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You have no Idea of what the cost of caring for a quad amounts to. The only alternative that is open to them is moving into a facility which is not only more expensive but they want to live indepently. Charity, that's a pipe dream.

T_O_B

 

You'd be surprised at how giving some individuals can be. Especially when they don't have nearly half of their hard earned money stolen from them.

 

It wouldn't happen. What you would do is simply replace one bearuocacy with another. These aren't cute little kids who need help, they aren't victims of a catastrophy that is reported on a newscast, you live in San Diego go out to the VA and have a look for yourself. Most people don't want to see these guys and if they encounter them most people will look away.

T_O_B

 

That's your perception of reality. I happen to have a very different one. In case you weren't aware San Diego is a very militarized city. With several bases, over half the population is involved in the military in one way or another and I see veterans treated with the upmost dignity and respect all the time. The news is constantly covering war, veterans, and all that is military. To act like or state that veterans are shunned is actually quite the opposite of what I see.

 

Also, the bureacracy, if any replaced it, would be voluntary.

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You, sir, are myopic and sadly mistaken. I know San Diego and I realize most veterans are treated well, however I work with quads on a daily basis and know what they feel about how they ae treated by the rest of the world. Shunned is not a word I would have used, your word not mine.

T_O_B

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You, sir, are myopic and sadly mistaken. I know San Diego and I realize most veterans are treated well, however I work with quads on a daily basis and know what they feel about how they ae treated by the rest of the world. Shunned is not a word I would have used, your word not mine.

T_O_B

 

Easy on the namecalling. What did I say that could in anyway be construed as narrow-minded? If anyone is thinking that way it is you who is using the bad experiences you may have had in your life to claim that all people think and act a certain way and that veterans, especially those who are quadriplegic, are in someway looked down upon. Forgive me, I would have used the word shunned again, but obviously you feel that it is too harsh of a word to describe that " most people will look away."

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I meant no disrespect and if I offened you I apologize. I am only saying what I hear from my quads. They feel that they are made to feel invisible. The general public does not know how to treat them. Its not that they are shunned or looked down upon they are just generally ignored. Finding people to care for them is hard and quite frankly it is certainly a job that is not for the faint of heart. It costs between $40,000. to $50,000. a year just to pay for the labor to take care of these folks. Add to that the cost of medical supplies and the equipment and you are looking at $55 to $60 thousand for each and every one of them. That is considerably less than the cost of having them in a facility. Without the benefits they have from the government they would not have the lives that they have now.

T_O_B

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I meant no disrespect and if I offened you I apologize. I am only saying what I hear from my quads. They feel that they are made to feel invisible. The general public does not know how to treat them. Its not that they are shunned or looked down upon they are just generally ignored. Finding people to care for them is hard and quite frankly it is certainly a job that is not for the faint of heart. It costs between $40,000. to $50,000. a year just to pay for the labor to take care of these folks. Add to that the cost of medical supplies and the equipment and you are looking at $55 to $60 thousand for each and every one of them. That is considerably less than the cost of having them in a facility. Without the benefits they have from the government they would not have the lives that they have now.

T_O_B

 

No worries, I was just messing when I mentioned the name calling!!

 

And don't get me wrong, I sympathize for them also, and I'm pretty sure a lot of them don't even want sympathy, just someone to talk to. They have obviously been put through some very traumatic and life altering circumstances, however I believe that there are alternatives to paying for their care besides using money that is stolen from other people and given to them. Not only does this tactic lead to a shortage of money and the poverty of others, but it is morally wrong. What right do you or I have to take from anybody else that which isn't rightfully ours? We don't, it's called theft. If you or I steal from someone we are punished. Why then is it, that we allow government to do it?

 

You mention the high cost of health care, and whether you agree or not a fair portion of those costs can be directly attributed to the governments involvement in the medical sector. Whether through taxes, regulation, subsizing, licensing or countless other interventions, the government is responsible for the high prices, shortage of service and overall mess that is the current healthcare debacle. This can be fixed numerous ways, which I have discussed in other threads, and would without a doubt lead to lower costs. How much this would alleviate the veteran's healthcare costs is unknown, but it could only help.

 

I do believe many people are supportive of veterans, and while I may not convince you that they are, I'm pretty sure that if people were able, they would offer to help. I believe that a solution of lower healthcare costs and the abolition of taxes would not only leave people with more money, but with more money to be spent on the charity(ies) of their choice. Since I believe that most people are supportive of veterans I believe that veteran's charities (DAV, SA) would get a huge boost. Tag the increase in charity along with a decrease in overall healthcare costs and I think you would create a much better and more admirable way to care for veterans.

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