Rumsfeld Opposes Plan To Widen Military Care

[diamond14]

Washington Post
Friday, July 11, 2003; Page A08

Rumsfeld Opposes Plan To Widen Military Care

-snip-

Rumsfeld said he would recommend that President Bush veto the defense authorization bill if it included a Senate plan to expand TRICARE, the military health program. He estimated the change could cost $5 billion per year; Democrats disputed that figure.

"These unfunded entitlements would drain resources from important programs benefiting our military, such as continued improvements in pay, quality of life, readiness and other pressing requirements," Rumsfeld said.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A40959-2003Jul10.html

[Sal316]

1. I'm sorry.... but I'm missing something here....

.....isn't the health of our troops DIRECTLY related to quality of life and readiness?

:shrug:

Sal (ex-squid, ex-snipe of the USS Enterprise)

[nadinbrzezinski]

3. SHHH yes, but who cares if they are sick

they are only assets... yaep this is going to go great with the active service troops.

But hey, he screwed the vets, why not the active service people too? After all tanks drive themselves and planes fly on their own... just ask rummy

[gWbush is Mabus]

2. but

didn't they alreay oppose a quality-of-life bill for the military?
something about having bowling alleys on the base among other things.

[atreides1]

4. "Continued improvements in pay, quality of life, readiness,etc."

Improvements in pay: Then why does the Shrub want a 2% pay raise cap
for E-1's, E-2's, and O-1's

Quality in life: Then why did Shrub knock off 1.5 Billion from the
military construction budget.

Readiness: Like the 507th was ready

Pressing Requirements: Money to pay our "Coalition Partners" to pull
our sorry asses out of the s**t.

It was the Democrats that created the GI Bill, not the Pukes.

[CRK7376]

5. Jackass Rumsfeld!

Of course he and his family don't need service from Tricare. Mine do and it sucks. My health care is fine as the serviceman, but even with Tricare Prime we get stuck with huge bills that Tricare will not cover. He makes me nuts along with his idiotic boss the shrub!

[VolcanoJen]

6. Dupe... locking

Please continue discussion by posting in the original, earlier thread on this topic, which can be found here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=7114&mesg_id=7114

Thanks,
VolcanoJen
DU Moderator

[lkinsale]

7. Yeah, and Iraq is costing $4 billion a MONTH, Rummy

Aren't you the fiscal wizard!