DALE SUITER: Conservative Attack on Veteran Benefits – Part Two

Heritage Foundation Staff Recommends
Cutting Veterans Benefits

By Dale Suiter STAFF WRITER

The Veterans of Foreign Wars, The American Legion, AMVETS, Disabled American Veterans and many individual Veterans have criticized Congresswoman Michelle Bachmann (R-Minnesota) for her move to cutting disabled Veteran benefits. Ms. Bachmann is not alone in her program to take money and benefits from the wounded.

Brian Riedl writes in How to Cut $343 Billion From the Federal Budget (October 28, 2010 www.heritage.org/…how-to-cut-343-billion-from-federal-budget):

Veterans:
$2,500 Cap increases in Department of Veterans Affairs health
spending

$1,930 Reduce Veterans’ Disability Compensation to account for
Social Security Disability

And:

“…$343 billion in available spending cuts for the new congress to consider when it takes up the federal budget for FY2012.”

Mr. Riedl has writes that privatization for “…many current government functions could be performed more efficiently by the private sector.” (I did not find specific privatization recommendations noted by Mr. Riedl.)

Brian Riedl, according to the Heritage Foundation website is a “Heritage Expert. Brian Riedl – Gover Herman Fellow in Federal Budgetary Affairs.” In addition the website writes: “Brian Riedl is the Heritage Foundation’s lead budget analyst and has built a solid reputation for interpreting, explaining and reforming the often arcane realm of federal budget policy.”

The Heritage Foundation website describes the organization as:

“Founded in 1973, The Heritage Foundation is a research
and educational institution – a think tank – whose mission
is to formulate and promote conservative public policies
based on the principles of the enterprise, limited government,
individual freedom, traditional American values, and a strong
national defense.”

The biographical information on Mr. Riedl doesn’t provide information on his military background. I do know that if he and the Heritage Foundation are successful, beginning with the federal 2012 budget wounded and disabled Veterans will see $2,000.00+ a month loss of income. Mr. Riedl is (like Ms. Bachmann) is very clear about reducing the amount of spend-able income available to the wounded and disabled members of our military.

The Heritage Foundation includes in its Leadership for American Campaign – Protect America (http:///www.heritage.org.about) an October 8, 2099 article by Mackenzie Eaglen and Jim Talent: A Clear and Present Danger: QDR Must Recognize Need for Two-War Construct. Ms. Eaglen and Mr. Talent write:

“… last three administrations systematically underfnunded
America’s armed forces while increasing their deployments
and missions. As a result, the military is to small and is
forced to use equipment that is too old.”

America has 22 combat divisions available to defend it. Ten are active Army and eight are Army National Guard, three are active Marine Corp and one Marine Reserve Division (GlobalSecurity.org). The constant state of warfare the ground gaining arms are involved in ensures a steady stream of wounded into the military health care system and then into the Department of Veterans Affairs.

The wounded have outraged some people by demanding a decent standard of living. How many of us have read or heard: “In past wars [they] wouldn’t have survived.” This quaint saying means that many wounded have the discourtesy to stay alive. Their survival presents people like Ms. Bachmann and Mr. Riedl with costs concerns. Surviving wounded is an inconvenient budgetary issue. Sure our nation can privatize more of their health care, implement daily living expenses reductions, take away “aid and attendance” (give the blind an additional cane, made in a 3rd world country to cut costs), close VA health care clinics (implement health care by phone and mail), and create a privatized lottery to remove 1/3 of the disabled from VA disability roles (its O.K., America has lots of bridges)! Lots of solutions aren’t there?

Folks 2012 is not far off. The federal 2012 budget is being written as I write these words. An important national think tank and a nationally renowned congresswoman are demanding the wounded receive drastic cuts in benefits. Wonder how all this will turn out?

Dale R. Suiter
Atlanta Michigan

Dale R. Suiter

Dale R. Suiter served in the United States Marine Corps June 1966 – February – 1970. He served with Ammo Company First FSR, 2nd CAG Q-6 and Q-3, H&S 81’s 3/9 and 1/3. His service “On the Rock” was with Ordanance Schools, Camp Hansen. Following the Marine Corp, he completed a career in public service – prison and jail operations. In addition, he completed a career as a reserve officer with the Michigan Army National Guard. His two sons and two sons-in-law are veterans of the war on terror. The family continues in service to the United States of America.