In Presidential Debates Veterans Are On The Sidelines

After two of the three Presidential debates, neither President Barack Obama nor Governor Mitt Romney has addressed veterans issues in any substantive way. The topics that were on the table for discussion were both foreign and domestic policy – yet veterans and the war in Afghanistan have gone largely uncovered.

So far in the debates, Big Bird has been mentioned the same amount of times as “veterans,” “Afghanistan,” and “military.” It is hard to decide whom the best candidate is for one of the largest voting blocks in America based on any responses to debate questions. Yes, part of it is the questions, but it is not difficult to work veterans into questions involving jobs, the economy and education. Yet, neither candidate has stepped up to the plate and taken the reins in making veterans a priority in their answers. I realize the “middle class” is incredibly important to our country, but when did they become so to the exclusion of veterans?

I’m hoping that one or both of the candidates steps up in the final debate to give veterans the answers to questions that they deserve.

Stay tuned…

 

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5 Comments

  1. I think that both candidates go after special interest groups that will donate the most money. Most veterans supported Ron Paul and not the two candidates. Obama steers clear of veterans because he has not done much for us. During his time in office he has cut the Post 9/11 GI Bill break pay, something most of us depend on. How do civilians trust our government to run healthcare when they can’t even fix the issues for veterans? If you want to look at if Romney supports the troops just look at his debate against Ron Paul when he said “he would take the advice from the commanders on the ground” instead of just bringing our men and women home. What has Governor Romney done for veterans in Massachusetts? I don’t think that either candidate cares as much for veterans; just like most civilians who only put of yellow ribbons up to save face.

    Many of us veterans struggle while Congress (who can send us to war) get fat checks and unique healthcare. I would love more specific answers on the VA backlog, tricare rates and premiums, education and housing benefits, and why is nothing being done to hold veterans over at least until our claims are processed. I called the VA about my education benefits and they wanted me to understand they are backed up. I was understanding when the country went to war and I did my time. I am tired of being nice. I want someone to get off there ass (thank you for what you do on this website) and stop talking and start really helping veterans. We have families who been through a lot and we should be taken care of now. If America goes to another operation, they will have to draft because not too many will want to join after they see how veterans are continuously treated.

  2. This last Presidential Debate was in a “Town Hall” format in which it was to represent the “demographic” across the board of undecided voters. I was holding my breath (silly me) for just ONE of the questions to be from a VETERAN from the pre-vetted questions from that “representation”, yet only remotely connected question was an older man’s question from some sort of think tank, doing nothing but making the latest U.S. Embassy attack a political talking point. Seems to me that as a Nation, we are unfortunately repeating same mistakes politically and morally as what our great Nation did with Vietnam. Why is it never brought-up that we pay private contractors, to include what was formaerly known as Blackwater (until they were in hot water and QUICKLY changed their name to an innoculous “Xe”), those “mercenaries for hire” make a little under two hundred thousand a year, yet we pay our fighting military a fraction of that and have even read that some congressional talking heads are wanting to reduce “hazard pay” as part of new budget???!!!!
    Also, why has nobody cornered Rmoney and asked why he was in France for his churches missionary work during the Vietnam War? Was that a loophole that kept his silver spoon-fed a@@ exempt from the draft? Perhaps part of the qualifications to be COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF” ***should be*** previously served IN the military??? Wouldn’t that make SENSE? Silly me, am thinking logically again!

  3. I agree with you, Ben. With things for Veterans are very dicey on so many fronts, we are all sitting here wondering if either candidate realizes that the Veteran population can swing an election (based on the percentage of voting population are Veterans from a previous article of yours). Perhaps either candidate should be addressing the Veteran population and keep the promise of the nation to take care of its Veterans who have sacrificed so much for this country. The Veteran population does not need a President that will glaze over us, so we have to know where they stand.

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