Vets object to billing private insurance for service injuries & Update

If you think Obama cares who or what group he screws next, as he throws billions away, read on. His latest idiotic idea bears grave notice by every veteran, past and present, as well as every future defender of freedom of this country.

Didn't he even think an injury while in the service would be equal to a Work Comp injury and thus NOT covered by private health insurance anyway? Once again, lay it on the backs of those who served and give more to the welfare recipients and illegals.

This likely won't fly, but it shows how little this man, with no military experience, knows or cares about those who have sacrificed and given so much so he can stand in the place he is now.

By Adam Levine
Pentagon Supervising Producer
March 4, 2009

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Veterans groups are warning President Barack Obama against going ahead with a possible administration move to charge veterans' private health care for service-related injuries.

In a letter sent by 11 of the most prominent veterans organizations, the groups warned that the idea "is wholly unacceptable and a total abrogation of our government's moral and legal responsibility to the men and women who have sacrificed so much."

CNN obtained a copy of the letter sent to the White House last Friday by groups including The American Legion, Disabled American Veterans, Military Order of the Purple Heart, Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, and Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America. Read the letter (PDF)

A White House spokesman would neither confirm nor deny the option is being considered.

"The details of specific proposals will be transmitted with the full submission in April. The president has made it clear that meeting the needs of veterans is one of his priorities, and as a result has requested an 11 percent increase in discretionary funding for 2010, and the administration is actively working with the veterans community to ensure we get the details of this budget right," said White House spokesman Nick Shapiro.

In the letter, the groups said they have been told by sources on Capitol Hill and at the VA that the idea under consideration would allow the Department of Veterans Affairs to bill health insurance for a treatment of a disability or injury that was a result of military service.

The argument for the proposal is that it frees up money for the VA by charging the private insurers, allowing the VA to spend on more services, said Joe Violante, legislative director for Disabled American Veterans, who opposes the idea. While there could be savings, Violante warned it also could lead to an increase in premiums for veterans with private coverage.

""We cannot and would not agree to any proposal that would expand this concept any further," the heads of the 11 groups wrote in the letter.

"While we understand the fiscal difficulties this country faces right now, placing the burden of those fiscal problems on the men and women who have already sacrificed a great deal for this country is unconscionable."

Currently, veterans' private insurance is only charged when they receive health care from the VA for medical issues that are not related to service injuries, like getting the flu.

Charging for service-related injuries would violate "a sacred trust," said Veterans of Foreign Wars spokesman Joe Davis. Davis said the move would risk private health care for veterans and their families by potentially maxing out benefits paying for costly war injury treatments.

It could also make it harder for veterans to get private insurance if the companies decide to reject them for pre-existing conditions, rather than be billed for service-connected injuries, Davis said.

"This seems like bad politics and bad policy," said IAVA Policy Director Vanessa Williamson, noting that every veterans group opposes it and warns it will adversely affect veterans. "I don't see this as a tenable option."

As an 3-24 update to this, Obama pulled this from the agenda, but had the balls to ask the Veterans Service Organizations to meet with the VA and figure out how to make up the money they would save by taking this off the table! The VSO's did meet with the VA but told Obama it's not their job to decide how to budget items at the VA! Good on the VSO's for standing up for us vets and shame on Obama for even thinking of this in the first place. And, to the new head of the VA...fight harder for the troops...you used to be one of us if you can recall before being a politician! Or does becoming a politician negate all your past history??

Bailing out a Boat with a Hole in the Bottom!

Somehow the government hasn't figured out that you need to plug the hole that the water is flowing through before you start bailing out the boat. In this case it's cash being thrown back into the system, but they haven't plugged the leaks that keep cropping up, and frankly, I see our Washington bureaucrats running amok with wads of cash trying to shore up a sinking ship that keeps leaking more and more.

Obama brought aboard a team of tax evaders and welcomed them with open arms. For God's sake, one of them he even appointed head of the Treasury Department, the people that run the IRS and tax collection! Gaithner didn't pay self-employment tax and the so-called nanny tax, and the IRS even forgave him penalties. How nice, and how unlikely that same scenario would happen to other Americans who are dogged for a few bucks when they make an honest mistake on their tax forms?

An even more disgusting move shows up on TV nightly with actors (I presume in lieu of the actual miscreants) bragging about how they owed the IRS tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars or even millions, and were able to get off by paying little. One brags they owed over a million and payed a tenth of that amount. WTF? And the ordinary guy owes a few hundred and gets slapped with fines and penalties and feels like a criminal? No wonder we're in such deep crap. We're bailing out everyone and Washington gives the nod to doing it. I can understand the logic of "not getting blood from a stone" but to let people get behind a million dollars and then accept pennies on a dollar as a settlement? Where's the watchdogs?

And guess what folks? YOU are paying what they didn't pay! Their free ride, just like the illegals, welfare recipients, AIG execs and the rest of the no-loads is on YOU!

Your taxes will increase exponentially as the administration goes into overdrive giving your tax money away. Many of us won't live long enough to see the eventual bankruptcy of our system, or maybe we will. But our children and grandchildren will. What a helluva legacy to leave them, debt that can never be paid back and a government that runs everything like a socialist republic. Not that it starts off that way but when you have everyone in "programs" it will end up that way.

And we fought and died to get this far, just to watch it all go down the tubes in a short time. Pessimistic? Yup. With a glimmer of optimism that some politicians will stop the madness before we self-implode.

California Tax Refunds and the US Economy

Well, the dumbasses in Sacramento finally reached accord, and we'll soon be seeing our tax refunds. Oh wait...did I say soon? I note the FTB says it could take 25 business days for a refund to get to those who are owed money. That's another 5 weeks, or about the end of April for most of us as I figure it. Yet in another twist of their crooked tongue, they say the March refunds will be made on time. How in hell do they figure that will happen?

Folks, we're in deep kimche in California and the entire country. The tip of the iceberg has just surfaced and under the current Democratic leadership, we're screwed. Everyone wants a piece of the stimulus package but they have no idea who's paying for it! What a bunch of idiots! Where the hell do they think the money is coming from? I can understand the greedy bastards on Wall Street and the Banks and AIG screwing the taxpayers because that's what they do...but good lord, people, get some sense, and recognize you'll be paying this back for generations to come. Your children, grandchildren and those to follow will suffer for this debacle. IF the country as we know it survives at all.

I believe there will be a revolution between parties, a knock-down, drag-out fight in the halls of the legislatures in states and Washington until this is settled. Let's pray it ends there before it's taken to the streets by people who are out of work and out of hope. As unemployment grows and hope for the future dims, the Washington bureaucrats prattle on about a light at the end of the tunnel. What they don't tell you is that the light is at the head of a runaway locomotive and it's going to run your ass over! And the bureaucrats are riding the pork filled train that follows.

Mr. Obama made some big promises but all he seems to be able to do is piss away more and more money every day.

TomTom Comes Through - Tiger Direct Changes Ads

Blogging and phone calls do have an effect on companies and here's an update on what has transpired in just two days since I wrote the entry regarding the GPS navigator.

First, TomTom honored the free map upgrade that was included with the unit. I did have to scan and send a copy of the receipt with the free map guarantee card to them, and they immediately (withing a few hours) honored the free upgrade to the latest maps, So, I can say:

WAY TO GO TOMTOM!
Good work in stepping up to the plate and doing what's right!

As for Tiger Direct, they removed all references to the refurbished TomTom units having the latest maps installed and any free upgrades included. They did this with all models, so it's pretty clear they got the message. They didn't apologize for their error, nor did they offer anything but for me to send the unit back and then refund. I need the unit so that was not acceptable to me; I'd still have to go find another unit in any case, so TomTom saved the day and the GPS. I'm happy with the outcome.

Still, I'd shy away from Tiger Direct and probably not put them on a high place on my shopping list. True, they did fix the problem on their end, but look at all it took. Talking to two customer service people, filling out two forms, (I noted they wouldn't post my review of the unit as it wasn't complimentary...another sign they likely knew of the problem from others, but I made more noise). And, maybe they caught hell from TomTom besides? Plus, the ads were misleading and who knows, could they have been the basis for action by consumer affairs? I have no idea, but in any case I don't have to deal with them again if I don't wish to.

In any event, don't get taken and remember that TomTom did step forward and do the right thing when it counted. Maybe the blog pushed it along or maybe not but they did do the right thing.