Talkers Mum On Real Obscenity: How Repubs Screwed The Vets

by Steve Young

If there was ever a time the FCC should jump on broadcasting sin, this is it.

I'm not talking about the High Lord of all the Lords of Loud, Rush Limbaugh, blaming Bill Clinton for the fact that youngsters are getting blowj*bs -- and in doing so, calling a bl*wjob, a "blow*ob." And El Rushblow didn't even use an asterisk.

And I'm not talking about Sean Hannity calling Rep. Jim Moran an assh*le off-air.

Those are piddling matters. Ironic. Funny. But still, piddling

What I'm talking about is the deafening silence from the broadcast demagogues of the Right concerning the House Republicans vote to reject increased funds for veterans' health care and actually cutting veterans benefits in their budget resolution.

The Lords of Loud, who have collaborated with this administration, bombastically shilling for the Iraqi invasion, sending our young men and women into war, and then refusing to give appropriate health services to our disabled veterans haven't raised a vocal cord in protest.

A vote AGAINST our military but not a peep from Rush who so passionately preaches his undying support for our soldiers. Perhaps it he was too busy not letting go of Clinton's presidency or his penchant for b***j****.

The GOP budget resolution contained reconciliation orders requiring the House Veterans' Affairs (VA) Committee to cut benefits or to tax veterans by increasing their fees. Over five years, the Republican budget resolution will cut almost $16 billion from veterans' medical assistance.

Hannity? Nothing. Perhaps he was too busy fighting 24/7 for Terri Schiavo's care to have time for the tens of thousands of our veterans whose care was cut.

Beside the Bush budget calling for a new enrollment fee for some veterans, other considerations in play include cutting payments to veterans with service-connected conditions, cutting pension benefits, reducing vocational rehabilitation services and education benefits.

Rep Bob Filner (CA, Dem) says the Republicans went back on their word.

"We were promised and, more importantly, organizations representing veterans were promised by the House Republican leadership in May that a $1.8 billion increase over the President's inadequate budget request would be included in the Veterans Appropriations bill to provide for the health care for veterans," said Filner. "It was not!"

Has O'Reilly made this a Talking Point? Perhaps he's too busy demonizing the ACLU as the most dangerous element known to man or beast to spin this into a sellable book.

And where is the outcry over the House Republicans ousting Conservative Republican Chris Smith as the chairmanship of the Veterans Affairs Committee? Smith's crime? He sought higher funding for veterans services than the Bush Administration desired. Dismissed for trying to get more for veterans? Where was the righteous indignation of the Right's red, white and blue messengers?

Maybe they were too busy raking Howard Stern across the coals for saying bad words... bad words that never cut one dime from our veterans programs.

"The Republican budget resolution will decrease critical services and inflict real pain upon service members, veterans and military families during a time of war," said Lane Evans (IL), the senior Democrat on the Veterans Affairs Committee. "Congress should be ashamed."

Sure, Congress should be ashamed. But what about the FCC? Where's their shame? How can they throw around penalties for wardrobe malfunctions and bad words and not drop the fine bomb on broadcasters who are so hypocritically dismissive of the kids they advocated into war?

The FCC is supposed to be there to "serve the public interest" and protect us from broadcasters' immoral abominations. When our wounded veterans are being virtually abandoned by the legislators who sent them into harm's way, can there be anything more immoral or abominable than the hypocritical silence of right-wing talk radio?

Can't wait till the fines are levied.