Biden praises veterans for their sacrifices

Vice President Joe Biden addresses the national convention of the American Federation of Teachers in Detroit, Sunday, July 29, 2012. / AP Photo/David Guralnick

(AP) LAS VEGAS - Vice President Joe Biden told a gathering of veterans Saturday that President Barack Obama is "committed to the core" to taking care of service members returning from war.

Urging higher taxes on the rich, Biden said politicians should take a cue from veterans in setting tax policy.

"We can all take a page from your book — a sense of shared sacrifice and the understanding that all of us, all of us have to do our part," Biden said.

Biden's remarks came during the Disabled American Veterans' national convention Saturday morning at Bally's Hotel in Las Vegas, where Biden lauded the military and praised the Obama administration for the capture of Osama bin Laden.

An estimated 4,000 people are attending the convention to discuss issues such as mental health care for returning veterans and a backlog of Veterans Affairs disability claims.

Biden told the crowd the Obama administration has increased funding to veterans by 30 percent, and promised to end a massive backlog of disability claims by 2015.

He also criticized members of Congress, saying they were playing political "brinksmanship" with looming cuts due to hit military and domestic programs on Jan. 2.

(Biden accuses GOP of playing "brinksmanship" with sequester cuts.)

"Look, we're going to get through this in my view, but this is a hell of a way to do business," Biden said. "We owe our military more certainty."

Biden's visit comes after Obama a day after Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney campaigned in North Las Vegas. Both candidates are competing fiercely for Nevada's six electoral votes ahead of the November election.

Danny Pagan, a retired, 28-year Army veteran from Conyers, Georgia, said he was impressed by the speech and said he's seen Obama policies helping veterans firsthand.

"The president is doing what he said he's doing for veterans and that's what it's all about," Pagan said.

Stacy Tuck, a Disabled American Veterans member from Kaysville, Utah, said the administration has "stepped up" to help veterans, but was more skeptical about Biden's broad promises.

"People tell you what you want to hear," she said.

[churchstate]

GOP Presidential Candidate Mitt Romney certainly has the comfort of knowing it will not be the children of his fellow church members that will be fighting in any U.S. wars. The State of Utah lawmakers and other LDS/Mormon faithful lawmakers went to Washington in the 70's and made sure federal regulation was passed to exempt their 19-24 year old men and women from serving in the US Military. On any given day The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS) - The Mormons has as many 40,000 young men and women missionaries in this age group serving their church worldwide.

[CaptainSmollett]

This administration praises the vets to get their votes, while planning to gut the military though MASSIVE cuts in the defense budget. Lockheed-Martin is about to release 123,000 termination notices because of threated budget cuts, but the WH wants that postponed until after the election. What two-faced SOB's.

[rayward73446]

Service members were put in harms way by Bush and Cheney to overthrow Hussein in Iraq for their own political agenda, which was proven false by the troops who fought there, and found no weapons of mass destruction. Many died and were maimed for life during this needless war, only to return home to find the VA medical system was over burdened, and outdated to handle all the casualties. This is similar to what Viet Nam veterans faced when they returned home.
Obama was the first president since before Viet Nam to make the VA System stronger, and would have done more if not for the do nothing congress, especially the GOP controlled House who stalled and balked on all of Obama's proposals. The improvements were badly needed, and much more needs to be done to serve those veterans who served in all wars. The backlog is something that direly needs to be corrected, all the way back to Viet Nam veterans, many of whom are still waiting to be served by the VA with the same honor that they served their country. The war in Afghanistan is winding down, but the numbers of wounded and KIA is still growing. The VA needs to be beefed up and process veterans faster, treat them faster, and approve disability claims much faster as well. We owe our veterans this and more.

[StumpvilleVisitor]

There's no doubt Obama has made the VA a far better place to received care than Bush did but the wait time for claims at Oakland is a disaster. I've been waiting almost a year and a half and the punch in the gut is I have to pay for PTSD medicine with money I don't have. This is in spite of being diagnosed with the condition by VA doctors.

I think very highly of our President and have seen Democrats do a better job for us than the Republicans but I'm not sure I'm ever going to live to see my claim adjudicated.

USMC
Vietnam '66-'67 (two tours)
HMM-163

[democracy8]

I wish you the best. Hang in there, Marine!

[skeezix06]

"I'm not sure I'm ever going to live to see my claim adjudicated."

I sort of think that's probably the goal of both parties. Lots of lip service and nothing more.