It is official, Democratic co-frontrunner Senator Barack Obama of Illinois is squaring off against presumed GOP nominee Senator John McCain of Arizona in regards to the extension of the G.I. Bill drawn up by Democratic Senator Jim Webb of Virginia. The expansion is known as the “Post-9/11 Veterans Education Assistance Act.”
This is a bill that has an internal battle from within the US Senate. While the expansion looks bi-partisan, McCain has opposed the bill. As a result, Webb and McCain have clashed with one another on the bill. The interesting part is that both Webb and McCain are both Vietnam War veterans. This was also one of the attachments to a bill that would give US President George W. Bush more money to spend on Iraq. It is in defiance to Bush’s demand for a clean war spending bill.
However, McCain wants an alternative passed that will focus more on career soldiers. This is a means to entice those to remain in the military after their terms are over.
Should Webb’s bill get passed, military veterans would get a full-ride to any in-state public university along with a monthly allowance for housing. The ten-year limit to claim the benefits will be extended to fifteen years. Those that serve in the military have to serve at least three years.
The Pentagon supports the bill. However, the Pentagon feels that the three years should be changed to six years.
On April 29, veterans from all branches of the military that served in Iraq and Afghanistan spoke out at a rally on Capitol Hill talking about how they felt baited and cheated in which they were not given enough funds to cover the expenses for college as promised.
I have mentioned in previous articles how this will become a possible debate topic. Now, it looks like it possibly will.
While in Boca Raton, Florida, Obama criticized McCain on the bill. He took the chance to attack McCain on his opposition to Webb’s bill. Early this morning, Obama flew out to Washington to vote for Webb’s extension to the GI Bill. However, Obama said that he has respect for McCain’s service record. But, Obama said that it was unbelievable that McCain would oppose such a bill.
“I can’t believe why he believes it is too generous to our veterans, I could not disagree with him and the president more on this issue,” Obama said. This is in regards to Bush’s threat of a veto. Obama added: “There are many issues that lend themselves to partisan posturing, but giving our veterans the chance to go to college should not be one of them.”
McCain fired back at Obama for that remark. He said that Obama needs to take the time and effort to understand the issue. To McCain, the GI Bill would not be motivation to remain in the armed forces.
So far, the GI Bill and veterans issues have become ammunition for Obama to use against McCain. This could strongly be tied into the issue with Iraq which is set to be a hot button issue in the general election race. It seems that the GOP is prepared to acknowledge Obama as the eventual Democratic nominee.
However, Democratic co-frontrunner Senator Hillary Clinton of New York is not out of the Democratic race yet.
There are factors that can be linked with Iraq, which has grown very unpopular according to recent polls. At this moment, the issue of the economy is number one on the minds of most Americans: Democrats, Republicans, and Independents.
The issue of Iraq has been the main platform for McCain’s candidacy. McCain himself said that Iraq will either make or break his campaign.