RacerJim
Posts: 1583
Joined: 1/1/2004 Status: offline
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quote:
ORIGINAL: Fightdirecto How we define a term or a word makes a big difference in a rational discussion. I participate on vanilla Internet discussion boards on the topics of Politics & Religion as well as this one. On one, I posted my concern that, if the government went into default, my Army retirement check (I served 27 years combined active Army and Army Reserves) and my military disability check (hearing loss due to an exploding IED) might be affected. One self-identified Tea Party supporter responded that my Army retirement check and my military disability checks were "entitlements" and not "obligations". The poster took the position that military retirement checks and military disability checks were the same as welfare checks and should be eliminated as part of the overall plan to reduce "big government" and "excessive government spending". I contend that my Army retirement checks and my disability checks are "obligations" on the part of the federal government based on the contract I made with the United States for my 27 years of military service. I acknowledge that this individual, though they claim to be a Tea Party member, may not reflect the general position of all Tea Party members. In the context of federal government expenditures, do you define retirement checks and medical disability checks to military and civilian federal government employees "entitlements" or "obligations"? First and foremost, THANK YOU for your 27 years of military service! Secondly, military pay (active duty and retired), healthcare and disability compensation are absolutely, posititvely OBLIGATIONS of the Federal government per the enlistment contract it entered into with military personel. Third, no true Tea Party supporter would take the position that military recompense is the same as welfare. Fourth, I am a Tea Party supporter. Fifth, I am a Vietnam Veteran and consider my VA benefits as OBLIGATIONS of the Federal government per the enlistment contract it entered into with me. Sixth, two days ago while visiting our troops in Afghanistan, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairnan Admiral Mullen told those troops he doesn't know if they will get paid if a debt ceiling deal doesn't get passed by August 2. If Admiral Mullen truely doesn't know, or does but doesn't have the guts to call Obama's bluff, then he should immediately resign.
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