While listening to the testimony of wounded Iraqi Vets before a Senate subcommittee today it became more and more obvious that the arrogance and incompetence of the Bush administration makes reality out of one of Reagan's fantasies... "Trickle Down."
Does anyone care? I know WE THE PEOPLE care. But do any of the Neo-Con monsters who have brought our country to the brink of destruction care?
On a personal note, some months ago I discovered that Vietnam Vets with diabetes are entitled to disability benefits to help with the cost of medication. I have been diabetic for over 6 years but wasn't aware of the link between agent orange and the disease. None of my doctors ever told me and I take some of the responsibility for not knowing because I'm computer literate and could have checked.
When we moved to Michigan over a year ago, the job situation wasn't good. For the first time in our married life, my wife and I couldn't find work. She is a registered nurse and had never had trouble but this time was different. The economy was so terrible there that those who held jobs, stayed.
Months passed without either of us working. Since we couldn't afford insurance my diabetes medication ran out and I was too ashamed of being broke at my age to ask for help so I did without for almost 4 months. Not a good idea!
My blood sugar soared to 450 several times (Normal is around 100). When my wife finally found a job and we were again insured, I went to the doctor and got prescriptions. But I have not been able to get my blood glucose back under control since. This morning it was 303.
When we relocated to Indiana because my wife's job offered a transfer to a better position, I went to the employment office looking for work. That is when I was contacted by a VA representative who told me about some of the benefits I was entitled to as a Vietnam Vet.
I applied for the diabetes disability which would provide my medication so that I would never find myself again in the position of doing without. That was last August. Since then I have been bound by VA red tape. First, they notified me that my claim had been received and asked for additional documentation. They wanted me to show proof that I had served in Vietnam!
I provided my DD214 when I applied. That is the form provided when someone is discharged from the military. On mine it mentions the medals I was/am entitled to wear. Two were the Vietnam Service Ribbon w/2 bronze stars and the Presidential Unit Commendation Medal for service during the TET offensive. I was told that didn't prove I served in Vietnam!
They wanted me to provide other documentation. I sent copies of my Letter of Commendation received by 3 guys in my unit for exemplary service during TET, my original orders to Danang, my original orders from Danang back to the US and several other pieces of written evidence of my service.
A month passed before I received a letter stating that I would have to provide "originals" not copies. They say they will return my originals. Would you trust them to do that?
So, here I am months after finding that my diabetes may have been caused or at least accelerated by my exposure to agent orange. Here I am with a blood sugar level this morning of 303. If their beaurocracy continues long enough maybe I'll die before it costs them a penny.
Anyway, I'm sorry to put this personal note into this blog but I'm frustrated and angry. If you've read my blogs over the past couple of years, you know my feelings about "Georgie" and his bunch of monstrous puppeteers.
This Walter Reed situation puts an exclamation point on all my rants about their arrogance and incompetence.
Nobody can tell me this shouldn't be grounds for impeachment. But do we really need more grounds. They've lied, stolen our civil liberties, abused their power and practically destroyed our system of checks and balances which is so necessary for our country to survive. They have damaged our image around the world to the breaking point.
28 were killed this morning and over 50 wounded by a car bomb in Baghdad. Think how bad those numbers would be without "Georgie's" brilliant "surge."
I try not to ramble in my blogs. If this one is too personal, I apologize. But these guys make my blood boil. I'm just venting some of the steam from that event this morning.
