RE:
Would be nice to know who all these "Blue Dems" are exactly, in case any are from my state and are seeking re-election. Just another example to me that the 2 party system doesn't benefit the majority of the country, since a Dem from one state is like a GOP in another and vis-versa.

Don't expect Pelosi or Reid to do anything, unlike the claims of the conservative pundits and Fox News, both are meek and seemingly ineffectual in using their positions to affect change or even make a ripple in the status quo.

Support our troops is such empty rhetoric anymore, that I would not encourage any member of my family to join up. THis despite the history of service in my family, including myself.

Actually, Pelosi AND Reid are co-sponsors of this G.I. Bill Legislation, and BOTH have been very active in trying to push it through. It isn't them slowing this thing down. And frankly, once the final votes are taken, it will be mostly Dems who vote YEA, and mostly Repubs who will vote NAY, and we all know that already. They are "conservatives" after all. Besides, most conservatives will vote FOR this bill because they know they may face defeat in the fall if they do not. In fact I'd bet THEY will be the ones who try to delay this thing as a last resort, until AFTER the election.

quote:

It's absurd. Anyone who can find the money to fund the war has no excuse for voting against the tiny fraction of money needed for veterans' education benefits. The fiscal conservative argument seems even more ludicrous once you realize that even five years of spending on the GI Bill would only cost as much as nine weeks of war in Iraq.

So I say ANY of our elected legislators, from EITHER party, those who have voted FOR the war in IRAQ at any time even for continuing funding? They should back this bill, and of they do not? Then they should be voted OUT of office by ALL of us Veterans.

Blue Dog Dems

http://www.bluedogdems.com/members.html

This is complete and utter bullshit.

It's just sending the troops into war, and ****ing them when they get home.

By the by, I just read an article about congress voting for a pay raise...So...you can afford you pay yourself more, but you can't pay a SMALL chunk of money to help our troops get into the actual working world, instead of having to dodge bullets their whole life?

I also read somewhere that the reason they didn't want to pass this was because they were afraid it'd "discourage troops from re enlisting"...ISN'T THAT THEIR CHOICE?! I personally have been thinking about making a career out of the military, but some people don't want that, and we should make it to where they have NO choice if they don't want it as a career.

EVERYONE PLEASE WRITE YOUR SENATOR AND SPEAK UP ABOUT THIS! If everyone does, they CAN'T igore us. Make a stand, and help the veterns.

i agree with everyone here. i feel that these blue wiener dogs. should be blasted until the end of their time if they vote no against this. every opponent should be given this information to show how much they cared about our vets and trust me alot more people besides the vets will be enraged. i checked out to make sure that my senator wasnt on the list (because if he was id be giving him an ear full) and ill be contacting him soon.

I can only hope somewhere else this group is saying, we don't want this as an emergency fund but as a part of the budget and in the open.
The GI bill is a great investment and these troops have earned it.
McCain and the Pentagon is against it because too many people will us the benefit and leave after an enlistment. But it could also bring in better quality recruits.

Why no mention of Republicans who oppose this bill? Has the author cherry-picked this story to make it look like nobody else but "Blue Dog Dems" is opposed to this?

Here's more of the story...

"But as Democrats feud over whether to abide by spending controls, they will likely get no help from House Republicans, who object to attaching Webb's GI Bill to the war spending measure. "When it comes to funding our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, we want to do it without unnecessary extra spending," House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, told reporters last week."

"The Bush administration opposes the measure, saying it could entice troops to leave the military sooner than they otherwise might — an allegation that Webb disputes."

"At the Pentagon last week, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said he wanted to require troops to serve at least six years before tapping the college benefits, instead of three years, as Webb proposes."

There also is no mention of the Democrat add-ons to the bill, theyve added 5.1 billion to extend unemployment benifits for 13 weeks, a rider that blocks Bush's Medicaid cuts, plus a rider that states troop withdrawel must begin sithin 30 days of the the bills passage with the last troops withdrawn by December 2009.

Other then Webb it seems no one on the Left, Right, Conservative, Liberal, hell NO ONE in Washinghton,DC and most of the rest of the country REALLY cares about the Military, Past Present, or Future..

Whats the old saying? 10% OF America is at war and 90% is at the Mall.

quote:

Originally posted by Soilder_of_Terror:
This is complete and utter bullshit.

It's just sending the troops into war, and ****ing them when they get home.

By the by, I just read an article about congress voting for a pay raise...So...you can afford you pay yourself more, but you can't pay a SMALL chunk of money to help our troops get into the actual working world, instead of having to dodge bullets their whole life?

I also read somewhere that the reason they didn't want to pass this was because they were afraid it'd "discourage troops from re enlisting"...ISN'T THAT THEIR CHOICE?! I personally have been thinking about making a career out of the military, but some people don't want that, and we should make it to where they have NO choice if they don't want it as a career.

EVERYONE PLEASE WRITE YOUR SENATOR AND SPEAK UP ABOUT THIS! If everyone does, they CAN'T igore us. Make a stand, and help the veterns.

I'm proud to say my Senator is Jim Webb, author of S-22, the Webb-Hagel GI Bill, and probably the best friend the average military Joe or Jill has anywhere in Congress. My other Senator is John Warner, who was a little slow out of the starting box, but he's on board now, too. Too bad these Blue Dogs have gone all fiscally responsible like a bunch of late-blooming GOPers. They're not looking at the big picture and everyone's acting like the $57 billion price tag is some insurmountable hill to climb when we're spending more than that in a few months in Iraq.

quote:

Originally posted by MarineAuntie:

quote:

Originally posted by Soilder_of_Terror:
This is complete and utter bullshit.

It's just sending the troops into war, and ****ing them when they get home.

By the by, I just read an article about congress voting for a pay raise...So...you can afford you pay yourself more, but you can't pay a SMALL chunk of money to help our troops get into the actual working world, instead of having to dodge bullets their whole life?

I also read somewhere that the reason they didn't want to pass this was because they were afraid it'd "discourage troops from re enlisting"...ISN'T THAT THEIR CHOICE?! I personally have been thinking about making a career out of the military, but some people don't want that, and we should make it to where they have NO choice if they don't want it as a career.

EVERYONE PLEASE WRITE YOUR SENATOR AND SPEAK UP ABOUT THIS! If everyone does, they CAN'T igore us. Make a stand, and help the veterns.

I'm proud to say my Senator is Jim Webb, author of S-22, the Webb-Hagel GI Bill, and probably the best friend the average military Joe or Jill has anywhere in Congress. My other Senator is John Warner, who was a little slow out of the starting box, but he's on board now, too. Too bad these Blue Dogs have gone all fiscally responsible like a bunch of late-blooming GOPers. They're not looking at the big picture and everyone's acting like the $57 billion price tag is some insurmountable hill to climb when we're spending more than that in a few months in Iraq.

All we need is a copy of the roll-call. Maybe some of these democrats need some healthy competetion come the election.

Wow, the guy writing this article is either a complete IDIOT or he just didn't bother doing any research at all before flaming the democrats.


In all actuallity, the democrats in the House were planning on putting the new GI Bill legislation in tomorrow. This was just an under-handed trick to try to steal the thunder of the democrats supporting the bill.

The democrats didn't support this bill for the two main reasons listed below.

1) Why tack this on an emergency spending bill when it is supposed to be submitted tomorrow as part of a more suitable Bill?

2) The Bill the Republicans submitted will requiure military members to stay in for 12, yes that is 12 years in order to get the full benefits. The Democrats' Bill requires you to have at least 3 months of active service.

Personally, I'm glad they voted it down. I want my GI Bill to be done right and I certainly don't want to get only partial benefits if I don't stay in for at least 12 years.

Good update, I have been following the Congress' progress on their website. Hopefully this can be added to the GI supplement, though I am worried that Bush will veto as he has threatened if anything not have to do with strictly funding the wars is tacked on.

The new GI Bill sounds great, but does anyone know if it will cover those who have already started using the money under the old system?

more democratic bullcrap nonsense......these guys never quit....cant wait to see them suffer another 4 years when mccain gets elected.

Just heard on MSNBC that House Republicans along with Anti-War Democrats voted against a bill that would have given Bush the money he wants to spend on HIS WAR. Of course Republicans like to hide behind the troops and say it is the troops money but the TRUTH is most of that money winds up going to WAR PROFITEERS.

It seems the Republicans are mad because they were not allowed to attach PORK to the bill.

Tune into MSNBC it’s happening right NOW.