Veterans hope presidential candidates are listening

Last night’s debate was “more of the same” from our presidential candidates:

We didn’t hear about Jim and Jane the veterans because they have either been recalled out of the IRR after already deploying several times, recuperating in a post or VA hospital near you, or just trying to fit back into normal civilian society. Veterans are only mentioned by politicians to get votes – its the race to the bottom to see who is the vets’ best friend. I wish Obama had mentioned McCain earning a rank of “D” for support of veterans issues, especially when he claims he is the best friend a veteran can have. McCai will be another third term for Bush – another president that says he supports the troops, but fails to act on it. If there were 17 million veterans instead of 1.7 million, this election would have a much different feel to it. Would the veterans voting debacle almost have happened in Ohio if this was the case? I don’t think so… We all owe IAVA a debt of gratitude for protecting our brotherts and sisters in arms’ right to vote as they perform the true act of citizenry: serving our nation in the military. 

Imagine my fellow Americans if the military lost the right to vote. But its happened in the last two elections. In fact, it is the brainchild of Karl Rove – because of the delay it takes for mail to travel from Iraq to the United States (typically 10 days), a young soldier who doesn’t understand that all ballots not returned by an arbitrary mailing deadline will be deemed invalid and either be completely thrown out or the least challenged, will not have his or her vote counted. We send our military to war, send them to lose body parts or worse, their life, and we try to take away their right to vote? One of the real reasons Republicans try to keep this behind closed doors, especially this year, is because lower-enlisted soldiers and junior officers are going to vote for Obama. And not just a little – they will go for him by a 2/3rds majority. It is the senior officers and political appointees at the Pentagon who want McCain elected. I’ve said it here – will history bear me out? We’ll find out in three weeks!