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A Headline for the Tennessean Newspaper - Senator Alexander Take a Stand and Address this Failure of a War http://tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070221/OPINION03/702210456/1007/OPINIONThe Lives of Military Personnel OR Tax Cuts for the Rich Alexander voted "NO" to:
* $25.41 Billion for increased military procurement of equipment.
(S Roll Call 008, 02/02/2006)
* $16.9 Billion for increased Army maintenance funding.
(S Roll Call 008, 02/02/2006)
* $4.5 Billion for increased Marine Corps maintenance funding.
(S Roll Call 008, 02/02/2006)
Although Senator Alexander was not in the Senate when the tax cuts* for the wealthy were enacted his voting record is clear that he fully supports these tax cuts and has voted consistently to sustain them at the expense of members of the Armed Forces and their families and veterans and their families.
* The top 1% of wage earners (Average $1,171,000) received 25% of the tax benefit according to [need source here].
* Depriving the Armed Forces of equipment and resources to stay safe and alive in War Time.
* Providing Tax Cuts for the wealthiest Americans in War Time.
Alexander Votes AGAINST Working Families, FOR Corporate Welfare
* "NO" to allowing the government to negotiate fair prices for prescription drugs under the Social Security Drug benefit. (S Roll Call 302, 11/03/2005)
* "NO" to prosecuting corporations for dealing with sponsors of TERRORISM. (S Roll Call 203, 07/26/2005)
* "NO" to consumer protection from price gouging during energy emergencies. (S Roll Call 334, 11/17/2005)
* "NO" to oil company excess profits tax to fund energy relief for the poor. (S Roll Call 339, 11/17/2005)
Alexander votes FOR the Wealthiest, AGAINST Working Families
"YES" to the Wealthy
* $39.7 Billion in Reductions to MEDICARE to sustain war time TAX CUTS for the wealthy (S Roll Call 0363, 12/21/2005)
"NO" to Working Families
* Increased Katrina relief for food assistance, bankruptcy relief, and tax help. Many of the Katrina families are veterans. (S Roll Call 234, 09/15/2005)
* $5 Billion to increase funding for Elementary and Secondary Education (S Roll Call 269, 10/26/2005)
* $4 Billion to increase funding for educational services for children with Disabilities (S Roll Call 273, 10/26/2005)
* $836 Million to increase PELL Grants for poor college students (S Roll Call 268, 10/25/2005)
Alexander consistently votes against needed improvements in Veterans' Health Care
Alexander voted:
* "NO" to authorize $21.9 billion for the VA for compensation and pensions; medical care and hospital improvements. (S Roll Call 007, 02/02/2006)
* "NO" to increase VA funding for the increased demand for VA services due to the Iraq War. (S Roll Call 251, 10/05/2005)
Alexander's Voting Record Hurts Veterans & their Families
30% of returning veterans diagnosed with mental health problems and/or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD):
* 82% of New Patients need intensive PTSD treatment.
* 20% of VA PTSD treatment programs are full.
* 40% of VA PTSD treatment programs are near full capacity.
* 42% of VA primary care clinics have NO mental health staff.
VA Advisory Board (Feb. 2006) stated: "VA cannot meet the ongoing needs of veterans of past deployments while also reaching out to new combat veterans (Iraq / Afghanistan) ... within current resources."
Increasing Demand for VA Services:
* Enrollment since 2002- UP 48% due to Iraq War
* VA patient load since 2002 UP 28% due to Iraq War
Veterans are experiencing increasing delays for earned services:
* Veterans waiting for their first appointment for VA services doubled for the second year in a row.
* 500,000 Veterans awaiting decisions granting benefits since Jan 2006.
* 368,000 of these Veterans are awaiting disability determinations.
* 151,000 appeals are backlogged.
Our Veterans and their families ask,
Our Military and their families ask,
Our National Guard and their families ask,
"Senator Alexander, Where is the Shared Sacrifice?"
Here are two more votes by Lamar Alexander that harm national security.
Voted against increasing funding for interoperable communications equipment for first responders by $5 billion
-Motion to Waive Budget Act Re: Stabenow Amdt. No. 1687 to H.R.2862
(Science/State/Justice/Commerce Appropriations, 2006) Vote #227 9/14/05
-Voted against prohibiting federal employees who leak classified information from holding a security clearance - Reid Amdt. No. 1222 to H.R.2360 (DHS
Appropriations, 2006) Vote #188 7/14/05
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