NationStates Jolt Archive

NOTE: I know some of you will be dumbfounded by my saying this ( Hell! It dumbfounds me too! ), but Senator John Kerry actually got it right this time! ( I know! I know! So have me shot at dawn! ) :D


Widened Veterans' Benefits Advance
Final Senate Vote Could Be Delayed (http://www.military.com/News/Home/0,13324,4-XX-0-DAYX20050414,00.html)

By Shailagh Murray
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, April 14, 2005; Page A04

The Senate voted yesterday to expand veterans benefits as part of an emergency war spending bill, although a battle over unrelated immigration issues is threatening to delay final passage of the legislation for days.

Debate over previous military spending bills focused on President Bush's management of the Iraq conflict, but the White House's latest request has so far sparked few such skirmishes. Instead, lawmakers united behind three Democratic measures to aid service members, before drifting far afield to the subject of illegal immigrants.

One amendment, offered by Sen. Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.), would ensure that federal employees in the National Guard and reserves are paid the equivalent of their full civilian salary while on active military duty. Two others from Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.) would allow families to stay in military housing for a full year after the death of a spouse, and enable all military dependents to receive $500,000 in total death benefits when a member of the armed forces dies on active duty. All three amendments were approved by voice vote.

First off, being a veteran himself, Kerry would be one to support Veterans.
And someone's got to defend them against the massive cuts bush is proposing in the veteran budgets.

It's too bad the housing thing didn't cover disabled vets as well. I see no reason why the family of a disabled vet shouldn't get military housing for at least a year - until they can figure out what they are going to do.

You voted for the wrong guy Eutrusca.

Good for him. I dont agree with a lot of what Kerry stands for, but I agree that anything reasonable should be done to improve the lives and benefits of vetrans and their families.

I don't know why this comes as a surprise. Kerry was leading the fight to get proper equipment to the field, and leading the fight to get a realistic exit strategy in place. Kerry also led the fight to hold Bush accountable for committing our forces to a foreign war on false pretexts. That's a consistent record of looking out for our boys.

This legislation fulfills two promises Kerry made during the election campaign:

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/report/2004/kerry_natl-security-plans_milfamilies.htm
# Increase The Death Gratuity. When a service member is injured or killed in the line of duty, military families deserve full, complete, and timely notification. No other moment in life will ever carry such pain, and the nation owes surviving families its highest respect and best efforts. As president, John Kerry will work to have a $250,000 gratuity added to the Service Members Group Life Insurance if a service member is killed in a combat zone.

# One Year of Military Housing for Families of Deceased Service Members. Our service members and families deserve full assistance that matches their sacrifice. As president, John Kerry will extend from 180 days to one year the amount of time that a family of a service member killed in action can live in military housing so that children can finish the school year and families can plan for the future.

Note that the $500,000 increase in SGLI actually means he delivered double what he originally promised.

I'm still waiting for Dubya to get one right.

you'll be waiting a long, long time.

Yeah, but he's still being a giant asshat concerning his actual activities outside the senate.

http://polipundit.com/index.php?p=7164


Kerry Requests Stories Of Military Families In Email – Prefers Stories Of Victims To That Of Heroes

A reader who happens to be on John Kerry’s email list sent me the following email she received, along with her response:

Dear (name withheld),

There is a contentious foreign policy debate going on in the Senate this week. It concerns the Bush administration’s insistence on advancing the careers of John Bolton and others who have failed to make our nation as safe and secure as it should be.

To me, it makes little sense to stand up for those who have not made our nation safer and more secure. But what should be beyond debate is the need for America to fully honor its commitment to those who do make America safer and more secure every day – the men and women of our military.

They put it all on the line for us. So, why do some in Congress – including those who are most vocal with their “support our troops” rhetoric – want to hold back on helping our soldiers and their families?

Those who have stood for us should know that we stand with them, today and always. Share the story of a family you know that has endured hardship in service to our nation.

http://www.johnkerry.com/action/shareyourstory.php

This week, as the Senate debates military spending, I will be pressing to advance key elements of our Military Families Bill of Rights. When I do, I want to enter into the Senate record stories from families that know firsthand the hardships that our troops and veterans so willingly take on to keep America strong.

I hope you will take just a few minutes right now to share a story from your family or your community. It’s one way you can personally help them get the support they so clearly deserve.

http://www.johnkerry.com/action/shareyourstory.php

We can begin by increasing the financial support military families receive. We can help them meet the increased expenses every military family faces when a loved one is deployed. We can extend military health insurance eligibility to all members of the National Guard and Reserve, whether mobilized or not. As many as one in five of them don’t have health insurance right now.

Whether it’s families here at home who can no longer pay their bills with their modest military salaries … or children left without health insurance because a reservist parent lost his or her coverage … or health care expenses going through the roof for an injury received in the line of duty … or simply being unable to afford a hotel room to be by the side of an injured loved one recovering from battlefield injuries in a V.A. hospital…

Any way you look at it, too many military families face challenges that we ought not to let them face alone.

Our Military Families Bill of Rights will stand by our brave men and women in uniform. And it will lend support to their families. Here’s another example. Our Bill of Rights will extend from 180 days to a full year the amount of time a family that has lost a loved one in combat can keep living in military housing. Isn’t that the least we can do?

Let’s give voice to our values. Let our troops and veterans know just how much you appreciate their unbelievable sacrifices. Share your personal story right now. I know it will help.

Thank you,

John Kerry

http://www.johnkerry.com/action/shareyourstory.php

Paid for by Friends of John Kerry, Inc.

The reader, whose son just returned from Iraq in February, then gave me the first paragraph of the response she sent to John Kerry.

Dear John,

I’d like to share the story of my son’s service in Iraq. However, first, can I ask…won’t you share YOUR story by signing the SF-180 form to release your military records?

First, let me say that in case you can’t tell from the response above, Polipundit readers are the greatest.

The thing that first occurred to me when I read the Kerry email is that John Kerry did not seem the least bit interested in the stories of the amazing work that men and women in the U.S. military have been doing in Afghanistan and Iraq. He didn’t ask for stories of heroics and accomplishment. In fact, John Kerry did much to ignore and even downplay the accomplishments and successes of our military in Afghanistan and Iraq during the election.

Now, after the election, he still is not interested in those stories, but rather wants to hear stories of difficulties being suffered as a result of the policies of the evil Bushitler and the Neocons. He prefers to hear stories of our brave men and women and their families in the role of victim to hearing the stories of their amazing accomplishments over the past three years.

John Kerry is now professing an interest in helping the members of the military and their families. As the wife of a Marine Corps veteran, I am all for that. For the past several decades, however, Kerry has not exactly been known for his support of military spending. For that and quite a few other reasons, which were all discussed during the recent election, he is not popular with the military crowd.

Maybe John Kerry should take the advice of the Polipundit reader and sign the SF-180 and share his experiences with the American public. After all, families of those in the military have made huge sacrifices in every war that America has ever fought, including Vietnam. In that respect, this one is no different. In some ways (number of National Guard deployed, length of deployments, etc.) the deployments in the recent war are more difficult than some previous wars. In other ways, though, due to new technology such as email, those difficulties are lessened. The goal of helping military families during a time of war is a noble one, but it isn’t necessary to produce a parade of sob stories in order to look at the problems faced by military families and work to address them.
Just another day in the life of JFK, 74 days after he promised on national T.V. to sign form 180

http://polipundit.com/index.php?p=6230#Form180Promise

ohn Kerry is on Meet the Press and here’s what he just said: “No one in the United States should try to over-hype this election.”

UPDATE: And now he just said, “I think this election is important. I was for the election taking place.”

He was for it before he was against it.

Why is this guy on Meet the Press? He’s the losing presidential candidate. His party lost seats in the Senate and the House. They now have virtually zero influence on anything. Condi Rice was just confirmed, despite yet another “contentious, but futile protest vote” by Kerry and Barbara Boxer, his colleague from the X-Files wing of her so-called party. The last person whose opinion counts is John Kerry.

UPDATE 2: Caught up with the rest of the interview on my TiVo. Kerry is so dour and negative that I can’t imagine what it would have been like to have him as president for 4 years.

Also, several months after Kerry’s Christmas in Cambodia lie was first exposed, Tim Russert became the first member of the lying liberal media to press Kerry about it. Kerry said that he was on the Cambodian border on Christmas Eve 1968. However, he said that he had gone into Cambodia at another date with some CIA people. He even stuck to the story of the magic hat.

Russert pressed Kerry to sign Form 180 and release his military records. Kerry promised to do so. We’ll hold him to that.

I’ll link to the transcript when it’s available.

UPDATE 3: Transcript (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6886726/) . Key excerpt:

MR. RUSSERT: Many people who’ve been criticizing you have said: Senator, if you would just do one thing and that is sign Form 180, which would allow historians and journalists complete access to all your military records. Thus far, you have gotten the records, released them through your campaign. They say you should not be the filter. Sign Form 180 and let the historians…

SEN. KERRY: I’d be happy to put the records out. We put all the records out that I had been sent by the military. Then at the last moment, they sent some more stuff, which had some things that weren’t even relevant to the record. So when we get–I’m going to sit down with them and make sure that they are clear and I am clear as to what is in the record and what isn’t in the record and we’ll put it out. I have no problem with that.

MR. RUSSERT: Would you sign Form 180?

SEN. KERRY: But everything, Tim…

MR. RUSSERT: Would you sign Form 180?

SEN. KERRY: Yes, I will.

Still hasn't signed it.

It's too bad the housing thing didn't cover disabled vets as well. I see no reason why the family of a disabled vet shouldn't get military housing for at least a year - until they can figure out what they are going to do.
I whole-heartedly agree! I can't imagine what it would be like when a newly disabled veteran's family is uprooted at just the moment he needs them most.

You voted for the wrong guy Eutrusca.
Uh ... nooooo, I don't think so. :D

The thing that first occurred to me when I read the Kerry email is that John Kerry did not seem the least bit interested in the stories of the amazing work that men and women in the U.S. military have been doing in Afghanistan and Iraq. He didn’t ask for stories of heroics and accomplishment. In fact, John Kerry did much to ignore and even downplay the accomplishments and successes of our military in Afghanistan and Iraq during the election.

I think you are reading too much into it. He wanted stories of military families in need specifically because the purpose of the legislation was to help military families in need. If the legislation were to provide more money to those who had demonstrated outstanding bravery, then he would've wanted stories about that.

Yeah, but he's still being a giant asshat concerning his actual activities outside the senate.

http://polipundit.com/index.php?p=7164
And this comes as some sort of surprise to anyone? Well, anyone except those so blind they will not see. Sigh. :(

My only point in this thread was that he finally got something right for a change. :)

I think you are reading too much into it. He wanted stories of military families in need specifically because the purpose of the legislation was to help military families in need. If the legislation were to provide more money to those who had demonstrated outstanding bravery, then he would've wanted stories about that.
That's being verrrry generous!

That's being verrrry generous!

*shrug* I tend to look for the best in people, even politicians. =)

((even Bush *gasp*))

NOTE: I know some of you will be dumbfounded by my saying this ( Hell! It dumbfounds me too! ), but Senator John Kerry actually got it right this time! ( I know! I know! So have me shot at dawn! ) :D


Widened Veterans' Benefits Advance
Final Senate Vote Could Be Delayed (http://www.military.com/News/Home/0,13324,4-XX-0-DAYX20050414,00.html)

By Shailagh Murray
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, April 14, 2005; Page A04

The Senate voted yesterday to expand veterans benefits as part of an emergency war spending bill, although a battle over unrelated immigration issues is threatening to delay final passage of the legislation for days.

Debate over previous military spending bills focused on President Bush's management of the Iraq conflict, but the White House's latest request has so far sparked few such skirmishes. Instead, lawmakers united behind three Democratic measures to aid service members, before drifting far afield to the subject of illegal immigrants.

One amendment, offered by Sen. Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.), would ensure that federal employees in the National Guard and reserves are paid the equivalent of their full civilian salary while on active military duty. Two others from Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.) would allow families to stay in military housing for a full year after the death of a spouse, and enable all military dependents to receive $500,000 in total death benefits when a member of the armed forces dies on active duty. All three amendments were approved by voice vote.


Wow... so, he did learn something from the last Election! I may have to revise my assessment of his character-maybe.

Armed Bookworms: PLEASE don't use JFK in reference to John Kerry, okay? for some of us, JFK will always be John F Kennedy-and while Kerry's certainly been interested recently in getting proper gear to our guys, and taking care of their families, it doesn't make up for fifteen years he spent in elected office trying to screw them both. It's a step, but only a step, in the right direction. Senator Kerry is one of the reasons that the various pieces and types of equipment our boys didn't have-but needed-wasn't there.

John Kennedy lowered taxes and went toe-to-toe with the Russians in '62. John Kennedy didn't stab his brothers in the back, or schill for the enemy, he wasn't a 'unilateral disarmament' activist-he believed in fighting the communists, and confronting them at every turn. Kerry, on the other hand, left the field eight months early, left the navy early, and started schilling for the VC and the NVA here at home. after that, John Kerry went into the senate and did his damnedest to disarm this country, reduce our ability to fight, and preached surrender and Appeasement for fifteen years before he suddenly 'discovered' his Military Service in time to run for the white house.

Just because their initials are similar, and their parties have the same name, does not entitle John F***in Kerry to be referred to by the nickname of an honourable man. He's going to have to do a lot more to help Vets and Soldiers before he'll ever deserve forgiveness.

I think you are reading too much into it. He wanted stories of military families in need specifically because the purpose of the legislation was to help military families in need. If the legislation were to provide more money to those who had demonstrated outstanding bravery, then he would've wanted stories about that.

I agree 100%. Kerry was looking for support for families that had suffered hardship due to losses in the war. So he asked for anecdotes to help convince the Senate of the need. Stories of heroism might be great, but they do not advance the particular cause he was championing at the time.

That article from polipundit is just typical neocon polemics, attempting to score points even when there are no points to score.

It's nice of Kerry to think of veterans now, and ask for anecdotes, when he thought so ill of veterans past, and had no trouble making up anecdotes.

In Michael Crichton's novel The Andromeda Strain, one of the characters--a scientist working to discover a cure for the deadly organism that gave the novel its title--reacts to a knotty problem by remembering one of the more famous discoveries in human genetics--which simultaneously uncovered one of the most embarrassing errors made by the scientific community in the 20th century. Until 1955, it was considered a matter of scientific fact that human cells contained 48 chromosomes--this had been "established" to the satisfaction of the entire world biological science community via experimentation and photographic evidence. However, on December 22, 1955, a visiting scientist at the Institute of Genetics of the University of Lund in Sweden made a startling and completely unexpected discovery while using a new technique to study cells--he found only 46 chromosomes in a human cell he studied. This stunning discovery was quickly confirmed and--as the scientist in Crichton's novel recalls with amusement--scientists went back to all the old photos that purported to show 48 chromosomes--and only found 46. This disconcerting but darkly humorous moment in scientific history caused the scientist recalling the events to formulate what he called his "Rule of 48", which consisted simply of the words: "All Scientists Are Blind."

Developments suggest to me that we need a new "Rule of Christmas, 1968" to apply to journalists--consisting simply of the words: "All Journalists Are Blind."

For years, John Kerry has been telling a story involving his being in Cambodia for Christmas of 1968, being shot at by drunken South Vietnamese soldiers and musing about the irony of being there and being shot at while President Nixon was claiming that there were no American forces in Cambodia. The Congressional Record shows that Mr. Kerry did indeed give a speech on the Senate floor on March 27, 1986 about this "experience." As recently as July 7, 2004, Michael Kranish of the Boston Globe appeared on "Hannity & Colmes" and recounted Kerry's story, stating that it was a critical turning point in Kerry's life. It seems that Mr. Kerry has been telling and re-telling this story for years, and that others have been passing it along without giving it more than a cursory inspection before using it to help build the Kerry myth.

There's just a few small problems with this:

1) John Kerry wasn't in Cambodia on Christmas Day of 1968. Really.

2) Oh, and for a more blindingly obvious point: Richard Nixon was *not* President of the United States on December 25, 1968. For those who might have failed high school history, he was sworn into office on January 20th, 1969. Lyndon Baines Johnson was the President of the United States that Christmas Day, and would remain such for almost four more weeks.

It's nice of Kerry to think of veterans now, and ask for anecdotes, when he thought so ill of veterans past, and had no trouble making up anecdotes.

Funny thing about that... the actions he described actually happened. And he was a veteran himself. It's weird how people seem somehow to selectively forget these two rather important pieces of information.

As for the Christmas story... politicians have been engaging in the art of the apocryphal anecdote for years. http://bertrandrussell.blogspot.com/1998_12_27_bertrandrussell_archive.html

Who are you and what have you done with Eutrusca?

Still hasn't signed it.

Notice the question is "would you, not "will you"
Ask any Lawyer, that loop hole is enough to not have to do anything. I'm sorry, you don't like it, but no one made him say he will, just that he would.

One amendment, offered by Sen. Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.), would ensure that federal employees in the National Guard and reserves are paid the equivalent of their full civilian salary while on active military duty. Two others from Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.) would allow families to stay in military housing for a full year after the death of a spouse, and enable all military dependents to receive $500,000 in total death benefits when a member of the armed forces dies on active duty. All three amendments were approved by voice vote.

That would be awesome. My dad is in Iraq and it would be nice to have his civilian pay, that's for sure.

Notice the question is "would you, not "will you"
Ask any Lawyer, that loop hole is enough to not have to do anything. I'm sorry, you don't like it, but no one made him say he will, just that he would.
No one made him say he would. He said it on his own. "I will." His own words. Given his answer, the question is irrelevant.

Funny thing about that... the actions he described actually happened. And he was a veteran himself. It's weird how people seem somehow to selectively forget these two rather important pieces of information.

As for the Christmas story... politicians have been engaging in the art of the apocryphal anecdote for years. http://bertrandrussell.blogspot.com/1998_12_27_bertrandrussell_archive.html

Apocryphal anecdotes are lies.

Who are you and what have you done with Eutrusca?
LOL! Shhhh! I'm busy being sneaky and camouflaged! :D

Don't worry, John Francois Kerry is just voting for the bill before he votes against it.

Notice the question is "would you, not "will you"
Ask any Lawyer, that loop hole is enough to not have to do anything. I'm sorry, you don't like it, but no one made him say he will, just that he would.

so now let's get into an argument over the meaning of "is"

nice spin... if someone says they would do something, i would hope it means they will when the time comes.

Don't worry, John Francois Kerry is just voting for the bill before he votes against it.

he'll waffle a few more times... i wonder if the man has any convictions at all. (of course this is not just Kerry's problem... scores of politicians pander)

Don't worry, John Francois Kerry is just voting for the bill before he votes against it.

Heh, I love you people, you're hilarious :-D

My stance, that not a single tangibly good thing would come out of Kerry being President still stands. However, at least one tangible good thing has come of his NOT being President. :D

If I though Kerry were doing this because he genuinly respected the military I would have to change some of my thinking about him, but since this is nothing more than a covering action, an attempt to hide the contempt he has for the military, I will give him no credit.
At least something good can come from it.

If I though Kerry were doing this because he genuinly respected the military I would have to change some of my thinking about him, but since this is nothing more than a covering action, an attempt to hide the contempt he has for the military, I will give him no credit.
At least something good can come from it.
Really? I didn't know you were so close to him. Did he CC you on the "this is a covering action" email?