6/13/2006
Rush Limbaugh - This makes total sense!
American Soldier says,
I got this in the mail today. Whether you like him or not, what he said here made me realize the vast difference in quality treatment with two seperate but very similar aspects of the Global War on Terror.
I think the vast differences in compensation between victims of the
September 11 casualty and those who die serving our country in uniform
are profound. No one is really talking about it either, because you
just don’t criticize anything having to do with September 11. Well, I
can’t let the numbers pass by because it says something really
disturbing about the entitlement mentality of this country. If you lost
a family member in the September 11 attack, you’re going to get an
average of $1,185,000. The range is a minimum guarantee of $250,000,
all the way up to $4.7 million.If you are a surviving family member of an American soldier killed in
action, the first check you get is a $6,000 direct death benefit, half
of which is taxable.Next, you get $1,750 for burial costs. If you are the surviving
spouse, you get $833 a month until you remarry. And there’s a payment
of $211 per month for each child under 18. When the child hits 18,
those payments come to a screeching halt.Keep in mind that some of the people who are getting an average of
$1.185 million up to $4.7 million are complaining that it’s not enough.
Their deaths were tragic, but for most, they were simply in the wrong
place at the wrong time. Soldiers put themselves in harms way FOR ALL
OF US, and they and their families know the dangers.We also learned over the weekend that some of the victims from the
Oklahoma City bombing have started an organization asking for the same
deal that the September 11 families are getting. In addition to that,
some of the families of those bombed in the embassies are now asking
for compensation as well.You see where this is going, don’t you? Folks, this is part and
parcel of over 50 years of entitlement politics in this country. It’s
just really sad. Every time a pay raise comes up for the military, they
usually receive next to nothing of a raise. Now the green machine is in
combat in the Middle East while their families have to survive on food
stamps and live in low-rent housing. Make sense?However, our own U.S. Congress voted themselves a raise. Many of you
don’t know that they only have to be in Congress one time to receive a
pension that is more than $15,000 per month. And most are now equal to
being millionaires plus. They do not receive Social Security on
retirement because they didn’t have to pay into the system.If some of the military people stay in for 20 years and get out as an
E-7, they may receive a pension of $1,000 per month, and the very
people who placed them in harm’s way receives a pension of $15,000 per
month.I would like to see our elected officials pick up a weapon and join
ranks before they start cutting out benefits and lowering pay for our
sons and daughters who have and are now fighting.“When do we finally do something about this?” If this doesn’t seem
fair to you, it is time to forward this to as many people as you can.
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39 Responses to “Rush Limbaugh - This makes total sense!”
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the differences in money is just sad. To think that if my husband died protecting our country i get nothing. But for the people who were killed in 9/11 (and i feel bad for thier families) who get SOOOO much more, it makes no sence.. and it is just sad
I wish the soldiers could vote themselves a pay raise like our congressional leaders do. Politicians just piss me off. Pay raises should be voted on by the taxpayers.
You have to some see this post on the situation in Iraq. It is absolutely amazing.
Regards
It makes me sick to think about it. Not only for those soldiers who have been killed or wounded but just the everyday day soldier tryng to survive on military pay while millionare congressman are giving them selves raises every year. Granted, I am sure there are not very many soldiers that joind the army to get rich. It is not about making money, it is about duty, honor & country. But when you put your life on the line day in and day out, one would like to think that your family would be taken care of if anything happened to you. Our goverments priorities need to be re-evaluated. When we spend 10 Billion for Katrina victims and find out that 1.5 billion of it was fraud, it tends to piss a guy off. I would much rather give my money to our military heros than pay for “Katrina Victims Sex Changes” and “Katrina Victims Hawaii Vacations”. Not to mention the 10,000 trailers dry rotting in AR.
AS: I hope all is going well for you. I have been keeping up with your blogs and pray for you and the boys daily. Thank You!
CJ/Huey Crewchief
With all their talk about supporting the troops it seems incredible that the president and Congress have not taken action to change this and actually show understanding of the sacrifices soldiers and their families make. This post should be sent to every member of congress. I will certainly be sure my representatives get it.
Yes, but there’s good news…the House just gave themselves a raise, so now they’re making about $170,000.00 a year. That should vastly improve their understanding and support of the troops on the front lines who are risking their lives for a few hundred dollars a month….or not!
AMEN!
Would something like this be published on the front page of papers? No…unfortuanley it is not scandelous enough…….but I am listening now……and I am voting now…..and I am talking now
Those guys in Congress and elsewhere in government should be ashamed of themselves to get such high wages when our men and women in the military get very little for all the danger that they are in!
In addition to reducing the over-rated Congressional income, as a tax-payer I think all the money sent to federally-funded US universities which prevent military representation on campus should instead be given in the form of a raise to those who serve in the military. Same goes for Planned Parenthood and the NEA.
I can never forgive our political and cultural influences for ignorantly castrating our only means of defense. Unforgivable acts by such a narrow-minded approach cannot go unnoticed.
Rush came out with this several years ago, but it still holds true except for the fact that the congressmen now make more than that. I doubt it military pay has risen much though. Pretty sad that the most powerfull and richest country in the world has military families living on food stamps.
I also would like to say that we are indebting ourselves to China and others with exorbitant costs to our national security. As we fight in Iraq at the costs of billions, I suggest to you that the costs for Americans are going to much higher than what we see now on the grounds of Iraq. We will see the days when our children will not have the safety social security to fall back upon. We are depleting our resources to protect our homeland and our borders in the cause of Iraq.
While I see the noble cause of Iraq, how many deployments are we to ask of our military men and women? How much time will it take to make back the money and military resourses we have spent in a cause that at the time did not present a clear and present danger.
I say now when there are many reasons to fear threats from Iran, our hands are tied. Now when our borders and ports are as a sieve, we are unable to provide a plan and put that plan into action because of our battle in Iraq.
Because of this war in Iraq, we are putting in peril the ability to financially afford to pay veterans of the war they fight in Iraq their benefits? We are putting in peril the benefits to our elderly.
Because of the billions upon billions of dollars spent and the lack of planning for these things, our very life blood is in jeopardy as we now lie deeply in debt to the communist country China, our troops our spread thin, our military resources being spent at rates we unable to keep up with and our childrens’ grandchildren will be paying for this war.
I believe now is the time that we need to bring the troops home and work on the recovery of our debts and the building up of security of our homeland and the people.
big difference is as a soldier you are volunteering to die or at least put yourself in harms way. That’s part of the job description. THAT IS THE JOB DESCRIPTION. Don’t like it, don’t sign up. Simple as that.. No one in the WTC volunteered that day, sans the rescue people who ran into the bldgs not knowing the full extent of damage. Not even close to being a fair comparison between the two…
as for the idiots who run this country, well that’s a whole different topic. pretty damn easy to sit behind a desk and say “bring it on” without ever having stuck your neck on the line for a damn thing. (silver spoon pricks). yet people like Murtha are considered traitors for speaking out against what the perceive is an unjust situation for the soldiers… doesn’t make sense, now does it??…..
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13319120/site/newsweek/
Maybe you’ve seen this article and maybe not.
I have mixed feelings about a) Rush, b) the two issues: pay for returning vets, and the WTC folks.
I know I have the same gut reactions as some of you here. I grew up in a small, bigoted, typically, class conscious Southern town. And now I live in Japan, have lived here for 13 years, our family raising 2 daughters, don’t need to return to the States. BUT I’ve learned alot more about who I am by moving here, and appreciating where I came from too.
I suppose I don’t easily want to let cliche reactions go by. I have to side with bill. Rush is basically an entertainer. He takes the truth and twists it for the sake of entertainment. Agreeing or disagreeing with him is irrevelant, just like Doonesbury, neither is “the truth” all are just artistic impressions by entertainers.
Politicians are part of us. And we would no doubt do the same thing, act the same way. they are our kids, our parents, our relatives. If they are greedy and unjust, then so are we.
And we are part of the folks that put their hopes on the US military to give and get. Bill sounds a little heartless, I’m sure he doesn’t mean it that way,. BUt it is give and get, an exchange. The Vets have TREMENDOUS political lobbying clout in DC. Any vet, for any reason who shows up in uniform (with medals on) the Congress steps to speak his mind WILL BE COVERED in the press. The average civilian will not. Period. Its that simple. But you have to learn to use that political leverage. And of course the more voices the more clearly the voices are heard.
Its not all giving and its not all getting.
I agree, A.S. I have complained about the low pay and inadequate benefits for our armed forces since the early 1970s. I write to my representatatives asking them to raise the pay and disability and death benefits, to open more rehab centers, and to not only open more VA hospitals but to improve the service. I have no idea if my complaints and requests will have any impact, but I am at least receiving responses now that the 2006 election is approaching. I am also wording my communications more strongly.
I have no patience for a government that does a grand job on “America Needs You” campaigns, but when the soldiers return from war about all they get is a “F#%@ you very much”.
A.S., I will continue to write and fight in your behalf. It’s the least I can do in return for your putting your life on the line for me. Thank you.
Hey Bill
Do you know who Lt Ilario Pantano is?
Here’s a clue, he was falsely accused (aka Murtha style) for a crime he did not commit. A man who after 9/11 left his Goldman Sachs job to stick his neck out on the line to defend idiots like you and Murtha.
Hye,just poppin by to say hi, and wish ya a happy fathers day!
Susan there is no need for insults when we can have a constructive criticism of another person’s views. Bill indeed has a point about joining the military and knowing the sacrifices and opportunities it entails. That said we as a country not just our elected officials are to blame for the current situation we are in. We need to start voting for people who can plan, fix and lead this country or we will both see only dispair with little hope for our future as a progressing nation and start to fall behind China and sadly perhaps many other nations. I love this country and though knowing full well about the downside of military service I would join given the opportunity. The free market and some ex vets have started to address the issue of pay. Blackwater for one hires ex military and the pay is in the six figures with benefits as I understand. As to why the families of 9/11 get the money they do many would be enlightened to read Robert Baer’s books and Imperial Hubris. Simply put it our leaders are buying off the families of 9/11 because in part of their doing and many others
before them(also include those career civil servants in there)that government faied,blinded ourselves (on purpose?),that their relatives got murdered. Anyone notice how 9/11 families debate about $$ rather than what went on before 9/11 that allowed it to occur.That is what our all knowing leaders were aiming for.
Totaly agree with what Bill said. I’m going through the recruitment process for the TA at the moment in the UK. I know exactly what I’m signing up for. 9/11, 7/7 and any victim of terrorism didnt think “well theres a risk some sick bast*rd will blow up my office or my tube train today”
Lisa, the U.S. is on a knifes edge, it could go either way. China is communist, but you say that in the “old way” its about as much communist as Starbucks and Virgin. As for troops going home, a rpvince in sothern Iraq is having afull military pull out and a return to Civilian control. British forces will be leaving their during the enxt few weeks. As for troops been stretched thin, I doubt the U.S. will ever really run out of Infantry, but they sure as hel lcould do with paying them better. British soldiers get 250 a week and recent pay rise has been introduced so a private should be getting 260. which is what, 400 dollars?
Wounded soldiers etc are treeted like shit over hear mind.
The way I see it this is just an extension of the effects of the majority of the people in Congress never having served in the military, and the almost expected service of people in certain social classes or of people who’s family has a history in the military, this attitude in our country to me seems horribly wrong, and totally blind to the truth.
Amen Rush!!!!
My husband is an E7 SFC in the US Army - he has been in almost 16 years,
and will hopefully retire in 4 years. He has served in Iraq and is an Instructor now at Ft. Knox - teaching our NEW soldiers on recovery tactics for our disabled tanks and vehicles and mechanics on these vehicles.
He got a so called raise last year when he got promoted from an E6 - it ended up being around $100 for the month after TAXES were taken out.
Now - i know he makes “decent money” for a month - BUT - if he were a “CIVILIAN” doing his job for the ARMY - he would make 3 times as much! What the hell is up with that??? Civilians working in the military make way more than what our soldiers do working in the military - IT’S JUST NOT RIGHT!!!! And when my husband retires - his pay gets cut in 1/2.
He will have to get a “civilian” job then., but at least he will be making more as a civilian than as a soldier!!!!
Congress - politicians period - have no RESPECT for our military people, or our EMS systems and police. EMS and Soldiers - put their lives on the line everyday - first - before anyone else is involved - and they don’t get paid squat for it. It is very very sad! I was an EMT and got paid $8.65 an hour for 911 calls - to save someone’s life. Who pays the EMS people and police - THE GOVERNMENT. Who makes more money - to just sit in a cozy office - in a cozy chair - and makes up the laws and pay scales of our most important employees - ??? THE GOVERNMENT!
It is very wrong and sad - but we all know it will never change! Maybe if they put their asses over in IRAQ - or fighting a 5 alarm fire - or a 12 hour stand off with some psycho that is armed and dangerous - or trying to drive an ambulance to rescue someone , and the traffic is bumper to bumper and no one will move and to get their and your patient is dead!
What would they do then - how would they handle the feeling of hopelessness - and know that they don’t get paid shit to do those types of jobs!
This administration, as so many before it, seems to view the U.S. Military as it’s own personal, and EXPENDABLE, fighting force. They seem to be of the opinion that you’ve all signed up for this, and thus treat you as any well-to-do snob would treat any volunteer…horribly.
They do not seem to honor, or appreciate, what you folks are doing. Instead, they very much seem to take you for granted in an almost unpatriotic way. In addition, they seem to pick and choose our fights with NO regard for how their actions will affect either you, the citizens of our country, or our country itself.
Increasingly, this is really pissing off us American citizens who sincerely take an extreme interest in your trials and tribulations. We cry for every death…we feel for every family who has experienced loss…we worry about you every day.
Meanwhile, back in the U.S., Bush has repeatedly made changes to our Constitution, the very document he was sworn to honor and protect. As he has severely whittled away at OUR freedoms and civil liberties, who will come here and fight for US?
We need you back here…safe and sound…to fight the battle for the American people…not those of our self-serving government, it’s big-business cronies, and the world banks. Instead of tricking folks into volunteering by falsly connecting 9/11 with Iraq and taking advantage of our sense of patriotism, we need legislation that fully honors, protects, and rewards the bravery and sacrifice of our soldiers.
We, the People, honor you as we honor our flag and nation. Our government needs to do the same.
When I enlisted years ago, I took an oath to protect the people of the United States, with my life if need be. My first 2 week paycheck in boot camp was $28, and there wasn’t any food stamps. I NEVER took an oath to fight against a country that wasn’t a threat to us. I also think the people in the WTC are being bought off, because our government failed to protect them, they never scrambled any fighters, nothing. When our president was told about the attack, he just continued his photo op with the kids, like the attack wasn’t important. And our borders are more open to terrorists now, then they were then. And didn’t the home security department just get another $32 billion for their budget, wonder who gets most of that money.
I think your numbers are off on the congressional pension plan, that 16,000 is per year not per month
http://money.cnn.com/2006/01/20/commentary/wastler/wastler/index.htm
How the hell can a country pay its servicemen and women such a shitty amount. That works out at roughly 10,00 GBP and trust me, a kid under 18 earns more then that slogging his guts out for McDonalds. Jesus. Though saying that, average soldier, fuislier, rifleman, infatier, grenadier etc in the UK gets one grand a month. Not a bad wage….I guess.
i hope this message finds you healthy.
I wanted to tell you how much i appreciate this blog you decided to share with the world. it truly is enlightening and i know it takes balls to write what you do.
My man Rush is right. i have been writing the white house for quite some time calling for increased pay for soldiers and “bonuses” for killing and/or capturing the terrorists. im no politics/government guru, but i think soldiers earning more money is not a wacky or far fetched idea. people pay over $100 a month for cable television, $50 a week for gas, etc. In addition to government funds, surely civilians can come together to raise money for our beloved troops! somethings got to give here.
Although i am not a soldier, i have total respect for every soul in the armed forces, past or present. i know the cost. i know that everyday, people are risking their lives for strangers, for their country, for their families, for anyone lucky enough to receive their gift of freedom. and from the bottom of my heart, i thank you.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.
I served on active duty for four years, so I think I am entitled to say this: I for one am really sick of the near-idolatrous veneration in this country of anything related to the military. In the history of humanity, it has ever been the case that the elite leaders have been amply rewarded, while the soldiers who enforce their will are minimally compensated. Yeah it sucks, but that it the way it has always been, in every culture, everywhere. In my opinion is says more about the entitlement culture in this country that anyone expects this to be different.
And lets not kid ourselves, OK? All verbal fellatio aside, very few soldiers actually sign up because they are just so eager to go into harm’s way in the noble service of their fellow American. Most soldier sign up for economic reasons, that is, the military is the best deal they can get, job-wise.
Your basic soldier (like I was) is a kid from a dull farm town or an ugly inner-city, a guy who barely squeaked through high school and who has no marketable skills. Their options for the future were McDonalds, slinging rock, or a steady paycheck, benefits, perks, college money, and training in the military. On top of this, the work is often much more interesting and exciting than anything you would be doing back at Micky-D’s.
So basically, when you sign on Uncle Sam’s dotted line, you are agreeing, “Say the word and I will go and kill anyone at all, regardless of my personal opinion on the matter, and in return I will receive all the afore-mentioned compensations.” If you don’t have a problem with this, or if you actually believe that the president will only send you out to kill people who truly deserve it, then it sure beat serving up Big Mac’s for minimum wage.
As a junior enlisted guy, I fell into this culture of self-pity and victim-hood along with everyone else. It was only years later that I realized: for a guy with minimal education and no marketable skills, the military was actually a pretty sweet deal. Remember all those thousands of Iraqi conscripts that we have incinerated in Gulf Wars I and II? What do you think they got for their housing allowance, hostile fire pay, family separation pay, hardship pay, COLA, BAS, and so on? Do you think that they also bitched that it was not enough? Which side do you think had a more legitimate complaint?
America spend nearly as much on her military as the entire rest of the world combined, and although I don’t have statistics on had to back this up, I would be very surprised if the individual compensation for soldiers was not among the best in the world as well.
But don’t get me wrong; I do appreciate the sacrifices being made by our soldiers, but the hard fact is that while I may benefit, they are not really doing it for me. They are doing it because this is what they agreed to when the accepted the government’s dollar. Unlike most of the Iraqi soldiers that we killed, no one put a gun to their heads and made them enlist.
So thanks guys for doing your duty, just like cops, firefighters, paramedics, and everyone else who is paid to do a dangerous or difficult job. But let’s keep in mind that it is in fact a job. The professional warrior has been around since before the time of Plato, and it has only been the authoritarian or fascist states that have developed a culture of cultish worship of the war machine.
So you’ll excuse me if I don’t line up to chant the Horst Wessel Song with everyone else.
While it was correct a few years ago, those numbers are out of date:
Current death gratuity for combat death = $100,000 payable within 72 hours and normally within 24.
Current Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) is $1,033 per month ($12,396 annually)unless the spouse remarries. Each child receives an additional $257 per month until the age of 18.
Burial, casket, and headstone is generally paid by the govt unless more elaborate plans are made. Additionally immediate family can receive travel expenses and 2 days per diem for the funeral.
Soldiers with dependants can receive an additional $250 per month transition allowance for up to two years or until the children turn 18.
Families are also entitled 365 days of on-post housing or 365 days of BAH at their current rate.
Families also receive 3 years of active duty tricare medical benefits and thereafter retiree medical benefits
Also servicemembers are entitled to up to $400,000 of SGLI.
CHeck out the VA website for additional information.
It still sucks compared to 911 victims, but America will help the family out.
That shapes up to $500,000 within weeks, with long term benefits that will continue to be paid. Careful financial management should make life at least finacically comfortable for those families.
That is what makes soldiers honorable and worthy, the fact that they don’t do it for money, they are not greedy pigs. That being said , I sympathise with your sentiments.Honorable people always do without the things that other softies and selfish ones cry and complain about, we will always have these two types of people.
Jim Carridin,
I think you are full of it. You sound like a liberal dupe trying to fool somebody.The poor uneducated farmboy bull is too much, although I believe the uneducated part about you.
Honourable, theres nothing honourable in war. Whats honourable is that soldiers make the best of what goes on, get eachother through, and try to save what little piece of humanity is left in the combat zone.
soldiers who have sacrificed their lives to save their brothers in arms, or to save bystanders are only a couple of examples of honor in war.
Rafter - your ignorant and usless comments would be better left unsaid.
I think the way the our American Soldiers and their families are treated is very sad. I was an Army wife for 6 years. Many of my friends are military or married to someone in the military. We as Americans should realize even though we may not agree with the war (past, present, and future) there are always going to be others trying to take away what is most precious to us as Americans. Our freedom!!!! Do I think our soldiers or their families are compensated enough for what they do for our country hell no!!! It’s time we as Americans stand behind our military and support them. There are too many who call them selves Americans and oppose the military for what it does. Well to those I say if you don’t like your freedom go somewhere else like Iraq or anywhere else you would not have your American right to be free and see how special our military really is for defending our country. Congress is another story I think it is ridiculous how they are constantly giving themselves raises while our American soldiers and their families can barely make it living pay check to pay check. I also feel for the families that lost loved ones on 9/11, but it is no different then a soldiers family losing their loved one in the war. I mean come on people who deserves the most you can’t put a price on American freedom. We wouldn’t have our freedom if it wasn’t for our soldiers. My prayers go out to all of our men and women who have, who are, and who will one day be An American Soldier!!!
I am taking online classes and my final report is a persuasive essay that I choose for a reason because of everything I believe in. Our American Soldiers Who Are Fighting For Our Freedom.
Chad, please read.
I quote;
“Whats honourable is that soldiers make the best of what goes on, get eachother through, (…)”
He says the soldiers way of coping with the war is honorable, how those men can last in an AO. How they help eachother to get out of the war alive. It’s better that you AND the other guy stay alive, then have you dead, but your buddy alive.
I’d say the first option is a lot more honorable.
In honor to our Fighting Troops.
http://www.denlore.com
I agree, for the first time with Limbaugh, on his view’s on soldier’s pay. The families of soldiers who are killed in action should definitely be payed higher, and closer to the amount WTC victims families are receiving. However, the costs could add up tremendously, but in that case Congress members shouldn’t have raises. They take too much time arguing and not getting anything done, and then they think they should get paid more? Absolutely not.
Eric, being very much a Moderate in politics, Rush is NOT someone on my ‘happy list’. That said, I agree with you about recompense to the families.
Take care over there. I so wish ya”ll weren’t over there.
Debbi Ward
Hotlanta
HAVANA (AP) Photographs of Fidel Castro standing and talking on the phone were published Sunday in Cuba’s state-run media, a day after the ailing leader appeared in a video to dispel rumors he was on his deathbed.
The Communist Youth newspaper Juventud Rebelde dedicated its front page to the Cuban president, printing a blown-up picture of a pensive Castro with the title “Always fighting for something, and fighting with optimism!”