Republicans Support Troops, Just don't ask them for Money

While the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents calls for our state legislature to fully fund veterans tuition, the underlying story is breathtakingly repugnant.

Some might be surprised to hear that Republican support for our troops stops when you have to sacrifice taxpayer dollars.

In a story that shocks the senses, Wisconsin Republicans passed legislation waiving the full cost of college tuition to veterans valued at $6 million to $8 million without spending a dime financially to pay for the benefit.

Incredibly, and unapologetically, Republican Sen. Scott Fitzgerald said he opposed providing any additional state support because the University of Wisconsin system receives enough state funding to pay for the waiver. "We give the UW System $1 billion every year. The cost of the waiver is minuscule compared to the overall budget."

With callous disregard, Republican legislators successfully advanced two aspects of their ignoble agenda:

1. no taxpayer sacrifice as a show of support for our returning veterans.
2. and an enjoyably cynical $8 million dollar tax cut to public education.

Let me put it in terms a conservative can understand; this unfunded mandate would raise tuitions and force a rise in property taxes. That’s right, A TAX INCREASE. Many Republicans have made pledges, to a right wing blog and think tank, to never raise taxes of any kind while in public office. Democrats at this point have failed to point this out.

To show how hypocritical this bankrupt Party really is, they recently refused a
hospital tax and big oil profit tax claiming both providers would increase
charges resulting in an indirect tax increase.

Republicans deserve the same kind of respect they’ve shown to our veterans; A big thank you for their service, and no support at the polls this November.

UPDATE: Wednesday June 4, 2008

In 2007, more than 3,100 veterans and their family members received free tuitions. That costs the UW around $20 million a year, with the state contributing a mere $5 million. To make up for most of the shortfall, the Board of Regents raised tuition by 5.5 percent, which will add about $18 million to their budget.

College town Republican Rep. Steve Nass, the one man wrecking crew of higher education and ironically chairman of the Assembly committee that oversees the state system, called it "a money grab. They're using veterans as a shield and that is simply wrong."

If anyone is using the veterans, it's Rep. Nass and friends, who are cynically cutting college funding by not paying for veteran tuitions. Not to mention, turning veterans against an angry and frustrated student body who are ending up paying for their free "support our troops" tuition.

GOD these people are cruel.