Guest post by Joe Hoft
Obama exhibited disrespect and dishonor for the US military and US veterans since taking over the Presidency in 2008. Although his budget deficits were the highest in US history, he was more than happy to cut the military’s pay:
While shouting that the minimum wage for illegal aliens working at McDonalds should be $15 an hour, President Obama used a loophole in the US Code deter a pay raise to the military. The lower pay increase translates to a Pay Grade E-4 (Corporal, Petty Officer 3d Class, Specialist 4, Senior Airman) with less than three years in service will earn less than $3 an hour. Under the 2016 pay scale, a Pay Grade E-1 undergoing recruit training will be paid roughly $2.15 an hour.
According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities 340,000 veterans received public money for housing in 2013. And, 900,000 veterans lived on food stamps. About 5,000 active duty troops were also receiving food stamps.
Obama had no problem cutting military pay while keeping unionized workers’ pay untouched. He also had no problem cutting solders’ pay even while they were serving on the front line.
It is also no surprise that Obama’s spending on the military is at record lows. The US spent more on defense in the Reagan years at about $1.1 trillion annually, on average. The US military budget was $917 billion annually during the Carter years and $761 when George W. Bush was in office. However, Obama proposed lowering military spending to $610 billion per year starting in 2017. Defense expert Justin Johnson said, “As a percent of government spending or total economy, the US has not spent so little on national defense since the end of World War II.”
The problem with Obama saving money on defense is that the US is becoming weaker militarily while the world becomes less safe. Also, it’s shocking to see overall government spending going up while the military spending is so drastically cut.
Everything Obama did was a slam on the military. Perhaps nothing more backstabbing than to set 5 of the most evil terrorists in Guantanamo Bay free in exchange for a soldier who went AWOL and who soldiers died trying to locate and save.
Finally, Obama’s care for our vets, especially wounded veterans is dreadful.
Problems within the VA continue unabated. An internal VA audit has found that the secret waitlists occurred not only in Phoenix but at 110 VA facilities. VA officials still haven’t corrected a computer system error that led to tens of thousands of combat vets being denied VA health care enrollment, although the problem was brought to light in August [2016].
Donald Trump on the other hand skipped a debate during the primary season and raised $6 million for veterans instead. Of course the media, rather than praising him for his efforts, twisted the entire issue. Trump called one of these media ‘sleezy guys’ out for his shameful attacks during a Trump press conference.
Trump will treat the military and veterans with the respect they deserve. Obama doesn’t like nor respect the military. January 21st cannot come soon enough for the US military and the entire country.
A special thanks to all members of the US military for all they have given. Shame on you President Barack Obama for the manner in which you treated these American heroes.