Sigh of Relief: Debt Deal Spares Veterans and VA from Tea Party Budget Ax

[w8liftinglady]

(Note from ME- THIS is how we need to word every article)

http://veteransforcommonsense.org/index.php/veterans-category-articles/2464-steve-vogel

August 1, 2011, Washington, DC (Washington Post) - Representatives of veterans groups were assured by White House officials Monday that veterans benefits and compensation are safe from across-the-board spending cuts that could be triggered by the debt agreement under consideration.

The compromise includes a trigger mechanism to force automatic across-the-board cuts of $1.2 trillion to agency budgets over the next decade if a special congressional committee is unable to agree on a plan.

Jon Carson, director of public engagement for the White House, told veterans representatives at a White House briefing that veterans benefits would be exempt, according to a veterans’ representative at the meeting.

“If the trigger takes place, veterans benefits and compensation will be safe from across the board cuts,” said Joseph R. Chenelly, who represented the Disabled American Veterans at the meeting

“If what we heard was accurate, that veterans would be safe, we’re happy about that,” Chenelly added.

But he said the group remains concerned about what programs might be targeted for cuts by the special committee. “We’re anxious to seehow that is assembled,” Chenelly said

[HereSince1628]

1. A 'director of public engagement' is just a PR person

who is empowered to do nothing but deliver a message with spin.

As a member of the WH economics team Furhman is in a better place to be knowledgeable about thinking within the WH, but the coming cuts are going to come from outside the WH.

Considering that the supercommittee cutting is yet to be determined, no one knows what the future really holds other than a shift toward austerity policy.

This amounts to not much more than reassuring head-patting.

[jtown1123]

2. Safe for a few months until the super committee takes out their chainsaws n/t

[brewens]

3. Big relief for veterans that voted for teabaggers. Exactly what we

don't need. Seniors, veterans, senior/veterans that thought they could vote for the baggers and sit back and see everyone else's benefits cut. It's working out real well for them.

Too much grandfathering in and exempting the very people that enabled Republicans getting us into this mess. They'd have to fix things right if everyone's ass was on the table.