Wednesday, in an epic display of partisan fucknuttery, Senate Republicans blocked a bill that would have established a $1 billion jobs program putting veterans back to work caring for federal lands and training for local police and fire departments. This bill, roughly modeled on the Civilian Conservation Corps of the Great Depression which put people to work planting trees, building parks and constructing dams, failed to receive the 60 votes necessary to prevent it from being sent back to committee; the final vote was 58-40, and all 40 opponents of the proposal were Republican.
Much talk about this asinine stunt has been focused on the political ramifications to the Republican and Democratic parties in various senate races throughout the country, as well as the effect it will have on the Presidential election in November. The Republicans seem bent on denying the Democrats any legislative success so close to the election and at a terrible price.
As the November election draws closer, it’s important to remember who’s actually effected by this partisan game: the men and women of this country who have risked their lives for the country they love.
These are some of the crushing statistics that our veterans face upon returning from war.
In 2011, 30.2 percent of veterans ages 18 to 24 were unemployed.
More than 968,000 of veterans ages 18 to 64 had been in poverty in 2010.
Nearly 1 in 10 veterans with disabilities were not employed in 2010.
1 in 7 homeless people have previously served in the military.
Thank you for your service.
Homeless veterans are more likely to die on the streets than their civilian counterparts.
More than 67,000 homeless veterans were counted on a given January night in America last year.
That same night, more than 4 in 10 homeless veterans were found unsheltered.
Almost half of homeless veterans were African American in 2008
Despite the fact that only 11 percent of veterans overall are African American.
From 2005 to 2010, service members took their own lives at a rate of about one every 36 hours.
Former service members represent 20 percent of suicides in the United States.
We cannot continue allowing partisan politics to play out against the men and women who have served our country with honor and valor.
Thank you….
Reblogged this on catherinephung.
Although this is a lot of stats saying the same thing, it is incredibly important to get this news out there. So many kinds of P.T.S.D., so many people who have given to this country only to not get enough back. Shared…
Thank you!
I believe what the Republican Senate and Congress have done or have blocked getting done should be considered treason. Thank you for another excellent article.
It’s morally reprehensible.
Reblogged this on River's Flow and commented:
Be aware of what is happening.
Thank you for the reblog, but more importantly, thank you for your service to this country and for your continued work on behalf of our veterans.
Thank you. And thank you for bringing awareness to topics that would not be covered on the news so readily.
Spencer
The way this country fails to care for our service men and women is our nation’s greatest shame.