What About Our Dying Veterans?

What About Our Veterans?

I just read two interesting articles, that got me thinking, “Do our lawmakers care about our Veterans?” The first article, by the New York Post, focuses on the Democrats, who gave 27 million dollars to children of illegal immigrants instead of to the Veterans. The second article, by Breitbart, focuses on how Democrats in New York killed a proposal for tuition assistance for children of veterans killed in battle.

When looking at these articles, they both are asking the same thing. What about our veterans? Why are they not receiving tuition assistance? Well, there is a program that exists now, but it only serves 145 students in the U.S. This costs $2.7 million, but it is only used for dependents of veterans who served in combat zones. Is giving only $2.7 million for a Veteran program equal to the $27 million given to people in this country illegally. Absolutely not.

During a vote, that was allocating for more funds for the Veterans program, the Assembly Higher Education Committee voted 15-11, against the increase. Deborah Click (D-Manhattan), who chairs the committee stated, “We will make every effort to ensure going forward, we have some additional resources allocated to the program so that as an entitlement, it is not falling short of the needs of our military families.” She went on to state though, that it would have cost a several hundred thousand dollars for the program expansion, and budget constraints weighed against this expansion.

On Twitter, the New York Republican party reprimanded the Democrat Party, stating, “Democrats just rejected tuition assistance for Gold Star families but approved it for illegal immigrants. Would these Democrats dare to look into the eyes of the children of fallen servicemen and women and say they matter less than those here illegally?” Republican Assemblyman Gary Finch stated after the vote, “It’s disgraceful. Soldiers who lay down their lives and make the ultimate sacrifice represent the best of us. The children they love so dearly deserve access to the opportunity and promise that is the hallmark of this country. I can’t imagine what’s in your heart when you vote ‘no’ on a bill like this.”

When I look at articles and watch the news lately, it seems like not putting Americans first is a common theme. We have a huge homelessness problem here in California. People are urinating and defecating in the streets. I was surprised when I was watching a segment on TV last night, where Dr. Drew Pinsky was talking about the homeless population in Los Angeles. He said there is literally urine, feces, and blood that is being washing into the LA basin, and eventually makes it into the ocean water. A lot of the people who are homeless are our veterans. This is another example about how Americans, specifically the Veterans in California, are not put first. Our Governor, Gavin Newsom, is giving free health insurance to illegal immigrants, while people are dying in the streets. There is also a growing epidemic of rats in Los Angeles. Dr. Drew was stating that it is inevitable that there will be an outbreak of the bubonic plague because of this.

I know that others in California agree, that our money should be going to help veterans and their families, first, before we help people who are not citizens of this country. I have a lot of empathy for those who want to come to America for a better life. It is the greatest country in the world. I also know though, that Americans that are already here want a better life. No one should have to be homeless, with no access to restrooms. No veteran or family members should have to be denied going to college, because they cannot afford it. Our veterans are our heroes. We need to start treating them like it.