Victory Claims Another Victim

Future Majority notes:

So here's something I just noticed. Senators Jim Webb and Chuck Hagel are proposing legislation for a new "GI Bill" to help veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars go on to college after their service.

As I recall Hegel and Webb have not been exaclty staunch in their support for our efforts in Iraq. As I noted in I Can See It Coming the stabilization in Iraq is making believers out of antagonists. They are going to have to paper over their lack of support with something. Supporting the Troops it is then.

Then the blogger asks, where have the "progressives" been. On the other side 'til now, I'd say.

So here's the thing - why are no progressive youth organizations partnering with IAVA or organizing their own campaigns? Young Democrats, USSA, Student PIRGs, Campus Progress . . . all of these organizations organized around the passage of the Cost of College Reduction Act, so why aren't they supporting legislation that would grant similar reprieve to their peers who have served our country?

And now the kicker. The sad shape our returning troops are in re: opportunities, education, medical benefits, etc. is all the fault of the Republicans.

On a moral level, it's atrocious that so many veterans are now unemployed, unable to pay for school, and even homeless. We should do everything in our power to alleviate that situation. On a political level, this is a fantastic issue to make inroads with young people in the military who may now be disillusioned with the Republican Party.

Welcome to the Victory Party. I appreciate your sincerity. It is not about serving the warriors. It is converting Republicans to "progressives" (translation - soft communists - for now).