‘Tenther’ Activists Add The Federal Highway System To List Of Programs To Kill
‘Tenther’ Activists Add The Federal Highway System To List Of Programs To Kill
In a recent radio interview, Rep. Carol Shea-Porter (D-NH) made the seemingly-innocuous statement that the federal highway system, as well as federal laws ensuring safe drugs and safe airplanes, are constitutional. Nevertheless, Shea-Porter is now under attack by “tenther” activists who believe that virtually everything the federal government does is unconstitutional:
Author and historian David Barton, the president of WallBbuilders, [sic] says Shea-Porter’s comments reflect her view that Washington government should run everything. He notes that both the Ninth and Tenth Amendments say anything that is not explicitly covered in the Constitution belongs to the states and to the people.
“All of those issues belong to the states and the people. Healthcare is not a federal issue. It is a state and people issue — the same with transportation. The Constitution does say that the federal government can take care of what are called the post roads — those on which the mail travels — but outside of that, states are responsible for their own highways, their own roads, their own county, local, state roads,” he notes. “And her comment about, ‘Well, the Constitution doesn’t cover drug use and drug abuse’ — yes it does, and that is under the criminal justice issues that belong to the states.”
As ThinkProgress previously reported, conservatives are increasingly enraptured with tentherism, which claims that landmark federal programs such as Medicare, Social Security, the VA health system and the G.I. Bill are violations of the 10th Amendment — and many leading conservative officials are determined to impose the tentherism on the country. Rep. Michelle Bachmann (R-MN) is a tenther, as are Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) and Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC). Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas embraces tenther claims that the federal minimum wage and the federal ban on whites-only lunch counters, among other things, are unconstitutional.
Indeed, even federal highways opponent Barton is no small figure in conservative politics; Barton is one of six “experts” tasked with rewriting Texas’ public school textbooks to teach a right-wing alternative history to Texan children. Apparently, Barton and his fellow tenthers also want to rewrite the Constitution.
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Old GI Bill still being pitched to new recruits.
Old GI Bill still being pitched to new recruits.
The Associated Press reports that new U.S. military recruits “are being advised to continue signing up for the old GI Bill while details are being worked out about what types of education are covered” under the new 21st Century GI Bill. However, the old Montgomery GI Bill comes at a cost — a $1,200 contribution that can be paid in $100 monthly installments within the first year of service. The new GI Bill — originally sponsored by Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA) — is free.
Bush Claims He Worked ‘Closely’ With Vets Organizations On GI Bill; VFW Said It ‘Didn’t Have Much Input’
Bush Claims He Worked ‘Closely’ With Vets Organizations On GI Bill; VFW Said It ‘Didn’t Have Much Input’
Earlier today, President Bush delivered his final speech as president to the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) and once again — like Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) two days prior — tried to portray himself as a champion of the 21st century GI Bill. Bush said that his administration worked “closely and effectively” with the VFW. As an example, he cited the legislation:
BUSH: When the history of the last eight years is finally written, it will show how closely and effectively my administration and the VFW have worked together on behalf of America’s veterans. [...] Earlier this year, I was pleased to sign a piece of legislation that the VFW has long championed, a GI Bill for the 21st century.
Watch it:
Not only is Bush misleading the VFW about his support for the bill, but the VFW actually opposed a competing measure that Bush supported.
The Pentagon and the White House consistently resisted Sen. Jim Webb’s (D-VA) strong bipartisan effort to pass the bill. They warned of the “harm” Webb’s bill would do to the military and objected to its generous education benefits to returning veterans.
Moreover, the Bush administration wasn’t working very close with the VFW on the bill as Bush suggested. The VFW endorsed Webb’s proposal in June 2007, and continued to press for the bill this year, rejecting the White House’s concerns. In fact, the VFW said they “didn’t have much input” on the competing proposal Bush (and McCain) supported and called it “very partisan.”
While the VFW honored Webb — the real champion of the GI Bill — with a gold medal and citation of merit for his leadership on the issue, Bush can probably trust Fox News to take his bait.
Fox’s Campaign Carl Lies, Gives McCain Credit For Fictitious GI Bill Provision
Fox’s Campaign Carl Lies, Gives McCain Credit For Fictitious GI Bill Provision
Yesterday, while speaking to the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) attempted to steal credit for the GI Bill that he actively opposed. Fox News’s Carl Cameron gave McCain’s efforts a major boost last night, declaring that McCain successfully changed the GI Bill — to create “a more proportionate award” of benefits — and thus was able to support it:
CAMERON: John McCain initially took some opposition to it [the GI Bill], because in McCain’s view, it didn’t proportionately give GI benefits to servicemen and women, depending on how long they were actually in active duty and service. He thought it should be a more proportionate award. He fought for it, it was inserted into the legislation, and in the end, McCain supported it.
Watch it:
The GI Bill as approved in no way resembles McCain’s so-called proportional proposal. The GI Bill provides 100 percent tuition payments to those who have served 36 months in active duty, and gives 80 percent to those who have served 24 months. By contrast, under McCain’s proposal, a soldier would have had to serve four times as long — 12 years in active duty – to be eligible for the most generous benefits.
McCain has offered a handful of excuses why he did not support the GI Bill, claiming it was too expensive, too generous, or might somehow hamper retention rates. The fact is that McCain was always “full of it” on the bill, and now — with the help of Fox News — he’s simply trying to rewrite history. (HT: Newshounds)
McCain Steals Credit For GI Bill By Heralding His Own Proposal That VFW Called ‘Very Partisan’
McCain Steals Credit For GI Bill By Heralding His Own Proposal That VFW Called ‘Very Partisan’
Speaking to the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) today, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) once again tried to steal credit for the 21st Century G.I. Bill, which McCain had vigorously opposed, even submitting his own proposal to undermine the chances of success for the main bill. Today, McCain told the audience of veterans that he “sought a better bill” and declared the final passage of the GI bill “the result” of his efforts:
As a political proposition, it would have much easier for me to have just signed on to what I considered flawed legislation. But the people of Arizona, and of all America, expect more from their representatives than that, and instead I sought a better bill. I’m proud to say that the result is a law that better serves our military, better serves military families, and better serves the interests of our country.
It is audacious for McCain to go before the VFW and claim credit for a bill he nearly destroyed, considering the VFW was one of the bill’s strongest backers. It first endorsed the proposal in June 2007, and continued to press for the bill this year, rejecting McCain’s supposed concerns about military retention and stridently criticizing his alternative proposal:
VFW’s deputy director for legislative affairs Eric Hilleman: The Graham-Burr-McCain plan is “very partisan and is seen as a way to convolute the GI bill, or to slow the Webb-Hagel proposal down.”
VFW National Commander George Lisicki: “People are leaving after their first enlistment because they are tired of being shot at, and their families are tired of the frequent deployments…Whether they stay in four years or 20, we owe this newest, greatest generation the gift of education.”
In fact, tomorrow the VFW will award Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA), the original sponsor of the GI Bill, a gold medal and citation of merit for his leadership on the measure. Lisicki praised Webb as the “champion” veterans needed:
The VFW had been pushing for a new GI Bill for 10 years. We had called, written, testified, and met with every (congressional) member and staffer. We were greeted with sympathetic ears, but what we needed was a champion in the corner of America’s newest ‘Greatest Generation.’ We needed someone who could reason and negotiate across party lines like a gentleman, yet push through obstacles with bulldog tenacity. That someone was Jim Webb.
McCain also promoted his radical veterans health plan, which the VFW actively opposes.
UPDATE: Watch McCain’s comments here:
GOP Rep. Claims He ‘Was Proud To Support’ GI Bill That He Voted Against
GOP Rep. Claims He ‘Was Proud To Support’ GI Bill That He Voted Against
Last week, President Bush signed into law a new GI Bill that doubled educational benefits for veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. Though Bush had steadfastly opposed the bill, he attempted to steal credit for its passage, and praised Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) for helping, despite McCain’s own vocal and ardent opposition to the bill.
Rep. Mike Turner (R-OH) was one of the many conservatives who followed Bush and McCain’s lead. On May 15, Turner joined the majority of House conservatives and voted against the GI Bill.
But now that Bush and McCain have reversed themselves, Turner has followed suit, writing an op-ed in his hometown paper today praising the bill and claiming — three times — that he was “proud to support” it:
It is our responsibility to provide [veterans] with more than just recognition for their service: we must also make certain that they have the skills they need to accomplish their next mission once they return to civilian life. That is why I was proud to support recently passed legislation that expanded the Montgomery GI bill to provide more funding for veterans to receive a college education. [...]
With the huge impact the GI bill has had on America and the debt that we all owe our nation’s veterans in mind, I was proud to support recent legislation that dramatically expanded the scope and scale of the educational benefits available to our veterans. [...]
I am proud to have supported legislation that will directly provide this benefit for military families and look forward to further working on their behalf in the future.
Turner has a history of being on the wrong side of veterans’ issues, receiving a dismal grade of C from the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans Association in 2006, and has “abysmal 29% and 34% lifetime scores from the Disabled American Veterans and Retired Enlisted Association, respectively.” Like other conservatives, Turner is trying to erase his opposition to the popular measure — and just like Bush, it’s clear Turner “blew it” on the GI Bill.
Webb: Bush ‘Made A Real Bad Mistake’ On GI Bill, ‘I Think He Blew It’
Webb: Bush ‘Made A Real Bad Mistake’ On GI Bill, ‘I Think He Blew It’
Yesterday, President Bush signed legislation that included Sen. Jim Webb’s (D-VA) 21st Century GI Bill. In his signing speech, Bush praised himself and Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) for “work[ing] hard” to pass the legislation:
The bill is a result of close collaboration between my administration and members of both parties on Capitol Hill. … I want to thank members who worked hard for the GI Bill expansion, especially Senators Webb and Warner, Graham, Burr, McCain.
In reality, Bush and McCain “worked hard” to block the GI Bill. As Webb countered yesterday on MSNBC’s Countdown, “Neither of them really did get on board.”
“I think it’s safe to say there was a good deal of cooperation between Republicans and Democrats. It just didn’t include the administration,” Webb said with a chuckle. He added that Bush “blew it”:
I think George W. Bush made a real bad mistake in terms of our trying to show full respect for military service. I think he blew it.
Watch it:
Webb also noted that in his speech yesterday, Bush did not thank Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-NE), who had a central role in the bill’s passage.
GI Bill Opponent President Bush Lauds GI Bill Opponent John McCain For The GI Bill Expansion
GI Bill Opponent President Bush Lauds GI Bill Opponent John McCain For The GI Bill Expansion
This morning, President Bush signed a war supplemental spending bill which included a doubling of GI Bill college benefits for troops and veterans. The Bush administration had resisted Sen. Jim Webb’s (D-VA) strong bipartisan effort to pass the bill, going so far as to warn of “harm” that might come from giving expanded educational benefits to soldiers who served “only” 2 years.
But today, Bush was all too happy to pat himself on the back for the GI Bill, and to laud the work of senators who tried to stand in the way of the bill’s passage:
The bill is a result of close collaboration between my administration and members of both parties on Capitol Hill. … I want to thank members who worked hard for the GI Bill expansion, especially Senators Webb and Warner, Graham, Burr, McCain. This bill shows that even in an election year, Democrats and Republicans can come together to stand behind our troops.
Watch it:
McCain — along with Bush — was one of the most vocal opponents of Webb’s bill. He claimed it was too generous, would lead to a drop in military retention, and would “hurt the military.”
Sen. Lindsey Graham — a key McCain surrogate — urged his conservative colleagues to vote against Webb’s bill, claiming “we will get rewarded in the next election” for doing so. McCain, Burr, and Graham offered an alternative bill that was “seen as a way to convolute the GI bill.”
But once the House struck a deal pushing forward Webb’s legislation, McCain disingenuously tried to take credit for it. In fact, McCain didn’t even show up last week to vote on the GI bill legislation, which passed 92-6. The only other senator not present for the vote was Ted Kennedy (D-MA), who is battling a brain tumor.
After Trying To Steal Credit For Webb’s GI Bill, McCain Skips The Vote And Instead Chows Down On Chili In Ohio
After Trying To Steal Credit For Webb’s GI Bill, McCain Skips The Vote And Instead Chows Down On Chili In Ohio
Earlier this month, House leaders struck a deal to push forward with Sen. Jim Webb’s (D-VA) GI Bill, which expanded generous educational benefits for veterans. The House deal also included a provision allowing troops to transfer the benefits to family members.
Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) was one of the most vocal opponents of Webb’s bill, claiming it was too generous and would lead to a drop in military retention. Yet when the House deal was announced, McCain tried to take credit for it:
With the addition of the transferability provisions sought by Senators Graham, Burr, myself and others to give service members the right to transfer earned G.I. Bill benefits to spouses and children, we will have achieved in offering vastly improved educational benefit.
As if trying to steal credit for Webb’s GI Bill wasn’t bad enough, McCain yesterday skipped the Senate vote on the legislation, which passed 92-6. The only other senator not present for the vote was Ted Kennedy (D-MA), who is battling a brain tumor.
What was McCain doing instead yesterday? In addition to holding a town hall meeting at Xavier University in Cincinnati, he also took some time to chow down at Skyline Chili:
McCain has not voted in the Senate since April 8 and has missed 367 votes (61.4 percent) during the current Congress.
Bush And McCain Try To Steal Credit For Webb’s GI Bill That They Consistently Worked To Defeat
Bush And McCain Try To Steal Credit For Webb’s GI Bill That They Consistently Worked To Defeat
Yesterday, House leaders in both parties struck a deal on a war supplemental bill that includes expanded college benefits for veterans. The GI Bill is Sen. Jim Webb’s (D-VA) version, as well as a provision allowing troops to transfer the benefits to family members. President Bush has promised to sign the legislation.
Now, however, Bush and Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) — the two most vocal opponents of Webb’s bill — are trying to take credit for it. They are claiming that they always supported the generous benefits — their main concern was just ensuring the benefits’ transferability:
McCain: That has always been my primary concern with respect to the Webb bill. … With the addition of the transferability provisions sought by Senators Graham, Burr, myself and others to give service members the right to transfer earned G.I. Bill benefits to spouses and children, we will have achieved in offering vastly improved educational benefit.
Bush: Throughout the past five months, President Bush and members of his Administration have worked hard to ensure that an expansion of GI benefits includes transferability. … The President is pleased that Congress answered his call.
Webb said that he had been considering changing his bill to include a transferability option. But instead of working with him, McCain and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) went ahead and introduced an opposing bill. While it did have transferability, it also had less generous educational benefits.
This was never the real reason Bush and McCain opposed the legislation. Their constant complaint was that Webb’s version was too generous and would lead to a drop in military retention:
McCain: “I want to make sure that we have incentives for people to remain in the military as well as for people to join the military.”
Bush administration: “The last thing we want to do is provide a benefit — or the last thing we want to do is create a situation in which we are losing our men and women who we have worked so hard to train.”
As the CBO concluded, these claims about retention were inaccurate. The Pentagon also argued that it was too generous to confer benefits on troops after “only” two years of service, and legislation offered by McCain and his Senate allies would have reserved the most generous benefits for those who have served at least 12 years, excluding most servicemembers.
Military Officers Association of America endorses Webb’s GI Bill.
Military Officers Association of America endorses Webb’s GI Bill.
The Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) has announced that it “strongly supports” Sen. Jim Webb’s (D-VA) 21st Century GI Bill. MOAA said they “understand the concerns of those who would prefer to see enhanced GI Bill benefits tied to extended military service” but “the GI Bill has always been a veterans’ benefit, not a military retention benefit“:
MOAA is, indeed, concerned about the serious potential for a retention downturn among today’s forces, but believes strongly that any such downturn will be due to too-frequent extended combat tours and family separations that have been imposed on a too-small force.
Medal Of Honor Recipient’s Father: Bush Must Sign The GI Bill If He Wants To Show Appreciation For Troops
Medal Of Honor Recipient’s Father: Bush Must Sign The GI Bill If He Wants To Show Appreciation For Troops
Last week, President Bush presented Tom and Romayne McGinnis with a posthumous Medal of Honor for their son, Private First Class Ross Andrew McGinnis. Ross was killed in Iraq in December 2004 when he threw his body in front of a grenade to protect four of his fellow soldiers, saving their lives. Bush praised Ross’s heroism, and pledged to “never forget” the soldiers “who came forward to bear the battle” for “freedom and security” in Iraq:
The day will come when the mission he served has been completed and the fighting is over, and freedom and security have prevailed. America will never forget those who came forward to bear the battle. America will always honor the name of this brave soldier who gave all for his country, and was taken to rest at age 19.
Ross’s father, Tom McGinnis, is holding Bush to his word. The next day, McGinnis called on Bush to sign the 21st Century GI bill, while speaking at the Pentagon’s Hall of Heroes induction:
Our troops when they get home also need our support. … They need to be able to continue their education where they left off. And so I say thank you to the Senate and House who have helped to pass the new GI bill. Now this GI bill only needs the signature of the President of the United States to become law. And I think it’s time that George Bush can sign this bill and make it law to show his appreciation for the support these loyal youth have given him.
Watch it:
McGinnis told the Army Times that he felt he had to seize the opportunity to speak out about the bill while in Washington: “If I didn’t do it when I was down there at the Pentagon or the White House, one of the two, when will I ever have the chance to make an impact?”
Both Bush and the Pentagon oppose Webb’s GI bill. A Pentagon spokesman said it was inappropriate to award educational benefits “after only” two years of service. Opponents of the bill misleadingly cite a Congressional Budget Office report to claim that the bill would harm retention rates, ignoring the report’s finding that the bill would encourage 30,000 new recruits every year.
In threatening to veto the bill, Bush is ignoring the substantial majority of both houses of Congress, along with an overwhelming majority of American citizens. Will Bush also ignore the father of one of America’s greatest heroes?
Transcript: More »
Veterans Groups ‘Didn’t Have That Much Input’ On ‘Very Partisan’ Graham-McCain GI Bill
Veterans Groups ‘Didn’t Have That Much Input’ On ‘Very Partisan’ Graham-McCain GI Bill
Last month, the Senate passed Sen. Jim Webb’s (D-VA) 21st Century GI Bill on a veto-proof 75-22 vote. Steve Robertson, the American Legion’s legislative affairs director, said Webb’s bill “was clearly a cooperative operation, bipartisan and with involvement with the veterans service organizations,” adding, “That’s why I think everyone’s pretty much in sync with it … it was a group effort.”
Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) not only skipped the vote on Webb’s bill, but he and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) also failed to include veterans’ concerns while drafting their competing measure. Veterans groups said they were not consulted for the Graham-McCain version of the GI Bill, calling their measure “very partisan“:
“We didn’t have that much input into [the Republican version] – there was no dialogue to my knowledge other than ‘this is it,’” Mr. Robertson said. [...]
The Graham-Burr-McCain plan is “very partisan and is seen as a way to convolute the GI bill, or to slow the Webb-Hagel proposal down,” [VFW's deputy director for legislative affairs Eric] Hilleman said.
This isn’t the first time McCain has ignored veterans concerns. While he has claimed that he has “received the highest award from literally every veterans organization in America,” it seems he has some trouble with the literal meaning of “literally”:
– Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America gave McCain a grade of D for his record of voting against veterans. (By contrast, Obama got a B+.)
– Disabled Veterans of America noted McCain’s dismal 20 percent voting record on veterans’ issues. (Obama had an 80 percent.)
– In a list of “Key Votes,” Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) notes McCain “Voted Against Us” 15 times and “Voted For Us” only 8. (Obama voted for VVA 12 times, and against only once.)
Last month, McCain said, “I take a back seat to no one in my affection, respect and devotion to veterans,” except when in comes to rewarding them for their sacrifices.
21st Century GI Bill would encourage 30,000 new recruits annually.
21st Century GI Bill would encourage 30,000 new recruits annually.
A common conservative talking point against Sen. Jim Webb’s (D-VA) 21st Century GI Bill is that it would reduce reenlistment rates by 16 percent, citing a recent CBO report. But the report also states that there will be a 16 percent increase in recruits. Slate explores the numbers and finds that the military would in fact see several times as many new recruits as drop-outs:
The problem is, the “16 percents” aren’t necessarily equal. You need to know the underlying numbers of recruits and re-enlistments. … The CBO estimate concluded that the 16 percent increase in recruitment would add an additional 30,000 recruits annually, while a 16 percent decline in re-enlistment would result in 7,000 fewer re-enlistments annually. In other words, new recruits would greatly outnumber soldiers who decline to re-enlist.
Conservatives Spend Memorial Day Weekend Explaining Their Opposition To GI Bill
Conservatives Spend Memorial Day Weekend Explaining Their Opposition To GI Bill
In an editorial this morning, the New York Times chides President Bush for his resistance to the GI Bill, which he has pledged to veto:
Having saddled the military with a botched, unwinnable war, having squandered soldiers’ lives and failed them in so many ways, the commander in chief now resists giving the troops a chance at better futures out of uniform. [...]
So lavish with other people’s sacrifices, so reckless in pouring the national treasure into the sandy pit of Iraq, Mr. Bush remains as cheap as ever when it comes to helping people at home.
White House Press Secretary Dana Perino quickly unleashed an attack on the editorial, claiming the editorial board “doesn’t let the facts get in the way of expressing its vitriolic opinions — no matter how misleading they may be.” Yet, Perino offered no facts of her own to substantiate her anger.
Two of the White House’s key Senate allies — Ted Stevens and John McCain — have been disingenuously spewing misinformation about the GI Bill this weekend. Stevens warned of a “mass exodus” from the military if the 21st Century GI Bill goes into law. Similarly, McCain said today that the Webb GI Bill “would hurt the military and our country very badly.”
As ThinkProgress has previously noted, these fear-mongering claims about the GI Bill have little basis in reality. A recent CBO report showed that any loss in reenlistment rates is entirely made up for by increased military recruits.
The NYT editorial correctly notes, “[A]s a long-term investment in human capital, in education and job training, there is no good argument against an expanded, generous G.I. Bill.” But that won’t stop far-right conservatives from offering bad excuses, even on Memorial Day.
McCain: ‘I Received The Highest Award From Literally Every Veterans Organization In America’
McCain: ‘I Received The Highest Award From Literally Every Veterans Organization In America’
Yesterday, the Senate voted 75-22 to pass Sen. Jim Webb’s (D-VA) 21st Century GI Bill, in a rebuke to President Bush, who opposes the measure. Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) skipped the vote to hold a swanky fundraiser in California — one of only three senators to miss the vote (Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA) was gone for health reasons, and Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) had to attend a funeral).
After Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) criticized McCain’s opposition to the bill yesterday, McCain went on the attack, first in a lengthy and vitriolic press release and then in a press conference, during which he insisted that he had the support of “literally every veterans organization” in the country:
I believe that I have earned the right to speak out on veterans’ issues. As a matter of fact I received the highest award from literally every veteran’s organization in America. I don’t know if the American people will judge Senator Obama as to whether he has military experience or not, but they may judge him as to whether he has experience and knowledge to make the judgment necessary to care for the veterans.
Watch it:
In fact, his stance against the GI bill not only places him squarely in the minority of the Senate, but puts him in opposition to the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, the American Legion, and the national commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
The recognition McCain has received from veterans groups is not “high awards” but failing grades:
— Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America gave McCain a grade of D for his record of voting against veterans. (By contrast, Obama got a B+.)
– Disabled Veterans of America noted McCain’s dismal 20 percent voting record on veterans’ issues. (Obama had an 80 percent.)
– In a list of “Key Votes,” Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) notes McCain “Voted Against Us” 15 times and “Voted For Us” only 8. (Obama voted for VVA 12 times, and against only once.)
McCain frequently cites his own experience as a POW in Vietnam as the ultimate evidence of his dedication to his fellow veterans. Unfortunately, his record belies his rhetoric.
Graham: If Republicans Vote Against The 21st Century GI Bill, ‘We Will Get Rewarded In The Next Election’
Graham: If Republicans Vote Against The 21st Century GI Bill, ‘We Will Get Rewarded In The Next Election’
Just over an hour ago, the Senate voted overwhelmingly — a veto-proof 75-22 — to approve Sen. Jim Webb’s (D-VA) 21st Century GI Bill, which would expand educational benefits for veterans who joined the service after Sept. 11, 2001.
Before the vote, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), who introduced his own watered-down, paltry version of the GI bill, exhorted President Bush to veto the measure, as he has indicated he will. Graham also insisted that his Republican colleagues would “get rewarded in the next election” if they vote against GI benefits:
This is a defining moment for the Senate, for the Republicans, and this war. I can tell you if we leave the generals alone and support our troops, they will win this war. And to my Republican colleagues, if we’ll stand firm for a fair procedure and a sensible solution to the veterans’ problems, we will get rewarded in the next election, not punished. If we give into this, we don’t deserve to be here.
Watch it:
It’s an odd proposition. A recent poll documented Americans’ overwhelming support for dramatically increased educational benefits of the kind Webb’s bill provides:
- 81 percent of Americans say that veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan are not getting enough support in transitioning back to civilian life.
- 91 percent of Americans support providing these veterans with a funded college education for their service.
- More than 8 of 10 Americans support a comprehensive 21st Century GI Bill.
- 83 percent of Americans believe that a new 21st Century GI Bill will benefit America.
Graham claimed today, “If we just leave the generals alone and support the troops, they will win this war.” But the nation’s most respected veterans organizations are joining average veterans to clamor for this bill. Just yesterday, the national commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars joined the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America and the American Legion in support of the bill.
As Webb said last Sunday, “The Republican party is on the block here, to clearly demonstrate that they value military service or suffer the consequences of losing the support of people who’ve served.” Citing Orwellian “support” for the troops, Graham appears willing to sell them out for partisan gain.
Webb: Bush Would Be First President In History To Veto Benefits For Vets
Webb: Bush Would Be First President In History To Veto Benefits For Vets
On NBC’s “Meet the Press” this morning, Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA) discussed his 21st Century GI Bill, which would dramatically expand educational benefits for returning veterans. President Bush, however, has vowed to veto the bill. Webb blasted Bush for this unprecedented action:
No president in history has vetoed a benefits bill for those who served. … The Republican party is on the block here, to clearly demonstrate that they value military service or suffer the consequences of losing the support of people who’ve served. … The president has a choice here to show how much he values military service.
Watch it:
The Pentagon has suggested that Webb’s bill is too generous in conferring benefits to soldiers after “only” two years of service. However, as Webb pointed out, soldiers would still have to finish their enlistment term. What’s more, as a recent CBO report showed, any loss in reenlistment rates is entirely made up for by increased military recruits.
Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) and his allies have introduced their own version of the bill, which would reserve the most generous benefits for those who have served at least 12 years. Webb pointed out that it would exclude the vast majority of service members:
Seventy to 75 percent of the ground troops in the Army and the Marine Corps have left the service by the end of their first enlistment. And those are the people who are not being taken care of. … They are not getting an opportunity for the first-class education they deserve.
As Webb pointed out, conservatives need to match their rhetoric on supporting the troops with their actions.
Larry Craig surfaces in contentious Senate GI Bill debate.
Larry Craig surfaces in contentious Senate GI Bill debate.
Huffington Post reports that Sen. Larry Craig (R-ID) “quietly created presidential campaign ripples on Tuesday” when he “announced that he would offer an amendment to the forthcoming Iraq war supplemental that would strip the legislation of Sen. Jim Webb’s [D-VA] GI Bill.” Earlier today, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) also played politics with veterans’ benefits using the GI Bill as a “parliamentary gimmick” to kill first responder legislation.
GOP Uses GI Bill As A ‘Political Gimmick’ On Senate Floor To Thwart Passage Of First Responder Legislation
GOP Uses GI Bill As A ‘Political Gimmick’ On Senate Floor To Thwart Passage Of First Responder Legislation
Today, the Senate debated the Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act of 2007 (H.R. 980), a bill strengthening the collective bargaining powers of firefighters, police officers, and first responders.
At noon, the Senate quickly “devolved into a procedural mess” when Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) attempted to attach Sen. Lindsey Graham’s (R-SC) watered-down GI Bill — which is strongly backed by Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) — as an amendment. McConnell also immediately seconded his measure, but then filed cloture, “prohibiting Democrats from filing their own version of the proposal.”
This amendment is a poison pill. It not only kills the Public Safety bill, but also blocks Sen. Jim Webb’s (D-VA) more generous GI Bill from being considered. In one swift maneuver, conservatives trampled over first responders and veterans. In a fiery speech, Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA) responded on the floor:
We have seen this parliamentary gimmick that has taken place offered by the Republican leadership that is a slap in the face to every firefighter and police officer and first responder in the country. [...]
We’re saying to the firefighters of this nation and to the police officers of this nation and the first responders of the nation: Your interest, the safety and security of our communities across the nation, should be put aside in favor of some political gimmick by the Republican leader here in the United States Senate.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) angrily reacted to the GOP maneuver by issuing a quorum call and denying Sen. Judd Gregg’s (R-NH) right to speak three times. Watch it:
This morning, Politico reported that McCain and his allies were “reaching out” to Webb “in the hope of finding a compromise on a GI Bill.” It seems, however, that McCain became desperate to avoid a “potential embarrassment” and resorted to this political stunt. Unlike McCain’s bill, Webb’s has strong bipartisan support and the backing of a majority of the American public.
Why not focus on the GI bill after the first responders bill is over? Kennedy asked. “Do it Friday, Saturday, Sunday, or Monday. Maybe Sen. McCain will come back for it,” he said. “Maybe he won’t.”
McCain was not in the Senate today and questions remain whether he approved this strategy. “Maybe the leadership on the other side can tell us whether Sen. McCain approved this strategy,” added Kennedy. “Maybe you can find that out. I think the police and firefighters would like to know.”
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