The Importance of Memorial Day #338
By Hank Silverberg
On February 19, 1945, more than 70,000 Marines stormed the beaches of Iwo Jima and fought a 36 day battle--one of the most crucial battles in the Pacific theatre of World War Two. My father, just 11 days after his 19th birthday, was one of those Marines.
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| (Iwo Jima flag raising, Public Domain) |
I often think about Dad on Memorial Day, even though the holiday is really dedicated to those who died in combat in all our nation's wars. Lincoln called that sacrifice "the last full measure of devotion", and I don't think anyone has said it better.
I am writing about this now not just to remember our war dead or even my Dad, but also to remember the thousands of men and women who were wounded or disabled, physically and mentally, by the ravages of war. And I write it at a time when the budget cutting fever that has infested Washington has hit veterans' services hard. DOGE cut or will cut 83,000 jobs from the Department of Veterans Affairs, many of those workers veterans themselves. Nearly 30% of all federal workers are veterans, and half of them are disabled. Six thousand of those fired so far by the Trump administration are veterans.
The VA serves nine million veterans right now.
But that is just a small part of it. A 2024 report by the Office of Inspector General indicated there were staffing shortages at 137 of the 139 Veterans Health Centers nationwide, particularly in nursing and psychology. And the federal hiring freeze means that is likely to get worse.
The cuts have also dramatically impacted the Veterans Crisis Line where an estimated 900 of the 1,130 counselors who worked remotely are targeted for dismissal. That comes as an average of 17.6 veterans commit suicide each day, the second leading cause of death among veterans under 45.
The "One Big Beautiful Bill" approved this past week in the House included cuts in Medicaid, for which about 200,000 veterans were eligible, and cuts to the SNAP program that could affect 1.2 million veterans who have received that food aid.
We hear a lot of lip service from Congress about helping those who served and the families of those who gave the ultimate sacrifice. But when push comes to shove, the present group of congressman do not come though.
In fact, Donald Trump is the first president to insult America's fighting men and women, often showing them disrespect and even calling those who served in Vietnam "suckers". At the West Point Graduation this past week he gave a rambling speech about luxury Yachts and trophy wives, and then left before the ceremony was over avoiding the traditional handshake with all of the graduating cadets. (President Biden shook over a thousand hands last year).
He also said in the speech that no one joined the military when Biden was President, as he was speaking to cadets who had done just that four years ago.
It's something to think about this Memorial Day.
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Battle-of-Iwo-Jima
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/5-reasons-federal-cuts-are-hitting-veterans-especially-hard
News You May Have Missed!
One Big Beautiful THREAT!
The "One Big Beautiful Bill" passed by the House of Representatives this week is more than a thousand pages long. There has been much written about its impact on taxes and spending, but some things buried in the bill are actually dangerous.
Example: Section 70302 of the legislation reads:
"No court of the United States may use appropriated funds to enforce a contempt citation for failure to comply with an injunction or temporary restraining order if no security was given when the injunction or order was issued.”
President by stripping their power to enforce injunctions or court orders with a contempt order and fines. It basically neuters the court system nationwide when it comes to disputes with the executive branch.
The bill also includes a ten year ban on state and local laws that regulate Artificial Intelligence used in elections or political campaigns. Twenty states already have such bans, so this legislation would pave the way for more fake content to deceive the public during election cycles in particular.
The vote in the House was close, 215 to 214. It's likely to fail in the Senate but it's a clear indication that the current Congress is trying to codify some of the executive orders from Trump that at present overreach the law.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/hidden-threat-democracy-slipped-trump-171549933.html?fr=yhssrp_catchall
The Demise Of The Penny!
in a piggy bank or drawer somewhere, but don't worry, they will still be legal tender. It could take a few years, but it's likely that item you buy will no longer be $9.99. It is likely going to go up to $10.00 to avoid the penny change. It's probably not going to change purchasing habits much, since a large portion of the population uses debit cards for their purchases rather than cash. Most people won't even bend down to pick up a lost penny from the ground anymore. Will that start up again now that the penny is an endangered species???
Count your pennies. Save them or cash them in? They could be in high demand soon.
Dumbest Quote of The Week!
This week's dumbest and most disturbing quote of the week comes from Speaker of The House, Mike Johnson. As the "One Big Beautiful Bill" was being circulated in the Capitol at three a.m. just before the vote, he led an Associated Press reporter into a room which Johnson called "the prayer room".
“Been here a lot this week, right there on my knees. Just praying.... That’s what the Founders did.”
On numerous occasions Johnson has publicly recited a prayer he said was written by Thomas Jefferson. Now, let me say I have no problem with prayer. Some of our Founding Fathers did express their faith. If it helps Johnson to stay calm and make decisions, well, so be it. But there is no evidence that ANY of the Founding Fathers kneeled and prayed before they made any big decisions, and in fact, it would be totally out of character for people like Thomas Jefferson, Ben Franklin or John Adams, who were determined to keep religion OUT of government action. Jefferson did NOT write the prayer Johnson has recited. Johnson is a conservative Christian, and that puts him to the right of what most Americans believe, both in faith and in Democracy. If he thinks he's getting a message from God on budgets and spending and taxes, we are all in trouble.
(You suggestions and comments are welcome)
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https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B084Q7K6M5/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0
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