Sunday, October 08, 2006

Veterans Rally Against Buyer

"No Veteran Left Behind" is a coalition of veterans and veteran families who oppose the re-election of Rep. Steve Buyer (R), who currently chairs the House Veterans Affairs Committee. The organization is planning a convoy starting Monday morning, which will make five stops in Indiana, including Bloomington, Martinsville, Indianapolis, Lebanon and Lafayette. J. Randy Barnes, an organizer of tomorrow's convoy says of Buyer:

"Steve Buyer has one of the worst records in Congress when it comes to supporting Veteran's Benefits legislation. Buyer has been consistent in his opposition to veterans' interests. Many issues have never made it out of the committee he chairs. Last year, he refused to meet jointly with the Senate VA Committee, and refused to allow VSO representatives to provide testimony before his committee--a tradition dating back 50-plus years! Steve Buyer is no friend to America's Veterans, and has hurt veterans more than any Representative I can remember. Ironically, he is himself a veteran of the Gulf War, which is a fact that helps him deflect criticism.
However, the fact that he is a veteran is really irrelevant: this guy's disgraceful record on veteran's issues really speaks for itself."

Monday's Convoy will proceed as follows:

6:30 – 9:00AM Lafayette to Bloomington, IN (bus and private vehicles)
9:30 – 10:30AM Rally at the Monroe County Courthouse , Bloomington
10:30 – 11:00AM Caravan to Martinsville, IN
11:00 – 11:30AM Remembrance at Veterans' Memorial, Martinsville
11:30 – 1230PM Caravan to Indianapolis, IN
12:30 – 1:30PM Rally at the Indiana War Memorial, Indianapolis
1:30 – 2:30PM Caravan to Lebanon, INRally at Boone County Courthouse
2:30 – 3:30PM Caravan to Lafayette, IN
3:30 – 4:30PM Rally at the Tippecanoe County Courthouse.

Buyer will face off against Democrat David Sanders, a Purdue professor, in this fall's election.

6 comments:

Jeff Newman said...

Steve Buyer is my representative, and he is truly one of the House's dimmer bulbs. But sadly, the district has been so ridiculously gerrymandered it would be quite the upset if he got whacked. One can always dream I suppose...

Anonymous said...

Buyer won his first election, and maybe a coiuple of re-elections, but wrapping himself in his military service record.

He'd go to campaign events wearing his combat boots or plopping them on the table while he talked. Subtle.

Since he's been in charge of the Veterans Committee, his record has been shameful.

It's about time someone held his combat-boot-attired feet to the fire.

Wilson46201 said...

Considering Buyer was a JAG (military lawyer) during the Gulf War, at best he filed writs and briefs against Saddam Hussein. It is most unlikely he ever had a shot fired at him by any Iraqi. Or vice versa!

And who can forget Buyer's grandstanding and obfuscation at the beginning of Bush's Iraq Folly? Steve asked for a leave-of-absence from Congress, saying the Army needed him. The Army said "Nope". A Congresscritter would be a most tempting target on the battlefield. Buyer returned glumly to Congress.

His predecessor on the Veterans Cmte, Smith of NJ, was getting too supportive of veterans. Hastert, Delay and the rest of the corrupt GOP leadership stuck Buyer to head the vets cmte to be properly subservient.

Gary R. Welsh said...

That call up issue with Buyer was very bizarre. Why would you claim you were called up for active duty when you had never been officially notified?

Anonymous said...

As I recall, AI, Buyer pre-announced his "call-up" and had to later retract it. As the son of someone who was "called up" in the early 60s, I resent anyone misusing that call...it causes a lot of heartache in a lot of families. Still does.

The entire GOP leadership, since MMM was head of OMB, hates to spend money on Vet Affairs. It's kinda odd, given their loud support of all things Pentagon. Frankly, it's a blatant contradiction, to fund the hell out of the Pentagon, to the degree of horrible costly duplication of services, and cut Vet benefits.

But, it's an easily-identifiable line item to cut. And vets don't have huge PACs like the defense contractors.

Again, sadly...follow the money.

Anonymous said...

Because Buyer is a grandstanding arrogant ass. I saw him in full glory a few years ago at his alma mater in White County -- mind you, these kids and their parents could vote. He berated the students for behavior he deemed not supportive enough and at a public function.

But Jeff is right-- Buyer would have to have helped Foley write his emails for this gerrymandered "I always pull the lever for R" district to go Democratic-- especially with Sanders as the opponent.