Grateful Nation?
Well... it appears as though the worst case scenario is happening just as I suspected. The House passed legislation approving a revised national budget which they are calling "Cut, Cap and Balance". Here is a quote from an Associated Press article written by David Espo:
As I stated in my previous posts, deepening cuts in our budget will only worsen our economy. Worse yet, a plan such as this... making $4 trillion in cuts over a decade which affect mostly the needy and poor of our country by cutting and stagnating Social Security payments, and cutting Medicare, Medicaid and other health programs... is reckless, dangerous and will result in far bigger and more dangerous problems for our country as a whole.
I can tell you personally that a plan to "slow the growth of Social Security payments" is a joke. It is a very bad and frightening joke. I have been fully disabled and collecting Social Security for about seven years now. I do not believe I have EVER received a cost of living increase to cover our constantly rising inflation! NEVER! Yet, every year, my out-of-pocket medical costs increase by a minimum of 10%. This past January, my medical expenses increased by more than 25% yet the government refused to give us a cost of living increase! So how could they possibly even slow the growth even further?
Under this plan, it sounds as though our out-of-pocket medical expenses will increase even more than this past year due to deepening cuts in our healthcare funding. Honestly, I have no idea how I will manage to make ends meet. If I have a problem with making ends meet, I can tell you that the majority of those dependent upon Social Security will also have a tremendous problem with that! Then what happens to our economy? I can tell you what is most likely to happen... our economy will crash.
Just as an example, let me explain my situation as a reference to the severity of these cuts. I am a disabled veteran... I managed to suffer two separate line-of-duty spinal injuries leaving me with two herniated disks, four bulging disks, six compressed disks, a broken-up disk in my neck, two areas of spinal stenosis, and osteophytosis. I had to learn to walk again. At times I still have difficulty getting around. The pain is unbearable each day even 14 years after my first spinal injury.
While awaiting discharge for two years on light duty, I did my best to be productive and refused to stay at home. For my hard work and suffering, I was losing my career, I had lost my wife, and I was demoted and chastised at my home base. I was treated as outcast. Close coworkers literally turned their backs to me whenever I approached them. After two years of light duty and this abuse, I was finally retired.
I then had to 'fight' for Social Security benefits! I also had to wait six months before receiving my first retirement pension check! I should have known that this was a sign of things to come from my "grateful nation".
For three years during my Air Force career, I served as team chief of the Honor Guard. Over that time, I was in charge of approximately 300 funerals. I was the one who presented the perfectly folded flag to the next-of-kin while believing every word that I recited at every funeral... "On behalf of the President of the United States, the United States Air Force, and a grateful nation, I present this flag as a symbol of our appreciation for the honorable service and dedication of your dear loved one, 'Sergeant John Doe'."
After retiring as disabled, I quickly realized, "Grateful Nation?.... Yeah, right!" This country is not grateful for my sacrifices. This country is not grateful for any sacrifices made by our servicemembers or their families. There is no honor. There is no gratitude. Worse yet, there is absolutely no understanding. That is truly what I desire, and need. It is something we all need... understanding.
With understanding comes the knowledge that those whom are disabled in our country require the help of social programs. With understanding comes the knowledge that any one of us could become disabled in a heartbeat requiring extensive care and aid. With understanding comes the knowledge that we should never treat our disabled, poor, elderly and veterans with ignorance, indifference, or disrespect. Where is the understanding? Where is the dignity?
As it is now, I spend approximately half my retirement pension and Social Security Disability pay on out-of-pocket medical expenses. My remaining pay would not even cover the cost of the most primative, run-down rent nevermind the cost of utilities and remaining bills. As if my spinal injuries were not enough, I also developed a life-threatening, incurable illness shortly after retiring as disabled. I am completely disabled now and was finally approved for Social Security Disability benefits years after retiring as disabled.
Now the House has approved deepening cuts to the very aid I need to survive? This is the very aid I was forced to fight and grovel for in order to receive. This is aid that millions of disabled, retired, elderly, poor and veterans depend upon for their survival. And some of this money, such as Social Security, is money we have actually paid-for and earned!
It is clear to me that these House-approved cuts will affect those in need the most and it will affect them immediately. After that, I suspect that many government jobs will be lost due to cuts. I also anticipate a collapse of our economy with masses of homeless, poor and sick, living in the streets. Of course, there will probably be no aid for homeless shelters, food and medical attention.
Right now, the wealthy of this country are celebrating. Why not? These cuts do not affect them. These cuts will only widen the gap between the 'haves' and the 'have-nots'. This new plan, 'Cut, Cap and Balance', does not hold any of the upper-class or wealthy responsible for helping their country in a desperate time of need. I am not even sure this plan holds the middle-class responsible for helping! Those being held responsible for helping their country are the poor... the disabled... the elderly... veterans... those in need.
Grateful nation? Give me a break! This country is selfish. This country has no honor. This country has no dignity. This country has no compassion. This country has no morals. I am convinced that this country is completely incapable of comprehending the true meaning of understanding, dignity, integrity, honor, courage, heroism, excellence, citizenship, morality... and, here is a really good one, equality. This once great and grateful nation is now on a self-destructive path due to ignorance, arrogance, selfishness, narrowmindedness and ineptitude.
Today, I have to publicly admit that I honestly feel as though the only fortunate veterans are the veterans who come back in a body bag.
Semper Electissimus. Ooo-RAH!
"It calls for deficit cuts of slightly less than $4 trillion over a decade and includes steps to slow the growth of Social Security payments, cut at least $500 billion from Medicare, Medicaid and other health programs and wring billions in savings from programs across the face of government."
As I stated in my previous posts, deepening cuts in our budget will only worsen our economy. Worse yet, a plan such as this... making $4 trillion in cuts over a decade which affect mostly the needy and poor of our country by cutting and stagnating Social Security payments, and cutting Medicare, Medicaid and other health programs... is reckless, dangerous and will result in far bigger and more dangerous problems for our country as a whole.
I can tell you personally that a plan to "slow the growth of Social Security payments" is a joke. It is a very bad and frightening joke. I have been fully disabled and collecting Social Security for about seven years now. I do not believe I have EVER received a cost of living increase to cover our constantly rising inflation! NEVER! Yet, every year, my out-of-pocket medical costs increase by a minimum of 10%. This past January, my medical expenses increased by more than 25% yet the government refused to give us a cost of living increase! So how could they possibly even slow the growth even further?
Under this plan, it sounds as though our out-of-pocket medical expenses will increase even more than this past year due to deepening cuts in our healthcare funding. Honestly, I have no idea how I will manage to make ends meet. If I have a problem with making ends meet, I can tell you that the majority of those dependent upon Social Security will also have a tremendous problem with that! Then what happens to our economy? I can tell you what is most likely to happen... our economy will crash.
Just as an example, let me explain my situation as a reference to the severity of these cuts. I am a disabled veteran... I managed to suffer two separate line-of-duty spinal injuries leaving me with two herniated disks, four bulging disks, six compressed disks, a broken-up disk in my neck, two areas of spinal stenosis, and osteophytosis. I had to learn to walk again. At times I still have difficulty getting around. The pain is unbearable each day even 14 years after my first spinal injury.
While awaiting discharge for two years on light duty, I did my best to be productive and refused to stay at home. For my hard work and suffering, I was losing my career, I had lost my wife, and I was demoted and chastised at my home base. I was treated as outcast. Close coworkers literally turned their backs to me whenever I approached them. After two years of light duty and this abuse, I was finally retired.
I then had to 'fight' for Social Security benefits! I also had to wait six months before receiving my first retirement pension check! I should have known that this was a sign of things to come from my "grateful nation".
For three years during my Air Force career, I served as team chief of the Honor Guard. Over that time, I was in charge of approximately 300 funerals. I was the one who presented the perfectly folded flag to the next-of-kin while believing every word that I recited at every funeral... "On behalf of the President of the United States, the United States Air Force, and a grateful nation, I present this flag as a symbol of our appreciation for the honorable service and dedication of your dear loved one, 'Sergeant John Doe'."
After retiring as disabled, I quickly realized, "Grateful Nation?.... Yeah, right!" This country is not grateful for my sacrifices. This country is not grateful for any sacrifices made by our servicemembers or their families. There is no honor. There is no gratitude. Worse yet, there is absolutely no understanding. That is truly what I desire, and need. It is something we all need... understanding.
With understanding comes the knowledge that those whom are disabled in our country require the help of social programs. With understanding comes the knowledge that any one of us could become disabled in a heartbeat requiring extensive care and aid. With understanding comes the knowledge that we should never treat our disabled, poor, elderly and veterans with ignorance, indifference, or disrespect. Where is the understanding? Where is the dignity?
As it is now, I spend approximately half my retirement pension and Social Security Disability pay on out-of-pocket medical expenses. My remaining pay would not even cover the cost of the most primative, run-down rent nevermind the cost of utilities and remaining bills. As if my spinal injuries were not enough, I also developed a life-threatening, incurable illness shortly after retiring as disabled. I am completely disabled now and was finally approved for Social Security Disability benefits years after retiring as disabled.
Now the House has approved deepening cuts to the very aid I need to survive? This is the very aid I was forced to fight and grovel for in order to receive. This is aid that millions of disabled, retired, elderly, poor and veterans depend upon for their survival. And some of this money, such as Social Security, is money we have actually paid-for and earned!
It is clear to me that these House-approved cuts will affect those in need the most and it will affect them immediately. After that, I suspect that many government jobs will be lost due to cuts. I also anticipate a collapse of our economy with masses of homeless, poor and sick, living in the streets. Of course, there will probably be no aid for homeless shelters, food and medical attention.
Right now, the wealthy of this country are celebrating. Why not? These cuts do not affect them. These cuts will only widen the gap between the 'haves' and the 'have-nots'. This new plan, 'Cut, Cap and Balance', does not hold any of the upper-class or wealthy responsible for helping their country in a desperate time of need. I am not even sure this plan holds the middle-class responsible for helping! Those being held responsible for helping their country are the poor... the disabled... the elderly... veterans... those in need.
Grateful nation? Give me a break! This country is selfish. This country has no honor. This country has no dignity. This country has no compassion. This country has no morals. I am convinced that this country is completely incapable of comprehending the true meaning of understanding, dignity, integrity, honor, courage, heroism, excellence, citizenship, morality... and, here is a really good one, equality. This once great and grateful nation is now on a self-destructive path due to ignorance, arrogance, selfishness, narrowmindedness and ineptitude.
Today, I have to publicly admit that I honestly feel as though the only fortunate veterans are the veterans who come back in a body bag.
Semper Electissimus. Ooo-RAH!
I wonder how many members of the House received cash from large corporations so that they would create and vote for this sickening legislation? Also... did anyone else notice that there was no mention of cutting the Capitol Hill budget line items? Surprise, surprise... they didn't cut something that would affect themselves!
ReplyDelete