16 Responses to “All This…..”

1. #1 by MRambler
   March 26th, 2014 at 2:41 pm

   (MR NOTE: THIS IS WHAT I ADDED TO THE PIC THAT WAS SENT TO ME, AND IS WHAT I FORWARDED):
   To Everybody:

   First, EC, I’m sending this back to you so you can read what I’ve added….. Being a Vietnam Vet myself (also note that the WWII Vet in the picture is wearing a 101st Airborne Hat – Same as me, just different wars), These cutbacks directly affect me and thousands of other Vets who put their life on the line so everybody in this Country can enjoy the Freedoms we have……. I was NOT a volunteer, I didn’t enlist, I was drafted – My country needed me and I went and believe me in 1966 this Country was in turbulent times about the Vietnam Conflict…… There were more draft dodgers and protesters than you can image….. I served my time, with Honor, and, finished out my Active tour of duty as a 11B (Infantry) E-5 (Buck Sergeant) Drill Sergeant at Ft. Polk, LA, training soldiers, who went directly to Vietnam when they left our Company……. I don’t like to brag, but, to go from Private E-Nothing to a Sergeant E-5 Combat Vet Drill Sergeant in two years was very rare….. They offered me another stripe (E-6 Staff Sergeant) and a 6,000.00 bonus to re-inlist, but I knew where I would be going back to if I did it……. Okay, I’m rambling – back to the VA…… I didn’t get into the VA system until 2004….. They do have the most dedicated Doctors and Medical staff that I have ever seen…… Now, thanks to the “OBummer Administration”, the cut-backs are starting to really show up…… They still have the best Doctors/Medical Staff, but, they have been cutting back on personnel, so, The Doctors/Medical Staff are over-worked and probably underpaid, so, in my opinion, they have to be dedicated to even work there…… Now, it takes a month or more just to get an appointment with you PCP (Primary Care Physician), and, the old Military adage of “Hurry Up and Wait” is in full force now……. They request you to show at least 30 minutes before your appointment, but, you usually end up waiting one to two hours longer – Thanks, OBummer (and wife)…… Maybe both of you should attempt to use that thing on top of your shoulders for something other than Hawaiian vacations!…… I have a lot of friends listed on “The Wall” in Washington DC, I think of them a lot….. I don’t think it’s asking too much for those of us who survived while putting our lives on the line for our Country’s Freedom (I’d do it again if my Country called on me to do so), but, I can’t agree to cutting our benefits (I don’t think there is one Vet abusing VA care) just to support some non-workable, Political motivated so-called Health reform program that won’t work or help those who really need it, because the AMA and pharmaceutical companies will stop it, or make sure they get all the profits of the program by stealing from us Vets….. Sorry about the Rant, but, ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! Wake up, People….. We’re going in the wrong direction…….

   – Drill Sergeant Bobby G. Smith (Vet)

   PS: If you don’t, by now, think I’m just another screwed-up, pissed-off Nut – PASS THIS ON…….
2. #2 by MRambler
   March 26th, 2014 at 2:45 pm

   (MR NOTE: THIS IS THE 1st COMMENT I GOT BACK FROM ONE OF MY FRIENDS: Rickey)
   I was not a part of the military, let’s get that out of the way first. However, I believe it is wrong for any military, social security, medicare, food stamp, WIC, or any other program designed to help others that have earned their benefits as those in the military did, or those that have participated and funded programs such as social security or have the problem of being unable to provide for themselves or their family. With all that said (whew) what the reality of the situation is, please read below.

   There is a lot of false journalism (Americans used to call it yellow journalism referring to propaganda in other countries). Now however, it is in our country being used to divide and conquer.

   DO NOT FALL INTO THE SIMPLE STATE OF MIND IF SOMEONE SAID IT, THEN IT MUST BE TRUE. DO NOT CONTINUE TO FEED BULLSHIT NEWS FURTHER DOWN THE LINE.

   THESE ARE NOT OBAMA CUTS. FOLLOW UP AND RESEARCH THE STORIES YOU ARE READING NOT JUST BELIEVE IT. OBAMA HAS TRIED FOR YEARS TO KEEP THESE PROGRAMS FROM BEING CUT, HE RAISED FEDERAL WORKERS MINIMUM WAGE, HE WANTS THE U.S.A ‘S MIMINUM WAGE INCREASED.

   YOU ARE DEALING WITH A LYING CROCK OF SHIT OF POLITITIANS AND YOU BETTER WAKE UP. THEY ARE TAKING ALL OUR RIGHTS AND THE MIDDLE CLASS AWAY FROM US. JUST BECAUSE YOU BELIEVE THE LIES COMING OUT OF THEIR MOUTHS. IT STARTED WITH REAGAN (YEAH, BELIEVE HE WAS THE ONE TO GIVE THE COMMON MAN TAX REBATES), DO YOU ALSO KNOW HE GAVE CORPORATIONS BIGGER REBATES THEN THAT? BIGGER TAX LOOPHOLES,

   IF YOU CHOOSE TO BE IGNORANT DO ME A FAVOR AND AT LEAST ADMIT IT.

   USED TO BE PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN BUT, NOT MUCH EXCEPT FOR CLINTON AND OBAMA AFTER REAGAN.

   LOVE AND KISSES
3. #3 by MRambler
   March 26th, 2014 at 2:48 pm

   (MR NOTE: THIS IS THE REPLY I MADE TO RICKEY’S COMMENT)

   Rickey:

   After re-reading what I wrote, I can see that I need to rephrase some of it…… It’s NOT President Obama that’s causing the problem, (although his wife should watch what she says a bit more carefully)…… I voted for him the first time – I didn’t the second time because he was unable to fulfill many, many of his promises he made to the American people…… I know that our Government is NOT controlled by the people we elect to office – It’s run by unknown very powerful people that don’t want to be known…… President Obama has gotten himself caught between a rock and hard place, and, I don’t see how he’s going to get out of it…… Those in power are using him as a scapegoat….. AND, by the way, it shouldn’t be called “Veteran Benefits” – It should be called “Medical Aid to those brave Americans that suffered both mentally and physically in the act of protecting our Country and our Freedom”…… It’s not a “Benefit” in the way of welfare, food stamps, etc., etc….. And, It’s simply not us Veterans asking for a handout….. There are plenty of other so-called “Benefits” and “Programs” that could be cut without asking us Veterans to give more of ourselves than we have already given….. As Americans, we should be totally offended at the very thought of not taking care of the very people that allows this Country to be as it is, and, I guess that includes the Freedoms that the Money Hungry so-and-so’s are profiting off of it…… I do DO MY RESEARCH, I understand what is happening, and, I don’t like it…… Sorry about the Rant and I’m willing to listen to any suggestions that might get us all out this mess…..
4. #4 by MRambler
   March 26th, 2014 at 2:51 pm

   (MR NOTE: THIS CAME IN NEXT BY ONE OF OUR MEMBERS WHO HASN’T BEEN IN TOUCH LATELY : RANDALF THE GREY)
   My turn. I love you Bobby, and I have a great deal of respect for you and all of those who have honorably served our country. But I’m gonna have to call bullshit on the billboard. If you more closely examine this issue, you’ll find that our current president is not anti-vet at all compared to his predecessor, you know, the one who sent our troops into harm’s way in Iraq based on TOTAL BALD-FACED LIES, and then called for cuts in the VA’s budget seven of his eight years in office. Of course, any president can only make suggestions to congress–THEY are the ones who make the budget. Also, the first lady’s quote is taken COMPLETELY out of context. She was suggesting that WEALTHY Americans should start paying their fair share of taxes–that quote had nothing to do with funding for the VA.
   I agree with our dear friend Rickey that the WAR ON THE POOR (copyright 2014) began with the Reaganites (not necessarily the Gipper himself, since I think he was already senile when he took office). These pigs don’t want a middle-class, they want most of us to be so desperate for food, shelter, medical care, etc., that we are willing to work and serve them for peanuts. They only call it class warfare when the poor fight back. I was one of those hippies who protested the Vietnam War and, while I may have done that for selfish reasons in the beginning, I continued after the army rejected me for having big old flat feet. I also became interested in other social issues because of that–equal rights for all Americans and environmentalism to name two. My generation totally dropped the ball on effecting real change in this country, but in recent years, I’ve seen encouraging signs that our young people are becoming more and more aware of what’s REALLY going on, and are determined to change our great country for the better.
5. #5 by MRambler
   March 26th, 2014 at 2:55 pm

   (MR NOTE: HERE’S WHERE IT GETS A LITTLE CONFUSING, THIS IS MY REPLY BACK TO RANDALF, BUT AT THE SAME TIME RICKEY WAS MAKING A REPLY WITHOUT SEEING THIS ONE AND THIS ONE BY ME WAS ALSO NOT BASED ON WHAT SHE SAYS IN THE NEXT COMMENT (HUH))

   How Stupid of me, I learned a long time ago not to ever talk politics with anyone, but, I’m sorry, I’m going to have one last say before I shut up on this one, and,then hopefully, I can keep my mouth shut on Politics!….. I HATE Politics – I’m not a Dem-o-Rat, or a Repu-Li-Cant, I’m an AMERICAN and I vote in every election that I’m entitled to….. I learned that in the Army…. Your life depended on the man next to you and his depended on you….. Race, Creed, Politics had nothing to do with it – It all boiled down to what you did, not what you said…… For over 20 years after I got out of the Army, I despised our Government and wouldn’t have anything to do with it for two reasons, both related: (1) The American people lost control of our Government on November 22, 1963 with the assassination of President John F. Kennedy and it’s been going downhill ever since (Yeah, now I’m a Conspiracy Nut also!)….. Have we had a President since then that has actually done anything really good for the Country?….. I have a Video of a interview on the White House lawn between JFK and Walter Kronkite in which JFK states that by the end of the year (1963) he would have ALL advisory personnel out of Vietnam…. That it was a civil matter to be settled by the Vietnamese and the U.S. had no business being there….. This was two weeks before his assassination….. Less than week later, our new President Johnson gave the go ahead to the Pentagon to put boots on the ground in Vietnam, which leads to: (2) If JFK would have lived, I would have never been drafted, there would be no wall with 60,000 names on it, The VA wouldn’t be flooded with the 2 million Vietnam Veterans that suffered physical disabilities and the additional Vietnam Vets who suffered Mental Problems, not to mention the Trillions of Dollars that unknown, behind the scenes, business Assholes made on the War…… Then, the topper was that if Washington would have let the Military fight the war, instead of being arm-chair Generals, we could have had complete control of Vietnam within months, maybe even weeks once we put boots on the ground, BUT, that wouldn’t make money for the companies who were profiting off of the War and then, I almost forgot, we Veterans, who were drafted/enlisted, served our Country with Honor, were treated like some kind of vermin by our own fellow countrymen….. Like it was all our fault….. Yeah, I was pissed – It took 30 years before I even thought about wearing my 101st hat in public!…… You’re right on one point, Randy, maybe the new, younger generation is more aware – I’ve had more and more people thank me for my service lately than ever before…… Okay, back to the topic at hand, although, I thought a little background was necessary since this is my last foray EVER into a Political discussion…..

   Let’s go through you reply, Randy, point by point……

   1. “Bullshit on the Billboard” – Item 1: How much do you think it cost the American Taxpayer’s to send the President and his family on a vacation to Hawaii?….. Let’s see, you have transportation there and back from Washington DC……. Security for the President, his family and the huge entourage that accompanies them, A place to stay (I’m sure they didn’t stay in a Motel 6), Food (I’m also sure they didn’t eat at McDonald’s), Entertainment, ground transportation, etc. etc….. Yeah, I concede that “Vacations” are a perk of the job of President, but, in these days and times, maybe a little less expensive and closer one would have made more sense….. Take a moment to consider just how far 4 Mil could have gone to better use than this…… The VA cuts alone well exceed the 4 Mil mark…… Where’s the Bullshit in that statement?….. There isn’t one…… Item 2: Michelle Obama Quote – I don’t see how “context” has anything to do with what she said…. If you have a copy of the complete statement that contains this quote, send it to me…… I would like to see what you’re talking about…. Here’s why she’s NOT talking about the WEALTHY giving anything up – 1. She uses the vague term “someone” instead of just coming out an saying the “Super Rich” or “Wealthy”…. 2. She says “give up a piece of their pie”….. Pie is an economic term referring to a “Pie Chart” in this case, it’s associated with the expenditures of the Government, i.e. Defense, government operation, “benefits”, government programs, etc….. She’s not talking about the “Super Rich” digging into their personal pockets and accepting paying higher taxes (if they pay any at all – they know ALL the loopholes)….. Sorry, “Out-of-Context” doesn’t work – No Bullshit there…… Item 3: I guess you’re talking about the 101st WWII soldier saluting his Country? Is that Bullshit to you?… I hope not…..Item 4:. Maybe you’re talking about the statement in the lower right corner “We the People Are 100% fed Up! – You may be right there, because we’ve turned into an “I, Me, Mine” society (George Harrison had it right so many years ago) so, it might not be exactly 100%……

   2. You’re placing ALL the problems we are now facing on an Ex-President that has been out of office for SIX (6) years…… I’m sorry, that doesn’t fly, like I said, we haven’t had a decent President since Kennedy and I’m an American – I will vote for whomever I think will at least try to improve matters, but, as I also said (If you read anything I said – I think you just read what you wanted to hear) that the people we elect are NOT in control and I made it plain that I was talking about President Obama’s administration and that includes Congress…… That is the problem…… I also asked for ANY suggestions that might help correct the current situation, not a bunch of prejudiced one-sided views….. Open minds are needed here – Desperately!…….

   3. I don’t know if I agree that there is a “WAR ON THE POOR”….. I do know that the Rich and Super Rich have always considered themselves better than anyone below their status and they are “Above the Law”…… That’s a fact of life – Human Nature…… They’re bound and determined to keep it that way, but, it can be changed, but, “We the People” need to get more involved in any and all elections we are eligible to vote on and then keep tabs on what those that are in office are doing and let them know what you think…… Like I said, I didn’t vote or want anything to do with our Government for over 30 years, but, now, I research candidates, proposed bills, and, I have even written letters to those in office about what I think…… I finally realized that it’s a Freedom I fought for and it’s as much my duty to do so, the same as my duty while in the Army……. Oh, and by the way, I didn’t enter the VA system until 2004, when I could no longer afford medical care out of pocket and I was diagnosed with diabetes and a lump on my thyroid that could only be determined if it was cancerous by surgery (the VA cut my throat ( you gotta watch those guys (Ha!)) and removed my thyroid – luckily my vocal chords were not damaged and it turned out to be benign)…. I could have entered the VA system in 1968 when I was discharged from Active Duty, but, I wasn’t looking for a handout and, as I said below – I don’t believe there’s one Veteran in the system that abuses it and would do anything, if asked, to get our Country back on track…….

   Again, sorry for the long Rant – It’s last you’ll hear from me on the subject, unless, you ask me directly and personally…… Randy and Rickey, I love both of you…. We’ve been friends forever, but, I think you both need to maybe do a little more research keeping in mind that you are AMERICANS, not tied to a political party, and , I know, it’s cliché, but, as JFK said, “Think not what your Country can do for you, But, What you can do for your Country”…. To me, that still has meaning……

   Rant’s over, you can go back to your life’s, but, I must say you people brought back a lot of memories – some good, some bad……

   Good Day and Love you all……
6. #6 by MRambler
   March 26th, 2014 at 2:58 pm

   (MR NOTE: THIS IS THE COMMENT THAT RICKEY WAS COMPOSING AT THE SAME TIME I WAS WRITING THE ABOVE COMMENT – PLEASE TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION)
   There is a heck of a lot that goes on in this ole country of ours, that we have no clue about. Journalists have failed us, buying into being lobbied themselves or working for corporations that own their words and their souls.

   I appreciate veterans, and HATE what we have created with Iraq and Afghanistan. Those poor servicemen have had to do so many tours, and there is such great harm being done to them that no right or benefit or whatever name you want to put on it, will ever right the wrong we have done getting involved in that. Thanks George you twerkin idiot. I just read a 3 part piece on the veterans of those wars in Huffington Post and it’s smuckin sad…now we don’t just have ptsd but moral injury. You all should read it – really good piece of journalism.

   All I know is it’s not anyone person’s fault for where we are. You can’t point a finger at Obama that should be President Obama by the way (the disrespect especially from veterans, is amazing). You can’t point a finger at John Boehner, or McCain or anyone of them. Yes, Bob I believe there are some very powerful forces behind the scenes doing a lot of things. We can’t change that.

   What we can do is focus on facts, right wrongs, don’t let people go hungry in this great nation when there are so many who have so much. Don’t get me started on that and how they got an education and worked harder because that is not the case and I’m pretty sure all of you are tired of listening to me.

   Get right with what’s real and do what you can to save the middle class and anything else you find dear because it’s going away faster than you can say Boogie Man.

   Love you all, and you know I do………..Rickey
7. #7 by MRambler
   March 26th, 2014 at 3:04 pm

   (MR NOTE: THIS IS WHERE IT STANDS AS OF NOW, THIS IS THE LATEST REPLY FROM RANDALF RECEIVED THIS MORNING – OKAY, READ IT ALL AND IF YOU HAVE ANY FURTHER COMMENTS, WHICH WILL BE CREDITED TO YOU – HAVE AT IT!)
   The Michelle Obama quote which is so used out of context in this
   obvious piece of RWNJ slander was made by her in Harrisburg, NC on
   April 8, 2008. This was obviously before her husband had secured the
   Democratic nomination for the presidency. I’m sure that none of us in
   this e-mail thread believe that a woman of AT LEAST reasonable
   intelligence would stand in front of a microphone in North Carolina and
   suggest that we take benefits from our veterans to fund universal
   health care. Of course we haven’t got universal health care, but we did
   get an admittedly imperfect ACA which is a huge step in the right
   direction. Many compromises had to be made to get the ACA through
   congress, including letting insurance company lobbyists get their
   fingers in the pie. My daughter now gets a pretty damned good Blue
   Cross and Blue Shield health insurance policy for just over $10 per
   month. Thank you American taxpayers. The Pentagon should also be
   thanking us for their new F-35 Joint Strike Fighters. These planes,
   admittedly a nice looking aircraft, have already cost us $ 400 Billion.
   Lockheed Martin doesn’t have all of the bugs out yet, and the Pentagon
   keeps lowering the specifications, but DoD’s latest guesstimate is that
   the eventual price tag will be $1,500,000,000,000. give or take a buck
   or two, and will cost an additional $31,900. per flight hour to
   operate. Of course the F-35 was designed for the Cold War, but who knows, if the Rethuglicans have their way, the Cold War might make a comeback. Enough ranting for tonight–it’s past my bedtime. Goodnight all.
8. #8 by anon
   March 26th, 2014 at 6:01 pm

   I have to agree with Rickey and Randalf in a big way. I can only add; “follow the money” all the way back to the source, all the way back to the 1%ers like the Koch brothers.

   I might add, “Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel”.
9. #9 by MRambler
   March 26th, 2014 at 6:22 pm

   I’m offended (Ha!), Anon….. You didn’t include ME….. I think we were all saying the same thing, just from different perspectives and backgrounds, of course, I guess mine was a little motivated by the direct impact on my medical care at the VA….. But, I know we all agree that something needs to be done – but What?….. Randalf gave me a few ideas about online petitions and I’m willing to pursue that and we have decided to have more open political discussions with each other in the future….. If nothing else “We can agree to disagree” (from the movie “HELP”)…… Let’s hear more!…..
10. #10 by J.J.
    March 26th, 2014 at 9:39 pm

    And day our new members is why we don’t have a lot of political posts here. I must say the true measure of friends is after all that I know all parties are still friends. I like MR are a Independant. The only difference is I havn’t voted for ANYONE since Ross Perot because he is the last true Independant that was on the ballot in OK. All of the 3rd Party candidates are just that, Party Candidates.
11. #11 by Raj
    March 27th, 2014 at 11:13 am

    Billboard display was in no way a salute to our deserving vets. It was the typical ongoing GOP onslaught of OUR
    President Obama.
12. #12 by Randalf the Grey
    March 27th, 2014 at 11:53 pm

    In a related matter, I forwarded to Bobby a petition to house speaker Boner from an organization called VoteVets.org which calls on the speaker to allow an up-or-down vote on an extension of unemployment benefits. Since the house inaction in December, over 400,000 veterans of our armed forces have seen their unemployment benefits cut off. If you take a close look at VoteVets, you’ll realize that they are rather progressive ( liberal ) for a veterans group. The only name I recognized when I looked at their advisory board was retired AF General Wesley Clark, but I have signed quite a few of their petitions, which always deal with issues which affect the health and economic well being of our vets. I know that internet petitions can often be a waste of time, but sometimes, if they a targeted properly and get the signatures of enough potential voters, they can make an impact.
13. #13 by MRambler
    March 28th, 2014 at 8:28 am

    Great to see you back on the Blog, Randalf….. I updated your comment so the VoteVets.org is now a clickable link – Hope you don’t mind….. That will make it easier for us retards to get there and check it out, and, I do recommend the MR Community check it out….. Again, Welcome Back, Randalf the Grey……..
14. #14 by Randalf the Grey
    March 29th, 2014 at 12:23 am

    JJ, I understand your feelings about voting, the current state of the American body politic is ridiculous. I am a Democrat, but they often disappoint me. And the Rethuglicans ALWAYS disgust me. But my Dad, a WWII vet who saw action in northern France and Germany in ’44-’45, then was a member of Eisenhower’s honor guard in the Occupation Forces, always told me that too many good men have died for our country for us not to take our responsibilities as citizens seriously. He said that who we vote for isn’t as important as the act of voting, and if you look closely enough at the candidates (even when there are only two) you’ll usually see that one is the lesser of the two evils. Dad talked and smoked with Ike a few times–Kansas farm boy to Okie farm boy–and voted for Ike twice, then voted for JFK because he didn’t trust Nixon and also because Kennedy bothered to campaign in OKC while Nixon didn’t. The fact that dad was a union member (National Association of Letter Carriers) by 1960 might also have come into play, I don’t know. I voted against Nixon in 1972, the first year I was eligible to vote, and haven’t missed a general election since. I cannot do otherwise.
    MR suggested on the phone recently that maybe we shouldn’t discuss politics at all, but we mutually decided that we agree on most of the issues, and a lack of real dialog between our politicians AND our citizens is a big part of the problem. I know our friendship is strong enough to survive our differences. And of course, voting isn’t nearly enough– we have to make enough noise to counter that army of lobbyists who control our congress. Those in congress should have to wear all their sponsors’ logos like NASCAR drivers, so we can see who owns them. Ike warned us that the defense industries might steal us blind in the name of national security. That has certainly come to pass. And FDR once said that if people hadn’t been protesting in the streets, we wouldn’t have Social Security. He said that neither he nor any other politician would have had the courage if the people hadn’t demanded it. This rant is almost done, but one more thing. That F-35 JSF that I mentioned previously, you know, the most expensive weapons system in history ? It will account for between 11% and 12% of the national debt. I’m done. Goodnight all.
15. #15 by J.J.
    March 29th, 2014 at 6:05 pm

    RTG: I have never been prouder to call someone my friend than I am you at this moment. I didn’t know any of that about your father. You must have been so proud of him. He sounds like a fascinating man. My father served in WWII in the Pacific. Speaking of the campaign stop that JFK made in OKC, Somewhere I have a photo of my Grandfather Who was a Oklahoma Highway Patrolman who was on the Honor Guard for his Visit. I have a photo of the entire group and one with Just the 2 of them. But I digress. The Vote discussion, I know that it is one of the privileges that we as Americans have, and I should but, As you say it is the “lesser of 2 evils”. I am not prepared to “Settle” at this point. I just would like someone to run for office that has their own opinion/plan for what is going on. Not what the Party wants or what their Biggest Donor wants, what about what I the American Citizen want? I agree with you about the NASCAR Reference. A well put response to this Post.
16. #16 by Randalf the Grey
    March 29th, 2014 at 11:17 pm

    JJ, I’d really like to see those photos of your Grandfather if you could post or e-mail ’em. I think we both have reason to be proud of our dads. I don’t know how fascinating mine was–that stuff about Ike and a brief encounter with General Patton were his only brushes with history–he was “the common man”. But he was a good man and I miss him.
    As I said, I totally understand your disgust with the system. “…if you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice” –Geddy Lee

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