REPUBLICAN ACTIONS AGAINST MILITARY FAMILIES REPLACING HOLLOW RHETORIC IN THE MINDS OF VOTERS

Republicans have a serious problem with military veterans this year-- very serious. They've been bellowing "Support The Troops" loud and long and for the past half decade their bluster has been enough. It isn't any longer. Pick almost any Republican member of Congress-- either house-- and look at his or her voting record on support for our troops or for support for our vets and you'll probably be astonished. Not every single member rates a zero-- but most do and not a single Republican member of Congress-- not one has been supportive of the troops or of our returning veterans. And this particular fish certainly has rotten from the head. This morning Think Progress released a shocking video of the father of Ross McGinnis, a soldier who sacrificed his own life to save 4 buddies in Iraq and was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. He called on Bush to match his words with deeds when it comes to our frayed military men and women. Bush and the Republicans have had no problem, as Bush did last week, mouthing phrases like "America will never forget those who came forward to bear the battle," while threatening to veto legislation to give vets a shot at an education back home. "Our troops," said Mr. McGinnis, "when they get home also need our support. … They need to be able to continue their education where they left off. And so I say thank you to the Senate and House who have helped to pass the new GI bill. Now this GI bill only needs the signature of the President of the United States to become law. And I think it’s time that George Bush can sign this bill and make it law to show his appreciation for the support these loyal youth have given him."

After a brutal battle in the Senate-- in which McConnell and McCain tried every trick in the book to derail the GI Bill-- Bush was left with a decision: sign the widely popular bill to help our vets or veto it, even though more Senate Republicans crossed the aisle to vote with the Democrats than stood with Bush, McCain, McConnell, Lindsey Graham, Cornyn and the other crackpot fanatics. The vote in the House was also a lopsided defeat for Bush and McCain, 256-166-- with only 7 anti-military Democrats (craven Blue Dogs Melissa Bean, Dan Boren, Joe Donnelly, Brad Ellsworth, Nick Lampson, Tim Mahoney, and Jim Matheson) joining 159 GOP dead-enders.

Only 32 House Republicans-- mostly ones who are retiring or who are looking like they are likely to lose their seats in November-- voted for the veterans. But among the GOP hard core who shout the loudest about supporting the troops but who always vote against them-- and did again on the GI Bill-- were Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL), Tim Walberg (R-MI), Scott Garrett (R-NJ), David Dreier (R-CA), Ric Keller (R-FL), Randy Kuhl (R-NY), Michael McCaul (R-TX), Mike Pence (R-IN), Dave Reichert (R-WA), Dana Rohrabacher (R-OH), and Mean Jean Schmidt (R-OH). These disgraceful characters all have three things in common: each is opposed by a Blue America-endorsed candidate who supports vets, each has a clear and consistent record of opposing legislation designed to help vets, and each has an equally clear and consistent record for voting against giving assistance-- from body armor to health care-- for our active duty servicemen. It is easy for a loud-mouthed Know Nothing like Mean Jean Schmidt (R-OH) to accuse a decorated military hero like John Murtha of being a traitor but Mean Jean Schmidt always opposes veterans and always votes against the well-being of our active duty military personnel. Always.

What Republicans like this crew mean when they bellow: "Support the troops," is "support the war profiteers" and "support war." When Bush wants billions for politically connected mercenaries and for corrupt military contractors, John McCain, Mean Jean Schmidt, Scott Garrett, David Dreier and these other creeps always vote "yes." But when it's for the troops and their families or when it's for vets... it's no, no, no. Slowly, military families are starting to wise up to the GOP ruse. By the end of last year the Dallas Morning News reported that the Republican's hold on the military vote was loosening. Since then it's gotten much worse for them and in states with large military presense, like North Carolina, California, Texas, Alaska, and Virginia, voters see Democratic candidates like Larry Kissell (NC), Charlie Brown (CA), Russ Warner (CA), Debbie Cook (CA), Rick Noriega (TX), Mark Begich (AK), Diane Benson (AK), Tom Perriello (VA), Judy Feder (VA), Glenn Nye (VA) and Leslie Byrne (VA) fighting for their interests while Republican incumbents like Robin Hayes, David Dreier, Dana Rohrabacher, John Cornyn, Ted Stevens, Don Young, Virgil Goode, Frank Wolf, and Thelma Drake opposing them every step of the way. There comes a time when actions speak louder than words-- and the time is now. What Ross Perot said about John McCain-- "McCain is the classic opportunist. He’s always reaching for attention and glory"-- could be applied to the entire GOP: all empty talk, no action... unless you're willing to pays the immense bribes it takes to get their attention.

One of the loud-mouthed Republicans always bellowing "Support the troops," but always voting against them and voting against vets, is Florida extremist Mario Diaz-Balart. This year he's scared silly because he is being challenged by Joe Garcia, a progressive Democrat who stands with military families and with veterans. Take a look at this little clip I put together using a powerful song by Peter Salett:



If you'd like to help elect progressives who support our vets and our military families, every single candidate on this page is worthy of your attention-- and each one of them is opposing a Republican with a proven record of disdain for our military personnel. And, remember, even $5 or $0 helps our candidates get their messages out to voters who don't have a lot of time or energy to pay close attention to "politics."