Veterans’ trust in McCain misplaced?

The fact that McCain is a war hero does not change the fact that he has become out of touch with most of America, and that includes the veterans of America.

Veterans’ trust in McCain misplaced?
By Diane Sweet 9/19/08 7:07 AM
The Washington Independent examines Republican presidential candidate John McCain’s appeal to veterans and the substantial lead he carries with this group in the polls. But is McCain really the best man to lead the way on veterans’ issues?
From The Washington Independent:

Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, a non-partisan advocacy group, gave McCain a “D” in 2006, while Obama earned a “B+.” The Vietnam Veterans of America reported that on 31 “key votes” between 2001 and 2008 on issues including veterans’ health-care funding and the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, McCain opposed its positions 15 times, while supporting it eight times. In contrast, Obama, since elected to the Senate in 2004, backed the group’s stands 12 out of 13 times. The Disabled Veterans of America said McCain supported its positions 20 percent of the time in 2006, compared to Obama’s 80 percent.

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I've spent the last 26 years of my life fighting for veterans, especially Vietnam veterans. In all those years, I did it without being paid for it, but paying attention as if my life depended on it, simply because it does. I have skin in this "game" and take it all very personally.

Aside from my husband having PTSD from Vietnam and all the issues that go with it, I also know first hand the fight veterans have on their hands trying to have claims approved by the VA so their wounds are taken care of, their incomes are not threatened because of those wounds and they can still provide for their families. I've seen far too many lives destroyed because of the absence of people in power fighting for the veterans. McCain is one who refused to use his power to help the veterans and fight for them.

It disgusts me that as a Vietnam veteran, a disabled veteran on top of that, he would enjoy all the benefits of being a disabled veteran but not take that and fight for all other veterans. If anyone should be a champion for veterans, it should have been him, but he became part of the problem instead.

When you think that Gulf War POW's filed a law suit against Iraq for the torture they received at the hands of Saddam, won the law suit and then had it killed off by the Bush administration, McCain did not fight for them. He did not champion their cause seeking justice. Did the media ever ask him why? McCain loves to remind the public that he was a POW. That he was tortured. That he suffered for serving the nation, yet he never wants them to take a look at what he has not done on the behalf of veterans. If he truly cared, he would have proven it.

This article points out that Obama is not a veteran but the major service organizations give him high marks for fighting for them. His family members were in the service including his Grandfather. It does not require a veteran to care for them, it just takes someone who truly cares.

I am not a veteran. I did not serve but I come from a long list of veterans, so does my husband. The only power I have in any of this is to do the best I can to make sure people have the opportunity to become informed on the issues facing veterans. McCain had all the power in his hands and did not help the veterans by using that power while he's paid to take care of them as a US Senator. It's the obligation of all elected to take care of the veterans. This is not an option. It's an obligation. The worse thing about McCain is not that he did not fight for them but voted against them. All veterans should be offended that the same man who continually reminds them he's one of them when he wants their votes, is the last one to remember it when it's time for him to vote.



Senior Chaplain Kathie Costos
Namguardianangel@aol.com
www.Namguardianangel.org
www.Woundedtimes.blogspot.com
"The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional to how they perceive veterans of early wars were treated and appreciated by our nation." - George Washington