Clinton (Hearts) Vets – suddenly

The Wall Street Journal’s Washington Wire recounts a Hillary speech to veterans in Iowa yesterday;

Speaking to a crowd of mostly elderly and wheelchair-bound veterans from World War II and the Vietnam War, Mrs. Clinton announced her plans to enact an updated version of the GI Bill of Rights that would expand education, housing and entrepreneurial benefits.

The plan would also allow veterans to use low-interest, no-fee loans to purchase, build or improve a home valued at up to $625,000. A proposed microloan program would give veterans up to $100,000 to start a small business.

“You have defended this country, defended our freedom and values for decades and we have to make sure we give you the new beginning you’re entitled to,” Mrs. Clinton said to a roar of applause.

Very good stuff – but actions speak louder than words, don’t they?

During her husband’s presidency, retired veterans were forced off of CHAMPUS (the military’s healthcare system) at age 65 and placed on Medicare rolls. TRICARE came into being – basically a system of paying for access to healthcare, despite the fact that we were promised free healthcare when we decided to make a career out of the military by Congress. President Bush restored healthcare benefits for retired veterans.  

During the Clinton Administration, disabled retirees paid their own disability benefits – they received a disability check from the VA, and their retirement check from the services was reduced by the amount of the disability payment. The Bush Administration corrected this injustice for most of retirees who really needed the money.

Hillary tells the totally bogus story about trying to join the Marine Corps during the Viet Nam era – she claims that recruiters rejected her because she was a girl. During a war, recruiters rejected her offer to enlist. A qualified, college-educated, healthy candidate was rejected by a recruiter whose sole mission in life is to interview and enlist warm, qualified bodies for the military. I call BS.

We all remember the way Hillary treated the military members of the White House staff as recounted by former FBI agent Gary Aldrich in his book “Unlimited Access”. They were forbidden by Hillary Clinton, herself, to wear their uniforms in the White House.

The Veterans Administration has increased three-fold their enrollment of veterans in the VA healthcare system since the Clinton Administration left office as well as improved the system and quality of service. There’s still a back-log of cases, but they’re processing applications at a much higher rate than the Clinton Administration. 

Veterans remember – politicians have lied to us since the days of the Civil War. No amount of bluster from Hillary can blot out her poor performance on veterans’ benefits and her disregard for this country’s warriors.

Category: Politics, Support the troops