McCain calls Obama insensitive to poor people (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080427/ap_on_el_pr/mccain)

This is coming from the guy who is opposed to a GI bill for the troops who've served in Iraq... just for starters.

McCain calls Obama insensitive to poor people (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080427/ap_on_el_pr/mccain)

This is coming from the guy who is opposed to a GI bill for the troops who've served in Iraq just for starters.

And a guy whose wealth, sans Cindy, is around $25 million USD.

Did McCain make this statement as he was boarding his wife's jet? I hear the beer distribution biz she inherited makes millions off'n Arizona beer drinkers, and that's probably where John has the common touch, since beer is such a blue-collar beverage. Or maybe John learned sensitivity to poor folk during his formative years at boarding school.

McCain calls Obama insensitive to poor people (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080427/ap_on_el_pr/mccain)

This is coming from the guy who is opposed to a GI bill for the troops who've served in Iraq... just for starters.

This was a good one. Something I was just reading about him not wanting to repeal the federal gas tax, you know, so poor people can drive further this summer.. Jeesh... What does he think poor folks are doing? Loading up their SUVs and driving to the Jersey Shore all summer long?

Taking back the gas tax would be like these stupid rebate checks we've all got coming. It will do little, to nothing. Now, if they were talking about rolling it back, you know, forever, I'd be all for that. Just over the summer will do nothing, because let's face it, we do drive the rest of the year as well.

who make over 100 million dollars calling the guy who did his early political work in some poor hoods as a communityhttp://mtbr.com/ organizer working on discrimination and voting rights 'insensitive to poor people'

I am constantly amazed

Smart move, but it won't stick.
McCain needs to jump on the Wilsonian attitude of Obama, towards "real" down to Earth people. This will be a tough nut to crack for McCain, but might be his best chance. Clinton should have thought of this "gas tax" bribe first. It's a great way to get votes. If she was smart, she should jump on the bandwagon and say, sure, that's a great idea.....If I'm elected, I'll drop the federal gas tax for a full year.

Smart move, but it won't stick.
McCain needs to jump on the Wilsonian attitude of Obama, towards "real" down to Earth people. This will be a tough nut to crack for McCain, but might be his best chance. Clinton should have thought of this "gas tax" bribe first. It's a great way to get votes. If she was smart, she should jump on the bandwagon and say, sure, that's a great idea.....If I'm elected, I'll drop the federal gas tax for a full year.

Even better, federal gasoline subsidies for everyone, woohoo! :)

McCain calls Obama insensitive to poor people (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080427/ap_on_el_pr/mccain)

This is coming from the guy who is opposed to a GI bill for the troops who've served in Iraq... just for starters.

The objection of the new proposed GI bill is that it is a retention killer. It needs to be updated to match current education costs, but it was never enough to completely pay for college. The military needs to hang on to a certain percentage of the people it trained. Hanging a huge carrot out there will not help retain the best and brightest. The military has tuition assistance which will cover the majority of college costs while serving on active duty. The GI bill is for when you get out or retire and you have to use it within ten years. If Congress does anything, they should make the GI bill available to service members while on active duty and allow all services to let the families use it as well. A senior officer or enlisted could use his/her GI bill to pay for their spouses or childrens education. Make it renewable every 5-6 years.

What has been proposed is not the right answer. I have two bachelors degrees and have yet to use my GI bill because I am still active duty.

She's already agreed, so long as they can find alternative funding... Doesn't our gas tax pay for our crumbling highways?

Smart move, but it won't stick.
McCain needs to jump on the Wilsonian attitude of Obama, towards "real" down to Earth people. This will be a tough nut to crack for McCain, but might be his best chance. Clinton should have thought of this "gas tax" bribe first. It's a great way to get votes. If she was smart, she should jump on the bandwagon and say, sure, that's a great idea.....If I'm elected, I'll drop the federal gas tax for a full year.

The objection of the new proposed GI bill is that it is a retention killer. It needs to be updated to match current education costs, but it was never enough to completely pay for college. The military needs to hang on to a certain percentage of the people it trained. Hanging a huge carrot out there will not help retain the best and brightest. The military has tuition assistance which will cover the majority of college costs while serving on active duty. The GI bill is for when you get out or retire and you have to use it within ten years. If Congress does anything, they should make the GI bill available to service members while on active duty and allow all services to let the families use it as well. A senior officer or enlisted could use his/her GI bill to pay for their spouses or childrens education. Make it renewable every 5-6 years.

What has been proposed is not the right answer. I have two bachelors degrees and have yet to use my GI bill because I am still active duty.

The extended and repeated tours in Iraq will be the main retention killer, isn't that true? I'd imagine the same factors are also often an inhibitor as far as being able to utilize the benefits of the tuition assistance program, is that in actuality the case? I understand that retention is a priority but I also believe that after a couple of extended rotations into combat these people should be free to get out if they choose and they deserve the option to take advantage of a significant educational benefit after they've returned to civilian life. Beyond that I'm sure there's plenty of room for constructive fine tuning in ways such as those you've mentioned. I think you've made some good points and suggestions but has McCain been speaking up about the concerns you've mentioned and proposed a better version of the GI bill? I think veterans deserve better and he needs to do more than just play the oppositional roll.

Doesn't our gas tax pay for our crumbling highways?
Yes.