Government Travesty

[Odin Bravo One]

In case no one else has bothered to point it out yet......

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/10/08/pentagon-freezes-death-benefits-for-fallen-soldiers-families/

Families of the deceased are paying their own way to Dover, DE where the transfer of remains also known as "Transfer with Dignity" takes place. Thanks to those selfish retards in DC, now the men and women who have been ordered overseas by this government, then died there, for this government, don't even get what they are entitled to.

What dignity?

Been a long time since I bothered to address any of those idiots, but this time I need an explanation.

Greater good my mother ******* ***!!

Without going into details, those four endured a long, long night of misery before the end came.

Now they get shit on.

**** U congress!

[WDW]

The honor these heroes deserve could never come from those D bags in D.C., even under the best of normal circumstances. Their friends, family, & brothers will make sure they get what they're entitled too. Hopefully, later on, they will also get the official benefits they are entitled to as well. Is there any way to contribute financially to this cause to lessen the burden?

[tcRenegade]

This Gov't has been in a state of DISGRACE since 1988, the day Ronald Reagan left the White House!

[ADulay]

Want to solve this "crisis" within 24 hours?

When the real government shut down happens on the 17th, REALLY shut down.

No Secret Service for anybody. No guards, cars, dinners, helicopters, special vehicles, nothing. Just like REALLY losing your job.

No pay. No benefits. No health insurance for any of them. No nothing.

Just like the regular citizens have to deal with when they lose their job.

Let them try to be just "normal, unemployed" people and see how fast they get something done.

Now, let's talk about that budget thing. You know, the one that's supposed to show up every year but somehow hasn't made it to the light of day in over 5 years now.

How can you be OVER budget when you never had one to start???

Why is it the clowns who are supposedly running this show never feel any of the pain of their actions? That's why they can sit around and screw off while making TV appearances to blame "the other side" en masse.

My country is being run by clowns. (No offense to real clowns out there.)

AD

[ToddG]

Last September, the administration was willing to let American servicemen die alone on a foreign land for political expediency. That it will now turn a blind eye to the needs of their widows and orphans should sicken you and anger you, but it shouldn't surprise you.

There's a term for someone who works from within the government to undermine morale and readiness at a time of war. That term isn't supposed to be President.

[S154]

This Gov't has been in a state of DISGRACE since 1988, the day Ronald Reagan left the White House!

I highly doubt that this would be happening under George W Bush's watch.

This is sickening.

[SeriousStudent]

Does anyone know of any organization I can donate to, that will specifically help those four families with the airline expenses?

I've given up writing letters to politicians, they just ignore them. But can I help those families in some way?

[Tamara]

My cursing over this story on the morning news is what woke my roommate up this morning... From clean down the hall.

[WobblyPossum]

The last time I was this ashamed of my government was immediately after Benghazi. Something tells me I'll be feeling this way a few more times before the Obama administration is replaced.

[Kobalt60]

I highly doubt that this would be happening under George W Bush's watch.

This is sickening.

No, but the government shutdown 8 times under St. Reagan.

Let's not kid ourselves... there aren't "good politicians" and "bad politicians"... there are only politicians that you happen to agree with and those you don't.

[jetfire]

There's a term for someone who works from within the government to undermine morale and readiness at a time of war. That term isn't supposed to be President.

In the words of my people: "Sick burn, bro."

In all seriousness though, I'm pretty jaded to messed up news and this story had me dropping f-bombs in my office to the point my assistant was concerned.

[Kevin B.]

...yet we are still making "Hero payments" to our Afghan "partners."

[Totem Polar]

Not much to say; the thing speaks for itself. Blisters my ***, though, yes.

[HCM]

Does anyone know of any organization I can donate to, that will specifically help those four families with the airline expenses?

I've given up writing letters to politicians, they just ignore them. But can I help those families in some way?

The Fisher House Foundation is putting up $100k to help the families with these expenses.

[Dagga Boy]

Does anyone know of any organization I can donate to, that will specifically help those four families with the airline expenses?

I've given up writing letters to politicians, they just ignore them. But can I help those families in some way?

While not a huge fan of Ollie North, he was literally in near genuine tears last night on Fox, and made excellent points that both Hagle and the "Commander in Chief" could have fixed this in seconds. When your background is community organizing and not leadership, this is the result.

He mentioned that one of the Special Operations associations and Freedom Alliance were going to defer the costs to the families.

The priorities are pretty clear with this, it is just that nobody is paying attention. The National Mall was open for an SEIU sponsored protest for "Immigration Reform" (make illegal aliens legal Democrats) with the Democratic leadership present and a bunch of congressmen being arrested.....not arrested for opening the WWII memorial, arrested for illegal aliens. No mass protests for our Vets, no media coverage for the disrespect to OUR heroes, just a continued walk down the path of the fall of Rome.

[TCinVA]

nyeti hits the nail on the head.

The house has repeatedly passed a number of bills that would fund all sorts of government operations, including fully funding the Pentagon's needs. The senate, controlled by Harry Reid and the democrats, absolutely will not consider it. President Obama has repeatedly said he isn't going to negotiate.

Beyond that, he is using his power as executive to shut down as many services as possible. Stuff that his administration wants to keep running IS running and as the chief executive he has the ability to get money to some essential programs IF he so desires...but he doesn't. The goal here is to pile up as much misery as possible and pin it all on the evil republicans.

Now keep in mind we're in this situation to start with because the senate hasn't passed a budget since 2009. The process of actually passing a budget has been completely stopped, meaning that the federal government has been functioning on a series of continuing resolutions for years. That is a political choice made by the democratic party.

There's lots of propaganda in Washington, but nothing I've stated is propaganda. It's objective fact. The Obama whitehouse, which as Todd has pointed out isn't above leaving people to die for the sake of politics, is playing politics with this. Should they be doing this? Absolutely not. But "should" doesn't make a dent in the thinking of this administration.

This is the consequence of putting small men in offices with big responsibility.


No, but the government shutdown 8 times under St. Reagan.

Let's not kid ourselves... there aren't "good politicians" and "bad politicians"... there are only politicians that you happen to agree with and those you don't.

The government shut down 8 times while Reagan was in office because Tip O'Niel and the democrat controlled congress resisted his budget cuts. Then it was a perfectly valid tactic to fight the evil republican agenda. (Ever notice how whatever the republicans do it's always unprecedented and a horrible assault on everyone and the constitution? Even if the democrats did the same damn thing last week?)

...but there are government shutdowns, and then there's what we are experiencing right now. Ronald Reagan, for example, didn't use his executive authority to chain the Lincoln memorial off from visitors. His administration didn't dispatch armed park rangers to shut down a private business on federal land, causing irreparable financial damage. His administration didn't try to bully private institutions into shutting down because they might be close to federal land, or put barricades around war memorials in Washington DC and then arrest veterans who came to visit them. His administration didn't block road access to Mount Rushmore or the Grand Canyon.

That's all unique to this administration's handling of the shutdown. Yes, politicians as whole suck. But let's not lie to ourselves and insist that all politicians are scumbags without honor because that's not what history teaches. Some men conduct themselves with more honor than others in high office.

Comparatively Reagan was a saint, because whatever the flaws of the man and his administration deliberately trying to inflict as much pain as possible with government authority wasn't one of them.

Keep in mind that the people doing all of this are doing so while at the same time insisting that they should be making our healthcare decisions for us. Imagine what sort of straits Todd would be in if his cancer treatment was dependent upon an Obama administration approval to happen.

...and don't anyone tell me they wouldn't ever hold life-saving treatments to try and scare people into voting the way they want, because that's ***CENSORED***.

This is why the founders created a government of limited power, not one of infinite power. A limited government has its flaws, but at least it can't hold your life or dead loved one hostage.

[LittleLebowski]

I think this is staged and for a reason. Someone knew just how big this would be and cynically took advantage of the media and these familys' pain.

[TCinVA]

I think this is staged and for a reason. Someone knew just how big this would be and cynically took advantage of the media and these familys' pain.

Agreed. This is a tactic. A deliberate act meant to generate headlines to put pressure on the Republican base to make them feel pressure for harming the troops.

If you haven't watched House of Cards, you should. In it there's an episode where the main character of the series, the majority whip of a democratic congress, is trying to break a strike from the teacher's union that's shut down public schools in many areas, including DC. He and his staff are pictured waiting around a police scanner for a particular call. Namely the call of a child being killed by gunfire. Which happens often enough in DC...but this would be special.

As soon as they hear such a call they roll to the scene and before the blood has even been cleaned up there's the congressman hugging the dead kid's mama and saying, on camera, "If it weren't for this teacher's strike little Bobby would still be alive."

That's what's happening here, folks. Only it's not a dead kid in the ghetto, it's dead military personnel.

[Tamara]

The goal here is to pile up as much misery as possible and pin it all on the evil republicans.

This is merely Chicago politics writ large. Perhaps the most perfectly evolved specimen of patronage politics; the last of the old-school city machines.

[JHC]

I think this is staged and for a reason. Someone knew just how big this would be and cynically took advantage of the media and these familys' pain.

Yep.

[JHC]

nyeti hits the nail on the head.

The house has repeatedly passed a number of bills that would fund all sorts of government operations, including fully funding the Pentagon's needs. The senate, controlled by Harry Reid and the democrats, absolutely will not consider it. President Obama has repeatedly said he isn't going to negotiate.

Beyond that, he is using his power as executive to shut down as many services as possible. Stuff that his administration wants to keep running IS running and as the chief executive he has the ability to get money to some essential programs IF he so desires...but he doesn't. The goal here is to pile up as much misery as possible and pin it all on the evil republicans.

Now keep in mind we're in this situation to start with because the senate hasn't passed a budget since 2009. The process of actually passing a budget has been completely stopped, meaning that the federal government has been functioning on a series of continuing resolutions for years. That is a political choice made by the democratic party.

There's lots of propaganda in Washington, but nothing I've stated is propaganda. It's objective fact. The Obama whitehouse, which as Todd has pointed out isn't above leaving people to die for the sake of politics, is playing politics with this. Should they be doing this? Absolutely not. But "should" doesn't make a dent in the thinking of this administration.

This is the consequence of putting small men in offices with big responsibility.



The government shut down 8 times while Reagan was in office because Tip O'Niel and the democrat controlled congress resisted his budget cuts. Then it was a perfectly valid tactic to fight the evil republican agenda. (Ever notice how whatever the republicans do it's always unprecedented and a horrible assault on everyone and the constitution? Even if the democrats did the same damn thing last week?)

...but there are government shutdowns, and then there's what we are experiencing right now. Ronald Reagan, for example, didn't use his executive authority to chain the Lincoln memorial off from visitors. His administration didn't dispatch armed park rangers to shut down a private business on federal land, causing irreparable financial damage. His administration didn't try to bully private institutions into shutting down because they might be close to federal land, or put barricades around war memorials in Washington DC and then arrest veterans who came to visit them. His administration didn't block road access to Mount Rushmore or the Grand Canyon.

That's all unique to this administration's handling of the shutdown. Yes, politicians as whole suck. But let's not lie to ourselves and insist that all politicians are scumbags without honor because that's not what history teaches. Some men conduct themselves with more honor than others in high office.

Comparatively Reagan was a saint, because whatever the flaws of the man and his administration deliberately trying to inflict as much pain as possible with government authority wasn't one of them.

Keep in mind that the people doing all of this are doing so while at the same time insisting that they should be making our healthcare decisions for us. Imagine what sort of straits Todd would be in if his cancer treatment was dependent upon an Obama administration approval to happen.

...and don't anyone tell me they wouldn't ever hold life-saving treatments to try and scare people into voting the way they want, because that's ***CENSORED***.

This is why the founders created a government of limited power, not one of infinite power. A limited government has its flaws, but at least it can't hold your life or dead loved one hostage.

Absolutely. Tracks with history as I've watched it live.

[Kyle Reese]

It's an absolute and utter travesty.

[RoyGBiv]

I've quit looking for the bottom. We're in free fall. New lows every day.

IMO, this one will blow up in their faces.
Several organizations have been quick to step in and fill the v̶o̶i̶d̶ vacuum.
The Petty Tyrant has no clothes.

[Dagga Boy]

I've quit looking for the bottom. We're in free fall. New lows every day.

IMO, this one will blow up in their faces.
Several organizations have been quick to step in and fill the v̶o̶i̶d̶ vacuum.
The Petty Tyrant has no clothes.

I have been hearing a bunch of "Secession" talk this week here in Dallas. Now this is "normal" in many of the rural areas of Texas, but not in the urban areas. People are angry.

I also note that Hagle managed to find the funds to fly himself to Dover for a photo op, but not the families........disgusting:mad:.

[Shellback]

I'm disgusted by the actions and inaction of our government on multiple levels. This coupled with the WWII and Vietnam veterans debacle, the VA dropping the ball with our disabled vets and myriad other issues push this way beyond reprehensible.

B&11$*!+ like this will only hurt their military recruiting goals for the future, current retention rates and prompt people to steer their children away from a military career if at all possible. Why choose to serve your country when that same country won't look after it's deceased military members and their families?

[TCinVA]

To add to the information, here:



“In the last week of September, the Department of Defense’s Comptroller Robert Hale warned that the death gratuity and other benefits would be affected by shutdown,” this aide said. “Following week, Congress passed, and the President signed the Pay Our Military Act which included authorization for all military benefits. Everyone felt relieved, believing military pay and benefits are protected.”


Further, when some republicans on the hill heard whisperings about perhaps the death benefit not being covered, Congressman Joe Wilson asked SecDef directly if there was any sort of problem with funding the death benefit...and nobody responded.

I submit, ladies and gentlemen, that this was a deliberate act by a petty, insufferably small-minded administration to try and score PR points. Not related to the shutdown, mind you, since Congress passed and the president signed authorization specifically for military pay and benefits. This was a deliberate decision by the administration.

They're literally trying to use the corpses of fallen servicemen to score points in as opportunistic and slimy a way as possible. The decision to screw families over death benefits was a discretionary decision made by civilian leadership of the department of defense.

This is Obama's America.

The text of the bill....which was passed and signed by the president:

http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/113/hr3210/text



This Act may be cited as the ‘Pay Our Military Act’.

SEC. 2. CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS FOR MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES.

(a) In General- There are hereby appropriated for fiscal year 2014, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, for any period during which interim or full-year appropriations for fiscal year 2014 are not in effect--

(1) such sums as are necessary to provide pay and allowances to members of the Armed Forces (as defined in section 101(a)(4) of title 10, United States Code), including reserve components thereof, who perform active service during such period;

(2) such sums as are necessary to provide pay and allowances to the civilian personnel of the Department of Defense (and the Department of Homeland Security in the case of the Coast Guard) whom the Secretary concerned determines are providing support to members of the Armed Forces described in paragraph (1); and

(3) such sums as are necessary to provide pay and allowances to contractors of the Department of Defense (and the Department of Homeland Security in the case of the Coast Guard) whom the Secretary concerned determines are providing support to members of the Armed Forces described in paragraph (1).

(b) Secretary Concerned Defined- In this section, the term ‘Secretary concerned’ means--

(1) the Secretary of Defense with respect to matters concerning the Department of Defense; and

(2) the Secretary of Homeland Security with respect to matters concerning the Coast Guard.

SEC. 3. TERMINATION.

Appropriations and funds made available and authority granted pursuant to this Act shall be available until whichever of the following first occurs: (1) the enactment into law of an appropriation (including a continuing appropriation) for any purpose for which amounts are made available in section 2; (2) the enactment into law of the applicable regular or continuing appropriations resolution or other Act without any appropriation for such purpose; or (3) January 1, 2015.

Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Vice President of the United States and

President of the Senate.


We're constantly bombarded by the idea that there is no difference in the two parties, that both are somehow equally bad. That various news organizations are biased and can't be trusted...well this isn't a news organization. That's the actual text of the bill. Objective reality. Politicians as a whole are not to be trusted, but it's pretty clear the lying and unconscionable behavior on this is all one damn way. And maybe, just maybe, there really are degrees of political scumbag.

[TCinVA]

Not long ago was the anniversary of Blackhawk down. A tragic event where the bodies of fallen heroes were paraded through the streets by barbarians. Now, a couple of decades later the administration is parading the bodies of fallen servicemen around the press in an effort to score political points in a way that even the Somalis might find tacky.

Welcome to Obama's America, folks. Now we drag the corpses of the fallen through the streets here at home just to play politics.

I'm ***CENSORED*** disgusted.

[JHC]

We're constantly bombarded by the idea that there is no difference in the two parties, that both are somehow equally bad. That various news organizations are biased and can't be trusted...well this isn't a news organization. That's the actual text of the bill. Objective reality. Politicians as a whole are not to be trusted, but it's pretty clear the lying and unconscionable behavior on this is all one damn way. And maybe, just maybe, there really are degrees of political scumbag.

It pains me every time I see that; esp on gun forums. It's so clearly not true. Both imperfect does not make them equal.

Skepticism is healthy. Cynicism is a dead end.

[LittleLebowski]

Don't worry folks, Obama is fixing this NOW. He saved the day!

[Shellback]

They're literally trying to use the corpses of fallen servicemen to score points in as opportunistic and slimy a way as possible. The decision to screw families over death benefits was a discretionary decision made by civilian leadership of the department of defense.

It won't happen, but I would stand behind a massive act of disobedience on the part of our military by refusing orders to go into harms way due to this. I know the punishment, the UCMJ and everything else entailed and I wouldn't blame a single person for telling their command to go get ***k'ed.

[TCinVA]

It won't happen. Largely because the people who fight the wars take their oaths more seriously than the ones who start them.

[Odin Bravo One]

It won't happen. Largely because the people who fight the wars take their oaths more seriously than the ones who start them.

Especially those boys (and girl).

Rangers take their stuff seriously.

[Shellback]

It won't happen. Largely because the people who fight the wars take their oaths more seriously than the ones who start them.

I get that and mostly I'm ticked... Your contract states that the .Gov will pay your family upon your death, they've violated that contract, therefore it should be null and void with respect to anyone else who doesn't want to get smoked and leave their family homeless. Anyone else who thinks they'll get better treatment is delusional.

I don't know what I would do today if I was still in, being honest, and most likely would probably follow the commands given to me. However, anybody standing up and giving the bird to the nitwits in charge due to the treatment of their fellow military members and their families wouldn't catch any flack from me.

Such blatant disrespect for those who gave all, and their families, should not be tolerated in the least.

[TCinVA]

Especially those boys (and girl).

Rangers take their stuff seriously.

Kind of puts National Park Service employees that are carrying out a campaign of annoyance and punishment on people because "I was following orders!" in perspective, don't it?

[JHC]

This piece includes links to source documents including the statutory authority TC already posted on as well the authority the DoD Comptroller has to re-purpose funds to accomplish what they have statutory authority to do. They brought back 400K civilian employees this way, this week.


http://www.redstate.com/2013/10/09/the-shame-of-chuck-hagel/

[Tamara]

Largely because the people who fight the wars take their oaths more seriously than the ones who start them.

Frickin' Democrats, startin' them foreign wars!


It pains me every time I see that; esp on gun forums. It's so clearly not true. Both imperfect does not make them equal.

Skepticism is healthy. Cynicism is a dead end.

You're right. I disagree with Republicans on slightly fewer issues than Democrats, which is why you'll often find me voting GOP and almost never Democrat. It's just that not all of us have thrown our hands up and had the clothespins surgically attached to our noses. ;)

It's a fine line between calling out the administration's sins and turning those coffins into a campaign commercial for the GOP. Republicans tread it at their peril.

[JHC]

Starting to wonder if Dear Leader is trying to trigger articles of impeachment as a last gasp attempt to win sympathy towards holding the Senate.

[Dagga Boy]

Bill O'Reilly is pretty tame on most of these things and not a bomb thrower (I know because I disagree with him all the time), was on today and without a bit of hesitation the Hagel should resign immediately over this, and I agree. If Hagel found the funds for him to fly to Dover, then the funds to fly the families were there as well. At minimum, Hagel could have made some stops on the way to Dover to pick up the families so he could apologize in person for being a petty a**hole and get them there.

[ToddG]

House of Representatives just passed a CR for the death benefits of veterans.

Now Reid and Obama will refuse to join while still thinking the American people will blame the Republicans.

[Dagga Boy]

Interesting how Jay Carney refused to answer "when" the Commander in Chief actually learned about this "outrage". He has his lawyers checking into it because he was "outraged" when he found out. The King of executive orders needs a legal opinion on this one, and consultations.:mad: It was a priority to get the National Mall staffed for the immigration reform protest.....very efficient on that issue.

[JHC]

House of Representatives just passed a CR for the death benefits of veterans.

Now Reid and Obama will refuse to join while still thinking the American people will blame the Republicans.

And with an existing law authorizing "pay and allowances" (TC already posted) and the death benefit on the list of "allowances" we may see a cover up to rival Fast and Furious. http://thisainthell.us/blog/?p=37909

and this which this good politician was running interference on last week http://www.blackfive.net/files/serve.pdf

Which shows Death Gratuity on the list of allowances

[TCinVA]

Frickin' Democrats, startin' them foreign wars!

It was a comment directed more at the political class vs. the people they order around than a R vs. D thing.

Oaths mean more when your life depends on the guy next to you than when you're running for political office.

EDIT - but at the same time, Reagan and Bush I and II didn't play politics with death benefits. So there's still plenty of room to distinguish between the current occupant's outrageous behavior and other politicians who didn't make it a practice to act like scumbags at every turn.

[HCM]

It was a priority to get the National Mall staffed for the immigration reform protest.....very efficient on that issue.

Si se puede !

[Odin Bravo One]

House of Representatives just passed a CR for the death benefits of veterans.

Now Reid and Obama will refuse to join while still thinking the American people will blame the Republicans.

Two parts.....

1) **** ***! *** ****** **** ** *******!

2) We could only be so lucky........

[Dagga Boy]

Don't worry Sean, the Dems culled out the money to fund PBS, NPR and Big Bird as essential............see, the Commander in Chief has his priorities straight:mad:.

What country am I in..........:(

[Odin Bravo One]

More like what dimension......??

But, on the bright side, our CINC/POTUS/RBOD.......is checking with his attorneys to find out when he became "outraged" at the news.

[JHC]

More like what dimension......??

But, on the bright side, our CINC/POTUS/RBOD.......is checking with his attorneys to find out when he became "outraged" at the news.

But since that is the subject of an ongoing investigation, it would be irresponsible for them to comment further on it at this time.

[TCinVA]

More like what dimension......??

But, on the bright side, our CINC/POTUS/RBOD.......is checking with his attorneys to find out when he became "outraged" at the news.

...just like he was outraged that the IRS was inappropriately using taxpayer info and targeting political enemies. For like 10 minutes. Then it turned into a phony scandal as evidence showed the IRS officials responsible sharing protected information with the white house.

Politicians are untrustworthy by nature, but this dude is plumbing depths not seen since FDR.

[Odin Bravo One]

Just because I feel like it........


http://photoblog.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/10/09/20884009-arlington-graves-stripped-of-personal-mementos-in-controversial-cleanup?lite&ocid=msnhp&pos=4

At least the bereaved will be able to leave something behind, should any of them have elected to be buried at Arlington.

Oh wait.........NOOOOPE!!



Don't worry Sean, the Dems culled out the money to fund PBS, NPR and Big Bird as essential............see, the Commander in Chief has his priorities straight:mad:.



Not worried. The roast beef I left hidden in the fridge didn't get eaten, so I can make my 4:00AM sandwich.


Good thing they funded PBS, NPR, and Big Bird, cause they sure as shit didn't fund AFN........

I really only look forward to two things:

1) Roast Beef sandwhich when I get back to the house
2) Football on Monday's and Tuesday's.

One out of two ain't bad...........

[SeriousStudent]

HCM and nyeti, thank you both for the names of those organizations. I'll contact them. And I'll pass them onto others at work who were interested in helping as well.

My thoughts and prayers are with those fallen warriors and their families. I hope that their brothers and sisters surround them with a cloak of comfort and love, for they shall surely need it.

[Dagga Boy]

Hey Sean, at least if you go with the "I'm just a cook" routine, the Executive Dinning room is still open for Hagel and the Golf Courses are still running. Priorities........:mad:

[Odin Bravo One]

And the House gym apparently..........

[Tamara]

EDIT - but at the same time, Reagan and Bush I and II didn't play politics with death benefits.

Absolutely true. But also nowhere mentioned in the post of yours which I quoted, which was about the people who start wars and the people who fight them.

Dude, I'm on your side. I'm trying to offer some constructive criticism here. If you'd made that same one-line post out in contested territory, people would have gleefully pointed out that the people who are fighting these wars DO have a lot more honor than the people who started them, like Chimpy McHitlerburton!!!1!!eleventy!

Right now a sizable plurality of the voting public thinks it's the GOPs fault. They're not going to hear about Hagel's crass moves from NBC.

[MDS]

Frickin' Democrats, startin' them foreign wars!

You're right. I disagree with Republicans on slightly fewer issues than Democrats, which is why you'll often find me voting GOP and almost never Democrat. It's just that not all of us have thrown our hands up and had the clothespins surgically attached to our noses. ;)

It's a fine line between calling out the administration's sins and turning those coffins into a campaign commercial for the GOP. Republicans tread it at their peril.

Thanks. I was thinking about how to respond without getting wild-eyed again. This captures most of my thoughts better than I would have. The only thing I'll add is I disagree with both parties on the most important issues of all in the long run - they all end up with bigger government and less fiscal responsibility. So I often vote third party.

On the issue of military benefits, I can't help but think that the gop house is paying just as many games here as the dems. It's despicable that these benefits aren't paid, but I have a strong sense that both parties are equally happy to use government promises as pawns.

Now...can you look in my eyes and tell me if they're reasonably tame? ;)

[TCinVA]

The house and senate have both passed a bill specifically giving the department of defense the ability to spend on the death gratuity...even though they already had it.

President Obama will not sign it. His press secretary referred to this as, and I quote, a "gimmick".

[Shellback]

I can't even imagine the amount of temerity by those involved... (http://investigations.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/10/10/20889368-pentagon-unit-held-phony-ceremonies-for-mias-using-planes-that-cant-fly?lite)

A unit of the U.S. Department of Defense has been holding so-called "arrival ceremonies" for seven years, with an honor guard carrying flag-draped coffins off of a cargo plane as though they held the remains of missing American service men and women returning that day from old battlefields.

After NBC News raised questions about the arrival ceremonies, the Pentagon acknowledged Wednesday that no honored dead were in fact arriving, and that the planes used in the ceremonies often couldn't even fly but were towed into position...

The ceremonies also have been known, at least among some of the military and civilian staff here, as The Big Lie.
Photos behind the scenes show that the flag-draped boxes had not just arrived on military planes, but ended their day where they begin it: at the same lab where the human remains have been waiting for analysis...

The Pentagon said its own words, used since 2006, had led to the ceremonies being "misinterpreted" as arrivals.

"Based on how media announcements and ceremony remarks are currently written, it is understandable how these 'arrival' ceremonies might be misinterpreted, leading one to believe the ceremonies are 'dignified transfer ceremonies,' which they are not." She said the Pentagon is reviewing its procedures and is committed to conducting all recovery operations honorably.

NBC asked about another discrepancy: Current and former JPAC employees said that the emcee often announces that the remains were from specific countries where JPAC staff had not recently recovered remains. The Pentagon statement said that the correct country is always announced, but that it may have been a few months since the remains were recovered...

[Drang]

Does anyone know of any organization I can donate to, that will specifically help those four families with the airline expenses?

I've given up writing letters to politicians, they just ignore them. But can I help those families in some way?


The Fisher House Foundation (http://www.fisherhouse.org/) is putting up $100k to help the families with these expenses.
Added hottenated link.
And, to clarify, that's $100k per family. The plan seems to be that DoD will repay Fisher House after The Won finds it in himself to deign to fund the warfighters... Hey, wait, he already did that!

Or, actually, he deigned to allow Congress to do that.

Kitten, how I despise that kittening kitten-head.

[Tamara]

Kitten, how I despise that kittening kitten-head.

This might be the most petty, petulant act I think I've ever seen from the Oval Office.

[Chuck Whitlock]

This might be the most petty, petulant act I think I've ever seen from the Oval Office.

And that is saying something.

But I would agree.

[Dagga Boy]

The President is doing exactly what he said he would. This is fundamental change. This is what was promised and delivered. In the past, Commander in Chief was the priority and important. Fundamental change means it isn't. This is Community Organizing on a grand level. When something like denying death benefits to those killed in action is something that is referred to lawyers and you check the polls for what the mood of the community is. Then you add some Chicago politics, and poof.....change you can believe in. This is what a majority of the electoral college placed in charge. Folks, just look at Rome.....all the answers are there:(. Welcome to the new normal of totally dysfunctional, massive bloated bureaucracy with zero common sense, and simple figure heads of a bloated beast with no leadership at all and zero personal responsibility for anything.

[Kyle Reese]

The President is doing exactly what he said he would. This is fundamental change. This is what was promised and delivered. In the past, Commander in Chief was the priority and important. Fundamental change means it isn't. This is Community Organizing on a grand level. When something like denying death benefits to those killed in action is something that is referred to lawyers and you check the polls for what the mood of the community is. Then you add some Chicago politics, and poof.....change you can believe in. This is what a majority of the electoral college placed in charge. Folks, just look at Rome.....all the answers are there:(. Welcome to the new normal of totally dysfunctional, massive bloated bureaucracy with zero common sense, and simple figure heads of a bloated beast with no leadership at all and zero personal responsibility for anything.

Elections have consequences.

[JHC]

This might be the most petty, petulant act I think I've ever seen from the Oval Office.

He'll make it work for him by playing the victim to the House's "anarchism" so that he had to look to charity to fill the gap. Never mind it was never needed to begin with (ref TC's prior posted evidence). The majority of low info crowd out there and a still largely compliant press let him slide on it.

[Tamara]

He'll make it work for him by playing the victim to the House's "anarchism" so that he had to look to charity to fill the gap. Never mind it was never needed to begin with (ref TC's prior posted evidence). The majority of low info crowd out there and a still largely compliant press let him slide on it.

Yup. Watched the spin on the Today show today. Was depressed.

(Went and shot an old Rolling Block rebarelled in .357 Maximum and coonfingered almost a hundred classy old Smiths to get over it...)

[RoyGBiv]

the mood of the community is.

Thought a bit of positive news (http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/10/12/new-hampshire-waitress-picks-up-tab-for-furloughed-national-guard-soldiers/) might provide a small ray of hope.

[BLR]

Yup. Watched the spin on the Today show today. Was depressed.

(Went and shot an old Rolling Block rebarelled in .357 Maximum and coonfingered almost a hundred classy old Smiths to get over it...)

Crap. You were in the pits. Almost a hundred old Smiths to pick you up?