Video McCain failed Commander-in-Chief test in 2001

AFPVeteran McCain can't bank on US military vote
AFP

Veteran McCain can't bank on US military vote
22 hours ago

CHICAGO (AFP) — War hero John McCain should have been able to count on fellow veterans to back his White House bid, but Democrats have managed to trim the Republican lead by actively courting the military vote.

With the United States engaged in two unpopular wars, the military vote is worth more than the relatively small number of ballots it represents.

Democrats are hoping the visible support of top former commanders and troops on the ground will help overcome a decades-long reputation that they are weak on defense.

Republicans continue to beat the drums of patriotism in an attempt to distract voters from the worsening economic crisis.

McCain meanwhile has built his campaign narrative around his lifelong service to his country and his ability to lead in dangerous times.

The former navy fighter pilot who spent five and a half years in a Vietnamese prison camp pauses every rally and town meeting to thank the "guys in the funny hats" for their military service.

He vows to bring troops home from Iraq "in victory and honor, not in defeat" to chase Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden "to the gates of hell" and to "fight for what's right for America."

And the Arizona senator has mounted constant attacks on the judgment and experience of Democratic rival Barack Obama, a 47-year-old first term senator who has never served in the military.

Yet McCain is expected to win the military vote by a narrower margin on November 4 than President George W. Bush did in 2004, even though Bush sat out the Vietnam war in the Texas national guard and was running against decorated Vietnam veteran John Kerry.

"The best guess is Bush won (the military vote) 60-40 and I'm guessing it will be lower than that for McCain," said Peter Feaver, a professor at Duke University who specializes in civil-military relations.

A Gallup survey in early August found 56 percent of veterans supported McCain while only 34 percent planned to vote for Obama.

At the same point in the 2004 presidential race, 55 percent of veterans backed Bush and 39 percent backed Kerry.

Since then, McCain has fallen sharply in the national polls and Obama has expanded his lead from three points to eight in Gallup's tracking of registered voters.

It is likely that McCain has also lost support among veterans, Feaver said, explaining that while members of the military tend to "skew on the Republican side," they also tend to track the sentiment of the general population.

Democrats have also "assiduously courted the military" in the years since the terrorist attacks of September 11, he added.

They sharply criticized the Bush administration for neglecting returning veterans following the scandal over conditions at the Walter Reed Medical Center and have pushed through legislation which would improve medical benefits and expand college funding for returning veterans.

"Then you have Obama, who has exceptional appeal to three groups over-represented in the military: African Americans, Latinos and young people," Feaver said in a recent interview.

Obama, who served on the senate's veterans affairs committee and has been active in expanding benefits and fighting homelessness among veterans, has also tapped into discontent among veterans frustrated with the way the Iraq war has been handled and the strain that multiple deployments has put on families.

He has called for a staged withdraw from Iraq and greater focus on the war in Afghanistan and regularly asks injured veterans to speak on his behalf at rallies and even at the Democratic National Convention.

His highly organized grassroots campaign has set up chapters of Veterans and Military Families for Obama across the country to knock on doors and make calls on his behalf.

And he recently added Colin Powell, Bush's former secretary of state and the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, to his tally of endorsements by retired generals.

There are plenty of veterans who believe McCain's military service is sufficient testament to his character and ability to be commander-in-chief
click link for more

I would really love to know what people think qualifies McCain to be Commander-in-Chief when he was pushing to invade Iraq right after 9-11? I mean, aside from his disgraceful record of voting against veterans, while Obama has really supported them, Obama was against invading Iraq when McCain was pushing to do it. Seems to me on test one, McCain failed miserably.

Unearthed Video: McCain Pushed Bush Iraq War Agenda Two Months After 9/11


Recently unearthed video shows that just two months after 9/11, John McCain was not only fully aware of the Bush Administration's Iraq War Agenda, but also that he actively helped make the argument for war.

In an interview broadcast November 28, 2001 on ABC News Nightline, McCain:

* Said that the Bush Administration would build a case for military conflict with Iraq, and expressed his support for such action

* Advanced false claims made by the Bush Administration about the threat of Iraqi WMD

* Connected Iraq with 9/11 by repeating the false claim that 9/11 hijacker Muhammad Atta had met with Iraq intelligence authorities in Prague before 9/11
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/09/30/unearthed-video-mccain-pu_n_130680.html
Go to this link and see it with your own eyes. McCain was on Nightline on November 28th talking about the need to invade Iraq. He failed the Commander-in-Chief test and began to prove that he does not know how to "win" wars as he claims. He failed the part of the test on sending men and women into harms way without need or facts. He was pushing for this before the trumped up charges were even presented to Congress. Obama had the right judgement and listened to Generals who said that invading Iraq was wrong, believed it was wrong so much that they resigned. Then McCain did the most deplorable thing of all. He failed the veterans wounded for his fantasy of flight.

Veterans do not owe McCain anything

I've read a lot of blog posts and letters to the editor from newspapers across this nation. The oddest thing crops up when veterans are saying why they support John McCain. It's because, as they put it, "he's one of us" but that is a false claim when you think about it. The veterans supporting McCain, I doubt they used the same logic when it came to John Kerry running against Bush. Back then, they said it was because of what he did after Vietnam, protesting the war, that made them feel betrayed. It didn't seem to enter into their minds that Kerry had been a big supporter of veterans issues all the time he was in the Senate. They would not forgive him. The problem is they are not thinking about what McCain did after Vietnam either.

McCain was not a hero any more than any other Vietnam veteran. If you doubt that then read the acts of heroism that earned many the Bronze Star for Valor, the Silver Star and the Medal of Honor. When he came home he was afforded the distinction earned as a POW, but there were hundreds more who returned from being a POW as well. McCain's record on voting on veterans issues has been a disgrace but the veterans supporting him never bother to notice that he is not supporting them. His record is not something that has been discussed while he's been interviewed enough and when it is, he says, he has without being challenged. The record is what it is. His votes speak from his heart and his heart is not with the veterans.

How can it be that the veterans say today they feel they owe McCain their support as a veteran but didn't use the same logic with Kerry? Most of the people writing the posts I read were the first to come out against Kerry. Doesn't it matter to them if a veteran supports them or not? Doesn't it matter to them that when McCain actually had the chances to prove if he supports them or not, he failed the test? If these veteran did not automatically support Kerry as one of them then their excuse for supporting McCain now does not hold up to common sense. I really believe that they don't care if McCain is a veteran or not as much as they support him because he's a Republican and Kerry is a Democrat. It's a very sad statement to make because it is not the Republican Party supporting the veterans.

History has shown it's been the Democrats. All the changes to make the lives better for veterans serving in Iraq and Afghanistan have happened after 2007 when the Democrats took back control over the House and a tiny bit of control over the Senate. If you don't believe me, look it up for yourself. Know who voted with veterans and who turned their backs on veterans. kc

Florida Veterans for Common Sense wants you to vote with common sense

From Florida Veterans For Common Sense

VOTE EARLY

FLVCS has prepared a comparison on veterans issues between the presidential candidates. It is pasted and attached below. Every vet, active duty service personnel, and their families should be familiar with this information before voting.

SPREAD THE WORD BY RE-CIRCULATING THE CANDIDATES VOTING RECORD

In addition, one candidate has called for a responsible withdrawal from Iraq while the other wants to maintain the occupation indefinitely at a cost of at least $10 billion per month. FLVCS called for withdrawal from Iraq many months ago.

DUES: Please support FLVCS by becoming a dues paying, voting vet member. Although we are a 100% volunteer organization we cannot function without money. Dues are $25 per year. Make checks payable to Florida Veterans for Common Sense and mail to Treasurer Julian Koss, 4180 Via Mirada, Sarasota, FL 34238.

All vets and our non-vet friends are encouraged to donate. Donations are not tax deductible for federal income tax purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
I destroy my enemies when I make them my friends.~Abraham Lincoln

PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES VOTING RECORD VETERAN ISSUES

27 million American military veterans and the 2.6 million men and women currently serving in the United States military and their families hold an important role in the election of the next president. Florida Veterans for Common Sense believes being an informed voter is of vital importance in the selection of president. Here is the record of the two major 2008 presidential candidates on veteran issues.

RATINGS OF VARIOUS VETERANS ORGANIZATIONS:

Disabled American Veterans (DAV):

http://dav.capwiz.com/dav/scorecard.xc?chamber=S&session=1092&votescorecard=true

JOHN MCCAIN supported their interests 2006 20% 2005- 25% BARACK OBAMA supported their interest 2006 80% 2005-92%

Disabled American Veterans for America scorecard notes that JOHN MCCAIN has voted for veterans funding bills 30% of the time (though his history in senate is longer) and BARACK OBAMA has a 90% rating.

Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America

http://www.iava.org/full-ratings-list

JOHN MCCAIN 2006 DBARACK OBAMA 2006 B+

Vietnam Veterans of America

http://politicsandhypocrisy.com/index.php?s=veteran+votes

JOHN MCCAIN Voted against them 17 out of their last 26 scored votes BARACK OBAMA Voted with them all but 1 time


VOTING RECORD ON VETERANS' ISSUES

Compiled from Project Vote Smart: http://www.votesmart.org/index.htm

5/22/2008 NEW GI Bill and other Domestic Provisions, Senate Amendment 4803 (This bill was supported by American Legion and VFW)

Project Vote Smart's Synopsis:Vote to adopt an amendment to HR 2642 that provides education funding for eligible members of the Armed Forces, extends unemployment compensation, establishes moratoria on certain actions regarding Medicaid, and appropriates a total of $28.67 billion for various domestic and international purposes.

JOHN MCCAIN NAY

BARACK OBAMA YEA



2/2/2006 Tax Extension Amendment HR 4297Project Vote Smart's Synopsis:Vote on a motion to waive the Budget Act in order to adopt an amendment that authorizes $21.9 billion for the Department of Veterans Affairs and offsets the cost through changes made to tax rates on capital gains and dividends.

JOHN MCCAIN NAY

BARACK OBAMA YEA

1/17/2005 Additional Funding for Veterans Amendment S2020Project Vote Smart's Synopsis:Vote on a motion to waive the Budget Act in order to adopt an amendment that appropriates $500 million annually from 2006-2010 for counseling, mental health, and rehabilitation services for veterans diagnosed with mental illness, post-traumatic stress disorder, or substance abuse.

JOHN MCCAIN NAY

BARACK OBAMA YEA

10/5/2005 Health Care for Veterans Amendment HR 2863Project Vote Smart's Synopsis:Vote on a motion to waive the Budget Act to allow for adoption of an amendment that increases funding for the Veterans Health Administration in order to account for inflation and changes in the number of veterans using the health services.

JOHN MCCAIN NAY

BARACK OBAMA YEA

Information compiled from sited sources by Florida Veterans for Common Sense, Inc. 100 Wallace Ave. Suite 255, Sarasota, FL 34237 Flveterans@aol.com

The publication is not approved or authorized by any political candidate or campaign. Florida Veterans for Common Sense, Inc. is a non-profit, non-partisan veteran’s organization.

Military families meet with Michelle Obama

Obama's point woman with military families: his wife, Michelle Obama
Craig Lassig / Associated Press
MICHELLE OBAMA: Like military spouses, she juggles multiple roles — wife, mother, working woman — she says.
The voting bloc, which traditionally goes Republican, could prove crucial in swing states like North Carolina.
By Dahleen Glanton
October 26, 2008
Reporting from Jacksonville, N.C. -- As a major component of his presidential bid, Democratic nominee Barack Obama has deployed his wife on a mission to win over military families, many of them traditional Republicans. She has targeted the group with whom she hopes to forge an alliance -- wives of servicemen.

In a series of round-table discussions and rallies in North Carolina, Virginia, Florida and New Mexico -- all battleground states -- Michelle Obama has discussed how she, like military spouses, juggles work and family. On the campaign trail she describes herself in simple terms -- a mother, a lawyer and a wife who grew up in a blue-collar family in working-class Chicago. (Educated at Harvard, she earned more than $300,000 in 2005 as a hospital executive.)

Wives vent to her about the difficulty of raising children while their husbands are away. They share stories about the loneliness, financial challenges and fears that come with being a military spouse.

"We all have some fundamental things in common," Michelle Obama recently told a crowd of veterans and relatives of service members from Camp Lejeune, N.C., from which nearly 60,000 Marines are deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan. "We share a vision of a system that does more to support military families, both when your loved ones are deployed and long after they return.

"We've all been touched by this economic crisis that our nation is facing. . . . You feel it when you pay for groceries . . . and when you fill up your tank," she said.


But the military is not a voting bloc that John McCain, the Republican nominee, will give up without a fight. He has enlisted a former Navy buddy and fellow prisoner of war in Vietnam to appeal directly to veterans. McCain's wife, Cindy, also has spoken to military groups.

Military voters in 2004 favored President Bush over Democratic challenger John F. Kerry, 57% to 41%. A poll released this month by the Military Times showed active-duty service members supporting McCain over Obama, 68% to 23%. However, the Military Times pointed out that the respondents were subscribers who were older, held more senior ranks and were less ethnically diverse than the military as a whole.

go here for more

http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-michelle26-2008oct26,0,6927360.story

On more huge point is that the bulk of military donations went to Obama and Paul. When it comes to voting with their wallets, they did not pick McCain. They understand that just because someone is a veteran, it does not mean they support veterans. They understand that while McCain has not served on the Veterans Affairs Committee, Obama has and since he added his weight to the issues for veterans, things have been changing for the better in the last couple of years. Before that, veterans were pretty much left out of the thought process of the congress. No matter what the Democrats tried to do to help veterans, they were blocked by people like McCain who said when it came to Jim Webb's GI Bill, it was "too generous" instead of wanting to do all that was possible for the sake of the veterans. McCain's record stinks when it comes to veterans and they understand this as well.

Who supports veterans more? McCain's votes prove he does NOT

You be the judge of who is telling the truth

As a lifetime member of the DAV I feel compelled to send this email. If
you watched the first presidential debate you might have caught Obama
accusing McCain that McCain's voting record on DAV issues was a dismal 20%.
Obama stated that his own voting record with DAV was 80%. McCain responded
that was not true, veterans know him; he loves them and has always stood up
for them.

I emailed the legislative department of the DAV and posed the 80/20 voting
record question. The response I received back is below. I think that every
veteran should be aware that McCain can't run from his record. In this time
of war, it's imperative we support a candidate who supports veterans before,
during, and after the battle. After the dust settles in Iraq and
Afghanistan and our heroes come home, estimates are that some 50,000
veterans will need some form of medical care and support. I believe the
only candidate who will support veterans is Barack Obama.
go here for more
http://www.mailtribuneforum.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=14049

McCain lies again about his record on veterans

Americans are not stupid people and veterans are especially aware of when they are being used. They caught onto what McCain has claimed against what he has done and they don't like it. Sure there are some still who just assume he deserves their support because "he's one of us" but when they take a look at his record they are shocked. What they really fail to see is that McCain has never been a champion of veterans and has not served on the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee. You'd think he would have been heading that committee if he really did put veterans that high on his list of importance, but he hasn't. Up until his campaigning on the national stage for the presidency, no one really paid that much attention to McCain or what facts are, but once he became the front runner of the GOP to take over the Oval Office, we did pay attention and his record is a disgrace, especially from a veteran. That's the problem with a lot of politicians. They claim a lot of things but when you check out their record, you see a huge difference between what they say to us and what they say on the floor when bills are debated and votes are cast.

The mess that happened in the VA did not happen in an altered universe out of McCain's knowledge. It happened all the years he was in the senate and it didn't matter to him. When the veterans in this country needed a champion to actually fight for them for a change, McCain either voted against them or he just didn't show up to vote at all. So how important are veterans to him really? Not very or his votes would have proven it. This is more disgraceful considering that McCain has enjoyed every benefit the country can provide to veterans. He receives disability payments as well as an education funded by the tax payers. The same benefits he has voted against providing for other veterans. He voted against increasing funding for the VA just as he was against Senator Jim Webb's GI Bill and actually fought against it, then took credit for it passing as well as being happy that Bush gave him credit as well.

It really is a shame that when McCain had the opportunity to produce evidence he deserved any support from veterans, he just expected it instead

McCain Lies Again, Repeats False Claim He ‘Received The Highest Honor And Awards’ From Every Vets Group


Yesterday, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) held a telephone town hall meeting, in which “thousands” of Nevadans — according to the McCain campaign — called to listen in. Among some of the hostile, pointed, and critical questions came one from a veteran, who challenged McCain on his voting record regarding funding for the Veterans Administration and veterans’ priorities:

Q: I know you voted for lesser increases, and sometimes they were so much less, and our VA desperately needs the money. Can you tell me why you would vote for less money for the VA when there’s a war going on?

M: Well of course I have not and I’m afraid I’ve been endorsed by the VFW in every election that I’ve been in. I have been — received the honors, the highest honor and awards from all our veterans organizations for my consistent support of them. I don’t know what you’re looking at, but the DAV, the VFW, the American Legion, all of them have given me their highest awards for my consistent support of them.
click link for more

McCain would hurt seniors and veterans among many others

Colin Powell endorses Obama: Video


Why would Powell endorse Obama? He explained it very clearly this morning the same way many other people across the country have. While McCain believes that we owe him our vote because he was a Vietnam POW and served the country, he seems to have forgotten that many across the nation have been left out of receiving any benefit from his years of service in the senate. His voting record proves it.

McCain plans on privatizing social security, which means great harm can come to the lives of seniors across this nation. He wants the younger people to "invest" in the stock market, which as we've all seen, is a dangerous thing to do. This alone would harm seniors without the privatization of the system that has worked all these years.

McCain plans on causing division among veterans by "offering" to allow veterans without combat wounds to seek medical care elsewhere instead of from the VA which they were promised would be there in repayment of their own years of service. McCain's record on veterans funding has been deplorable while he expects they will simply support him no matter what harm he has caused them by voting against what they need and delaying changes needed to address the needs of the wounded as well as the elderly population.

McCain lacks the ability to remove himself from the same policies that caused most of the messes this nation has faced at the same time he expects us to simply trust his word that he has not supported Bush and his failed policies even though McCain took pride in declaring "I voted with the President 90% of the time" when he was in the GOP primary. While McCain expects the job of leading this nation he did not expect that he would have had to earn that right.

While we deserved to have our issues addressed, McCain decided to pull stunts, from selected someone like Sarah Palin, to using every opportunity and dirty trick to cause further division in this nation. Obama on the other hand has sought to restore the unity of the American people. This, the American people have been longing for since the attacks of 9-11 when we were reminded that no matter what our differences were, we are one nation and come together to help each other. We need that unity again. We need to get past the greed is good mentality that has caused so much harm and reward generosity as well as loyalty and true patriotism.

Eyes are opening up in this nation. The majority can see that no matter what color a person's skin is, it in no way something to judge them by. As Martin Luther King Jr. declared, content of their character does matter more than the color of their skin. What matters most to the voters is what matters in our own lives and this is a wonderful thing. kc

Iraq and Afghanistan veterans give McCain a "D" on his record

Posted Tuesday, October 07, 2008 11:03 AM
Veterans Group Rates McCain/Obama Voting Record (and the Rest of Congress Too)
David Botti
The veterans group Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America released a "scorecard" today which gives letter grades to members of congress based on their voting record for veterans issues. Senator John McCain received a D, while Sen. Barack Obama and Sen. Joe Biden both received a B. According to the group's Website, the grades were based off of how many times a member of Congress voted along the same line as the IAVA's own position on 22 key votes affecting veterans (nine in the Senate and 13 in the House). From the IAVA:

From their flag lapel pins to their yellow ribbon bumper stickers, every politician in America wants you to believe they “support the troops.” But actions speak louder than words. When veterans’ issues actually came to a vote in Washington, what did your representatives do?...How did Congress do this year? Over all, they scored very well. From the passage of the landmark Post-9/11 GI Bill to fully funding the Department of Veterans Affairs, we have tremendous progress to celebrate this year. More than 150 legislators earned a perfect score, a grade of A+.

The accusation against Obama regarding troop funding came up in the first presidential debate, where Obama defended his vote as a reflection on his position seeking a timetable for withdrawal. "Senator McCain opposed funding for troops in legislation that had a timetable, because he didn't believe in a timetable," Obama pointed out. "I opposed funding a mission that had no timetable, and was open-ended, giving a blank check to George Bush . We had a difference on the timetable. We didn't have a difference on whether or not we were going to be funding troops." Factcheck.org, meanwhile, reported in response to a McCain campaign ad released in July that while Obama did cast one "no" vote on legislation providing money for combat efforts, he voted at least 10 times in favor of increased funding.

As for the committee Obama chairs, it does not, in fact, have direct oversight of the war in Afghanistan. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee's Subcommittee on European Affairs does have jurisdiction over NATO affairs, and NATO has played a large role in the conflict. But hearings on Afghanistan have been held in front of the full Foreign Relations Committee, headed by Obama's running mate, Joe Biden . ABC News reported in July that Obama has attended one of the three full committee hearings on Afghanistan held within the last two years, while McCain has missed all three.
click post title for more

John McCain is self-serving without honor

John McCain has shown that he comes first and has lost any shread of decency he once had along with the tiny fraction of honor he had left. The man is proving he is not honorable. He cannot run on his record and has consistently tried to run away from his own record as well as the Bush administration he supported so much so that he boasted he voted with the Bush administration almost 90% of the time. Back then he thought only the Republican's were watching the GOP primary debate but the truth is, America was watching. He is self-serving without honor.

McCain can claim he supports veterans until he turns blue but it will not make it the truth. We know his record well. He can say he deserves honor and votes for being a POW, but cannot run away from what he did after his return to this nation. He can claim he served the American people all these years in the Senate but he served only himself going back to the Keating 5 and the Lincoln Savings and loan scandal because he wanted the power enough to sell out the tax payers backing Keating. While McCain served as a senator from Arizona, it was up to them to judge him and the rest of the nation allowed him to operate below the radar until he decided he wanted to control the entire nation in the lead job. Now the national eye is on him and frankly, we no longer like what we see. He is not who we thought he was. The man has no conscience to feel ashamed of how low he has sunk. This nation deserved better out of him and so have the veterans he betrayed. It's time for McCain to answer for his own character and his own actions instead of coming up with lies about Obama.

I thought his votes against veterans were about as low as a person could get but he sunk even lower by claiming he supports them looking them right in the eye. He's lying now still looking at us right in the eye.

Vets group slams McCain on voting record

By Rick Maze - Staff writer
Posted : Tuesday Oct 7, 2008 9:05:14 EDT

The nation’s most prestigious group for Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans released a congressional scorecard Tuesday that ranks Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain of Arizona as having one of the worst voting records to support troops and veterans.

The grade is due to his absence on several key votes on military and veterans’ issues over the last two years.

McCain, ranking Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee and a decorated Navy fighter pilot who spent 5½ years as a prisoner of war in Vietnam, received a D on the report card from Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. D is the lowest grade given by the nonprofit, nonpartisan group, and McCain is one of just four senators and five members of the House of Representatives who received such a low grade. McCain also is the only veteran among the nine who received a D on the record card.
go here for more

http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/10/military_
vets_congress_reportcard_100708/

For the whole report go here

http://www.veteranreportcard.org/reportcard.pdf

"If John McCain wants to have a character debate, then I'm happy to have that debate because Mr. McCain's record, despite him calling himself a maverick, actually shows that he is continually somebody who relies on lobbyists for big oil and big corporations," Obama told CNN.

"One of the things we've done throughout this campaign, we don't throw the first punch. But we'll throw the last."

For the campaigns, now it's personal
Agence France-Presse
Published: Monday October 6, 2008
by Myriam Chaplain-Riou

NASHVILLE, Tennessee (AFP) - Republican John McCain questioned Barack Obama's character, while the Democrat pressed his foe's alleged weakness on economic issues as tempers escalated ahead of the White House rivals' debate Tuesday.

Both candidates intensified their attacks ahead of the second of three presidential debates, this one to be staged in a "town hall" format with less than a month remaining before the November 4 vote.

The debate was to feature questions from undecided voters in the audience, a format preferred by McCain who frequently paces the stage and engages directly with voters, in contrast to Obama whose style tends to be more reserved and contained.
go here for more
http://rawstory.com/news/2008/For_campaigns_now_its_personal_1006.html

McCain's record on veterans issues "not good enough" for voter

Work on behalf of veterans has her leaning toward the non-vet
October 5, 2008


Sue Kaszynski of Canandaigua is working to inform herself more than the average voter, but the vote she casts will be largely by default.

She's researched the records of both presidential candidates regarding veterans issues and is leaning toward the nonveteran in the race.

Kaszynski, 53, served in the Marine Corps for almost two years before an injury forced her to leave in the late 1970s. Then she worked with veterans as a clinical social worker at the Canandaigua Veterans Affairs Medical Center, and is now retired.

She comes from a military family and her stepson, Steve, 27, has just returned from his second tour in Iraq. She hopes he won't have to go back.

She said she'll be voting for Democrat Barack Obama because she doesn't want to vote for Republican John McCain, whose record on veteran's issues, according to her research, isn't good enough.
go here for more

http://www.democratandchronicle.com/article/20081005/
NEWS01/810050380/1002/NEWS

McCain-Palin called Ohio Veterans "unqualified" voters

When it comes to veterans, there are two kinds of them in McCain's eyes. The ones who support him and the ones he can use. If he can't use them, they don't deserve anything. People need to understand it's not a matter of what McCain claims when it comes to veterans, it's what he does that matters. The more this nation finds out about McCain since he started running for the presidency, we find he is all talk, votes against veterans and cannot be trusted. If he's turning his back on veterans, he'll turn his back on anyone.

Editorial Column: Governor Palin Claims Ohio Veterans are Unqualified Voters
Max Bernstein


Huffington Post

Oct 04, 2008
October 3, 2008 - Watching John McCain attack our veterans has become the norm these past few years, with his status as a symbol for the American veteran merely a weird plot twist in his history; We have watched him stand on the Senate floor for five-and-a-half hours, leading the fight against the dwell time amendment that would give our troops more time between tours. We have seen him speak out against the 21st Century GI Bill that would expand education benefits for our troops for the first time since the Senator himself used them to pay for college. Like a bizarro-world version of Mark Foley ruthlessly fighting pedophiles while being one himself, so goes McCain's inexplicable record on veterans issues.

But finally, he's put his mouth where his money is. McCain and Palin, who both have children in the Armed Forces, have declared Ohio troops and hospitalized vets unqualified voters.

I get emails from McCain's Ohio arm to try to keep an eye on what they're doing there, since the state will probably decide the election, but happens to have a Republican party establishment that would purge every voter without a butler from the rolls if it had the chance. This is what they sent out after the debate last night under Palin's name:

The Obama-Biden Democrats and their allies are exploiting loopholes in Ohio election laws that we fear may result in unqualified voters casting ballots.

go here to see what this is all about
http://www.veteransforcommonsense.org/ArticleID/11334

Florida Veterans For McCain spins his record

I just read this lengthy claim from Florida Veterans for McCain. Too bad it's spin and nothing more. It mentions that McCain came up with a bill for GI education benefits but did not mention the fact that his bill was only after the fact he came out publicly against the GI Bill by Jim Webb and was backed by almost every other senator but McCain said it was "too generous" and would harm recruitment, even though every expert said it would not. It also says that McCain is against privatizing the VA but with his "card" so that veterans can get healthcare elsewhere, that is exactly what this will do. It avoids the fact that McCain wants non-combat veterans treated like a sub-class of veterans. Simply put, if you look up McCain's disgraceful record on veterans, you can plainly see that McCain does not and has not supported veterans. His record speaks louder than his baseless claims do. It's all public record and his POW-veteran status should have produced an advocate for veterans instead of an advisory against them. Veterans and their families should hold McCain to a higher standard when considering to support him or not because he has not supported us. The major veterans service groups have failed McCain on his record for a reason.

JOHN MCCAIN-PROVEN ADVOCATE FOR AMERICA'S VETERANSBy H. John Sykes, Jr.(H. John Sykes, Jr.) John McCain is a Co-Sponsor of the Veterans Health Care Budget Reform Act, To Provide Advance Funding for the Veterans Administration. (S. 3527, introduced 9/18/08). Yet Joe Biden Alleges That John McCain’s Record Shows He Hasn’t “Been,,,,,,

Iraq Vet Doubts 'New Veteran' Loyalty to McCain

The media can no longer ignore McCain's false claims of supporting veterans simply because he's a veteran and says so. His record on veterans issues is so deplorable for a veteran that it needs to be made known across this country. If McCain had not had a "reputation" of being a veteran, they would have gone after his record the way they go after all politicians records. McCain needs to be held to an even higher standard since he has enjoyed his political career on the backs of other veterans he has betrayed over and over again when he had a chance to prove where his heart and loyalty actually is. kc

Editorial Column: Iraq Vet Doubts 'New Veteran' Loyalty to McCain

Luis Carlos Montalván


Huffington Post

Oct 03, 2008

October 2, 2008 - To gain the sympathy and cooperation of the American people come election day, the robust presidential candidate McCain machine is working hard to quiet the anti-McCain fervor among "new veterans" that until recently has lurked just beneath the surface of America's watchful eyes.

Trumped only by the looming Bush/McCain-caused national economic catastrophe, the topics of war, foreign policy, and veterans issues are at the forefront of the debates.

To undermine the growing "new veteran" discontent with Senator McCain's record on Veterans' issues, a cast of 300 retired generals and admirals recently penned a very short note in support of "their candidate."

In this stratagem by "would-be Commander-in Chief" McCain, a swath of "300 Spartans" has emerged to try to persuade swing voters that POW McCain really is a "caring veteran."

The opening of the letter almost takes one to the Battle of Thermopylae -- still so fresh in the minds of our popular culture after the blockbuster film "300" was released a year ago.

'We have had the honor and privilege of serving as career officers in the United States Armed Forces, and of serving shoulder-to-shoulder with so many of the fine young men and women who are the backbone of America's Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard."
go here for more
http://www.veteransforcommonsense.org/ArticleID/11321

The news stations need to report on McCain's record against veterans

In 2005, with two occupations producing more wounded veterans in need of care from the VA, it was a Democrat, Senator Akaka who tried to do something about it and was joined by Democrats at the same time the Republicans voted against veterans. Have a look for yourself and see why there have been so many who died after they came home than died during combat. Only one Republican voted for the veterans. It was not John McCain.

U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 109th Congress - 1st Session

as compiled through Senate LIS by the Senate Bill Clerk under the direction of the Secretary of the Senate


Vote Summary

Question: On the Amendment (Akaka Amdt. No. 149 )
Vote Number: 55 Vote Date: March 16, 2005, 04:38 PM
Required For Majority: 1/2 Vote Result: Amendment Rejected
Amendment Number: S.Amdt. 149 to S.Con.Res. 18
Statement of Purpose: To increase veterans medical care by $2.8 billion in 2006.
Vote Counts: YEAs 47
NAYs 53


Grouped By Vote Position YEAs ---47
Akaka (D-HI)
Baucus (D-MT)
Bayh (D-IN)
Biden (D-DE)
Bingaman (D-NM)
Boxer (D-CA)
Byrd (D-WV)
Cantwell (D-WA)
Carper (D-DE)
Chafee (R-RI)
Clinton (D-NY)
Coleman (R-MN)
Conrad (D-ND)
Corzine (D-NJ)
Dayton (D-MN)
Dodd (D-CT)
Dorgan (D-ND)
Durbin (D-IL)
Feingold (D-WI)
Feinstein (D-CA)
Harkin (D-IA)
Inouye (D-HI)
Jeffords (I-VT)
Johnson (D-SD)
Kennedy (D-MA)
Kerry (D-MA)
Kohl (D-WI)
Landrieu (D-LA)
Lautenberg (D-NJ)
Leahy (D-VT)
Levin (D-MI)
Lieberman (D-CT)
Lincoln (D-AR)
Mikulski (D-MD)
Murray (D-WA)
Nelson (D-FL)
Nelson (D-NE)
Obama (D-IL)
Pryor (D-AR)
Reed (D-RI)
Reid (D-NV)
Rockefeller (D-WV)
Salazar (D-CO)
Sarbanes (D-MD)
Schumer (D-NY)
Stabenow (D-MI)
Wyden (D-OR)




NAYs ---53
Alexander (R-TN)
Allard (R-CO)
Allen (R-VA)
Bennett (R-UT)
Bond (R-MO)
Brownback (R-KS)
Bunning (R-KY)
Burns (R-MT)
Burr (R-NC)
Chambliss (R-GA)
Coburn (R-OK)
Cochran (R-MS)
Collins (R-ME)
Cornyn (R-TX)
Craig (R-ID)
Crapo (R-ID)
DeMint (R-SC)
DeWine (R-OH)
Dole (R-NC)
Domenici (R-NM)
Ensign (R-NV)
Enzi (R-WY)
Frist (R-TN)
Graham (R-SC)
Grassley (R-IA)
Gregg (R-NH)
Hagel (R-NE)
Hatch (R-UT)
Hutchison (R-TX)
Inhofe (R-OK)
Isakson (R-GA)
Kyl (R-AZ)
Lott (R-MS)
Lugar (R-IN)
Martinez (R-FL)
McCain (R-AZ)
McConnell (R-KY)
Murkowski (R-AK)
Roberts (R-KS)
Santorum (R-PA)
Sessions (R-AL)
Shelby (R-AL)
Smith (R-OR)
Snowe (R-ME)
Specter (R-PA)
Stevens (R-AK)
Sununu (R-NH)
Talent (R-MO)
Thomas (R-WY)
Thune (R-SD)
Vitter (R-LA)
Voinovich (R-OH)
Warner (R-VA)
http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=109&session=1&vote=00055

How can the people who voted against this ever look another veteran in the face and tell them they support them? There is more about how McCain has turned his back on veterans and it's about time the national broadcast media like FOX, CNN, MSNBC, CBS, NBC and ABC let the voters know about this. Up until now, the only voters McCain's betrayal of veterans mattered to were the voters in Arizona. Now he's on the national stage and his record against veterans matters to all veterans. So does the Republican party who keep claiming they are the ones who support the veterans when they vote against them the way they did in this bill.

This is from TIME regarding McCain's attempt to kill the new GI Bill on education.

This is not the first time McCain, who has a proud history of opposing what he views as excessive government spending, has found himself at odds with his fellow veterans on legislation. He's voted for veterans funding bills only 30% of the time, according to a scorecard of roll-call votes put out by the nonpartisan Disabled Americans for America. Under the same system Obama has a 90% rating — though, of course, he has spent a much shorter time in Washington. "Senator McCain clearly needs to be recognized for his military service and in some respects that will play to his advantage, but when it actually comes to delivering health care and benefits during war, Senator McCain's going to have some explaining to do," said Paul Sullivan, director of the nonpartisan Veterans for Common Sense.

http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1808161,00.html

And we have this from FOX on how McCain tried to defend himself.

McCain Defends Oppositon to Senate-Approved Veterans' Package
Speaking in observance of Memorial Day Monday, Sen. John McCain praised the “brave and selfless patriots” serving in the armed forces, and defended his opposition to Senate-passed legislation that would provide additional college financial aid to veterans.

In his speech Monday, McCain said Webb’s bill, which offers the same benefits to all servicemen regardless of the term of their service, would “encourage more people to leave the military after they have completed one enlistment.”

McCain touted his own bill, already blocked in the Senate, which he said offered a “sliding scale” that increased benefits “according to the veteran’s length of service.”


"It would be easier, much easier politically for me to have joined Senator Webb in offering his legislation," McCain said, noting that assuming the presidency would require taking "politically unpopular positions at times and [disagreeing] with people for whom I have the highest respect and affection."


"I take a back seat to no one in my affection, respect and devotion to veterans," he said.

http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/05/26/mccain-defends-
oppositon-to-senate-approved-veterans-package/

But there are more veterans speaking out against McCain.

Swift Boat Veteran Takes on McCain's Senate Record
July 12, 2008
In 2004, Joliet, Ill., Local 176 member Jim Wasser, a U.S. Navy veteran who served with Sen. John Kerry in Vietnam, watched in horror as his service on a Swift Boat morphed into a term synonymous with campaign smear tactics.

Four years later, he’s taking on Sen. John McCain’s record as a long-serving member of the Senate to make the case to union members that he should not be elected our next president.

“Every vet respects John McCain’s war record,” Wasser says in a new ad launched July 10 by the AFL-CIO in Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia. “It’s his record in the Senate I have a problem with.”

Wasser, a journeyman wireman retiring this fall after 39 years as an active IBEW member, said thanks to the anti-labor policies of George W. Bush, “our kids are going to be the only generation never to do better than their parents.

“I can’t fathom why people are voting against their interests,” Wasser said. “Union men and women have to look at these issues. It’s basic economics: if you don’t have a job, you can’t buy a gun or support your family properly.”

Wasser ticked off a list of anti-union, anti-veteran votes by McCain: he voted against the right to organize under the Employee Free Choice Act, voted against an increase in health care benefits to veterans, voted against an extension of unemployment benefits and voted against the new GI Bill, which expands the educational benefit for veterans. McCain voted for NAFTA, even bemoaning recently the requirement that the motorcycles used by the U.S. Secret Service be made in the United States.

He named as blessings his upbringing, his service in the Navy, and his membership in the IBEW. “Everything I have today I have because of three things: the values my parents taught me, my service during the Vietnam war and my affiliation with the IBEW.”

Wasser is part of the labor federation’s effort to reach the 2.1 military veterans who are union members. The Union Veterans Council, just launched by the AFL-CIO, seeks to bring to light the records of candidates on issues that affect former military personnel.

“Our nation’s veterans deserve much better than the failed Bush economy has given them,” said AFL-CIO President John Sweeney. “With the Union Veterans Council, veterans will be front and center in the effort to put our country back on track.”
go here for video

http://www.ibew.org/articles/08daily/0807/080711_Wasser.htm

McCain's problem in Florida is his record

For the first time since McCain ran in an election, he is forced to answer for his record but has avoided it completely. While most Americans talk about his connection to lobbyists, his support of removing regulations leading us to where we are financially, above all his record shows in support of Bush's policies, is the fact he does not support veterans. While some are shocked at how bad his record is, the word is finally reaching many across Florida and the nation. Before this, he managed to get away with deluding the voters of Arizona because they were the only ones who could hold him accountable. Now he has the entire nation asking him to account for his betrayal of them.

McCain's campaign can scratch their heads all they want to figure out why it is so bad for McCain in the polls but they have only is record to blame for the bulk of his problems. They cannot undo his votes, cover them up or excuse them.

Florida GOP meets in secret as Obama passes McCain in polls
By Alex Leary, Jennifer Liberto and Steve Bousquet, Times staff writers
In print: Thursday, October 2, 2008
TALLAHASSEE — Florida Republican leaders hastily convened a top secret meeting this week to grapple with Sen. John McCain's sagging performance in this must-win state.

Their fears were confirmed Wednesday when four new polls showed Sen. Barack Obama leading, a reversal from just a few weeks ago when McCain was opening up an advantage.

The polls come amid a cascade of bad news about the economy, an issue that McCain has struggled with in recent days.

What's more, a rolling average of Florida polls shows Obama ahead, albeit barely, for the first time.

• Quinnipiac: Obama leads 51-43.

• InsiderAdvantage/Poll Position: Obama leads 49-46.

• CNN/Time magazine: Obama leads 51-47.

• Suffolk University showed Obama leading 46-42.

• Real Clear Politics average of all Florida polls: Obama up by 3 percentage points.

go here for more

http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/state/article835288.ece

Documentation Proves McCain Is Not A "Friend" To Veterans

Documentation Proves McCain Is Not A "Friend" To Veterans

Michelle Gross
Posted October 1, 2008 | 10:47 AM (EST)

John McCain ended the first presidential debate Friday night speaking rather fatherly: "I know the veterans, I know them well, and I know that they know that I'll take care of them, and I have been proud of their support and their recognition of my service to the veterans, and I love them, and I'll take care of them, and they know that I'll take care of them."

On the straight talk express, Daddy Mac must mean tough love.

For someone who touts his military service record as the foundation of his qualifications for President he has a lousy record (see here, here, and here) of supporting benefits for our troops and his fellow veterans.

Let's start with the new GI Bill. Obama was a co-sponsor of the new GI Bill and actively campaigned for its passage. Daddy Mac took the tough love approach by saying that the troops have to work harder and serve longer before they can earn their GI Bill benefits. He was against it, until he realized what a deal breaker it was for his campaign.

But the tough love doesn't end there.
click link for more

Veterans beware of McCain trick on how he treats you

This Halloween there is something veterans really need to fear and that is a McCain Palin administration. McCain claims to "care about veterans" and it's a claim he's gotten away with making for far too long with having nothing but the opposite to show for it. His record on votes against veterans is legendary. So much for this maverick who betrays his own. While McCain has received a free ride from the broadcast media, the print media has not forgotten his consistent lies about "supporting" veterans. Most Americans who do not read the congressional record of votes or the publications coming in from the DAV, the VFW, American Legion or go onto sites like Vote Vets and IAVA, are stunned when they discover how they have been mislead all these years and tricked into voting against their best interests by supporting people like McCain who do not support them. Military and veteran's families should have expected more out of one of our own.

When I began doing this work with veterans who have PTSD, I took an oath that no matter what party someone belongs to, I will go after them if they do not support veterans. Having the wrong people in office means that all the work I do will mean nothing if they are not one their end fighting just as hard for veterans and what they need. People like McCain are the reason so many are without the care and treatment they not only earned but deserved. What is most telling about McCain is that he can stand in front of the camera with tens of millions of Americans watching and lie without blinking. His claim of how much he supports veterans came out of his mouth as easily as he says the words "my friends" when addressing an audience.

They say that doing the right thing is doing it all the time when someone is watching as well as when they are not. As soon as the cameras are off McCain, when no voter hears his words, he votes against us. Again we are reminded of his attitude with the latest Palin spin.

Gov. Palin was asked a question by a voter about if she thought we should strike in Pakistan if there had been evidence of Al-Qaeda. She said she thought we should. McCain then went on TV with Palin at his side saying that it was a voter who shouted the question across the room and passed it off a "gotcha journalism" insulting all voters in the process. What was not mentioned was the fact that this implies McCain finds no problem with lying to voters. If he does in fact know that Palin agrees with him, then he's approving of this message of lying to voters.

While McCain took high profile positions on powerful committees, he did not serve on the Veterans Affairs Committee. Obama saw it as payback for his father, uncle and all veterans to serve on this committee and he's been fighting for veterans ever since. Most of the improvements happened in the last two years with the Democrats in leadership roles and Obama has been part of that. The following is a letter from Senator Obama. When you read it and you get angry that the letter didn't come from McCain, the man who says he supports the veterans, get angry enough to look up his voting record and understand that the way he treats veterans is no treat at all. kc

Senator Obama Seeks Critical VA Data on Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans to Improve Veteran Services

U.S. Senator Barack Obama


Sep 30, 2008

September 24, 2008, Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Barack Obama today sent the following letter to Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary James Peake, requesting that he release critical information and data relating to veterans health care, disability claims and Vet Center activity. Since the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan began, veterans have faced unique challenges as they return to their families and communities, including health-related needs as well as community readjustment concerns. It is essential for Congress to have as much information as possible in order to best determine the needs of community and veterans service organizations so it can better understand how to serve them. The National Academy of Sciences is also expected to begin a study, based on Obama legislation, to document the long term needs of these heroes and will require this information as well.

The text of the letter is below:

Dear Secretary Peake:

I am writing to request your cooperation in providing the American people with some critical information regarding the needs of our Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) veterans.

As you know, OIF and OEF veterans have faced unique needs as they return to their families and communities. Some of these needs are health-related, but other needs are related to community readjustment concerns. I am pleased that the National Academy of Sciences is expected to begin a study, based on my legislation, to document the longterm needs of these heroes. However, the VA can assist in our efforts to determine the needs of these veterans by sharing some critical information.

I am requesting the VA release, as soon as practicable, the following information:

1. The latest reports on healthcare use by the OIF and OEF veterans;

2. The latest reports on disability claims made by OIF and OEF veterans;

3. The latest reports on Vet Center activity by OIF and OEF veterans.

I appreciate your cooperation in providing this important information. With this information, the Congress can better determine the needs of this community and veterans service organizations can better understand how to best serve our most recent veterans.

I also want to commend your office on taking into account recommendations that Chairman Akaka, I and other Senators on the Veterans Affairs Committee submitted on the proposed regulations regarding rating disabilities for veterans with Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). The recently released revised regulations are a significant improvement from the draft regulations and I am pleased they will provide for consideration of both the frequency and severity of disabilities. I also appreciate that the VA will notify veterans who were rated under the previous regulations that they have the opportunity for a re-evaluation under these new regulations. As you know, we must do all we can to ensure our nation's heroes receive the benefits and services they deserve. I hope all OIF and OEF veterans are afforded this notice. I also hope we can continue to work together to increase TBI research and care for mild-moderate TBI victims.

Thank you for your assistance and I look forward to hearing from you.

Barack Obama
United States Senator
http://www.veteransforcommonsense.org/ArticleID/11294

This is more on how veterans feel when they know the difference between who supports them and who does not.

Iraq Veterans Talk About Senator Obama at University of Wisconsin
Signe Brewster


The Badger Herald (Madison, Wisconsin)

Sep 30, 2008
September 30, 2008 - A panel of veterans spoke to University of Wisconsin community members Monday about their experiences at war and why they will support Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama in the November election.

The panelists spoke about their time in Iraq and Afghanistan and how this influenced their choice to support the Illinois senator, citing what they called Obama's commitment to providing health care to veterans.

"We were called to duty and we answered that call," said Abbie Pickett, a veteran of the Iraq war and Desert Storm. "Now where is the support that we need? I came back to a brand-new, different world. Getting help wasn't as easy as I thought it would be."

Pickett sought out psychological care during her tour in Iraq, but said the disorganization of the system prevented her from getting the treatment she needed. She started to drink heavily and entered a "downward spiral."

According to Pickett, she eventually became an advocate for others in need of help and campaigning for Obama is an extension of it.

"I had to look beyond the war hero stories. I looked at the policies and the voting record, and time after time John McCain wasn't the answer," Pickett said. "He isn't the maverick he is made out to be."

go here for more

http://www.veteransforcommonsense.org/ArticleID/11290

McCain list of votes against veterans is disgraceful especially from a veteran

Vets on McCain & Life On The Ledge
By jimstaro

Sun Sep 28, 2008 at 08:20:09 AM EDT
The following video ad was produced by veteran inlookout and linked, in the replys, in an initial writeup posted at Vet Voice after the Debate.
John McCain Loves Cutting Veterans Health Benefits


This is what is in the video description:
After watching McCain in the first presidential debate pander about how much he cared about veterans, I found his statements so disingenuous I decided to put together this video highlighting the hypocrisy of his words.
Those early thoughts on the Debate were given by veteran Brian McGough on the front page of Vet Voice McCain Overstretches his Support of Veterans and Troops

In tonight's debate John McCain said "I know the veterans, I know them well, and I know that they know that I'll take care of them, and I have been proud of their support and their recognition of my service to the veterans, and I love them, and I'll take care of them, and they know that I'll take care of them."

click link for the full text of how many votes McCain did not give veterans when he could have voted for them if he really did in fact support them. The videos are posted on the sidebar of this blog. Big thanks to Jim for finding these videos.

John McCain calls taking care of veterans a "burden"

While McCain had the nerve to repeat his tired old line of how much he cares about veterans, the truth is shown in his votes. The post on The Bruce Blog is right on what it claims about McCain. I've been reading about all of this for years, almost as long as McCain has been in the Senate.

McCain enjoyed education provided by the VA/Government and because tax payers believed it was a non-negotiable debt we owed those willing to serve. He enjoyed VA disability benefits, again because tax payers believed taking care of the veterans was a priority our conscience would not allow us to ignore. While McCain never had to worry about having his medical care taken care of, paying bills or working in the private sector, or dealing with anything our veterans face on a daily basis, he was never concerned with the condition of their lives.

While McCain has about 9 homes and 13 cars, too many of our veterans have no home and sleep in their one car. McCain's answer to his abundance is reminding people that "he had no home" when he was a POW. This statement is his answer for everything regarding veterans and his votes against their needs. While veterans simply assume he deserves their support simply because he is one of them, McCain has never earned that right. How is it that every other politician has been held accountable by veterans but McCain gets a free pass to do damage to them?

Veterans are a loyal bunch. They want to take care of each other because they have a commitment to each other. They are not stupid but their hearts refuse to look at McCain's record of votes against them. Is it so hard to believe they would be so deplorably betrayed by one of their own?

America can no longer afford to ignore the facts that cannot be spun. We cannot afford to believe false claims that have been proven to be false while the media stars ignore it all and just let these kind of statements pass as if they were true. They have an obligation to report facts. The veterans in this country deserve it and were willing to die for it. They did not risk their lives to be lied to especially by someone they trusted as one of their own.

When I hear McCain say how much he supports veterans it makes me ill. How this man can get up and lie to the American people as easily as he tells the truth means his conscience is so twisted and corrupted that he can never be trusted by anyone. He hasn't earned the support he gets from veterans and should have been held to a higher standard because he is one of us. Veterans and their families deserve a lot more out of him but he's failed us every time he's had the chance to prove how he feels about veterans in this country.

McCain won’t give up on the idea of privatization, even as new funding for veterans’ care has been made available. According to a report last month by Inter Press Service, McCain called for privatizing veterans’ medical care and for ending universal health care for veterans.

Describing these guaranteed services as a “burden,” McCain stated that privatized care would be more efficient.
click post title for link to this

When a Loved One is Deployed, the Whole Family Goes to War

Blue Star Family for Obama Event-
When a Loved One is Deployed, the Whole Family Goes to War (Meeting)
An Invitation A Blue Star Family for Obama Event When a Loved One is Deployed, the Whole Family Goes to War Monday
9/22/08 - 7:00 P.M. Marlton, NJ
The Bush/McCain Iraq/Afghanistan Wars are often described as wars that have required "sacrifice by a few."
Vets for Obama, military families for Obama and Obama supporters who care about what is happening to vets and military families, please join us. RSVP - 856.952.4865 or DebbieIngraham@gmail.com.
Hosted by a Blue Star for Obama military mom and sister - 3rd deployment.

Deployed Military Personnel Donated 6 Times More to the Obama Campaign than to the McCain Campaign. Who's Looking Out for U.S. Veterans? The Former POW or The Community Organizer?

21st Century GI Bill - Obama supported and voted for the bill. McCain did not support. Publicly said he opposed the measure because the benefits would "encourage more people to leave the military."

Increase Funding for Veteran's Health Care - Obama co-sponsored bill to provide an additional $1.5 billion for veterans' medical care (Time, 2/20/06).

McCain voted to cut, eliminate, or gut veterans' health care funding at least 29 times since 1990.

Improve Military Health Facilities - Obama sponsored the Dignity for Wounded Warriors Act to improve the quality of care at military hospitals like Walter Reed. (Reuters, 2/20/07).

McCain voted against establishing a $1 billion trust fund to improve military health facilities, like the Walter Reed Hospital (S.Amdt. 2735 to S.Amdt 2707 to H.R. 4297, Vote 7, 2/2/06)

Provide Better Counseling Services for Veterans with Mental Disorders - Obama proposes more mental health professionals, improved screening, fairer system to set Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) benefits and established standards of care for traumatic brain injuries (www.barackobama.com)

McCain voted against an amendment to appropriate $500 million annually from 2006-2010 for counseling, mental health and rehabilitation services for veterans diagnosed with mental illness, PTSD or substance abuse. (S. 2020, S.Amdt. 2634, Vote 343, 11/17/05)

Served on Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee - Obama requested to be assigned to Veterans' Affairs Committee. McCain never served on Veterans' Affairs Committee in his 26 years in Senate.
http://my.barackobama.com/page/event/detail/meeting/gsxvfj

This last part is the most telling of all. Think about that glowing fact! McCain just counted on the veterans voting for him because he's one of them but he never deserved their trust and they are finally starting to see they should have been a lot more important to McCain considering he is one of them.