Disabled Elderly Veterans Thrown Under Bus, DAV, Legion Silent On Cut Proposal, AMVETS Speaks Out
Let’s give a shout out to AMVETS for speaking out against cuts to benefits for severely disabled elderly veterans while Disabled American Veterans (DAV) and American Legion (Legion) were silent today.
This is an acute issue because the proposal, if approved, would likely cut a substantial amount of monthly benefits payments to elderly veterans with no ability to make up the difference given their age and severe disability.
READ: President Donald Trump Budget Proposal
The proposed cuts affect elderly veterans receiving Total Disability Individual Unemployability benefits due to the severity of their disability. The cuts will free up billions of dollars for VA to instead spend on upgrading VA health care services.
“Veterans’ access to timely, high-quality health care is one of this administration’s highest priorities,” the budget states. “The budget provides mandatory funding to extend the Veterans Choice Program, enabling eligible veterans to receive timely care, close to home.”
Apparently, homelessness that will result for many of these veterans who will receive at least $1,200 less per month is not a concern more important concern when offset against construction of fancy hospitals, high brow art, or outsourcing VA services to large for-profit vendors.
RELATED: Veterans Should Be Nervous About Upcoming VA Cuts
More Background On VA Budget Proposal
Yesterday, the White House put out its annual budget calling for, among other things, totally severing benefits payments for severely disabled elderly veterans who jointly receive Total Disability Individual Unemployability (TDIU) and Social Security.
The cut is intended to sever TDIU benefits once the veteran starts receiving Social Security. Veterans affected will receive between $1,200 to $1,500 less per month, on average.
The language of the budget proposal makes no adjustment for severely disabled veterans unable to receive full Social Security because they were too disabled to work due to injury while in the military.
Veterans receiving TDIU benefits do not pay into the Social Security fund and would not be entitled to Social Security retirement funds.
VA plans to use the funds to finance agency improvements related to health care.
These cuts are not new. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has repeatedly proposed cuts to TDIU benefits. Congressman Paul Ryan (R-WI) has long been a supporter of cuts like these to veterans benefits.
The CBO is not the friend of veterans, and the organization’s recommended cuts always seem eerily similar to anything you see the Koch Brothers support.
It is worth noting Concerned Veterans Of America has not issued a statement in opposition to the benefits cut, either. Instead, the organization critiques Secretary Shulkin for allocating the money cut from elderly veterans to VA improvements:
There are a few good items in the new VA budget proposal, but overall it does not achieve Secretary Shulkin’s vision of a more efficient and cost-effective department.
The budget would increase spending on facilities by over a billion dollars even though the VA is sending more patients into the private sector for care and the veteran population is shrinking. It proposes adding nearly 8,000 new employees, which would make the VA larger than the active duty Navy.
The massive VA investment made by President Obama did not bring better outcomes for veterans – it only proved that throwing money at the problems is not the answer. Congress should not accept the new VA budget proposal as it is currently written. By aggressively seeking out savings, Congress can help the VA can better use taxpayer dollars and better serve veterans.
What About The Big Six?
I looked at websites and Twitter managed by The Big Six veterans organizations hoping to see each decry the cuts since each asserts to have our best interests in mind. The Big Six consists of Disabled American Veterans, American Legion, Veterans Of Foreign Wars, Purple Heart, AMVETS, Vietnam Veterans Of America.
Here is what I found for each organization on their respective “Today’s News” section of DAV and American Legion. Neither of these organizations have come out in opposition to the legislation. They are also the largest two veterans organizations in existence today.
DAV – DAV.org News Feed
– DAV Volunteer Closes In On Milestone: An article about a volunteer with many donated hours serving veterans on behalf of DAV.
– Seattle Veterans Job Fair – Job fair announcement.
– Cincinnati Veterans Job Fair – Job fair announcement.
– New York Veterans Job Fair – Job fair announcement.
– Twitter – No mention of the budget, or in opposition of it.
The American Legion was likewise missing from the active discourse in opposition to the proposed cuts online today.
Veterans of Foreign Wars, AMVETS and Vietnam Veterans Of American issued statements on their websites and some mentioned it on Twitter directly and sharply opposing the proposal.
I wanted to highlight the clear explanation of AMVETS: “AMVETS Deeply Concerned By President’s Proposed Cuts To Veterans Benefits”.
[NOTE: linked article deleted by AMVETS – URL now from cached WayBack Machine.]
According to the AMVETS release:
The Trump administration’s budget proposal contains a provision to cut Individual Unemployability (IU) benefits for seriously service connected disabled veterans aged 65 and older. This would steal a large percentage of a wounded, injured or ill veteran’s compensation.
The argument for this cut is that these senior citizens would be eligible for Social Security retirement benefits at age 65. That argument is flawed because these veterans have largely been disabled, out of the work force and not paying into Social Security for many years before reaching 65. Many have been severely disabled as a result of their military service and unable to work since the day of their discharge.
Such a misguided move would wrongly take away about $1,200 a month from a single veteran rated at 90 percent disabled and already determined to be unable to work because or his or her military service. The monetary loss rapidly increases for veterans with lower disability ratings. In all, this proposal threatens to strip benefits from more than 225,000 senior citizen veterans who’ve been seriously disabled as a result of their military service.
AMVETS strongly opposes this proposed cut and calls for its immediate withdrawal.
I completely agree with AMVETS on this.
I Told You So
About a month ago, I warned of a shadow meeting with The Big Six where Secretary David Shulkin, MD, asked the organizations to stand down, rather than oppose, upcoming budget cuts. We immediately know which organizations took the cue.
Some members of The Big Six organizations thought my information from within the Beltway was incorrect based on a statement from President Trump that he was increasing the budget by 6 percent.
As always, there was more to the story and my source was dead on. President Trump was about to cut benefits affecting the largest portion of veterans living today – The Baby Boomer Generation.
Here, it looks like the Koch Brothers win, and so does the AFGE Union. Meanwhile, severely disabled elderly veterans will lose.
Maybe, if President Trump ever creates the White House bat phone he promised for veterans to call when in trouble, he would have a better handle of the matter?
Thank you for a great article. As you note, I have also been surprised by some of the veterans organizations not supporting disabled veterans. In particular DAV. However, the VFW has really made an effort to stop this legislation. If they discard IU, the VA rating table needs to be redone, along with the VA calculator. As you know you can be 200% or more and not get 100%. Many physical ratings max at 50% though they are totally incapacitating. As someone mentioned in their reply, it has to be someone inside to be making this decision as it is a difficult system to understand. Shame on the VA for considering this and not supporting disabled veterans. I truly believe Secretary Shulkin should resign.
Guys, congress has been working on Individual employability for several years now. Has nothing to do with the current administration. Mainly congress. And is a part of VA’s disability compensation program that allows VA to pay certain Veterans disability compensation at the 100% rate, even though VA has not rated their service-connected disabilities at the total level. I am not for it, but it makes sense.
@cj, goodnight and God bless you and yours. God Bless the Veterans and disabled Veterans out there.
Okay Ex va. I need to say goodnight, and thanks for listening to my rambling on. Hope you sleep well, and God Bless you and your family.
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Goodnight Ben’s World
I see what you mean. That is what I was trying to say.
@Ex va: LOL, I thought we were going to change subjects? hahahaha
@cj, lol!!! It happens. If you could directly link your claim to a vaoig report i think you would have everything you need to go to a courtroom. Hahahahhahahahahaha!!!!!
@Ex va: I downloaded both those reports.
@CJ!!!! Hey they would have had it filed a year or so before you went and had the c&P exam. This could be one of your claims!!!!! This could be the evidence!!!!!!!!
@cj, if they were caught manipulating claims 2011 and again 2014, who would believe they were not doing it again???
@Ex va: Oh I can prove they are manipulating claims. What else would you call filing a claim in the name of a veteran who never authorized it, And the only reason for the phony claim was to change the outcome of an exam?
@Ex va: It may be, but I can’t make sense of the things I have found, I can find this stuff but I don’t know what it means or what to do with it. That kind of thought process is alien to me now.
@cj, yes you would have to talk to a lawyer about what could be used as evidence. I believe it supports what you are talking about. You would have to read it all and try to understand what they specifically are talking about. It gives me some hope for your complaint and c&P exam. And the whole manipulation of the exam.
@Ex va: Like namnibor says “rattatat ratty rat bastards”
@cj. I view this as good news for you. I believe it is good news towards your exam and claim. Where you applying for 100% I saw that on the report.
@Ex va: I am 100% disabled on ssdi. I applied for a service connected TBI. I didn’t put any percentage, that is their job right?
@Ex va: I am service connected for left knee, entire back, hearing loss and tinnitus. Soon to be TBI.
@Ex va: There are a host of other claims I can make, all documented in my military file as well.
@cj, i believe they determine percentage. They have some kind of equation they use.
@Ex va: I think a law suit is in order. For intentionally inflicting undue stress on veterans, using the OIG reports as proof they knew of the problems but intentionally did nothing to change, proving intent to do harm.
@cj, you could talk to Ben or get a referral to see if you could file a suit.
Not sure I am ready for that just yet. Will see what happens with all the other complaints.
@Ex va: This is the entire report “https://www.va.gov/oig/52/reports/2011/VAOIG-11-00521-183.pdf”
@Ex va: They veterans have no idea I am growing the food, I said I would only do it if my name is kept out of it.
@cj, i understand that about keeping your name out of it. I like to donate anonymous too. That maintenance job sounds like it might be good as long as you don’t have to do any housekeeping. I don’t know if they would be willing to work around your disabilities too. A lot of places hear disability and they are turned off by the idea of hiring someone disabled. It sucks. Don’t push yourself into something you can’t handle physically or mentally. I would like to go back to work, i just don’t think i could perform like they would expect. And if i have a flare up from disease i am down. You probably have flare ups too with your disability. Don’t hurt yourself trying to work, that is what you have to think about.
@Ex va: Your right about all that. Personally, I don’t think they will be interested, I have an appointment at the same time every Thursday, and it takes most of the day. I cannot miss that appointment. I know I can’t work a full 8 hour day, and I don’t think there is any way around that. It was nice to be offered the job, but once they realize the things I can’t do, and the time I need off, i don’t think the offer will still be open.
@cj, you can’t injure yourself or cause a bad flare up and working is not worth your life or health. I know it would feel better being employed. I go thru this so often wanting to work. I know i can’t do it. That is just the reality of it. I wish things could change or that the medical field could get me cured. I would take that be more than happy to have my health again.
@Ex va: I know your right about that. Would be nice to feel like a person again. So tired of never having money left over after paying bills.
So the Chicago VARO has a history of fucking up TBI claims.
@Ex va: We are going to eat well come harvest time, this is all of what I have going in my garden.
Spinach, Heirloom red romaine, regular romain, Detroit wonder beets, blue bush beans, Cherokee wax beans, Romenesco broccoli, brussels sprouts, kennebec potatoes, pontiac red potatoes, and sweet potatoes, orange sweet peppers, super snap peas, and super sugar snap peas, sweet corn, pop corn, black beauty eggplant. three different varieties of scallions, red onions, yellow onions, and of course different types of tomatoes, peanuts, carrots, jalepena peppers, 8 different melons and cantelopes, and different herbs.
@cj, i think you covered all the vegetable food groups. Lol. Do you freeze or can any of these? That is one heck of a garden. Lol. I love just about all of those veggies. I don’t care for the hot peppers. I tried some hot peppers, made my lips and tongue swell. Lol. Super hot.
@Ex va: Your other question, yes Friday we had deep dish pizza. The hot peppers are for salsa, and such. We borrow a friends vacuum sealer, and seal some of the green beans for the freezer, We grow tomatoes just for sauces, that we make in bulk then divide up and freeze, like pizza sauce and pasta sauces. Can the tomatoes. Most of the tomatoes go to the veterans closet, and this year a good amount of the kennebec potatoes, and yellow onions. Scallions don’t go far, since we can use a bunch of about 10 in one meal, The yellow and red onions will keep through the winter in the cellar. Carrots keep well also in the cellar, The sweet corn will be devoured quickly. The pop corn of course keeps for years. The orange sweet peppers are for use in Italian cooking, and there wont be any left to have to worry about storing. The majority of the melons are for the veterans closet as well.
@cj, that is great. You have a cellar too. That helps a lot. Love the sweet corn. Love it on the grill too. You are generous in giving to the Veterans closet. You are going to have enough to feed an small army. Lol. We have a goodwill we donate clothes and items. The vamc has a stand down once a year and people donate to help Veterans. We don’t have many donation centers around here and none that help Veterans specifically. They keep talking about starting one and that is about it.
@Ex va: I can’t donate money, because I don’t have any. So I donate my labor. They are actually the ones helping me, what the hell would I do, if I wasn’t busy growing food? I would be wasting away.
@cj, i am trying to imagine 120 tomatoe plants. Lol. I think the most i every planted was like 40. That is a lot of tomatoe plants. Lol. I am glad that things are taking off in the garden for you. Your a serious gardener. Lol. I planted like an acre one season because of the melons the vines go all over the place. Cucumbers do that too.
@Ex va: Last year the melons didn’t do so well, but, the little girl next door planted some for her school project, and those really took off and she ended up with around 14 melons. I should have had her plant mine as well lol.
Hope this year they do well. I like cucumbers, but we don’t use them enough to grow them. The eggplant, there are only two plants total. Orange sweet peppers 12 plants total.
@Ex va: I wish I had use of an acre, and a tractor.
@cj, you need to look for a small farm around where you live. Lol. I could see you as a farmer. Put a greenhouse on it and grow plants all year long. You just need a ford 600 with an p.t.o. And some small implements. Lol. You would be all set. Go to auctions and buy your farm equipment. Lol.
@Ex va: I would love to do that, unfortunately, no money to do anything. Just enough to get by. I was offered a job today, I will go and talk to the lady about it. Maintenance in a nursing home. Only a block away, I have to see if they are flexible on the hours or not.
@Ex va: This is from 2011 OIG report.
What We Found
Chicago VARO staff correctly processed
post-traumatic stress disorder disability
claims, properly established the correct dates
of claim in the electronic record, and
ensured staff corrected errors identified by
the Veterans Benefits Administration’s
Systematic Technical Accuracy Review
Program. The VARO’s performance was
generally effective in processing herbicide
exposure-related claims and final
competency determinations.
VARO management lacked effective
controls to ensure accurate processing of
temporary 100 percent disability evaluations
and traumatic brain injury claims, as well as
action items related to disability claims
processing. Overall, VARO staff did not
accurately process 21 (20 percent) of the
103 disability claims reviewed and they
were not timely recording Notices of
Disagreement for appealed claims. Further,
they did not complete Systematic Analyses
@cj, i don’t have money either. A lot of bills. Lol. Well, that is really kind of you and Veterans knowing another Veteran growing food and donating it, that has to make them happy and getting fresh vegetables. I hope i will get a little ahead of bills this summer. I hope to take a vacation in a couple of years if i save right. We haven’t taken a vacation in a long time. Been too sick and too poor. The poor thing is easier to handle, the sick gets to me sometimes.
@cj, there is your evidence and from an vaoig report too.
@Ex va: So in 2011, the oig found this, the chicago Varo said we agree and will fix, and nothing changes. fucking criminals.
@cj, the vaoig always says they find something wrong and then give recommendations. WTF????
@Ex va: Here is a more recent report, and same shit, and same recommendations, and same we concur, and same we will fix. and nothing changes again. Over and over the circle jerk continues, and nobody is ever held accountable.
“https://www.va.gov/oig/pubs/VAOIG-14-02357-270.pdf”
@Ex va: How come the VA OIG never finds that this clusterfuck is intentional? and never recommends that year after year we find the same shit and are now recommending the removal of the incompetent boob in charge?
@cj, is your claim done in 2014? Could this be one of your claims?? You might have a cause and effect right here in this report. All the evidence you need could be right here.
@Ex va: 2015 I think,
And another claim for using unqualified examiners to deny the very same claim.
@cj, good!!!!!!!! You get these pieces of shit heads. If evidence shows that they were unqualified it has to be thrown out.
@Ex va: In the meantime, my case was thrown into a two year delay because of this shit. Again, it was ordered by the Chicago VARO, and carried out by Hines c+p examiners. Conspiracy, collusion, intentional malice.
@Ex va: Once I file an ethics complaint with the Illinois office of proffesional standards. I will follow up with a malpractice suit. Hopefully this bitch, has no malpractice insurance because she feels she is protected working for the VA, and I can force her into ch 7.
@cj, the va pays for providers malpractice insurance. If the damages go over you could go after her personally. She has ethical responsibility and is not to cause any harm as a physician. The intentional infliction of emotional distress. Malicious intent also.
@cj, the games the va plays with people’s lives is what is hard for me to take. It makes me so angry their bullshit games.
@Ex va: They don’t have a snowflakes chance in hell of winning against me, The incident was clearly noted in my military records, I have the MRI, I went through a six hours testing session, with professional duly qualified examiners. Their own TBI examiner agreed with the findings. This quack, if you want to call it testing, only took about 15 20 minutes to come up with her quackery report of denial. I have already met every single standard to prove the incident happened, and it happened while in the service. There was treatment given in the military, and damage has also been proven beyond a doubt. Like I said …………………fucking criminals.
@cj, you do this for yourself and Veterans that can’t. This is how you win against these rat bastards.
@Ex va: Absolutely, this quack quack bitch bitch, should never be allowed anywhere near a veteran……….period!!!!! She isn’t interested in helping veterans, she has already proven her willingness to harm veterans, at the orders of the VARO.
@cj, sounds like you meet all the criteria for the claim and nexus of injury. They need to settle your claim or expect to go to court. Going to court will cost them a lot more. Right the incident would be in your military records because you were hurt. And they treated you. I have no doubts that you will win your claim and if you go to court your case if it goes that far.
@Ex va: I don’t mean to go on about this, just some things I was thinking about early really set me off tonight.
I imagine it will take a good week for me to calm completely back down. I can’t stand incompetence in any way shape or form, and I sure as hell can’t stand people who intentionally fuck with other peoples lives.
Let’s talk about something else Ex. I am sorry I hit you with all this.
@cj, it is just a matter of time, you will win this and i hope you get what you want out of this. You got hurt really bad in the military and the va is suppose to award benefits. They need to do what they promised to Veterans and that is suppose to help a Veteran when he/she is disabled from injuries while they served their country. They make things more difficult and cause more harm by jerking disabled Veterans around by not awarding the benefits.
@Ex va: On the garden front, in the raised garden all of the spinach is coming up, and the beets as well, still waiting on the baby carrots, and the scallions. Potatoes are doing very well, watered the sweet corn and pop corn well, and will take down the protective netting, and weed that area out. All the tomato plants are looking great.
@cj, no problem here. I understand the frustration. I wish i could send you some of this rain up there. Lol. You make pizza lately? You do that every week? You ever put it on a BBQ grill? That sounds good. Lol.
@cj, does the wife can tomatoes? Do you make your own canned sauce? Glad your garden is doing good. I hope you get a lot of tomatoes. Do you grow the cherry tomatoes? I love those too.
@cj, what do you do with the beets?
@Ex va: My wife cans, and the beets are for her, she likes beets, I do not, lol. She uses them on her salads, she cooks them, pickels them, no clue what else she has planned for them.
All the tomatoes are doing well, and there are over 120 plants, I will have to do an exact count next time I visit the out plot.
I want to file a complaint against the Chicago VARO for setting up a C+P exam that I didn’t ask for, for the sole purpose of denying a claim that I did submit.
@Ex va: Okay Ex, I will see you on the flipside, Goodnight.
@cj, i don’t know if i could find it but i will try to. That is when i was employed at the va. It explains how people can be credentialed without having the credentials.
@cj, goodnight and God Bless.
@Ex va: Hows you tonight?
@Ex va: Okay Ex, thank you. I really need to say goodnight now lol. Sleep well my friend.
@cj, doing good. How about you? Rained most of the day. Light rain. Good for a garden.
@Ex va: Doing okay as well, no rain here, and none expected till next weekend. I started to fill out a complaint with the VA OIG. Then had to scrap it, till I can retrieve the dates.
@cj, at least your doing something. You could be helping other Veterans if this doctor is a quack and/or lack credentials.
@Ex va: Both are true. What is sticking in my crawl the most is how the VARO intentionally filed a claim in my behalf that I didn’t ask for, and it’s purpose was to go against their own examiner, and outside professional findings. I feel that it is criminal to do so. This phony c+p exam was for depression, yet not a single question about depression was ever asked.
@cj, phony c & P exam sounds about right that is what the va loves to do instead of the truth. Wasn’t that in one of Ben’s articles that they want to diagnose depression and ptsd instead of a TBI? Varo intentionally getting involved gives it away too. LIARS the va makes me sick.
@Ex va: It had to be the VARO, I sure didn’t file the claim. And nobody working with me on my case filed it either. The intention was not to do the right thing, but to intentionally do the wrong thing, going against the VA’s own policy. Just as likely as not, means the benefit of the doubt goes to the veteran, not okay lets file another claim so we can change that just as likely as not part. Fucking criminals!!!!!
@Ex va: My last pcp, wasn’t the best doctor I ever seen, actually some of the things she has done, really makes me wonder if she wasn’t one of those who bought her cert. She completely missed my heart attack symptoms, and the next day I almost lost my life, looking at an MRI report, of my back, she had no clue what a herniated disk could do to someone. I thought it was odd, for sure. Fast forward to the bloggers posting about people in India buying their med certs, and it all starts to make sense.
@cj, i wrote credentials for a provider once. I looked at what the va and government would except as credentials. Did you know that they would accept midwives and Native American healers among others as being credible in medical treating and evidentiary support???? It was crazy??? I was surprised when i researched this and could not believe what the va accepts.
@Ex va: That is unbelievable to me!!! If you have a copy of that, I would love for you to send it my way.
familiuales=families
And this murderer of veterans is now the flight surgeon for the AirForce
@cj, they can slip thru the cracks because this is the government. He will eventually get busted. It takes time, no justice or rarely justice for these negligent/murdering doctors. That credentialling and priveledging in va medical centers can be whatever the director/upper management wants it to be. It is all about bonuses and more sophisticated procedures where they get the bonuses if they have a doctor on staff doing those procedures. It is about the money. Over a Veterans life. It has been that way for a long time. It is so corrupt.
@Ex va: Before I forget, Nutter asked me to pass this on to you “Prescription for Nutritional Healing
Book by Phyllis A. Balch”
@cj, thank you for the reference book from Nutter. He isn’t on late at night anymore is he? I hadn’t seen him except for the daytime. I will see if i can look that book up. How are you doing? The barometric pressure has been all over the place. I am having pains. I need to move to Arizona or some dry place.
@cj, your not getting the dav site are you? This is the article that it happened on. Lol. Strange.
@Ex va: LOL hell no!!! I just try to go back far enough in the articles so not to muddy up the current stuff with our chats.
@cj, LOL!! That was a strange thing. I figured that is what you were doing. We haven’t had that much trolling at nighttime and i am glad. I get sick sometimes at those rat bastards!
@Ex va: Same here Ex, you know most of the people here have enough crap to deal with in their lives, they come here to have a voice, and to be with like minded veterans, we certainly do no need trolls adding to the stress bloggers are all ready experiencing.
@cj, you are correct. Va has given us enough shit already.
@Ex va: The va, and just what people are dealing with, day to day in their own lives as well. It is why I would lose my temper when I first started coming here. Now, almost a daily barrage of crap coming from the VA, I can’t believe they haven’t built a supermax prison just for these va clowns who kill veterans, the first inmate should be “lil” cox, in the same cell with bubba the buttfucker.
@cj, the ones that do go to prison don’t do so well that injure/kill Veterans. I read about a doctor being killed in prison that worked for the va.
Coming here has helped me a lot and made me realize what i experienced is not such a rare experience as i thought. It made me feel better knowing other Veterans are standing up for their rights and some are getting some justice after going thru such hell with the va. I am happy when a Veteran gets the help he is entitled to. The corruption i think will eventually destroy them. It can’t stay that way forever.
@Ex va: I found Ben’s looking for information on TBI’s. Then started to read comments posted by people, and after reading more than several in a row, from people how the were mistreated, followed by an article that was over the top, I don’t even remember what it was. The first comment I made, was an answer someone asked. Been here ever since. You know I feel I don’t really belong here, for a host of reasons, but over time, I have come to think of the people here as family. Don’t know if I could ever stop coming here. Now I would feel like I abandoned everyone.
@cj, i did get angry about a lot of the articles and some of the things that happen to the bloggers. I had to back off a few times because of my temper too. It makes me want to do what they do to some of these helpless Veterans. That really ticks me off. These heartless va abusers. They need to be imprisoned. Don’t have any consideration for the va in any capacity anymore.
@Ex va: Yes, put them in prison and let them get killed for what they have done to veterans, I would shed not a single tear for them, or their familiuales.
Crazy elf, and Seymore, and 91, talking about these damn foreigners buying their med certs, and not even being doctors at all. Remember the article about the non-doctor, who was injecting liquid plexi glass into veterans spines? and he wasn’t even a nuerosurgeon, then he says he saw how to do it on tv? WT actual FUCK?
And this murderer of veterans is not the flight surgeon for the AirForce, and of course out of the country so we can’t get our hand on him, over and over and over withe these damn crimianls, and nobody ever being prosecuted. And they wonder why I want to fucking shoot someone? REally?
@cj, i feel the same way. I don’t know if i belong anywhere. Lol. I am odd at times. Some really good people here. I appreciate the sincerity of the bloggers. I feel like Ben is one of the few journalists that tell the truth about what is going on in the va. I appreciate what he has gone thru and succeeded. He should not have had to go thru all he has with the damn va.
I don’t think i could stop coming here either. A lot of good souls. I have read the articles for years on and off, then i just started blogging about 8 months ago. Some of the people really help me because they continue and endure and that has inspired me to try harder. You have helped me because you try so hard too.
@Ex va: I don’t know if I actually helped anyone, but thank you. I am maybe a distraction, at best, with my silliness.
cj ………………… silliness……don’t ever loose it
@cj, you tell it like it is. Lol.
@Ex va: Hows Ex va tonight?
@cj, how are you doing this weekend? Doing ok ate too much today. Lol.
@Ex va: Hey Ex, doing okay, did you have a bbq?
@cj, no, went to the store. Lol. Bought too much food i think. Lol. I hate it. Seems like i eat more. And i am trying to cut back. Not working well.
@Ex va: Fill up on water, then you won’t feel like eating. Friday, Saturday, Grocery day, I forgot about that.
Wife went to a farm for fresh veggies, came back with a bag full of free scallian sets. Sooooo, planted even more stuff….
@cj, you have probably planted close to 80 plants or more. Lol. Your right about the water. I use to do that. Kinda stop this last month. Get tired of going to the bathroom all the time. Free scallion sets. Is that little onions? Good to get them free. Lol.
@Ex va: OMG, Ex, I have so many plants I really lost count, I have about 130 tomatoes alone. 4 different kind of scallions, those are green onions, like the top of an onion.
@cj, glad you have the plants, your going to have a good harvest. Counting on you this year. Lol. Next year i hope to be planting too. I’m burned out of strawberries. Lol. June bearers made in may. This weather is a weird one.
@Ex va: Those strawberries are great in a salad, along with an orange. I haven’t been on a lot during the day, and not at the same time as nutter. When I take a break from the heat, I will log in and read the posts. Then head back out to the garden, or appointment or whatever I have going on. Will moving to a dry climate help with your pain?
@cj, some people say it helps ra. Some say it makes no difference. I would like to get into some kinda remission.
We had strawberry and angel food, strawberries and yogurt. Strawberry shortcake. Started giving them away. They are pretty good but, you kinda get burned out.
You check on the blog a lot. I sometimes do, more during the week than the weekend. I do try to read every article and the bloggers comments. Good you take breaks.
@Ex va: I never get burned out on fresh produce from the garden. This year will be a very good year. I don’t know if the tomatoes will do good or not, but everything else is doing great. We only planted stuff we like to eat. I wish I had a place set aside for strawberries, and asparagus. I am out of growing room lol.
@cj, well, if we were neighbors i would let you plant wherever you wanted. Lol. I hope everything grows great for you this year.
My neighbor just planted his garden, he was really late planting this year. His garden doesn’t do that good. He doesn’t use any fertilizer and kinda lets weeds take over.
He does great at planting, doesn’t compost or anything. He is a Vietnam Veteran and he doesn’t talk too much to anyone. Doesn’t trust people too much. He is a good guy and would help anyone if asked.
@Ex va: People like to plant in general, getting the motivations to keep up a garden, weeding, cultivating, etc. Is not the easiest thing to do. I wish I had rows wide enough so I could just run a tiller down and chop the weeds up and cultivate all in one shot.
@cj, you are right about that. I know a lot of people planting, they don’t weed, or mulch to keep down the weeds or cultivate either. I wish you had wider rows too. I don’t have a tiller. That is why i would like to build one of those hot/cold beds you made. I will need to find some tires so i could move it around the yard. It would take my mind off of stuff i can’t do anything about.
@Ex va: The raised bed gardens have very few weeds, since it is all new dirt, you only get what was in the dirt, and that is easy to take care of. Since it is raised you don’t have all of that bending over either. They would be perfect for you. I think if you built it on the ground, but 3 boards high you could have a much larger garden for about the same money, less the dirt of course.
@cj, what you built i thought was perfect for salad garden and greens. Small plants, lettuces, carrots. I like radishes too. Maybe some peppers. I like zucchini and cucumbers. And i know these need a lot of room. So i would have to have a raised bed on the ground too.
@Ex va: With your luck, you will finish building the perfect garden, and then move to Arizona lol.
@cj, if i do all this I AIN’t moving. Lol. I will just visit AZ in the bad months. Lol!
@Ex va: LOL, you better at least get to enjoy what you built, right? I would tear it apart and take it with. hahaha
@Ex va: So, I found this in my net searches. “https://www.idfpr.com/profs/psych.asp” It is a little confusing, when you click on file a complaint. I want to file a complaint against the quack who was responsible for my TBI claim being sent into a two year appeal. Based on a crystal ball.
@cj, you have the evidence and i would print some articles about the va doing this to a lot of Veterans. File the complaint, definitely do it. Creditability is everything when it comes to evidence.
@Ex va: I am definately going to file. I want to have my TBI doctors help me with the wording, They have a copy of this quacks report, the college educated quack, had so many misspellings in the report, it wasn’t even funny. Then to not even consider the evidence, but instead used her bias opinion, about something she has no training in. Criminal at best. She has no business being around any veteran, let alone treating them.
My TBI doctors were pissed when they read her report, called it negligent, fraudulent, and without basis is fact.
@Ex va: Anyway, Ex, It is getting late, and I need to get some sleep. I will catch you later. Sleep well and God Bless you and your family. Goodnight.
@cj, then her report isn’t credible because she is has no expertise in that field. She is suppose to be objective not subjective in her medical opinions. If she has no education in that specialized field her opinion means little.
@Ex va: Not only is she not qualified to treat or determine TBI, The va took her word over qualified TBI examiners, and over their own TBI examiner who sided with my own. The denial was intentional and with malice.
I’m a late-commer to this Blog message with my comments, but I wanted to share what I Emailed on 05/30/2017 to the Democrats on the Senate’s Veterans Affairs Committee. Hopefully you all are doing some similar shaking of the bushes.
I’M A PISCES – NOT A FISH!
(05/29/17) – HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY
Michigan, where I grew up and still live, is known as the “water wonderland” state and that’s as fine a phrase as ever was turned in service to the truth.
When I was a boy, even though I was afraid of the water, my father would take me fishing in summer on some of those Michigan lakes and I was always eager to go. We had one of those small, beat-up aluminum boats with a 15 HP all-metal Merc. in the back where my father would sit to steer and man the rear anchor. I would always take the middle seat and was charged with front anchor duty – and having fun!
I know now that my father was probably g r a d u a l l y trying to replace my fear of the water with the fun I had catching fish in it and that love I felt for and from him as I basked in his parental care on those trips is why this memory still floats like a bobber in my mind to this day.
Good father. Good memories.
The one thing about fishing I didn’t like then, and still don’t today, is when you’d catch a small fish, not “a keeper”, that had swallowed the bait all the way down – “hook, line and sinker.” You tear the small fry’s guts out just to retrieve your fishing tackle.
Now, as a result of the Trump Administration’s 2018 Budget Proposal, it appears that all 100% IU-disabled elderly veteran small-fry suddenly aren’t keepers either. Like the fish, they too have swallowed a bait that the VA calls its’ 100% disability compensation benefit – based upon Individual Unemployability. Again, like the fish, these vets have swallowed that bait ”hook, line and sinker” and are also being scheduled for a summary eviceration – just so the VA can retrieve their tackle.
Yet, once upon a time, my country told me I had earned the right to those IU benefits. Did my country make a mistake? Am I and tens of thousands of other disabled elderly veterans now being told we didn’t really earn those IU benefits after all? May God forbid.
We certainly hear plenty about the VA’s failures and we should hear it. By and large, however, I have received good care and fair treatment from the VA. But that good streak is now in serious jeopardy.
Out of one side of the VA’s mouth I hear them saying that they’ve got to rob from Peter to pay Paul in order to fund the Veteran’s Choice Program. But from the other side of the VA’s mouth a “hot-mic” has overheard that the slippery slope to privatization of VA healthcare is to be further greased with the blood from an eviscerated IU program. Of course, the VA has already been heavily privatized by a plethora of lucrative private sector contracts – for many and varied VA projects and with many and varied degrees of legitimacy and success. For the party in power, I think that the veteran’s choice argument is just another notch in their “Ayn Randian ideological popgun”.That, and I also think the VA wants to eliminate an IU program that has exceeded their use expectations and is now using the Veteran’s Choice Program as a convenient benefits re-set excuse. It seems to me, however, that the VA should not be trying to make any veterans pay for it’s estimating mistakes and that the party in power should try reading some different fiction.
If it were my call, I’d let this deceit see the light of day by putting it out for a single-issue up or down vote of the american people, similar to a special election, to determine whether or not IU eviceration should be allowed or not. Stealing money from elderly disabled vets like some depraved thief in the night by hiding it behind other larger, potentially criminal, headlines of the day is at best – disingenuous. I’m thinking here of, oh you know, that pesky Russia / White House probe into possible treasonous behavior and such!
I’m guessing it would sit a lot better with veterans, including those not even directly affected by this situation, if the american people themselves have spoken yeah or nay on the subject. At least then, those veterans who will be directly affected would feel they were getting a fair hearing of their grievances, even if it was voted down – and I seriously doubt it would be. I can see the headlines now: “Light of Day Sees Political Terrorism” – now there’s a fine twist of judicial fate.
Besides, I’m not convinced most vets really want private sector choice and even those who do
might be persuaded otherwise once they compare having veteran-centric healthcare at the VA versus the private sector where they’ll be treated like “just another number”.
Whew!
So – if these elderly 100% IU-disabled veterans lose that status they’ll clearly lose a very large portion of the disability compensation the VA has previously determined that they’ve earned. But there’s additional cruelty! They would also lose VA dental and vision care, as a minimum, in addition to the various state-sponsored programs – chief among which are property tax exemptions, in whole or in part, for their primary in-state residence. Michigan, where I live, has such a program that currently saves me about $6;000 annually – another huge domino-effect example of linked benefits that would be ripped out if this budget stands.
I think it must be quite obvious to anyone that these draconian benefit cuts will be absolutely devastating to most elderly disabled vets. Taking stuff away from folks who’ve earned it, and have come to depend upon it, is not merely inhumane – it’s sadistic. Probably for most of these veterans it will be next to impossible to recover from this cunning sucker punch and it’s likely most will lose their homes and/or other possessions as a result. For some others, I believe it is no exaggeration to assert they may even pay with their lives. The sacrifices just keep on coming, but if we are to remain a free nation, the true cost of freedom must always be assessed and addressed completely – in all its’ size, complexities and collateral damage.
What I’m about to say next I’d like to first preface by saying that I have not a thing against rich folks just because they are and I’m not. Of the rich I have met, some are as fine as any folk, rich or poor, that I have ever been privileged to know. And although I’m not generally given to “class warfare” rants, it does seem more and more like some rich folks out there do have a little something against the poor and the middle class these days.
Take Trump-Care for instance – please! As currently written, it is the very definition of a contradiction in terms, disenfranchising 23-million americans from healthcare who have it now and then putting pre-existing conditions back in limbo for those “lucky” folks who remain. Great for the insurance companies, but for the people – not so much.
Then there’s our off-the-charts national debt and the current plans afoot to give rich folks yet another tax break, as though it didn’t even exist. Am I smelling rotten fish here or do my olfactory lobes just not smell-well?
Maybe Im just old-fashioned, but it does seem to me you can’t propose to drain the swamp on the one hand and then fill it with a cesspool on the other. And certainly not without resulting in an even worse outcome!
If you want to “starve the (real) beast” try reigning-in the unbridled greed and out of touch hubris of some in the moneyed class and those politicians whom they bought and paid for that seem hell-bent on pounding the American poor and middle class back into the economic stone age.
Taking stuff away from folks who need it and giving it to those who don’t dishonors the sacrifices of those dead and living Americans who have suffered in the past and of the countless others who will in the future.
If it’s not about that kind of heart and soul, it’s not about anything that has, or ever could earn, the right to long endure.
We, the people, deserve better. So if we, as a nation, aren’t better than this – what’s the point?
A fish is one thing, but a person is quite another!
Carl D Gilmore (05/29/17)
Aged 69 years – D.O.B. 03/18/1948
Citizen of the United States of America
US Army, Vietnam Veteran
VA-rated 100% permanently and totally disabled due to Individual Unemployability – at least for now! With underlying “Schedular” service-connected disabilities of: Ischemic Heart Disease @ 60% disabling and Pulsatile Tinnitus @ 10% disabling.
Dear Mr. Gilmore, Vietnam Veteran, I’ve written on this blog many times and what I’ve said many times is that this was a well planned out scheme and that the federal contractor that poses as a health care organization was the one that was picked for the job to figure out a way to deny medical care while U.S. citizens and military personnel were being promised the medical care and other benefits. The scheme is in fact nothing more than cost cutting measures to what the congress decided for self insured including the VA/DOD to save money. Yes, it is sadistic but even more so , evil, because the promises were being made to the baby boomer generation, the largest U.S. age population. So with the data some of us have on this so called health care organization shows the well orchestrated scheme to promise but yet but deny what was promised. We can blame congress which includes the Senate and presidents that gave the health care org, the LIE of the century, so the money cost cuts would go to bring in illegals, to not only to replace us for less earnings but to become doctors with free tuition to indoctrinate them as they had done with their own doctors and the rest who are under the AMA, to make create fake, false diagnostic etiology to continue to deny real and necessary medical care we were promised under the laws. Now there is the same health care org that is in charge of IT to have the ability to alter medical records to show the real diagnosis. On top of that this health care org also created false diagnosis’s on “mental disorders”. Most of them are pure B.S. This was all to say that our injuries were in our heads and due to prior employment as in civilians or enrollment in the military, this is why we really do not need real medical care. It all boils down to money and that that there are those who were and are elected to and in U.S. govt that make the decisions to make cuts, making cuts on the promises they never intended to fulfill. Again it is perhaps the biggest lie in history to wipe out THE U.S. CITIZENRY only after it has decided to steal EVERYTHING from us including our health WHICH for the most part was all done on purpose to create the circumstances to harm or kill us off. The factions at work also come form outside of our country and the elite are aiding and abetting since they don’t have to have an allegiance to any things accept making more money. They are what I call PARASITES and we are the living hosts.
The so called health care federal contractor is Kaiser, perhaps the biggest parasite of American tax dollars to harm and off us Americans
So, I’ll be surprised if the women’s march ever gets involved because you have to look at who was in charge and they’re not Americans. One would have to research or contact someone who creates campaigns and make sure they know how to get dirty when trying to take an opponent down. Maybe the one who helped McCain since he is a patriot.and might charge a lot or nothing based on it’s about the U.S.A. VETERANS CAUSE!
God Bless us all, we need it , desperately!
Dina,
Nothing has changed since the Revolutionary War and the Warrants issued to the American Army. The wealth don’t want to pay their fair share and when they can, like with the Revolutionary War Warrants, pick up the “benefit” to their advantage they will and stick it to the lessor tax payers as well as those who were supposed to get the benefit.
Rehab is for the schools more than for the Veteran. ED benefit the same. Mortgage benefit to the developer, etc.
Lem is right. The VA loan is an indirect subsidy to real estate developers and banks. I bought two homes, but both times the rates were lower using a non-VA loan. Always look at the ultimate recipient of the money. For example, food stamps subsidize agribusiness.
Exactly Barry. And now they are trying to escape paying taxes making the poor working slob even poorer. We are back in the era of robber barons. Very few families can survive on one pay check. Next thing they’ll do away with is child labor laws and overtime protection.
I have been rated at 100% p/t for ptsd for more then 20 years. I am seventy years old. does anyone know if my benefits will also be cut. I live in the Philippines now, and I can not find any information. Please let me know something. thank you
While I am back to sitting here for a short bit.
Why do they insist on putting more money into a broken system filled with corruption? What good will it be to put more money into a so-called ‘Veteran Choice Card” when some groups are intentionally called to a late afternoon appointment when the rest of the hospital is closing down for the day, then told to never use that card or civilian health care at all? Not even the emergency rooms then told we have to drive a hundred miles to use the VA emergency room for broken bones to heart attacks? No I am not kidding. So more money is not the main problem. Oh and by the way it was a white counselor treating us like trash and all of us were also ‘White.” I wonder why and then it’s dismissed and okay with the public and government.
Also, I have it on VA letter-head that I am 80 dis with 20 inability to work. One letter or two states I am considered 100% and can get eye care and dental. Dental being the ones who broke my jaw and did a very lousy job leaving me with having to have more civilian quacks to try to repair the damage and do more surgeries to use dentures. Then to have other documents declaring I am not 100% and can’t get eye care or dental. The percentages do not add up. Same thing with multiple phone calls, oh yes you can, to oh no you can’t and blah blah. So I just don’t get all the mass confusion and dis-information. Especially in the computer age of excellence and perfection. Blah The VA must attract idiots, scammers, psychos, affirmative action types who don’t give a damn to the blood draw techs who can’t put their gloves on because of five inch long designer finger nails, or an array of others who can’t spell integrity or professional. Oh, don’t say nothing or we will be “racist.”
The same VA and government letter-heads also told me that VA disability was exempt from bankruptcy. Well apparently having laws in black and white doesn’t matter because Indiana and local attorneys or trustees claim the opposite. I was told here by my fired attorney that they can take it all and including all monies in my bank accounts. So the attorney made some extra money and the vets forced to file Chap 13 instead of 7. It was me who had to do the foot-work and contacting the VA and government to get the said documents only to turn out to be one huge waste of time and complete hassles. Indiana has it’s own set of rules and laws, minus the Constitution or Bill of Rights which we don’t have here either.
So having some laws on paper or print, to me, doesn’t matter. The system is broken and not in our favor. Catch them in lies, corruption, threats, abuse, neglect, mal-practice, etc., they win. And I for one am very tired and too old to put up with this crap and it’s all done intentionally. It has to be.
Years ago I had back surgery on my injured lower back. A ruptured disk was cut off and partially removed. There is still a piece loose inside of my back. My surgeon apologized stating that she was sorry but she had to rub the nerve cord fairly raw in order to extract part of the disk. The nerve damage causes me more problems than the back injury at the time. I also have a crushed left lower leg broken femur, busted up left hand and wrist that were never treated, & many more injuries in my back. In older age now I can not stand up erect, must bend over due to pain in my lower back & codeine pain meds will not touch it. When the back surgery was completed I was re-evaluated where they twisted all of previous ratings around with nothing on my back except minor for pain & nothing for the nerve damage. I have all kinds of other problems directly caused by the VA including a blind left eye. When they did the re-evaluation they gave me 30% for unemployability & twisted everything else to make it fit. I asked the people that did the job and asked why the unemployability. They said it was just much easier that way than having to write all of the other stuff up & you still get the 100% pay so what difference does it make ? It has been thrown in my face 3 times by VA employees that I was not 100% disabled & they gave my the other 30% because they felt sorry for me. If I was properly rated for all of my original injuries & the injuries caused directly by VA doctors intervention it would be much over the 100%. And I have always felt the unemployability is a contrived way to allow them to easily cut at some time. I guess now is the time.
Robert H. Meacham…SO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO BROTHER
I forgot to add……open-minded-people-embrace-being-wrong-are-free-of-illusions-dont-mind-what-people-think-of-them-quote-…….
OFF TOPIC but I found this on change.org….Did you know that dog and cat meat is completely legal in 44 states of the U.S.? That’s right — as shocked and outraged as so many of us are about the brutality to companion animals in other parts of the world, the truth is that the slaughter is happening right here in our homeland, too.
A mere 6 states have outlawed dog and cat meat; that leaves nearly 90% of the country with no law protecting these animals from being killed, butchered and eaten…….I think I’ll go get some Cat-ntonese cuisine today …just kidding of course……….and ANUTTER QUIT any type of sugar no mnm’s no ice cream and I know you will feel better…..EVERY ONE HAVE A GREAT MEMORIAL DAY
@Ex va; It is not a phished site either, it is legitimate, so no hacking involved. Some kind of rare screw up? No idea. Can’t wrap my head around it.
@ cj, i can’t understand how they could make the reply button a link to dav. That is strange. Sounds deliberate.
@Ex va: Exactly, I don’t even think that is possible to do, that is why I am not understanding any of this.
SSL Server Certificate
Issued To
Common Name (CN) *.dav.org
Organization (O) Disabled American Veterans
Organizational Unit (OU)
Issued By
Common Name (CN) DigiCert SHA2 Secure Server CA
Organization (O) DigiCert Inc
Organizational Unit (OU)
Validity Period
Issued On Tuesday, April 15, 2014 at 7:00:00 PM
Expires On Wednesday, June 21, 2017 at 7:00:00 AM
Fingerprints
SHA-256 Fingerprint 46 28 ED EA 8A 95 93 F7 00 3E 8A 35 75 73 2D 65
A1 92 06 E4 C3 D7 74 41 19 C4 0D EB 1A 6F 49 9A
SHA-1 Fingerprint 3D 10 DE 9E B0 1F AF D7 FB DB DD E1 57 43 55 80
FB 88 0E 77
@cj, that is crazy!!! Do you think someone is doing this deliberately because of the article?
@Ex va: No clue Ex. I hit the reply button three separate times, and all three times it brought me to the DAV site, then………..nothing.
@cj, makes me think a hacker or someone didn’t like the article. 3 times that is strange. Not a mistake.
@Ex va: I am going to call it a night, Hope you have a good Memorial Day. God Bless you and your family, and stay safe to morrow, too many crazies on the road.
@cj, God Bless you and yours. Goodnight and have a good bonfire tomorrow with friends. Take care.
@Ex va: I don’t see how it is possible. The New Orleans DAV, would have had to somehow make it so when you hit reply, you would get sent to them? And….I have never looked up, or searched for a DAV site in my entire life.
@cj, yes, why would you search dav for anything? They are not going to help you for anything. New Orleans?? WTH????
@cj, something had to take you there. You hit reply button and end up at some damn dav site in New Orleans. That is crazy. I got off 4g to regular internet to see if it would happen to me so far no.
@Ex va: It is from an New Orleans, DAV? Again, how is that even possible? Ben, you getting any of this?
@cj, they shouldn’t be able to do this to Ben’s site, we couldn’t post if it was hacked right?
@cj, so far i am not getting anything like that.
@Ex va: I don’t see anything on Bens page, that I could have hit by mistake that would take me there either.
This is some crazy shit right here.
Hell, it takes an hour before my damn body let’s me move.
@cj, trying to do some reading of the bloggers i missed a lot this weekend.
@Ex va: LOL, yes, I was here about mid morning, and nobody was posting, I came back later, and wholly mackerel. Elf, posted some really good videos. I was going to go to the Milwaukee VA, National Cemetery tomorrow, but the memorial ceremonies will be early this year, 9:30 am. I am about 1 1/2 hours away, noway I can get out of the house that early. I think I will just ask a few veteran friends over, and put a bon fire out back.
@cj, that sounds good. I like barbecues and bon fires. Don’t have any plans, except go to cemetery to put on some flowers. Bought them i was suppose to go and haven’t yet. This rain got to me this weekend. I know what you mean about getting up too early.
@Ex va: It is the one thing I just am not capable of doing. I have alarms set for everything, so I don’t forget, an alarm to take my meds in the morning, then an hour later, to feed the dogs, then they gotta go out, then have to get ready for the day. Easily 10:00am is the earliest I can get out………….lol dam slacker!!!!!
@cj, mowing grass on a rider. Still gets to my back, my neighbor loves to mow he has a John Deere tractor he is in 80’s still doing it. Great guy. He has about 7 acres. I have a little over 1 acre. A lot of trees with fence rows so my mowing isn’t too bad.
@Ex va: With the damage to your back, even the bouncing and jarring around on a rider, can lay you up for days. Pretty tough trauma to the back mowing a lawn. Slower you go the better it is, you ride to fast, and the shock is almost unbearable.
@cj, your not a slacker, that is for damn sure. My body so stiff can’t get moving. Lol. It takes me hours too. Glad you have alarms that helps. I use a lot of reminder notes so i don’t forget to do things. Then i forget to write something down then it is forgotten. Lol.
@Ex va: I know that feeling, last two weeks I missed 3 appointments because I got confused about where I was suppose to go. Embarrassing.
@cj, i mow slow. Lol. I can’t handle a car ride sometimes if i hit brakes or have to jerk to not hit something. I have showed up at appointments 2 hours earlier than i am suppose to be there. I go on the wrong day too. Get lost at some appointments, i get the offices messed up. I get embarrassed too, especially if the receptionist tells me i am too early. Oh well, it happens.
@Ex va; What do they expect? Perfection? Not gonna happen haaha.
@cj, Lol, not at this time in my life. Lol. I can’t handle being late so i over compensate. Lol.
@Ex va: WTF? I hit reply on your comment, and a DAV Website pops up instead of Bens? What the hell is going on here?
@Ex va: Now it’s not doing it………………………………? I couldn’t get to the reply, it kept redirecting my to a DAV website. That is some crazy shit right there!!!!!
@Ex va: Not kidding, when I hit the reply button to your last comment, it would redirect me to here “https://www.dav.org/learn-more/news/” I can’t make sense of that one. How is that even possible?
@cj, that is weird. Are you working on a tablet. I accidentally hit same buttons at same time and i can get anything. DAV were you on another article of Ben’s? I don’t give anything to those vso’s anymore. Rat bastards.
@cj, is someone hacking you? Right before i was hacked my tablet was taking me to weird sites. Then it crashed the virus software. I hope you are not getting hacked.
@cj, anyone else can get on your network? Neighbors close to you. I had some neighbors doing that to me when they first moved in. I had to get a different linksystem.
@Ex va: Not possible with this system, I am on my laptop, and why in the world would it redirect me to the New Orleans DAV? This does not make any sense. I am on a linux machine, not easy to hack, all kinds of bells and whistles would go off.
@cj, don’t know why a dav site, especially New Orleans that is a strange one. I know you have a good security system and know more than i do. I just have the standard mccaffee i think.
@Ex va: Noway, I can figure that one out.
@Ex va: LOL, I am trying to make it happen again, and I can’t….
@cj, the internet had a hiccup. Lol. I switched over to regular internet to see if it would happen to me. Didn’t do anything unusual.
Seymour Klearly / You See Nothing Clearly: You define “troll” as “anyone who thinks differently from me”. Your and your fellow trolls’ many political rants under each article show you’re so obsessed with partisan politics that you cut your nose off to spite your face. Now you cry for fear it might bleed. This website should be by, for, and about disabled veterans, regardless of political party or lack thereof.
@Barry H: Yet it was YOU, who injected politics into your comment. Typical snowflake, gets called out for his partisan politics, then accuses others. Are you sure your name isn’t Barry S.? Inquiring minds wanna know.
@cj, ROFL!!!
@Ex va: Ex, are you still here?
@cj, how are you?
@Ex va: Long day, went to the greenhouse and picked up flowers. Wife was planting those all day, while I worked on an elevated raised bed garden………..like I need more space to grow stuff lol.
@cj, got to keep the wife happy. Lol. Happy wife, happy life. Sounds like you have been busy. Good year for plants hopefully. I wish some of this rain will help the rest of the summer.
Typical snowflake, gets called out for his partisan politics, then accuses others. Yes, that’s exactly what you and Sey did. I would copy and paste a few of my favorite comments of yours, but you know they are there and can review them yourself.
p.s. The Daily Caller is not a reliable news source. Look it up.
@Barry H: Seems your confused about my party affiliation. Let me make it clear so there is no misunderstanding. I am a patriot, period. What exactly does that mean? It means I can’t stand any politician, left, right, up, or down. In fact, I think it is clear as a bell, that “we the people” have gotten it right up the ass, from all sides. You will never find a comment that I posted, that wasn’t a rebuttal to another comment, that some political hack posted, in the form of an attack on another blog member, or the community as a whole. You will of course, find a comment or two, that stated to check your damn politics at the door.
Many of you have said in this and other posts, “I voted for Trump.”So, you made your bed. Now you have to lie in it. Votes have consequences. On the brighter side Congress won’t pass the President’s budget as submitted and are likely to protect vet benefits.
Thanks for the reminder. But I’m still not sure I didn’t get what I voted for. An end of the severe division and spinelessness among Democrats. Pragmatism takes you not very far against anarchists. If not Trump today then what would the future have brought after the GOP had full control of the local elections? What about the militias?
Still may be better to have brought it to a head now than wait for worse.
So Barry,
Your a political troll.
Want to take a glance at what is happening in the Democrat party the last few days?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
For anyone interested great coverage of the Wasserman story as it is unfolding by Luke Rosiak at the Daily Caller. He has done some excellent reporting on Veterans Matters and is a reliable source for information.
“Wasserman Schultz Threatened Police Chief For Gathering Evidence On Her IT Staffer’s Alleged Crimes [VIDEO]”
“Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz threatened the chief of the U.S. Capitol Police with “consequences” for holding equipment that she says belongs to her in order to build a criminal case against a Pakistani staffer suspected of massive cybersecurity breaches involving funneling sensitive congressional data offsite.”
“A federal employee with knowledge of the situation and who requested anonymity told The Daily Caller News Foundation’s Investigative Group that as House authorities closed in on Imran Awan and his brothers, a laptop used by Imran was hidden in an unused crevice of the Rayburn House Office Building. Wasserman Schultz’s office is in Longworth House Office Building, a separate structure.
The laptop was later found by Capitol Police and seized because it was relevant to the criminal investigation, the source said.
The investigation is examining members’ data leaving the network and how Awan managed to get Members to place three relatives and a friend into largely no-show positions on their payrolls, billing $4 million since 2010. (RELATED: Suspects Could Read Every Email Congressmen Sent And Received)”
“Though on the surface Wasserman Schultz would have been a victim of Awan’s scam, she has inexplicably protected him, circumventing the network ban by re-titling him as an “adviser” instead of technology administrator.
Politico described him and his wife, Hina Alvi, as having a “friendly personal relationship” with both Wasserman Schultz and Rep. Gregory Meeks of New York.
That baffled a Democratic IT staffer, who said “I can’t imagine why she’d be that good of friends with a technology provider.”
“Usually if someone does bad stuff, an office is going to distance themselves” rather than incur political fallout for a mere staffer, he added. (RELATED: House IT Aides Fear Suspects Are Blackmailing Members With Their Own Data)
Wasserman Schultz resigned as Chairman of the Democratic National Committee in 2016 after Wikileaks published thousands of internal emails obtained by an as-yet unidentified hacker.”
Full article at: “https://dailycaller.com/2017/05/24/wasserman-schultz-threatened-police-chief-for-gathering-evidence-on-her-it-staffers-alleged-crimes/”
It is interesting to note that the person under investigation had access to at least 12 Congressmen and Congresswomen. There is a lot more to this story. See the suspect has fled back to Pakistan to his old job with that country’s intelligence agency. That little out of the way nuke capable frienimy of ours that was hiding the Boggieman Osama.
For more on the subject:
“House IT Aides Fear Suspects In Hill Breach Are Blackmailing Members With Their Own Data”
Luke Rosiak Investigative Reporter at the Daily Caller
9:30 PM 05/21/2017
“https://dailycaller.com/2017/05/21/house-it-aides-fear-suspects-in-hill-breach-are-blackmailing-members-with-their-own-data/”
Read the rest:
A Continuing DCNF Investigative Group Series
“House Intelligence, Foreign Affairs Committee Members Compromised By Rogue IT Staff”
“https://dailycaller.com/2017/02/04/exclusive-house-intelligence-it-staffers-fired-in-computer-security-probe/”
“Brothers Had Massive Debts, Years Of Suspicious Activity”
“https://dailycaller.com/2017/02/07/congress-it-probe-suspects-had-massive-debts-years-of-suspicious-activity/”
“Secretly Took $100K In Iraqi Money”
“https://dailycaller.com/2017/02/20/exclusive-house-dem-it-guys-in-security-probe-secretly-took-100k-in-iraqi-money/”
“Owed Money To Hezbollah-Connected Fugitive”
“https://dailycaller.com/2017/02/21/congressional-computer-admins-in-criminal-probe-owed-money-to-hezbollah-connected-fugitive/”
“Received $4 Million From Dem Reps”
“https://dailycaller.com/2017/03/01/pakistani-suspects-in-house-it-probe-received-4-million-from-dem-reps/”
“Allegedly Kept Stepmom In ‘Captivity’ To Access Offshore Cash”
“https://dailycaller.com/2017/03/08/house-staffers-in-security-probe-allegedly-kept-stepmom-in-captivity-to-access-offshore-cash/”
“Also Had Access To DNC Emails”
“https://dailycaller.com/2017/03/09/suspect-in-house-it-security-probe-also-had-access-to-dnc-emails/”
“Could Read Every Email Dozens Of Congressmen Sent And Received”
“https://dailycaller.com/2017/03/13/house-hacking-suspects-could-read-every-email-dozens-of-congressmen-sent-and-received/”
“Paul Ryan: Capitol Police Getting ‘Assistance’ On Criminal Investigation”
“https://dailycaller.com/2017/03/15/paul-ryan-house-it-scandal-probe-getting-outside-help/”
“Read the Court Docs Detailing Greed, Ruthlessness of Democratic IT Guy”
“https://dailycaller.com/2017/04/30/stepmom-says-house-it-scandal-figure-threatened-kidnappings-of-pakistani-kin/”
“House IT Aides Fear Suspects In Hill Breach Are Blackmailing Members With Their Own Data”
“https://dailycaller.com/2017/05/21/house-it-aides-fear-suspects-in-hill-breach-are-blackmailing-members-with-their-own-data/”
“Suspect Has Fled To Pakistan, Relative Says”
“https://dailycaller.com/2017/05/22/sources-democratic-aide-suspected-of-major-security-breach-under-government-protection-in-pakistan/”
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What I truly find amazing about this security breach through Wasserman. Is the fact that 49 Democratic members of the house of Representatives put all their emails and information for the Nation at risk by employing these H1B Visa holders. The same Visa Holders now receiving protection from the Pakistani Government and it is known that they did in fact comprise the email systems and files maintained by the 49 representatives.
With the relationship between the Pakistani Government and Saudi Arabia the Saudis now have all that info also.
To believe even for a moment these representatives are not fully compromised and voting in line with the wishes of the King of Saudi Arabia would be foolish.
What utter morons we have in Washington.
The Daily Caller provides a list of the Reps who hired the Pakistani Intelligence services to handle their email and file systems. They really should have hired US Veterans.
“Sources: Democratic Aide Suspected Of Major Security Breach Under Government Protection In Pakistan”
“https://dailycaller.com/2017/05/22/sources-democratic-aide-suspected-of-major-security-breach-under-government-protection-in-pakistan/”
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Federal Prosecutor Investigating Fraud, Found Dead in Debbie Wasserman Schultz’s District”
Carter May 26th, 2017 5:37 pm
“A federal prosecutor’s body was discovered on a Hollywood, Florida beach with potential head trauma.”
Brandon J. Whisenant, Jr.’s body was found Wednesday by a random individual. The police are attempting to determine if Whisenant’s death was a “homicide, suicide, or something else.”
“
“Hollywood police spokeswoman Miranda Grossman said Thursday that the body of 37-year-old Beranton J. Whisenant Jr. was found early Wednesday by a passerby on the city’s beach. She said detectives are trying to determine if the death was a homicide, suicide or something else.
Whisenant worked for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Miami in its major crimes unit. He had joined the office in January. Court records show he had been handling several visa and passport fraud cases.
Acting U.S. Attorney Benjamin G. Greenberg said in a statement that Whisenant was a “great lawyer and wonderful colleague.” The office declined to comment on the investigation.”
~~~~~
I am just going to take a little shot in the dark on who’s passports and Visas he was investigating.
Hina Alvi, Imran Awan and his brothers?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Reading through some of the Pakistani newspapers and they have been very well protected since their return to Pakistan. Always traveling with a large security convoy.
My understanding of Trump Budget, Veterans receiving Unemployability payments and you turn 65 AND you ARE elgible for Social Security then ONLY your unemployability payments will be terminated. So for all the 30 plus years I work, the math says, I will actually receive 245.00 a month for SSDI retirement. LIFE is a BITCH ?
Not understanding how the VA works, my thinking, VA was for the Veteran no matter what, in around 1974 I ask for care. It wasn’t until 2002 they recognize and granted service- connected. In those earlier 28 working years of suffering, receive no care or Benefits (Paying my taxes) I had developed many secondary condition causing my early retirement. Now due to my age…Budget will take my SSDI to the level of how (do I live) and not even with the concept of ..WHAT BECOME OF MY WIFE WHEN I”M GONE
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Goodnight Ben’s World
@cj, God Bless you and yours. Goodnight and have a good and peaceful weekend.
@Ex va: Ex, time to get some rest, busy day tomorrow. Sleep well, goodnight and have a great weekend. God Bless.
@Ex va: And that damn Paul Ryan, I also want to organize some kind of protest against that snake in the grass. That fucker has no problem cutting funding to veterans. Would love to make sure his ass never gets elected again.
@cj, that pisses me off. They don’t give a damn about Veterans in Illinois.
@cj, if they cared these va medical centers in the state of illinois would not be some of the worse if not the worst in the nation.
@cj, start a petition or something. Phone calls to his office or e-mail?
@Ex va: Ryan is from Wisconsin, still gotta be someway to start shit against his ass even if we don’t live there.
@cj, didn’t know that figured he was a new guy in illinois. Don’t care much for Wisconsin. Lol. The name sounded familiar. Tweet him. Lol! I don’t do the social media crap.
@Ex va: Same here, don’t do the social media stuff. Frigging Wisconsin cheese-heads, At least our economy isn’t based on cheese. Always been fucked up behind the cheddar curtain.
They call us Flatlanders, or FIB’s Fucking Illinois Bastards LOL
@cj, lol. Cheddar curtain. Lol. Known some weird people from Wisconsin. Everything is about cheese up there. Strange…
@cj, i will take flatlanders over cheesehead any day. Lol.
Wish we didn’t need help, and could do this all on our own, Unfortunately, this isn’t what we are experts at. Too many things need to be taken into consideration. It isn’t as simple as “hey fellas and ladies, let’s go march on DC next week” Be nice if it was, but it isn’t.
@cj, you are correct, could get arrested. Lol. Plus, you want it to cause a good affect on the public and congress.
@Ex va: Agreed, so many things to have to coordinate. In all honesty? It does take someone with expertise, to get max coverage, and max effect.
@cj, exactly max effect.
@cj, when i talk to the average person they just think the va helps Veterans. I warn everyone to reconsider getting surgeries there. Because they may have a relative or friend who is a Veteran. When i talk about this blog and basically Ben has his fingers on the pulse of the va and all the corruption in the va agency sometimes i shock them. I don’t think the people know all of it.
@Ex va: So true, they don’t have a clue, we all need to work on getting the word out, even if it is simple tasks like pointing people to Bens blog. Of course much more needs to be done as well. I admit I am out of my league when it comes to all this. Even overwhelming when you think about all the different aspects to getting it all together.
@cj, that is why they pay people to coordinate these marches. Permits, location availability, rallying areas, just a lot of details. I could even think of all of what goes into a march. Out of my league too. I do tell a lot of people about Ben’s blog.
@cj, i hope it doesn’t turn real hot.
@Ex va, If real hot is what gives you pain relief, then I hope it gets real hot too.
@cj, when the barometric is stable, no weather fronts, late summer till it gets really cold that is good weather for me. Stable weather no precipitation.
@Ex va: I sent another email to another march organizer, who is also part of the million woman march organization. Haven’t heard back yet. Hope they return an email, or come to Ben’s blog and introduce themselves. If not? I will send out more emails, to different organizations, NOT going to stop, till I can find help.
@cj, thanks for doing this. I would like to get the info for the events too.
@Ex va: Damn weather has to straighten out sooner or later, sure is crazy weather we have been having.
@cj, you are right about that.
@Ex va; How’s all this strange weather on your pain?
@cj, makes joints swell and sticking. Feels like knife jabs in joints sometimes. It sucks. Lol. Just dealing with it.
@Ex va: I know sometimes it is hard to deal with. I get tired myself sometimes “just dealing with it” Sorry for being a downer.
@cj, your just keeping it real not a downer. I take more pain meds and that helps cut the pain down some. I wish it took all of it away but it doesn’t. I see a lot of people suffering with arthritis pain and i do have sympathy for them. It stops them from doing a lot of things. I will keep going until i can’t i guess. Today didn’t do much. I hope to do more gardening next year. I wish i could do a quarter of what you do in gardening. Glad you can do good at it. I gave strawberries to my neighbors one is a Vietnam Vet the other is a Korean Vet. People around here always share food and things like that. Good people.
@Ex va: that is half the fun of having a garden, different people grow different things, and share between.
I have a pretty big garden, about 100 x 50, can get plenty of food out of that, and it isn’t too big where the upkeep gets out of hand. Seems like everyone on my street are not doing so well, I don’t expect my next door neighbor to live much longer, he look terrible. Nothing good to say about anyones health on the block.
@cj, yes, i know that feeling we did loose a Veteran down the road in the fall. Kidney trouble and then cancer. Sad. I hate seeing people looking bad too.
Two guys work in an office together, one is an avid bird hunter, and the other is a wannabe. The wannabe keeps bugging the hell out of the hunter, to take him hunting with him. Finally the guy says okay okay, we can go this weekend. The wanna be is so excited, the night they get to the hunting spot, he sleeps with his shotgun, and all dressed and ready to go.
In the morning the wannabe gets up and sees the hunter has a fire going, and cooking breakfast, and sipping coffee.
The wannabe says WTF? Let’s go hunting!!! the hunter says relax, have some breakfast and coffee I’ll send the dogs out. The dog comes back and barks twice, the hunter says let’s go there are two ducks on the pond,
@cj, good one LOL!!!!! I will try to remember to tell that one.
This goes on all weekend, and when they get back to work, the wannabe convinced the hunter to sell him his dog. the next weekend the guy goes hunting, when the weekend is over and he get’s back to work, the hunter ask’s how things went. The wanna be informs him that he had to shoot the dog. The hunter says ” wtf? what ya mean ya had to shoot the dog? The wannabe says, I made breakfast, put coffee on and sent the dog out, he comes back with a stick in his mouth and he looked at me funny and started to hump my leg, while shaking his head back and forth. The hunter says ” man you shouldn’t have shot the dog, he was trying to tell you there are more fucking ducks on the pond than you can shake a stick at.
@cj, ROFL!!!????? that is a good one!
@Ex va: LOL that poor dog!!
@cj, i could see that happening. Lol. Poor dog!
Some of these hunters around here shoot their dogs on accident, but it happens. They get that deer fever and everything looks like a damn deer.
@Ex va: Last time I went hunting up in Michigan, the farmers had COW painted in big orange letters on all their cows, and the damn dogs all had orange vest’s on. That had to be 25 years ago. Don’t imagine it has gotten any better since.
@cj, that is crazy. Lol. They must be worse than they are down here hunting. Lol. The hunter i think are required now to wear the orange vests. I do not know about the dogs. They don’t paint the cows. Lol. That is crazy.
@Ex va: They have to paint the cows because of all the dipshits from Chicago going up there to hunt. They wouldn’t know the difference between a deer and a loaf of bread. Damn idiots.
@Ex va: What goes klop klop klop bang? an Amish drive by shooting. That is how Chicago people deer hunt, drive by deer hunting.
@cj, damn that is bad. I would expect anything out of Chicago. That is some rough streets and corruption. The judges and everyone is in on it up there. This county i live in is beginning to be corrupted as bad as Chicago. It wasn’t like that now it has gone bad. Really bad.
@Ex va: Your not alone Ex, seems to be the way the entire county is going these days.
@cj, it is all about money and taxes. How they can cheat you thru any kind of court hearing, family court costing thousands, defense attorneys paid by the county put extensions on murder cases so they can get a steady paycheck. They keep the people who committed murder in jail for years.
@Ex va: I hear ya Ex, no end in site as to them finding new ways to steal everything you have. Assholes!!!!
@Ex va: Ex, how’s your pain level, with this cold snap and rain?
@cj, you still up?
@Ex va: Yeppers, still awake, how’s you tonight?
@Ex va: Doing not too bad.
@cj, i was trying to get to talk on other page. Glad your here.
@cj, pain is bad today, stupid weather. Overcast kept sprinkling rain.
@Ex va: Ex, what do you do when your pain gets real bad?
How do I stop all of the emails? I just wanted to ask a simple question which no one answered but I am instead getting all conversations. I only wanted some help, not get in the middle of your long discussions. So hopefully someone can tell me how to leave this group.
@Mary: Mary, when you get an email follow up, look on the bottom of the comment, in your email. There should be an unsubscribe option. What question were you looking for an answer to?
I asked this question.
I am 80% svc connected, have been receiving individual unemployability for 12 yrs and I’m 55. I also receive social security disability. Would I lose my unemployability payment ?
@Mary: Hi Mary, Jim just posted this above, I hope this is a final answer, and everyone can enjoy this Memorial day weekend.
Jim said:
Angela, I talk to my Congressman today. He said this situation of cutting Disability Compensation has caused a “shit storm”, like he has never seen. He has received telephone calls, faxes, texts, upset with this. He said this has as much chance of passing as “winning the lottery without buying a ticket”. He told me if he voted for this he would have to “leave the country”. Also, Paul Ryan is a worthless prick. I would love to see someone wipe the fucking “smirk” off his face.
I hope this answers your question.
Well it does and doesn’t. Did a Republican or Democratic congressman answer his question.? They would answer it in different ways. The info that was put out said that a vet who is 65 and receives social security….not specifically SSD…would lose the benefit. Neither fit my circumstances. But if it will never pass it doesn’t matter.
Thanks. Have a great weekend. Let’s go Pens 😉
Mary
It is right under the reply button on the comment notification you received. Goodnight.
@Ex va: Goodnight ex hope you sleep well, God Bless.
@cj, i need to get off here. My spelling is getting bad.. Goodnight and God Bless you and your family. Take care. Talk to you tomorrow
@cj, gave a lot of strawberries away. Seems like they are producing faster this year. I had strawberry and angels food cake it was pretty good. Ate some out of the bowl too. LOL!!!!
I bet they were good, nothing like garden fresh.
@Ex va: still here?
@Ex va: I contacted the people that organized the million woman march. Sent two emails asking for guidance in setting up a march for veterans and veterans issues. Asked to come see bens blog, and introduce themselves to us, and get to know us, and join forces.
@cj, sounds good, we need to get organized. We need to do something.
Exactly, we don’t need to reinvent the wheel, and these people do this all the time, they are organizers, and we aren’t. but we keep saying this is what we want to do, but have no clue how to get it done. They do.
@cj, need to understand what we need to do and do it.
@cj, someone who understand how to co-ordinate and has experience at these events.
yes, exactly. They know how to get the word out etc, How and where is the best place to march on DC, all the in’s and out’s. Hell we are just not privy to all that stuff is all. No shame in asking for help, We may not see eye to eye with what this group is after, but………the enemy of our enemy is our friend right?
@cj, right on!!!
@Ex va: LOL, I dunno why, but I bought 2 peanut plants, have no clue where to put them, they need direct sun and sandy soil. I will have to find somewhere. If not, I can plant them somewhere else. I got a packet of sunflower seeds one year, so my son took them and planted them all around town in different spots, like the police station, library, etc.
@ cj, peanuts like bad soil. Sunflowers like good soil.
@Ex va: What about your new medication? is that helping?
@cj, its that gabapentin increased and the plaquenil for the arthritis. Makes me more tired. I don’t think it helps with the pain.
That sux they can’t get a handle on your pain relief. I hope they can figure something out sooner rather than later. You are still able to get around, and it is good to keep getting around.
@cj, i am doing a lot more and i feel better doing things. Just going to the store and a few errands.
Got all the tomato’s in, enough potatoes to produce 2000 lbs if everything goes well. 2 rows of melons, 1 row of bush beans, and 1 row of onions, all for the veterans food locker. sorry your in pain tonight. Most times I don’t mind the pain, least i am getting around.
@cj, that is a lot of vegetables. You will be feeding an army. Lol. 2,000 pounds of potatoe, beans. And melons. I might have to come up there and buy some from you. Sounds so good.
LOL, I tilled and worked more land than I needed to. After getting all the tomatoes in. I didn’t want the rest of the plot to go to waste, seed potatoes are only 59 cents a lb, 6 lbs were more than plenty to fill 2 30 ft rows. If an optimal season happens, that is 5lbs per plant, or 3000 lbs. but you never get optimal amounts so I figure if all goes well I can get up to 2000 lbs of potatoes.
@cj, you are going to have to have 1ton truck at least with a trailer for all you vegetables. Lol. I cannot even imagine that much food. Have you ever used alfalfa meal for fertilizer. Needs to till under ground. It makes your plants grow and produce double. You should read about it.
@Ex va: Nope, didn’t know about alfalfa. Will have to check it out for the end of the year when I till everything back in.
@cj, it is a super food for plants and animals.
Will definitely look into it Ex.That is the name of the game, more per plant. heavy production, minimal cost.
@cj, the alfalfa will not burn your plant. The use it to make soil come alive that hasn’t been producing. It is like a covering plant. You throw it around you plant ant till it under and water and you will have tomatoes with tree trunks at bottom of plant.
Very nice, I charged up my home garden last year, will have to do it again, I also need to get micro nutrients back into the soil. along with something like your talking about. Plenty of alfalfa in these parts, so probably pretty cheap.
@cj, alfalfa meal is pretty cheap per bag. They use it to put weigh on cows. It has a lot to thing good for a plant.
@Ex va: alfalfa meal? I was thinking alfalfa comes in a bale, not a bag, must have it confused with something else. I copied ” alfalfa meal” so I can look it up later.
@cj, look alfalfa as a cover crop and tilling it under to add fertilizer for the soil. Alfalfa meal is the same thing. It does great things for the soil.
Cj, glad to see you!! Today was high pain day, because i am doin more. How about you? You get all your plants in?
@cj, you steal around? Sorry missed you tonight.
@Ex va: Hey Ex, yes still around, how are you?
@cj, you still around somewhere? Surfing? I hope you got your plants in. Hope to catch you another time.
@Ex va: Yes, still here. Got everything planted.
@cj, that is really something to get all those plants planted. Good for you. No, i didn’t have enough money to put some plants in the planters. Maybe I can buy some plants on clearance. Strawberries are really kickin in. I get abou a quart every other day.
That is excellent Ex, strawberries are great. I have enough purple cow and starter mix and manure mix to make a small raised bed. I was thinking of strawberries, and maybe peanuts. Very small raised bed, like 5×8.
@cj, strawberries don’t have a lot of insect problems. They are so much sweeter than the stores. Not too much maintenance.
Very good your getting around and feeling better about it too. No downside to being mobile. Good to know strawberries are low maintenance, my kinda plant lol.
@Albert Gray Dodd: Sorry your having trouble posting, have a great night.
Yes but my comments keep getting removed as usual.
Take care all !!!
LOL, is anyone awake still?
@Angela: Angela, are you still here?
@Ex va: Ex, are you around?
For all of you people that only see one side of the story….. instead of the full picture ,.,. this will be my last response on this subject.
To answer a few questions first:
I was a Volunteer Service Officer for the DAV from 1999 thru 2003, the day after I was forced into a second medical retirement because of my service connected disabilities. I helped many veterans with their claims over the those years… I did it for free, and I did it when I even thought they did not have a valid claim. Most of the claims I helped veterans with were approved. Factually, I actually sat down with the veteran and sometimes their spouse, I read the medical records, and I wrote the claims. The only reward I got for this service was the veteran’ s and in some cases the family’s thanks… That was reward enough.
Some one asked because I made the statement that I only get paid for one medical issue when I have 17 separate ratings. Does that mean that my other conditions are ignored… Technically, when you reach a 100% rating for one disability, you are not being compensated for any of the other 16 rated conditions, because the VA says no one can be more than 100% disabled. But the VA also realized that some ratings even 100% rating do not always compensate all veterans, that is why they created special monthly compensation, which includes house bound, aid and attendance at different levels of compensation, and K awards only to mention a few of these special compensations.
Unlike most of you, I entered the US Army at 17 with an 8th Grade education, and it took me a couple of years before I decided that education was the most important thing to do for myself. I received a high school diploma while attending actual high school classes in Waynesville High School, Waynesville, Missouri near Fort Leonard Wood Missouri. I was still active duty Army and had to work 2nd shift for 1.5 years at the same time. I graduated with a 4.0 average. It then took me many years working shift work while in the Army to obtain a 4 year College Degree. I did this using the Army’s tuition assistance and saved my GI educations benefits for use in the civilian world. But when being forced into medical retirement I never had the time to return to college, and work on my masters under the GI bill, and eventually lost the benefit. I served for just over 15 years. So know you see I came from a poor background, and learned that educations was important to make my way in life. I am no different than some of you. And this is why I continue to challenge the VA rating system and why I am successful in all of my personal 32 claim issues to date with the exception of one. And this is why my compensations is over $4000 a month. How in the world can anyone be mad at me for that? But a few of you are….
Some of you have taken to making terrible remarks to me about my opinions, that shows your true ignorance and you should be ashamed. Many of you ( and you know who you are) come on this board every day looking for the negative information about the VA that has been posted making crude and silly comments most of the time…. And I suspect for most of you this is what you live for because you have nothing better to do. That is really a shame.
I once made the comment to Mr. Krause that it would be nice to see some positive news about veterans once in a while, I may be wrong, but I don’t remember any positive news being posted on this board.
In this thread I made a lot know about myself , my claims and my opinions, perhaps this was a mistake on my part, as I usually never put out this much information about myself……. But I though it might help for you to understand where I was coming from… apparently I was wrong because a few of you made personal attacks at me instead of just addressing my remarks…
Factually, I thought this was a place that was fed up with the politically correct views of the world, and a place that might help change some veteran issues, apparently I was wrong. I learned by this thread alone that some of you are only intent on getting your opinion or views out and will crap on anyone you don’t agree with.. too bad.. that is like ignoring NBC news because you don’t like their politics so you just watch fox news, never learning anything new.. or a different view because you have already decided you only like your view, and so you remain ignorant of the real world…
I enjoy helping veterans, every now and then I still help a vet get his benefits,,, I enjoy voicing my opinions about veteran issues, I do not talk from ignorance. One thing I do find distasteful about anyone is those that would rather attack someone because of their opinions than to have a civil discourse and try to come to an understanding.. Undoubtedly, many of you think any veteran is entitled to veteran benefits regardless of the rules, and laws in place…. and regardless if hundreds of veteran are being rewarded for waiting until after they retired at 65 to request TDIU, knowing they never intended to return to work anyway. As I said before these are they ones you should be angry about not me…..
And that is my last word.
In this thread I made a lot know about myself , my claims and my opinions, perhaps this was a mistake on my part, as I usually never put out this much information about myself……. But I though it might help for you to understand where I was coming from… apparently I was wrong because a few of you made personal attacks at me instead of just addressing my remarks…
Factually, I thought this was a place that was fed up with the politically correct views of the world, and a place that might help change some veteran issues, apparently I was wrong. I learned by this thread alone that some of you are only intent on getting your opinion or views out and will crap on anyone you don’t agree with.. too bad.. that is like ignoring NBC news because you don’t like their politics so you just watch fox news, never learning anything new.. or a different view because you have already decided you only like your view, and so you remain ignorant of the real world…
I made the same mistake and had to learn the same way, too, Rich. Thank you for sharing your experience and trying to do something to make things better.
just post what you think, you shouldn’t be worried about other peoples replies and look at the big picture with a open mind….just do your research and post it in a link for proof, or not…….. that is like ignoring NBC news because you don’t like their politics so you just watch fox news, never learning anything new.. or a different view because you have already decided you only like your view, and so you remain ignorant of the real world……………and with a comment like that, is ignorance in my opinion on your part…they both lie, divide and con-cur is there game. i don’t watch tv or read there newspapers ……………………………………………………………………………………………….“If you don’t read the newspaper, you’re uninformed. If you read the newspaper, you’re mis-informed.”
― Mark Twain ……. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. A newspaper is a device for making the ignorant more ignorant and the crazy crazier.”
― H.L. Mencken …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. The average newspaper, especially of the better sort, has the intelligence of a hillbilly evangelist, the courage of a rat, the fairness of a prohibitionist boob-jumper, the information of a high school janitor, the taste of a designer of celluloid valentines, and the honor of a police-station lawyer.”
― H.L. Mencken
Dawn ……..”https://phibetaiota.net/2017/05/review-the-fruits-of-graft/#more-125625″…….you need to go deeper than that square box in your living room
We have had VA employees come on here and talk poop. When people talk about veteran’s are getting to much or thinking of a ways to take their disability away.
Upsets other veterans and that is disruptive.
Veteran’s are having a very hard time, getting their deserved disability. People like you and employees like you.
Become complacent and then take it upon themself to play God. You start thinking this person does not deserve their disability or this one does.
People need to keep their opinions out of other veterans motives for filing a claim and not make up excuses to stop any veteran from receiving disability at any age.
In other word’s leave other veterans alone, it’s not your job.
VA employees are harming enough veterans the way it is and it’s sicking when other veterans try to act like the VA.
You got yours and you said NEVER stop putting in for your deserved disability. Unless your over a certain age, some disabilities never go away.
Read your posts again and read it as a veteran who is still fighting to be treated.
We are trying to help veterans obtain their disability, not find ways to take it away.
to Rich B…….I don’t blame you on your claims to many people stop after they get unemployability and when they start talking about cuts they get worried so it makes sense to keep going…….on the other hand with this comment i disagree with you………. I once made the comment to Mr. Krause that it would be nice to see some positive news about veterans once in a while, I may be wrong, but I don’t remember any positive news being posted on this board…………..you want good news go to a VA website they will give you all the bullshit good news you want
Funny. ! Good news about veteran’s are hard to come by. A few have said they were able to obtain their deserved disability.
And
Namnibor
When anyone starts a statement with the words: with all do respect,,, everyone knows your about shit on their parade…and when you do that there is no respect… You said,,,,, the following
namnibor May 25, 2017 at 3:32 pm
Rich B–
In all due respect, you also sound like one of those Veterans that forever is filing appeals upon appeals and then opening brand new claims just for the sake of it, perhaps I am wrong but in my opinion, when someone is constantly cluttering-up the system where a brand new claim could be reviewed and hopefully approved for another Veteran, Veterans, some Veterans, are like energizer bunnies in forever filing….even though…they already have their awarded compensation.
Just HOW does that make you taking the higher road over those you show such disdain for that are elderly veterans collecting both SSA and VA Comp. TDIU?
Perspective is everything, man. You have MORE benefits than a roomful of Veterans in a VAMC medical appointment waiting room under your belt…and you want MORE???
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Perspective really IS everything. Maybe a TDIU Veteran once pissed in your cornflakes, I do not know but just seems so surreal to be a hypocrite about it.
Now let me have my say.
If you think I am cluttering up the system too damn bad. My va check totals $4081 ever month… That comes to 48972 a year… My Civil service check If I was still working would be just under $100,000 a year.
I am no longer working because of my service connected lung disease, and agent orange…
As a veteran I have every right to submit any claim I so desire as long as it is a valid claim.. don’t like it too too bad. Do you really thing I should settle for the 3,000 a month for a 100% rating… if You do your stupid. And any veteran who quits filing valid claims for increases are stupid too. Hell I dare say some veterans get twice as much as I do, why because of the nature of their disabilities….
I have every right to max my va compensation at ever turn.. The compensation rates are behind times, and were created just after WWII, as you know we are not getting cost of living raises every year and when we do they are pennies on the dollar. Hell my cable bill has gone up more times than I can remember, each time as much as 12-$20.00 and you think I should just be happy and grateful for $3000 a month after giving my country the best most productive years of my life (17 years old to 32), when I was diagnosed with COPD and drummed out on a medical retirement and I was never a smoker thank you agent orange…..
I’m a hypocrite ?… you have no idea what veteran compensation was created for… so let me educate you
It was created to help off set the loss of income that a veteran loses because of his inability to earn a living due to his disability. TDIU was created when it became understood the the rating schedule did not always compensate a veteran fully especially if they could not make a living wage…. Because it was created before WWII and the rates have not be updated since, it still leaves some veterans needing some basic living needs.
The you have some scumbags that worked all their life, making hundreds of thousands of dollars every year. They hit 65 and retire with big retirements, IRA’s worth thousand and good medical care…They worked for it they deserve it… But when these same guys who for years forget about a 10% rating they got from the va 40 years ago and all of a sudden they claim to hurt so bad that they put a claim into the system and get bumped to 60% and then get awarded TDIU they are the ones milking they system, and the ones all veterans need to be angry about..and they are the hypocrite…. I saw it some many times, that I don’t have enough fingers to count all the times. But your ignorance leads you to believe that they are somehow owed this windfall when they actually would never have return to work, and therefore they are now being rewarded for being able to game the system…. instead of being compensated because they cannot work the very reason they TDIU was created for ……
And you get pissed at me because I am smart enough to keep filing for compensation based on valid medical issues , And if your happy with your TDIU check or what ever check you get then good for you….
but I still have enough life in me and have things I want to do, and just because I am sick, in a damn wheelchair that isn’t going to stop me….. And the money I get allows me to see the world as never before, pay for my Son’s college so that he would never have to serve in the Military and put away money for my grandson for his college so that he can live a better life than I or his father. Ironically, no one gets rich on VA disability and the only way to get ahead is to keep filing valid claims.. And if your think that your silly comments hurt my feeling they don’t, it just shows your ignorance. Every dollar I get in compensation helps me realize my dreams for my son and grandson I make no apology for that. Especially, when I am rated for 17 different issues of which I am only actually being paid for one…The one that is rated 100%,….. and a different disability than the one I was awarded TDIU for prior to the 100% rating… So technically, according to the va rules I have two medical issues that keep me from gainful employment…. So you call me a hypocrite… and Ill just say your ignorant to all the facts….
@Cj, I bet you do ya old dog. Only kidding. They have seemed very organized. They seem serious and act professionally. Very good outreach. If any one y’all are like me, well, I am not easily organized. It can be done, just not easily. Seriously, something must be done. Standing by, just waving others on doesn’t work. @Dennis, How much rights do Veterans have when it comes to their life? I’ve been on defense with the VA only because they have viciously attacked my lifestyle, my health, most of my adult life. The new VA is a disaster. God Bless us all,; and God, don’t let me lose all faith and trust in our President. I pray you keep the Trump’s safe from harm.
@All: Okay veterans, we have been talking about a march for as long as I can remember. I have reached out to the organizers of the Million Woman March, at “[email protected]” to ask for guidance in organizing our own march. I hope they will read Bens blog, and introduce themselves to us, and we can form an alliance.
I will keep you all informed if they return any answers to my by email. I hope they do, and I look forward to working with them.
That could be interesting!
Thanks for your work. Once you get the information we can get to work.
Need to get a list of volunteers that are willing to help. !
As stated some may not be able to go to Washington, they can still be part of this in other ways.
Phone calls or whatever they can.
Again thanks. Veteran’s must have a voice.
@James Gallegos: Thank you James, no guarantee the group will make contact with us. I do have a phone number as well to follow up with, if we don’t hear back from them. If not interested? Gotta keep plugging away.
Never surrender!!!!!
Talk later. Later Gators.
A film by Ken Burns, coming this fall on PBS. Called “Vietnam/ the forgotten war”
Looks like he’s going back further in time than anyone before.
Also, is going to talk about Agent Orange!
How far back? Truman giving Uncle Ho the finger when Ho presented a draft constitution that was almost a mirror image of ours? We drove Ho into the waiting arms of the USSR. All they wanted was to get the French out, but noooo, racist fucks that we are, we had to back the white guys. So uncle Ho goes to Moscow. Beginning and end of story – other than the millions of people who got fucked in between.
Windguy,
It might go back before Truman. As you say, when the French were embroiled in their Southeastern conflict with the Vietnamese! And how we gave the weapons back to French after we helped “liberate” the French from the Japanese after WWII.
Of course, it’s all relevant to our – Political/Military complex!
Good article Ben, I get there’s a lot of uncertainty. Drain the Swamp… Is this attack on the Elderly and Disabled people, disabled Veterans, and on and on. @Seymore, while the Family Trump flourishes, while billion dollar corporations get huge tax cuts, and so on. I’m lost…
I think that trump has the intelligence, education and vocabulary of an absentee 2nd grader. This fucking self important clueless moron never thought about the veterans families that are going to be affected by his coin flip decision. We’re talking millions of people here! And within those millions somebody, somewhere, some how is going to say to themselves “enough is enough” and change the situation with one small act of vengeance and justification without any concern for their selves. Be aware DC. Very aware. We’re on the edge of a civil war right now,guess who’s going to lose.The only thing left will be your backsides floating in the swamp.
When this happens all of them need to be taken into cousty for at least 72 hours to weed them out..
All over this country our elected officials are not willing to meet with their citizen’s.
This is telling me, they got what they wanted and do not want people to bother them.
Bennett did have a town hall meeting and the people did not kill him. Other’s act like they are afraid of the people who voted for them.
What run for office when you just want to hide.
James,
I’ve noticed the same thing down in my neck of the woods. My representative, Ron DeSantis, is basically afraid to meet with his constituents.
I’ve asked for his email address, so I could send him Ben’s Blogs. Will his asswipe people who work for him give me that? Hell NO!
They won’t even pass on my concerns!
All these damn legislators cared about was getting elected. They don’t give a shit about “We the People!”
I agree with others on here –
Maybe it’s time we march on Washington D.C. and let them know just how fucked up they, the VA and AFGE, really are!
“Asswipes MoFo’s!”
Congress Critters only like to come-out from hiding in very regular intervals and they are called election season.
I’m thinking it’s a time for some hunting at the ballots. However, I prefer Elmer Fudd’s approach to the matter when it’s hunting season, wabbits or no wabbits.
I even like Marvin The Martian’s approach to hunting season.
That’s all folks.
With respect, anyone who takes up arms against the United States of America, either foreign or domestic, is a person whom I have sworn three times over now in federal and state service to defend this country against.
The vows where not terminated when I departed the service and I will hold to them until my last breath if needs be.
@Dennis: Dennis, you should be able to recognize by now, when people are blowing off steam. We can’t even get a damn march organized, let alone a strategic military action against the United States of America. Settle down, light a blunt, and smile.
@Dennis: You swore an oath the defend the United States of America against all enemies foreign or domestic, this is far different then exercising our 2nd amendment rights, guaranteed to us by the United States Constitution. Don’t be so quick to judge who is, and who is not an enemy.
There is also a difference between forcibly removing traitors who serve in the United States Government, and an armed take over of a government.
@Dennis,
With all due respect, the “Second Amendment” is very clear on WHY there’s a need for having the citizens of America to “Bear Arms”!
It’s to protect our “Constitution And our Republic” from being destroyed from within!
“Whenever a government becomes tyrannical in nature, it is the duty of all Americans to defend against that corruption!” (paraphrasing) If that means armed conflict with that corrupt government, so be it!
I do believe these words were used in another famous document. Our “Declaration of independence!”
When the Colonists heard “The Regulars are coming!” in Massachusetts. They, the Colonists, were British Subjects. Subjects to the King of England!
Our first, 1776-83, and second, 1812-15, civil war was over these exact same issues.
The pamphlet, which sparked our Revolution, was “Common Sense” by Thomas Paine! I believe it’s time for many Americans to get a copy and read it. The issues plaguing the Colonists are very much like what we are being subjected to today.
That’s my opinion, Dennis! Whether you like it or not
Agreed elf, it would be our DUTY.
Peace would undermine the justification of the $1,000 billion military/security budget, and that the military/security complex is the American government, is too much truth for most to state. Truth is the most rare element in the Western world, and we will not be permitted to have much of it much longer. Increasingly, truth is difficult to find and McCain and Lindsey Graham work for these fucks not we the people
I’m picturing insane McCain and his joined at the ballsack idiot Lindsey Graham, both riding Tomohawk Cruise Missiles like a bronco bull rider in their home bars, stocked with all the new killing toys by Raytheon, Northrop & Friends. Keeping their home bars fully stocked with that crazy as fuck sauce that keeps them coming back for more while trampling over the very backs of both their fellow Veterans with cleats on, no doubt, and will smile and justify their inactions and indifferences while managing to take a dig at Pres. Trump.
Meanwhile, how many more momma and baby daddies are pumping-out new welfare anchor babies while Veterans may find themselves dealing with homelessness again or fighting and doing nothing BUT fighting, not living….the VA is very bad for one’s health on all levels….even when in the news.
they are just a bunch of silver spoon pussies none of them ever had a real job in life….the only muscle they have is in there jaws, from spewing bullshit
@OLDMARINE – – – Oh your so right OLDMARINE. Bout the ones with silver spoons and having no muscle. I can’t hold this in any longer. Their Mrs.’s told me there wasn’t any muscle when they would initiate the “nasty act” to try and produce children. NOTICE I said try.
I’ve said till I am blue in the face……”it’s time” nothing is ever going to change until we MAKE IT CHANGE!!!!!
I have more potatoes and melons to plant, and will ponder what to do next. In the meantime I have food growing in the fields, slated to feed veterans, can easily be converted over to feed an army….just sayin..
Later Gators.
I am 80% svc connected, have been receiving individual unemployability for 12 yrs and I’m 55. I also receive social security disability. Would I lose my unemployability payment ?
Depends on which Party makes the ‘law’ for now. Remember they do have “Crosscheck” to see if you have the same name as possible criminal so they can eliminate your chance to vote. The same people who own “Crosscheck” are shoving this newest Budget, and they are not Veterans. They view those who actually served for the USA as stupid, since they believe their hiding in the rear with their ‘mommas’ and acting tough means something, they were “smarter” than the Veterans. Look at the current renter in our Nation’s White House for some of his statements about Vietnam and his ‘bone spurs’ he received in the US Cavalry!
Those “bone spurs” were simply ingrown silver baby spoons.
So the simple answer is what? Does the proposal specifically say “social security” and/or social security disability? What about age…? Would I be “safe” until I’m 65? I called the DAV today and I knew more about what was going on than the guy I talked to. I didn’t ask about criminality, crosschecks or respectfully about anyone else’s bone spurs. Does anyone know specifics about this proposal?
When you called did you hear any bottles hitting each other, was he sober.
Go to any vso in you community with some good questions and see if they know anything about it.
Current events.
Or will they say NO or will they shoot from the hip and give you the business.
This country got to where it didn’t want us in Viet-Nam and after we came home, they didn’t want us here. We are invisible, but there. I was hoping that in my senior years I would be able to enjoy just a little bit of creature comforts. Nothing extravagant mind you. Just some serenity and peace because I wanted peace when I returned from fighting in a war. America could learn a thing or two from us but it never seems to want to learn from its history. Sad.
I sent my tweet to the realdonaldtrump….lets get a campaign going
@Cing Perfectly,
I’m 100% P&T, with many disabilities adding up to 100%! All service connected!!!!!
The “military.com/daily news” article is about what “Shithead Shulkin” wants to do with the monies he’s stealing from disabled veterans!
As I stated, for decades, early 80’s, I was out of the workforce. All due to my disabilities. My Social Security check isn’t much. This proposal will cause tens of thousands of veterans to be homeless.
Evidently “Shithead Shulkin” doesn’t realize, or doesn’t give a rats assemblies about this!
Maybe it’s time we make enough noise to let our government know we aren’t going to stand for for their bullshit!!!!!
We all need to march on D.C. with each of us having a stainless steel bedpan in each hand, clanging them together to make so awful of a noise they will have to re-repair the National Monument again.
Why doesn’t the gov’t. instead go after the minions of multiple baby daddies and baby mommas out there, USA citizens AND the hundreds of thousands of “political refugees” getting every benefit under the sun while having NEVER contributed ONE DIME….instead of elderly and disabled veterans?
Rat Bastards.
This is how huge the disconnect is with the VA and Upper management SES types in that they have NO CLUE that THIS SHIT causes Veteran’s PTSD and other health symptoms to flare-up, BIG TIME!
@Namnibor – – – Again, what bout VA employee bonuses. Bout 340,000 employees. Hmm. Lot of $$$$$ here as well. Yep sir, create more psychological stressors for Veterans, then the physiological stressor kick in, then the physical features will show and have a person to look more broken down. Geesh. They love us, don’t the?
@Namnibor – – – And, your grammar is effected when posting on Ben’s World. WTF?
former Colorado Governor Richard D. Lamm stood up and gave a stunning speech on how to destroy America.
The audience sat spellbound as he described eight methods for the destruction of the United States . He said, ‘If you believe that America is too smug, too self-satisfied, too rich, then let’s destroy America. It is not that hard to do. No nation in history has survived the ravages of time. Arnold Toynbee observed that all great civilizations rise and fall and that ‘An autopsy of history would show that all great nations commit suicide.”
‘Here is how they do it,’ Lamm said:
‘First, to destroy America, turn America into a bilingual or multi-lingual and bicultural country… History shows that no nation can survive the tension, conflict, and antagonism of two or more competing languages and cultures. It is a blessing for an individual to be bilingual; however, it is a curse for a society to be bilingual. The historical scholar, Seymour Lipset, put it this way: ‘The histories of bilingual and bicultural societies that do not assimilate are histories of turmoil, tension, and tragedy.’ Canada, Belgium, Malaysia, and Lebanon all face crises of national existence in which minorities press for autonomy , if not independence. Pakistan and Cyprus have divided. Nigeria suppressed an ethnic rebellion. France faces difficulties with Basques, Bretons, Corsicans and Muslims.’
Lamm went on:
‘Second, to destroy America, invent ‘multiculturalism’ and encourage immigrants to maintain their culture. Make it an article of belief that all cultures are equal; that there are no cultural differences. Make it an article of faith that the Black and Hispanic dropout rates are due solely to prejudice and discrimination by the majority. Every other explanation is out of bounds.
‘Third, we could make the United States an ‘Hispanic Quebec ‘ without much effort. The key is to celebrate diversity rather than unity. …….commies at work
Here’s the latest from:
“Military.com/Daily News”
on the proposed budget cuts affecting veterans on IU & Social Security benefits!
Lots of $$$$ signs from “Shithead Shulkin” mentioning, on how he wants to strip compensations away from veterans!
Titled:
“Elderly Veterans Could Face Benefits Cut Under Trump Budget”
24 May 2017
“Military.com | by Richard Disk
He’s saying he wants to use the monies to keep the Choice Program going. Well, my fucking PCP won’t let me use Choice! Even though I’m over 67 miles from a VA hospital.
The VA Clinic I use does “two things” only.
1.) Lab (which is outsourced)
2.) A few (maybe 2), PCP’s which only doles out meds to patients/veterans!
That’s all that’s accomplished at my VA Clinic!
It’s a complete waste of time going there! My wife has more medical experience than the (alleged) physician I see!
Seymore actually looked up my PCP and found she went to a university in Poland. I’m even wondering if she’s qualified to practice medicine in America! Is she on “Visa”? If so, what makes anyone from outside the USA believe they’re allowed to practice medicine in America?
There’s other bullshit in this article as well.
Btw,
In the article, the VFW is now against the proposed cuts
Just watching morning news on ‘Good Morning America” and there was just a VSO commercial for DAV and the *only thing* they were spending advertising $$$$ on is fighting against the proposed new healthcare law in that it will adversely affect veterans, not a *PEEP* about this proposed TDIU/Social Security topic…not a peep.
I truly think this is indeed a testing of the waters to see if the VA and Congress can whittle this away and get it passed, then much BIGGER cuts will follow for Veterans while the AFGE and VA expand their evil empire of VA Deathcare…while even more Homeless Veterans are produced and I guarantee that IF they pass these cuts to TDIU, the Veteran Suicide #’s will more than likely go up exponentially. Hope not, but many Veterans simply do not have the health or energy to take this fight up against the VA yet again after many of us already have spent years in the meat grinder’s gears.
Stressed about this big time.
Americans are too busy Keeping Up With The TrumpDashians. This country is fucked.
This guy is a real live grinch. Thrives on seeing other people hurt.
The last Legion rag i got had a picture where National Commander was presenting Shitksy with a prestigious award!!! WTF are they thinking? As a Life member of DAV and the legion, I am seriously thinking of dropping both and telling them what I think of them on their blogs!!
Send-in and return your Lifetime Membershit Cards to those VSO’s after wiping your ass with it a few times, then placing it in a multiple cat litter box for a week.
Explain in the letter with soiled cards: Take your MemberShit and SHOVE IT!
Might garner a bit of attention if many Veterans did this.
Unfortunately, with the low quality and inability to trust much that is said in the press today. Also, the inability to trust much of what is said by the Veterans Administration, Veterans Service Organizations or Congress. It is difficult to trust any interpretations of the Trump Administrations proposed Budget Cuts that are being offered by any of the above.
When anyone looks at the current system and some of the abuses noted by Rick B in his comments above. Regarding how the system was being abused by some filing for Total Disability Individual Unemployability (TDIU) at or near the age of retirement. Just so that they could use it to supplement their retirement income combined with their Social Security after having worked a full life.
But then you do have to consider the real honest Veteran who has been disabled not able to work and unable to pay into Social Security. The Veterans who would be hardest hit by the proposed budget as interpreted by the Media, VSOs and congress.
Personally, I did not believe the Hyper–Bull interpretation being put out by the Media, VSOs and congress. So, I searched for a copy of the budget proposal and found that Rick B’s comments were correct and that I was correct in my assumptions that the Bull artists were lying.
Here are two quotes from the Budget proposal’s page 151 and a link directly to the budget proposal.
“Approximately two-thirds of veterans granted IU in 2016 were over the age of 60.”
“IU benefits would not be terminated for veterans who are ineligible for Social Security retirement benefits, allowing them to continue to receive IU past minimum retirement age.”
Link to the Budget Proposal
“https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/whitehouse.gov/files/omb/budget/fy2018/msar.pdf”
This is Clearly a mis-representation of President Trump’s budget proposal by the media, Democrat Congressmen and the VSO “AMVETS”.
So just to be Clear, AMVETS press release is total bullshit. The White House Budget Proposal states and I quote; “IU benefits would not be terminated for veterans who are ineligible for Social Security retirement benefits, allowing them to continue to receive IU past minimum retirement age.”
That is the complete opposite of what the AMVETS press release states. Ben quotes the release above in the article and also provides a link to their release. What AMVETS state is total Bullshit.
The people who would be negatively affected by the White House Budget Proposal if enacted would be the ones who would be collecting both Social Security and IU.
@Seymore Klearly- Are you smelling that swamp water stench? I sure am! Static discharge warning: extremely flammable swamp gas emanating from Troll Central of the VSO variety. 🙂
You are the one twisting AMVETS’ words, Seymore Klearly. They arent talking about veterans who are ineligible for Social Security. AMVETS, which along with VVA is the only organization even willing to talk about this right now, is talking about the fact that veterans who were disabled early in life ended up paying very little into SS over the years, so they get very little from SS. Killing IU for those getting SS retirement would still cost these veterans some $20,000 a year, about half of their income. You better believe that will cause veterans to become homeless, etc. But hey, if you’re so committed to your political party that you cannot see that this is terrible for veterans, that’s your cross to bear.
@Seymore,
I received my IU approximately 6 years before I was eligible for Social Security.
I never applied for SSDI.
Because I’m now on social security, and am 70 years old, does this cut apply in my case? Or, in cases of other veterans who can’t work due their ratings being like mine?
This is really scary! Hearing what our alleged leadership in Washington D.C. is trying to get away with!
Yes, Crazy elf, you are exactly who this budget is targeting! Amvets and hopefully others will fight for us on this. But it is really disturbing that Seymore is trying to defend the administration instead of veterans.
Cing Perfectly,
The only thing that AMVETS is worried about is loss of Gambling income.
Oh yes we know trump us so god damn honest.
In October 2005, the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs held a hearing on individual unemployability (U.S. Congress, Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, 2005). Senator Craig, the chairman, requested the hearing to determine what was being done to ensure that today’s veterans with disabilities are able to become productive members of society. He indicated a concern about the 107 percent increase in IU beneficiaries between 1999 and 2004, which in his view is an undesirable life circumstance, one of last resort for all except those for whom it is clearly appropriate.
According to the senator, the purpose of the congressional inquiry was to establish an understanding of the purpose of IU and the standard VA
14
70 FR 76221, December 23, 2005.
Page 241
Suggested Citation: “7 Individual Unemployability.” Institute of Medicine. 2007. A 21st Century System for Evaluating Veterans for Disability Benefits. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/11885. ×
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uses in determining a veteran’s eligibility. He mentioned a particular concern about the age of IU beneficiaries, based on the fact that a fair number of IU recipients are well beyond traditional retirement ages. He posed the following question:
Why is a benefit based on unemployability being paid to individuals who, on account of age, would likely not be looking for work anyway? In other words, they are at retirement age by even today’s modern terms (U.S. Congress, Senate, Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, 2005).
Admiral Daniel Cooper, VA undersecretary for benefits, testified that there is no clear reason for the doubling of IU beneficiaries. However, he pointed out concurrent significant changes:
Maybe try quotations around that which you quote in brackets and noted where you paraphrase would make it incredibly easier reading.
From your emphatic anti-stance on TDUI, am wondering where your loyalties lay.
I am thinking your stance and attitude would be profoundly different if this were potentially affecting YOU, but since you have already stated you already have several ways to collect your 100%, it almost seems like you have some sort of disdain for veterans receiving TDUI. Weird.
~~~~Gurgle?~~~~
TDIU
namnibor,
Let me say this one more time so that you do not think I would think differently if I still had TDIU vrs my 100% rating.
I am against veterans who have left the military after a few years and get a 10% rating for a issue. Then go on to have a successful career in the private sector making many dollars and then retire at 65 or later collecting thousands of dollars and retirement benefits for years before they learn about TDIU. They submit a claim, to increase their rating get 60% then claim they cannot work in their chosen profession and are awarded TDIU. Factually, they never looked for work after they retired, and would never intended to look for work. All they have to claim is that they cannot work, and presently the VA does not look for verification of such statements. So they get awarded TDIU this in there case is a windfall almost like they hit the lottery. These kinds of claims are the claims the I had to help older veterans with. And while I though it was wrong, they did not break any rules, and were legally entitled to the TDIU. My point is TDIU is paid to veterans who CANNOT work, and helps to offset the lost working income. These types of claims (after a normal retirement) is what makes those on TDIU look bad.
The other thing I hated to see and still hate to see, I saw a lot as a DAV volunteer. That is a veteran who for some reason becomes disabled on active duty with a serious heart or other medical problem, they are Warrant Officers (W3 and above), or senior enlisted (e8-E9) they have served less than 18 years and should by military regulation be medically retired. What happens and I saw it a lot,.,…was they knew someone in the good old boy system who helped them out, got reassigned to do jobs outside they MOS. For example one guy was a W4 helicopter Pilot, who got reassigned as the maintenance officer, after 2 heart attacks. They are allowed to stay on active duty when no one else in a lower grade would have this opportunity, they continue to have serious medical problems but complete 20 and in one case I know 23 years service, before they are medically retired, making all of their retirement tax free in many cases, then they go to the va and on day one are awarded 100% OR TDIU.
These two types of cases should not be allowed. The later case is an issue where someone has broken military laws and regulations and should be charged under UCMJ.
Now as to the average veteran who served no matter how many years under 20, who incurred medical issues on active duty and was discharged for any reason other than dishonorable, they deserve any disability the va awards them to include TDIU if that is warranted. And especially in cases of PTSD, TBI, and other serious medical issues. In fact these veterans may lose TDIU under the proposed rules because of the Veterans in the first paragraph above.
I do not think veterans who fit in the third paragraph should lose their TDIU after years of compensation when they go on social security. IN fact technically, social security should have nothing to do with va compensation and right now it does not. But if they change the laws many veterans many be screwed.
It is for this reason and others that I always advised veterans never to quit when they get TDIU. If I had quit in 1999 after I got TDIU, I would never have been rated for TBI 40%, Sleep Apnea 50%, COPD initially 60% bumped to 100% 2 years later. I would never had been awarded the adapted housing grant, the automobile grant and adapted equipment. Hearing loss, or 30% for my eyes. Or two clothing allowances. Nor would I have aid and attendance at L 1/2 half level ( after having housebound). And right now as we speak I have 4 appeals pending for various reasons. I will fight the VA until I die. Factually the VA is nothing more that an insurance company, and we have to play by their rules. That is if some VA examiner says no, it is our job to pay for a private opinion and get a yes…. It is our job to understand as much as possible about the va rating system, to insure we get what we deserve. If anyone depends on a veteran service officer or a VSO they did not do their job. It does not take a lawyer to understand the rating system, or what is required to get an award granted. It takes time to learn to understand the system, factually even an 8 grader should be able to understand the system. It is nothing more than reading and researching to understand some certain words and the medical records……
I hope this clears up any profound different you read in my opinions….
Still pending, ok you have your opinion. Now the person doing you claim has their own opinion and will act upon their own opinion.
Not only deny your claim, but decide you are faking it all, take away all your disability.
I gave a brother hurt his back in the military, applied for disability and denied and denied and denied.
Be worked for the VA as janitor, back got worse can’t work, disability granted 0 percent, this goea on over hand over now 20 percent. Can barely walk, told him he needs am electric wheel chair.
VA denied. ! Bone against bone. ! 65 year’s old. He can not work and you think he does not deserve it.
You were in the perfect placed of employment. You spoke to these VA employees do much they thought you were family and gave you yours.
Right place right time. ! Are you a faker, milinger. Look into the mirror, WHAT so you see. !
I would not trust this guy. ! Bringing up stuff from. 2005 12 year’s ago.
He is trying to defend harming veterans. Take away his 100 % to 0. !
Then he can defend them and tell them thank you. People like thus guy is why we are where we are.
They are getting more than me. ! Waw waw. !
He would cut off his nose to spite his face. !
Rich B–
In all due respect, you also sound like one of those Veterans that forever is filing appeals upon appeals and then opening brand new claims just for the sake of it, perhaps I am wrong but in my opinion, when someone is constantly cluttering-up the system where a brand new claim could be reviewed and hopefully approved for another Veteran, Veterans, some Veterans, are like energizer bunnies in forever filing….even though…they already have their awarded compensation.
Just HOW does that make you taking the higher road over those you show such disdain for that are elderly veterans collecting both SSA and VA Comp. TDIU?
Perspective is everything, man. You have MORE benefits than a roomful of Veterans in a VAMC medical appointment waiting room under your belt…and you want MORE???
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Perspective really IS everything. Maybe a TDIU Veteran once pissed in your cornflakes, I do not know but just seems so surreal to be a hypocrite about it.
ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF INDIVIDUAL UNEMPLOYABILITY
Authorization for IU was added to the 1933 Rating Schedule in 1934. Previously, the Rating Schedule said that total disability exists when any impairment makes it impossible for the average person to follow a substantially gainful occupation. The 1934 revision of the regulations authorized total disability ratings “without regard to the specific provisions of the rating schedule” if a veteran with disabilities is unable to secure or follow a substantially gainful occupation as a result of his disabilities (U.S. Congress, Senate, Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, 2005).4
At that time, the ratings were determined by three-member rating boards consisting of a medical specialist, a legal specialist, and an occupational specialist (Griffith, 1945). Currently, the decision is made by a rating veterans service representative (RVSR), based on medical records, usually including a C&P disability examination by a physician or psychologist, and possibly including a “social and industrial” (occupational) evaluation by a VA clinical social worker. The RVSR, although a lay person, has medical and legal training, but not vocational training.
Since 1933, TDIU has been an ongoing issue, because its awarding is not consistent across the board, and because of its cost. Since 2001 discontinuance continues to be an issue. It is possible the law could change, but considering how long it has been in effect it is unlikely to change, because congress does not like the idea of taking from those who served.
As we reported in June 2015, in fiscal year 2013, 332,934 veterans
received TDIU benefits, an increase of 22 percent since fiscal year 2009.5
Overall, TDIU beneficiaries make up a substantial portion (45 percent) of
the group of all veterans who receive benefit payments at the 100 percent
disability compensation rate.6 This population of TDIU beneficiaries
increased in each of the 4 years we compared to the following year.
Moreover, the number of older beneficiaries (aged 65 and older)
increased for each of the years we examined and by fiscal year 2013,
they represented the majority (54 percent) of the TDIU population—a 73
percent increase from fiscal year 2009.7 Further, of these older
beneficiaries, 56,578 were 75 years of age and older in fiscal year 2013
while 10,567 were 90 years of age and older. The increase in
beneficiaries over age 65 was mostly attributed to new beneficiaries who
were receiving the benefit for the first time as shown in figure 1. Between
2009 and 2013, the number of new older beneficiaries more than doubled
to 13,259. Of these new older beneficiaries, 2,801 were aged 75 and over
while 408 were 90 and over.
Quoted from: VETERANS’ DISABILITY BENEFITS
Improvements Needed to Better Ensure VA Unemployable Decisions Are Well Supported
Statement of Daniel Bertoni, Director Education,
Workforce, and Income Security 15 Jul 2015
Rich,
Does it say anywhere of all those older beneficiaries where living in a Veterans Retirement Home? Just curious because the only way this kind of increase comes from Knowledgeable insiders. Not the information you are referring to but the ability to have so many older Veterans increase in TDIU.
Veterans Retirement Homes are like any normal Retirement Home or Nursing Home. Where as the organization that owns and runs the facility can and will keep any form of Social Security and/or VA Disability pay in exchange for a place to stay and full time nursing. Along with transportation to and from doctor appointments. They will also bill Social Security and VA for any out of pocket expenses such as medicines needed, testing supplies, and so forth.
Maybe Ben would not mind doing some ground work on how many are actually inside a VA Retirement Facility. That number will probably tell you how the facility and members that run these places are scamming billions from the VA financial budget every year with this new scheme to Fraud Veterans and Tax-Payers.
Albert
the item listed above only talks about TDIU, the fact that VA makes it too easy to get it, and ways to insure only those that actually need it get it. It listed 7 options that they felt should be instituted to insure only certain veterans get the TDIU . This includes Increase the maximum earnings limit for TDIU eligibility to match that is used in the SSDI, which was $12,480 per year (for a non-blind individual) in fiscal year 2013. as well as:
Discontinue the TDIU payment when the veteran reaches Social Security’s full
retirement age (65 to 67, depending on birth year). This option was proposed by the
Congressional Budget Office (CBO) in 2013, as part of a broader examination to
reduce the federal deficit, and estimated that restricting TDIU benefits to veterans
younger than their full Social Security retirement age would reduce costs by $15
billion between 2015 and 2023.
It also recommends mandatory vocational assessment to see if it is possible a veteran could work in a different line of work.
And, Lower the TDIU eligibility criteria for veterans with multiple disabilities to a combined scheduled disability rating of 60 percent in place of the existing regulation which states that a veteran with multiple disabilities is eligible for TDIU if the combined
rating is at least 70 percent so long as one of the multiple disabilities is rated at least
40 percent.
The change in the multiple disability ratings threshold would also
eliminate the requirement that one of the disabilities have a minimum rating of 40
percent.
veterans should read the entire document….especially if they have TDIU awards
2009 is the year they finally recognized the subtle TBI deficiencies that many of us suffer from. And the temporal lobe seizures that were denied haven’t been medically recognized since the mid 1980’s because of a Yale Medical School bogus research study done on behalf of the VA.
The Yale Study conclusions have now been debunked by a study of Oxford Medical School. The denial of partial and complex partial temporal lobe seizures as indicated by “sharp wave” tracings on EEGs served no purpose other than denial of compensation to veterans while denying all victims of deep based temporal lobe seizures needed medication and other therapy to mediate their condition. Non-veterans have been equally damaged by the deliberately false outcome of the Yale study and will continue to be so damaged so long as there is a Neurology Text Book stating that “sharp waves” on temporal lobe EEG tracings are an indication of “psychogenic seizures.”
See: “https://epilepsy.yale.edu/about/history/1980.aspx”
And: “https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2995886/”
And then (not me) the Cerebral Malaria victims are still screwed:
Additional evidence of “Misrepresentation of Fact” about organic brain syndromes by the U S Military and the Department of Veterans’ Affairs is shown by what appears to be an obvious attempt by the authors of the research paper: PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTING OF CEREBRAL MALARIA PATIENTS, “The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease,” vol. 147, #6, 1968 by Kastl, A.J.; Daroff, R.B.; and Blocker, W.W.: to attempt to flag their report for failure of a peer review. If fails in 4 specifics the most basic of which is the “control group.” And it appears to have been produced under some sort of duress for a predetermined outcome causing the authors to write in a form designed to get by local review and to fail peer review giving some basic items that are counter the conclusions in the lead up to the conclusions expecting the failures to appear after they had been released from the service. The research paper was used by John Boos, MD, Department of Veterans Affairs National Director of Neurology at the VA Connecticut Healthcare System in West Haven, CT, in his testimony before the Subcommittee on Benefits, House Committee on Veterans Affairs, on July 16, 1998, a person of intellect and credentials that clearly should also have recognized the failings of the “peer reviewed” report.
PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTING OF CEREBRAL MALARIA PATIENTS, has clearly and irrefutably, through physiology, been debunked by the National Institute of Health (NIH) study published online December 6, 2016.
See also the debunking study: “https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/raising-curtain-cerebral-malarias-deadly-agents”.
Rich B, in some respects I can see your argument about older vets receiving TDIU. I was unaware of this issue and believed TDIU was for veterans who were rated disabled enough such that they were unemployable.
On the other hand, and maybe you can correct me if I am wrong, but I support older vets getting TDIU given the history of claims processing by the VA.
My Uncle served in the infantry in the Korean war, and had shrapnel in his legs for long after from a grenade. The VA ignored the problems that resulted until he ended up in a wheel chair for awhile, until an Air Force doctor did surgery on his legs. He is walking now with a cane. He is around 76 now, and worked all his life farming after coming home until he was about 72.
He has had severe PTSD since returning, and pretty much stayed drunk most days since returning to deal with it.
He was rated at 30% by the VA, and only got that rating less than 10 years ago. He should have been rated much higher years ago and provided proper treatment.
In my opinion, he would be a perfect candidate for TDIU given the VA ignored his conditions for so many years. As it is, he is essentially indigent now, and living in an assisted living facility based on charity.
The VA has refused to help with anything, including his medical care.
91 Veteran,
Your Uncle’s case is the kind of case a good DAV VSO could reverse, and are the kind of cases that they (DAV) like to showcase in hope of recruiting other veterans to their cause.
Unfortunately, there are many cases like your Uncles, that have gone by the wayside because the Veteran doesn’t understand the system or never applied for benefits to begin with.
My own brother a Vietnam veteran was a got a Purple Heart for injuries to his arm, was returned to the states ( 1971) and never filed for compensation. In 1986 when I was forced into a medical retirement and finally when home, I learn of my Brother issue. I attempted to school him in VA.. eventually years later when he actually lost his better arm to an accident at his job he filed for compensation. The end result he received TDIU because the va decided he could no longer perform any manual labor type work which is the kid of work he had always done. Today, he is 64 years old, owns a lot of real estate property that he rents out, Has put two children and three grandchildren thru college, and sits back and enjoys his life….. If he had not received his va rating he swears his life would be different.
Rich B, I tried to help my uncle some years ago when I first learned his rating, but he is so convinced by a county VSO/drinking buddy that he should just leave it alone, he refuses to try.
He fully believes the VA would remove his rating if he tried filing for any other benefit.
I’ve spoken with his VSO. He’s a worthless POS.
Medical retirement 86, when did you work as a veterans representative. What year.
The veterans did not give themselves This. !
Shy are you not saying anything about all the veterans denied denied and had to die waiting for treatment.
Why are you not saying anything about the corrupt employees.
Why are you attacking veterans. !
Menace to sociiety. !
.turn coat, hater, VA stuge.
Not one Alabama Senator would reply to anything, other than Senator Shelby, who sits on VA oversight committee. He one time replied to my question with he would keep me in his heart. No congressman has answered. These little laws they stick in, for compromise should be illegal. They distract from or actually distort purpose of the law. The way OUR CONGRESS, and OUR SENATE function has become an embarrassment for all Americans. For Veterans, they’ve somehow managed to legally renig on every Veterans contract. They are part of the problems that many Veterans suffer through daily. Today, I read and watched others explain why taxpayers are paying for a health care alternative, provided by the over paid useless pukes in Congress. Senate going to start from scratch. It’s anger time, again and again and again…… screw suicides… just having to deal with the VA is an ordeal. VA has taken on a persona I don’t know. They aren’t about Veterans any more.. It’s about, ” THEM “. God Bless the Veterans and their families.
Why don’t the VA cut out the federal financial assistance it gives to the VSOs, exaggerated salaries and bonuses to managers/directors who serve cockroaches and sell bags on official time, and “union time” to make up for money it could use towards improving the VA!!!????!!!!
I’m so upset that I can’t pick my mouth up off of the floor.
But hey, at least they aren’t hiding their true colors – which is to come up with each and every way to cut benefits away from the veterans.
This vet2017,
I do not think the va is paying directly or indirectly and VSO ‘s. Unless things have change in the last few years since I quit working as a volunteer chapter service officer. I know for a fact, the VA does pay thru vocational rehabilitation for veterans who become VSO’s after that they work for the DAV. I can’t speak for the other veteran organizations, but I doubt VA is paying any of their VSO’s either….
I should have stated while training to become VSO’s, after that the DAV pays them.
In reading everyone’s comments here where a veteran is rated at around 70% with the remaining TDIU with other conditions ignored, imagine what will happen with the claims backlog as all those veterans re-open those claims and start fighting again because of this BS.
Exactly. However, as you duly noted, this is indeed a “Budget REQUEST”. But never say never, ever. Paul Ryan and Michelle Bachmann from Minn. tried to whittle away at VA Benefits and Compensation some time ago but really not that long ago. I recall Paul Ryan and Michelle Bachmann saying, “Veterans have it too good…”, (paraphrased), and what did I all tell you about the snake in the grass Paul Ryan.
Paul Ryan is a weasel and then some. He did not become Speaker by his charm alone.
….and, where’s the FUCK is INSANE McCAIN when shit like this comes-up that are potentially huge pains to his fellow Veterans?
…and, FUCK the VSO’s.
…I am smelling rotten cabbage. Heaps of it.
I can’t really comment on any of this, because I don’t receive a single red cent from the VA,… only care for my service connected injuries. I do however consider all of you my family, and I can tell how upset this topic is making you all. It sickens me to no end to see you all under this much stress. I absolutely hate this government for how they treat veterans, and hurt those I consider my friends. How in the actual fuck can these asshole millionaire senators and congressmen sit there in their ivory towers and pass judgment on this nations great warriors? How dare them even consider cutting benefits to veterans, while increasing benefits to fucking illegals? How the fuck out of whack does this damn country have to get, before we pick up arms and take it the fuck back over? Give peanuts to soldiers for pay, lie to them about reimbursement for school, feed them cockroaches. Meanwhile pay scum of the Earth people like Miley fucking Cirrus Millions, Who is the role models for this country? It is certainly not the loyal soldiers, hell fucking no, it is the scum of the Earth!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have a TBI, and I lost my train of thought, and I don’t give a fuck. IT IS TIME …………Washington needs to be told: We are coming, we are armed, and you better be the fuck gone by the time we get there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Fucking DC, crumbles to the pressure of every single special interest group known to man, and always fuck you GI joe/jane. Maybe we are going at this all the wrong way? Should we all dress in womans clothing, hang dildo’s around our necks, speak some fucked up language, burn some towns down to the ground, marry each other, adopt one another from another brother? should we all claim protected status as an endangered species? Maybe, we just need to all get sex change operations, the DC crowd wouldn’t dare cut our benefits then, would they? WTF? <———-did you read that shit right thar?
Ryan went to college, then went to work for some think tank in DC right out of college for proper grooming before the timing was right and he ran for congress in WI.
He knows nothing of life outside his little political bubble.
Where is McCain? McCain is too obsessed with finding any way he can to screw Trump. He is blinded to all else around him from hatred.
He hasn’t given two shots about veterans since before the early 1990s.
McCain’s obsession and hate for Pres. Trump is a bit like the book ‘Moby Dick’, figuratively, and literally, on the Dick part as well as the Whale.
McCain would be fishing for the Whale with his silver spoons and platinum carbon fiber line, while droning-on about nothing.
911 Veteran,
Anyone who is awarded TDIU or 100% based on one medical condition only, has the rest of their disabilities ignored. For example I was awarded TDIU in 1999 for my back problems, my total rating at the time was 90% I didn’t get one cent for the rest of my disabilities. In 2007, my lung condition required oxygen, I was rated 100% scheduler. Today I literally have 3 ways to get to 100%, with 17 rated conditions, but I am only getting compensated for one medical condition. I have ratings at 100%, 60%, 50%, 40% and 10% with some bilateral factors, and many many 10% ratings…. I never thought it was right that I only get compensation for one medical condition. Factually, I will actually die from heart disease due to my Lung disease and I am not even rated for a heart condition yet…..
The system as a whole sucks, because veterans are not all treated the same, and different raters use different judgement to award compensation. For example I also have sleep apnea, with CPAP a 50% rating , but it is not rated separately from my COPD/asthma condition, even though sleep apnea is not a respiratory condition. I dare anyone to show where sleep apnea should be rated as a respiratory condition. There is nothing on the internet that says it even overlaps with a respiratory condition, and if I were in the Canadian Military their VA rates asthma/cpod apart and separate from sleep apnea. The only reason our VA combines it with respiratory conditions is to deny veterans like myself a separate rating. Really, how is it fair to rate three conditions as one, when secretively they would be rated 100, 60, and 50…. it is what it is….
should have read separately they would be rated ….
Rich B, thanks for the explanation.
Now, even if you lost TDIU under this legislation, would your combined rating be over 100 with your other conditions?
My impression from the comments here was that if a veteran were rated TDIU for one condition, all other conditions were ignored and not rated.
Not true. All conditions are rated. TDIU is easier if they add up to more than 70% and even easier if one is rated at 70%.
TDIU just brought me out of “poverty level” after going on SSDI and only 50% VA comp at age 49. I wasn’t able to hold a full time job since 1974 at age 33. Poverty living was the way of life including 6 years of homeless living. Being accused of being an alcoholic because of being dressed in homeless garb and sleeping with a homeless group because I couldn’t afford a room in DC that I could get my wheel chair into until the VA finally opened a unit for recovering alcoholics and the let me in even though I didn’t come out of a recovery program.
Yes, a lot of veterans have been shit on as a result of their service connected injuries. And a lot more will be in the future because of the extreme effort to screen out malingers.
I would be O K if the drop was means tested. If someone hasn’t been able to earn a fairly substantial retirement, say an income of $70,000 to 80,000 minimum. If you served and as a result of your injuries weren’t able to get you SS up to 30,000 plus per year and other saved retirement accounts adding up to the $70,000 per year then you deserve TDIU to make up the difference.
This issue has been raised before. There are not enough congress critters that will ever vote for this change, especially during time of war…. so those of you worrying about it…stop because it will never happen
One thought I left out about this.
I am not defending Trump at all in this and still believe Ryan is a weasel regardless of how this turns out, but we need to keep in mind this is a Presidential budget request.
I don’t know who is behind this web site, they might be raving communists for all I know, but they have a simple breakdown of the steps taken for the government to pass a budget, which starts with a Presidential budget request.
“https://www.nationalpriorities.org/budget-basics/federal-budget-101/federal-budget-process/”
I cannot find a source yet for congressional votes on previous presidential budget requests, but I recall at least three of Obama’s budget requests failing before congress at around 95 -5 or worse, with one failing at 99-0, even when Democrats controlled at least part or all of Congress.
My point is, whatever is requested is certainly not what comes out the other end of Congress. The Presidential budget request will likely mostly be ignored. Is Trump the one who insisted on these cuts? Or is it some lobbyist or other weasel that managed to get this included in the request? I don’t know. Yet.
Spending bills will start in the House, get passed and sent to the Senate who will make whatever changes they want, then the spending bills will go to reconciliation where both the House and Senate will work out the differences. Whatever is agreed to is what both the House and Senate votes on, and is what the government ends up with as a budget for the year.
But then, with weasels like Ryan in the House, it’s very likely this part of the budget will get passed.
Veterans need to be raising hell with their Senators and Congressmen over this.
well said
Why am I not surprised that weasel Paul Ryan would be behind this. That little school boy has been behind attempts to cut veterans benefits for years.
You might think, well, I don’t get TDIU so it doesn’t affect me, but that would be severely mistaken. This is a trial balloon being floated targeting those veterans least likely to fight back. If they are successful at get these benefits cut, you can bet they will be back for more.
But…it’s for better health care at the VA! BULLSHIT! As long as there is zero accountability at the VA, there will be no improvement in care.
Are at least some of these VSO’s going to do anything other than issue statements on their web sites? If not, they will certainly be issuing more statements with additional cuts in future budgets.
Yes, if Trump created the phone line he might get informed. As it is, I think he has several insiders around him that are whispering sweet nothings in his ear about how good this will be.
And the feckless bastards in Congress, particularly on the House and Senate VA Committees should be pushing back against this hard.
91Veteran
This is how I felt when all those over 20 year retirees who had a 50% rating got both their retirement and VA check. While us chapter 61 ( medically retired under 20) don’t get one penny of our retirement check…
Nor do I like it that post 911 veterans have spouses that get paid to be their caretaker. My wive has been my caretaker since 1999, and she doesn’t get a penny because I am a Vietnam Veteran.. and not a post 911 veteran. Just ask yourself Is any these two facts really fair….
I agree wholeheartedly they are not fair, but this is what happens when Congress uses veterans as political pawns to look good. They pass crap like you described to look good in the short term, and ignore those veterans from prior era’s because the American public either has forgotten them, believes they have been taken care of, or believes those prior era’s are included in the latest legislation by Congress.
Rich,
Thank you for your service and sacrifice for our freedom. I hate to hear about this kind of bs that happens everyday. I have not replied or responded in sometime on here. I feel it is in my best interest and mental health not to keep the past in the present. A lot of things I read only causes me to become angered and back to square one when it comes to the VA.
You are dead on about the 911 Veterans and the quote extra benefits. But please realize that as a Vietnam Veteran you have access to extra benefits also.
Me I am a Peacetime Veteran. I come in after Vietnam and before the Gulf War. As many injuries as I sustained while serving in the Marine Corps, and the mental games played with my head I am not entitled any extra help or benefits. I recently was found by the Social Security department as fully disabled. And the only reply the VA had for me was “Sorry we do not judge by the same standards as the Social Security does.”
Even though I get 80% disability for both my knee’s for which I was discharged with and mental disability. I am not eligible for any assistance since it is rewarded to only wartime veterans. I have been denied by so many lawyers and Veteran Service Organizations because the VA feels I am not or will I ever be eligible for PTSD.
Keep up the Fight and never give up !!!!!
@Albert Gray Dodd: Albert, you are entitled to VA care for everyone of your service connected injuries, It is the law. I don’t know what kind of BS your local VA is trying to pull on you, but your story hit a very raw nerve. If you need help applying, and I can be of assistance to you, please drop me a line. “[email protected]” It would be an honor to help.
If I may want caused you to have PTSD.?
Event. Are you service connected for your knees.
War time, conflict to me that don’t make sense. Anytime they send a soilder into harm’s way and hostile against Americans that should not be called anything other than a war zone.
I think to many people see war as a soilder sitting behind a desk I pushing buttons some where in the state’s.
One big video game. Do not realized what our soilders are really going through. Life and death. !
My wife is the only person on this earth that can keep me some what grounded since 1976. In 2015 i was awarded an 80% disability because of vafuny math..20% gor tdiu.
I have no idea how she did this all these years.
Thank you honey
Oh oh Bill rich b is on the phone telling on you. Will shake his head look another one that does not deserve it.
If he should ask you for any information Deny it.
Ditto., including 20 years moving in with her parents.
Behind every good man is a good woman. !
Takes a strong person to stick by a veteran with PTSD. Some times it does not work out.
On my. Third marrage 45 year’s now ! VA does not understand that without providing care can effect whole famlies.
This can effect the spouse to the point they can get symptoms of PTSD. She was diagnosied with PTSD.
Give her a big hug from all of us !
91Veteran This is a trial balloon being floated….haven’t heard that one in a while but you are absolutely right. balloons = reactions they do it all the time.
@Benjamin Krause – – – Ben, forgot about POTUS mentioning the Bat Phone. Can you post a reference. I continually send him emails pertaining to my frustration, and informing him that I’m EXTREMELY concerned of the lack new accountability changes or some sort of overdue reformation or re-organization of the monster: VA. – – – Thanks, Nutter.
This is what you voted for. It was known during the campaign that Trump dodged the draft and lied nearly every time he moved his lips. I don’t know why anyone is surprised. It was foreseeable.
Barry H I guess you are saying killary isn’t a liar . and i say they where all draft dodgers including McCain and little boy George bush they where always under there daddies wing. they went in for politics latter in life thats all one big SHOW to get the vets vote latter in life.. they think long range not like us
The cuts to TDIU has been a long time coming… and I agree with it. Let me explain why.. I was at one time a DAV volunteer service officer. While I was a service officer I saw many veterans who were already retired at 62 and above they would come into the office and ask to file for TDIU. In the early days I didn’t think someone who was not retired from the service, but from private companies could request TDIU at 75 years old after they retired for a number of years. That was when I learned that age was not a factor in veterans claims, and one after another I would see veterans who served as little as two years in the service, who lived a productive life and were retired for years in some cases from a private company like IBM, or other large companies, and collecting SS based on their civilian retirement. But at one time or another they had one or to small 10% awards that over the years became 60%… and they would file for TDIU. Mind you, VA compensation is paid because veterans lose a lot of income because of their disability, or are forced to retire because of their va disability. It was not created as a nest egg for those already retired, and at 72 or 80 years old then file for TDIU. I never though it right then, and don’t think it is right now. This is almost as bad as the warrant officer who is a pilot has a heart attack on duty has 18 years and he knows someone who allows him to stay until 20 years. He retires and goes to va and on day one is awarded TDIU or in some cases 100%… this guy served 20 years, unless he is injured in combat he should not be getting TDIU or 100% right out of the service. This of course is my opinion. I also hate it when these same guys get an ID card and get commissary, PX and other benefits that I earned when I retired… anyway this is not politically correct, but if you really think about it.. the guys I mentioned should not be getting TDIu after they are retired for a number of years….
Your just dead wrong….you are a lifer and probably are getting more than 1 govt retirement check..
In other words working the system…alot of us have mental issues and are rated at 70% with tdiu because we cant work or work on a very limited bases for a lifetime. You would be singing a different tune if the cuts were directed at you.
@Bill – – – Can you post what the abbreviation TDIU stands for? Always learning. – – – – Thanks, Nutter.
Total Disability Individual Unemployability
Bill
There was a time I had tdiu based on my back injury.and keep in mind I was medically retired with just over 15 years, for my lung condition which I am now rated 100%. Your darn right I get more than one government check. I planed it that way. But unlike most people I was forced into two medical retirements one Army and one Civil Service. And I am also a combat veteran, who did not get one cent of my army retirement until Combat related special compensation was created Factually, I will tell you that I get 4 government checks, ( and totally they still do not add up to my civic service paycheck). and every damn one is based on disability and combat related injury.. I did not create the system, so don’t get mad at me. But no one will ever convince me that someone who lives life after 2 years in services works until there are 65, and then somehow with a 20% rating it gets bumped to TDIU when they are 70% that is taking advantage of they system, and was not what va disability was created for….. TDIU total disability based on individual unemployability
Hear! Hear!
Take my scrambled brain and give me your retirement, Bill
@Lem – – – Thanks Lem, although I went and looked it up. Lazy me.
Your last line was the point I made.
However, the time in service or how long they have been out should have nothing to do with eligibility. What you are in essence saying is that a returning vet who suffered catastrophic wounds, has TBI, and cannot function is not entitled to be 100%. It’s akin saying that a vet who is KIA doesn’t deserve to have his family receive his life insurance.
I am afraid that if you were representing vets as a VSO with that mindset, you were doing them a disservice.
Dan F.
Go back and read what I said, I actually helped those veterans who I never though deserved TDIU …. I did my job a VSO….
You put works in my mouth, I never said returning veterans don’t with catastrophic wounds should not get compensation,,.. In fact I have a TBI… Also never said family should not get insurance benefits.,..
If you don’t agree with my opinion fine,,,, but don’t put words in my mouth.//
Your problem is Rich B, that you never did a days work along side of them. It is one thing to sit opposite a VSO at a desk and explain your problem and quite another to actually stand and deliver on a job. Did you actually look at their employment history? Their SSDI applications or medical exams?
Any veteran that used this guy need to reapply. How many of his veterans were denied?
They say you can tell alot about someone when you first meet them, their body language says tons.
This guy is not your friend. ! He will sell veterans out. He got his and that’s all that matters.
Screw anyone else. !
You had no business being a service officer. !
Disgrace. Good example of who has our backs.
Who trained him Diana Rubins and Graves. !
I apologize to everyone for getting frustrated.
People like this guy. Make me sick to my stomach. I have met people like him and you can show them proof after proof of wrongdoings and they will push it to the side and keep talking.
Leave it on the desk and leave it there. Smirk while leaving the room. I’m sure you have all met someone that get a job and all of a sudden they become God’s and let people know they can do what ever they want to other’s.
@James Gallegos: James, no need to apologize, your tops in my book any day of the week. Your a good man James.
Thanks, I needed an amen. LoL
What does that mean lem?
Don’t know which post you are speaking of. You didn’t reply directly to my post.
How about veteran’s that should have been 100 % disabled from the day they were discharged and the VA lied to them for 40 year’s.
Telling the veterans their original military record’s were distroyed in a fire and the veterans forced to work.
Denied Denied and the veterans suffering for those 40 year’s with PTSD and a traumatic brain injury that they never knew they had. !
Because the VA refused them care. Shot in the head point blank. !
Veteran’s hiring an attorney to find out the VA had lied about their original military record’s being distroyed.
In my opinion these veterans should be paid back pay from when they first applied.
Then for the VA to deny that veteran an adjudicated claim for the traumatic brain injury, when more than one neurologists state the veteran has a traumatic brain injury and backed up by all the tests.
I worked for those 40 year’s with PTSD and traumatic brain injury and when my PTSD kicked in and I had to retire.
I can not get SSI, I do get civil service disability. Do you have any idea what A person goes through with out help. !
Hell, that’s what. ! Veteran’s have to do something, anything to get that shit out of their head. Self medicating. ! Not good. !
Went to you folks over and over. Thanks for nothing. ! Now u spew. !
Yours and my story are very similar. Except when i got out i sware i would never goto the govetent for any help.
At 58 it all fell a part, Ptsd and mdd kicked my ass finally and so here i am being triggered by the thougjt of the govt putting me into the poorhouse. Having a madtet SUCKS again
Bill many veterans come home and try to deal with PTSD and think they are ok and will not apply.
Sad thing is many veterans do try and are denied time and time again. So those veterans not applying for their deserved treatment are only postponing that treatment.
Many veterans think all I need is a stiff drink and I’m good, then it’s I need two and so forth.
This is one of the biggest mistakes why veteran can do. Self medicating. Your strong and all we can do is take one day at a time.
It is bad, but if veterans stick together we can beat this.
And if they had never had the service connected injury or disease how would they be. Increases in compensation for progressive conditions are for a reason. And it has nothing to do with age or qualifying for SS.
@rich b & lem
I stayed the fuck away from the va for over 37 years and the first time i applied for comp i was awarded 80% with tdiu. The whole process for me was 4 months.
I served 5 years with 4 of those years really fucked up in the head, suicide attempts, sleep walking and telling anyone within ear shod of me to go fuck themselves.
For 38 years i lived in poverty powering throuh disabilities i really did not know i had, i just knew i was diffetent. I drank, tried a whole range of drugs but nothing helped. The sad part of mystory is what i put my my wife and 2 daughters through, i was the only one who raised my right hand but they paid te price.
In the years i made a livable wage i gave 90% of it away from guilt of what i had done as an 18 year old child.
I was awarded 80% with tdiu in 2015, i got out in 1979. By september of 2015 my ytd income was 1000.00 yes one thousand…so you and Lem can kiss my white ass on how much my retirment income is. I envy no one, yal’l should try it.
I am currently in training with a service in hopes i can some how leave my house again. This was not my idea, it was a shrinks.
As for you lem keep your scrambled brain, i have my own thanks.
Your story is one told by many other veterans dealing with PTSD, the toll it takes on our families.
I am glad that once you applied the VA acted in your favor and guickly…
Have you attended any inpatient treatment yet. Topeka Kansas had/has a very good PTSD program…
Veteran’s have to know that seeking treatment seems scary and some may think they are going into the crazy house and everyone is running around pulling their hair.
The truth is veterans will run into other’s having the very same problems and are not running around pulling their hair out.
Go to class and learn about our disability.
Problem is to many veteran’s were denied their disability claim and therefore not able to get treatment.
I believe that is why so many veteran’s suicides.
How are you doing these days.
Yes, I could go back to the street without my VA compensation. Enough to buy some street addicts something to let me pitch my card board box and sleeping bag in their vicinity for security. Spent time with wild Ski and Crip in DC. So I know where you are coming from. Problem was I wasn’t as far gone as you guys, just far enough that I couldn’t get and keep a job. So it took me 30 years and some of it is still pending on remand from the BVA.
After only reading the title of Ben’s article, I knew right away (my hemispheres of my brain was clanging against each other), that this topic would cause a great stir to; make the VA great for once. I’ll read l8r, already getting stirred up to much. Got a headache. – – – Nutter.
One more thing Shulkin stated at that House Committee meeting is that he wants more funding for mental health for veterans with less than honorable discharges. So, this means to me that those of us who had to suffer long enough before being compensated are now going to lose that compensation in order to bolster the funding for those with bad paper discharges.
Writing is on the wall. Yale University Law School has an action against the VA for labeling “mental health issues” as EPTE for veterans that went through boot camp screening and did their tour up to the point of a TBI or PTSD exposure. Yeh, Shulkin is going to need some more money for these. Lots of it because it will be back pay for many up to 50 years.
More of that shitty treatment by the military and the VA dumped on grunts.
Good for Yale, since veterans can’t. !
I started it: “@realDonaldTrump” “I thought you were going to take care of veterans? Cutting my disability compensation?” “https://www.disabledveterans.org/2017/05/24/amvets-speaks-dav-legion-silent-benefits-cuts-affecting-elderly-veterans/#comment-68804”
By referring to Ben’s article.
To tweet to Trump: “https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump”
Better to tweet him at @POTUS since it is more public. Include @SecShulkin, @VAChair and @HouseVetAffairs.
And not that they would care, but tweet it to the VSO’s who claim to speak for us. Their twitter handles can easily be found on the internet.
How about a tweet campaign to President Trump. “I thought you were going to take care of Veterans. (insert bill and line number)”
Do you have it Ben?
On 7/15/2015 VBA senior advisor Bradley Flohr stated on the Mil Update blog that veterans currently eligible for TDIU needn’t worry because they’re grandfathered under the current rating system. I hope that’s still the case if it ever was the case, but with this current potus and va sec. I’m just not so sure about what Flohr said. Flohr is probably gone now anyway…….Age is not a contributing factor in awarding disability comp. So why should age be a factor in lowering disability rating?
Dennis,
Because TDIU is not a rating it is an extra scheduler award based on what ever the present laws happen to be…
.
It is based upon the first articles of 38 CFR chapter 4. The promise of America to makes its veterans with injuries or diseases they wouldn’t have had as whole as possible. And that includes income when they are unable to obtain a job because of their service connected conditions.
And it isn’t fairly applied. If you have a later injury and but for your service connected conditions you would be able to work in spite of it you are screwed. The injury better have been covered by workman’s comp. And then workman’s comp screws you because of the prior military injury. Both want the other to compensate you.
Many veterans worked for the federal government and like Dennis says. These veterans unemployable are not given social security.
I have my denial letter. Not enough quarters.
Three people are going to go too far and someone if not thousands will fight back.
Are Americans ready for s civil war. You cam only proud an animal so long before they bite back with all they have, until the proder is lifeless.
Sho is to blame. ! Everyone for sticking those heads in the sand !
Will our children kill other Americans because our elected officials go along with this.
Donald Trump said with terrorist you have to kill the whole family. Ate they going to have our active duty soilders kill other Americans.
First shot done in this manner, must be returned starting with the head the body will follow.
I am not threating anyone harm. U do reserve the right to protect my family and myself.
I’m on e of those deranged Vietnam disabled veterans who would lose out if the budget is passed with the TDIU. The question is what do we do about it?
G. Dog
USMC
Call congress tell them what you think and why it is a bad idea.
Dan, are you 100% P.T. on a schedular rating? Or are you 100% TDIU P.T.?
100% schedular.
Although this will not affect me as I am 100% P & T, this will greatly affect many Vietnam veterans.
Because of the way mental disorders are rated, and specifically PTSD, many veterans were rated at 70% and applied for TDIU as they were unable to work. Along with PTSD, rated at 70%, many of my fellow Vietnam vets have DMII and other Agent Orange issues that when rated together with the VA’s special whole person criteria make it almost impossible to reach that 95% mark which puts you at the magic number of 100%.
When I was going through my claim process years ago (and with winning the appeal which I finally was awarded the necessary increases to achieve 100%), I had also applied for SSDI. I was awarded the SSDI based upon the same medical evidence I presented to the VA long before my final appeal was approved.
The comments regarding the huge cuts which would hurt them deeply and which are unconscionable are on the mark. However, I do think some cases of TDIU awards do not make sense. I am specifically referring to the person who is past the age of retirement and applies for TDIU and under current guidelines has been awarded 100% TDIU. I have heard of cases where men well into their 70’s have been awarded TDIU keeping in mind the second part of TDIU is Individual Unemployability. Often these veterans have not worked for years and if the claim was started, or an increase requested after they have applied for and received regular SS retirement (be that at age 62 or later), then I could see where TDIU would not be appropriate.
As to the American Legion and DAV they have been poor representatives for vets for years. During my claims process I fired VSO’s from both organizations and ended up handling my own claim.
How about these people over retirement age being awared TDIU and all the lost wages in their earily workinh years? I was awarded TDIU based on 70% ptsd, mdd and 20% hearing when I was 58.
I was to proud even to walk into a va especially to apply for benefits until I hit rock bottom. Now they want me at rock bottom again.
Save me a parking spot at the nearest va so I can waste myself if they put me at the bottom again. For one day in time maybe somewhere maybe someone will say to bad another old vet is now part of the 22 a day.
When i was awarded my claim i thought it is about time they are admitting what they did to me. Man was I ever wrong little did i know they were plotting against all of us.
When i think of all the lost opportunities. Lost wages because of my inability to play well with others, panic attacks so bad I would puke, just the damn inability just to get out of bed or being locked up becaused I missed.
Fuck these people.
Bill, I am not referring to youand if you were awarded TDIU at that age, I wholeheartedly agree you should keep the rating. And, I understand 100% where you are coming from.
I was only referring to veterans who have applied for regular SS and then some years later apply for TDIU.
And even though this doesn’t affect me personally, I will be writing to my Congress Critters and to the President. We need every veteran we can get to fight this. The reasoning is not just wrong, it is terribly wrong.
@Bill, No need to join the 22, I don’t care how disabled you think you are, there will always be room for you in the coming civil war. You may not be able to run, skip, or jump, you may not even be able to walk. Even if you don’t have hands. I can rig a trigger so any veteran can take part. You could leave this Earth, angry, dissatisfied, or even in a state of deep depression. Or………. you can leave with the biggest fucking fuck you smile, you ever had. Me? I loves a good smile. 🙂 How about you? @George Alexander, George? Deranged vet is a damn good trait in my book.
@cj – – – Are you aware of a Veteran group that its objective is to band together? Dam, if all is well, sounds good to me. I can do a lot of things behind the scene. Or, I can go up in a heli and shoot poop canons from above. Splat – – – Nutter.
Read CFR 4.19 Age is not a factor in IU or any disability claim.
I know age is not a factor in TDIU or for any claim. Granting TDIU when the veteran is past retirement age has been questioned by many for years. I am fairly familiar with 38 C.F.R. As I said in my original post, I handled my own claim and appeal. In fact, in my appeal, not only did I challenge the rating, I also applied for TDIU, in case I didn’t reach the schedular 100%. I have advised many veterans to simultaneously apply for TDIU along with any claim or appeal where that may be considered, instead of just waiting to see what rating they receive and then later applying for TDIU.
I just want to also add the VA has a new smoking policy in effect now too. You’re not allowed to smoke anywhere on VA grounds…..But they’re going to let you park your car under a fire hazard solar panel though.
Lolz! If you read the regulations carefully at Roseburg Oregon, VISN-20, they clearly spell out that a fine of $5 can be issued if you are caught spitting on the sidewalk! It has been this way for a very long time.
Isn’t the real question this; what statuatory authority are they claiming to limit the rights of any citizen’s conduct while on public property that is otherwise legal? When did “We The People” agree to let those who serve decide what rules we play by? Wasn’t that job originally filled by a blindfolded woman holding a balance and a sword? Justice? Pretty hot bod too so DEFINATELY not a servant of The People!
Doesn’t that make them a tool of injustice? …or just a bunch of tools?
…and for the record, yes, Justice is sexy.
@Paul,
Great comment! I guess we veterans aren’t important enough to be treated with respect.
My wife read an article where certain entities are trying to eliminate “Memorial Day”! She’s wondering if “Veterans Day” will be next!
There’s a HOA outside Atlanta, Ga. telling their homeowners they can only “Fly Old Glory” on certain days of the year. Basically treating the American Flag as an “ornament”! Veterans in that community are NOT to happy. This came out today from “The Horn News”!
How many more insults must the Veterans Community take from an “out of control legislative body, (both parties), in Washington D.C.?”
When will these reprobates realize “We the People” are tired of their activities which screw the American Public!
How long will it take for “All good men to come to the aid of their country!”
The more I see what’s transpiring within our government, the more I see they’ve lost touch with reality.
It actually reminds me of certain sections in the Bible!
Y’all know those parts. They’re the parts of the Bible “Just before GOD GETS ANGRY!”
I will also lose out. I’m at 70% + 30% IU. So, I guess I’m going to lose out on about $1,200 each month.
I should be at 100% T&P with no unemployability. Only the VA screwed me out of all that compensation for 23 years by NOT admitting to my Army time!
Elf it looks like we will loose are CHAMPVA for our depedents. I live in MI and the state gives us benefits such as no property taxes, free license plates plus more.
This cuts deeper than loosing 1200.00 per month.
I am wondering if they will kiss us after they are done fucking us.
You know what would really get some attention in DC?
There are two special elections for Congress going on right now. One in Montana and one in Georgia. VP Pence has been to Montana campaigning for that race. I don’t know if he has been to Georgia.
Veterans that live in both of those districts should very loudly and publicly proclaim that they will be sitting home on that special election day. Let the rats in DC see that veterans sitting home can easily sway an election.
It would be a clear message, and one the media would certainly report on since they have been clamoring for a Democrat win in either election.
Well, it’s finally come. I’ve been watching this proposal since 2012. I’m T.D.I.U., over 65 too. So yep, I’m going to get cut drastically. I didn’t pay enough Quarters to qualify for S.S.D.I. and that was because my disability kept me out of the job market much of the time. My S.S retirement is less than $200.00 a month. I fought the VA for 20 plus years before they finally approved me. I watched the Shulkin hearing today on the House Veterans Affairs web site and the question about TDIU came up and Shulkin says there’s 7,000 vets over 80 years of age getting TDIU. (I have to wonder where he got those figures). Yeah, I’m going to lose my VA dental privileges too. Because you’ve got to be rated at 100% to get dental. Viet-Nam destroyed my teeth. Never could get toothpaste or tooth brushes over there in the jungle. Shulkin plans to take from us in order to get the Veterans Choice program funded. But VA wouldn’t let me on Veterans Choice back in 2014 after I asked them for it even though I live furthur than 40 miles from any VA clinic or hospital. We’re old veterans so they figure we’re so harmless that they can stick it to us……This is what you get for trying to do the right thing and fight for your country. Afterwards, it was SCREW YOU you damn babykiller, and now it’s SCREW YOU old man!
Dennis, are you saying this same thing has been proposed before? I had never heard that.
Shulins stats are very telling. He proposes closing 1100 facilities to make it look like they are tightening their belts and being responsible with their budget, then along comes this bullshit, which I believe Shulkin was well aware of.
7000 vets that they can cut off and not many will hear about it, in trade for a Choice program which the VA will still be in control of, which may or may not benefit many more veterans than 7000.
It’s the same old fucking game DC has been playing for years, and as mentioned somewhat my Rich B below. Playing one group of veterans off another. I heard it for years as a Gulf War vet being told any legislation passed to help us would just take away from other veterans.
This proposal far predates my own life. TDIU was introduced as an idea meant to shore up the rating system which itself is a unique idea insofar as it is not an all or nothing program like SSDI or Social Security. A PTSD patient who manages to stay married but otherwise is completely dysfunctional as a worker owing to symptoms might only be rated at 90% because the fact that a single relationship (marriage) is maintained does not fit the definition of “total social dysfunction” as was apllied to my case. You cannot be totally dysfunctional if you can manage to maintain such a close relationship.
So TDIU was implemented because we needed a way to handle unusual cases that otherwise would fall hrough the cracks when the intention is to compensate for lack of wage earning ability.
Since folks are getting these awards well past an age where they seek employment, then the problem becomes are they not working because of injury from service, or from age? The program was not meant originally to shore up the finances of folks who will never seek work again because of age, and from what I can gather this is the real rub. The precedent is set with SSDI. I will stop receiving SSDI the moment Social Security becomes available to me from age.
I do not either support or condemn the idea of TDIU. I do point out that it is a program meant to provide financial assistance to an injured person in substantially the same manner as SSDI, so I can see why those who would want to change this regulatory law put forth the notion that it cease being paid at exactly the same time that SSDI ceases and Social Security begins.
It is grossly unfair to compensate somebody for years then terminate it based on a convenience of the federal budget. As Ben pointed out there are deeper considerations, but my reaponse is to point out that this program has been on and off the chopping block almost since inception before I was born. It is a regulatory issue.
Thanks Dennis.
It is workmans’ comp for the military. And like workman’s comp they try to buy you out when you can no longer work for them. Unlike workman’s comp they don’t try to return you to employment with the company to keep from paying 100%. They just use excuses to keep from paying out like the current budget.
Like you Dennis, I went on SSDI at age 49. But I’m 75 now and have been drawing the same check but it is now labeled SS instead of SSDI since 2006. My SSDI decision was used as evidence by the BVA to finally grant TDIU back to the 2009 TBI change. Still in play on remand is going back to 1987, the last time I had a full time job and my first TDIU claim. May only go back to the date SSDI was granted. Or, if the budget goes through, I’ll be stuck with what I have. A 43 year experience of poverty and living off my wife and her parents until they died. Her father provided our total living after she had to quit working because of Meniere’s syndrome until I received my TBI rating of 40% in 2011 and he passed in December of 2011.
AMVETS statement said: “The argument for this cut is that these senior citizens would be eligible for Social Security retirement benefits at age 65. That argument is flawed because these veterans have largely been disabled, out of the work force and not paying into Social Security for many years before reaching 65. Many have been severely disabled as a result of their military service and unable to work since the day of their discharge.”
Damn Straight! I am one of those guys, and still fighting for my benefits. One would think after twenty years of Unwanted Unemployment – – – the VA might recognize that in addition to my TBI/PTSD, and other medical issues – – – that being chronically unemployed is a detriment to my life, and feeds negatively into the total situation?
NOT A FUCKING CHANCE!
Worthless ASSHATS.
Disgruntled veteran , you make a good point alot with TDIU may not have paid into the SS system for years, and hopefully that will be considered. I am not for cutting TDIu for someone that has been on TDIU from their young years..
I was only referring to those that get tdiu after leaving the military and having a successful career and then taking a normal retirement…. those that get tdiu after a normal retirement are those that in my opinion should never have been awarded TDIU to begin with, except for the fact that age is never considered in rating decisions it is likely they would not have gotten the award.
Glad your opinion don’t count. I believe you will not admit to screwing veterans because you did not feel they should get their disability.
Bet you spread your option to other’s service officers, thinking your opinion is law…
His many have you harmed, file 13 because you felt they did not deserve their disability.
U believe on MY opinion you are a wolf in sheep clothing.
Bet you feel God like. !
To rich b
That clarifies $306 million to administer 136 national cemeteries & $135 million for state cemetery grants. Money stress can easily exterminate a persons will to live.
“https://www.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=2909”
STOP PAYING DUES TO THE LEGION, DAV, VFW, AND WHOEVER ELSE CODDLES THE VA.
I AM CALLING ON ALL AMERICA’S VETERANS TO SHUT DOWN THE VA……
PLAIN AND SIMPLE
@This we’ll Defend – – – I belong to NO VSO. ALL of them have lied to me at one time or another. I ABHOR liars! Last memberships I had with any VSO, I let lapse in 2000.
Will NEVER give them a penny again.
We also need to get rid of the VSOs and the union! Both are as dirty as the VA hand that feeds them! “https://youtu.be/K2eXVA2b6so”
Dear, Trump Supporters Jesse Jackson use to say something like KEEP HOPE ALIVE and I use to say he’s been dead for awhile. Ok, let’s Go with Don(tha Con) Dumpf would Say I’m Going to COVER the SWAMP Instead if some of you are Still Smoking that Good Stuff, It should be Called the FANTASY DOPE cause if you live in an AR world I can see that you’re Being a Dumbass in that REALITY. If you live in this REALITY WITH A CLEAR VISION You should have seen Right Through the Great White Hope’s BULLLLLLSHIT….
The Big Six, must have received a hell of a Big Bone, to keep their mouth shut. What does this do to Veterans, who have purchased homes, that are on UI? Yep, “Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, Air Force, keep off the Grass”, now that their no longer needed.
Good Article, Ben.
I was expecting this, yet tried to remain optimistic – – – hoping against hope that it would not happen. So here’s what I am going to do. In the mid-terms, I vote against all incumbents. In the next Primary, and General, I vote against all incumbents. You may engrave that in stone.
Fuck them all. America may not have the cojones to honor her promises, I do.
FIX THE DAMN BROKEN VA:
1. Recognize the problems inherent in the VA are SYSTEM-WIDE, not just limited to a few locations.
2. Fire all the Lazy No Good Workers. Fire EVERY single AFGE/SES Employee.
3. Sell off all the VA facilities. Alternatively, they may be converted into housing for homeless veterans.
4. Issue all veterans a card that allows them to choose their own doctors within their community that they can TRUST.
5. The United States Government will PAY those doctors promptly (Within 45 days) for the care they provide veterans.
6. ELIMINATE the “Federal Protection” Umbrella for incompetent QUACKS that the VA sends to other states to practice other than their own. Going to practice in Hawaii? You need to be LICENSED in Hawaii. Same applies to all other states.
7. Any claim a veteran submits that requires more than 90 days to adjudicate, is automatically found to be in favor of the veteran. If a claim filed by a veteran is found to be a false one designed to scam the system, the VA will have to prove in civil court that a false claim was intentionally submitted.
8. All veterans will be allowed to seek/retain the services of a Veterans Rights Attorney from their first initial contact with the VA.
POTUS Reagan broke up PATCO in the ’80’s. POTUS Trump and our current Congress Critters do NOT have Veterans Interests at heart. Perhaps their replacements will. VOTE OUT all these WORTHLESS INCUMBENTS. Give their replacement’s one term to take care of the Veterans. If they cannot muster the stones to do it properly – – – vote their worthless asses out as well.
DO NOT be surprised when the next McVeigh Incident occurs. Bound to happen.
.
Lem, COLA for Social Security has been far less than the real Cost of Living going back many years.
Don’t I know it. I’ve been drawing SSDI since 1990. The last 5 years my communications (TV, phone and internet) bill went up more than double the total increase in my SSDI (now SS, 70% VA comp and my wife’s SS. We’ve had to cut things each year and still found our CC debt climbing.
Hi everyone, I just let my American Legion expire today because of this. Not that I made it expire but it was due too. I will not renew.
Does anyone know for sure which VA service organization speaks out for disabled veterans more? Is it Amvets?
I have already been a member of DAV and dumped them quick after seeing they are for the V.A., now I see American Legion is in there back pocket too. I want an honest organization that actually helps us.
Thanks for any help.
Nick Savage
I honestly think that a VSO that is for the vets is like the Easter Bunny, and leprechauns, and Unicorns farting rainbows.
lmao
@iratevet24601 – – – I am comshawing that one!
Going for Amvets then. I have to support one. They seem like the logical choice
@nicky w savage: nicky, check if there is a veterans assistance commission in your county first. They are usually paid by the taxpayers to provide assistance to that counties veterans. If not, I don’t know what to suggest. Good luck nicky, your a good man.
Hey Nicky,
You might want to read the doc at the following link concerning one of AMVETS money laundering operations. It was an operation that they set up to launder gambling profits so they would not have to donate any to help Veterans.
It is about 43 pages but well worth a read if you are considering hooking up with them. Out of 59 Post in Ohio not one of them acted responsibly and all took part in the money laundering operation.
“https://www.ohioattorneygeneral.gov/OhioAttorneyGeneral/files/46/463dc01f-1136-449c-a366-82f42d21d899.pdf”
Also, if eligible for TDIU one is eligible for SSDI at about the same time. So this would probably take away TDIU totally for everyone. And SSDI started years early is a fraction of what one would receive at retirement age. And it never increases other than COLA.
It’s getting better every day……
Just got my TDIU and this would take the results completely away.
@Lem – – – With you Lem in being able to keep it until . . . Well you know. – – – Nutter.
It’s all brass bands and hoopla before Johnny comes marching, hobbling or rolling home. Look at all the Politicians hanging on the Veteran’s coat tails for photo ops. Watch the same lying sniveling Draft-Dodging cowards stab them in their backs! If you voted for the all Republican Congress and the Trump Administration’s plans…………….. Read “My Father, My Son” by Zumwalt’s son to see who’s going to pay this cost. Look at the US “Wounded Warriors” on TV still begging for help from the last Gulf War and imagine them losing more money with this plan.
Gary, Don(Tha Con)Dumpf is a Fkn Draft Dodger hes the same age of some of those Older Vets he should hv been serving side by side but hes a lil Bitch Draft Dodger
@Gary – – – Lets hope also that accountability controls are kept on Wounded Warriors. Then maybe is it is the controls show to be successful, that some how they can be applied to the VA. Just writing, who knows. If VA can do anything, a slick legal sniffin howling beagle can make it happen. No offense Benny. – – – Nutter.
Gary and MK–So true. Thank you for sharing.
Following.
Benjamin, no, I knew you were right. I foresaw the cuts coming. And as for Paul Ryan, this guy is a joke. He is clueless. Like I have mentioned, these government officials do not have any insight at all that is really necessary to implement any type of constructive accountable legislation due to not being connected to the American people at all. New breaking news. Obama administration is under fire. Brennan is not to be trusted. Going back to the VA believing that it is the government’s money. No, it is not. The money belongs to the people who are paying the taxes. Everyone consider this. The Trump supporters are mainly the ones who are working. So 60+ million Americans voted for him, so if the country does split in half which will be a disaster if it happens. The Trump supporters refuse to pay taxes and revolt against the administration. Then, the VA cannot no longer say it is their money because there will be no taxpayer money to pay their salaries. So President Trump and the Administration with including Secretary Shulkin need to consider very carefully what they are proposing. More to come.
Very well said, Angela!
I guess we’ll just have to sit and wait – FOR NOW!
@Angela – – – RIGHT FUCKIN’ ON !!!!!!
A Hui Hou!
@Agela – – – Dam, been feeling like this ever since POTUS overcame the other [HRC]. Your post goes right up and down the hallways of the dam VA and its means of survival. Yes, we shall see. Prez Trump sent me an email. Told him off, and as usual continued to remind him that to keep his promises. Veterans are on the fence pertaining keeping their hands up to be counted as supporting him. This is going to be quite interesting. If it flops, a well overdue flare up may be on the horizon. Geesh – – – Nutter.
Hey Vets and Benjamin, I just can’t understand why or even the thought process behind as to why the CBO, Paul Ryan, and many others have it in for the Veterans. Can’t Speaker Paul Ryan and many others realize that they would not be propped up in their perches if it were not for all the Warriors who have fought and are fighting in these wars? I do not believe Speaker Paul Ryan can even understand that he would not be able to have his lip service position if it weren’t for the military. Some of these government officials are just spoiled brats with taking their livelihood for granted. These folks who are bashing the veterans and stripping the veterans of their livelihood who have no way to get back into employment had better carefully reevaluate their motives and their agenda. Benjamin, how is it that veterans get hung out to dry and yet Speaker Paul Ryan takes money divied up for the veterans
and uses it for all these illegal immigrants? Benjamin, even on top of this our government is even funding these non citizens full rides at our universities to include tuition, room and board, housing and even medical care. I know it is happening because I am informed about the grants that were approved by the Obama administration to be given to these schools. Benjamin, I would like to share with you that many minorities rant and rave about being thrown under the bus which means of course having been victimized and complain about the white supremacy regarding the so called facts that whites have all the opportunities in this country. Well, Benjamin, I can tell you that their perspective is comes from a state of being misinformed with not having all the facts. Throughout my research regarding academic assistance, scholarships, grants, and retraining opportunities, Benjamin, I noted that most of the scholarships, grants, academic assistance, retraining opportunities are for minorities such as Hispanic, African American, Native American Indian, and many other nationalities NOT Caucasian or whites. Benjamin, this country is already unbelievably tilted towards minorities with really having more opportunities than the Caucasians or whites. There is very little assistance for whites according to my research. Benjamin, people are not informed and I guess do not know how to research things for themselves. They had rather protest, cause violence, break windows, bitch and complain, raise hell and the list goes on. Really, I have no sympathy whatsoever for these minorities or these foreigners. These foreigners come into this country on H1B and H2B visas and other means and take the jobs of many Americans with even the Americans forced to train them. Then, the Americans are left without employment and then, this forces them to have to apply for government assistance. Many are denied particularly if they are white and it takes whites forever to get assistance. Benjamin, and too, it is being discussed and debated for the implementation of Affirmative Action for Conservatives. Benjamin,
our universities and academic institutions are staffed above and beyond with liberals who love these illegal immigrants and minorities. Do you now see more of the direction of the country? How can the leadership of this country take away from the veterans who have fought for this country and legally earned through blood and sweat decent healthcare, educational benefits, and retraining opportunities. I just cannot understand how Secretary David Shulkin can strip our elderly veterans? Secretary Shulkin is creating a homelessness disaster. I have more to add later Benjamin on how the VA budget is being spent or planning to be spent regarding these new proposed VA facilities. Got to go for now.
Angela, et. al.,
I suspect this is a mix of cost shifting and Congressional PAYGO rules with a healthy dose of sleight of hand mixed in.
I cannot see anyone close to Trump having enough detailed knowledge of the VA budget to propose eliminating TDIU for certain vets in order to pay for extending Choice. That kind of cost shifting comes from Congressional and VA insiders.
If Congressman X wants Choice extended, then other Congressmen invoke PAYGO (Pay As You Go) rules which means there is no budget increase, so one has to look for other ways to pay for it that is already in their existing budget. PAYGO rules are blatantly ignored when needed, or invoked by congress when convenient.
Elderly veterans would be an easy target. Younger veterans without TDIU and pampered VSOs would be unlikely to oppose it.
Its also a win for the VA since a good part of the TDIU budget can now be shifted to other things the VA bureaucracy wants…staff and buildings, better facilities, etc.
The public will be told the money is to improve and extend Choice providing care for veterans.
Older veterans who have their TDIU cut will have to fend for themselves, which may mean medicaid, Medicare or other programs. The VA doesn’t care since they are now someone else’s problem. The cost is shifted off their budget.
As for Ryan and illegal aliens, you are spot on. Ryan supports illegal immigration because it means cheap, taxpayer subsidized labor for his donors in the US Chamber of Commerce. Its why southern Wisconsin is a haven for illegal aliens.
Ryan is careful to not be too public about his support for this illegal labor, but organizations supporting him and previous think tanks he was involved in make clear what his position is.
That attitude is shared by many in congress who refer to veterans benefits as entitlements…all lumped in together with any other public welfare program.
THE TRUMPER IS SAYING TO ALL VETS BEND OVWR @ TAKE IT IN BUTT VETS SCREWED AGIN THANKS TRUMPER FOR NOTHING !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Everyone I might just stop by the DAV state office and express my serious concern regarding the proposed cuts. In regards to my comments about the illegals and minorities. What I am saying is illegals do not have the rights over the veterans. The veterans are the American citizens and have earned everything that is due to them. The illegal immigrants should not be compensated when they are not even citizens of this country. I continued on into the minority topic because it is true that our country is tilted and not balanced to afford assistance to all who are in need of academic scholarships, retraining opportunities, grants, healthcare, or just any kind of assistance to dig them out of their holes. Our country needs to strive towards becoming more balanced. The declined and unrestful state of our country though is due to Democrat policies and Liberals. And too, I honestly believe that the increased VA budget and the proposed building of new facilities is not about taking care of the veterans currently but to a future vision of the implementation of a single payer socialistic healthcare system for everyone in this country. Remember folks it is the VA model that most government officials want to establish throughout this country. I honestly believe this is what Secretary David Shulkin is up to behind the scenes as well as the Trump administration with including both sides of the Isle. Folks I almost believe this is what this is all about with the polluted budget.
@All: Remember this movie scene?
I don’t have to tell you things are bad. Everybody knows things are bad. It’s the VA. Everybody’s out of work or scared of losing their job. The dollar buys a nickel’s worth, veterans are going bust, they keep a gun under the pillow. Punks are running wild in the street and there’s nobody anywhere who seems to know what to do, and there’s no end to it. We know the air is unfit to breathe and our food is unfit to eat, and we sit watching our TV’s while some local newscaster tells us that today we had fifteen homicides and sixty-three violent crimes, as if that’s the way it’s supposed to be. We know things are bad – worse than bad. They’re crazy. It’s like everything everywhere is going crazy, so we don’t go out anymore. We sit in the house, and slowly the world we are living in is getting smaller, and all we say is, ‘Please, at least leave us alone in our living rooms. Let me have my toaster and my TV and my steel-belted radials and I won’t say anything. Just leave us alone.’ Well, I’m not gonna leave you alone. I want you to get mad! I don’t want you to protest. I don’t want you to riot – I don’t want you to write to your useless congressman because I wouldn’t know what to tell you to write. I don’t know what to do about the VA and the AFGE/SES and the Russians and the crime in the street. All I know is that first you’ve got to get mad. You’ve got to say, ‘I’m a HUMAN BEING, God damn it! My life has VALUE!’ So I want you to get up now. I want all of you to get up out of your chairs. I want you to get up right now and go to the window. Open it, and stick your head out, and yell, ‘I’M AS MAD AS HELL, AND I’M NOT GOING TO TAKE THIS ANYMORE!’ I want you to get up right now, sit up, go to your windows, open them and stick your head out and yell – ‘I’m as mad as hell and I’m not going to take this anymore!’ Things have got to change. But first, you’ve gotta get mad!… You’ve got to say, ‘I’m as mad as hell, and I’m not going to take this anymore!’ Then we’ll figure out what to do about the VA and the AFGE/SES and the budget crisis. But first get up out of your chairs, open the window, stick your head out, and yell, and say it: “I’M AS MAD AS HELL, AND I’M NOT GOING TO TAKE THIS ANYMORE!”
Just gotta love them thar old movies eh?
Open it, and stick your head out, and yell, ‘I’M AS MAD AS HELL, AND I’M NOT GOING TO TAKE THIS ANYMORE…I just did that and someone shouted back its my money. and I want it now….I think it was JG wentworth
@OLDMARINE: LMAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OLDMARINE, You made my day with that come back………….well played sir, well played!!!!
Angela heres a good article for you “https://anationbeguiled.com/?p=14108”