The next time any Republican accuses President Obama or the Democrats of not supporting our veterans, please point them in the direction of Republican senator Jeff Sessions from Alabama who, along with only two other Senators – both Republican – voted against the bi-partisan veterans bill which aimed to ease the healthcare delays for veterans by giving them more access to private care and allowing the Department of Veterans Affairs the funds to open more clinics and hire more medical staff. It passed the House of Representatives unanimously. But Sessions wasn’t feeling that bi-partisan “support the troops” facade that the GOP loves to paint:“I feel strongly we’ve got to do the right thing for our veterans. But I don’t think we should create a blank check, an unlimited entitlement program, now.”
This, coming from the party who charged America 24 billion dollars for an immigrant to read Green Eggs and Ham on the Senate floor.
And does Sessions really see this as an entitlement? After you and your entire party blasted President Obama and Veteran’s Affairs secretary Shinseki for being incompetent, you call this an entitlement? I would think our veterans receiving the healthcare they deserve, and not being placed on a 2+ month waiting list would be a priority, not an entitlement. However, it should be noted that “entitlement” (something you are entitled to) has taken on a different and very negative meaning in recent years because Republicans would like to demonize anyone, including veterans, who receive monetary benefits.
The bill would require an emergency supplemental appropriation mainly for the opening of the 26 clinics.
Sessions served in the Army reserve from 1973-1986. He is now a United States Senator, and has been one since 1997. He has his healthcare, and quite a good plan. He doesn’t have to wait 2+ months to see a doctor. He can see one right in the Capitol building if he really wanted to. If anything, Sessions is the one taking the entitlement.
Hey Senator Chickenhawk, those veterans offered you a blank check with their lives. Cut some funding in corporate subsidies them maybe you can talk about “entitlements.” Soldiers are Probably Slightly Less Boring Than Working at election time when Republicans need votes. Between elections, not so much. With that in mind, I guess someone forgot to tell Sessions that there’s an election this year. Maybe he’s not up until 2016?