I have been a member of Daily Kos for a long time, and in the past even I have posted ill prepared diaries. But thru many months of practice and refusing to give up, I am read by many members of the community based on my now half way decent presentation of words.
I have many people to thank for that and I know I am going to miss many, OPOL, TxSharon, Bill in Portland, Texdem, Kestrel, and the list is long. I can NOT say enough to explain my gratitude to these fine folks and all the other unnamed one's I can't remember due to CRS. I have joined a new group called Military Spouses for Change, the leader of that group wrote a disjointed diary and it was met with less than enthusiam, and some pointed comments to correct her writing style, to be more coherent, and less wordy.
I believe in her mission and in her attempt to get a network to hold a debate that does focus solely on military and veterans issues, and I believe the American public needs to hear it also. The largest budget in this nation is the Department of Defense, yet less than 2% of our population are in the military, does this make sense? NO.
In 2003, our President told us to help the war effort, by going shopping. Here we are 5 years later and the war is no closer to an end is it? The people that are paying for this war are the military families, kids, wives, husbands, mother, fathers, brothers and sisters. When I was a kid on every block in America lived 3-6 WW2 veterans, all the families remembered food shortages, gas shortages, tire rationing, metal drives, bond drives, etc. The nation was at war. Now this administration is not even raising taxes to pay for this war, it is all borrowed money and it appears our grand kids and great grand kids will be expected to pay for it in the future.
So the only debt being paid now is by the military families, either thru separation, or having their loved ones come home or dead. Then to be faced with a fiasco of paperwork that most lawyers can't comprehend, let alone an injured soldier or a grieving family member.
So the point is this group of Military Spouses For Changehas a mission, which is to get a network to carry the debate on the issues they are seeking answers to
What do the candidates propose to do for our returning wounded warriors and their families? How do we effectively identify their mental, physical, social, and financial needs and how do we effectively meet those needs?
The suicide rate is the highest in almost 30 years and the propensity to serve is at a 20 year low. Consequently, the Army and Marine Corps are relying on reenlistment and recruiting bonuses that will cost nearly 2.5 billion dollars next year.
Iraq is the defining electoral issue of 2008. Nothing can be done domestically until we have settled our foreign affairs in such a way that does not require a large military presence in hostile countries. Yet because Texas is not an early primary state, it does not warrant the attention of the Presidential candidates. Nonetheless, we cannot imagine an event more powerful than these candidates answering questions posed to them by the very people whose service and sacrifice allow forums such as these to exist.
Shouldn't we ascertain which candidates are the most qualified (from both parties) to lead our nation and our military prior to Super Tuesday? And shouldn't this be done in front of an audience of service members, veterans, wounded warriors, advocates, and their families?
If you have any questions or are interested in being involved, please contact:
Carissa S. Picard
President
Military Spouses for Change
csp@militaryspousesforchange.com
What can YOU do the help make this debate happen?
Write e mails to all the networks
NBC New York
CBS Newswith "story idea" in the subject line middle row dead center at bottom of the page click on "contact us"
CNN Feedback I suggest you use the tips block
This is a debate that should happen, the soldiers and their families deserve it, let the Presidential candidates take questions on future deployments, benefits, veterans issues etc, in front of the Americans most affected by their decisions in the use of the military, we know the Bush administration has given them little thought, before or after the war.
Regardless of the personality clashes the past few days, can we move beyond this as a community and help these families make this debate happen, for the good of the country.
P.S. for those that don't know how the military works, Carissa is catching hell at home for even being involved in this, her name is in the public eye, the Army Chain of Command will attempt to get her to stop by harassing her husband, it is probably making issues for her at home, and yet she still does this why? Because it is the right thing to do. I still remember the Army telling me that if they wanted me to have a wife they would have issued me one, they expect you to make your spouse behave and toe the Army line, in todays world that isn't as easy as it was pre-computer age. Carissa deserves our support, not harassment. I SALUTE her.