Beacon Street Journal

Which genius in Obama’s “gang who couldn’t shoot straight” Administration came up with this idea?

The leader of the nation’s largest veterans organization says he is “deeply disappointed and concerned” after a meeting with President Obama today to discuss a proposal to force private insurance companies to pay for the treatment of military veterans who have suffered service-connected disabilities and injuries. The Obama administration recently revealed a plan to require private insurance carriers to reimburse the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in such cases.

“It became apparent during our discussion today that the President intends to move forward with this unreasonable plan,” said Commander David K. Rehbein of The American Legion. “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.”

The amazing aspect of this latest demonstration of gross incompetence on the part of Obama is that he seemed to make this decision reflexively, without flinching, without any appreciation of the furor or adverse political consequences such a miserly and wanton act of betrayal toward our veterans would engender.

In conjunction with some of his other early mishaps, this proposal tells us a lot about our new president and where his priorities lie. It also confirms the fact that despite their constant protestations about “supporting the troops”, liberals truly loathe the military. Obama’s decision on the treatment of wounded military veterans is consistent with this view. As was amply demonstrated on numerous occasions throughout the presidential campaign, but largely ignored by the media, there is no room in Obama’s world-view for the concept of duty, honor and country. Like all good liberals, Obama displays an appalling ignorance of all things military, but also, of the notion that one of the highest forms of civic virtue in our Democratic Republic is to serve honorably in the nations armed services. Many Americans view this as one of the highest calling of its citizenry.

Not President Obama.

The disconnect here between the mores and value system of Obama, and that of his fellow countrymen, is simply staggering. Consider the following incongruity: He has no compunction about offering free health care to those who are not citizens of this Republic, yet he wants those who answered the nation’s call of service to cover the costs for injuries sustained in combat. Although he has served for only two months, this incident very well could be one of the defining moments of his presidency. For, it tells us all we need to know about the contours of his political philosophy.

The sentiment of many Americans, who view caring for wounded veterans as a sacred obligation on the part of a free nation, just doesn’t register with Obama. If you review his background in Chicago politics, it’s not hard to understand why. Obama’s disdainful view on military veterans surely would meet with the approval of Bill Ayers. Does anyone remember him? Just a guy in the neighborhood, as Obama described him during the campaign. The former community organizer worships at the altar of a radical egalitarianism; income redistribution is his God. In terms of governing, as evidenced by his budget proposals, little else seems to matter.

The closest Obama has ever come to an understanding of military affairs was his strange call during the campaign for a civilian national security force that’s, “just as powerful, just as strong, just as well-funded,” as our military. Imagine, millions of mini community organizers at General Obama’s disposal, agitating for left wing social change. But when it comes to providing medical care for those military veterans who were actually wounded in combat, Obama’s wants to nickel and dime them to death.

The blow back to Obama on this issue will be fierce. How poor was the exercise of Obama’s judgment? Not even his left-wing fellow travelers in Congress will countenance this policy: they realize it’s radioactive, and they have no desire to engage in a pointless act of self-immolation.

Obama’s posture on medical care for our military veterans not only demonstrates that he is clearly out of his depth politically, but also that his moral values are completely out of step with the American public.

We all can look forward to four more painful years of a clueless Obama Administration.