Iraq veteran says ‘There Are Things Worth Paying For’

This is something I've been trying to point out for a very long time.

“I’m not going out there to talk about I’m a Democrat, I’m a Republican, or anything like that. I’m going out there to talk about issues,” he said.

I wish people in this country had the same attitude when they voted. This blog is up for this same reason. Back in 2007 I was operating another blog, full of information but it also had my political views. Back then I was one of those people thinking "I know everything" and I was out to prove it. I opened an email from a Marine saying that he came into that blog for information and support but he didn't want to read my political rants. Well, still so full of myself, I replied defending what I wrote and why I wrote it. He responded with a very short email back with one question. "Are you doing this for us or for yourself?" I cried. He opened my eyes and I realized I had fallen into the political abyss. I replied by telling him that from that point on I would have a blog for them and keep my political views out of it. Most of the time I succeed and limit the "rants" to when a politician (from both sides) votes against the troops or veterans. I will admit that once in a while I do "pop my cork" and get carried away, but I'm getting better at controlling that.

Politicians say what they want, but it is what they do that really matters. When it comes to the troops and veterans, what really matters is they do it everyday and risk their lives for each other. I'll take those values any day over what has been happening in this country for far too long.

Candidate: ‘There Are Things Worth Paying For’

Chris Miller, a decorated Iraq War veteran who’s now running for Congress as a Democrat in Illinois, is watching budget wrangling in Washington with special knowledge about what Pentagon cuts mean.

President Obama has vowed to repeal any attempt to mitigate the cuts that isn’t part of a broader deficit deal.

On ABC’s “Top Line” today, Miller, D-Ill, said he’s not sure that’s the right strategy.

“We have to take a careful look at making any cuts, especially to the military,” said Miller, who served nine years in the Army and received a Purple Heart for injuries sustained in Iraq. “I don’t think that this world is gonna become a safer place or a place that we have to stop worrying about defending just because we’re having budgetary issues.”

“The problems that we have are not — they’re not simply going away, and we need to think about that and things in that context of there’s things that are worth paying for. And I believe that national security is one of them.”

Miller, who’s running for an open House seat in southern Illinois, said his message on the trail is “jobs, jobs, and jobs.”

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