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I was disappointed to read, in The Daily Sentinel’s endorsement of John McCain, the claim that John McCain’s status as a veteran implies that he “can truly empathize with our young men and women who are in harm’s way today, fighting two wars.”
Although John McCain served our country honorably in Vietnam, he has not served our troops well in the Senate.
The Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, the largest non-partisan, non-profit group representing veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, has recently released a report card grading our congressional representatives on their voting record in support of our troops. Continuing his dismal record from their 2006 report card, John McCain received a D. He was one of only nine members (out of the 535 graded) to receive bottom marks.
In 2006, the Disabled American Veterans gave John McCain a score of 20 out of 100 for his voting record on issues affecting our troops. Only one other representative, Chris Cannon of Utah, received a worse score than John McCain that year. In contrast, Barak Obama received a B from the IAVA and a score of 80 from the DAV.
John McCain’s record stands in sharp contrast to his rhetoric about supporting our troops. He voted against increasing funding for veterans’ health care in 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007; he has voted against important benefits including health care for veterans at least 28 times during his career in the Senate; and he has voted against many other measures to support veterans affairs programs and assist disabled veterans.
In this presidential race, it is important to look past the hype and examine the candidates’ actual records on the issues. John McCain’s record clearly shows that he is not the candidate who will support our troops and honor our veterans.
KATHERINE PEARSON
Grand Junction
8 Responses to “McCain’s record shows he’s not friend of the troops”
Posted October 14th, 2008 at 4:44 pm Login to Send PM Report this comment
It doesn’t matter, Katherine. McCain is the Republican in the race and that’s all that matters. They endorsed Bernie because of the positive impact he makes for Grand Junction, Mesa County and the Western Slope, which cannot be denied and could not be the case with his opponent. Nationally, they don’t care. Republican always trump Democrats regardless of intellect, integrity and sanity. And how about that Sarah, huh? With McCain’s potential serious health problems that would be a frightening thing to contemplate. Sarah as President!And you thought nothing could be worse than Bush. Talk about the end of times!
Posted October 16th, 2008 at 12:52 pm Login to Send PM Report this comment
In her argument, Katherine points out that John McCain has not served our troops well in the Senate. This becomes very clear when we examine his voting record. As a Mesa State student in Grand Junction it would please me to see The Grand Junction Sentinel endorsing well-rounded candidates with high levels of education.
Senator Obama for example, has a B.A. in political science with a specialization in international relations from Columbia University. He then went to Harvard and has received his Juris Doctor (J.D.). His running mate Joe Biden received a B.A. in history and a B.A. in political science. He then went to Syracuse University College of Law and received his Juris Doctor.
Senator McCain graduated from the United States Naval Academy. His Class rank: 894 of 899 His running Mate Sarah Palin graduated from the University of Idaho with a BA in journalism and a minor in political science.
As a citizen of Grand Junction I would like to see my newspaper endorse someone who has the ability to serve the entire nation because he or she has the education to do so. The Daily Sentinel implies that Senator McCain “can truly empathize with our young men and women who are in harm’s way today, fighting two wars”. As Katherine points out, this may or may not be true. Furthermore, empathizing with our veterans is quite different that acting on their behalf.
Posted November 4th, 2008 at 9:35 am Login to Send PM Report this comment
Chantelly, for being a college student yourself, your ideas that only a highly educated politician is a suitable candidate for president is extremely shallow. Since you are attending Mesa State College, and not, say, University of Colorado, or an Ivy League school, if you were to run for president, your education would not give you credibility to be endorsed for president by the Daily Sentinel. Education is not and should not be considered a sole deciding factor. Experience is a key role too, and Senator McCain and Governor Palin both have enough experience under their belts to get my vote. Obama may have received his Juris Doctor, which, for us uneducated Mesa State Collge, but there are many reports out that he no longer has it.
For someone with a law degree, he sure is a shady character. Wait, that’s a typical lawyer.
Posted November 4th, 2008 at 9:43 am Login to Send PM Report this comment
armywife2008 - You said, “Obama may have received his Juris Doctor, which, for us uneducated Mesa State Collge, but there are many reports out that he no longer has it.”
The efficacy of your statement is based on false information. Once someone has earned a Juris Doctor, one has it for life. In case you didn’t know, a Juris Doctor is an academic PhD in the law. One can earn a JD and not be an attorney.
Posted November 4th, 2008 at 10:24 am Login to Send PM Report this comment
armywife2008 apparently has a very narrow concept of what constitutes and “educated” person if she believes that merely “knowing” or “not-knowing” facts and factoids is what makes one educated or no.
For her edification, an educated person is someone with an awakened mind, someone that not only understands, but seeks to understand even more. And that is what her “idol”, the Republican vice-presidential candidate so obviously lacks. That became quite evident during interview with Katie Couric. As she did not understand the field of foreign affairs, and therefore did not understand the questions asked. Then, when asked what newspapers she regularly read, she could not name a single one. That, to some of us is not indicative of an educated person.
Now as to the source of one’s formal education, armywife2008 may be a person of limited experience if she has not yet arrived at the realization that it makes no difference where it is obtained. It can be at Harvard, at Mesa State College, and even at the library. What is important is the awakening of the mind, the intellectual curiosity, the method of thinking, and the ability to place things in proper perspective. And for that, the student or individual has to be learning, not merely “being taught.” Someone who is “taught” is merely trained. An individual who is “learning” is educated.
Posted November 6th, 2008 at 2:26 am Login to Send PM Report this comment
Ullr, thank you for that. See, I am learning. Ok, what I have heard, from sources other than just emails (e.g. mainstream news sources) is that he can no longer practice law, that he has been disbarred. Although, I’m sure, like many other documents that would prove something about his life, no one will be able to dig up any information on this.
And, before you go bashing me RLaitres, and my ‘narrow concepts’, go read Chantelly’s comment. She compared the educations of the two candidates and their running mates, to determine that the Obama/Biden team was more qualified because they had ‘better’ degrees from ‘better’ schools. For one, I can almost guarantee that 3/4 of the people on this forum would never be able to get into the Naval Academy. And I spent 15 years of my life growing up 45 minutes from the University of Idaho, and it is a very diverse and growing school with an excellent curriculum for whatever degree one might want to pursue. It just isn’t Ivy League.
And I’m sorry, but I don’t want someone to be ‘learning’ how to be president, and trying to get us out of the messes we are in right now. Obama can go back to the Senate and keep on learning for all I care.
Posted November 6th, 2008 at 7:10 am Login to Send PM Report this comment
armywife2008 - I did a little checking about Obama’s standing as an attorney. He is still in good standing with the American Bar Association, but hasn’t practiced the law since he was elected to the Illinois state legislature. This is not uncommon - many people who graduate from law school go into professions other than the practice of law.
Posted November 6th, 2008 at 12:03 pm Login to Send PM Report this comment
well good. at least one piece of documentation about him has been found. but it still remains that CHANTELLY, not I had a narrow concept about the education of the candidates for this years election.
RLaitres, you are still wrong in my book. Re-read what she said, and what I said in response to her
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