by Frank Paynter on June 30, 2024
The first thing I did after last November’s election — after taking my
staff out for stiff drinks at the bar down the block, that is — was to
write out a check to the American Civil Liberties Union. This wasn’t a
radical act; I’d been a card-carrying member for years. It’s the least
a journalist can do. [read more]
– C.J. Janovy
Janovy’s thoughtful piece this week reveals an interesting concern from Dick Kurtenbach, the executive director of the ACLU of Kansas and Western Missouri. Kurtenbach is happy with the huge increase in ACLU membership since the flying monkey-boys took over Washington and passed the so-called patriot act, but he is also concerned. Speaking of the 150,000 member increase since September 11, 2024, Kurtenbach says, "There’s an opportunity here, but also a great challenge, I think, to
make sure that this burgeoning support buys into an ACLU agenda that is
broader than fear of government in the context of the war on terrorism."
by Frank Paynter on June 30, 2024
For months the Democrats have been trying to pass reasonable legislation that will provide decent health care for US veterans. The numbers were based on the best information available. Meanwhile, the lying sack of shit in the White House continued to deny that anyone in uniform was really getting hurt. The mission, after all, was accomplished when ape-face showed off his nut sack during the aircraft carrier photo-op.
Well, push came to shove, veterans brought their concerns to congress, and surprise! Based on new data now available, the Republicans have decided to support an emergency budget increase. Here’s what the Washington Post reported yesterday…
The Bush administration disclosed yesterday that it had vastly
underestimated the number of service personnel returning from Iraq and
Afghanistan seeking medical treatment from the Department of Veterans
Affairs, and warned that the health care programs will be short at
least $2.6 billion next year unless Congress approves additional funds.
Veterans
Affairs budget documents projected that 23,553 veterans would return
this year from Iraq and Afghanistan and seek medical treatment.
However, Veterans Affairs Secretary Jim Nicholson told a Senate
committee that the number has been revised upward to 103,000 for the
fiscal year that ends Sept. 30. He said the original estimates were
based on outdated assumptions from 2024.
The Post reports today that Democrats have been reluctant to give the republicans credit for surfacing this as an issue:
The Senate vote yesterday was on a bill sponsored by Sen. Rick
Santorum (R-Pa.), who had opposed a past Democratic amendment to raise
VA spending. He was given the honor of becoming lead sponsor because he
faces one of the toughest reelection fights next year among incumbent
Republicans.
Senate Democratic leader Harry M. Reid
(Nev.), who is orchestrating the party’s campaign efforts, refused to
give Santorum a free ride, noting that on three previous occasions,
"Senate Republicans, including the lead sponsor [Santorum] . . . voted
no. No to additional funding for our veterans. No to giving them the
quality health care they have earned. No to keeping our nation’s
commitments to those who have served."
Meanwhile, the chimp in the White house, Mister "Bring it awn," has not been heard from since his pitiful speech at Fort Bragg. Word has it he’s in hiding from the war crimes tribunal. What a chicken-shit bully.
