Since today (November 12) is the day set aside to “observe” Veterans Day, I think it is a good day to “observe” the veterans serving in Congress, or the lack of veterans serving in Congress.
As I write this, my flag is flying proudly in the stiff Montana breeze on the front of my home.
When we approach Veterans Day and Memorial Day, we hear and see many of our elected officials give speeches, introduce legislation, or attend ceremonies. Most of that is just “window dressing” as they will give the politician’s line like, “It’s time to live up to our commitment to the veteran, making sure they get what they deserve, blah, blah, blah.”
Some of these folks will call us “Vets.” That may not bother some veterans to hear the use of this informal term, but I have always believed that “Vets” work on animals and Veterans give you freedom and liberty. But that’s just me.
Most of us veterans understand what you are doing. With the current set of politicians we have in Congress, it is getting harder for veterans to have much representation. Of course, many of our elected officials who never cared to serve in the military will say, “My (insert relative’s name here) served in the (insert branch of service here) and I totally support veterans.”
Yes, that brings you up a level or two with veterans. NOT. Maybe you were caught in the moment and burnt your draft card in the 60s. Maybe you took over daddy’s business, or you went the college route. Heck, maybe you were just, shall we say, chicken?
Although many of the records have not been updated since 2006, I did some research on the web and found there are approximately 29 veterans serving in the 100 member U.S. Senate. There are approximately 92 veterans serving the in the 435 member House of Representatives.
There are 29 members of House Veterans Affairs Committee, 16 Democrats and 13 Republicans. Only six are veterans. Six! I don’t believe the Chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee is a veteran. The ranking member is.
The U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs has 15 members. Only six are veterans. The Chairman is a veteran. The ranking member is not. The Republicans have four of the six veterans on the committee.
Of course, my research may not be perfect, but one would think that a committee that’s called the House or Senate “Committee on Veterans Affairs” would have a majority of veterans serving on them. But not in Washington, D.C.
By the way, the 100,000+ Montana veterans have no veterans representing them in Congress.
So, after reading all this some of you are probably saying, “So what?” The “So what” to me is that these folks have the vote. They vote for or against our benefits. They vote on funding. They make decisions about war. It seems to me that someone who has “been there – done that” just might have a little better understanding of the military, as well as veterans and defense issues. A veteran in Congress just might understand a little better the effect a certain vote might have on a military person or veteran’s family, career, and future.
But that’s not the case in Congress.
Of course, these politicians could always ask their (insert relative who served in the military here) opinion.
That’s not the way to better serve our nation’s veterans, and it needs to be changed.
The Western Word 
<>Jack the Blogger really got your goat didn’t he.<>Not at all. One wonders why you’re so desperate to see it that way though. And you’re taking the word sympathy singularly and personally. Consider that that’s precisely the point of bringing the word up and I can tell you that you really shouldn’t do that.<>But, that’s just a little matter of facts and I know that you won’t let facts stand in the way of your conclusions.<>Facts? Lets see; you start by blaming the President for veteran’s woes, and then make a unsupportable challenge concerning Congress. I don’t know if that’s factual, but it sure doesn’t make much sense, does it? Still, let’s take a peek, starting with 1981 and the rise of Saint Reagan. Since that time, there have been 19 years of Republican Presidency, and 8 of Democratic. The House of Representatives has been Republican controlled 12 years to the Democrats 15, noting that of the last 12 years it has been D – 1, and R – 11. The Senate has been R controlled 12 years to the D controlling 14 with 2007 being a wash. So, if we actually look at the period in time over which Jack is showing his concerns, say the last decade, what we have is total control of the government by Republicans for 6 years, and split control with a completely Republican Congress for 9. So, since you can’t seem top figure out whether you’re blaming the President or Congress, perhaps you’d like to show what wisdom can be gleaned by the fact that Republicans for the last decade have failed to solve any problems, and indeed made them worse? Please, just the facts, ma’am.<>But, as you said “It’s all about us.” Remember that when someone is outside your door asking you to bow to Mecca.<>Now that’s just crazy talk, and rather contradictory to boot.Jack, for the record I agree with your general point, but I think you went too far to make it; a view well supported by Corpsman’s ridiculous misstatement of importance and issue. There are reasons that progressive Democrats are working their asses off to get veterans elected (Webb is only one example). Those reasons mirror much of what you brought up in this post, but it certainly doesn’t help when popular <>myths<> are supported (only veterans understand veteran’s issues, Republicans favor veterans and Democrats do not, most veterans are Republican.)And for the record, I am not a veteran. I am hearing impaired, and so have the singular distinction of having been rejected by all three branches of the service.
Wulfgar,Jack the Blogger really got your goat didn’t he. Well you asked a very simple question about how the Republicans screwed veterans on benefits and privatized their health care. I would, respectfully, request that you go back to our President from Georgia and see the diminishment of benefits that started during his administration and continued until today. It seems that most of the Congresses were a majority of democrats since then. But, that’s just a little matter of facts and I know that you won’t let facts stand in the way of your conclusions.The Department of Veterans’ Affairs is really not a very friendly institution to veterans because they are there to administer benefits. They really aren’t there to tell veterans’ what benefits are available. The Veterans’ have to tell the VA what benefits they wish the VA to give them and then the VA will administer those benefits. So Wulfgar I hope that you will continue to point out the facts as you see them.I don’t know if you are a veteran or not. But, I can tell you that Jack the Blogger isn’t asking for sympathy. Veterans’ don’t need sympathy because most of us are proud to have served our nation in our own humble ways.We just wish you could understand our position. But, as you said “It’s all about us.” Remember that when someone is outside your door asking you to bow to Mecca.
Hey, thanks for responding, Wulfgar and ayn rand. Wulfgar-Your Question: How many of the members of the Foreign Affairs committees are foreigners? My Answer: Zero, but some of them may be from another planet. That would make them aliens though. Farmers/Ranchers may care that hardly any people serve on Agriculture, who actually have any background in it, or small business owners might want someone who actually ran a business at one time or another. But I did not write about that, I wrote about veterans. Your Statement: The Veterans Affairs do *Not* make decision about war. My Answer: Correct, I mentioned defense issues in the next sentence. I should have tied the sentences together better. On 11/11/2005, when the Republicans controlled the House and Senate, I posted about the lack of veterans serving on the VA committee. I wrote: “I think people who actually served in the military can make better decisions about veterans issues and military issues than those who did not.” I also said, “In Jack’s perfect world, nobody, and I repeat nobody, should be on committees dealing with veterans or military issues who did not serve in the military.” There were more veterans in the senate and house then. I’ve mellowed since then. Maybe it’s because I started reading your blog. Today, I’d settle for a majority of veterans on the VA committees in the House and Senate, like I said today.Question for you Wulfgar: You’re not a veteran, are you? ayn rand – There are a few on the left that I believe support the troops, like Sen. Jim Webb. But many have got caught up in the “get Bush” parade and have forgotten the troops in the field. Thanks for your comments folks!
A question: how many of the members of the Foreign Affairs committees are foreigners?You make a nice appeal, but it’s emotional, not logical.A fact or two that you get wrong:The Veteran’s Affairs Committees do *NOT* make decisions about war … any moreso than other members of Congress who vote for or against it.It is interesting that you point out this disparity now, after the Democrats have taken control of Congress for less than a full year. Would you like to point me to your post of times past when the Republicants screwed Veterans on benefits and privatized their health care?It is not a fact at all that only veterans can understand Veteran’s Affairs. What you’re pleading for is sympathy, not empathy. Empathy is concern for the other. Sympathy … well that’s kinda all about you.
you will notice that the lefties on all the blogs will use the same mantra you used,“My (insert relative’s name here) served in the (insert branch of service here) and I totally support veterans.” The problem is they do not support the military, only chest thump and use the word patriotism with the preceding words ” impuning my “. Really sad individuals.