Trump: Those in U.S. illegally treated better than veterans

[TomCADem]

Source: Associated Press

WASHINGTON — Donald Trump told a Rolling Thunder motorcycle rally on Sunday that people in the U.S. illegally often are cared for better than the nation's military veterans.

"We're not going to allow that to happen any longer," Trump told supporters gathered at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.

Dedicated to remembering prisoners of war and those killed in action, the crowd cheered — a sign, perhaps, that some veterans groups are stepping past their anger over Trump's comments last year in which he said he likes "people who weren't captured" in wars. That had been a dig at Arizona Sen. John McCain, who had been captured and held for more than five years during the Vietnam War. Trump claimed that McCain was a "war hero because he was captured." Trump has refused to apologize to McCain.

Many veterans groups were furious, but since then Trump has worked to try to repair the damage. He frequently honors veterans at his rallies and he has come out with a plan to overhaul the Department of Veterans Affairs. He also held a fundraiser for veterans' causes in place of an Iowa debate that he skipped. Still, Trump, who avoided the draft through a series of deferments, drew scrutiny for not immediately distributing the $6 million he'd claimed to raise, including $1 million he'd pledged himself.

Read more: http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/trump-those-in-us-illegally-treated-better-than-veterans/ar-BBtCqqJ?ocid=spartanntp

[olddad56]

1. How the fuck would that billionaire carnival barker know how either group is being treated.

[christx30]

4. Stories about the problems with the VA go back years.

The Daily Show did a segment showing the stacked up paperwork, and the fact the floor its on in the building has been having structural problems. See: Red Tape Diaries, 2013.

Contrast that with this question: How much have you heard complaints from immigrant groups that say it's hard or impossible for newly arrived people to get assistance?

[TomCADem]

5. HuffPo - What Veterans Want, and Why the GOP Avoids It

Republicans deliberately underfund the VA, which creates problems, then in response to those problems, they propose privatizing the VA.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jon-soltz/what-veterans-want-and-wh_b_8534462.html

Veterans oppose a proposal in Congress that would have the real effect of leading to privatized VA hospitals. Sixty-four percent oppose, and only 29% support.

Overall, 57% of veterans would be less likely to vote for a candidate who supported privatizing the VA health care system. Even a majority of Republicans indicate they would be more likely to vote against a candidate who supported privatization. This opposition extends across parties: 67% of Democratic, 57% of Independent/don’t know, and 53% of Republican veterans say they would be less likely to vote for a candidate for high-elected office if they supported privatization of the VA health care system.

Fifty-nine percent of veterans rate their impression of VA hospitals as favorable. When only asked about VA hospitals in their area, 61% of veterans rate their impression as favorable.

In comparison, only 25% of veterans when asked if they have a favorable impression of for-profit health insurance corporations. And only 12 percent believe that VA hospitals should be run more like private hospitals.

[gwheezie]

8. Why did the bush administration start 2 wars

And not think we would have to pay for them? Why does Congress continue to fund military action but refuse to acknowledge that action will require lifetime funding to vets?

[TexasProgresive]

2. Since he's running as a puke is he going to change the unwritten R policy?

of saying they support and love the troops but do less than nothing for them when they take off the uniform. It's kind of like loving babies before they are born, but not so much after birth.

[SunSeeker]

3. Classic Republicanism: pitting one disadvantaged group against another. nt

[Yonnie3]

6. I usually pay no attention to the man hiding under the orange rug but ...

I actually went to his website to see his plan for the VA. The drift is:
He will make the VA great again
Everything wrong will be fixed
Executives will be fired
Fund PTSD treatment and job placement
Satellite clinics
Immediate attention
and lots more including a mention of how innovative the private sector is

What is sorely lacking in his "plan" is where to get the funding to do all this.
The track record of his party has been to empathize with the plight of the veteran, wave the flag, blame someone else and then under fund the VA.

He knows about the illegals because his companies have hired so many of them.

[bluestateguy]

7. Every illegal immigrant I have ever known

was someone working a minimum wage job with no benefits under a cruel boss who exploited them.

And in contrast to veterans, illegal immigrants are ineligible for most government programs (save for outright emergency services).

[TomCADem]

9. It is the Welfare Queen Myth for a Modern Age, Likewise The Myth...

...that women have it better than men, because they repeatedly play the "woman's card."

[mountain grammy]

11. I hear it from people in the medical field

because, you know, someone with a Spanish name who speaks accented English has to be illegal. Do you ask for their papers, I say. No, they're not allowed to, they just know it. Yeah right!

Like you, every illegal immigrant I've known just works and tries to stay under the radar and that asshole Trump should know. I'm sure his companies have hired many.

[Odin2005]

10. Sadly I know many Iraq War vets who believe this BS.

Including my 2 vet cousins.

[yurbud]

12. someone finally handed him the standard GOP talking points

[yurbud]

13. Nothing would stop the GOP Congress from fully funding the VA and veterans' benefits

regardless of how well or poorly illegal immigrants are treated.

The reality is, low taxes on the rich are the top priority for the rich and any government spending must end up in the pockets of their cronies or it is considered profligate.

[Jeb Bartlet]

14. Another day

Another lie from Trump, I'd ask who's surprised but no one is anymore.

[Skittles]

15. he doesn't give a damn about veterans or immigrants, legal or illegal

Trump can fuck himself