Can anybody give me a good answer why the president would veto an increase for veterans?

Question

http://www.military.com/veterans-report/white-house-against-boosting-va-budget?ESRC=vr.nl

Why????
I dont understand how supported of Bush can still support him after this.

My husband is a disabled Iraq war vet. We are both Marines.

THE EVIL ORANGE

So sticking to a budget is not okay when it comes to the war, but help for veterans is okay to veto??? Why would he veto anything that has to do with helping the veterans???

SORRY I GOT YOUR NAME BACKWARDS MY BAD

No i will say again, i read it very well. I didnt miss anything.

VETERANS = VETO ( if it isnt convient for him )

WAR =INCREASE

Answer 1

it is not as if they can't use everything that they get, whether it is double or triple what bush wanted to give.

it is important to note that the va has been underfunded for many years. check out what happened at walter reed. how many other va's are in the same shape. the ann arbor, mi va med center rec'd a visit from senator levin, but they knew in advance that he was coming. what a surprise! i bet someone burned some ot up.

every veteran was promised to be taken care of after their military service. many veterans know nothing of their benefits. while you are in they tell you zippo. individual veterans learn more from word of mouth.

it is quite simple, bush cares little about the military, except as a tool to further his ambitions. what does he care, he goes to camp david.

Answer 2

Not that I agree with it, but Congress is trying to make a point. If they attach a raise to the budget which also says troops must be pulled out by xxx date knowing Bush will not agree to the date, of course he will veto it. So it looks as if he is saying no to the pay raise. Gets headlines.

Not that I am defending Bush mind you, but if the pay raise was so important to Congress, why have they not passed a special bill just for military pay raises? One with no 'riders' or special conditions that they know Bush will not like.

Its amazing how Congress gets a pay raise every year with no problem, but the military's raise is always in debate.

Answer 3

There are, according to wikipedia, about 1.4 million active military personel. An extra $20 a week comes to $1000 a year, or about $1.4 billion. They certainly deserve all we can offer, but no matter how you slice it, it is expensive.

From Bush's economic policies, they have a desire to keep taxes down, and are trying to show the deficit declining. A moderate pay increase would stymie that, so a cold political calculation is made - veto the pay increase (and try to divert some of the attention by highlighting other parts of the bill they object to) won't put enough of a dent in the support they seem to automatically get from military personel and their families.

Answer 4

I think you missed part of the Article The president is actually asking to increasing the VA budget. Congress wants to double that, without regard to the overall budget.


(from your source)
"If Congress increases VA funding above the president’s request and does not offset this increase with spending
reductions in other bills, the president will veto any of the other bills that exceed his request until Congress demonstrates a path to reach the president’s top line of $933 billion,” the Office of Management and Budget said -""

heres more from a second article directed to from the first

The Veterans Affairs budget currently stands at $36.5 billion, and the administration has proposed raising it to $40.1 billion. In Congress, a conference committee is attempting to reconcile a House bill providing $3.8-billion beyond that with a Senate measure that would increase the administration’s proposal by $3.6 billion

Answer 5

The increase was for officers, not the enlisted. There might have been a pull out of Iraq rider attached to the bill too.

Answer 6

Did you actually read the article? Bush said he'd veto it if Congress didn't reduce spending in other areas. This is called sticking to a budget. There isn't infinite money, you know. If more money is going to go to veterans, then it has to be taken from some other part of the budget. That sounds reasonable to me.

Answer 7

you seem surprised. the fact that anyone could be surprised by all the foolish nonsense that idiot does is the funny part. but i am sorry that your husband has become disabled in the line of duty for America. he deserves much better than this administration will ever do for him. now you know that Bush couldn't give a rat's *** about disabled vets from Iraq. In fact, Bush couldn't give a rat's *** about anyone except his stupid self (and possibly his immediate family).....oh, and MONEY....almost forget that part.

Answer 8

He (I use the term generically) would / did do it because there was nothing in it (the bill) "for him" (or his friends). "He" (IMHO) has done nothing (while in office) which did not benefit either the oil or defense industries.......If memory serves (and it often doesn't these days...) that is exactly where "the family" money is..........

Answer 9

Think about it,,,, how can he finance his war, cut taxes, and finance anything else.

Answer 10

because his name is President Bush...ask all who elected him