Throughout U.S. history, war veterans have been handy ornaments for many politicians to parade around with on national holidays, early on for the Fourth of July, later for Memorial Day, and later still for Armistice Day, which we now commemorate as Veterans Day. These politicos apparently think that they acquire some vicarious patriotism if they cuddle up to veterans on the dais two or three times a year.
But many of the same politicians have dishonored veterans during the rest of the year, routinely ignoring their needs. It doesn't matter whether these were amputees from the Civil War or the beleaguered Bonus Marchers of World War I, or the irradiated atomic test veterans of the Cold War, or the sufferers from post-traumatic stress disorder and the after-effects of Agents Orange in Vietnam, or those afflicted with Gulf War syndrome. With the exception of World War II, when Democrats invented the GI Bill in 1944, veterans have repeatedly gotten the shaft from a boatload of politicians who talk a good game when they've got red-white-and-blue bunting in the background and a national holiday audience to address but become forgetful when a vote for veterans' interests comes up in Congress.
We've heard plenty of flag-waving speeches from some of these hypocrites today. Smarm and treacle to a drumbeat.
I don't know if flag-waving Senator Tom Coburn of Oklahoma gave a speech with veterans as a backdrop today. What is known, as BarbinMD wrote earlier, is that he has a dismal record with veterans groups, Ds and Fs and rankings of 40% or worse from groups such as the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, the Disabled Veterans of America and the Retired Enlisted Association. No surprise.
For weeks now, Senator Coburn has been using his "holding" privilege to block consideration of the Veterans Caregiver and Omnibus Health Benefits Act - S. 1963. The legislation would help severely wounded veterans of the Iraq and Afghan wars. Coburn wants to fund it by diverting unused stimulus funds.
According to Army Times, the hope of many veterans organizations was to get the legislation passed by Veterans Day. The delay initiated by Coburn prompted a letter from 13 veterans organizations to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid a week ago Monday:
Those signing the letter include the nation’s major veterans groups — The American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Veterans, AmVets, Paralyzed Veterans of America, Blinded Veterans Association, Military Order of the Purple Heart, Vietnam Veterans of America, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America and Jewish War Veterans, plus the Military Officers Association of America, National Military Family Association and Wounded Warrior Project.
Steve Robertson, legislative director for The American Legion, said delaying the bill hurts families caring for severely wounded combat veterans who would benefit from the stipends, health care, counseling and respite care that would be provided to caregivers in the bill.
"For a lot of family caregivers, delay is costing them their jobs and their savings. It’s having a big impact," he said.
At a press conference Tuesday, Senate Democrats, including Reid, asked Coburn to release his hold.
Back in Oklahoma, Jim Myers and Barbara Hoberock at the Tulsa World reported:
"Devoted families caring for seriously injured service men and women are losing their jobs, their health insurance, their savings, caring for their injured family members," said Medrano, an Iraq War veteran.
State Republican Party Chairman Gary Jones said in statement responding to the Democrats that Coburn has the courage to stand up for veterans, their children and grandchildren "by demanding that Congress not write another multibillion-dollar hot check that puts future generations in even deeper debt."
Why didn't that debt matter when Coburn, first as a Representative from Oklahoma's 2nd Congressional District and then as Senator, was voting to pour money into the wars that put men and women into harm's way? Never mind. The answer to that question is all too obvious. A one-fingered salute to you, sir, and all who think like you.