My Left Foot (also my right foot)
By absentee Posted in 2008 — Comments (24) / Email this page » / Leave a comment »
This is going to be a short boring blog. It would seem I stirred up some trouble with my recent McCaining. I received a number of objections to my blog entry that suggested I should stop succumbing to emotional overtures because that is dumb and I am a fool and he's a big jerk!
Those responses, though humorous, were not the majority. I did see a number of people who felt I should go into more detail about specific issues. I'm no wonk, and policy and records have been discussed by far better bloggers here at Redstate. Notably, Charles Bird, Adam C, and Leverkuhn have written very compelling blog entries about McCain, each of which factored into my own choice.
However, there are a few issues I thought I might be able to add a few words about. I hope to put out a few brief blog entries to do so. This one is about Veteran's benefits.
I was medically discharged from the Marine Corps. I receive some VA Medical benefits, to include medical care for my specific needs. My condition is painful and persistent, but thankfully, not debilitating. It is in my ankles and feet, and can sometimes be hobbling. As a result of it, I additionally suffer from arthritis and bone spurs in my ankles and feet, also rather painful.
When I have to visit the VA, that is really painful. Lines. Long waits. Bureaucracy. I despise all notions of socialized medicine because I depend on a government-run medical system and it's honestly ridiculous.
For the most part I choose to live with pain. I don't want to drive 2 hours to my local VA facility in order to wait in line for an hour in order to get an appointment.
When I saw John McCain here in South Carolina this week, I was thinking about pain. The event was extremely crowded. It was B to B in there. You know, butts to bellybuttons. I arrived early, of course. Standing in that crowd for 45 minutes waiting for Senator McCain, then standing while listening to the various speakers ... imagine if your ankle snapped and the arch of your foot collapsed, but you had to remain standing on it for a few days.
I was thinking about pain but I was not thinking about the VA. No reason to compound it, right?
Senator McCain had all the veterans in the audience raise our hands, and everyone cheered. I admit this freely: I love when that happens. He started to talk about the problems at the VA, and then he made such an obvious and brilliant proposal I yelled "Ooh-rah!" when he was finished.
He wants to give each of us a plastic ID card, like any health care provider would give you. We would then be able to take that card to a local service provider, our own, usual doctor, and use our VA privileges with the doctor.
This was a Town Hall so, of course, the ins and outs weren't belabored. From my perspective, it does look like an excellent idea. On the surface it seems it would not only vastly improve access to care, it could end up cutting costs for the VA.
I am lucky. I can choose to live with pain. However, there are vets coming home from the War on Terror with real health care issues. They shouldn't have to drive two hours and wait in line for two more hours. Most of us have only partial care coverage from the VA, meaning we have our own insurance and doctors for issues that are not related to our service. John McCain proposed a plan that would let us visit those doctors and use our VA benefits there. This seems like a simple but brilliant solution.
Like I said above, I'm no wonk. I'm no expert on health care, or the VA. I do, however, know a good idea when I hear one.
I might also add, I think this is going to be very well-received in South Carolina.
I sense a curtness in your response. That's fine.
I would suggest that this will serve him well in the South Carolina primary, as it is unlikely there will be anyone standing at the exits telling the veterans "have him do it from the senate."
absentee
John McCain speaking to this issue as President would go a LOT farther in getting this plan passed than he could in the Senate.
I'm with absentee (also as a medically retired vet)--I love this idea. Love it.
It would be nice if attention is received to see other candidates pick this up too. They all borrow from Fred, why not borrow this from McCain? It really seems a great idea.
absentee
But it is definitely something that should be pushed, and if the others picked it up it's a definite possibility we'd get it.
attention from the GOP.
W.C. Fields for President!
www.shortenurl.com/7cxfm
While I am in complete disagreement with who you support, it is your right and you have your reasons.
I do completely agree that we should do more for the veterans who have so honorably served this great nation. The majority of my family has served in the armed forces.
I have two uncles (one from each side of the family tree) who could have used a great deal of support in the mental health department upon return from Vietnam.
We don't do nearly enough for those men and women who serve us and they are the only one's I feel are truly entitled to anything.
Texas Proud and Texas Loud
legislation to get this done before? I mean really we all know that the VA is horrendous for veteran's and for this conservative there needs to be less bridges to no where and higher pay rates for the military...all of the things I think should be done for veterans should have been offered up and taken care of in the last 25 years that Senator McCain has been in Washington. To act as if he can do it now as President is disingenuous.
We have seen since the new Democrat majority that when it comes to the military they cannot even get all of their members on board. It shows me that much more should have and could have been done before now by Republicans when they held the majority of both houses with the President.
The United States Military members ought to have been treated as the most important constituency in the US because they are.
Freedom of Religion not Freedom from Religion
I think it's been a long time coming and it's depressing that it took the Iraq war to bring it back into the limelight.
If not the last 25 years, why not within the last 4, now almost 5, years?
Texas Proud and Texas Loud
Things come when they come I suppose. You can take any campaign proposal and similarly ask whey they haven't done it already. Why didn't Fred propose his tax cut plan while in the Senate? Why didn't these Governors and Mayors do in their previous executive positions what they propose to do in their next?
I really don't think that detracts from the plan. It is certainly a stretch to conclude that it is therefore disingenuous.
absentee
but McCain has said that veterans have always been his issue and yet the pay is still crappy for the work that is done the medical benefits are beneath contempt for our fighting men and women....I delineate between taxes and our military the two are not comparable to me.
Here is my point...if McCain had fought as hard for you guys as he did for that joke of an amnesty bill he would have my respect on the issue....he did not. It is all about priorities and McCain made illegal immigrants the priority over pay raises and the best medical care for veteran's. The money alone that he would have given to illegals becoming legal and than getting SS they don't deserve and welfare when they don't work would set up quite a payday for our military. I see our men and women getting 50K a year and their medical benefits would send them to any doctor and any hospital and any specialist they wanted to. Those are not extravagant promises to those who allow the rest of us to enjoy our standard of living.
I respect how you feel about him but nothing is going to change my mind about this man...nothing.
Freedom of Religion not Freedom from Religion
I'm simply replying.
You are not correct, though. In the first case, McCain did not make illegal immigrants the priority over veterans benefits. If anything is disingenuous, it is the assertion that John McCain is the driving force behind the importance of the immigration issue.
Regardless, John has a long, impeccable record of supporting and fighting for Veteran's causes in the Senate. It's absurd to suggest that he just came up with this interest during the campaign. That disregards all facts in favor of self-indulgent bitterness.
I really don't know what to say Jaded. Your position sounds like petulance.
absentee
"Here is my point...if McCain had fought as hard for you guys as he did for that joke of an amnesty bill he would have my respect on the issue....he did not. It is all about priorities and McCain made illegal immigrants the priority over pay raises and the best medical care for veteran's."
Beyond all my differences with McCain over constitutional and conservative issues (debated ad nauseum on here so I shall not repeat the litany), it's the way he fought against my ideals. If he would have ever told the anti-military Dems to F.O. because of their refusal to give our military decent care and benefits I might be able to handle the fact that he flipped off those who wanted to secure our borders. But his vitriol always seems to be reserved for those of us on the right who have the temerity to disagree with him.
"All that need be done for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing."
That's not very compelling. That you haven't heard any particular anecdotes about his being nasty with Democrats is hardly evidence of anything, unless you consider it might be part of the media campaign that wants to paint him as the Republican outsider.
absentee
and I'll give you the punchline first - I will continue to be so! I have outrageous Becker instincts that frequently come out to play, but then on the other shoulder is the good angel....
But since you have followed the major bombing run with a minor raid, I see you're not gonna give it a rest, so I shall open up with a salvo in reply.
Those responses, though humorous, were not the majority. I submit to you that the reasons are two-fold. One, most pro-CandidateX blogs will draw praise and recommends from the CandidateX faction of RedState. Inevitably, some CandidateY and CandidateZ guys will come over and lob a few grenades in the camp [thank you, I'm always there for you, absentee]. But mostly, the comments on a pro-CAndidateX blog will trend positive. Don't take that as validation of much. Fredheads are plenty hacked, not in agreement, and in general sticking red-hot pins in their absentee dolls.
I should stop succumbing to emotional overtures because that is dumb and I am a fool and he's a big jerk! Well, I disagree with the second of the 3. You are not a fool, just really intellectually on a long lunch break. And the Fred-wagon, the place where genuine conservative ideals, leadership, and the future of a great America live, will still be here when you get back. We don't believe in Fred because of the cool IMAO t-shirts and Fred Facts. We believe in him because we're TIRED of the GOP being co-opted by craven squishy-cons. We want our country back.
I despise McCain. I really, physically recoil at his name and his picture. But that's just a natural thing, I do that at anybody who gives the finger repeatedly to me and everything I stand for.
Still your friend as always,
Paul
Stare decisis is fo' suckas -- Feddie
Fredheads are plenty hacked, not in agreement, and in general sticking red-hot pins in their absentee dolls.
I'm a Fredhead, but my absentee doll is quite comfortable and happy.
and I would hope that's self-evident. Well, the "plenty hacked" part is still true, just not the red-hot pins part.
Stare decisis is fo' suckas -- Feddie
They are front-paged on IMAO but the direct link is to thoseshirts.com. They are pretty funny. IMAO, if you haven't seen it before, is kind of an odd but hilarious place, conservative in all the worst ways. Big-time Fred sycophants, and I believe the original source of all the Fred Facts, which mimic the Chuck Norris facts.
It won't surprise you to know that I have the shirt that I quote in my tagline, plus a "Old School Conservative" (with Reagan's silhouette).
Kill the terrorists
Protect the borders
Punch the hippies -- Frank J
I have the Reagan Revolution one. I wear it all the time.
You know. ALL the time. Don't smell right neemore.
absentee
the white paper Fred released today regarding the subject of our veterans and military personnel?
Here is a link to his it on his website, if you are interested...
http://fredfile.fred08.com/blog/2008/taking-care-of-our-veterans-and-mil...
Texas Proud and Texas Loud
John McCain should propose his VA reforms in the Senate. We don't need him in the White House for that.
Oh, and you might want to edit your blog to close that open italics tag.
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Finrod's First Law of Bandwidth:
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