The VA is underfunded by $ 1 BILLION for the year 2006.

[Bouncy Ball]

And 30% of National Guardsmen and Reservists have no health insurance.

The $250 ANNUAL veteran's tax on veterans so that they can receive vet benefits.

Their prescription costs have increased from $7 to $15.

Hey, thanks for serving, says the bush administration. Now turn around, so we can knife you in the back with a red, white and blue dagger.

ELECTED DEMOCRATS NEED TO BE MAKING A BIG ISSUE OUT OF THESE THINGS. WHY? BECAUSE THEY **ARE** BIG ISSUES.

[Stand and Fight]

1. [sarcasm] But baseball and steroids, Bouncy! [/sarcasm] n/t

As a veteran, this issue is especially important to me, and I cannot understand why Congress is ignoring issues like this in a "time of war."

[leetrisck]

2. "We willl never forget"

yeah, right. Very important issues for our entire families and VA is such a terrible, terrible mess - it just keeps getting worse all the time.

[adwon]

3. Talk about supporting the troops

You know, this is a good idea. It's not just enough to wish them well while in harm's way. Democrats should hammer this theme as a matter of honor. Calling it a matter of honor has two reasons to recommend. First, the country has an obligation to do right by its veterans. Second, national honor is a huge deal in the South. One of the surest ways to divest the GOP of Southern votes is to show them as the party of dishonor.

[Bouncy Ball]

4. YEP!!

And they ARE a party of dishonor.

I swear to puppies and kittens, if I were an elected Dem in office right now, this would be my #1 FIT I would be pitching right now. LOUD AND CLEAR.

You do NOT treat veterans like this. You just DON'T. And the DAV, the VFW and the American Legion are ALL united together in this against the bush administration (unusual).

[welshTerrier2]

5. understanding bush ... and rove ...

we used to use the expression "wrapping yourself in the flag" ... well, now republicans wrap themselves in veterans, they wrap themselves in democracy, they wrap themselves in the "culture of life" ... but the "wrappers" are misrepresenting, in fact they are the polar opposite of, what's inside the package ...

on veterans, it's "we support the troops" but we cut the VA budget and don't provide protective gear to troops in Iraq ... they have a $400 billion Pentagon budget and an additional $200 specifically for the Iraq "war" and they still can't spend $100 bucks on a flak jacket ... the truth is they don't give a damn about the peons whom they use as fodder for their corporate harvesting ...

on democracy, it's we're bringing democracy to the people of Iraq but we intentionally destabilize the country to justify continued US occupation ... democracy is never the objective of this administration; corporatocracy is ...

and on the "culture of life", deaths from war is way up; deaths from homicide is way up; deaths from disease and hunger is not dealt with at all ... and don't even get me started on providing healthcare to Americans who can't afford it ...

when you see the bush "wrappers", you can be 100% certain what's inside the package is 100% the opposite ... and that is why Democrats should not vote any additional funds for this "war" ... the objectives they seek may be honorable; the objectives bush is seeking are not ...

[Wilms]

6. .