NAVIGATION MAIN MENU

COMPENDIUM LIBRARY/TWITTER MONITOR
VIDEO GALLERY
Economic News
Newsbrief Archives
Democrat Leadership Twitter and Realtime Feeds
Cabinet twitter and realtime feeds
North America weblog
International weblog
Democrats twitter directory
Latest Government Jobs and Public Tenders
Jobs Matrix
Global Travel Information
Pop Entertainment Forum
Start Portal


Please make a donation to support upkeep of the daily news journal, back archives, twitter feeds and the compendium library.










Remembering America's Patriots « Thread Started on Apr 28, 2

Daily newsbrief journal for April 2007, also see http://www.usdemocrats.com/brief for a global 100-page perpetual brief and follow twitter @usdemocrats


Remembering America's Patriots « Thread Started on Apr 28, 2

Postby admin » Sat Jan 28, 2012 11:39 am

Remembering America's Patriots « Thread Started on Apr 28, 2007, 11:44am » --------------------------------------------------------------------------------Remembering America's Patriots Remarks of Senator Paul Wellstone Before the 99th National Convention of the Veterans of Foreign Wars San Antonio, Texas August 31, 1998 First of all, I thank the commander for his kind introduction. Let me thank each and every one of you for the invitation to speak at this VFW 99th National Convention. Al Loehr from Minnesota tells me that I’m lucky. And I consider this a honor to be the first Minnesotan from our Congressional delegation to have a chance to speak at a national VFW convention since Hubert Humphrey in 1965. That puts me in a great tradition. (Applause) I thank you for your commitment to courage, your commitment to country, and for your commitment to community. I also want to tell you that I’m especially honored because I admire your service to veterans and their families, I admire your service to community, and I admire your service to the nation. Before I start thanking some people that are here, let me start out with a Minnesota story, if I can, because I love having a chance to be a Senator from my state. I know that part of the focus at this convention has to be — VFW — unity. Those of you who that are here, you may not agree on all issues. But we come together around the issues that matter. So let me tell you a Minnesota story that speaks to this. In the mid-1980s, many Minnesota farmers were being driven off the land. They were being foreclosed on. It was a crisis. I fear by the way that for those of you from Agricultural America that we’re going to go through this again. These farmers had no explanation as to why they were losing their farms. They not only worked there, they lived there. This became the fertile ground for a politics of hatred. It was a politics that was racist and anti-Semitic, and all the rest. Some scary groups were out there organizing with farmers. So my friends said to me, ‘Paul, you are Jewish, you’ve got to stop speaking out at these farm rallies, you’ve got to stop organizing with farmers." But, if you are five foot five and a half, you don’t pay any attention. And some of you know what I mean. (Laughter) And so I went out to speak at a community that those of us in Minnesota call "Alex" — Alexandria, Minnesota. I gave a speech at a big farm rally, and as soon as I finished, a big guy — a lot of guys look big to me — came up and he said, "what nationality are you?" I said to myself, ‘I can’t believe this.’ I said, ‘I’m American.’ He said, "Where are your parents from?’ I said, "well, my father fled persecution in Russia. And, my mother’s family fled the Ukraine, although she was actually born in New York City. He looked at me, and said, ‘You are a jew!" I want to tell you, I wrestled at the University of North Carolina, and I was ready, and I said, "Yes, I am." And he stuck out his big hand, and he said, "buddy, I’m a Finn, and us minorities have got to struggle together." One of the reasons I really love Minnesota. (Laughter, applause) National Commander-in-Chief John Moon, thank you. Sr. Vice Commander Tom Pouliot, thank you. Adjutant General Larry Rivers, thank you. Auxiliary National President. Executive Director of the national Washington Office Ken Steadman, thank you. Thank you to the national staff. To all my VFW friends from Minnesota, too many to name. Thank you very much for all of your support. Without your support, without all that you’ve done for me, I would never have the chance to be a United States Senator. To Jim Shaw, who is somewhere here, a Korean War veteran, member of my staff, member of VFW Post 8510 in Hibbing, Minnesota, thank you so much for all of your help. To Auxiliary members for your great work, and to special guests, I thank you. 99th Convention. You have a rich history. What I want to say to you today at this 99th convention, as we move to the 100th anniversary. We need you. The VFW has been about service to community and service to country. The VFW has been about citizenship. With all of the cynicism, I worry for my country. We need a new century of citizenship, a new century of patriotism, a commitment to our country as a whole. I come here to honor you because you have the attitude, you have the kind of commitment, and you have done the kind of work that lights a candle for America. Please help me VFW in calling our Nation to move forward with citizenship, and patriotism, and love of country. That is why we are here. (Applause) Because of you, we have a veterans health care system and service-connected benefits. Because of you, we help homeless veterans. Though, not enough. Because of you, we provide job training to veterans. Because of you, we have veterans preference in employment. Because of you, we assist dependents and survivors of veterans. Service to veterans. That’s what the VFW has been about for 99 years. Because of you, millions of dollars have been contributed to worthwhile civic projects from sea to shinning sea. Because of you, youngsters can participate in sports, boy scouts, and Voice of Democracy. Because of you, we have more support for cancer research. VFW. Service to community. Because of you, we have prosperity. Because of you, we have freedom. Because of you, we have democracy. VFW. Service to the nation. I will say to you in a very personal way that as a United States Senator that giving back to veterans strengthens our nation. For many of us, when we give back to veterans — those who have served our country, who have risked life and limb, that is the single best thing I can do as a United States Senator. I am probably more proud of you asking me to speak at this gathering than almost anything I’ve ever done in my life, and I mean that without exaggeration. (Applause) Now, I pose a question to you at this 99th convention. Have we as a nation, have we as a country done enough to give back to our veterans? Have we done enough? Let me put it to you this way. I get so tired of all this discussion about politics as "left", "right" and "center". I don’t care about the labels. Nobody in Minnesota ever comes up to me and talks in those labels. Politics is about trying to do well for people. While many of you — you are living proof of this — you served our country, you came back and you’ve been enormously successful. In private sector, public sector, communities, you know it. But, I know this. I know this, Jim Shaw, from our Minnesota office. From all the calls we get. And from all the people we try to help. There are many veterans who’ve had a war injury that has changed their lives forever. There are many veterans that are hurting. There is a lot of pain. There’s a lot of people that fall between cracks. And, our country has not done our best at honoring our commitment, our moral obligation to veterans in the United States of America. (Applause) To consider how much more needs to be done, listen to the Persian Gulf veteran. He’s returned home with a long and complicated list of ailments. He used to be a runner. He could run five miles before service in the Gulf. And now, he can’t walk one block. I will tell you today at this VFW gathering that I will be disappointed in you if you don’t make the same commitment, except I know that already have made the commitment. We should do everything in our power to support Persian Gulf veterans, and we should not rest until they get the answers, and the health care and the compensation that they deserve. They deserve. (Applause) Have we done enough for our veterans? Listen to the aging World War II veteran who is worried about losing touch with friends and family after having been placed in a nursing home. We can and should develop a national long-term care policy that is truly in the best interest of veterans and their families. Look, part of this is obvious. We make a commitment to veterans nursing homes. But do you know what else we have to make a commitment to? We have to make a commitment to a veterans health care system whereby we say to our veterans as they reach the age of 70 or 75 or 80 or 85 we as a nation will do everything possible to make sure that as long as possible you will be able to live at home in as near normal circumstances as possible with dignity, we ought to make a commitment to home based compassionate community care for our veterans. That should be a part of veterans health care in the United States of America. (Applause) Have we done enough for our veterans? Listen to Smoky Parrish from the Forgotten 216th. It was his job to measure radiation — some of you know where I’m going with this — during the military’s nuclear bomb tests during the 50’s in Nevada. Atomic veterans were sent to ground zero with little or no protection. They were not given any warning about the dangers of exposure to radiation. I’m going to tell you today at this VFW gathering. I have met these veterans from all across the country. And their families. The number of these veterans that have died from cancer. The number of their children that have been killed. The number of their grandchildren that have been killed. This is a national disgrace, and I know the VFW has been supportive, but I’ve got to say it because you’ve invited me to be here. Do you realize this happened a half a century ago? We finally passed a bill out of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee. It is going to go to the floor this month. And it expands the list of presumptive service-connected diseases, cancers for atomic veterans. I’m not going to rest. I hope you won’t rest until we right this injustice, and make sure these atomic veterans get the care and compensation they deserve in our country. (Applause) Have we done enough? Listen to American ex-prisoners of war who are still coping with the affects of being held in captivity. We cannot forget our POWs and their families. We must treat and compensate them for the diseases that they have as a result from being held against their will. Listen to the veteran whose claim for a service-connected disability — you know where I’m heading on this — took years of red tape, paperwork, appeals and remands to get approved. On the average, 111 days for a claim for benefits to move through a regional office. 881 days for an appeal to move through the Board of Veterans Appeals. 41 percent of the cases at the Board of Veterans Appeals in 1998 were remanded — sent back — to regional offices for further work. I say to the Veterans of Foreign Wars that this is too long and there has been too many mistakes. Justice delayed is justice denied for veterans. We must get the decision right the first time! We must get the decision right the first time! We’ve got to change the system and make sure that people get the compensation they deserve. (Applause) Of course, the VA must re-engineer its claims process. Of course, VA must use new technology. Secretary West will be talking about this. And I think that it is so important that he be in the position of Secretary Jesse Brown and be a strong advocate for veterans. I know that he will do so. But, we’ve got to stop this practice of cutting staff when we add new computers. Computers can’t replace trained professionals, especially in adjudicating complicated claims for benefits. We ought to fully fund and staff our VA regional offices. (Applause) Have we done enough? Listen to the veteran living — and struggling — with post-traumatic stress disorder. He has is back from the war for several decades now, but still drowning the pain in alcohol. Access to treatment is critical. Listen to the homeless veteran whose living on the streets in our cities. Here we are in the United States of America today at our peak economic performance doing so well economicaly and we’re still being told that we don’t have the resources to help homeless veterans. One-third of homeless people in our country today are veterans. That’s a national disgrace. Better access to VA treatment for mental illness and chemical dependency is critical. We can do that. Better access to transitional housing is critical. We can do that. Better access to job training is critical. We can do that. At this gathering of the VFW, given your service to community and your service to veterans, we should make the commitment to making sure that our country meets the challenge of dealing with this disgrace of one-third of the homeless people in our country are veterans. It is unconscionable, it is unacceptable. We can do better as a nation. We can do better as a nation. Have we done enough? Listen to the veteran who depends upon the VA medical system for health care in an era of cutting staff and "no growth" budgets. I say to them at this 99th VFW convention that it is time for the Congress to put veterans health care back on the agenda, back on the table. It is time for the Congress to take positive action on veterans health care legislation and to stop squeezing money out of our VA hospitals. (Applause) I will introduce a bill in the next week or so. I don’t say this to brag. I hope there will be strong bi-partisan support. I’m certainly working with senators on both sides. Our legislation will be simple. It will say: A) Begin the planning so that we know we’re going to deal with our veterans population as more and more veterans — thank god — live to be 80, 85. B) Fully fund the VA medical system. The flat line budget won’t work. Third-party payments are not going to give us all the resources we need. Go on record. Fully fund the VA medical system. C) We should have nationwide Medicare reimbursement program so that Medicare eligible veterans will have the freedom to chose — freedom of choice — VA for their health care. D) Give veterans a stronger voice in ensuring higher quality care. We set up veterans review boards so that veterans are involved in helping to shape the kind of health care system that we’re going to have for veterans. E) Let’s make sure that with all of this discussion about patient protection, we may have some legislation on the floor in September. That veterans are included. There should be a veterans health care bill of rights. High quality care. Timely access to care. Access to specialists. And making sure that we get the best care possible. It is time to put the pressure on the Congress to move forward with a real good health care system for veterans in the United States of America. It should be a top priority. (Applause) Anyone in the Congress — Democrat or Republican — who is willing to work with veterans, who is willing to work with the VFW will come away from that experience feeling more patriotic and more grateful with a renewed sense of commitment to our country. I know that. Because that has been my journey as a United States of Senator. During WW II, 400,000 Americans died on the battlefields. If you can see this movie. For some of you it may be too painful. But I hope many of you will see the movie "Saving Private Ryan." I think it is extremely important. 700,000 returned home wounded. During the Korean War, 50,000 Americans died. 100,000 wounded. During the Vietnam War, 58,000 Americans died. 300,000 wounded. You and I know when ordinary people step forward and make the ultimate sacrifice or return home wounded or disabled, they deserve the admiration of the American people. They have earned it. And you know because you truly understand patriotism. You, more than any other American, have demonstrated love of country that defines the term. Patriotism is reflected in the thousands of yards of sacred purple and thousands of bronze cast profiles of George Washington that you have earned. Patriotism is in the memory of those brave Americans who fell on Omaha Beach, at Heartbreak Ridge, on Hamburger Hill. Patriotism waves in the seven bars of red and six of white, that snap in the wind and tear at the heart. To be sure, if patriotism is to mean anything, it must mean keeping the faith with those whom the Nation plucked from their youth and transported to distant shores to fight in the unspeakable horror of war. Patriotism is also believing — like you do — in the inherent greatness of our nation, with a deep faith in the ability of Americans to work together to create a better country. But today in Washington we are confronted with another philosophy. I call it the "new isolationism." Not as in foreign affairs, but as in human affairs, or in terms of veterans affairs. This new isolationism makes the individual pursuit the primary goal not commitment to nation as a whole. This new isolationism represents a very new philosophy than I think is represented by the VFW. I think of the Erickson family. The letter I received from a 14-year old girl. ‘Senator, my dad served in Vietnam. He’s been fine. Then last week he took a shower in the morning getting ready to go to work. He came out of that shower and he hasn’t spoken a word since. What can be done to help my dad." I think of the atomic veterans who are still waiting for compensation. I think of homeless veterans. This new philosophy says you’re on your own. If you are a Vietnam vet and you have a substance abuse problem. This philosophy says that you’re on your own. If you are struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder. This philosophy says that you are on your own. If you are Tim and Lisa Gilmore. Tim has now passed away. It was so important to him. He had Agent Orange related illnesses. A Vietnam veteran. He wanted to get that compensation before he passed away. Otherwise, he feared his family would not have the economic support. This new isolationism says you are on your own. If you are 60 years old. If you are 70 years old. You have Parkinson’s disease. Both my parents had Parkinson’s disease. I know what that’s about. This new isolationism says, you are on your own. If you are poor and you can’t put food on the table. This new isolationism says that you’re on your own. If you are one of 42 million Americans with no health insurance. This new isolationism says, you’re on your own. What ever happened to there but the grace of god go I? What ever happened to a sense of community. I say at this VFW gathering. I came here to say at this VFW gathering that we must challenge this new isolationism. Instead, we must talk about a new devotion to country. We must talk about a renewed commitment to our nation as a whole. We must talk about community. We must talk about service. We must not be a part of the cynicism that says that we can’t do better as a nation. We must encourage Americans to be their own best selves. What ever happened to the idea that we all do better when we all do better? This patriotic attitude, I’ve got to say this, has not been on display recently in Washington. Let me give you a case in point. I’m going to talk about it even though it is not pleasant. But I’m going to talk about it. What I refer to as the "great highway robbery." You remember what it was like. The military handed out cigarettes like candy. Soldiers were encouraged to smoke to relieve stress. Remember the saying, ‘smoke ‘em if you got ‘em?’ Regardless of those facts, Congress and the Administration changed the rules for veterans and they denied tobacco related benefits. Worse yet, not only did they deny tobacco related benefits, but they didn’t put the savings into other veterans programs. Did they use the $17 billion to make sick Gulf War veterans better? No. Did they use they use the savings to invest in long-term care for veterans? No. Did they use the savings for justice for atomic veterans? No. Did they use the savings to cut back on the backlog of claims and get these decisions made in a prompt manner? No. Did they use the savings to fully fund veterans health care? No. Don’t get me wrong. I’m all in favor of our nation’s transportation infrastructure. But I will say this. If you want to invest in more highways, you go ahead and do it. But you take the money out of the benefits that you give to the tobacco companies, the insurance companies, and the oil companies. Don’t take the benefits away from veterans and their families. (Applause) I think people in Minnesota have come to understand. I think on the final highway bill, we worked hard to have a good bill. There must have been a few of us who voted against it. I voted against the bill. I wanted nothing to do with this highway robbery. Then, Sen. Rockefeller and I wanted to come back with another amendment yet. They wouldn’t let us do it. They did a slick move and put it in the conference report on tax reform bill. I think there were two of us. It is not such a good thing to vote against tax reform. But there were two of us that voted against the IRS bill because again I don’t want anything to do with (the "highway robbery"). They told us they couldn’t do as much we need to do for veterans because of the deficit. We don’t have a deficit anymore. Then they took $17 billions from the veterans budget and they put it into transportation. Where’s the commitment to veterans? I think that politics in Washington — the Administration and Congress — have run out of good excuses. I hope that at this 99th convention that there will be a demand that a positive veterans agenda be put back on the table with a real focus on good health care for veterans. I hope the VFW will lead the charge. You’ve done it before, do it again. To conclude, let me quote a great American. Before taking command of the Continental Army, George Washington told the First Continental Congress: "When we assumed the soldier we did not lay aside the citizen." I know that you, having been steadfast soldiers, will always be great citizens. Let us join today in a call for a new century of American citizenship. The memorial to Colonel Robert Gould Shaw that stands in Boston Common sings the praises of the "pride, courage, and devotion of the patriot soldier." I call upon America to evince the pride, courage, and devotion to the patriot citizen. Let us see an America that truly honors the veteran! Let us see an America where we can be proud of the kind of person the country turns out. Let us work to see an America that earns the sacrifice reflected in those thousands of yards of scared purple. Let us strive for an America even more worthy to stand beneath those seven bars of red and six of white. And let us strive for an America that will truly portray the "new constellation" represented by those stars of white on that field of blue. Please join me, and let us together fashion a new patriotic America. Thank you.
admin
Site Admin
 
Posts: 82092
Joined: Fri Nov 27, 2009 7:00 am

Return to April 2007

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest