Operator Dan sent us this link from American Progress, the leftist thought-free tank, entitled “Restoring Tricare” and of course, it targets military retirees and veterans upon whose backs, these pitiful girlie men want to balance the national debt.
Congress and the American public are rightly wary of asking veterans, servicemen and women, and their families to shoulder increasing health care costs when so many service members are or have recently been engaged in operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
It is important to note, however, that our recommendations would in no way affect active-duty service members, who would continue to receive health care at no cost.
Of course, that’s their shield; our recommendations don’t affect active duty military. Um, if I’m not mistaken, those people who are currently serve will eventually become retired and expect their government to fulfill the promise of healthcare. It’s not like we were born into this world as military retirees, we earned it.
…this paper recommends restoring the cost-sharing balance between military retirees and the American taxpayer, a balance which was established in 1995 and has since been allowed to deteriorate for no good reason.
Ya know what happened in 1995? For all of you young bucks who weren’t around then, military retirees were kicked off of DVA and Tricare at the age of 65 and tossed onto the heap of Medicare. So all of that lifetime healthcare you earned was just gone. That’s the “balance” these peckerwoods are describing.
In order to address this growing imbalance, we recommend the following steps:
* Gradually phase in increased fees for military retirees, including a tiered fee structure for working-age retirees
More class warfare…since you did your time, retired, tried to catch up with your peers in the job market and became successful, we’re going to charge you for your healthcare and break payments down to be commensurate with your wages.
Increase cost sharing to encourage responsible use of Tricare for Life benefits
You’ve been using your benefits irresponsibly. You spent twenty years never going on sick call unless you needed it (mostly because you couldn’t stand spending the morning surrounded by whiny privates) but now suddenly, you’re irresponsible. SO we’re going to make it so expensive, you still won’t use it.
Limit double coverage for high-income retirees and peg Tricare premiums to Medicare Part B costs
There it is. Medicare again. What easier way exists to “peg Tricare premiums to Medicare ” than just move military retires to Medicare at 65 years of age?
Yeah, yeah, I read your comments about we should be willing to “give up” what we earned in the greater sense of service to our country, blah, blah, blah. I used to agree with you, until I noticed in the 90s that only ones “sacrificing” were veterans and service members. the rest of the goofballs were standing in line with hands out, in some sort stupor created by a sense of entitlement.
Naw, fuck you. This isn’t a sense of entitlement, this is promises made and promises broken. When I see fat shits like Hallis Mailen laying around on his fat ass demanding more from government, I lose my sense of patriotic duty to give up the shit I earned.
This time, if they want to brag about how they “balanced the budget” let them do it without my happy participation. Go after the waste and abuse, but leave me alone.
Did I mention that my pension has dropped about $125 in the last two years? That didn’t happen under Clinton or Bush. How the fuck does the value of my service drop?
Thanks to Old Trooper for that last link.
Want to see a prime example of government waste? See the article at Fox News. I saw Megan Kelly talking about this, this a.m., this is madness writ large.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/03/01/government-waste-numbers-report-identifies-dozens-duplicative-programs/
So, we need “82 programs, spread across 10 separate agencies” to “improve teacher quality”? Here’s a hint, dems and r’s, it ain’t working, none of it is working!!!
here’s a thought. How about them Unions take this step instead of us. Military life WILL BREAK YOUR BODY ya jacktard.
Go ahead find an Airborne Trooper’s medical record. Look at a light fighter after 20 years. Even Mech troopers that don’t run around like Light or Airborne will have serous chronic damage due to the high pace that is demanded. So remind me again HOW Teachers, or DMV or any of the fools in the IRS could POSSIBLY compare?
Now lets ask another question. What happens when and IED goes off and you lose a leg? What happens when a sniper manages to take put most of your spleen? It really starts to add up, and guess what they went there and did that under the orders given them by Congress and the Executive Branches. Do they not then have a duty to clean up the mess they leave? Oh wait we need to bail out the Unions and the idiotic policies that got us into this mess in the first place.
BOHICA! There I said it first. After much reflection after 24yrs of service, laying it on the line for a bunch of ungrateful BASTARDS spoiled brats and entitlement minded lazy FUCKS. SCREW EM. Thanks of a grateful nation my achin ASS!
Look at the wear and tear on any aircrew. Much the same as the airborne, the infantry, etc.
Here’s what I suggest. Anyone, who is not a veteran, is free to propose any cuts,realignments, etc, to military retiree pay and benefits, veterans benefits, etc, at any time.
However, as soon as those proposals are made and implemented, the person(s) proposing such reductions will be taken to some isolated spot, and be executed by gunshot, and their remains left as prey for the beasts and foul of the earth.
I think that that is incredibly fair and progressive in it’s thinking and potential.
In other words, the non-veterans should put their lives where their mouths are and be willing to back up their ideas with their lives.
Maybe it would help if the people they had writing for them read each other’s work. From one of the featured pieces on their home page:
“Why work a job for less pay than you’d make in the private sector—an extremely demanding job…if that job doesn’t provide the stability, health and safety regulations, health and retirement benefits, and basic equality…?”
I guess that reasoning only applies if the job in question comes with compulsory donations to leftist re-election campaigns. The whole quote:
“Why work a job for less pay than you’d make in the private sector—an extremely demanding job like teaching in public schools or plowing two-foot drifts of snow in minus-20 degree weather—if that job doesn’t provide the stability, health and safety regulations, health and retirement benefits, and basic equality that come with being part of a union?”
It’s as if the leftists think we have defective memories and need to be reminded over and over again that they’re beyond parody.
I agree with Jonn. Give up nothing!! I do have guys in my AL post who refuse the benefits they deserve, but that is their choice.
Every time they strip or change something, it pisses me off.
Alternative:
Cut my tax burden permanently for me and all of my dependents. Value of the tax will be twice the value of the loss in healthcare coverage.
Some of this is the Left’s desire to make the military a less attractive career option.