Rusty wrote:

i agree that we should impeach prez bush. he's certainly done worse for our country by endangering our security, our freedoms and our wealth.

it never ceases to amaze me that the staunch right wing continues to defend the president's strive for authoritarian control by accusing us of being welfare mongers and unamerican troop haters. sorry, but i'm retired from the u.s. navy, and i oppose what the president has done.

i would like to point out one very overlooked example of what he's done while we weren't looking. in january 2002, he signed into law the Department of Defense and Emergency Supplemental Appropriations for Recovery from and Response to Terrorist Attacks on the United States Act, 2002.

in his signing statement he said "I'm honored to sign this bill because the Nation owes the men and women of the military our full measure of respect and our full measure of support. We owe you decent pay and a decent quality of life. We owe you the best leadership and training. We owe you the best equipment and weaponry. We owe you, our service men and women, our best, because we owe you our freedom."

but there was a tiny hidden part of this bill that repealed 60 years of an additional social security credit for those serving on active duty. the credit was originally started in 1940 (prior to 07dec) in recognition of the fact that service members were not paying into social security. it was minorly revised in 1957 when members started to contribute to social security and again in 1978 to save a few dollars on the first few months of service. it was continued because congress recognized that military service was generally lower paying than its civilian counterpart.

but in 2002, with this act signed into law, president bush eliminated...not suspended or lowered...ELIMINATED COMPLETELY all future credits for active duty service.

now, i ask those staunch bushies...is he really supporting the troops? from my standpoint...i'd say no.

rusty