Welcome to The Guest List, where indie musicians become film critics and actors become political analysts. Celebrity experts from every industry have joined ifc.com this month for some round table discussions on the world at large. Enjoy the free flowing independent perspectives as these insiders give us their thoughts, opinions, grudges and acclamations. There are no parameters and no prescribed topics. Stream of blogisciousness, if you will.
23:THE BLOG
By Ray Abruzzo on 05/28/2008
Filed under: Ray AbruzzoAlexander,
Allard,
Barrasso,
Bennett,
Brownback,
Bunning,
Burr,
Cochran,
Corker,
Cornyn,
DeMint,
Ensign,
Enzi,
Graham,
Grassley,
Gregg,
Hatch,
Kyl,
Lugar,
McConnell,
Sessions,
Voinovich.
Do you recognize those 22 names? What do those people have in common? I would venture to guess they all wear American Flag Lapel pins. It would be pretty safe to assume they have "SUPPORT OUR TROOPS" yellow ribbon bumper stickers on their SUV's. It would be a safe bet to think they have each used the phrase, "we are living in a post 9/11 world", to justify the illegal wiretaps or suspension of Habeas Corpus or use of torture or maybe even an unjustified, fear-based, pre-emptive war and occupation.
Well, here is something else they all have in common; they are current Senators who voted AGAINST the Post 9/11Veterans Educational Assistance Act.* That's right, they voted against Jim Webb's (D-VA) Bill that would amend the outdated GI Bill to be more in line with the sacrifice today's veterans are forced to make. We are talking about young men and women who have been sent back to Iraq and Afghanistan for 2, 3, even 4 tours of duty with limited time between deployments.
The good news is that this bill did pass in the senate by a veto proof margin (SURPRISE!! Bush threatened to veto it). 75 Senators voted for this bill, across party lines. So, you must assume that since you didn't see John McCain's name on the list AGAINST this bill that he voted for it. Well, you'd be wrong. Three Senators did not vote on this bill, yea or nay, 3 out of 100: Coburn, (who I believe was at a funeral), Ted Kennedy, (we know why he couldn't make the vote) and, yes, John McCain. John McCain did not vote for a bill that would help young, brave Americans get further education after returning from several tours of duty in Iraq and/or Afghanistan, who have been "stop gapped" at an unprecedented rate, who face a troubled job market, house foreclosures, high gas prices and horribly lacking VA support. So remember those 22 names who voted against this bill plus the name of the "no vote", 23 names of those who did not support a bill to further education benefits for our war veterans in this "post 9/11 world".
*cost of this bill is estimated at 2 billion a year (WOW! that's a lot of money) = 1 week in Iraq
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Right on Ray! McCain actually opposed this bill and when Obama called him on it he went on about how someone who didn't serve in a uniform shouldn't be talking to him about such a thing. What an idiot! Does that mean that any senator supporting a bill that concerns VA rights has to be a former member of the military? Can you imagine how dangerous that would be? He thinks because he was stuck in a hole and poked with sticks that he has a monopoly on dealing about military issues. Sounds like he is well accustomed with the country alienating a soldier during wartime.
McCain's already showed his colors, something between the fading gloss of bravery medals and yellow. You can buy those colors at any hardware store, just don't talk about them if you're not a painter.
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