May 14, 2008
Obama Calls on Congress to Act on Measure to Expand GI Bill
On the campaign trail this week, Barack Obama has been calling on Congress to pass a bill that would significantly expand tuition benefits for veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
And, at the same time, he has been criticizing John McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee for president who is a Vietnam veteran, for refusing to support the legislation.
“He is one of the few senators of either party who oppose this bill because he thinks it’s too generous,” Senator Obama was quoted yesterday as saying in The Charleston Gazette. “I couldn’t disagree more.”
The legislation, which would cover up to the full cost of a four-year education at a public college, may be attached to a war-spending bill that lawmakers are expected to take up soon.
Sara Hebel | Posted on Wednesday May 14, 2008 | PermalinkComments
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Obama, has no understanding of service to his country. He loves to take and take and take. And wearing a flag pin will not impress anyone. He has already been endorsed by Hamas and is the candidate of Iran. He lost West Virginia in a landslide which tells us what is likely to happen in November.
American has never had such an inexperienced and unaccomplished major candidate for President.
— Henry Collins May 14, 03:42 PM #
Mr. Collins, what are you smoking? Or drinking, for that matter? Your hallucinatory rant is fact free.
— Steve May 14, 04:06 PM #
Well Obama is always calling for somebody or on somebody to do something when he has never done anything…He does feel for those bitter poor people of Pa
— Henry Collins May 14, 04:24 PM #
Obama is like Dukakis, Stevenson, Kerry ande Kennedy …is an air head who thinks by talking blabber he can impresss people. And he does some…airheads.
— Henry Collins May 14, 04:38 PM #
At least he is on the side of veterans, which is more than I can say for Sen. McCain. Just because a person is a veteran doesn;t mean they have supported them. Sen. McCain has opposed this bill from the minute he was questioned about it back in March at a townhall meeting. I thought McCain was looking out for us veterans, but after seeing how the Dems(and few select Repubs(who were veterans)) have really taken charge on this legislation I know who I’m voting for!
— USMarine May 14, 05:05 PM #
I can’t imagine how the Republicans or anyone else can block better medical care and more GI benefits for veterans. We have pushed thousands of GIs into service resulting in an immense number of mental and physical injuries, and we have done little or nothing to build medical and educational support systems for them after their military hitch. Our VA system is disgracefully underfunded – we’ve done little to strengthen its resources while creating a deluge of injured veterans. The same is true for the GI Bill. I personally think Bush deceitfully sent our soldiers on the wrong mission, and one he manufactured out of nothing – but I strongly support medical and educational benefits for those soldiers who responded to the call.
— Al May 14, 05:17 PM #
What are the various candidates’ positions on full-funding of the State Approving Agencies? The SAA’s evaluate, approve and oversee the programs of education and training (GI Bill) for the DVA. Congress (both houses) has not approved the permanent funding level needed to the job.
— CitizenShip May 14, 05:37 PM #
Sorry – as a veteran (one that served in a war zone) that used my GI benefits to get my undergrand and first grad degree- I don’t think fully-funding a 4 year degree is the way to go. I VOLUNTEERED for the Army – knew what I was getting into and realized I would have to go to a public university with lower tuition – it was tough but I did it. Veterans with Purple Hearts are in a different league and do deserve more educational benefits – the rest of them – quit bellyaching…just because you are a veteran doesn’t mean you get a free lunch the rest of your life! There are lots of folks out there contributing to society – what about police officers? Children and Youth workers? and the like? Veterans get VERY good benefits – the idea that they qualify for food stamps does not take into account their housing, medical benefits, generous leave, free wills, not paying state taxes in many states, etc. (oh, and a 20 year retirement!)…. I appreciate everything the U.S. has done for veterans but I realize there is no bottomless checking account to draw from – everything I get (or got) came from taxpayers and there are many valuable competing causes. As far as Senator McCain – I truly respect his POW history and his courage in how he handled it but as I recall – he was a Naval Academy graduate and got a free education.
— Karen May 14, 06:22 PM #
Madman McCain, finger on the nuclear button, lying awake at night, sweating, his chest heaving, heart thumping, his jaws clenched. His head jerks toward the bedroom window. “What’s that? Who’s there?” No one. Just the crickets, the crickets, unceasing, a hundred million crickets surrounding him in the jungle, everywhere, in his linens, his hair, his toilet, his food. The sound of the bamboo gate k-klonk k-klonk, all night long, all the hot, humid, night long.
— original marcii May 15, 05:04 PM #