McCain Votes To Cut Veterans Funding, But Says We Owe Vets ‘A Debt We Can Never Repay’

[RedEarth]

Today, Sen. John McCain spoke to the Veterans of Foreign Wars in Kansas City, MO. He spoke at length about the sacrifice paid by U.S. soldiers in Iraq, acknowledging “how little has been asked of others compared to their service” and declaring that the nation owes veterans “a debt that we can never fully repay.”

He also said that veterans should have access to “the highest quality health…care in the world” upon returning:

''''''''

Not only has he refused to support the 21st Century GI Bill, which the Veterans of Foreign Wars endorsed last June, he has consistently voted against increasing funding for the Veterans’ Administration, which oversees all medical care for veterans:

– Voted AGAINST an amendment providing $20 billion to the VA’s medical facilities. <5/4/06>

– Voted AGAINST providing $430 million to the VA for outpatient care “and treatment for veterans,” one of only 13 senators to do so. <4/26/06>

– Voted AGAINST increasing VA funding by $1.5 billion by closing corporate loopholes. <3/14/06>

– Voted AGAINST increasing VA funding by $1.8 billion by ending “abusive tax loopholes.” <3/10/04>

– Voted AGAINST a $650 million increase in veterans’ medical care funding. <8/1/01>

Though McCain has derided progressive universal health care plans as “a government takeover,” he is mum on the success of the VA, a government-run, integrated approach that, as Paul Krugman put it, is “one of the few clear American success stories in the struggle to contain health care costs.”

McCain’s zero-regulation, every-man-for-himself approach to health insurance would in effect “dismantle” the VA — what Krugman calls “a completely wrongheaded approach to health care.”

http://thinkprogress.org/2008/04/07/mccain-against-va-funding/

[ananda]

1. McCain.. what a slimy smarmy..

.. hypocrite.

[gateley]

2. How can he sleep at night? nt

[lonestarnot]

3. afflicted gray matter! RELEASE THOSE MED RECS MCWAR!

[Crunchy Frog]

4. "We can never repay, and have no intention of even trying."

I hope Obama can get this nomination nailed down soon, so he can begin taking on this shit head on.

[bellasgrams]

8. There is no way BO is going to start taking care of this stuff

head on. Have you checked his Illinois record. What did he accomplish for his district? The pictures I've seen look pretty sad, and articles I've read don't say much for him getting things done. Of course he had more important things to do according to friends from the Sucker state.

[Crunchy Frog]

11. Oh, go suck on some of these.

[Supersedeas]

5. and yet the Media free ride for McBush continues -- he's accessible, doncha know

[damntexdem]

6. We truly can't repay the debt if McCain and other Rethugs vote not to try.

Like Dubya, McCain is as low as they come -- but at least McCain should know better.

[Kip Humphrey]

7. More like, "We won't ever repay!"

[Disturbed]

9. McSame is a Hypocrite.

His voting record proves it!

[JerseygirlCT]

10. Oh I see. He means *won't* ever repay! nt

[mmonk]

12. I guess he means it when he says "never repay".