Posted by Damozel | Back in the day, we gave Obama a bit of stick for overstating his legislative credentials and contributions. How about McCain's insisting to the VFW National Convention that his opposition to the Webb/Hagel GI Bill ended up as a net benefit to the troops?
Think Progress fills in the background:
Yesterday, House leaders in both parties struck a deal on a war supplemental bill that includes expanded college benefits for veterans. The GI Bill is Sen. Jim Webb’s (D-VA) version, as well as a provision allowing troops to transfer the benefits to family members. President Bush has promised to sign the legislation. Now, however, Bush and Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) — the two most vocal opponents of Webb’s bill — are trying to take credit for it. They are claiming that they always supported the generous benefits — their main concern was just ensuring the benefits’ transferability....
This was never the real reason Bush and McCain opposed the legislation. Their constant complaint was that Webb’s version was too generous and would lead to a drop in military retention:
McCain: “I want to make sure that we have incentives for people to remain in the military as well as for people to join the military.”
Bush administration: “The last thing we want to do is provide a benefit — or the last thing we want to do is create a situation in which we are losing our men and women who we have worked so hard to train.”
As the CBO concluded, these claims about retention were inaccurate. The Pentagon also argued that it was too generous to confer benefits on troops after “only” two years of service, and legislation offered by McCain and his Senate allies would have reserved the most generous benefits for those who have served at least 12 years, excluding most servicemembers. (Think Progress; more; emphasis added)
Speaking to an audience of vets, McCain said that "he “sought a better bill” and declared the final passage of the GI bill “the result” of his efforts....." (Think Progress) I take it he didn't mention his efforts to cut back on the generous benefits. I assume he also didn't mention that he missed the vote:
In late June, the Senate approved a war supplemental spending bill, which included the Webb/Hagel GI Bill, expanding educational benefits for veterans. It passed 92 to 6, with John McCain failing to show up to vote. (Barack Obama was there, and he voted with the majority.) (TP; more)
Steve Benen writes:
First, McCain not only opposed the GI Bill expansion, he actively fought against it. Indeed, he bragged that his opposition to the bill was evidence of his character. McCain not only opposed the bill, he did so for all the wrong reasons. He even went so far as to say the GI Bill expansion would literally “hurt the military.”
Second, McCain’s argument flatly contradicts what the VFW knows to be true.....The result is a situation in which McCain adds insult to injury — he fought against better benefits for veterans, then he misled veterans about his own efforts. It’s pretty much the opposite of “support the troops."
Ali at Think Progress stands amazed by McCain's "audaciousness."
It is audacious for McCain to go before the VFW and claim credit for a bill he nearly destroyed, considering the VFW was one of the bill’s strongest backers. It first endorsed the proposal in June 2007, and continued to press for the bill this year, rejecting McCain’s supposed concerns about military retention and stridently criticizing his alternative proposal...
In fact, tomorrow the VFW will award Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA), the original sponsor of the GI Bill, a gold medal and citation of merit for his leadership on the measure. Lisicki praised Webb as the “champion” veterans needed....
McCain also promoted his radical veterans health plan, which the VFW actively opposes.
(TP; more)
I suppose McCain's argument would be that since the benefits weren't lowered as he and Bush wished, good bits of the final product can be attributed to him, adding up---in the end---to "a better bill"? Lord, that's one hell of a spin.
Watch:
RockRichard at VetVoice says:
"Better bill", eh John? Funny you should say that in front of the VFW's national convention. This is what their deputy director for legislative affairs had to say about your "better bill":
The Graham-Burr-McCain plan is "very partisan and is seen as a way to convolute the GI bill, or to slow the Webb-Hagel proposal down.
McCain is taking a pretty large leap to say that he introduced "a better bill". Here is the skinny on McCain's version:
They aim to increase the $1,100 of education benefits per month for active duty service member to $1,500.
And the bi-partisan Webb-Hagel bill:
Under the bill, service members returning from Iraq or Afghanistan could earn up to 36 months of benefits, equivalent to four academic years, which would include payment of tuition, books and fees, as well as a $1,000 a month living stipend for those veterans whose military service qualifies them for the program.
You can decide for yourself which version is the "better bill". (More)
This is more Republican doublespeak, wherein failed opposition is reframed as support. While it's fair to say that Bush and McCain wanted a bill, they certainly didn't want that bill, and he has no business claiming the credit belonging to its sponsors and supporters. .
PS. Bonus McSpeak! From Jezebel, citing TIME:
Despite a little wave in the direction of potential independent women voters earlier this year, anti-abortion Republicans feel much better today that McCain is fooling independents and not them about his position on abortion. Of course, he also talked about how he wouldn't have nominated the 4 liberal justices on the Supreme Court despite having voted to confirm all of them but Stephens (nominated before McCain took office), but, details, people.
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