Commander David K. Rehbein of the American Legion, the nation's largest veterans organization, was part of a meeting yesterday in which Barack Obama presented his proposal to shrug off America's wounded veterans onto private insurance companies.Huh? The President wants the government to cease caring for the men and women who have been hurt serving their country? Could he really be suggesting that?
Yes, he could. And yes he did.
So it's no wonder that the American Legion Commander was pretty put out after the meeting.
"It became apparent during our discussion today that the President intends to move forward with this unreasonable plan," said Commander Rehbein. "He says he is looking to generate $540-million by this method, but refused to hear arguments about the moral and government-avowed obligations that would be compromised by it."
"This reimbursement plan would be inconsistent with the mandate ' to care for him who shall have borne the battle' given that the United States government sent members of the armed forces into harm's way, and not private insurance companies. I say again that The American Legion does not and will not support any plan that seeks to bill a veteran for treatment of a service connected disability at the very agency that was created to treat the unique need of America's veterans!"
"I only hope the administration will really listen to us then. This matter has far more serious ramifications than the President is imagining."
