[Vision2020] [Spam] Ball's in Democrats' Court

[lfalen]

> I agree with you on this.
> 
> Roger
> -----Original message-----
> From: "Tom Hansen" thansen at moscow.com
> Date: Tue, 09 Jan 2007 13:05:12 -0800
> To: "Vision 2020" vision2020 at moscow.com
> Subject: [Spam] [Vision2020] Ball's in Democrats' Court
> 
> > >From the January 15, 2007 edition of the Army Times -
> > 
> > ----------------------------------------------------------------
> > 
> > Editorial
> > Ball's in Democrats' court
> > 
> > The new Democratic Congress has an ambitious agenda for its first 100 hours
> > in power, to include the national minimum wage, embryonic stem cell research
> > and alternative energy options.
> > 
> > But once past that initial blitz, Democratic leaders should turn their eyes
> > to these defense issues:
> > 
> > Force size. The House Armed Services Committee recently issued a report
> > concluding that all the services - not just the Army and Marine Corps - are
> > too small to meet current war needs and other U.S. security demands
> > worldwide.
> > 
> > While the Pentagon is drawing up plans to enlarge the Army and Marine Corps,
> > the Navy and Air Force continue to trim their ranks. The new Congress should
> > halt those drawdowns and begin a substantial debate on the proper size of
> > the force.
> > 
> > And it must face the fact that every additional 10,000 troops cost some $1.2
> > billion per year.
> > 
> >  
> > Support for veterans. 
> > The Republican-led 109th Congress adjourned without passing 11 of the 13
> > annual budget bills for fiscal 2007, including that of the Department of
> > Veterans Affairs. Leaders of the new Democratic-led 110th Congress say they
> > don't have time to clean up that mess because they must focus on the fiscal
> > 2008 budget.
> > 
> > Lost in the jetwash: a proposed $3 billion increase in funding for VA health
> > care this year. Failing to approve that increase was irresponsible of the
> > last Congress. Repeating the mistake in this Congress would be inexcusable. 
> > 
> > BAH standards. 
> > The Pentagon and Congress together boosted the Basic Allowance for Housing
> > across the board over the past five years to a point where, today, it
> > theoretically covers 100 percent of average housing costs. But the job is
> > unfinished because BAH rates are based on inadequate housing standards
> > assigned by paygrade and family status.
> > 
> > Among enlisted members, for example, only E-9s draw enough to rent a
> > single-family home.
> > 
> > Congress should prod the Pentagon to update the housing definitions - and
> > consider eliminating the unfair distinction in the rates between those with
> > and without dependents.
> > 
> > Warrior pay. 
> > The Army has a proposal pending in the White House's Office of Management
> > and Budget to create a new pay to reward cumulative time spent on deployment
> > over a soldier's career, similar in purpose and design to Navy sea pay.
> > 
> > But the burden of repeated deployments is not solely an Army issue. Congress
> > should approve this compensation - but not just for soldiers. It should be
> > paid as well to airmen, Marines and sailors who deploy on ground missions to
> > the war zones.
> > 
> > An open court system.
> > At a time when the military is preparing to prosecute a number of soldiers
> > and Marines for war crimes and other abuses, it behooves the government to
> > ensure that the public has confidence in the fairness of the military
> > justice system. 
> > 
> > But unlike every other U.S. court system, the military produces no public
> > court docket, so service members' constitutional right to fair and open
> > trials are subject to the whims of base commanders and public affairs
> > officers who may or may not choose to announce upcoming courts-martial. 
> > 
> > The new Congress should direct the services to create a centralized docket
> > for military courts, accessible to the public. 
> > 
> > War funding.
> > When the Bush administration came to office six years ago, leaders pledged
> > to eliminate supplemental budget requests. Instead, not only has the overall
> > defense budget increased dramatically, but so have the supplemental
> > requests. 
> > 
> > Supplementals are acceptable to fund war requirements, but the services have
> > peppered them with other needs, ranging from modernization to research.
> > Modernization and research needs can be planned and budgeted. Supplemental
> > funding should cover war costs alone. 
> > 
> > Addressing these six priorities at the start of the 110th Congress would
> > show a commitment from lawmakers for the well-being of service members and
> > the long-term strength and viability of America's armed forces.
> > 
> > ----------------------------------------------------------------
> > 
> > I did not accept apathy from a Republican-run Congress when it comes to
> > veteran matters.  I will most certainly NOT accept it from a Democrat-run
> > Congress.
> > 
> > Caring for our troops must continue well beyond the end of enlistment.
> > 
> > Tom Hansen
> > Moscow, Idaho
> > 
> > "Patriotism is not a short and frenzied outburst of emotion but the tranquil
> > and steady dedication of a lifetime." 
> > 
> > --Adlai E. Stevenson, Jr.
> > 
> > 
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