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Veteran’s Benefits Held Hostage
..By Sen.Tom Coburn, Republican.

The Republicans say they love the Vets,
With flag pins and suburban flags on high
They flaunt the symbols of Old Glory’s best,
But turn their backs on those who risked to die..

Can we believe them when they vote against
The care we would provide for wounds and scars
That Vets received while acting in defense,
For us and those who instigated wars?

They walk the halls of Congress and pretend
To care about the lives of those who served,
But last upon their list are the mere men
Who lived and paid with courage and raw nerves.

They relate to the Generals and Brass,
The Vets as only ordnance from the past.

©Artemesia
11/11/2009

Shinseki.

Shaun Mullen's blogpost on this:

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Senator Tom (Dr. No) Coburn is not a veteran, he "found something better to do" during the Vietnam War, as with so many of the prior Administration.

[The article linked by Fritz nastily refers to Gen. Shinseki's possibilities of reforming a workforce of "unionized civil servants" which to me seems a bit of a red herring. The VA has long been underfunded and understaffed, at least in the 35 years with which I'm familiar. During my long service with the SSA, though local and parochial, I only knew one person who was so totally incompetent that he should have been summarily fired (he wasn't.) That refers to production workers, not management or political appointees. Don't blame the hard working staff for the backlogs, give them the resources they need, Sen. Coburn.]

Everyone is sending feelgood posts on Facebook and email this Veteran's Day, let's send some reaction through the intertubes re Sen. Coburn and his support for Veterans.

BTW, thanks for a terrific post.

I like this:

They walk the halls of Congress and pretend
To care about the lives of those who served,
But last upon their list are the mere men
Who lived and paid with courage and raw nerves.

THOTH

thirty-five more are needed...
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A

That is shameful conduct.

I'm sure Shinseki is trying..In order to 'get things done' the Three Monkeys ploy comes into play..
don't blame the guys at the top, for them it's hear no, speak no, see no..evil; that's too much like crying 'fire' in a rheater. Instead look to the little people who don't have the ultimate authority to do anything..Like the fall guys at Abu Ghraib. We have a home grown Mafia in congress, including the 'Family' http://www.democraticunderground.c­­om/discuss/duboard.php?az=sho­w­_mesg&forum=103&topic_id=462­09­6&mesg_id=462096

These Bozos on 'C' Street incude Coburn and also key democrats who are pro life and stuck it to the 'Health Reform' bill ..as a means of by-passing Roe Vs. Wade by eliminating any included funding for abortion. Not only..as we learn more and more, is the Right Wing the Party of No. The other Theocrats and Oligarchs are rattling their power.of Nay.

As the saying goes..'Something's got to give..' I hope Coburn drowns in Emails that cumulatively threaten to put him out of office in the future.
A
P.S.
Thanks for the kind words.