Update--va Compensation & Social Security Disability

[Gimpy]

UPDATE: THIS FRIDAY THE VETERANS DISABILITY BENEFITS COMMISSION VOTES ON WHETHER TO STUDY THE SSDI ISSUE -- THE MEETING HAS A NEW LOCATION AND WE NEED VETERANS TO SPEAK OUT AGAINST THIS STUDY!

The Veterans' Disability Benefits Commission (VDBC) meets this Thursday and Friday in Arlington, VA.

There is a new location for the meeting. That information here... http://www.vawatchdog.org/old%20news...-15-2006-7.htm

On Friday, the Commission will consider whether to study vets who get VA compensation and Social Security Disabilty Insurance benefits.

Gen. (Ret.) Terry Scott, the Commission's Chair, is pushing for this study...and, has lots of help from Congress...namely Rep. Steve Buyer (R-IN), Chair of the House Vets' Committee and Sen. Larry Craig (R-ID), chair of the Senate Vets' Committee.

We need as many veterans we can get at the Friday meeting to speak against this proposed study.

VA comp and SSDI have nothing to do with each other and should not be studied by the Commission.

Your help is needed.

If you are in the area...put it on your calendar.

If not, please write or E-mail the Commission with your concerns and outrage!

Background information is here, with back links to other stories about this issue... http://www.vawatchdog.org/old%20news...-11-2006-1.htm

The importance of this issue cannot be overestimated.

Remember, SSDI benefits revert to regular Social Security at age 65. Would that mean regular SS benefits could be offset by VA comp?

And, if the Commission wants to look into this type of insurance benefit, what about other sources of income a disabled vet might get?

Basically, if this study goes forward...it would open the door to any number of offsets and reduced compensation for veterans.

We need to stop this study before it becomes a reality!

------End---------

If they seek any personal informaiton on my I will seek legal action for the privacy rights act violation. This commission has no need to gather my SSN or anyother information on me.

[Gimpy]

I don't think you'll have to. It looks like the DAV, American Legion, VFW and The Paralyzed Veterans of America are going to file legal action suits against this Commission if they go forward with this study.

[Gimpy]

nothin more than 'back door politics'!.....Designed simply for no other purpose than to CUT FEDERAL SPENDING!


First, Social Security is really nothing more than a federally mandated saving account and long term disability 'Insurance' that each person working must contribute to.


VA Compensation is exactly what it is.


I was whole when I went in the military. I personally did not start the War in Vietnam or any other war. Even though I volunteered to serve in Vietnam, I was ordered to participate in a war at my own peril, and suffered the physical & mental consequences of that service to my country, it was mandated that the obligation of the government is to ensure that if I am not whole when I got out, that they would in turn offer health care and monetary 'compensation' that would help to make me whole once again. Plain & simple.


Having said that, then my response would be if SSDI is going to be offset by VA Compensation then I would demand those in the forefront of lobbying to have each veteran apply for Social Security and request a lump sum payment of all the monies that we personally contributed over the past years of our participation in SS (FICA taxes). If Social Security would give me what I contributed for all those years, and I would continue to receive my VA compensation, I would be more than happy with this arrangement.


I had the opportunity to meet in person most of the members of this commission at their meeting here in St. Petersburg, FL in February this year. And I have perused the impressive military bio's of the majority of this commission. I am dismayed at the seeming coldblooded heartlessness that is being exhibited by several of these former senior officers in our Armed Forces. Especially the Chairman, former General Terry Scott.


I was only a rifle squad leader in RVN, but my most sacred duty was to my men. To not forsake them when they looked to me for that critical life and death decision. Some of the men that these former high ranking officers personally led in battle are receiving the benefits that they will be in the process of "studying." These warriors are still looking to each of these members of this commission to do their sacred duty, PROTECT YOUR TROOPS!


I'm startin to smell a RAT in Washingtnon!....................

[SuperScout]

It appears that the disease of "Beltwayitis" has found another carrier. This disease has characteristics that (1) cause the carrier to be unable to think in terms of reality, (2) refuses to hear, see or think anything that might be happening outside the Beltway, and (3) closely resemble the success of tilting at windmills. For this Commission or anybody else for that matter, to even vaguely recommend a governmental spending savings by merging the SS disability payments and VA disabililty payments is an exercise in utter futility.

Yesterday, I received an email from a fellow vet that also contained a link to a petition that is being sent to this misguided bunch of fools. It took me several clicks of the 'send' button, but a whole bunch of my email addressees now hve that petition, and I know that most if not all will follow through with their respective email lists. Holpefully, I have copied the appropriate link and suggest that those with an dog in this hunt do likewise.

http://www.petitiononline.com/mod_pe...cgi?disgrace&1

With enough signatures and follow up action to others, we can stop this case of 'Beltwayitis' from having any effect.

I signed scout. Hope these idiots get whats coming to them. They are nothing but a bunch of Bush cronies. This administration is made up of a bunch of lies to veterans.

[1CAVCCO15MED]

The next election is going to be so bad for the Republicans that the Democrats will think we like them.

[Packo]

Gimpy....as always, thanks so much for keeping this stuff before our eyes! You are a true veterans advocate and a brother!

Scout...nice to see you on board with this and have sent it on. All I get from my elected officals are formatted email that adresses nothing of which I ask. When I sent the one on SS and VA benetits, I got one back about how SS will be there for all of us and they are working on private savings accounts etc. Nice...but WHAT ABOUT TAKING SS AWAY FROM DISABLED VETS! Nothing!

Doc....I am ROTFLMAO......while I agree 100% with you. I am voting against every incumbent I voted for last time after seeing Gimpy/DAV report on votes. Nobody can tell me that the DAV is just a bunch of Bush bashing liberals.....most probably voted for these people that are screwing us. I would have bet my meger retirement that this would never happen ESPECIALLY DURING A WAR. Gimpy et al were right! Am going to the fridge for another hunk of humble pie.

SCOUT: I just tried to copy the link on an email to everyone I know but what is up with the space in there? Is there an underline?


Dead Man Walkin'

[Gimpy]

Paco, please don't think I am the least bit happy about my predictions of how the support of veterans issues have been mostly ignored and/or have been underfunded by the leadership and rank and file republicans in Washington. I would have much rather be eating some of that 'humble pie' myself if these guys had kept their promises.

Scout, I have signed the petition and forwarded the web sites information to just about everone I could think of. May I offer my heartfelt thanks for posting this information. Maybe this is one way we will be able to convince these idiots they are steering a course destined for disaster! I love your three (3) points of 'Beltwayitis'...........I couldn't have described it better myself!

Doc, there are some number of Democrats on that "list" from the DAV which showed the voting records of all our elected officials that indicate this is NOT just a "republican" problem! Even though there are not nearly as many Dems as Repubs on that '$hit list'. The ones who failed to show support we needed will be singled out for being THROWN OUT (of office that is).

Robert, thanks for signing the petition.

I should be hearing something today or very shortly (maybe a couple of days) about the results of the Commissions vote on "studying SSDI" in relation to VA compensation. I;ll post it as soon as I get the info.

Once again, thanks to everyone who has taken the time to send the "message" out that we will NOT stand for this crap anymore!

[SuperScout]

Social Security is to a savings account as bumper stickers are to philosophy. It was and is a house of cards, a government-mandated Ponzi scheme that is just now being viewed for what is was, a step towards socialism.

And veterans' issues have been unfunded since the end of the Revolutionary War, and it is a problem that has been largely ignored by both political parties. Making blanket condemnations is both counter-productive and counter-intuitive. If one's US representative has a record of favoring veterans' issues, then support him if that's your bag. The obverse is also true.