The President Talked About Vets at the DAV. I'll Bet You Didn't Read About That.
President Obama's speech on Monday at the DAV could have been one for the history books - a landmark address for veterans spelling out how our country can step up to support the millions of us returning from the current conflicts. Instead, the President used the backdrop of a veterans convention to score points on campaign promises and focus the nation's attention on the war in Iraq, instead of on the warriors coming home.
The hardly new announcement that the US is drawing down in Iraq captured media headlines all day. The press ran with every possible variation of this theme, but neglected to report on an equally important component of the speech - and the war: the veterans.
If you watched the whole speech, you saw that the drawdown update on Iraq was just one of two big themes - the other being what the Obama Administration is doing for veterans. And even though the President said many of the right things, the hard results were lacking. Lip service doesn't go far with military folks. We expect more than rhetoric about respect and promises; we expect outcomes.
In the last two years, the Obama Administration has made solid progress for veterans through advanced appropriations, the New GI Bill, and improved PTSD rules. But much of that is old news. And so far during President's Obama's time in office, veteran unemployment has risen, the VA disability backlog remains unacceptably high and suicide rates continue to skyrocket. The veterans community hoped that the President would deliver concrete solutions to these acute challenges in this speech and issue a call to action. But what we got instead, was mostly just talk.
It's time for the President to look ahead and put the pedal down to deliver real results in Washington before the fall recess.
We know what can be done when America really works together. And we know President Obama, working with Congress, the VA and the veterans organizations, can put action behind these promises. It's time for him to help deliver the historic results we deserve. Then, he'll really have something to say to the veterans community.
OK Paul . . .
Maybe I've missed it, but can you tell us again exactly what YOUR solutions are for making positive headway with veteran unemployment, the VA disability backlog and the suicide rates that continue to skyrocket?
~OGD~
August 3, 2010 11:15 AM | Reply | Permalink
Hmmmm. I wonder.
http://www.sodahead.com/united-states/soldiers-kin-face-cuts-in-base-services-so-money-can-be-spent-on-afghan-war/blog-236635/
I hear spending on contractors is through the roof.
August 3, 2010 2:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
Great catch on that article . . .
Although it detailed the funding reduction in base services it didn't say one word about private contracting going through the roof...
Now I don't doubt that contractors are still being used but maybe you can do a little research and tie that point up with some numbers and base it on some hard facts.
~OGD~
August 3, 2010 11:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
This is pretty typical of criticism of Obama. First you insinuate that Obama used his speech ONLY to score political points, then state that addressing veteran's issues was one of the two major themes he addressed. You accuse him of just paying lip service to those issues, even though in the 19 MONTHS he's been in office his administration "has made solid progress for veterans through advanced appropriations, the New GI Bill, and improved PTSD rules." Veteran unemployment has risen? EVERYONE'S unemployment has risen. The VA disability backlog remains unacceptably high and suicide rates continue to skyrocket? He was handed the consequences of TWO WARS! Along with everyone else in the country, you expect him to wave his magic wand, and solve everything, poof, while offering no solutions of your own. It's self-indulgent and childish, and exactly how we got in this mess in the first place.
August 3, 2010 11:39 AM | Reply | Permalink
reply below @ 3:41
August 3, 2010 3:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
spot on, its easy to criticize without suggesting any solutions.
August 4, 2010 12:27 PM | Reply | Permalink
Even taking your column at face value, your conclusions don't just suck, but suck unreasonably.
I really wonder how you got your position here.
August 3, 2010 3:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
Mr. Rieckhoff
Paul Rieckhoff is the executive director and founder of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), the first and largest organization for veterans of the War on Terror....
http://www.paulrieckhoff.com/content/author.asp
wouldn't be doing his job as head of IAVA if, after he attended the president's speech given to a group of veterans, he didn't complain that he needs more progress.
He's not on the "fans of Obama" team, nor the "hate Obaam" team, and not really on the "upset with Obama" team either, he's on the "Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA)" team. He's an interest advocate and lobbyist for a cause, come here to do p.r. on what he feels he still needs from the president, hoping to get support, not to argue about the president's performance. Get it?
Whether he's doing it successfully in his post here is another question, up to the reader. Does it make you want to write a letter to the president or not?
August 3, 2010 3:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
the above meant as a reply to jeepsdad @ 11:39 above, and not to Mr. Rieckhoff.
And I'd like to add something related that just came to mind. In the first year of TPMCafe, Josh Marshall was working on a mission statement describing the reason for its existence (which never ended up being posted as such.) He talked about it in a couple of posts, saying he wanted it to be a place, among other things, for discussion of issues, advocacy and advocacy journalism. Mixing the advocacy part in with the other two always bothered me, and I challenged him on it a bit. Advocacy isn't often very conducive to good discussion or what I think of as journalism, often it's not even offering a debate, it's more like preaching or trying to inspire. The advocate can mask it to sound like discussion or journalism, but they are still preaching or trying to inspire action. And it strikes me when people react badly to a post like Rieckhoff's, really what they are getting mad at the advocacy thing, and it's strange because he's only doing his job or mission, it's just that it doesn't fit well in a discussion forum venue.
August 3, 2010 4:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
I admire and respect the work that Mr. Rieckhoff is doing on behalf of veterans. If his post pointed to actual policy solutions or cited decisions that that the administration had made that fell short of helping or undermined veteran's affairs, I would praise it. Instead, we got "Instead, the President used the backdrop of a veterans convention to score points on campaign promises" and "But what we got instead, was mostly just talk." I would simply like to suggest that we can advocate for our causes, while showing at least a bit of appreciation for what Obama's already done in a very short amount of time, and support for his agenda going forward. I'm not looking for anyone to march in lockstep. I'm just thoroughly sick of the sniping by those who might find some gratitude toward a president who seems to be genuinely trying to do some good.
August 3, 2010 6:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
Oh, and take your patronizing "Get it?" and...well, you know what to do with it.
August 3, 2010 6:58 PM | Reply | Permalink
Ya ya ya ya . . .
That's all well and good, but most folks already know the complete background of Paul.
Now, I have yet to hear HIM tell us exactly what HIS solutions are for making positive headway with veteran unemployment, the VA disability backlog and the suicide rates that continue to skyrocket.
If he only wishes to conduct a monologue then why in the world is he even bothering to blog here at the Cafe?
If his roll is to be a leader then he should lead by example and suggest what he truly feels is needed to get to the point of overcoming the problems he's outlined. He doesn't help his cause with me, a veteran, by pissing and moaning and whining that, "...the President used the backdrop of a veterans convention to score points on campaign promises."
So get real Artappraiser...
~OGD~
August 3, 2010 11:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
Sounds to me like we should be pushing the president to get us out of both Iraq and Afghanistan. That'd free up a whole lot of budget for veteran's issues, among other things.
August 3, 2010 4:20 PM | Reply | Permalink
How crass, how crass of you to advocate for the veteran!
Just what is it about this war, this class war, that you do not understand?
The veteran's role is to serve. The chickenhawk's role is to be served. The chickenhawks discuss, formulate policy, execute, legislate, and judge - perform those roles best suited for those with advanced degrees from the finest schools.
Learn your place.
August 3, 2010 8:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
Mr. Rieckhoff:
As a victim/veteran of the Nixon-Kissinger Fig Leaf Contingent (Vietnam 1970-72) I really had to laugh at this beauty of yours:
Except, of course, when it comes to the military's own endless rhetorical excuses for why, after (you know) like about NINE YEARS ALREADY they keep getting more American troops killed each month than the entire country of Afghanistan contains "Al Qaida." When it comes to rhetoric -- or "thought-terminating cliches," as Robert Jay Lifton calls them -- no one can outdo the American military's patented mumbo-jumbo. Like:
Therefore, I've got this to say to America's "military community":
So get your inept asses back to Fort Podunk, U.S.A. where you belong and out of foreign countries where the local people hate you for killing them and can't wait to return the favor. Then, come back and lobby us for more benefits for veterans once we don't have the American officer corps and the FVW agitating for more endless wars abroad that only produce more veterans who seem to require public support for the rest of their lives. I mean, didn't you get the Dick Cheney Memo about dead and wounded American troops:
And we all know how much the VFW just loves to welcome Five Deferment Dick Cheney for more of his "tough guy" Republican Party bullshit speeches. Dick says that you should have expected what you got. So quit your bitching, take your monthly paycheck and retirement, and by all means go on voting Republican because those cretin capons really, really, really "support the troops."
Or, you could join up with Iraq Veterans Against the War and then I might give a damn what you have to say.
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