Obama blasts Republicans on defense cuts in speech to VFW

[Shadow]

President Obama on Monday courted war veterans by accusing Republicans of wanting to slash defense spending to balance the federal budget while extending tax cuts to the country’s highest earners.

The presidents said there is no reason for the large-scale cuts that will kick automatically in if Congress fails to reach a deal on reducing the federal deficit.
“People in Congress ought to be able to come together and agree on a plan, a balanced approach that reduces the deficit and keeps our military strong,” he said at the Veterans of Foreign Wars' 113th annual national convention in Reno, Nev. “And there are a number of Republicans in Congress who don’t want you to know that most of them voted for these cuts. Now they’re trying to wriggle out of what they agreed to.

“Instead of making tough choices to reduce the deficit, they’d rather protect tax cuts for some of the wealthiest Americans, even if it risks big cuts in our military. And I’ve got to tell you, VFW, I disagree.”

The president reminded the audience that he made good on his promise to find and kill Usama bin Laden, and he vowed more job-finding and professional help for returning veterans.


Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/07/23/obama-blasts-republicans-on-defense-cuts-in-speech-to-vfw/#ixzz21VqFOclZ

[DragonStryk72]

President Obama on Monday courted war veterans by accusing Republicans of wanting to slash defense spending to balance the federal budget while extending tax cuts to the country’s highest earners.

The presidents said there is no reason for the large-scale cuts that will kick automatically in if Congress fails to reach a deal on reducing the federal deficit.
“People in Congress ought to be able to come together and agree on a plan, a balanced approach that reduces the deficit and keeps our military strong,” he said at the Veterans of Foreign Wars' 113th annual national convention in Reno, Nev. “And there are a number of Republicans in Congress who don’t want you to know that most of them voted for these cuts. Now they’re trying to wriggle out of what they agreed to.

“Instead of making tough choices to reduce the deficit, they’d rather protect tax cuts for some of the wealthiest Americans, even if it risks big cuts in our military. And I’ve got to tell you, VFW, I disagree.”

The president reminded the audience that he made good on his promise to find and kill Usama bin Laden, and he vowed more job-finding and professional help for returning veterans.


Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/07/23/obama-blasts-republicans-on-defense-cuts-in-speech-to-vfw/#ixzz21VqFOclZ

Read the fine print on that "returning veterans" line. What he means is "Combat Veterans", and he isn't increasing their funding, so where the hell is he getting the money for these extra programs for the combat veterans? They take it from the budgets for help for non-combat vets. Yeah, that's right, they're screwing one set of veterans to placate another for votes.

When I try to get anything other than medical help from the VA these days, the first question is if I'm a combat vet, and when I say no (I've been in a firefight on the job, but I wasn't deployed at the time, so it doesn't count, apparently. Getting shot at, apparently, is stressful only if you are on deployment.), I am quickly told that there's nothing they can do for me. That's the only question I get asked. Job programs? I'm back of the line behind every combat vet, even the ones who didn't fully finish their paperwork. Retraining? Well, there was a guy who got put in line ahead of me who lost his last five construction jobs cause of his drug habit, but yeah, job retraining's gonna fix that. Help setting up housing? Yeah, right. They didn't even have a line for that one at the time, but they have to "keep the funds open".

I get that combat has it's own unique stresses, but this isn't about doing right by combat vets, it's about milking the veterans as a whole for votes.

[Shadow]

Yes... but...Obama promises to take care of vets...and have their back while the mean republicans cut vet funding. Cuz...you know..


The president reminded the audience Monday that he made good on his promise to find and kill Usama bin Laden, and he vowed more job-finding and professional help for returning veterans.


While convieniently ignoring the fact (or really... out right lying about the situation actually)...surprise surprise...



"President Obama played no small part in setting the time bomb that is sequestration. Indeed, automatic defense cuts were included in the Budget Control Act at his insistence," McKeon, R-Calif., said in a statement after the VFW speech. "Now he owes our troops his best efforts to defuse the cuts. Ultimatums from the campaign trail are not enough."



You are probably very correct though...there is more than likely a tangible reason he highlighted only 'combat vets' in his statement.

[Gaffer]

Once again the dark one is attempting to divide. This time he's creating a class of combat verses non-combat vets against each other. The vets need to avoid falling for this bullshit. A vet is a vet. We can argue and make fun and even belittle the other guy amongst our selves, but we are all vets. Everyone does their part no matter how menial the task. Often times combat is a matter of luck of the draw.

I wonder if the dark one was nervous being among all those terrorist of the VFW?

[fj1200]

I'm guessing he won't have much luck pulling a fast one over on a group of veterans. Call it a hunch.