Your Opinion: GOP politics and veterans' services

Dear Editor:

Soon I have an appointment at the Columbia VA. The VA has been much in the news lately and everyone says it is a true scandal. It's not the make believe Republican scandals of Benghazi, the IRS, the president's birth certificate, etc.

This past February virtually all Republicans killed a bill to provide increased services to veterans. Two Senate Republicans voted for it and 54 Democrats. Conservatives say it's not about money. That's like saying air is not important to a drowning person. Of course it's about money. What possible reason did Republicans give for their vote? How to pay for veterans services was the issue. The only way that Republicans would vote for any bill no matter what the issue is to take money from programs they consider Democratic. Virtually all veterans groups supported the bill. Republicans hung the veterans and veteran groups out to dry. This is exactly why American congressional approval is in is the low teens.

Politicians get away with low-life behavior because they are not held accountable. How is that possible? The majority of congressmen live in "safe districts." No matter what they do, they get re-elected. In this district they talk God, guns and free money (tax breaks.) Voter suppression and gerrymandering further make most of these politicians immune to anything the public might think best.

Is not Blaine Luetkemeyer a typical red state Republican? Scan his web site bio and note he is not a veteran but is gosh darn upset about the VA. When is the last time Luetkemeyer voted for any bill to fund veteran issues? Still he is quick to celebrate his support of the troops at any public ceremony.

Gen. Stanley McCrystal was a very good soldier. He was fired when he stepped over the line publicly criticizing civilian management. Afterwards he went on the lecture circuit to say Americans need more skin in the game. He pointed to the problem of a professional military that is used over and over to fight our wars. Given today's battlefield medicine more professional servicemen live to need VA services. Too bad politicians won't pay the price to give veterans the medical services they deserve. It's war on the cheap.

Congressman Luetkemeyer is looking to fire somebody. He should fire himself for dereliction of duty. We send 1 percent to fight our wars as 99 percent of us engage in bumper sticker politics.

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