The Hollywood Liberal

Webb: Bush Would Be First President In History To Veto Benefits For Vets
On NBC’s “Meet the Press” this morning, Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA) discussed his 21st Century GI Bill, which would dramatically expand educational benefits for returning veterans. President Bush, however, has vowed to veto the bill. Webb blasted Bush for this unprecedented action: No president in history has vetoed a benefits bill for those who served. … […]

On NBC’s “Meet the Press” this morning, Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA) discussed his 21st Century GI Bill, which would dramatically expand educational benefits for returning veterans. President Bush, however, has vowed to veto the bill. Webb blasted Bush for this unprecedented action:

No president in history has vetoed a benefits bill for those who served. … The Republican party is on the block here, to clearly demonstrate that they value military service or suffer the consequences of losing the support of people who’ve served. … The president has a choice here to show how much he values military service.

Watch it:

The Pentagon has suggested that Webb’s bill is too generous in conferring benefits to soldiers after “only” two years of service. However, as Webb pointed out, soldiers would still have to finish their enlistment term. What’s more, as a recent CBO report showed, any loss in reenlistment rates is entirely made up for by increased military recruits.

Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) and his allies have introduced their own version of the bill, which would reserve the most generous benefits for those who have served at least 12 years. Webb pointed out that it would exclude the vast majority of service members:

Seventy to 75 percent of the ground troops in the Army and the Marine Corps have left the service by the end of their first enlistment. And those are the people who are not being taken care of. … They are not getting an opportunity for the first-class education they deserve.

As Webb pointed out, conservatives need to match their rhetoric on supporting the troops with their actions.

Clinton-Obama Grudges Linger For Some Voters
Lifelong Democrat Kathleen Cowley watches with disdain as huge crowds hang on Sen. Barack Obama’s every word. She dismisses Obama’s “intolerable logic.” She turns the channel on pundits who chalk up Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton’s primary victories to little more than racism. And she doesn’t much care…

The Prize Clinton Isn’t Owed
George Will, Washington Post

Who’s The Real Appeaser?
Fareed Zakaria, Newsweek