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    Are U.S. Veterans freeloaders? John Stossel will be the judge of that

    By William K. Wolfrum on Tue, 05/10/2011 - 4:28pm | Politics, Media

    If you need more proof that Libertarianism is an ideology of the soul-less, let John Stossel finish the deal:

    After my FBN show last week, where I let critics of my FREELOADERS show talk back, I got this e-mail:

    Dear Mr. Stossel,

    I am a veteran who is rated and compensated as 100% disabled.

    Do you, and Libertarians in general view me as a “freeloader;” and should I not be compensated according to your views of this situation?

    Like your show, and I am truly curious. While I register as a Democrat, I’m probably a Libertarian at heart.

    Regards,

    Stephen Chase

    I responded:

    No, Stephen, if you are 100% disabled, I do not consider you a freeloader, I consider you: compensated.

    Stossel’s answer is quite telling. One would guess being 50 percent disabled would put a veteran directly in the “freeloader” category. It’s also notable that Stossel doesn’t waste time with anything as silly as making a “thank you for service” comment to Mr. Chase. He is but a thing that either deserves to be compensated or be considered a drain on taxpayers.

    Libertarianism in America has nothing whatsoever to do with “Liberty.” It’s about greed and feeling good about not giving a crap about anyone but yourself.

    –WKW

    Crossposted at William K. Wolfrum Chronicles

    Topics: 
    Politics
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    Comments

    In what weird world can somebody every be fully "compensated" for a 100% disability?  Particularly when, as this guy implies, the 100% disability was suffered in the service of his country?

    Stossel has no idea about physical pain.  He whined like a baby when he got playfully slapped around by a pro wrestler some years back.


    by Michael Maiello on Tue, 05/10/2011 - 5:00pm

    I dunno. I just read this as Stossel asserting Libertarians support at least some sort of workers compensation system - certainly PTD. I'm not sure why we're assuming he'd be against PPD (or any other rating).

    The disability rating stuff itself really is a necessary process, and has been since the longshoremen set up a system in the earliest days of America. Ultimately, it's a pro-labor thing that workers have fought - and continue to fight - to keep adjusted with changing times. The military is a job and in the end soldiers must be cared for as workers. Workers who get injured ultimately hit MMI - which sometimes is still pretty bad-off. There comes time to figure out how they can continue to have a decent life within their new physical reality. Part of that is wage loss calculations. There are instances of abuse (all around) but it really is a good thing, not a bad one.

    As for Stossel himself - I know nothing about him ... probably a total asshat. (Also, who died and left him king-lord-Libertarian arbiter?)


    by kgb999 on Tue, 05/10/2011 - 7:51pm

    Straight from Ayn Rand's script. Word for word.


    by cmaukonen on Tue, 05/10/2011 - 5:10pm

    The truth is that the veteran probably takes comfort in Stossel's words. We may find Stossel a cold fish, but he may be soothing to the veteran. The veteran might think that a 50% disability is a freeloader.

    Think about the Tea Party folks who argue against "other people" getting the same government subsidies that the Tea Party folks got.

    "I got mine. You got your's to get."


    by rmrd0000 on Tue, 05/10/2011 - 5:22pm

    Are we talking about freeloading or freefalling?


    by Richard Day on Tue, 05/10/2011 - 8:14pm

    As a libertarian (I consider myself the "lite" version) and currently serving in the military the quick answer is "no, vets are not freeloaders".  The more complex answer is that vets have given blood for their country, and the country owes them.

    I think people misread what a libertarian actually believe. Minimium government does not mean no government. As the "lite" version of being a libertarian, I believe the federal government should maintain an active militatry (even though most support troops be reserve or national guard), major diaster relief, a single national police agency (we do not need 10+ different agencies), a national court system, and basic civil rights enforcement. Let the State governments take care of education, healthcare, a social safety nets, transportation and infastructure.

     


    by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 05/11/2011 - 2:05am

    Ok, so first off, Stossel is not the king of libertarians, he is as much the leader of the libertarians as anyone with a show on msnbc is the leader of the democrats.

    second, being disabled has nothing to do with the compensation that the govt provides to the military. one can be both a drain and deserving at the same time for different reasons. its not as simple as you seem to think it is.

    third, libertarians that you claim to be heartless or soulless also are probably atheists and/or objectionists. there are as many different types of libertarians as there are democrats or republicans.

    fourth, i think everything that everyone does is about feeling good, not just libertarianism. that could include feeling good for physical reasons, emotional reasons, intellectual reasons.


    by wolverine (not verified) on Wed, 05/11/2011 - 3:16am

    I'm surprised no one was expecting this. After all, GOper's are known for promoting the troops when they decide to go to war, and pulling the rug out from underneath them once the first sign of a white flag is raised. They expect the troops to do their duty when ordered, but once the last bullets fly, they have no use for them...just another tool in the toolbox.

    What will be interesting to see over the next 10 years or more will be those with permanent battle scars. In Vietnam, many died from the wounds received in battle. Those same injuries are treatable today, so there is a huge cadre of wounded veteran's that will need medical services for the rest of their natural lives. And since most are young, that means they will be in need of medical attention for a very long time. And that costs money. That means a drain on the tax revenues. That means increasing taxes. Perhaps the GOPer's should have thought first about the post consequences of going to war...servicing the wounded.

    Besides, if it weren't for the promise of life-time medical attention for wounds received in battle zones, how many do you think would volunteer for military service? Why go to war, receive a debilitating wound and not get the medical treatment you need to survive? It's the price the public must pay if they expect others to fight their battles.

    With people like Stossel, soon the ranks of the military will be void of anyone willing to fight for them. Truly a military full of freeloaders.


    by Beetlejuice on Wed, 05/11/2011 - 8:47am