Another Baron Lie: Baron Hill & Veterans

It’s before Labor Day, and Baron Hill has his first campaign ad of the season out. I saw it twice last night on Fox News (which is pretty surprising in and of itself).

Let’s just say that the ad, while ostensibly positive, is about as disingenuous as any run in the 9th District in any prior race.

First of all, let me say that Baron has a remarkably empty and uncluttered desk for a member of Congress who has supposedly been so busy for the past 19 or so months.

Transcript:

(Read more after the leap)

Veteran: He kept his word.

Veteran: He kept his word.

Veteran: Finally, someone in Washington is listening to us veterans.

Narrator: Baron Hill said he’d look out for our troops and veterans, and he is. Improved care for the injured and the sick. Getting the right equipment to the soldiers on the ground. Working to guarantee that veterans and their families receive the benefits they’ve earned.

Veteran: He understands them kind of things and, uh, that’s what we need.

Veteran: Thanks Baron.

Veteran: Thanks Baron.

Veteran: Thanks Baron, from all of us.

Baron: I’m Baron Hill, and I approve this message.

Let’s see… Where to begin…

Veteran: He kept his word.

Don’t tell this to the Hoosier soldiers Baron voted to send to war, but refused to see off when they left for Indiana’s largest National Guard deployment since World War 2. Baron, you see, was busy on a taxpayer-funded junket to Australia, Vietnam, New Zealand, and the tropical Pacific island of Guam.

Veteran: He kept his word.

Nothing to do with veterans per se, but don’t tell this to the countless Democrats to which Baron gave his word about his superdelegate endorsement, right before he turned around, broke his word, and endorsed Barack Obama.

Baron Hill said he’d look out for our troops and veterans, and he is.

By spurning troops bound for war, by later using them as props in a political photo op, and by opposing funding for troops fighting a war.

Improved care for the injured and the sick.

Baron’s allies, the Democrats on the House Veterans Affairs Committee, voted in September of last year in a straight party-line vote to reduce funding for disabled veterans by up to $2,200 per person.

They did this cut in benefits to pay for veterans benefits for Filipinos that fought for the United States during the Second World War. Regardless of whether such citizens of the Philippines deserve veterans benefits, no American veteran should have their benefits cut to pay for it.

And why would the benefits for American veterans have to be cut?

Because of Baron’s much-touted PAYGO budget rules (here and here). For every increase in spending (benefits for Filipino veterans) there has to be a cut in funding someplace, in this case for disabled American veterans.

That’s how Baron Hill and the Democrats listen to those veterans, by approving cuts in benefits for disabled veterans on party-line votes.

Getting the right equipment to the soldiers on the ground.

Baron, of course, somehow got the right equipment to soldiers on the ground while opposing funding for the troops while those troops were fighting a war, using them as props in a political photo op for his reelection, and taking a taxpayer-funded vacation instead of seeing off the largest Hoosier troop deployment since WW2.

Working to guarantee that veterans and their families receive the benefits they’ve earned.

By ensuring that his party uses Baron’s PAYGO rules to cut benefits for disabled veterans by up to $2,200 each.

Veteran: He understands them kind of things and, uh, that’s what we need.

One thing the troops don’t need is more of a member of Congress that will vote to send them to war and then turn around and oppose funding that war, and then shun them when they head off to that war by taking a taxpayer-funded vacation.

One thing that veterans don’t need is more of a member of Congress whose party has, on a party-line decision, voted in committee to cut benefits for disabled veterans.

Thanks Baron.