<p>If you look at the record of supporting veterans, you’d also find McCain comes up very wanting. (and in my job, I’m dealing with the results).</p>
<p>Mini, every group has it’s own interests firmly in its hearts (and agenda). And when that agenda calls for more money from the government toll, this goes directly against MCain’s firmest agenda: stop the tax burden on the public. I give McCain points for sticking to his guns against increased Gov’t spending, even when it’s against his strongest supporters (and a group I will shortly join). </p>
<p>EVERY group has itsspecial interests at heart, even theVets. McCain has a bigger picture than one particular group’s.</p>
<p>I can tell you that the Bush-McCain position on veterans is resulting in HUGE new governmental burdens. I am monitoring for my agency the unmet need for services among veterans being discharged with untreated traumatic brain injuries/post-traumatic stress disorders/post-deployment stress (a made-up term that allows the military to send soldiers back without treating them)/alcohol-drug abuse problems. I watch the impact on family life, on children, on productivity, on emergency room use. </p>
<p>He’s being pennywise and pound-foolish. If you want to know what the taxpayer burden is going to look like, you take a gander at the conservative Rand Corp. report:</p>
<p>[RAND</a> | Center for Military Health Policy Research | Invisible Wounds of War Project Home page | PTSD](<a href=“Invisible Wounds of War Project | RAND”>Invisible Wounds of War Project | RAND)</p>
<p>It isn’t just current veterans at issue with the Bush cuts to veterans.</p>
<p>Viet Nam veterans who were not already in the system, but intended to use their benefits at retirement have no benefits.
Other veterans are also included and unaware of the cuts.</p>