Originally Posted By skinnerbox The vast majority of the Republican Party does NOT want to help you: <a href="http://www.rollcall.com/news/senate_gop_blocks_veterans_jobs_bill-217685-1.html" target="_blank">http://www.rollcall.com/news/s...5-1.html</a> <> Senate GOP Blocks Veterans Jobs Bill By Humberto Sanchez Roll Call Staff Sept. 19, 2012, 12:57 p.m. Senate Republicans today defeated Democratic legislation designed to help veterans get jobs, complaining that the measure violates budget rules and is meant to score political points rather than help veterans. "Americans don't trust us," said Sen.Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.), ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee. "And why should Americans trust us when we keep using gimmicks and budget sleight of hand to hide more spending and drive the country further into debt." Democrats sought to waive budget rules, but the proposal failed 58-40, with most Republicans voting against it. Sixty votes were needed to overcome the procedural hurdle and push the bill toward final passage. Five Republicans - Sens. Scott Brown (Mass.), Susan Collins (Maine), Dean Heller (Nev.), Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) and Olympia Snowe (Maine) - voted with all 53 members of the Democratic Conference to sidestep the procedural roadblock. Republicans also said that job-creating provisions in measure - including establishing a veterans jobs corps to employ veterans in conservation, recreation, and resource management projects on public lands; and as firefighters and police officers - are untested. "Nobody knows if it works," said Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.). He warned that if Congress does not begin to exercise some restraint on spending, the deficit, which has topped more than $1 trillion in recent years, will ultimately undermine the nation's economy. "So on Monday mornings ... I've noticed I have an attitude problem," Coburn said. "I don't want to come [to work] anymore. And the reason I don't want to come anymore is because we're not doing anything to address the real problems that are in front of our country. "We are ignoring the real problems so we can create political contrasts for an election, all the while our country is sinking, sinking and sinking," Coburn continued. But Democrats pointed to the elections as a reason why Republicans did not support the measure. Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), who is in a tight race for re-election, said the GOP blocked the bill because it's a White House proposal and because he is a co-sponsor. "They are going to kill it on a technicality," Nelson said. "That is what is going on here, and it's sad." Senate Veterans' Affairs Chairwoman Patty Murray (D-Wash.) said the cost of the bill, $1 billion over five years, is offset. She noted that a vote to block the measure is tantamount to saying the nation has done enough for veterans. "A vote to support this point of order says that despite the fact that we have paid for this bill, despite the fact that one in four young veterans are out of work, despite the fact that veterans suicides are outpacing combat deaths, and despite the fact that more and more veterans are coming home, we are not going to invest in these challenges," Murray said. The nation owes veterans "more than just a pat on the back for their service," she continued. "We owe them more than bumper stickers and platitudes. We owe them more than procedural roadblocks that will impede our ability to provide help now and into the future. We owe them action." Murray continued: "We owe them real investments that will help get them back to work. And that's what this bill does." <> First off, a BIG THANK YOU! to the five brave Republican Senators who did the right thing for our veterans and sided with all 53 senators in the Dem Caucus in attempting to derail the block: Scott Brown, Susan Collins, Dean Heller, Lisa Murkowski, and Olympia Snowe This is shameful! Where is the decency from the Republicans? And anyone -- I'm looking at you, Donny -- who is a veteran and/or knows a veteran who needs a leg up in getting a decent job, there is NO EXCUSE for not supporting legislation to make that process easier. Donny, did you get any of your government jobs, including the current job you have now, because you're a veteran? Did you use the VA or any veteran job program to get any of these "terrific" government jobs you love so much? If so, then you're a stinking hypocrite if you continue to defend and support the very group of GOP politicians who don't want you or your veteran friends to have those opportunities.
Originally Posted By DDMAN26 Could we maybe see what Donny's position before calling him a hypocrite? Maybe he doesn't agree with this.
Originally Posted By DDMAN26 And another thing, you've been pretty apt to alling people names or telling them to shove it if it doesn't jive with your viewpoint. Nobody else is taking this tactic. And speaking from experience acting like that doesn't exactly enthrall you to the rest of the group. And you should know considering how rude I was to you in the past. Remember the golden rule.
Originally Posted By SuperDry <<< Senate Republicans today defeated Democratic legislation designed to help veterans get jobs, complaining that the measure violates budget rules and is meant to score political points rather than help veterans. >>> I would guess that the vast majority of enlisted veterans end up in the 47% that Romney doesn't care about once they get out of the service, at least at first.
Originally Posted By skinnerbox DD... Donny is a dyed-in-the-wool Republican. FACT. Donny has gone the extra mile to defend Republican policies that severely cut social programs and the safety net. Veteran job programs such as this are a significant part of that safety net. Donny fully supports the very Republicans who created this procedural block in the Senate, even though he is a veteran himself! I'm calling out Donny specifically because of what he has posted here for years regarding how the Republicans have the right agenda for the nation by cutting back on government waste. He listens to Fox News and brags about voting Republican. He hates the Dems and Obama and the liberals and everything we stand for. I want him to come into this thread and defend those Republicans he loves so much. I want him to once again -- because he's done it before -- tell all of us here in WE how much the Dems and the liberals HATE, ABSOLUTELY HATE the troops and the vets. I want Donny to take a stand and defend this action by the Republicans he keeps voting for, year after year. Given all the stuff he has posted on these WE boards about how evil Dems and liberals are, it's time for him to put up or shut up.
Originally Posted By HRM Keeping my political party afiliation out if the discussion... my feeling is that any veteran, especially ANY veteran, can vote for whomever they please, for any reason they please, anytime they please.... veterans have EARNED the right, and paid the price do so. And to those veterans, including my father... Thank You. Rest in peace Dad.
Originally Posted By skinnerbox Yeah, my father was a Goldwater Republican. He served in WWII as a Captain in the Army Air Corps. But my father, if still alive, would NEVER support the idiocy coming out of the GOP today. Especially the big middle finger that these 40 Senators gave our veterans by shooting down Sen Murray's Jobs bill. Any veteran voting for Republicans who voted this bill down does a major disservice to all veterans. The current crop of Republicans only give lip service to our vets. And we need to keep reminding vets that this isn't their father's moderate GOP. Hopefully, the message will start to sink in.
Originally Posted By HRM Whether or not the current Republican Party is "my father's moderate GOP", I repeat... my feeling is that any veteran, especially ANY veteran, can vote for whomever they please, for any reason they please, anytime they please.... veterans have EARNED the right, and paid the price do so. And to all veterans,... Thank You.
Originally Posted By SuperDry <<< veterans have EARNED the right [to] ... vote for whomever they please >>> Uh, no, they haven't. I must disagree. The right vote, and the right to vote for whomever one pleases, is a fundamental right granted to all citizens that are not otherwise disqualified. The ability to vote, and to vote one's conscious, is not something that is earned in the United States through military service or any other means, nor something that must be paid for. The service that a veteran has provided to the country should not and does not convey any special privilege at the ballot box. You may have the US confused with the gov't depicted in Starship Troopers, where one must must earn their citizenship through military service. Check out the first 30 seconds of this clip: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WthAOV7Cz4" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...hAOV7Cz4</a>
Originally Posted By 182 I am a member of the American Legion. I help Vets coming home all the time making sure they know what benifits are available to them. I hate the V.A. (but it's there) There are plenty of Federal,State and local job placement and training VFW,s and SHD's but you need to join a VFW or A.L. right when you get home to find the best benefits for you. I watch many who complain there is no help but give them my number (407) 205-2939 and I promise I will do everything I can to get them the help they need. But trust me there is enough help out there currently
Originally Posted By 182 Get copies of your training records. The first thing you should do is get copies of every training record you have. It doesn't matter what the course is; if you were trained in it, get a copy. So many military training classes may seem generic to you but can translate into big bucks on the outside because companies won't have to pay out-of-pocket to send you to them. How many safety courses, First Aid/CPR courses or Hazardous Waste training courses did you attend? What about mandatory leadership courses? Get copies of your education records. Education records are just as important as training records. Contact your base's education office and find out if any of your on-the-job training can count as class credit. These credits can reduce the amount of school you need for degrees. My leadership training courses actually applied towards the Community College of the Air Force's Associate degree program. File for disability claims. Don't make the mistake of not getting treated for any injuries while serving in the military. While I was transitioning out of the military, I found out about the Benefits Delivery at Discharge program and immediately applied. Instead of waiting until you discharge to file for medical disability benefits, you send them in up to six months before discharge. This helps the VA by alleviating the claims loads for them. You need a copy of your medical records reviewed by a qualified veteran's service liaison. He will look for anything you were treated for while in the service and see if it would qualify as a medical claim. The liaison sends the claims to the VA. Once the VA reviews your claims, they will set up appointments with the nearest VA clinic doctors for examination. If all goes well, you'll get claims benefits within a few months after separation. Apply early for jobs. Don't wait until you are separated before applying for jobs. Veterans are a hot commodity in the workforce right now. Despite the economic turndown, private and public sector jobs are opening up their doors to veterans. Some private sector jobs actually get tax breaks for hiring qualified veterans. If they know you are separating soon, they know they can hire a disciplined employee with a strong work ethic. If you plan to stay in the area, look on USA Jobs for Federal government positions open near you. The complete process from applying to hiring can take three months but plan for delays. USA Jobs' website allows you to submit all those education and training records for review. While a majority of these employers can't hire you by name, they can give you insight as to what's required to work there. It is also possible to start work with the federal government before you completely separate! Review your security clearance status. One significant advantage a military member has over civilians is a security clearance. This shows future employers you are trustworthy by the government's standards. Government contractors sometimes require these clearances for their positions. If you already have one, they don't have to pay for it to get done! While you can't get a clearance renewal if you have less than one year left in your enlistment, it's good to have records of when your clearance was completed. Contact your security service officer or security manager to get records. If you don't get a copy, it can be hard to prove your clearance qualifications.
Originally Posted By Goofyernmost I'm a Vietnam veteran and although I know that the VFW and AL do some good things for the most part I see it as a place where x-soldiers go to drink heavily and dwell on the past, wear silly military style hats, march in parades and share experiences that they really should put behind them and move on. The VA has done a lot for me and, I'm sure that there is more that they could do, but that would be falling into the heading of the entitled, an argument that, I believe the GOP is pretty much against. No one, be it a Veteran or not, starts out with massive experience. We all start out as those people that continuously repeat the phrase..."They only hire people with experience, how do I get experience if they won't hire me?" The same way everyone else does, start at the bottom and prove yourself by showing what you can do. Go back to school and get an education. If you don't have that you aren't going anywhere and it doesn't matter how many M-60's or other things you have handled for God or your country. In today's Military, the choice to join was yours, when I enlisted there was an active draft going on. The choices one makes are the choices that they have to live with. I have never found, even in the anti-Vietnam era anyone that didn't look at my being a veteran was anything but positive when it came to getting a chance at a job. If, however, I got there and I couldn't spell my name (exaggeration there, for those literal readers) the chance are pretty slim that I will get that high paying job I have my eye on.
Originally Posted By Dabob2 Donny, Donny, Donny. What you offer in #12 is good advice. Unfortunately, it is (once again!) plagiarized. It sounded a little too articulate for you, so I googled it. Ta da... <a href="http://voices.yahoo.com/top-5-things-separating-military-10972452.html" target="_blank">http://voices.yahoo.com/top-5-...452.html</a> What in this world would be wrong with simply attributing something where attribution is due? Saying "here's good advice I found online" and giving the link and/or printing it here along with the link, rather than trying to pass it off as your own? Geez.
Originally Posted By TomSawyer I really like Obama's proposal to put 20,000 veterans to work in our National Parks and National Forests rebuilding our public lands infrastructure.
Originally Posted By skinnerbox <<Tom, that is a great plan>> Of course it is! That was part of Sen Patty Murray's jobs bill for veterans. That the Republicans shot down!! The majority of Republicans in Congress do not care about our troops. All they really care about is funneling lucrative military contracts to those corporations who've donated heavily to their election campaigns. But the troops themselves? And their families? And the veterans they become once they leave active duty? Not so much.
Originally Posted By ADMIN <font color="#FF0000">Message removed by an administrator. <a href="MsgBoard-Rules.asp" target="_blank">Click here</a> for the LaughingPlace.com Community Standards.</font>
Originally Posted By 182 "Eager to shoot down President Obama’s legislative agenda just weeks before the election, Senate Republicans on Wednesday blocked a measure that would have provided $1 billion over five years to help veterans find work in their communities. The measure, which would have potentially created jobs for up to 20,000 veterans, was blocked on a procedural point by Republicans, who argued that the bill was unpaid for." <a href="http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/09/19/veterans-jobs-bill-blocked-in-the-senate/" target="_blank">http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes...-senate/</a>
