Pacridge
DP Veteran
One thing I hear when I listen to George W.Bush speak about the military is his undying support for our troops. Being a vet I'm a little partial to this issue. Maybe more so then the average Joe. I think it's important to do everything we can to support our troops, esp. now given that a great number are in combat situations. While I toiled away floating around the Indian and Pacific Oceans back in the 80's nothing happend. Well we did invade Grenada. I understand that interupted some guys breakfast, not mine mind you.
But I'm getting off track again. President Bush is constantly making these statements about how much he supports the troops and how important they are, yet when you look at what he does, it's a completely different story. Case in point. President Bush proposed reducing the budget for military family housing by $1.5 billion. When lawmakers tried to restore this cut by reducing the tax cut for millionaires by $5,000, the White House and its allies in Congress blocked the proposal. [Source: Army Times, 7/2/03] Or how about- "Bush's 2004 budget recommends cuts of $172 million, or 14 percent, in payments called 'impact aid'" – the program that funds schools on or near military bases. "The program is set to fall by more than 30 percent, to $435 million from $635 million – much of that affecting children of troops that have served in Iraq. For example, uniformed personnel at Fort Hood, home to the 1st Cavalry and 4th Infantry, send almost 17,000 students to Killeen and Copperas Cove public schools. [A new] analysis found that Bush's proposed cuts in impact aid would reduce Killeen's school budget by $22 million, or 13 percent, while Copperas Cove would lose $9.6 million, or 22 percent. The report found a similar effect for the 3rd Mechanized Infantry Division at Fort Stewart, Ga., the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade at Camp Lejeune, N.C., and the 101st Airborne at Fort Campbell, Ky. The White House [is] not disputing that it is cutting the impact aid." [Source: Washington Post, 7/17/03] And- Under the headline "An Act of Betrayal," the Army Times reported that the Bush administration notified local military bases the Pentagon considering "closing or transfer control of the 58 schools it operates on 14 military installations." Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has made no secret of his desire to cut education: As soon as he arrived at the Pentagon three years ago, commanders report Rumsfeld began asking: "Why am I in education?" And military families are outraged: "Betrayal - write that down and put it in your report," said Col. John Kidd, garrison commander of Fort Stewart, Ga., testifying at Tafoya's forum on the need to keep military-run schools on his post. A top Quantico base commander said he never has seen his community more united than it is over the schools issue. "The very fact that this transfer study is being conducted at this time when Marines, sailors, soldiers and airmen and their families are increasingly required to give more of themselves and to go in harm's way is taken by many as a personal affront," he said. "It raises serious questions about DoD's commitment to all quality-of-life issues." [Source: Army Times, 2/3/03]
I mean what's more important $5,000 for a millionare or housing, health care and body armor for our troops?
But I'm getting off track again. President Bush is constantly making these statements about how much he supports the troops and how important they are, yet when you look at what he does, it's a completely different story. Case in point. President Bush proposed reducing the budget for military family housing by $1.5 billion. When lawmakers tried to restore this cut by reducing the tax cut for millionaires by $5,000, the White House and its allies in Congress blocked the proposal. [Source: Army Times, 7/2/03] Or how about- "Bush's 2004 budget recommends cuts of $172 million, or 14 percent, in payments called 'impact aid'" – the program that funds schools on or near military bases. "The program is set to fall by more than 30 percent, to $435 million from $635 million – much of that affecting children of troops that have served in Iraq. For example, uniformed personnel at Fort Hood, home to the 1st Cavalry and 4th Infantry, send almost 17,000 students to Killeen and Copperas Cove public schools. [A new] analysis found that Bush's proposed cuts in impact aid would reduce Killeen's school budget by $22 million, or 13 percent, while Copperas Cove would lose $9.6 million, or 22 percent. The report found a similar effect for the 3rd Mechanized Infantry Division at Fort Stewart, Ga., the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade at Camp Lejeune, N.C., and the 101st Airborne at Fort Campbell, Ky. The White House [is] not disputing that it is cutting the impact aid." [Source: Washington Post, 7/17/03] And- Under the headline "An Act of Betrayal," the Army Times reported that the Bush administration notified local military bases the Pentagon considering "closing or transfer control of the 58 schools it operates on 14 military installations." Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has made no secret of his desire to cut education: As soon as he arrived at the Pentagon three years ago, commanders report Rumsfeld began asking: "Why am I in education?" And military families are outraged: "Betrayal - write that down and put it in your report," said Col. John Kidd, garrison commander of Fort Stewart, Ga., testifying at Tafoya's forum on the need to keep military-run schools on his post. A top Quantico base commander said he never has seen his community more united than it is over the schools issue. "The very fact that this transfer study is being conducted at this time when Marines, sailors, soldiers and airmen and their families are increasingly required to give more of themselves and to go in harm's way is taken by many as a personal affront," he said. "It raises serious questions about DoD's commitment to all quality-of-life issues." [Source: Army Times, 2/3/03]
I mean what's more important $5,000 for a millionare or housing, health care and body armor for our troops?
