Don't get me wrong, the people that are going to get this money certainly deserve to be recognized and compensated. However, this should never have been done through a bill that was intended to stimulate the US Economy.
Senators say their goal is to stimulate the U.S. economy, but the Senate's economic recovery package spends up to $198 million in lump-sum payments to aging Filipino veterans of World War II -- two-thirds of whom don't live in the U.S. and are unlikely to be pumping much money into the economy.The money, long-sought by Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Daniel K. Inouye, Hawaii Democrat, would go to about 15,000 living veterans who served in World War II as a part of U.S.-led forces and who were promised postwar benefits, including U.S. citizenship. - Washington Times
This is something that should have been done decades ago. But guess what, Congress blocked it. And odds favor that it would have been a Democrat-Controlled Congress that reneged on the promise.
Those promises were revoked by Congress soon after the war, and Filipino veterans have spent the years since pressing for compensation. Mr. Inouye said the payments are long overdue, and are urgent. - Washington Times
Anyway, here is a good-sized chunk of 'stimulus' money that will stimulate nothing more than printing machines at the US Treasury. This money should have been passed in a simple bill that specifically honored their service instead of treating this payoff like it was a secret. (Because it was intended to be a secret. One costing us $198 Million.)
1 comment:
Since Congress granted it in 1942 and took it away in 1946, I'd guess it was pretty similar Congress. It's correct to fix this US renege, no matter who did it. I don't care for the bundling of bills either but it's been done that way a long time and especially well done under the previous administration. As always this is really about the bases.
However, another reason for the recently reinvigorated alliance is what many in the Philippines refer to as the "China challenge". That includes official Philippine concerns about Beijing's military modernization and build-up, including fast improving naval capabilities which threaten Manila's position in a potential conflict over the disputed and supposedly oil-rich Spratly Islands in the South China Sea.
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Southeast_Asia/KC10Ae01.html
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