76. Steve P.:
AThinkingPerson, you’re delusional and dishonest. Under Bush’s watch, thousands of soldiers went undiagnosed and untreated with PTSD and have been committing suicide in record numbers, so don’t lie to us that the GOP cares about veterans. Veterans Affairs under Bush was an absolute travesty, much like the rest of the government has been under GOP misrule.
The GOP is essentially dead. All you’ve got is a cast of cartoon characters – Sarah Palin, Joe the Plumber, Bobby Jindall and Rush Limbaugh. Actual “working people” fled your party a long time ago when they realized how little Republicans care about the middle class.
Steve,
Every suicide is a tragedy, and the Army has noted the highest suicide rate since it began compiling statistics – 20.2 per 100,000. Compared with the general U.S. rate in 2005 (195. per 100,000, most recent available data), it compares fairly favorably considering the stresses they face compared to the civilian population (http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/01/29/army.suicides/).
If you take the 2005 Army numbers, in the heat of the Iraq conflict mind you, they were MUCH lower (13 per 100,000)(http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12428185). I would be interested to see a less generic comparison, and compare the rates between similar demographics, as the military is generally much younger than the general civilian population and much better educated (yes!) than their civilian peer equivalents. If you look at the 2003 numbers in the MSNBC article above, the army had a greater difference to general population than it did to a closer demographic pool. And it was higher than both back then, too – before the Iraq war really got bad.
PTSD, I can’t really speak to, I’m in the Navy. It is extremely difficult to diagnose and treat, stress is a different animal for everyone and how it’s dealt with is as individual as the person. I recently conversed with a friend who was attempting to get a PTSD diagnosis and VA treatment for an event we were both involved with, and I feel fine, I think. At least I can say I haven’t thought much about the incident since it happened.
Back up your allegations about how bad the VA was during the Bush administration. I recall it was held up (by YOUR side no less) as a model of how socialized medicine could and should work (http://www.slate.com/id/2114554/). Note, that link was from 2005. I guess it’s only good to your side as a tool to push your agenda one way or the other. It can’t BOTH be a “model” and a “travesty” at the same time, can it?
About comparing how veterans were treated by different administrations, do even YOU think Bush would have tried this little bit of accounting sleight-of-hand? In any case, the VA already bills for non service-connected injuries or care. The issue is service-connected injuries. Should they or their insurers have to pay for medical problems sustained in military service, when the government was the provider and they weren’t covered by normal medical insurance? No, many (if not most) literally bled in service. If there is any single group of people that might have a higher claim to tax largess for their legitimate needs, I can’t think of one. They have unequivocally EARNED it. That’s the difference that allows my Republican/Libertarian soul to accept the government providing them the necessary medical services for service-connected disabilities and problems. As Jon Stewart said, “It’s incredibly…fair.”
As a response to your last paragraph about “how little Republicans care about the middle class”, I leave you with a question: If Obama cares so much about the middle class, why did he just propose, and then confirm to the head of the American Legion (before beating a hasty retreat before his caucus in the House and Senate), to ruin the finances, health, and even the jobs of many in that very constituency?
V/R,
Jeff Weimer
http://navy.togetherweserved.com/profile/159924
