1 My dad is turning over in his grave. VFW member after serving in Italy with the 15th Air Force in WWII.

He was quartermaster of his post forever. If he were alive, I think he'd burn his membership card.

2 Barbara Boxer, Alcee Hastings, Barbara Lee, Steny Hoyer, Barbara Mikulsky, Chris VanHollen, John Dingell, Chuckie Schumer, Pat Leahy and Patty Murray

That collection of losers is 100 pounds of shit in a 10 pound bag, except shit has more sense and more combat experience than everyone on this list combined. 

3 Disgusting.

4 WTF?  Did they take a shell to the noggin or something?  This is a fucking no-brainer.

5 That is one stunning endorsements list.  What in God's name does the VFW think its mission is nowadays?

6 We totally dispute your hypothesis about organizations going lefty!

7 This is so outlandish I had to read it twice thinking I read it wrong.

8
Unbelievable. Look at that list folks.

Baghdad Jim McDermott. Really.

9

Holy shat, the lefties are infiltrating traditionally conservative organizations?

God in Heaven, who's next? The NRA?

10 They're backing ultra-liberal Lloyd Doggett over conservative ER Dr Donna Campbell here in Austin. Is the VFW taking the path of the NRA?

11 The political arm of the VFW has endorsed U.S. Rep. Scott Murphy for re-election, choosing the incumbent Democrat from Glens Falls over Republican challenger Chris Gibson, a recently retired Army colonel with 24 years of service.
http://tinyurl.com/296cumx

12 There comes a point in the history of some organizations where they cease to exist for the benefit of the members and start to exist only for the benefit of the organization's management (AARP I'm looking at YOU). I think that point has sadly come for the VFW.

13 Baghdad Jim McDermott. Really.

Posted by: IllTemperedCur at October 07, 2010 03:24 PM (P9+0W)

What the fuuuuu.....?

14 I wasn't aware that the VFW is a union shop.

15 It's like I keep saying:  Turning over Congress and the White House are just the beginning.  Lots of housecleaning to be done outside of government...get involved in everything.  They've dug in deep, and it's going to take a lot to flush them out, lest they just lie low and come back again in a decade, or a generation...

16

And hey are NOT supporting Joe Miller in Alaska???

As a West Point Grad???? who won the Bronze Star in Storm?

 

HUH??????

17 When I got back from Vietnam, the VFW did their best to get me to join.  I'm so glad I didn't now.  This is disgusting. 

18
Alan Grayson, McDermott's Iraqi trip co-conspirator Mike Thompson.......

A rogue's gallery of anti-military, anti-American cockholsters.

19 The VFW that used to represent veterans from The Great War and then veterans from "the greatest generation" is no longer populated by those men who have passed on. So who is leading the VFW? Most who fought the Korean War were WWII vets, so not many of them left. Does that leave Vietnam Vets in charge of this decision, back stabbing the Marine candidate?

"You can discover what your enemy fears most by observing the means he uses to frighten you."
-- Eric Hoffer, The Passionate State of Mind, aph. 222 (1955)

"To the excessively fearful the chief characteristic of power is its arbitrariness."
-- Eric Hoffer, Reflections on the Human Condition, aph. 163 (1973)

 

20

 In May, Rep. Jo Ann Emerson falsely claimed that 8th District opponent Tommy Sowers "never commanded anybody" in the Army, and therefore does not have a perspective worth respecting regarding the federal 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' policy.  This was a remarkably dumb thing for Emerson to say; Sowers was an Operational Detachment Commander in Iraq and led a combat engineering platoon in Kosovo.

So when the VFW endorsed Emerson despite this smear, it did not sit well with the folks at VoteVets.org:

http://tinyurl.com/28xfdcv

21
Can you blame them?
They know who butters their bread.

Bureaucrats suck.

22 Guys it's an known fact that Democrats are far more in tune with veteran issues than Republicans. Republicans only care about sending our young off to war for oil while Democrats work to take care of our valiant soldiers. /snark

23 Sigh- I think we're gonna need a bigger boat.

24
Hank Johnson got the coveted VFW Guam chapter endorsement.....

25 Just like the Republican Party is being taught a lesson so should the NRA and the VFW.

26 The NRA endorsed the Democrat in both my U.S. Rep. District and my State Senate district.

Posted by: lowandslow at October 07, 2010 03:28 PM (GZitp)

I was expressing my non-shock with heavy sarcasm. When the NRA fell I knew all bets were off.

27

The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Political Action Committee Board of Directors has endorsed U.S. Rep. Mike McIntyre for re-election in North CarolinaÂ’s 7th Congressional District.

ThatÂ’s significant in part because McIntyreÂ’s opponent, Ilario Pantano, is a former Marine and veteran of the Iraq war.

http://tinyurl.com/294s34v

28
So who is leading the VFW?

Those bastard boomers?

29 Email sent...

30 I'm starting to see a pattern.

31 Barbara Boxer and Patty Murray? Really?! Find me 2 less intelligent, more anti-military, America-hating shrews than those battle axes. Who the hell is running the VFW, Michael Steele?

32 I've always had the impression that the American Legion is a better organization with much more integrity than the VFW.  Someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems as if it's usually the Legion that takes hard stands on issues.

Maybe I'm biased because my Marine father-in-law (RIP) was very active in the Legion. 

33 Unbelievable, in my town Chula Vista (aka Chulajuana) the VFW is endorsing Bob Filner over Nick Popaditch.

Popaditch has a fucking glass eye with a golden marine emblem on it, after he survived an RPG in Fallujah.  The guy probably also has balls made of titanium.
http://www.blackfive.net/main/2004/05/staff_sergeant_.html

34
quick, someone check if Alvin Greene is endorsed by the VFW.

I'll bet my left nut...

35

Well, in fairness, a lot of the VFW's old hands were Roosevelt WWII vets and die-hard Southern Democrats from way back. They've always had a bias towards Democrats, though to the old-school Democrats of FDR and Truman than the New Left Democrats of the current age.

Many VFW's are closing up shop as the WWII vets die off. The Vietnam generation soldiers never seemed to get in to the VFW in a big way, and the Gulf War I/II vets even less so. I don't know how much relevance this organization really has any more.

 

36 They've dug in deep, and it's going to take a lot to flush them out, lest they just lie low and come back again in a decade, or a generation...

Similar to why one needs to take the full course of antibiotics prescribed. If any of the bacteria is left the infection will just come back but with a possible resistance to the cure.

37 Posted by: Monty at October 07, 2010 03:34 PM (4Pleu)

Oh, I see now, Monty.  The VFW don't support the current vets because they fought in the wrong war.  Makes perfect sense now.

38
King of the Hill did an episode with Viet Nam vets at odds with Cotton's VFW.

Cotton Hill was disgusted by the VN vets crying and shit.

39 VFW PAC endorsements:  http://vfwwebcom.org/blog/38769/

40 I don't know about the VFW, but the NRA has been an insanely pro-incumbent/pro-politician org.  It doesn't matter if a candidate is a lifetime member, with proven pro 2nd amendment stances, if their opponent has a longer vote history and has a couple pro 2nd amendment votes, their opponent will get the endorsement.

41 I'm betting that most of the old vets sitting around in their VFW halls don't even know this has happened.  All they want to do is plan their next big bingo night.

42
quick, someone check if Alvin Greene is endorsed by the VFW.

I'll bet my left nut...


Surprisingly, no. But there's no endorsement for DeMint, either.

43

And they endorsed HARRY "The War is LOST " REID???

INSANITY!

44 The NRA endorsed the Democrat in both my U.S. Rep. District and my State Senate district.
Posted by: lowandslow at October 07, 2010 03:28 PM (GZitp)

The NRA is a single issue organization; most of their endorsements go to Republicans but they'll gladly endorse a pro-gun Dem, especially an incument with a voting record over a Republican challenger without one. That's normal for a single-issue group.

The VFW endorsing non-veterans over vets would be like the NRA endorsing Chuck Schumer over an avid hunter and shooter.

45
There comes a point in the history of some organizations where they cease to exist for the benefit of the members and start to exist only for the benefit of the organization's management (Federal Government I'm looking at YOU).
FIFY

46 All Charitable and Non-Profit Orgs should have a sunset date. The only way to motivate them to do anything is to limit the ammount of time they have to do it. Just like Term Limits to Congresscritters. ALL organizations become corrupted by the need to self-sustain above all else.

47
I'm betting that most of the old vets sitting around in their VFW halls don't even know this has happened.

Yep, just like those who belong to the AARP.

48 You go baby!  Woot!

49 One more thing, which organization backed Snyder in Snyder vs. Phelps?  The American Legion and _not_ the VFW.

50

This is just more proof of how critical this midterm election is. The libtards are shooting their wad because they know that if they lose November 2, they're fucked for a very long time.

Each and every one of them can die from third degree burns as far as I'm concerned.

51 Barbara Boxer and Patty Murray? Really?! Find me 2 less intelligent, more anti-military, America-hating shrews than those battle axes. Ya missed one, Barbara Mikulsky. The poster child for battle axes everywhere.

52 I just emailed my Post Commander and the National organization. The Post Commander had no idea....

53 I would guess the VFW sends out membership solicitations with prepaid postage. Do what I do to the NYTimes, AMA and AARP. Cut out the mail label and tape it on a small box with a message protesting their policies. If you're really p***ed off, add some rocks or a brick.

54

Well they were considering endorsing Harry Reid and decided to punt.  That would have been like your example.

Posted by: polynikes at October 07, 2010 03:44 PM (m2CN7)

Their own web page said they DID endorse Harry Reid.

55 So I haven't found a PAC for the American Legion.  Perhaps I've missed it.  Instead, I found a lot of GOTV efforts from 2008 -- non-partisan -- and I'm very familiar with their Boys' State program, which is basically a youth civics program (my F-i-L was really involved in that).  It's a good program.  And, I remember the Legion speaking out early in the Obama administration over some moronic things they did (or didn't do). 

What does VFW do? 

56 Just saw this, and I am sick to my stomach. It's devastating to hear that the VFW is endorsing the likes of Barbara "Senator Ma'am" Boxer! Talk about taking the viper to your breast.

57

Well they were considering endorsing Harry Reid and decided to punt.  That would have been like your example.

Posted by: polynikes at October 07, 2010 03:44 PM (m2CN7)

Or were you talking NRA?

58

Each and every one of them can die from third degree burns as far as I'm concerned.

 

Nah.  Let them dies from shingles.  Terminal shingles.

59 37: I'd have gone with the thematically-appropriate Iwo Jima comparison, but you're exactly on target here.

Failing to finish off a mortal enemy is cutting your own throat.

60 I knew it. Damn disappointing, the decisions these Vietnam Vets given authority have made to sabotage for DHS Janet Napolitano's cause targeting veterans and conservatives as the nation's radical enemy.



VFW-PAC
Director Sal Capirchio served his country in the Army, and from 1967-1968 was stationed in Vietnam.
Chairman Terry Benson joined the VFW in 1977 after serving with the 460th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing, Tan Son Nhut Air Force Base in Vietnam.
Treasurer, Mike Wysong, a native of New Jersey, enlisted in the Air Force in 1967 and served seven years on active duty, including three tours of duty in Vietnam and Southeast Asia.
Board Members:
Ken Burton is a retired Lieutenant Colonel (USAR), with an accomplished military and legal career. He is a practicing attorney in Texas and Oklahoma, and served as VFW-PAC Chairman from 2008-2009.
Garry Goff has served as VFW-PAC Director for the Department of Michigan since 1998. A heavy equipment engineer in Vietnam.
Al Bucchi served his country in the Army during Vietnam.
Everett Martin joined the United States Navy in 1954 and was discharged in 1957.
Paul A. Spera of Attleboro, Massachusetts served as Commander-in-Chief of the Veterans of Foreign Wars from 1995-1996.
Joe T. Wood is a WWII veteran of 38 months with overseas service in the Philippians.
James R. Mueller served as Commander-in-Chief of the Veterans of Foreign Wars from 2005-2006.
Francine Cornish from Washington, D.C., is currently serving as the Ladies Auxiliary 2010-2011 National Auxiliary Director for the Legislative/VFW-PAC program.
Ann C. Markel became the VFW-PAC Office Manager in January 2008.

61 Posted by: Herr Morgenholz at October 07, 2010 03:37 PM (5aa4z)

Holy Shit. That endorsment list is a who's who of shitheads.
I'm eligible to be a member of the VFW, but hot damn, Skippy if I'd join now.

62 There comes a point in the history of some organizations where they cease to exist for the benefit of the members and start to exist only for the benefit of the organization's management

That point is the very instant the organization sprouts the tumor called "management." Or government. Or anything analogous to it.

Any group with more people in it than Led Zeppelin is primarily a conspiracy against its lower-ranking members. There's just no other way for things to turn out. People are...how we are.

63 I would rather get kicked in the balls from someone I don't know!!

64 They're not answering their phones. That's what my senator does!

65 VFW v. VFW-PAC

not interchangeable, no?

66

"Any organization which is not expressly right-wing will become left-wing over time."

Case in point: AARP. Although it didn't take much time for them....

 

67 Posted by: LibertarianJim at October 07, 2010 03:52 PM

Cool!

How long ago?  I can't remember where my father-in-law used to go, but he helped run them.  His post was in Western Massachusetts. 

68

VFW represented Spanish-American and Philippine Insurrection veterans. The American Legion was the new wave, World War veterans (and regularly accused, in the Twenties and Thirties, of being a right-wing fifth column).

Sad to relate, I've met as many mealy-mouthed hep-me types in those organizations as among the general populace. Promise them better VA bennies, and they're in your pocket. The drafted army was a regular breeding ground for dull-ass socialism, same here as in yerp. 

69
By the way, this endorsement list originally came out a month ago & was last revised two weeks ago.

A month ago.

70 I remember seeing a bunch of guys (members?) standing around in front of the VFW hall near where I live, and they all looked like the prototypical Hollywood Vietnam vets.  Long hair, beards, all wearing their old fatigue jackets with old unit patches on the sleeve.  I never could, even in my sordid years, conform to that image of a Vietnam vet.

71 Directly from ther website: The VFW-PAC is dedicated to the support of candidates who have taken responsibile positions on issues involving national defense and legislation pertaining to our nation's veterans.

72 According to Federal Law, the Veterans of Foreign Wars cannot legally endorse candidates. To overcome the legal challenges of influencing on Capitol Hill, the organization established a Political Action Committee— a separate, nonpartisan organization charged with the single task of working in Congress to support candidates who share our views about key veteransÂ’ military and defense issues.    The VFW-PAC is established to promote and facilitate the accumulation and distribution of voluntary contributions from employees and members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States and its subordinate units, (Posts, Districts, County Councils, Departments, Ladies Auxiliary and Military Order of the Cooties) for the support of various candidates for election to federal office in the United States. The established endorsement criteria not withstanding, no Presidential candidate will be endorsed by the VFW-PAC Board of Directors. The VFW-PAC is dedicated to the support of candidates who have taken responsible positions on issues involving national defense and legislation pertaining to our nation's veterans.

[What is "the established endorsement criteria"?]

73 @72
VFW-PAC was established by the VFW "to overcome the legal challenges of influencing on Capitol Hill" (per their own web site)  Funding comes from donations from VFW and Ladies Aux VFW members.

They're separate in the same sense that a university's private foundation is separate from the university.  Legally separate, but one essentially exists to serve the other. 

74 @79
I see you found it.

75

Well they were considering endorsing Harry Reid and decided to punt.  That would have been like your example.

Not really.  For all his faults (and they are legion), he's not the anti-gun fanatic that the likes of Schumer and Boxer are.

They should endorse Angle, but at least they backed off endorsing Reid.

76 LibertarianJim - the American Legion does not have a PAC.

Folks the other candidates and issues the VFW has supported was (1) John Murtha (2) Barney Frank and (3) the stupid DHS memo that claimed that all veterans were in danger of becoming right wing terrorists...

The Legion has come out against BS like the DHS memo, but they don't play politics or get involved in endorsements of candidates.

77 The more I look at that endorsement list the more Pissed Off I get.
The fella running against Baron Hill in Indiana 9th, Todd Young went to Annapolis fer Fucks sake!

78

 Military Order of the Cooties

 

Wha' the................

79 Be interesting to see what kind of fraternal organization the new volunteer vets forge.

80 The Legion has come out against BS like the DHS memo, but they don't play politics or get involved in endorsements of candidates.
Posted by: Blackfive at October 07, 2010 04:03 PM

Thanks for commenting. 

81

VFW PAC Director Explains Endorsement Process

By Salvatore Capirchio
Director, VFW Political Action Committee
WASHINGTON, Nov. 6, 2006--The Political Action Committee was founded in 1979 as a separately incorporated organization to support candidates for federal office who will advocate for our nationÂ’s veterans and for AmericaÂ’s security. The PAC consists of an 11-member Board of Directors that sets the endorsement criteria.

Emotions are now running high in the Illinois 6th District congressional race because the PAC chose to endorse a non-veteran over a fellow VFW member who is a disabled combat veteran from the Iraqi war.

The PAC chose to endorse non-veteran Peter Roskam over Tammy Duckworth because of his track record of supporting veterans and service members as an Illinois state representative and then as a state senator. He also completed a required PAC questionnaire that was sent to every incumbent and to those challengers upon request.

A Duckworth campaign representative called me in September to inquire about a PAC endorsement. I explained the process and the fact that a 22-question questionnaire had to be completed. This individual then asked if the Roskam campaign had received an endorsement. I said they had not, which was true at the time. No further contact was initiated by her campaign.

Meanwhile, someone from the Roskam campaign called and asked about a potential endorsement. The PACÂ’s subsequent endorsement of his candidacy was based on his questionnaire answers, his track record, and upon recommendations by VFW Department of Illinois leadership.

Everyone must know that the PAC process worked as it was designed. Our endorsement was not about political parties or about who served or who didnÂ’t. Our endorsement was about who was going to best serve the interests of the 40,600 veterans who reside in the Illinois 6th District in the United States Congress.

Tammy Duckworth is a brave woman who will continue to make a difference in the lives of others, but the PAC cannot allow military service or VFW membership to be automatic endorsement qualifiers.

82
VFW Reiterates Non-Endorsement Policy of Political Candidates

KANSAS CITY, Mo., Oct. 31, 2007

The VFW is non-partisan and does not endorse political candidates because it would violate our congressional charter. However, for sake of clarification, the VFW Political Action Committee is a separately incorporated organization that does selectively endorse candidates for the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate who advocate for our nationÂ’s veterans and for AmericaÂ’s security.

The PAC did endorse Congressman Paul in his recent 2006 congressional campaign, but that must not be misconstrued as an endorsement for a higher office. To be fair, the VFW PAC has endorsed a total of seven of the current presidential candidates in their election bids for the House or Senate.

The PAC consists of an 11-member Board of Directors that sets the endorsement criteria. They have not endorsed any candidate in this campaign and will not endorse any candidate for the office of the president of the United States.

[That set endorsement criteria is not readily available from the VFW-PAC site.]

83

Joe T. Wood is a WWII veteran of 38 months with overseas service in the Philippians.

Was he with Centurion Saul at the Battle of Tarsus? 

84 Since lefties aren't in the business of replicating themselves and can shack up three or four to an apartment, they can also AFFORD to take jobs in public organizations.  Most conservatives can't or won't because these jobs don't smack of real work.  That's the second part of the pincer

85

Posted by: maverick muse at October 07, 2010 04:06 PM (H+LJc)

So, send them a form, and if your opponent does not, you get the endorsment?

WTF?

This is how the Oligarchy perpetuates itself... by "rules" which are not explained to the outsider...

86

The PAC consists of an 11-member Board of Directors that sets the endorsement criteria. They have not endorsed any candidate in this campaign and will not endorse any candidate for the office of the president of the United States.

[That set endorsement criteria is not readily available from the VFW-PAC site.]

 

It should be obvious what the criteria are:

 

a)  Have they given us money or benefits in the past.

b)  Are they giving us money or benefits now.

c)  Are they going to give us money and benefits in the future.

 

One out of the three will get the endorsement.

87 but the PAC cannot allow military service or VFW membership to be automatic endorsement qualifiers. --fine, but it should warrant a second or third look, vice automatically taking the side of the incumbent, especially when the incumbent is anti-military. It appears that the majority of the people they are endorsing are seriously anti-military. How exactly are they defining "helping vets out"? "Cause I'm going to bring up that viper thing again...

88 Unbelievable Unforgivable. Look at that list folks.

Baghdad Jim McDermott. Really.

Posted by: IllTemperedCur at October 07, 2010 03:24 PM (P9+0W)

There.  More better.

89 The VFW-PAC amounts to pirates fleecing the military community flock in order to promote what is no longer the PAC hidden agenda for authoritarianism.

The VFW-PAC plays as pawn to subject the military community of veterans into political disarray this election cycle.

The VFW would do very well at this point in censuring the unethical recent pattern abusing the supposedly established, set VFW-PAC endorsement criteria, grossly misused this year by the PAC's Board of Directors.

90 We are proud to endorse Hank Johnson, who promises to provide much-needed stability in Guam.

91 but the PAC cannot allow military service or VFW membership to be automatic endorsement qualifiers.

Sure. And the PAC cannot allow military service to automatically disqualify a candidate.

What a lousy reason for them to have given in response to the legitimate criticism that the VFW-PAC has FAILED miserably to endorse the candidates who will best represent the interests and needs of the veteran community, because the best candidates happen to be conservatives.

The majority members of that board of directors are cowards.
 

92 You might want to rethink the comment on Force Ten from Navaronne comment since I know at least Edward Fox from the cast was in the military. I'm sure there were others, but regardless, the cast had more experience before filming the movie than the list of endorsees have.

93 Can you blame them? They know who butters their bread. Bureaucrats suck. Posted by: Soothsayer at October 07, 2010 03:31 PM (uFokq) ---------------------------------- And there it is in a nutshell, unfortunately. NRA, VFW, God-Knows-Whose-Next. It eventually comes down to who is handing out the gov't cheese for those willing to sell their soul for a little stability and comfort. Down at my local chapter of the Knights of Columbus, whine and cheese ain't on the menu. Grabbing your sack, serving humanity, and getting hammered on college football gameday is the soup-de-jour. That's America, baby!

94

I used to be a member of the VFW.  When I came back from Saudi in 1991, I was offered a free one-year membership by our local.  Never renewed it.  I was thinking about joining again after coming back from Afghanistan a few years ago, but now I'm glad I didn't.  Think I might give the Legion a look, though.

95 This is fucking disgusting. I am canceling my membership. I won't have my money going to these fucks.

96 Legally separate, but one essentially exists to serve the other. 
Posted by: Y-not at October 07, 2010 04:01 PM

Point being, the roles are inverse as the VFW is being manipulated and even abused by the PAC.

And yes, Herr M. found the link provided @ 3:37. 

97 From the bylaws:

ARTICLE X - DISTRIBUTION OF FUNDS
In determining how funds shall be distributed, the committee shall consider the
recommendations of the Director, each member of the Board of Directors, and
otherknowledgeable persons. Of primary consideration shall be the candidate's
positionand/or voting record on issues involving national defense and veterans
legislation.Additional factors include, but are not necessarily limited to:

A. The integrity and character of the candidate.

B. Whether the candidate holds a leadership or policy-shaping position in his partyor on a congressional committee or is likely to hold such a position in the future;

C. The nature and strength of the candidate's opposition in primary or general elections;

D. Other sources of fnancial assistance available to the candidate.

98

I just called and left a detailed message...I will be following up with them tomorrow. 

My Uncle US Army - KIA in WW11 (a double Bronze Star Recipient), My Father - US Army Korea, My Husband US Army, My Son US Marine under George Bush.  Needless to say I'm *issed.

99 Ace are you a VET if you are you should send in your VFW card.

100 You're shitting me.  I was actually thinking about joining the VFW, but now, fuck'em.

101 *runs away giggling*

102 The "detainee" was of course released because he was never convicted of anything. And that ambush was probably never a reality anyway. What if the detainee has just made up that story ? Does anyone actually elieve that torture gives out real stories ? WHy did it never work on Americans ?

103 The ticking time bomb scenario always assumes theat there is a bomb, and that the person being tortured is going to tell the truth about the location instead of just sending them on a wild goose chase.

104 I'm posting on the wrong thread. Duh.

105 Endorsing liberals who vote to defund the troops and undermine their mission every step of the way. Yeah, makes total sense! LOL

106 I give the VFW Korean war vet 40 bucks whenever he is camped out at the local grocery - which happens to be every 2 weeks. I know this isnt his fault but now i'm scratching VFW off my obligatory charity list.

Not happy about this at all ;/

107 Damn.  The American Legion helped raise money to bury a young Marine who died of testicular cancer recently.  I sent some money to them.  The mom needed about $16,000.  By the time I got my note (about a week later) the Legion had raised over $36,000. 

Support the Legion.  Screw the VFW (never thought I'd type those words).

108

email sent
Did you read that list of $hitbirds they are endorsing...??!!?? What a mugs list!

[glad I'm a Legion member]

109 115 Endorsing liberals who vote to defund the troops and undermine their mission every step of the way.

Yeah, makes total sense! LOL

Posted by: Dan at October 07, 2010 05:46 PM (1jzSs)

And why? If  you look over their criteria, its because they are in power.

ie, they endorse those who already have positions, like Reid (the war is lost) and Maam Boxer... because they already have positional power.

110

@5: "What in God's name does the VFW think its mission is nowadays?"

Assault, Seize, and Secure as much gummint teat as possible.

111 I think they call this "fragging".

112

Are we really surprised anymore to find that nearly all of our institutions have been suckling at the teet of government so long that they have all become liberals and beholden to the status quo. 

The VFW endorsement of a douche shows just how far our country has become one giant arm of the permanent bureaucracy, which means they support democrats.

I am reminded of the old anti-communist poster showing communism as an octopus with tentacles everywhere.  Yeah, its that bad.

113

The VFW was already dying.

This PAC is just smothering it with a pillow.

I did that free one-year membership after my first tour.  Boring as hell.  A bunch of old guys complaining about their aches and what medications they were on and how they were going to rent the hall out.

I got back in May from my third tour in Iraq and there's no way in hell I'd belong to any organization with a candidate list like this one.  The VFW was recruiting like crazy at the PX's on several bases I've been on in the last couple of years.  I'm going to ensure that the veterans I know are informed what this organization has become.  Absolutely disgusting.  It's demise can't come soon enough.

114 You guys, the VFW endorsed Nancy Pelosi and Sheila Jackson Lee.

They endorsed 76% of the incumbency.  They endorsed a Democrat lawyer, over combat veteran Marine Corps officer Ilario Pantano.  Here is Ilario's statement on the matter:

No wonder the Democrats don't worry about being held accountable for their treatment of our troops, when PACs like the VFW's endorse incumbents regardless of their stance on national security, and the training and equipping of our armed services.   It's outrageous that a Senator like Harry Reid can publicly bemoan that "this war is lost"  while our troops are in harm's way in a war zone, effectively undermining their every effort, and still gain the endorsement of the VFW PAC.  It's shocking that Congresswomen like Nancy Pelosi, and Sheila Jackson Lee, proudly supported and funded by Code Pink, a radical anti-military group, can still earn the endorsement of the VFW PAC, simply by being an incumbent. 

And that's what this is really about: entrenched incumbency.  Out of 435 Congresspeople, and 36 Senators up for reelection this November, the VFW PAC has endorsed 358 of them - 76% of the incumbency!  Their endorsement list contains the likes of Senators Barbara Boxer, Harry Reid, and Barbara Mikulski, and Chuck Schumer; and Representatives Nancy Pelosi, Steny Hoyer, Henry Waxman, and Sheila Jackson Lee. 

Meanwhile, the VFW PAC has not endorsed one single veteran candidate for elected office.  And there are plenty of us running this year:  me in NC, Jesse Kelly in AZ,  Allen West in FL, Nick Popaditch in CA, Dr. Joe Heck in Nevada, and so on.  In every case, the VFW PAC has chosen to endorse the entrenched incumbents, who are a big part of the problem, over veterans with real solutions and the backbone to see them through.  It's unconscionable to me.

As a veteran of two foreign wars, I have the endorsement of my men, and my future Constituents.  I do not want, nor do I need the endorsement of any organization that would endorse the likes of Nancy Pelosi and her liberal cronies!

Ilario Pantano
Republican for Congress, NC-07

115 I've just sent an e-mail to the VFW advising them that I will be quitting their organization immediately and returning my membership card in tomorrows mail. The nerve to endorse Klein, the toilet commando over LTC Allen West is as bad as it gets. They can kiss my ass!

116

After reading the comments here I just want to make a small point. Some of you have made some broad ass statements that I find offensive. I am a Vietnam Vet and I was drafted, as were most of us but we do not follow the beliefs of the minority of Vietnam Vets that get all the attention but we DO get all the shit from everyone when those pieces of loose shit do something stupid....like what the VFW did. Don't put us in the same category as them. We are nothing like them, never have been and never will be.

Don't let the Hippie in Old Hippie Vet fool you.

I'm done cause if I say anything more I will more than likely get banned, I stand up for my Brothers, the VFW...not so much.

Good Night.

117

For all of us that are veterans - don't quit the VFW.  Take it over.  Get involved in your local Post and make the organization into something. 

Like happened with the government, if the good people don't pay attention, the bad people can do what they want.  VFW and the Legion are both organizations that we need and that have the potential for good work in future elections.  We all worked for the future of our country - we can't stop now. 

I'm a little busy right now in Afghanistan, but when I get home, the VFW is on my list of places to get involved. 

@21 - I served with Tom Sowers in Kosovo.  I'd vote for him. 

 

118

Too bad.  Some of the best bars I've ever frequented have been at VFW posts. 

 

119 OK, gang, I'm going to have to step in here. I'm the Quartermaster at one of the posts in North Central Texas. The way the PAC "decides" is it chooses those politicians that have voted in favor of veteran's issues. At least 6 times for Senators and 10 times for Congressmen/women. What I've discovered is that this opens the system up to manipulation by the incumbents. Hell, all they have to do to garner an endorsement is to vote FOR some veteran's issue, whether or not it will pass is another thing.

I feel that this is a discriminatory practice. It automatically defaults to supporting the incumbent, as long as they have checked that little box. It rules out any candidate, regardless of veteran's status, simply by the way they operate. To hell with that!! I'm going to throw my support behind a veteran over an anti-military/ anti-veteran politician every single time!! At the very least, the VFW-PAC should be looking at the entire "picture" of the candidates.

As a consequence of our outrage & dissatisfaction, the National Commander, who is a personal acquaintance of my Post Commander, is considering doing away with the VFW-PAC, altogether. However, because the VFW IS a democratically operated organization, this can't be done until the next National Convention. There is an announcement on the VFW's main page at http://www.vfw.org

I've also attempted to address this issue on my blog, which is linked at the top. In closing, the VFW efforts may be better served through lobbying candidates instead of endorsing them.

Thor- US Navy (ret)

120 Ooops, I should have said linked at the bottom....

anyways, here:
http://thors-spot.blogspot.com/

121

I do not know what every one is getting so upset about the VFW management team have been doing this for years. its called politics by getting in bed with politician's. show me any other organization that is not headed that way and I will support them in a minute.

DAV Retired