Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN), the Tea Party star and possible presidential candidate who bypassed the GOP leadership and offered her own budget plan, has now dropped a very controversial part of her plan to deal with the deficits: Cuts to veterans’ benefits.
In a statement posted on her Web site, Bachmann writes:
“One point on my discussion list was a $4.5 billion proposal that would affect payments made to our veterans. That discussion point has received a lot of attention and I have decided to remove it from consideration. The problem of government spending must be solved, but not on the backs of our nation’s war heroes. I have always been a proud supporter of the United States military and I continue to stand with our veterans. In the months ahead I look forward to working with our Veterans Service Organizations to ensure that we fulfill our commitments to those who sacrificed so much in their brave service for our country.”
Bachmann’s plan was attacked by the Veterans of Foreign Wars, whose leader said among other things in a scathing press release: “The day this nation can’t afford to take care of her veterans is the day this nation should quit creating them.”
In addition, Democrats began to signal that they would try to make this proposal stick to any Republicans who associated with Bachmann. Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT) used it as a line of attack against his presumptive Republican opponent Rep. Denny Rehberg, who is going to launch his candidacy at a state GOP dinner tomorrow, featuring Bachmann as a headline guest.
(Via the Star Tribune)
Eric Kleefeld
Eric Kleefeld joined TPM as an intern for the final months of the 2006 midterm elections, and then kept showing up for work. His other interests include guitars, old comic books and the politics of various English-speaking countries.
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