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N7GCW > VETS 26.03.05 02:51l 147 Lines 9150 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
BID : 40268_WA7V
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Subj: VA benefits like Welfare?
Path: DB0FHN<DB0FOR<DB0SIF<DB0FHK<DB0ACC<DB0EA<DB0RES<DK0WUE<SP7MGD<ZL2TZE<
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Sent: 050325/1615z @:WA7V.#SEWA.WA.USA.NOAM [Walla Walla] $:40268_WA7V
"Welfarizing" the VA
The selling of VA benefits as welfare"
Opinion by Larry Scott
It's a disturbing trend. All around us we see the not-so-subtle positioning=
of the VA as a gigantic welfare program. The VA is not a welfare program! =
It's just that simple. The idiomatic definition of welfare is: Receiving re=
gular assistance from the government or private agencies because of need. V=
eterans receive benefits not because they "need" anything. Veterans receive=
their VA benefits because they earned them by their service to our country=
.In testimony before the U.S. Senate last year an AMVETS representative sai=
d, "As a nation, we owe veterans an enormous debt of gratitude-for their se=
rvice, their patriotism, and their sacrifices. The benefits to which they a=
re legally entitled are not the product of some social welfare program, as =
some might argument. Rather they are yet another cost of freedom that unfor=
tunately is too often forgotten."Disturbing trend #2 is that those in Washi=
ngton who have been the most vocal defenders of veterans are being removed =
from their positions of influence. VA Secretary Anthony J. Principi was ask=
ed, or forced, to resign after he publicly expressed dismay that the Bush a=
dministration cut $1.2 billion from the FY 2005 VA budget request. Arlan Sp=
ecter (R-PA), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs, moved =
to the Judiciary Committee and was replaced by Larry Craig (R-ID). Craig su=
pported the administration's $1.2 billion cut.But the biggest blow to veter=
ans came when Representative Chris Smith (R-NJ) was removed as Chairman of =
the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs. Smith was universally respected a=
s a friend to veterans and a fighter for increased benefits but strayed fro=
m the official Party line one too many times. Not only did he lose the chai=
rmanship, he was removed from the Committee.Smith has been replaced by Stev=
e Buyer (R-IN). In his first few days as Committee Chair Buyer has managed =
to offend every veteran's group in the country. At a time when every vetera=
n knows the VA needs more funding Buyer said, "I want to modernize the syst=
em. I am not a defender of bloated bureaucracies." Buyer then went on to pa=
int a perfectly clear picture of the VA of the future by saying, "Some of t=
he veterans service organizations, they are having this belief that everyon=
e should have open access to the VA system, when in fact I believe that the=
VA system should follow its core constituency and the intent of Congress w=
hen we laid out our priorities, and that was in fact to take care of our di=
sabled and indigent veterans first." (emphasis mine)This was NOT an off-the=
-cuff remark by Rep. Buyer. He was placed in his position by the Republican=
Party leadership and speaks for the Party who answers to the White House. =
Buyer speaks the gospel and gets his sermons right from the Top.The most im=
portant part of Buyer's remarks is his deliberate "welfarizing" of the VA h=
ealthcare system. By telling us the priority of the VA is to care for "disa=
bled and indigent" veterans first, he minimizes and denigrates the sacrific=
es made by ALL veterans. The VA was setup to serve ALL veterans including t=
he "disabled and indigent." This careful positioning of the VA healthcare s=
ystem creates the impression that the VA is a welfare program and veterans =
are just looking for a "handout." Also, it's easy to talk about the "intent=
" of a previous Congress when your goal is to undo what they have done. And=
the remark about "core constituency" is just plain outlandish. The VA serv=
es ALL veterans.Buyer's remarks are clever, well-planned, well-delivered an=
d approved at the highest levels. Buyer's remarks also point to a dismal fu=
ture for the VA. The VA healthcare system is about to be changed and there =
may never be any going back. Priority Group 8 veterans have now been cut fr=
om the system. Outgoing VA Secretary Principi has indicated that Priority G=
roup 7 is the next to go. Under-funding means veterans wait months, and som=
etimes over a year, for necessary surgeries and other medical procedures. Y=
et Buyer talks of "bloated bureaucracies." That's code for: More budget cut=
s. Funny that there was no mention of "bloated" bureaucrats. They always se=
em to survive.Don't think this "welfarizing" of the VA won't fly. Using car=
efully chosen buzz words in the proper setting can sell this in a heartbeat=
. "Bloated bureaucracies" are hated by all even though the VA is hardly blo=
ated. "Modernize" is another good word because new is perceived as being mu=
ch better than old. A phrase like "intent of Congress" coming from a member=
of Congress has the sound of authority. Then there are the two key words. =
"Disabled" is easily construed by many to mean unwilling as opposed to its =
true meaning of unable. "Indigent" just plain means homeless to most people=
and a majority of Americans feel the homeless choose to be that way.
Often, this type of campaign to change public perception is referred to as =
"demonizing." By "demonizing" the VA and not veterans the onus has been pla=
ced on a governmental system that can be viewed, by some, as "bloated" and =
out of control. You will notice there is no "demonizing" of veterans in all=
this rhetoric. To do that would be political suicide. The only way to "sup=
port veterans" and cut their services and benefits at the same time is to p=
ortray the VA system as broken when it is not. The VA just needs to be fund=
ed properly. So, get ready for more. The only effective way to keep cutting=
the VA budget is to sell the concept to the American people as a form of w=
elfare. As an old broadcaster and public relations guy, let me tell you how=
it's going to be done.
REMOVE DISSENT. Principi, Specter and Smith are gone. Those with a say now =
speak with one voice. Unity is important. Say we support veterans.
USE DEFLECTION INSTEAD OF FACT. When asked about under-funding at the VA, P=
resident Bush has never directly addressed the issue or answered the questi=
on. He uses deflection. Like this statement on October 13, 2004: "We've inc=
reased VA funding by $22 billion in the four years since I've been presiden=
t." The dollar figure is accurate and it appears to paint a rosy picture. B=
ut it's just a number taken out of context and does not take into account t=
hat veterans seeking healthcare have increased faster than the budget incre=
ases can handle them. Don't worry. Just say we support veterans.
SAY IT AND SAY IT AND SAY IT. If you say it enough people will accept it as=
the truth. This works for everything from political campaigns to advertisi=
ng widgets. Just keep saying it. Say we support veterans. Then say it again=
. Say we support veterans.
GET IN LOCKSTEP. Make sure everyone is saying the same thing. This is only =
slightly removed from #1 but can only be implemented after the dissenters a=
re gone. Say we support veterans.
FLOAT A TRIAL BALLOON. Once all the proper players are lined up have one of=
them say it out loud. The Steve Buyer statement about "disabled and indige=
nt" veterans is a perfect example. Say we support veterans.
GAUGE REACTION. Did anybody squawk when you floated the trial balloon? Did =
the Senate march, en masse, into the Oval Office demanding an end to this? =
No? Did the veterans' groups moan and groan? They did? Don't worry about it=
because we'll just go back to #2 and #3 until they believe. OK, it looks l=
ike it's going to fly. Say we support veterans.
REPEAT #3 WITH HELP FROM THE MEDIA. Get the talking points out to the talk =
show hosts and have them beat it into the ground. Many Americans say they g=
et their "news" from talk shows, so what better place to sell a concept tha=
t people will think is factual. Say we support veterans.
PROPOSE LEGISLATION. Use all the right phrases like "bloated bureaucracies"=
and "core constituents" and "intent of Congress." Cut the VA to the bone a=
nd wait for veterans to yell. Say we support veterans.
LET THEM YELL. Give the other side of the aisle lots of time to scream bloo=
dy murder then call them "tax and spend liberals" and move on. Let the vete=
rans groups raise heck and tell them it is for their own good. Say we suppo=
rt veterans.
DISREGARD #9 AND PASS THE LEGISLATION. Hey, we listened, right? Pass the bi=
ll and forget about it. Oh, yeah. Don't forget to say we support veterans.=
Right now we are in the midst of #6. The rest will come faster than you thi=
nk. As the VA is carefully positioned as a welfare program public support f=
or more funding will fade away. Is Priority Group 7 next? The Clothing Allo=
wance? Benefits for spouses? How about a dollar cut in monthly benefits? Ho=
w about longer waits for medical treatment? We can sit back and watch this =
happen or we can do something about it NOW! It is time for a new level of a=
ctivism in the veteran community. If we accept this deliberate and willful =
destruction of the VA we dishonor every American veteran. Let us not allow =
this to happen.
________________________________________
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