As I said....this is only one man's opinion.

Just curious about what other's opinions are on this matter. Though I generally try to avoid posting stuff like this here...I'm actually interested in what our more right wing members may have to say about it. Not from an opinion point of view...there is plenty of the "party-line" to back it up. I am curious what facts if any there are to refute these claims. Since this is one side of the story, I'm sure that there is more.

Last week's Republican convention sure made every superficial effort to come off as pro-Troop and pro-Veteran. And, of course, the media ate it up, not challenging a single thing. But to those of us who did serve, it was offense after offense after offense.

 

[jkembry]

Disclaimer: This is not me, nor does it necessarily represent my opinions or stance on the matters presented. I just ran across this article. I cannot speak for any biases or the qualifications of the writer to make thes opinions. As I said....this is only one man's opinion.

Just curious about what other's opinions are on this matter. Though I generally try to avoid posting stuff like this here...I'm actually interested in what our more right wing members may have to say about it. Not from an opinion point of view...there is plenty of the "party-line" to back it up. I am curious what facts if any there are to refute these claims. Since this is one side of the story, I'm sure that there is more.

Hmmmm....As a retired Navy Veteran, I really don't take a lot of stock in what web-sites say...what newspapers say...or for that matter what politicians say. I tend to do a bit more digging and research into each candidate whether it be for local Mayor or President and then try to chose in an objective and intelligent manner. The issue I have with some of these websites and other media is that they hear and see what they want to see...or not see and then they publish and are very vocal about it. And, that is okay...but we as a public should be able to make up our own minds and vote they way we feel is best for the Country...not necessarily best for us...but best for the Country.

Come to think of it...I kinda wish these folks running for office would see themselves more as Public Servants doing the best for the Country instead of Leaders with a blind following.

Research....read...investigate and most important VOTE!

 

[MBuzzy]

Hmmmm....As a retired Navy Veteran, I really don't take a lot of stock in what web-sites say...what newspapers say...or for that matter what politicians say. I tend to do a bit more digging and research into each candidate whether it be for local Mayor or President and then try to chose in an objective and intelligent manner. The issue I have with some of these websites and other media is that they hear and see what they want to see...or not see and then they publish and are very vocal about it. And, that is okay...but we as a public should be able to make up our own minds and vote they way we feel is best for the Country...not necessarily best for us...but best for the Country.

Come to think of it...I kinda wish these folks running for office would see themselves more as Public Servants doing the best for the Country instead of Leaders with a blind following.

Research....read...investigate and most important VOTE!

I fully agree. I'm active duty and take a great deal of care in what I believe. Particularly from the internet. Which is why I titled this "One Vet's Opinion," because it is nothing more.

I really hope that it doesn't start a fight...I'm just curious what the other Vets on the site and civilians have to say about this guy's opinions. Because while I can't and don't really talk about my political opinions in any public forum...I'll be voting as both a citizen and a member of the military.

 

[Steve]

As a vet with three brothers, a mom and a dad who are all also vets, we're collectively outraged at the Bush administration's lack of care for our vets. It's infuriating. I haven't looked into McCain's views on this subject, but I know that what the GOP has done so far is outrageous.

Interesting article.

 

[Ninjamom]

Well, I guess when in comes to 'more right wing MT members' who are also vets, I probably fit the bill as well as anyone

I saw the poster's problems as more with 'Washington in general' than with McCain in particular. His first complaint was against inadequate treatment and the deliberate misdiagnosis of vet's illnesses. As I recall, we had a discussion on MT a while back about this exact issue, and found that two different sources were using the exact same medical report to support two opposite conclusions. The upshot was that vets were NOT being misdiagnosed with a lesser problem. Inadequate treatment for vets has been an issue since there was war (and I am sure Mr. McCain has experienced this personally, more than most). More can always be done; I feel more isn't done largely because Veteran's health care is the closest thing to socialized medicine in this country (but then, I am a right-wing military vet).

His next complaint was that Mr. McCain didn't vote to close a tax loophole that would have allowed Walter Reed Med Center to stay open (?). Perhaps I am genuinely missing the guy's point, but it sounds like he is saying that Walter Reed was closed for lack of money, therefore anyone who didin't vote for raising more taxes must be against Walter Reed. I think most folks understand that, in a multi-trillion dollar economy, specific tax cuts/increases are not tied so neatly to specific spending cuts.

Whether the McCain campaign (which probably means, "a specific ad somewhere") used stock footage of actors for a background shot or not, I have no idea. Whether John McCain personally cares at all whether Wesley Clark or Fred Thompson think POW experience does/doesn't qualify one for leadership, I don't know (but if I had to guess, I would suspect he would agree that POW status alone does not a leader make). Neither of these issues reflect on McClain or his proposed policies.

The idea that Palin 'broke OPSEC' by saying her son was shipping out is more than a little over-the-top, too. Neither Palin nor her son probably even know the exact date he'll land in Iraq. All the Pallin's know is that, on a certain date, the son leaves home, and will be headed for Iraq. That's what I got from her comments, as that is the same way I would describe any of my family members who have 'headed for the sand.'

As far as the surge - it worked. Get over it. Whether you were for it or against it, the bottom line is it worked. How can anyone say that a 'reduction in violence' is NOT a substantial measure of success?

Everyone is entitled to their opinion; that's one thing I love about this country. One thing I don't want to see, though, is a continuation of the disastrous change in the political landscape I've seen over the last 16 years. When William J. Clinton was president, I was absolutely astounded at the contempt and disgust, bordering an rabid hatred, that I saw many conservatives had for the man. It had never been matched in my lifetime ....until George W. Bush became president and I saw the rabid, venomous hatred and total contempt that liberals had for him. Sixteen years of contempt and disrespect have poisoned almost all political discourse and any chance we had for working for common causes across party lines. I fear this one vet is angry, and has fallen prey to this type of irrational contempt focussed on one man, rather than the issues.

Can't we have enough respect for one another to assume, unless proven otherwise, that we each genuinely want what is best for our country, but just see different roads to get there? I don't think all ideas are equal, or that they all will work, but let's lay aside the bitterness and irrational fear of others' motives. If I could ask (I would dare say beg) for any one thing in this election, it would be that we all agree that one individual is not the problem, and that whoever wins in November, we will strive to work together for what is best for our one nation.

(See? Not too bad for a right-wing vet, eh?)

 

[celtic_crippler]

From one vet to another one thing you may want to keep in mind come November is the fact that McCain voted against the Veteran's Bill of Rights.

Just because he is one, doesn't mean he feels the same way as you or I. I supported the bill and liked it....he did not.

Just throwing that out there as food for thought.

 

[IcemanSK]

I'm not a vet, but I used to be the director of a veteran's employment assistance program. I've run across a lot of vet's who really felt that the VA wasn't caring for them much. They felt like they served, & came back from Iraq or Afghanistan & then.....not much help from Uncle Sam. I hope that changes soon!

 

[hardheadjarhead]

Everybody is trotting out the vets...Democrats, Republicans...and in all the different races. Just today I saw a congressional candidate's commercial where he had five WWII veterans (replete with their VFW/Legionairre fore and aft caps) touting how great he was. Obama had a number of generals come out on stage in support of him. McCain is hitting the vet angle big time. One could expect no less from either one of them.

McCain, however, has indeed opposed veterans education benefits:

http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2008/05/22/gi_bill/

Bush and McCain both felt that it would cause a loss of troops who would up and out after their initial three year hitch. The Government Accounting Office said that it would indeed cost a sixteen percent drop in troop strength, but would also boost recruitment to offset that:

http://www.time.com/time/printout/0,8816,1808161,00.html

Co-authors of the bill Jim Webb (D) and Chuck Hagel(R) are both Vietnam veterans.

Of the two candidates, Obama (among others) serves on the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs. McCain (among others) serves on the Senate Armed Forces Committee. McCain's committee doesn't deal with veteran's issues in any way that I can find.

Regards,


Steve

 

[Makalakumu]

I'm not a vet, but I used to be the director of a veteran's employment assistance program. I've run across a lot of vet's who really felt that the VA wasn't caring for them much. They felt like they served, & came back from Iraq or Afghanistan & then.....not much help from Uncle Sam. I hope that changes soon!

My grandfather dodged bullets in Normandy and was in charge of the maintanance services at VA hospital. When I was 15, I told him I wanted to join the army and he loaded me up in his big blue truck and we tore off down the country road to his work. He introduced me to a few of his buddies who came home (not in one peice) and they told me how their country cares for its vets. I didn't join.

It's not a democratic or republican thing. They BOTH have given vets the shaft. I'm sure we can argue and make some kind of tally sheet as to who has done more wrong, but I would argue that even one check mark on either side is one too many.

The lesser of two evils is still evil.