The Death of Cynicism
The Death of Cynicism
For years, the Bush administration resisted efforts to increase the “death benefit” paid to the families of U.S. troops killed in duty. Then, just a few days before the White House released its full FY06 budget (a surefire political bomb), the administration reversed course. The White House suddenly proposed “a dramatic increase to $100,000 in government payments to families of U.S. troops killed in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars,” which would be “part of the 2006 budget proposal submitted to Congress.” At the time, ThinkProgress likened the attention-grabbing move to jumping in front of a crowd and calling it a parade.
Apparently — though it hardly seems possible — we weren’t being cynical enough.
Turns out the Defense Department never included the “death benefit” boost in its ‘06 budget. Now, says Military.com, the Army is being forced to go to Congress itself, “asking for an extra $348 million to keep the administration’s word.” As DefenseTech’s Noah Shachtman explains…
…maybe the death benefit lack this year was just a simple oversight on the Pentagon’s part. Maybe the Defense Department’s PR machine spun a little faster than its financial wheels could turn. But given the cynical games the Pentagon has been playing with soldiers’ paychecks — holding them hostage, essentially, as a back-door way to inflate military spending — I’m inclined to believe the worst.
Sounds like our troops need to have another chat with Sec. Rumsfeld.
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I think you guys are too cynical. They are trying to do something nice for the families and they’ll probably get something done.
March 4th, 2005 at 2:31 pmthis reminds me of a question I have: what is the death benefit for private contracters who are killed in Iraq? I.e. what are we paying indirectly – presumably with a percentage added for Halliburton – for those guys who are paid 4 times what our soldiers get?
March 4th, 2005 at 2:32 pmDoes anyone else remember how we all applauded when Dubya, in his state of the union speech said he was going to give $15 billion for AIDS relief in Africa? He got all of our applause, but never did actually provide the promised money. This slight of hand trick on our military is just an encore.
March 4th, 2005 at 4:43 pmThis may be the yang of Bush/s standard yin where the day before a community-based program/s funding is cut to the bone, George Jr. has a photo op with one of its success stories.
In this case, the yang is proposing a ‘family friendly’ entitlement and then not asking Congress to fund it.
This great land is becoming DubyAmerica and I don/t like it one bit.
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