MRGRG-MS - Ending the "widow's tax"
 Hit Counter
Since 02-14-06

From:Floyd Sears <fsears@bellsouth.net>  

To: notice-reply-68x5un4f53nkm5@ga4.org

Cc:!CAG/MRGRG e-mail network <fsears@bellsouth.net>

Subject:   [MRGRG-MS] Re: Ending the "widow's tax"

Date:   Feb 13, 2006 9:02 PM

 
Yahoo! Groups  | MRGRG-MS Main Page
 

Wes Clark... Sir:

For over 10 years I have been involved in the process of trying to regain the medical care that was promised to military retirees of my generation. Medical care is my main focus, but I also support issues such as the issue addressed in your e-mail.

I made a contribution to you when you were in the process of getting in a position to run for President. I supported you because we need someone in the White House that understands the military, the military retirees, and the military retiree dependents dilemma.

I have web pages on the Internet, and since I've been doing what I do for over 10 years I have lots of web pages on the Internet. Since it would be unreasonable for me to expect you or WesPAC to look at all of my web pages I would like to list just a few (below my ID block). If you or your staff decide to look at my work and you need additional information please contact me. I call myself the "Retired Military Advocate".

Sincerely
 
-- 
Floyd Sears, MSGT, USAF, retired
Retired Military Advocate
6733 Riviera Drive
Biloxi, MS  39532-9348
E-mail - fsears@bellsouth.net 
Home page – http://mrgrg-ms.org/

Working the Military Retiree Medical Care broken promise issue
  
IF IT WASN'T FOR THE MILITARY--THERE WOULD BE NO AMERICA
--

A sample of my web pages:

http://mrgrg-ms.org/ - my home page.
http://mrgrg-ms.org/history1.html - a history of my involvement.
http://mrgrg-ms.org/letters.html - published letters to the Sun Herald editor.
http://mrgrg-ms.org/talking.html - talking points.
http://mrgrg-ms.org/billbrd.html - the billboard project.
http://mrgrg-ms.org/swindle00.html - the greatest swindle of all time story.
http://mrgrg-ms.org/swindle.ppt - a PowerPoint version of the greatest swindle story.
http://mrgrg-ms.org/history14.html - the Brown Bag Project.
http://mrgrg-ms.org/educate-the-congress.html - a tracking system designed to track messages sent to the Congress.
http://mrgrg-ms.org/cgi-bin/educate-the-congress.cgi - tracking system data base.

Wes Clark wrote:
 

 
Dear Floyd,

I was proud to join House Leaders Nancy Pelosi, Ike Skelton, Lane Evans, and John Salazar last year on Capitol Hill to unveil the new GI Bill of Rights for the 21st Century, legislation designed to improve benefits for our soldiers and their families today, while providing long overdue benefits for our veterans and military retirees.

We recognized that something needed to be done to eliminate the "widow's tax," which penalizes the survivors of those killed in combat by reducing the benefits to which they are entitled.

Unfortunately, the one-party Congress has chosen to pursue their own agenda -- focusing on making the tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans permanent. As for the "widow's tax?" An amendment to repeal it was removed from the latest defense authorization bill by the Republican Congressional leadership.

It's just wrong, and it's bad for military readiness. This is not the time for politics. This is not the time for special interest haggling and pork barrel politics. If we are going to maintain the best volunteer, professional army in the world, we must provide soldiers with the peace of mind that comes from knowing the rest of us will take up for their families if they are killed. How can we expect good, qualified people to remain in military service? It is our duty, as a grateful nation, to stand up for our veterans and their families.

Send a letter to President Bush and your Members of Congress, and urge them to end the "widow's tax" today.

I want to share with you the story of Dan Shea, a member of our WesPAC community. Dan's brother, Lt. Col. Kevin Shea, was killed in Falluja on September 14, 2004. Like many soldiers, Kevin believed the government would take care of his wife Amy and their two children if anything should happen to him. But because of the "widow's tax," this is not the case.

A widow of a service member killed in the line of duty is supported by the survivors' plan paid by the Department of Defense and a dependent's compensation paid by the Department of Veterans Affairs. But under the current law, the payment from the Defense Department is reduced dollar for dollar by the Veterans Administration's payment: The "widow's tax."

I invite you to read Dan's op-ed in today's New York Times on how the "widow's tax" is hurting his family.

And then please, contact President Bush and your Members of Congress. Tell them to end the "widow's tax" today.

I leave you with Dan's own words from the conclusion of his op-ed:

"If President Bush really wants to honor the men and women fighting this war -- and dying like my brother -- then he should call on Congress to eliminate the "widow's tax." It's the least he can do."
 

Sincerely,

Wes Clark
 

Email President Bush and Congress | Contribute Today!

 

 
 

 
Tell your friends and family about WesPAC -- Securing America's Future!
 Tell-a-friend!
 
If you received this message from a friend, you can sign up for WesPAC.
This message was sent to fsears@bellsouth.net. Visit your subscription management page to modify your email communication preferences or update your personal profile.


 

 
Paid for by WesPAC -- Securing America's Future.
Contributions and gifts made to WesPAC are not
tax-deductible for federal income tax purposes.