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October 24, 2008 - 1:13pm
News
Retired general tries to set record straight for Bilbray
By James B. Gerber, PolitickerCA.com ReporterRetired General Michael I. Neil, former Marine commander at Camp Pendleton, has authored a letter to San Diego residents in the 50th Congressional District that tries to set the record straight for Congressman Brian Bilbray on veterans issues.
The letter is a response to an ad by Bilbray's opponent, Democrat Nick Leibham, in which another retired general, former four-star Gen. Joe Hoar, admonishes Bilbray for purportedly voting against the revamped GI Bill.
"I am deeply disappointed in the completely false ad campaign from Congressional candidate Nick Leibham regarding Brian Bilbray," Neil writes. "Leibham's ads show complete disrespect for our veterans by using their name in the most despicable display of negative campaigning."
Calling Leibham's ad "a point blank lie," Neil seeks to explain Bilbray's votes on the GI Bill. Neil notes that Bilbray was a co-sponsor of an early version of the GI Bill. Only after Congressional Democrats tacked on a new tax increase for people making more than $500,000 a year did Bilbray, along with 165 of his colleagues, vote against the bill.
"The vote opposing the tax increase is what Nick Leibham is referencing in his campaign ads," explains Neil. Bilbray actually voted for the final version of the bill, once the tax increase amendment was removed.
Neil concludes the letter by pointing out Leibham's youth and his lack of experience, and stating that "from his resume, I do not see that he has had a job that has lasted more than one year."
Regardless, writes Neil, "I would have hoped any candidate running for Congress would have better judgment than to use veterans in a political stunt."
Leibham campaign manager Alec Evans responded that Bilbray "simply can't change the facts."
"[Veterans] benefits have been grossly underfunded the entire time Bilbray has been in Washington," Evans continued. "As 4-Star General Joe Hoar stated, this was a shocking vote and Brian Bilbray should be ashamed."
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Hypocrite
I love how Repugs believe they own the military vote. Neil sanctimoniously declares "I would have hoped any candidate running for Congress would have better judgment than to use veterans in a political stunt" and yet it's fine for Bilbray to use Neil's letter as his own political stunt.
Additionally, a lot of respect Neil shows his superior, Hoar, as if Hoar doesn't speak for himself. Despite the fact that Hoar does exactly that -- speaks directly to the camera -- Hoar is being "used" as if he were duped into the words he says.
In realty, Neil comes across as the political hack, unable to see past his own ideological blinders, willing to support a Bush rubberstamp, a fellow chicken-hawk frat boy, who doesn't even live in the District he represents. Way to go, Neil.
Bilbray's Wrong Vote
This is the "Battle of the Generals" with Leibham having a 4-star on his side and Bilbray with only a 1-star. But, the key question is why Bilbray continues to lie about his vote...now suddenly his reason for his NO vote on the GI Bill is that he didn't like the "tax increase" that was part of the bill, but he never said so at the time or even since that time until Nick Leibham called him out publically for it. AND, this so-called terrible tax increase actually wass only a 1/2 of 1 percent tax on incomes over $500,000 to pay for necessary education benefits such as tuition and books etc for the veterans rather than the general treasury. So, the bottom line is that Bilbray was trying to help his fat cat contributors instead of the veterans when he voted against the bill. Now he persuaded a 1-star retired general to back him up when he tries to confuse the issue by claiming it is the "tax increase" that really caused him to vote NO...sorry WRONG WAY BILBRAY...
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