Bwaaaawk! Why report, when you can merely parrot?
Unfortunately we've come to expect lies from politicians, yet we cling to the illusion that the news media tell us the truth. Too bad the media have long since abandoned that notion. For example, here's George W. Bush giving a speech to the Veterans of Foreign Wars convention in Cincinnati today:
CNN does put a colon between "Bush" and "Admin" to acknowledge with punctuation, at least, that the words on the screen are from Mr. Bush. But that's not reporting: that's parroting.
Meanwhile, here are some facts about Bush's "solid record" on veterans issues, courtesy of the Kerry/Edwards campaign:
During his speech to the VFW this morning, George W. Bush continued his pattern of misleading rhetoric, glossing over his failed record on veterans and failing to articulate a plan for winning the peace in Iraq. "George Bush needs to learn a certain four letter word: FACT. It is a fact that he has overextended the military to its thinnest levels in years and forced thousands of soldiers to involuntarily extend their deployments. It is a fact that he threatened to veto the $87 billion supplemental and sent troops into battle without body armor. It is a fact that he has broken his promise to America's veterans and made it harder for them to access quality health care. George Bush is too busy attacking to get his facts straight and he is out of credibility," Kerry spokesman Phil Singer said.
BUSH HAS NOT KEPT HIS PROMISE TO VETS
CLOSING VET HOSPITALS: In May 2004, the Administration decided to push for the closure of hospitals in Brecksville, OH; Gulfport, MS; and, Highland Drive, PA. Eight VA hospitals will be partially closed. The Administration is planning partial closures in Knoxville, IA; Canandaigua, NY; Livermore, CA; Montrose, NY; Kerrville, TX; Saginaw, MI; Ft. Wayne, IN; and Butler, PA. (USA Today, 5/7/04; Associated Press, 8/4/03, 10/28/03, 12/16/03)
IMPOSING NEW FEES ON VETS: Bush's 2005 budget will institute a new annual $250 enrollment fee and an increase in prescription drug co-pays from $7 to $15 for middle-income veterans. In December 2001, Bush more than tripled the prescription co-payments for nonservice-connected veterans from $2 to $7. (CQ, 2/2/04; Statement of Administrative Policy, 11/12/03; The Times Leader, 10/9/03)
LEAVING VETS WITHOUT HEALTH CARE: While Bush said in his speech: "I want to thank Ed Banes for his service in being an effective commander of the VFW," in fact Ed Banas said about Bush's budget earlier in the year:
-- "The President ignored veterans in the State of the Union Address and with today's release of his 2005 budget. It is further evident that veterans are no longer a priority with this administration."
-- "This funding package is a disgrace and a sham"
-- "What the administration is proposing for veterans is a shell game. Veterans are being asked to pay for their own health care to make up for shortages in the budget."
-- "This budget indefensibly will not meet the increasing health care needs of our veterans, nor will it lessen the many months they wait for disability benefits." (Usnewswire.com, 2/2/04)
Bush's 2005 budget falls more than $2.6 billion short of the amount needed to fully fund quality veterans' health care, according to The Independent Budget, an annual collective assessment by four veterans service organizations of the funding levels and policy changes needed at VA. (AMVETS Release, 2/3/04; VFW Release, 2/2/04)
OPPOSING HELPING DISABLED VETS. Secretary Donald Rumsfeld recommended that Bush veto the defense appropriations bill if it contained a fix to the concurrent receipt problem that penalizes veterans who also receive disability assistance. The concurrent receipt ban stops a veteran who receives disability compensation from also receiving military retirement pay, effectively punishing our disabled vets. Rumsfeld wrote that if the bill, "authorizes concurrent receipt of military retirement pay and veterans' disability compensation benefits, or expands TRICARE, then I would join other senior advisors to the President in recommending that he veto the bill." (Rumsfeld Letter to Rep. Duncan Hunter, 7/8/03)
-- BUSH CLAIMED SUPPORT FOR CONCURRENT RECEIPT: "For more than a century, federal law prohibited disabled veterans from receiving both their military retired pay and their VA disability compensation. Combat injured and severely disabled veterans deserve better. I was proud to be the first president in over 100 years to sign concurrent receipt legislation." -George W. Bush, VFW National Convention
IT IS BUSH WHO OPPOSED THE $87 BILLION, OVER VET FUNDING
BUSH THREATENED TO VETO $87 BILLION SUPPLEMENTAL OVER ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR RESERVISTS AND VETERANS. As part of the $87 billion emergency supplemental appropriations for security and reconstruction in Iraq and Afghanistan in 2003, the Senate passed an amendment that provided an additional $1.3 billion for improved medical benefits for reservists and veterans. OMB Director Josh Bolten wrote to the Congressional Appropriations' Committees, stating, "The Administration strongly opposes these provisions, including Senate provisions that would allocate an additional $1.3 billion for VA medical care and the provision that would expand benefits under the TRICARE Program. ..If this provision is not removed, the President's senior advisors would recommend that he veto the bill.
And then there's the way we treat our most recent veterans, reservists who have returned injured from Iraq and have to wait and wait and wait for treatment.
I guess that was just too many words to fit on the bottom of the TV screen.
posted by Janet Dagley Dagley @5:45 PM
