How much more outrage can we tolerate?
The Houston Chronicle reports that a full year after Congress passed a law promising college aid for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, NOT ONE CHECK has been mailed out:
WASHINGTON - More than a year ago, Congress passed a law [and in October 2004, President Bush signed it] giving extra college money to as many as 175,000 veterans of Iraq, Afghanistan and other actions in the war on terrorism. Specifically targeting activated members of the reserves and National Guard, the benefit is worth as much at $827 a month.
But as a second Veterans Day goes by, not a single check has been mailed and most reservists haven't even applied for it.
There's more...
The program remains in bureaucratic limbo. The Department of Defense is still creating a database of eligible veterans that the Department of Veterans Affairs needs to process benefit applications. Those who are eligible haven't been told they qualify.
...Officials at both departments hoped that at least some checks would be mailed before the end of the year, but acknowledged they've missed previous target dates.
Students such as Gabriel Medina, 23, a history and political science major at the University of California-Riverside, will spend another Veterans Day waiting as he struggles to pay for tuition, housing and other expenses.
"Trust me, this would make a big difference," said Medina, a Marine Corps reservist who spent nearly two years on active duty beginning in January 2002, including a tour in Iraq. Medina, a full-time student, works two jobs, receives grants and has taken out student loans.
And so our draft-dodging, chickenhawk, tuition-paid-by-daddy, legacy-admission, snorting, boozing, womanizing, lazy, dimwitted, smirking, delusional, power-mad, mean-spirited, classless, "bring it on", depraved, Texecuting, so-called president can't even manage to honor our veterans by giving them the college funds he promised and they deserve!
I'm sure no Bush child ever had to worry for one second whether or not all of his or her college costs, tuition, room and board, brand new textbooks, sorority and fraternity dues and beer money would be paid for by Mommy and Daddy without delay and without question. And no Bush child has ever served. George P? Lauren? Jenna? Barbara? Helllooooo?
Well, what else should we have expected? If aWol isn't going to ensure our troops have body armor, why in the world would he give a damn about tuition. Maybe all of their daddies should have gone to Yale so that they could get in based on who they are, not on merit. Oh, the soft bigotry of the good-old-boy, old-war-profiteer-money network.
Who supports the troops, George? You? You with your lies? You with your cheap, empty promises? You with your $1000 suits? You with your gas-guzzling fleet of SUVs? You and your billionaire buddies who can't spare $500 bucks for these kids? A month's rent? A couple credit hours?
For shame, Mr. President. FOR SHAME. If any more shame can possibly be heaped upon you, then I'm heaping it. You, sir, are a disgrace.