Very OT: Taxpayer thoughts?

Got a buddy that's been messed up awhile.
He recently got totaled out by the VA.
Meaning 100% disabled Vet.
He can't do much,
and hates that and wishes he was still active duty doin' his part.
Even though a burden on taxes,
this is one place I don't mind my tax money goin'.

Am I wrong, cause its a buddy,
or is tax money goin to these guys alright???

Well, I may be biased since I'm a veteran myself (USN 1985-1994), but let's look at this situation objectively: He wore our country's uniform and put his own @$$ on the line to defend certain concepts that we as Americans value, i.e., liberty and self-determination.

It is truly unfortunate that he was so badly hurt in the performance of his duties, but if he was willing to give everything, up to and including his own life, for his fellow citizens, shouldn't they be willing to help him in return, now that he can't fend for himself?

And let's be realistic about this; I strongly doubt that the money from his disability check from the VA will enable him to buy a McMansion and a new Mercedes, but it should keep him warm in the winter and keep bread on his table.

Is that wrong?

I don't have a problem helping a disabled vet with
my tax dollars...but technically, his aid is an
"entitlement," and there are a lot of folks who are
agin' 'em. I figure, if he served our country
honorably and made it home alive, we owe him a debt
as big as our own freedom can afford.

The Constitution allows for funds for the military. It would appear to me that disabled vet support, being a contract with military personnel, is part of a military person's compensation, and is thus allowed. However, since Article 1 Section 8 limits funding for the Army to a period of two years, I could see where it might be legitimate to have a disabled Army vet re-evaluated every two years. Navy does not have that limitation.

It's amazing that we even have to have this conversation!!!! The B. Hussein crowd is handing out so many things to so many undeserving people that we find ourselves questioning it when a legit situation comes up!
He fought for the US, the US owes him a decent living if he cannot make it on his own for reasons that happened during his service! The VA is so strapped for money, and you hear about all the times a vet gets stiffed, or shorted on care...yet we are giving health care and education to illegal aliens? It's not the tail waggin' the dog any more, the whole azzend is waggin' the dog now!
No one that hasn't served in one of the armed forces should be allowed to hold either of the top 2 offices, and no one who has graduated law school should ever be allowed to run for any public office!

I have personally paid for legal council for several Vets so they can get their benefits after being injured in the line of duty. This country should be ashamed of giving welfare trash money while making Vets beg/fight for their benefits.
I feel paying taxes to support the people that protect us is just a duty we HAVE to do to stay free.
Lets cut Congress"s pay to what a disabled Vet gets!!!!!!!

Im good with it. I pay lots of taxes and i believe we should take
care of all military needs before during and after they are home.

I have never had anything to do with the military. I am so independent it would not have been pretty.
There are some who say this country is evil for all the abortions. Maybe so. But if we don't willingly reserve the best for those who have put it all on the line for the rest of us, what are we worth?

Of course the VA neeeds to take care of veterans, however the military is a crossection of society and a such there is a percentage of veterans that are scamming the system just all other programs get scammed. I think we all know someone that has a disability rating that does not deserve it.
In 1974 I was grbassing around with some buddies and a booby trap simulator blew up near my hand. My thumb and forefinger was split open. I have a scar and my thumbnail grows weird. On discharge I was given a 10% noncompesenable rating. I collect nothing, I never intend to collect anything,the injury afffects me in no way at all, how ever you and I both know that many would be trying to capitolize on that (non existant) disability.
Fraud is rampant and the VA needs to be forever vigilant so that the deserving ones get what they need.

Pitch,

I'm with you on this one. Of course, we need to care for disabilities incurred in actual combat, but there are too many scammers who are receiving benefits. I had an acquaintance some years ago who had gotten drunk outside of Camp LeJeune and was struck by a car as he stumbled back toward the base. He received something like a 75% disability with compensation.

I know many men who have been treated at VA hospitals for totally non-military related illnesses.

Just like every other governmental program, it needs better management.

Tom in TN
US Navy 1962 - 1966

(quoted from post at 23:25:48 11/21/10) Got a buddy that's been messed up awhile.
He recently got totaled out by the VA.
Meaning 100% disabled Vet.
He can't do much,
and hates that and wishes he was still active duty doin' his part.
Even though a burden on taxes,
this is one place I don't mind my tax money goin'.

Am I wrong, cause its a buddy,
or is tax money goin to these guys alright???

Click to expand...

If he can look in the mirror when thinking about his disabilities, then he deserves every penny and then some. My heartburn is people that spent a couple of years in and now everything, tinnitis, sore back, bad ankles/knees, is the governments fault even though they continue to work like a horse with lifting, banging, yadda yadda. Makes the ones that really deserve it look bad.

Dave

I think we should take care of our people. And yeah, it's an entitlement.

I have no problem with anyone truly disabled that needs help to live to getting assistance but about 80% of the 'disabled' people I know are probably in better physical condition than I am and are gaming
(defrauding) the system for those folks they need to go back to work.

I have a friend who lost his hearing to a mortar shell.When his hearing aids needed repair or replacment it was a 6 month wait.

To me its a simple employment contract thing. We the people, through our elected representatives and the people they hired to do our work made an employment contract with people on our behalf. It doesnt matter to me if they were military or civil service, they were hired to do work on behalf of we the people. As part of that they were paid a salary and a benefits package. What he's getting is part of those benefits. I have no problem with discussions about changing compensation, benefits, programs, etc to see if they represent our needs to day but the contracts we made with people, real or implied, about their compensation, to me, are obligations that we are responsible to pay.

Just be glad you're not in Canada. Our Fed Gov't is screwing disabled vets, and even their widows out of almost everything that they SHOULD be entitled to. Immigrants get treated better, and most of them are on the other side......

I agree 100% when those who are truely disabled get taken care of and they should be taken care of. I also feel it's a crock when some one who is truely disabled has to wait and be held up by red tape etc. or pay a lawyer to get what is due them. I understand to some degree it's slow because of those who milk the system but a lot has to do with the system, our gov at work. Just think how much more would be there for those who deserve it if the system was ran as it should be.

James always says what makes the tax burden bearable is it goes to support our military.

I agree. Please tell your buddy that he gave his health that I can remain free. I have no problem whatsoever with the fact that my tax dollars are now supporting him.

You tell him the Howells are proud to contribute to his support.

I have no problem with providing our Vets with the care that they need in fact I think it's irresponsible if we don't. I do believe that our government needs to cut all expenses by at least 10% and that includes military. I don't mean cut the needs of our soldiers overseas but we don't need $600 toilet seats. All domestic spending needs to be seriously looked at and that includes SSI, farm subsidies, schools, grants etc. It will affect us all but it's past time to tighten the belt.

I don't have a problem with it at all. I also don't have a problem with truly disabled people drawing SS disability. I do have a problem with people like my BIL and sister drawing disability due to drug and alcohol problems. All we are doing is buying them more drugs and booze.

slim

You may find that many citizens would not mind paying even a little more tax if they only went to truly qualified folks that cannot work for valid reasons.
It is the many others that fake injuries, lie about their stauts, get doctors to write up stuff that is not true, etc., that make me and many others mad about how the system works.
Do you relaize that we actually "reward" an unmarried woman to have babies? To a point, she gets more money the more she has. Then, all she has to do is become "unqualified" by DSS to care for them, and get one of her friends or relatives appointed as legal guardian. I see them all the time. They are easy to spot, they are at Wal Mart and other stores shopping all day, driving new cars, wearing nice clothes.
There is no incentive for them to get a job, get married, etc. Heck, they would lose all of that free money. Can you blame them?

He is simply receiving the benefits due him as per his contract with the military and the federal government. He did his part and more and now the Feds must do their part. I sincerely hope this man is never treated like a charity case or feels like he owes anyone anything more than he has already given.

The biggest part of the budget is the military.Its even more than Social Security.Also the debt has interest that takes 6% of the GDP to pay for that.Medicare and Medicaid are a big hunk,and other stuff which is 14% of the budget.Then all of the rest,veterans benefits,transportation,and 3 other things are out of whats left which I think was 9% of the total.The States have to match Medicare and Medicaid and other stuff.
The amount the military gets,around a trillion dollars,is more than all of the other countries on Earth spend on their military.ALL OF THE OTHER COUNTRIES COMBINED DONT SPEND A TRILLION DOLLARS ON THEIR MILITARY.
Social Security is deducted from peoples pay,so it doesnt belong in there with the rest of it.So by far,the most that we spend,is on the military.Followed by Medicare and thats deducted out of peoples pay,and some other stuff.I think 12% was for other stuff which is called a safety net,and then the vets,transportation,and 3 other things fight for the 9% thats left.9% of 3.5 trillion is a lot of money though.
The amount the military gets is obscene.Plus they waste a lot of that.The military gets a thousand billion.Thats 20% of the GDP.So 20 cents of every dollar the USA takes in per year goes to the military.Nearly the same amount goes to Medicare/Medicaid.Which states pay half.Lots of corruption there.A big chunk pays Federal Employees and their pensions.

So when it gets down to spending on stuff like bridges and roads and stuff like that,there is not a lot left,and Veterans benefits come out of that money too.

external_link raised spending on veterans benfits.

6% of 3.5 trillion,which is interest on the 14 trillion debt,is a lot of billions right there.Clinton had this debt whipped.Bush ran it up.So there is about 6% that we have lost due to running up the debt.So 6% of 3500 billion is what?210 billion?210 billion is a lot of money to be loosing every year because of somebodys irresponsible treating of the economy.

210 billion is more than the Federal government spends every year on roads.

When you think about it,the Military needs to do with a lot less.Bring the troops home from all over the place and that would save a big bunch of money.There is 50,00 troops in Germany and a bunch in Japan.For what?

Plus Health Care is nuts what it charges.We all need to make those crooks stop robbing us.

I think we could maybe save a trillion a year on just the military and Health care bull right off of the top.Plus treat the veterans way better.Some of the crooks skimming off of the military like Halliburton and others need to be put out of business.The sooner the better.

WE haven't taken adequate care of our veterans since the Revolutionary War...it's always been an outrage and a scandal, and it still is...there's always a gazillion dollars for the latest golly gee whiz whizbang weapony or aircraft carries, while shot up/blown up veterans rot...it's been a stain on every government since the first, and it's continuing now...

I don't follow your math. You state that the Defense Dep gets 1 trillion. They don't but let's accept that number. Then you state that that represents 20% of GDP. GDP currently runs about 14 trill. Not the 5 trill that it would take to get your numbers to come out. And,,,,,,,so we drive Haliburton out of business? Just who do we get next? Schlumberger?

I agree with that 100%. The first thing they do in Canada when they start spending cuts is cut vets benefits. My dad was receiving $126 a month in the 90's for suffering a broken back in WW2. The older he got, the worse his back bothered him but when they sent him to their Dr., the Dr. didn't think it was any worse. On the other hand, they let lots of refugees and immigrants in the country and then pay them 10, $20,000 or more to help them get established. It's a total disgrace. Dave

The VA is a joke in how it treats us vets. I shot and killed two guys in nam. Everyone at the time told me it was me or them. That I had done what I was trained to do.

Still bothers me today. Some nights I don't sleep well. Went to the VA for help. Got turned down for help. Because I don't have a witness to what I did. Told them there were only three of us there. And two of them are dead. Still got turned down.

Yes there is waste in the military. There are allot worse things to waste our money on than the military.
As far as your buddy that's a disabled vet, he deserves his benefits. Tell him thanks for his service to our country.

I also have no problem with his issues.

I have been more than happy with the care that I recieve from the VA. They are super great to deal with if you resect them and are polite and wear a happy face. (And add lots of jokes and BS perhaps) I'm under the assumption that when my name comes up on their computer the monitor starts to shake, and lights start to flash. HE IS HEAR AGIN, BRACE YOURSELVES!

Alot of my issues are not directly related to the military, yet they treat me for them at prices less than you can imagine compared to the local doctors.

As a side note, my local doctor charges for the use of high risk gloves--yea, his nurse needs a pair also! I observed the box, and remembered product number was the exact same gloves I order for our local EMS team......Our cost at the time I checked my bill was around fourty five cents a pair. Somehow the doctor charged me around fourteen something, and that ain't cents either......go figure!

I do assume alot of folks get the shaft at the VA, but they need to keep trying---it is run by the government.

If you think about it, it should be the most cost effective way to deal with it, BUT... well ......we all know.

A very close friend worked in facilities at the VA. He mentioned several times about the waste. Tearing out walls and replacing them even though there was not so much as a scratch in the drywall or paint. But your local congressman said the money had to be spent for building repairs. This soes not alow the money to be spent for a new addition or upgrade---repairs only.

Anyone that was ever in the military will admit that 25-40% of the money spent could be better spent, so our VA probably is not out of line.

The VA can negociate drug costs while Medi Care can not......so they pay ten fold more often, for the same drug in the same box.

Personaly, I don't know how I could afford health care at the local level, or the medical insurance to actualy take care of me.

I have had few blessings in life compared to many, but the VA has been on the top of my list.

I do feel the VA,s that are in a bad way need to be overseen, and butts busted if need be to fix them.

I have never ever been kicked around by the VA, or have I been treated with any type of disresect ......any shape size or form.

The GDP is not 14 trillion.The national debt is 14 trillion.The GDP is less than 4 trillion.Also spending on the military is close to a trillion and Im not even counting black ops.

Actually the GDP is way less than 3 trillion.We spent over 3 trillion but over a trillion was borrowed.So I was wrong.For some reason I couldnt find the graph I used the first time.I found this on Wikipedia though.It seems to be different numbers,but I dont care,Ill go with these.Its less than 1 trillion for the military,but its still a whole lot of money.We cant be borrowing a trillion per year either so something has to give.I looked up that 571 billion of "other mandatory spending"and found that its welfare.Plus the Department of Homeland security gets about twice as much maybe more than the Dept of Agriculture.There has to be a lot of waste there.Probably a lot more places that could be cut.Im a mechanic not an economist anyway.If I can see stuff on the budget that they put out that looks fishy,wonder what a CPA could figure out with it?Maybe we need Clinton to figure it up,Bush and external_link cant figure very good.

Http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_United_States_federal_budget

Help all the VETS first and foremost. They gave their all.