Destroy a Lib talking point!

[NHSparky]

When any lib (or anyone) claims that Bush has "cut funding for our veterans", hand them their heads.

Source:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/fy2009/pdf/hist.pdf

And on pages 57 and 58, about 1/4 of the way down each page, you'll see a column entitled "Veterans benefits and services".

Note the time periods 1993-2000 and 2001-2008.

In the first time period, funding for the VA rose 32 percent for that period, and actually FELL once in terms of absolute dollars (1996).

Now in the second time period, funding for the VA rose over 92 percent.  To be fair, funding DID fall one year in terms of absolute dollars--in 2001.

Now ask yourself--how much did the VA caseload increase because of Iraq and Afghanistan?  You ready for this whopper?

FIVE PERCENT.  Yep, a whole huge five percent and the VA budget DOUBLED under Bush, but barely kept pace with inflation under Klintoon.

Have fun, boys and girls!

[Chris_]

GREAT catch!  Bookmarked accordingly.

[NHSparky]

A semi-related point.  The $3 trillion dollars spent on "this war"...go to pages 64 and 65.  I added up all DoD budgets between FY2002 and 2008 (seven years) and came up with LESS THAN $3.4 trillion.  This INCLUDES the supplemental spending.

So now ALL the DoD budget goes to Iraq?  Interesting.