quote:

Contrary to Kevin41's very erroneous belief, Social Welfare, AFDC benefits, are not designed to uplift Black people. There is not a single affluent community, that derives its assets, or well being from keeping large numbers of its local residents heavily dependent on "Social Welfare", and/or poverty programs for its existence. The sooner more Black people realize this fact, to rid themselves of having government control their destiny, the better off the Black community will be.

*This guy has the comprehension skills of a slow second-grader.....who said anything about uplifting black people with welfare? There are success cases from all races who moved from welfare to being fully productive and functional citizens in this society....and some do happen to be black...the painting of people with a broad brush and assigning them the same self-loathing mentality is just f-ked up and wrong....i never understood someone who claims to be so wronged and misunderstood characterize others based on blatent racist and bigoted stereotypes themselves.....that schit reeks of hypocrisy....bigtime......

F-ck you Lofton and anyone else who is not talking about helping any situation that is adversely affecting black people...that shit has gotten really old....if you want to do something....do like my friends here and in Houston and like the black fraternities will surely do....get off of your self-loathing azz and prepare some boxes of food and clothing to send to the victims of the tragedy. Anybody talking about anything else....especially a self-loathing nigga...has their priorities wrong......you need to shut up that motherf-king bullschit act of always raling on black people.....if you are not a part of the solution, then you are a part of the problem...it is easy to sit on your lazy azz and bitch and moan...everyone knows what the f-k problems black people face and they do not have these problems just because they are black as you elude to DAILY. Why don't you change your life and who you have grown up to be and be of help if you see things that you find so gotdamn awful.....

quote:

Originally posted by Kevin41:
F-ck you Lofton and anyone else who is not talking about helping any situation that is adversely affecting black people...that shit has gotten really old....if you want to do something....do like my friends here and in Houston and like the black fraternities will surely do....get off of your self-loathing azz and prepare some boxes of food and clothing to send to the victims of the tragedy. Anybody talking about anything else....especially a self-loathing nigga...has their priorities wrong......you need to shut up that motherf-king bullschit act of always raling on black people.....if you are not a part of the solution, then you are a part of the problem...it is easy to sit on your lazy azz and bitch and moan...everyone knows what the f-k problems black people face and they do not have these problems just because they are black as you elude to DAILY. Why don't you change your life and who you have grown up to be and be of help if you see things that you find so gotdamn awful.....

I've already proven myself, and I don't need the thoughts or views of any Kevin41 or otherwise to prove it.

.......and there are other Black people who rely on personal responsibility, and promote the ideals of free enterpize, over handouts, poverty programs, and designed or doomed for failure social welfare programs.

....bios of a few of the many of them!

....and it is definitely not important to me as to what you think of me, because you are not in any way an ingredient to my success story.

End of discussion.

Sincerely,

Michael Lofton

quote:

Originally posted by Kevin41:
name specific things that they can be brought up on....like Dymally's illegal status...ha ha....if they are that awful...legit reasons to can their azzes should be easy to present.....

....Anyone who reads this information can clearly see that the information as shared is much more than any Merv Dymally, and/or any illegal immigrant in a Merv Dymally's illegal immigrant status.


Virtually the entire Democratic Congressional Black Caucus, Merv Dymally being inclusive, should be removed from any position of influence, as applied to public service, because many are in fact truly incompetent and/or treasonous.

This again, is why it is clearly a waste of valuable time responding to the likes of a Kevin41, etc., etc., because the personal biases, the hatred for Caucasians, the defending of misfits from our own community, the misinformation as expressed, by a Kevin41, or those of similar expression is useless, and will not make for a more productive Black community.

Sincerely,

Michael Lofton

And due to the Administration's delayed reaction of giving aid to the Gulf coast, they certainly want to keep the Black community in the dark.

quote:

....Anyone who reads this information can clearly see that the information as shared is much more than any Merv Dymally, and/or any illegal immigrant in a Merv Dymally's illegal immigrant status.

*Do not try to back away from your own statements fool....you are the one that made that assertion in the frst place....now you want to talk about how non-important it is. It is not a matter of what is important...it just shows that you run your fucking mouth so much in your hatred of black people (which is your problem, not mine) that you get silly and stupid and not know what the hell you are talking about....you are so simple like your president lofton.......all one has to do is sit back and wait...and watch you make a damn fool out of yourself.........you and W are both simpletons.....

...before it is all over with, President George Bush, etc., etc., will be considered very compassionate, caring, etc., etc.,

.....because the billions of dollars steming from the Bush Administration, the Republican Party, the affluent, etc., etc., to finance the relocation, housing, the necessities of life, employment opportunity, for the benefit of the New Orleans Black poverty stricken in communities such as Salt Lake City, Utah, the San Fernando Valley, and other areas of affluence are giving hope, promise, shelter, and opportunity unmatched at any given time over the period of forty years that the Democratic Party has dominated the destiny of inner-city residents.

Typically, the Democratic Party, through a disgraceful elected Black leadership, and/or the so-called Black middleclass who have praised them, have kept the masses of Black people in poverty, as opposed to creating opportunity to uplift the Black underclass from the bondage of begging for AFDC benefits, designed or doomed for failure social welfare, etc., etc.

It is certain, that the destitute, the underclass, the poverty stricken who are being rescued, given opportunities to move forward, etc., etc., can think of nothing but praise for the Republican Party, the Bush Administration, Caucasians, etc., etc.

Far too often, our own Black elected leadership, specifically as it concerns the Democratic Party, have been more concerned with looking out for personal friends, their own selfish interests, and/or outside interests than the plight of the Black underclass, the action of Ray Nagin, Brentwood Burke, Merv Dymally, etc., etc., being very typical.

.....so much so, that the treason of our own elected representatives has weakened the strength of many Black people who now choose to cast their vote, support, etc., etc., for individuals who truly serve the best interest of community residents, as opposed to the contrary, the contrary being many of our own treasonous self-serving elitist elected Black leaders, and/or those from within the Black community who praise them!

Sincerely,

Michael Lofton

quote:

Originally posted by Kevin41:

quote:

...before it is all over with, President George Bush, etc., etc., will be considered very compassionate, caring, etc., etc., etc.!

For Immediate Release, Office of the Press Secretary, September 8, 2005

Fact Sheet: President Bush Announces New Initiatives to Provide Relief

Today's Presidential Action:

Today, President Bush Announced Two New Initiatives Providing Immediate Assistance To Hurricane Katrina Evacuees. The President has directed the Federal government to provide immediate financial assistance and streamline Federal benefits for evacuees. These steps will ensure that help is delivered into the hands of those who need it as quickly and easily as possible.

Immediate Financial Assistance:

The Federal Government Will Provide Evacuees $2,000 In Needed Financial Assistance. The Federal government is working to provide $2,000 in immediate emergency disaster relief to every household affected by Hurricane Katrina. To expedite the process, the President has directed the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to work with the Red Cross and large shelters like the Houston Astrodome to get the funds into citizens' hands as soon as possible. Those victims who are currently staying with families, friends, in hotels, or at smaller shelters provided by churches, synagogues, and other community organizations, can register for help benefits by calling 1-800-621-FEMA or if they have internet access, by visiting http://www.fema.gov . This immediate financial assistance will be available to help evacuees with transportation, clothing, housing, and food costs and is just the first step on the road to full recovery.

The Federal Government Is Working To Expedite The Aid Process. FEMA is reaching out to evacuees and assisting them in applying for Federal aid. More than 400,000 evacuees have already been registered. Registration is the first step in receiving assistance and the process is being expedited to quickly and efficiently provide help to those in need. FEMA workers are working in shelters and recovery centers to ensure that those displaced by Hurricane Katrina receive the food, shelter, clothing, and financial assistance they need. And FEMA has 3,000 people working around the clock taking calls at 1-800-621-FEMA to help victims get the assistance they need.
Working To Ensure Continuity Of Benefits


The Federal Government Will Streamline Benefits To Evacuees. While the Nation is focused on providing evacuees with immediate needs such as food, water, and shelter, many need to begin the process of rebuilding their lives. Many victims need access to the benefits they received before Hurricane Katrina struck - programs like Medicaid, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Head Start, and Food Stamps. Recognizing that most evacuees have lost records and legal documents, the Federal government will grant special "evacuee" status to streamline and simplify the enrollment process, and provide financial assistance to states for the cost of care. This will make it easier for evacuees to register and collect benefits in whatever state they now reside.

Evacuees Will Have Access To The Full Range Of Services. States housing evacuees already have in place the systems and expertise to enroll displaced people into benefit programs. State enrollment teams are currently operating in shelters and many have 1-800 information numbers. Any evacuee can go to the nearest state or local benefits office to get information and enroll. For those with access to the internet, they can get information at http://www.govbenefits.gov. Evacuees can apply for the full range of Federal benefits administered by the states - such as Medicaid, child care, mental health services, Food Stamps, housing, and job training. By streamlining the process, the Federal government is ensuring that evacuees can receive needed Federal benefits.

Federal Help To States. To help states with the costs of providing immediate care and immediate benefits for their fellow Americans, the President is working with Congress to reimburse the states that are taking in evacuees from the affected areas along the Gulf Coast. The Federal government is committed to helping the states provide the services that evacuees need, including education, health care, mental health, child welfare, child care, and family reunification.

Next Friday Is A National Day Of Prayer

The President Has Declared Friday, September 16, 2005, A National Day Of Prayer And Remembrance. Throughout our history, Americans have come together in prayer to heal and seek strength. To honor the victims and survivors of this devastating hurricane, the President has declared Friday, September 16, 2005, as a National Day of Prayer and Remembrance.

*******************************

The Truth Wins hands down!


"Here is the latest perception of the so-called president. Those of you who are still on the bandwagon should find more room on it each day. 39% is unsatisfactory in any form of measurement.....that is a very low F on the grading scale....it demonstrates you had a way to fail in a stellar manner......." by Kevin41

....as usual Kevin41 resorts to:

A. His mouth.

B. Inaccurate information used to cloud or distort the reality of it, that is typically attributed to the Democratic Party.

C. His own personal biases, sarcism, etc., and not the facts.

.....to which the reality of it surely proves otherwise!

Sincerely,

Michael Lofton

"Here is the latest perception of the so-called president. Those of you who are still on the bandwagon should find more room on it each day. 39% is unsatisfactory in any form of measurement.....that is a very low F on the grading scale....it demonstrates you had a way to fail in a stellar manner......."

......How can anyone with any common sense believe this guy!

Still not convinced....

........and it is certain that the underclass are not convinced either, as it applies to the Bush Administration being solely responsible for the abysmal failure of government and its relationship with them that took place in New Orleans!

....and Michael Moore is not deserving of my respect. But then again, each individual is responsible for their own actions, so much so, they can be as much of a fool, as they choose to be, even as it applies to being foolish enough to praise or respect a liar in a Michael Moore!

Even the loyalists have to face their blackness eventually....she grew up avoiding lynchings and burnings at night...and lost her friends in a klan church bombing......she knows more about the racist side of america than I do.....and If I am aware to the extent that I am....I know that sister,like the rest has demons to erase at night.....every now and then she faces the reality of growing up in the south and realized if it were not for liberal inclusive politics, she could have ended up a maid instead of a professor and sec of state....no matter HOW smart she was......and to think a regular azz been poe negro from south central cannot see it.....wow, but the chickens always come home to roost.......

Rice: Disaster shows 'ugly way' race, poverty collide
'It's a vestige of particularly the Old South in this case'

NEW YORK (CNN) -- Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said the people who were stranded in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina are evidence that race and poverty can still come together "in a very ugly way" in parts of the "Old South."

"The United States should want to do something about that," Rice said in an interview Monday with the editorial board of The New York Times. "There are still places that race and poverty are a huge problem in the United States, and we've got to deal with that."

According to a new CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll released Monday, more black Americans than whites view race as contributing to troubles with the federal response to Katrina. (Interactive)

President Bush on Monday denied allegations that the response to Katrina was slower because thousands of people stuck in New Orleans without food, water or medicine were mostly poor and black.

"The storm didn't discriminate, and neither will we in the recovery effort," Bush told reporters during a tour of New Orleans. (See video of Bush responding to criticism -- 2:28)

Rice, the highest ranking black official in the Bush administration, defended national race relations saying the United States "is about 100 percent ahead of anyplace else in the world in issues of race."

"And I say that absolutely, fundamentally," she said. "You go to any other meeting around the world and show me the kind of diversity that you see in America's Cabinet, in America's foreign service, in America's business community, in America's journalistic community.

"Show me that kind of diversity anyplace else in the world, and I'm prepared to be lectured about race."

Rice -- who was born in Birmingham, Alabama, and spent most of her childhood there -- said the confluence of race and poverty is a vestige of American history.

"It's a vestige of particularly the Old South in this case," she said.

"We will be making a mistake if we let people jump to the conclusion that the United States has therefore not dealt with issues of race, particularly if you look at how issues of race are dealt with in most of the world."

Rice also said she believes the Hurricane Katrina disaster provides an opportunity for Americans to launch a comprehensive attack on poverty.

"Not just the federal government, but state and local officials ... as well as the private sector -- and I mean non-governmental organizations and I mean the private business sector -- to address how we might deal with the problem of persistent poverty," she said.

Black members of Congress also have expressed anger about what they said was a slow federal response to Hurricane Katrina. (Full story)

Joining the Congressional Black Caucus in their concerns are the Black Leadership Forum, the National Conference of State Legislators, the National Urban League and the NAACP. ( See video of Congressional Black Caucus criticizing response -- 5:50)

i'm done......you live in a place that has conditions that are a direct result of conservative policies...mainly reduced funding for social programs....as small as the midnight basketball that was keeping black youth out of jail...I guess the prison industrial complex was running dry...so ray-gun and w1 had to fix that......but like I say....I will never stop a negro from placing his lips on the white mans azz...i'll just take notes on what kind of negro he is and deal with him accordingly...but it is funny to watch whites get tired of bush and put their flags up...while house negroes still wave theirs....it doesn't bother me one bit...because I succeeded without playing the houseboy role for the white man...I just learned things the masses do not know...and that allowed me to keep mydignity, not compromise my values and pull other black people up along with me....the rest does not even matter to me.......conservative bush-loving negroes are detached from their own race....i'm not....I love black people and they love the way I think for the most part....and that is all the validation outside of my parents that i'll ever want or need....so i'm kool......I can stand up in front of a room full of progressive black people and state my views...you ought to try it and see what happens.....

jut because you are not convinced that does not mean shit...you are not that knowledgeble where you get to validate things just because you want them to be true.....like Dymally being an illegal immigrant.....you have the choice to believe whatever in the fuck you like to........but do not think for a minute that you are selling that bullschit to black people enmasse........I can only imagine what are behind those links...but i'm kool...I want everyone to believe whatever they like....and when and if it comes back to haunt them....like whites voting for bush....is that they just shut the fuck up and endure the pain they have caused themselves......

When I see schit like this I just smile-read below:


Recent events should prompt soul-searching on Bush

Gerald Plessner

IF you are a Republican who is distraught over the leadership failures of George W. Bush, you are not alone.

Citizens all over the country share your frustration. I see it in my e-mail, half of it coming from conservatives and Republicans. Instead of writing heated attacks on the president's enemies, most Bush supporters are now sending me all the lame excuses why the mayor of New Orleans and the governor of Louisiana are to blame for the tragedies of Hurricane Katrina. Talk about the "blame game!'

Deep down where it hurts most more writers seem to be coming to grips with the truth that the president and his administration are to blame for the breadth of this terrible tragedy.

But it all began in the first days of his administration, when George W. Bush loaded the Federal Emergency Management Agency with political hacks, chasing away competent emergency management professionals. Yet, this most recent glaring failure of presidential leadership begins at the height of the hurricane, when the president was vacationing in Idaho, hiding from Cindy Sheehan and the mounting criticism of the war in Iraq.

By his uncaring inactivity, George W. Bush broke his bond with the American people. Many patriotic, conservative Americans know that, and it is tearing them up. Even those who put politics ahead of patriotism are no longer as bellicose as they were just weeks before.

The most important issue is, of course, our response to Hurricane Katrina and the hundreds of thousands of American citizens who are suffering. But we must also realize how the president's failures exposed the shambles that is our homeland- security effort.

It is now everyone's nightmare that Osama bin Laden and his acolytes are dancing in the mud streets of Bora Bora. It is frightening to imagine our government's response if terrorists attacked a major American city with a mass-murder weapon! If a hurricane that we can anticipate and plot with accuracy can show the world our inability to safeguard and care for our own people, how more eager are our enemies now about a surprise attack on a major U.S. city?

It is a frightening Pandora's Box that the Bush administration has opened. We can only hope that more of his supporters will demand that the president put aside partisanship and do the right thing regardless of politics.

He could start by organizing our response to Hurricane Katrina in a truly nonpartisan fashion. Giving a role in the decision-making process to some Democrats would show his concern for quick and effective non-ideological action. The problem would be the general public mistrust and the pressure from his sponsors, but he has to start somewhere.

It is not going to be easy for the president's admirers to come to grips with their disappointment over the truth of the president's betrayal. But come to grips they must.

There are many issues and people involved in a person's political loyalty. Untangling them will be difficult. Conservatives have been talking for a long time about things like smaller government, tax cuts, values issues and America's role in the world. Being more realistic about the president's record on any of these subjects means that people will have to reconsider the roles, motives and character of the other leaders who have shaped their opinions.

One hopes that recent events will provoke deep soul-searching by conservatives and Republicans who have put their faith in George W. Bush. The voice of the people must be heard as we face the days and months ahead.

like I said...YOU are the only one who believes the self-hating bullshit that comes out of your mouth...end of story......done........

quote:

Well Kevin41, and/or anyone else of similar expression, you are neither a resident or a voter in Los Angeles County, thus your two cents don't count!

**You obviously mean LA City...but I have grown use to the inaccuracies you present and the lack of substance your words have......you seek personal comfort in degrading blacks as a way to illicit anger in others...but it is not working...so if you think supporting W and white racists bother me...think again......you can take em all and stick them where the sun doesn't shine if you can make em fit there :

Subject: Pretty Much Sums up the Bush Presidency

I've never been much of a fan of Bill Maher, he who helped spawn Ann Coulter, but this is so good I can't help it:

Mr. President, this job can't be fun for you any more. There's no more money to spend--you used up all of that. You can't start another war because you used up the army. And now, darn the luck, the rest of your term has become the Bush family nightmare: helping poor people. Listen to your Mom. The cupboard's bare, the credit cards maxed out. No one's speaking to you. Mission accomplished.

Now it's time to do what you've always done best: lose interest and walk away. Like you did with your military service and the oil company and the baseball team. It's time. Time to move on and try the next fantasy job. How about cowboy or space man? Now I know what you're saying: there's so many other things that you as President could involve yourself in. Please don't. I know, I know. There's a lot left to do. There's a war with Venezuela. Eliminating the sales tax on yachts. Turning the space program over to the church. And Social Security to Fannie Mae. Giving embryos the vote.

But, Sir, none of that is going to happen now. Why? Because you govern like Billy Joel drives. You've performed so poorly I'm surprised that you haven't given yourself a medal. You're a catastrophe that walks like a man. Herbert Hoover was a shitty president, but even he never conceded an entire city to rising water and snakes.

On your watch, we've lost almost all of our allies, the surplus, four airliners, two trade centers, a piece of the Pentagon and the City of New Orleans. Maybe you're just not lucky. I'm not saying you don't love this country. I'm just wondering how much worse it could be if you were on the other side.

So, yes, God does speak to you. What he is saying is: 'Take a hint.'

quote:

...as usual, another reference in a characteristic response of Democrats in their campaign to bash the Bush Administration to which the reality of it speaks volumes to the contrary.

** i hope someoen thinks this pissed off group are Dems...ha ha...one day they'll all learn that they are not wealthy white males...particularly negroes who have encountered urban poverty or antebellum southern racism trent lott/jesse helms style......these people want to be in the boy's club so baad....but it ain't happening...and i'm loving it.............these are the very fools who put him in office and waved the flags for the war.....and now they are going to get straight pimped!!!!!

___________________________________________________________________________

Yesterday's Washington Post revealed a preliminary budget framework for the Bush Administration's second term in 2006 includes $910 million in cuts for the Department of Veterans Affairs. This is not the first time George W. Bush will cut veteran's programs. While handing out billions in tax cuts to the wealthiest Americans and corporate campaign contributors, throughout his presidency George W. Bush has steadily cut support for our nation's veterans, under funding the programs by $4 billion. For example, a survey during the Bush Administration indicates more than 310,000 veterans had to wait as much as six months for medical appointments and there is currently a lag in for veterans receiving disability compensation that runs anywhere from six months to two years. [Source: National Priorities Project, 5/04]

Bush ignores vets; attempts to slash pay to frontline troops

Bush ignores veterans in his 2004 State of the Union. "We were disappointed...that in your State of the Union address you offered no recognition of the contributions of America's veterans nor of the nation's solemn obligation to care for those who have borne our battles." [Source: Letter to the President from Congressional military veterans, 1/26/04]

From the Army Times editorial, 7/2/03:

Bush sought to cap pay raises. "The chintz even extends to basic pay. While Bush's proposed 2004 defense budget would continue higher targeted raises for some ranks, he also proposed capping raises for E-1s, E-2s and O-1s at 2 percent, well below the average raise of 4.1 percent." [Source: Army Times, editorial, 7/2/03]

Bush White House complained about plan to double death benefit. "For example, the White House griped that various pay-and-benefits incentives added to the 2004 defense budget by Congress are wasteful and unnecessary "” including a modest proposal to double the $6,000 gratuity paid to families of troops who die on active duty. This comes at a time when Americans continue to die in Iraq at a rate of about one a day." [Source: Army Times, editorial, 7/2/03]

Bush tried to roll back monthly pay increases for soldiers in combat. "Similarly, the administration announced that on Oct. 1 it wants to roll back recent modest increases in monthly imminent-danger pay (from $225 to $150) and family-separation allowance (from $250 to $100) for troops getting shot at in combat zones." [Source: Army Times, editorial, 7/2/03]

No tax relief for military families. "Then there's military tax relief "” or the lack thereof. As Bush and Republican leaders in Congress preach the mantra of tax cuts, they can't seem to find time to make progress on minor tax provisions that would be a boon to military homeowners, reservists who travel long distances for training and parents deployed to combat zones, among others." [Source: Army Times, editorial, 7/2/03]

Bush flips on military pay cut. "The White House quickly backpedaled Thursday on Pentagon plans to cut the combat pay of the 157,000 U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan after disclosure of the idea quickly became a political embarrassment." [Source: San Francisco Chronicle, 8/15/03]

Bush war in Iraq creating new injured vets fast

18,000 Iraq vets seek care. "Nearly 18,000 soldiers who have returned from Iraq have sought care at VA health facilities, officials reported at the end of March. A separate report in mid-April said 4,000 troops from the war in Afghanistan sought care, although there is some overlap from those who served in both conflicts." [Source: AP, 5/17/04]

Most are reservists. "About 60 percent of the Iraq veterans and 84 percent of those from Afghanistan who sought VA care came from the National Guard and Reserves. The most common problems affected joints and back, teeth and the digestive system." [Source: AP, 5/17/04]

Wait averages 171 days for care. "To address the backlog of cases that delayed disability pay for veterans, the VA has hired 1,500 workers and formed special teams to reduce the March, 2002 peak of 233 days for an initial disability ruling. Today, the wait averages 171 days." [Source: AP, 5/17/04]

Bush FY 2005 Veterans Budget "grossly inadequate;" VFW says vets not a priority for Bush

Bush 05 Budget nearly 4 billion short. "The Bush Administration's proposed spending on discretionary veterans benefits for fiscal year 2005 amounts to $29.8 billion, well below the $33.6 billion recommended by leading veterans' organizations." [Source: National Priorities Project, 5/25/04]

VFW says Vets not a priority for Bush. "The president ignored veterans in the State of the Union Address and with today's release of his 2005 budget, it is further evident that veterans are no longer a priority with this administration," said the leader of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S., expressing dismay at the disgraceful 1.8% increase in veterans' medical care funding. "We look to Congress to reject the president's inadequate proposal and to provide a budget that fully acknowledges the debt our nation owes its veterans." [Source: VFW, 2/2/04]

Bush budget proposes lowest veterans budget in nearly a decade. "Yesterday, the Administration released its Budget Request for FY 2005 providing grossly inadequate funding of health care for our Nation's sick and disabled veterans for yet another year. The request includes only $310 million more than the FY 2004 appropriation which was only just passed two weeks ago, nearly four months late. This is the lowest appropriation request for Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care made by any Administration in nearly a decade." [Source: Paralyzed Veterans of America, release, 2/3/04]

Bush veterans budget relies on "gimmicks." "The VA Under Secretary for Health testified last year that it requires an average yearly medical care increase of 12% to 14% to meet the cost of inflation and mandated salary increases. However, $310 million is only 1.2% more than the FY 2004 appropriation. The Administration's budget proposal relies far too heavily on budget gimmicks, major cuts in long term care programs, higher out-of-pocket costs for veterans, and not enough on appropriated dollars." [Source: Paralyzed Veterans of America, release, 2/3/04]

Bush's budget fails to keep pace with rising costs. Contrary to Mr. Bush's claims, "the annual percentage increase it requested for veterans' health care is 5.4 percent"”hardly a windfall considering that the consumer price index for medical care was 13 percent during fiscal year 2002. VA officials have testified that it would take a 13 to 14 percent hike in the VA's health care budget just to maintain the status quo." [Rep. Lane Evans (D-IL) Op-Ed, The Hill, 9/17/03]

VA head says he did not get funds he asked for. "In a rare move by a Cabinet member, Veterans Affairs Secretary Anthony Principi told a House committee he had sought $1.2 billion more than President Bush was willing to put in his budget... "I asked OMB for $1.2 billion more than I received," Principi said, referring to the White House Office of Management and Budget." [Source: AP, 2/5/04]

Bush child tax credit fails 200,000 military families. "The 2003 Bush tax cut for the rich, for example, failed to extend a child tax credit to nearly 200,000 military personnel." [Source: The Progressive, 4/2004]

Bush 05 budget doubles prescription drug copay for vets. "Under [Bush's FY 2005] budget, some veterans would have to pay $250 a year to use the VA health care system; their co-payments for a 30-day supply of a prescription drug would also more than double, from $7 to $15. The proposed changes would affect only the veterans with no service-related health problems whose relative high income places them in the two lowest priority classifications." [Source: Washington Post, 3/3/04]

Bush FY 2004 Budget

Bush 04 Budget cuts education aid to military families. "President Bush's fiscal year 2004 budget plan proposes to cut Impact Aid funding by a total of $206 million below current year levels. In addition, the Administration is proposing that the entire reduction be taken from the portion of the Impact Aid program designed to support the education of military children." [Source: Minority Staff, House Appropriations Committee, 6/03]

Bush 04 Budget does not keep pace with rising costs. "While quick to point out that it requested for fiscal year 2004 a "record" increase for veterans' health care, the administration is less anxious to draw attention to the fact that the annual percentage increase it requested for veterans' health care is 5.4 percent - hardly a windfall considering that the consumer price index for medical care was 13 percent during fiscal year 2002. VA officials have testified that it would take a 13 to 14 percent hike in the VA's health care budget just to maintain the status quo. Meanwhile, the growth in veteran patients continues to climb - from 2.9 million in fiscal year 1996 to more than 5 million projected in 2003, a 71 percent increase." [Source: The Hill, op-ed, Rep. Lane Evans, 9-17-04]

Bush cuts health care access for Vets

Bush Administration budget cuts would have closed seven VA hospitals and eliminated nearly 5,000 nursing home beds. "The administration has sought to more than double the co-payments on prescription drugs for some veterans and create access fees for some veterans to even get in the hospital door. More than 100,000 veterans are now forced to wait more than 6 months for a medical care visit and thousands more fail to meet VA's standard of 30 days for timely access to care. In addition, the administration proposed to eliminate long-term care services for most veterans resulting in the closure of about 5,000 nursing home beds." [Source: The Hill, op-ed, Rep. Lane Evans, 9/17/04]

Bush VA cuts access to 164,000 category 8 vets. "The Department of Veterans Affairs announced yesterday that it is immediately cutting off access to its health care system to some higher-income veterans, a move the agency estimated will affect about 164,000 veterans who were expected to enroll in the system during the current fiscal year... Category 8 income levels vary depending on geographic location, but Principi said generally the restrictions will apply to veterans with annual incomes of $ 30,000 to $ 35,000 or higher." [Source: Washington Post, 1/17/03]

Bush budgets result in fewer staff at VA centers, despite rising case load. "As a result of budgetary constraints, hiring for staff of VA regional benefits offices has been frozen since May 2003. Positions lost through retirement and attrition are not being filled, and the administration is calling for even deeper staff cuts, notwithstanding a backlog of hundreds of thousands of benefits claims." [Source: The Hill, op-ed, Rep. Lane Evans, 9/17/04]

Bush would set research grant program back six years. "PVA is also disappointed with the major cuts in award-winning VA medical and prosthetic research. This would set the research grant program back six years to FY 1999 funding levels." [Source: Paralyzed Veterans of America, release, 2/3/04]

Bush opposes Health Insurance for Guard and Reserve

Bush opposes letting guard members buy Pentagon insurance plan. "The Bush administration is formally opposing a proposal to give National Guard and Reserve members access to the Pentagon's health insurance system, jeopardizing the plan's future and angering supporters." [Source: Argus Leader (SD), 10/23/04]

Bush "strongly opposes" allowing guard members to buy health insurance. "The Administration strongly opposes any such amendments, including an amendment that was accepted by the Senate to provide for expanded benefits under the TRICARE program." [Source: Statement of Administration Policy, S. 1689 & H.R. 3289, 10/16/03]

Bush seeks higher fees and drug co-payments for veterans.

Bush seeks increased fees and co-pays. "Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) is deeply troubled by a proposal to charge a $250 user fee for Category 7 and 8 veterans and to increase prescription co-payments from $7 to $15." [Source: Paralyzed Veterans of America, release, 2/3/04]

Vets cannot afford Bush's higher costs. "PVA Executive Director Delatorro McNeal stated, "Many veterans cannot afford these higher costs. The alternative for many sick and disabled veterans will be to forego necessary medical care and risk endangering their health." He emphasized that "this is yet another attempt by this Administration to pay for the services of one group of veterans out of the pockets of other veterans." [Source: Paralyzed Veterans of America, release, 2/3/04]

"Two years after tripling the co-payment that veterans pay for prescription drugs the Department of Veterans Affairs wants to raise it again." Specifically, President Bush's 2005 budget would increase prescription "drug co-pays from $7 to $15," for many veterans. In 2002, the co-pay went from $2 to $7. [Sources: Cleveland Plain Dealer , 2/7/04; WP, 2/19/03]

Bush cuts "Impact Aid" to local schools that serve military families

Bush seeks to slash aid to schools that serve military families. "A new report by the Democratic staff on the House Appropriations Committee this week asserts that Bush, by cutting about $200 million in the program that provides assistance to public schools serving military bases, would pare education funding disproportionately for children of soldiers who fought in Iraq." [Source: Washington Post, 6/17/03]

"On the subject of funds paid to schools that serve children of military personnel, Bush's 2004 budget recommends cuts of $172 million, or 14 percent, in payments called "impact aid" that make up for lost local tax revenues from tax-exempt property. The analysis by Obey's staff calculates that the military portion of the program is set to fall by more than 30 percent, to $435 million from $635 million"”much of that affecting children of troops that have served in Iraq." [Source: Washington Post, 6/17/03]

Veterans suffer under Bush administration - Misc

Bush slash funding for military housing, VA benefits. "A new report by the Democratic staff on the House Appropriations Committee this week asserts that Bush, by cutting about $200 million in the program that provides assistance to public schools serving military bases, would pare education funding disproportionately for children of soldiers who fought in Iraq. That adds to several complaints the staff has assembled: Bush's signature on the latest tax cut, which failed to extend a child tax credit to nearly 200,000 low-income military personnel; a $1.5 billion reduction in his 2004 budget, to $9.2 billion from $10.7 billion, for military housing and the like; and a cut of $14.6 billion over 10 years in benefits paid through the Veterans Administration." [Source: Washington Post, 6/17/03]

Bush Republicans support millionaires instead of military veterans. Bush allies in Congress stopped efforts to scale back the tax cut for the nation's millionaires by just five percent – a loss of just $4,780 for the year – in order to restore this funding for military family housing. "This small contribution to the troops was voted down on a party-line vote." [Source: Washington Post, 6/17/03]