NYC Letter: Trust Team Barry, Part XIX -- Stumping Memorial Day

Day 1,222 of CHOPE

UPDATE 05.30.12: Welcome, Hot Air folk. (The Obamateurism actually beat our post.)

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It being an election year Mr. Obama forwent the links and gave a stump qua Veterans Day qua Memorial Day speech at Arlington National Cemetery.

This bright pledge caught our eye.

"As long as I'm president, we will make sure you and your loved ones will receive the benefits you've earned and the respect you deserve," Obama said. "America will be there for you."

And later at the Vietnam War Memorial, this:

When your government didn’t live up to its responsibilities, you spoke out -- fighting for the care and benefits you had earned... Let’s resolve to take care of our veterans as well as they’ve taken care of us -- not just talk, but actions.

Team Barry twice has tried to cut the defense budget on the backs of active military and veterans. Right out of the gate, veterans were thought to be easy marks.

SENATORS SLAM PLAN FOR WOUNDED VETS
TO USE PRIVATE INSURANCE

WASHINGTON March 10, 2009 (CNN) - Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki confirmed Tuesday that the Obama administration is considering a controversial plan to make veterans pay for treatment of service-related injuries with private insurance.

But the proposal would be "dead on arrival" if it's sent to Congress, Sen. Patty Murray, D-Washington, said. ... "I believe that veterans with service-connected injuries have already paid by putting their lives on the line," Murray said in her remarks. "I don't think we should nickel and dime them for their care."

Eleven of the most prominent veterans organizations have been lobbying Congress to oppose the idea. In the letter sent last week to the president, the groups warned that the idea "is wholly unacceptable and a total abrogation of our government's moral and legal responsibility to the men and women who have sacrificed so much."

Trouble eliminating veteran benefits? Team Barry went to the source of the problem and encouraged eliminating veterans.

This year Team Barry had another go at reducing benefits, broadening the hit to both active military and veterans.

TRASHING TRICARE
Obama To Cut Healthcare Benefits For
Active Duty And Retired Us Military

February 27, 2012 (WFB) - The Obama administration’s proposed defense budget calls for military families and retirees to pay sharply more for their healthcare, while leaving unionized civilian defense workers’ benefits untouched. The proposal is causing a major rift within the Pentagon, according to U.S. officials. Several congressional aides suggested the move is designed to increase the enrollment in Obamacare’s state-run insurance exchanges.

In both cases the imagined savings were minuscule compared to Mr. Obama's junk spending (and this).

The strength of Mr. Obama's pledges goes a ways toward explaining this:

ROMNEY TOPS OBAMA BY 28 POINTS
AMONG MALE VETERANS

POLL May 28, 2012 (The Hill) - A new Gallup poll released on Memorial Day shows male veterans breaking strongly for Mitt Romney over President Obama.

The presumptive GOP nominee receives support from 58 percent of all veteran registered voters surveyed to Obama's 34 percent. Among non-veterans though, Obama holds a four point edge, with 48 percent to Romney's 44. Gallup says veterans make up 13 percent of the U.S. population.

CHOPE.

Empty pledges.

Posted by Damian at May 30, 2012 11:30 AM