The Wearing of the Green!

Today is St. Patrick's Day...a grand excuse for a run ashore and a few pints of Irish Mother's Milk (that's Guinness Stout for those of you not blessed with an appreciation for things Irish) and perhaps a bit of Irish Music.

I promise to be a good boy....and not only remember how to get home but remember doing it.

Windy day....mixed sunshine and cloud and a bit cool yet for any outside chores on the boat.

The started off as being one in anticipation for some laughs and things Irish but early on the only thing that appeared was my Irish like temper.

While reading the news on the internet this morning I read an article...then two...then three that reported our recently elected President plans to force Private Health Care companies to pay for Disabled Veteran's treatment at the VA hospitals and clinics. At first I thought I needed a second cup of coffee as that just sounded way...way..way crazy.

I had the second cup and it made things worse as I read the articles again and they also reported he meant that to include treatment for wounds, injuries, and illness received while in combat and resulted in the Veteran becoming a Disabled Veteran.

A while back I wrote about seeing a young Marine in a wheel chair having his lunch at Cubbie's on College Street here in Wilmington. Back then I was moved by seeing him there and knowing what a terrible price he paid for serving his country.....us...you and I...all of us.

Now, I read our newly elected President wants to make him pay for his own medical care if he has health insurance from a private provider. Somehow that just seems so....so....uncomprehendingly, morally, utterly wrong in every aspect.

How can Obama think it right to place that burden anywhere but squarely upon the Nation that asked that young man to go off and fight a war on our behalf. Why would he do that to World War Two, Korean War, Vietnam War, Gulf War, and now Iraq and Afghanistan War veterans?

As the articles I read explained.....when National Commanders of Veteran's groups like the VFW, DAV, and American Legion tried to discuss the moral obligation the Nation has to take care of its Veterans wounded in combat....Obama refused to discuss that and moved to other issues. These men, representing millions of Veterans were refused a full and fair discussion by Obama despite meeting them in person.

What are the American people supposed to draw from these disclosures about the Obama plans?

What are future generations of Americans supposed to think when confronted with sending their Sons and Daughters off to fight wars?

The questions I ask of people now are simple....what if this was your Son, Brother, Father in that wheel chair at Cubbie's?

Why should his private insurance provider have to fund his health care for wounds received in combat?

Will employers refuse to hire Disabled Veterans due to their additional health insurance costs?

Will the Disabled Veteran and his family suffer financial hardship after having to pay the Deductible on their health insurance plan just for treatment of those life time wounds.

Will the Disabled Veteran run out of life time coverage and wind up with no health care coverage for him and his family?

What will this change do to the premiums the Disabled Veteran has to pay?

Oh....one small thing....despite more than 50% of Disabled Veterans being eligible for Medicare Part A and B, the government does not allow Medicare to pay the VA but will require Private Insurance Companies to do so.

Is this the kind of "Change' Obama Voters wanted?