Something to ponder, on our people in the military and Sept. 11
Moms View Message Board: The Kitchen Table (Debating Board): Something to ponder, on our people in the military and Sept. 11
What's a Military Family Worth?
by Rush Limbaugh, March 11, 2002
I think the vast differences in compensation between the victims
of the September 11th casualty, and those who die serving the
country in uniform, are profound.
No one is really talking about it either because you just don't
criticize anything having to do with September 11th. Well, I just
can't let the numbers pass by because it says something really
disturbing about the entitlement mentality of this country.
If you lost a family member in the September 11th attack, you're
going to get an average of $1,185,000. The range is a minimum
guarantee of $250,000, all the way up to $4.7 million.
If you are a surviving family member of an American soldier killed
in action, the first check you get is a $6,000 direct death benefit,
half of which is taxable. Next, you get $1,750 for burial costs.
If you are the surviving spouse, you get $833 a month until you
remarry. And there's a payment of $211 per month for each child
under 18. When the child hits 18, those payments come to a screeching
halt. Keep in mind that some of the people that are getting an average
of $1.185 million up to $4.7 million are complaining that it's not enough.
We also learned over the weekend that some of the victims from the
Oklahoma City bombing have started an organization asking for the
same deal that the September 11th families are getting. In addition
to that, some of the families of those bombed in the embassies are now
asking for compensation as well.
You see where this is going, don't you? Folks, this is part and parcel
of over fifty years of entitlement politics in this country. It's just
really sad.
"Patriotism is not a short and frenzied outburst of emotion but the
tranquil and steady dedication of a lifetime."-Adlai E. Stevenson, Jr.
Every time when a pay raise comes up for the military they usually
receive next to nothing of a raise. Now the green machine is in combat
in the Middle East while their families have to survive on food stamps
and live in low rent housing.
However our own U.S. Congress just voted themselves a raise, and many
of you don't know that they only have to be in Congress one-time to
receive a pension that is more than $15,000 per month and most are now
equal to be millionaires plus.
They also do not receive Social Security on retirement because they
didn't have to pay into the system. If some of the military people stay
in for 20 years and get out as an E-7 you may receive a pension of $1,000
per month, and the very people who placed you in harms way receive a
pension of $15,000 per month. I would like to see our elected officials
pick up a weapon and join ranks before they start cutting out benefits
and lowering pay for our sons and daughters who are now fighting.
"When do we finally do something about this ??" If this doesn't seem fair
to you, it is time to forward this to as many people as you can.
You know, for once I agree with Rush Limbaugh. But only once! The way we treat our military, especially the enlisted personnel and lower level officers and their families, is absolutely shameful.
And I am one who thinks the government payments to the victims of 9-11 is wrong. I gave money to the Red Cross, but I never intended there to be such a major windfall to some families, especially those with more than adequate insurance and benefits from employers. I know money will never replace a loved one, but I have been very disturbed by the ways in which the money has been and is proposed to be distributed, and by the very large amounts some families (especially those with more than adequate financial resources in place) will receive. And I am concerned about the precedent this sets.
Being a military family member and having already read the previous letter from Rush Limbaugh, I appreciate you all saying that you agree. I do not mean to demean the events of september 11, by any means but knowing that you all agree, means alot to me. Thank you.
That certainly is food for thought. I certainly agree that we don't pay our soldiers NEARLY enough, and I think the amount politicians get paid is OBSCENE. That said, I must point out one major difference between one who dies in battle, and those who died on Sept. 11th: Those who died in the Sept. 11th attack died because they were Americans, doing what any of us would be doing - going about their normal lives. They didn't make the CHOICE to put their lives on the line for our country....on the contrary,a soldier KNOWS he is fighting, and has made a willing choice to do so. These people had no clue - no preparation time. I think people receiving millions of dollars from this, though, also sends the wrong message. I don't have the right answer, though. Some of the WTC employees get hundreds of thousands of dollars, and some of the lowly kitchen workers got nothing. This I do not understand.
Military and teachers are sorely underpaid people.....
Cybermom, I need to point out that not all of the victims of September 11th were U.S. citizens. A significant number were foreign nationals working in the U.S.
Ginny,
Are the foreign nationals also getting this money? I didn't mean to include/exclude any particular group of people...my main point is that NOBODY in that building that day knew that they were TARGETS. When you are out on a battlefield, you know that you could be killed. That was the difference I was trying to illustrate. No matter how you look at it, it will never be "fair." There are also a lot of Americans killed every day by other Americans (drunk drivers, etc.) whose families will never get ANYTHING in the way of compensation. I don't know what the best solution is  Notice that Rush Limbaugh wrote that letter, but did not come up with a solution to make it all better, LOL
Don't know if the foreign nationals are getting any money. And yes, I agree with you, innocent targets are an especially sad concept, and our military is a volunteer military now. (I do know of a situation in NJ where the husband victim was British with a green card, as was his wife - they were in the process of applying for citizenship. After his death she received notice from the INS that she was some time period - maybe a year - short of certain requirements and would have to leave the US within a year. The children were all born here and are citizens. Efforts are being made for a special action in Congress to allow her to stay and continue the citizenship process.)
I don't know that there is any solution. I don't think anyone who gave to the Red Cross after 9/11 anticipated or intended the results, certainly not that well off families would get what feels like a windfall. And I am still angry over the legislation Congress passed for money to the victim's families. Not that they aren't worthy - certainly they are, but I think that knee-jerk reaction set a very expensive precedent.
As for our military, one solution would be to spend just a little less on some of the big ticket items (particularly some items that the military doesn't really want but Congress insists on funding because they are built in certain Congressional districts and are part of pork barrel tradeoffs), and spend a bit more on the service members in terms of salaries, benefits and housing. It is a crying shame and should be a national embarrassment (sp?) that a significant percentage of the families of enlisted personnel are eligible for and receive food stamps and some other forms of welfare, even when the military member parent is in the US and not overseas. It gets even worse when the military parent is stationed overseas and the spouse and children can't follow because there is no provision for dependant housing at many peaceful stations overseas.
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