75 Senators Vote to Support Troops - McCain Goes AWOL
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Categories: Budget Priorities, Economic Fairness and Security, Honest and Ethical Government, Ranting and Venting, Faith and Religion, News, Opinion
Categories: Budget Priorities, Economic Fairness and Security, Honest and Ethical Government, Ranting and Venting, Faith and Religion, News, Opinion
He's Too Busy with Preachers and Deep Pockets
While an overwhelmingly bipartisan Senate voted to support the troops, John McCain was nowhere to be found.
And where was John McCain? He was to busy hustling well-heeled donors at not one but two fundraisers. Not only did McCain miss the vote, he had previously expressed opposition to the new G.I. Bill of Rights, in spite of Sen. Jim Webb's many attempts to negotiate a compromise. In several interviews Webb, a fellow Vietnam Nam combat veteran, claimed to have repeatedly approached McCain, trying to iron out their differences.
An overhaul of the existing G.I. Bill of Rights was long overdue, but McCain just could not bring himself to find a way to support the very people he claims to honor. To make matters worse, the Defense Department has continued to nickel and dime veterans, often denying the troops the very financial incentives that drove many young people into the arms of military recruiters.
Senators Obama, Webb and Clinton - along with a majority of Republicans - voted to ensure that our returning veterans receive the benefits and care they were promised. The bill provides for increased tuition assistance, giving veterans a real chance to afford a college education.
And where was John McCain? He was busy throwing his favorite fanatical preacher, Rev. Hagee under the "Straight Talk Express". It seems that John "4 More Wars" McCain had actively pursued Hagee's endorsement, appeared on stage with Hagee to accept it and took Hagee along as a campaign shill. The outrageous rants of Rev. Hagee, have finally seen the light of day, leaving McCain no choice but to open the door and push Hagee off while heading to the next money trough.
In a somewhat disingenuous and politically expedient mea culpa, McCain vainly tried to have it both ways. He disavowed Hagee's fanatical sermons, while claiming ignorance of Hagee's raging, contagious case of xenophobic hysteria. Hagee's wrong-headed and vitriolic rants condemning Catholicism and Islam are a matter of record. And let's not forget Hagee's claims about the Katrina disaster - that the citizens of New Orleans had it coming.
But wait, there's more.
Still lurking in McCain's closet is Rev. Parsley. Is his latest hit video, Parsley makes claims so unbelievably hateful, that McCain may need another bus. McCain will need a new script for his next trip to whipping post since - like Hagee - the self-righteous Parsley has forever used the Bible as a bludgeon against anyone he feels is not worthy of divine providence.
Never shy to rewrite American history is his own image, Parsley made the outrageous claim that "America was founded, in part, with the intention of seeing this false religion (Islam) destroyed". A reading of the 1797 Treaty of Tripoli completely refutes Parsley's ridiculous and dangerous assertion. The treaty expressly stated in Article 11 that -
"As the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion; as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion, or tranquility, of Mussulmen (Muslims); and, as the said States never entered into any war, or act of hostility against any Mahometan (Islamic) nation, it is declared by the parties, that no pretext arising from religious opinions, shall ever produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries."
Did Parsley not read that chapter in his high school history text? Perhaps he chose to ignore it, since his version of history is completely contrary to historical reality.
So while McCain wallowed in the glow of campaign cash, his colleagues in the Senate were busy supporting our brave women and men. Lacking the fortitude to even vote present, McCain has forever lost any claim to truly supporting the rights of the Armed Forces and veterans. His intractable opposition to providing veterans a chance to earn a college degree will haunt him as he travels he travels the bumpy road to November 2008 - in the newly-christened Double Talk Express.
While an overwhelmingly bipartisan Senate voted to support the troops, John McCain was nowhere to be found.
And where was John McCain? He was to busy hustling well-heeled donors at not one but two fundraisers. Not only did McCain miss the vote, he had previously expressed opposition to the new G.I. Bill of Rights, in spite of Sen. Jim Webb's many attempts to negotiate a compromise. In several interviews Webb, a fellow Vietnam Nam combat veteran, claimed to have repeatedly approached McCain, trying to iron out their differences.
An overhaul of the existing G.I. Bill of Rights was long overdue, but McCain just could not bring himself to find a way to support the very people he claims to honor. To make matters worse, the Defense Department has continued to nickel and dime veterans, often denying the troops the very financial incentives that drove many young people into the arms of military recruiters.
Senators Obama, Webb and Clinton - along with a majority of Republicans - voted to ensure that our returning veterans receive the benefits and care they were promised. The bill provides for increased tuition assistance, giving veterans a real chance to afford a college education.
And where was John McCain? He was busy throwing his favorite fanatical preacher, Rev. Hagee under the "Straight Talk Express". It seems that John "4 More Wars" McCain had actively pursued Hagee's endorsement, appeared on stage with Hagee to accept it and took Hagee along as a campaign shill. The outrageous rants of Rev. Hagee, have finally seen the light of day, leaving McCain no choice but to open the door and push Hagee off while heading to the next money trough.
In a somewhat disingenuous and politically expedient mea culpa, McCain vainly tried to have it both ways. He disavowed Hagee's fanatical sermons, while claiming ignorance of Hagee's raging, contagious case of xenophobic hysteria. Hagee's wrong-headed and vitriolic rants condemning Catholicism and Islam are a matter of record. And let's not forget Hagee's claims about the Katrina disaster - that the citizens of New Orleans had it coming.
But wait, there's more.
Still lurking in McCain's closet is Rev. Parsley. Is his latest hit video, Parsley makes claims so unbelievably hateful, that McCain may need another bus. McCain will need a new script for his next trip to whipping post since - like Hagee - the self-righteous Parsley has forever used the Bible as a bludgeon against anyone he feels is not worthy of divine providence.
Never shy to rewrite American history is his own image, Parsley made the outrageous claim that "America was founded, in part, with the intention of seeing this false religion (Islam) destroyed". A reading of the 1797 Treaty of Tripoli completely refutes Parsley's ridiculous and dangerous assertion. The treaty expressly stated in Article 11 that -
"As the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion; as it has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion, or tranquility, of Mussulmen (Muslims); and, as the said States never entered into any war, or act of hostility against any Mahometan (Islamic) nation, it is declared by the parties, that no pretext arising from religious opinions, shall ever produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries."
Did Parsley not read that chapter in his high school history text? Perhaps he chose to ignore it, since his version of history is completely contrary to historical reality.
So while McCain wallowed in the glow of campaign cash, his colleagues in the Senate were busy supporting our brave women and men. Lacking the fortitude to even vote present, McCain has forever lost any claim to truly supporting the rights of the Armed Forces and veterans. His intractable opposition to providing veterans a chance to earn a college degree will haunt him as he travels he travels the bumpy road to November 2008 - in the newly-christened Double Talk Express.
