Desperate Tommy Politicizes September 11th

As the campaign for U.S. Senate continues, it is increasingly clear that Tommy Thompson has become desperate. The over $10 million in dishonest special interest ads have only helped marginally and Tommy is still behind in most polls. His campaign tried to launch a major foreign policy attack on Iran last week only to have their candidate totally bomb both the debate and their entire strategy. All of those things are bad enough but Thompson has taken his campaign to a new low today.

Yesterday it was reported that Tommy Thompson launched a new misleading attack ad. This isn't just another Tommy attack ad, now he has desperately taken to politicizing September 11th. It is disgusting that Tommy would cynically try to politicize a historic and national tragedy that still directly impacts so many people. The mere existence of this ad is bad enough but it is made much worse by the fact that it attempts to mislead the public into questioning Tammy Baldwin's patriotism.

The Thompson ad attacks Tammy Baldwin for voting against a 9/11 resolution that Congressional Republicans decided to politicize in 2006. Republicans substantively changed that resolution from being the usual kind of 9/11 anniversary resolution into something that endorsed the Patriot Act, punitive immigration policies and other highly controversial measures. I suppose if Congressional Republicans would have the gall to misuse the memory of 9/11 in this political way in 2006, we shouldn't be too surprised that desperate Tommy would try to misuse and politicize the issue today.

Members of the media noticed that the 2006 resolution had been needlessly politicized by Congressional Republicans.

• The Capital Times noted that "the resolution included much more than an expression of support for 9/11 victims, U.S. troops and the police officers, firefighters and paramedics who responded to the attacks. For instance, among the accomplishments it celebrates is the 2001 passage of the Patriot Act...it also paid homage to the House's then-recent approval of a bill designed to crack down on illegal immigration..." [Capital Times Politiscope blog, 9/11/12]
• CQ Weekly noted that this 2006 resolution was very different from past 9/11 resolutions in that "Republicans stuffed the bill with references to GOP-crafted measures." [CQ Weekly, 9/18/06]

Another way that you can tell this 2006 resolution was different is that Tammy Baldwin voted for all other resolutions honoring the victims of 9/11. The different thing about this 2006 resolution is that Congressional Republicans were shamelessly trying to play politics with it.  Now their candidates like desperate Tommy is shamelessly trying to politicize the issue once again.

The idea that Tammy Baldwin somehow isn't patriotic enough because she didn't vote for the politicized version of a 9/11 resolution is twisted and the Thompson campaign should be ashamed of themselves. I've already pointed to the fact that Tammy Baldwin voted for all of the other (non-politicized) 9/11 resolutions. But Baldwin also has voted in many ways to honor the 9/11 victims and first responders.  In fact many of her supportive votes were less about words and much more about substance.

• In 2003 she cosponsored legislation to establish a memorial for victims of 9/11 and other terrorists attacks.
• The day before her 2006 vote against the politicized 9/11 bill she voted for recognizing the importance of establishing a 9/11 memorial.   
• She supported 9/11 first responders health funding in 2010.
• She supported a Ground Zero Health Program in 2010. The measure would help people that were exposed to harmful debris from the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

To make matters worse, the Thompson campaign uses veterans in this disgusting new ad.  I've written about this extensively before but Tammy Baldwin has constantly voted to support our men and women in uniform. Here is only a small sample of Tammy's votes in this area:

• In 2002, Tammy introduced the Dr. James Allen Disabled Veterans Equity Act. After years of fighting Washington gridlock, it was signed into law by President George W. Bush in 2007.  
•  Tammy was also a strong supporter of President Obama’s Returning Heroes Tax Credit, which gives businesses that hire unemployed veterans a credit of up to $5,600 per veteran. 
• She also supported the Wounded Warriors Tax Credit, which gives businesses that hire veterans with service-related disabilities a credit of up to $9,600 per veteran. 
•  Baldwin supported the Post 9/11 GI Bill Of Rights for the 21st Century, the largest expansion of veterans’ education benefits since the enactment of the original GI Bill in 1944. Conclude

The Thompson campaign should be ashamed for misleading so badly on Tammy Baldwin's actual record. They should also be rejected by voters and the media for questioning Baldwin's patriotism in the face of such a long and distinguished record on these issues. In the end I think that we are learning that there is no shame in the Thompson campaign and they will desperately try anything including the politicization of September 11, 2001.

UPDATE: The Professional Fire Fighters of Wisconsin reacted today to Tommy Thompson's dishonorable 9/11 ad.

Republican Parody or Real Press Releases?

I'm having difficulty telling if Republican communications in the U.S. Senate race are parody or actual press releases. They have been taking stale right wing talking points on any given issue and pushing it over the edge into the totally absurd and offensive.  The latest example? Ridiculous attacks against Tammy Baldwin on the issue of veterans.  I realize that the Republicans and their "exhausted" candidate are feeling rather vulnerable but this kind of overreach is nasty and very transparent.

Today Tammy Baldwin addressed the Wisconsin members of American Disabled Veterans.  Tommy Thompson was at the event dodging questions about revitalizing Wisconsin's VA facilities.  After he spoke his handlers continued their practice of rushing him out with members of the media in hot pursuit.

Tommy Thompson has proposed a 5% across the board cut.  That would translate into a $6.48 billion cut from the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, just when Wisconsin veterans are coming home and need our support the most.  This is even more disgusting when you consider the fact that Tommy supports doing this while also cutting taxes for millionaires. Perhaps Republicans are trying to overcompensate for this in their over-the-top press releases today.

Although Republican parody press releases attempt to create an absolute fiction, Tammy Baldwin has a clear record of standing up for veterans.

• In 2002, Tammy introduced the Dr. James Allen Disabled Veterans Equity Act. After years of fighting Washington gridlock, it was signed into law by President George W. Bush in 2007. 
• Baldwin introduced the Veterans Jobs Act to involve local community business leaders in an additional effort to help returning service members find jobs in the private sector. 
• Tammy was also a strong supporter of President Obama’s Returning Heroes Tax Credit, which gives businesses that hire unemployed veterans a credit of up to $5,600 per veteran. She also supported the Wounded Warriors Tax Credit, which gives businesses that hire veterans with service-related disabilities a credit of up to $9,600 per veteran. 
• Tammy also supported the VOW to Hire Heroes Act which also expands veterans’ training and education, and helps guide them through the federal jobs application process.
• Baldwin supported the Post 9/11 GI Bill Of Rights for the 21st Century, the largest expansion of veterans’ education benefits since the enactment of the original GI Bill in 1944. 
• Baldwin also introduced the Make Our Veterans Smile Act. This legislation would expand dental coverage to all veterans enrolled with the VA who have received a Purple Heart. 

If you don't give Tammy Baldwin credit for her actual legislative accomplishments in this area, then why don't you simply ask a vet like this one?

“Tammy is committed to keeping the sacred trust we hold with members of our nation’s military. She has fought to expand and improve care and benefits for Wisconsin veterans and their families and will continue fighting as our next U.S. Senator.” -Veteran Anthony Hardie

And given all of this context to the contrary, Republicans are still trying to defame Tammy Baldwin on this issue? That act is despicable but it has come to be expected.  After all, we are dealing with people that have chosen the lowest road campaign that special interest money can buy.

Johnson Shrugged (off homeless vets)

Now this is a heck of a quote to take national! Apparently for Ron Johnson this election isn't about details, whether it concerns creating jobs for the middle class or for helping homeless veterans.

Thank the Vets, then give them healthcare

I served for most of the 1990's in the Army National Guard. Unlike most that currently serve, I was never called upon to serve in actual combat. That being said, I always knew that it could be a possibility and had to make various decisions just in case that call would ever come. Since the beginning of our wars in Afghanistan and Iraq I have often considered how hard times must be for our veterans that are not only serving during two wars but all-too-often serving in both of them repeatedly.

For all that they sacrifice and all that they give we should not forget about fighting for them after they come back home. I read a report yesterday about a shocking study released from Harvard Medical School which estimates that 2,266 veterans under the age of 65 died last year because they did not have health insurance. That translates to six preventable deaths per day, which is more than twice the number killed in Afghanistan.

Although many veterans are eligible for care from the Veterans Administration, those that were not injured in combat and those whose incomes exceed a certain limit are often ineligible for coverage. Like too many other Americans, many veterans are working people that get caught right in the middle of the health care gaps in our current system. They make too little to afford the ever increasing costs of private health insurance but make too much to qualify for Medicaid and means-tested VA care. This is really a tragedy when you add this on top of the extra high levels of suicide and homelessness among vets.

Maybe the next time that we talk about "thanking a veteran" we can also make sure that they have proper health care when they come back home. That would be a real-life "thanks" that would last long after the flags have flown and the parades are over. That is a "thanks" that I wish we could deliver to them right now on this Veteran's Day.

ht: Think Progress