For a military man to pull this bullshit..well, its down right pathetic and a travesty. The bi-partisan bill sponsored by Chuck Hagel and Jim Webb puts no limitations on the benefits for our returning soldiers who want to receive an education.
McCain didn't like that, so he has now sponsored his own bill that puts caps on what our Iraq and Afghanistan veterans would receive. From the Washington Independent link above:
Funny, then, that the benefits in McCain's bill fall well short of those provided by the proposal he refused to endorse. That bill, sponsored by Sens. James Webb (D-Va.) and Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.), offers Iraq and Afghanistan vets full tuition, room, board and supplies at any state school, despite the cost. It also makes no distinction between active-duty troops and members of the Guard and Reserves -- a provision added in recognition of the unprecedented reliance of today's volunteer military on those service-members.
In fact, one of the central criticisms of the Webb-Hagel bill -- from both the White House and many congressional Republicans -- is that it's too generous, and therefore will encourage service-members to abandon the military in favor of college. Offer a lesser benefit package, the theory goes, and the troops are more likely to stay in their boots. (Supporters of the Webb-Hagel bill, including a number of veterans advocacy groups, say the better benefits will encourage recruitment, therefore nullifying any retention problems that might occur on the other end.)
We can never be too generous to our returning soldiers. Not. Fucking. Ever. To even suggest that is tantamount to heresy and dare I say it...a shitty and completely bogus way to support our troops.
Artwork by the talented Dark Black.
