A great country takes care of its elderly and its soldiers
Economy, US, War, News, General — Lisa @ 9:54 am - Print This Post - EMail This Post- Share this : Digg , Del.icio.us, reddit, Newsvine,
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Two recent news stories illustrate how little compassion we have for the men and women we send to war and our elderly.
As Soldiers stream home from Iraq and Afghanistan, the biggest charity inside the U.S. military has been stockpiling tens of millions of dollars meant to help put returning fighters back on their feet, an Associated Press investigation shows.
Between 2003 and 2007 - as many military families dealt with long war deployments and increased numbers of home foreclosures - Army Emergency Relief grew into a $345 million behemoth. During those years, the charity packed away $117 million into its own reserves while spending just $64 million on direct aid, according to an AP analysis of its tax records.
Tax-exempt and legally separate from the military, AER projects a facade of independence but really operates under close Army control. The massive nonprofit - funded predominantly by troops - allows superiors to squeeze Soldiers for contributions; forces struggling Soldiers to repay loans - sometimes delaying transfers and promotions; and too often violates its own rules by rewarding donors, such as giving free passes from physical training, the AP found.
And yesterday a bankruptcy judge allowed Delphi Corp. (formerly part of General Motors) to stop paying health insurance for its retired salaried employees
More than 1,600 retirees sent letters to the judge in the days leading up to the hearing begging him to deny Delphi’s motion.
Delphi salaried retirees hired before 1993 and their survivors currently receive health insurance benefits until the age of 65 when they become eligible for Medicare. Under the changes Delphi has requested, those retirees will be responsible for paying the full cost of their health insurance, which could amount to more than $1,000 per month for a retiree and spouse.