Matthew P. Maljevec – 2/24/06

This page was last updated on February 24, 2006.

Don’t cut VA program; Matthew P. Maljevec; Beaver County Times; February 24, 2006.

Mr. Maljevec’s previous letter was entitled “Bush’s misplaced priorities.”

Below is a detailed critique of the subject letter.

“Like the words of a good old tune ‘Here We Go Again,’ the politicians are at it again.

“First, they cried (just like the Seattle Seahawks) about the pay raise. Now, they are cutting the budget that Gov. Ed Rendell presented to them.”

[RWC] Does Mr. Maljevec want tax increases to pay for increased spending?

“The cut that bothers me and I am sure it also bothers the veterans of this state is the cut in the veterans transportation to VA medical facilities for treatment.

“I use this means of transportation because of the convenience of not having to drive my car and the parking problems that exist at the VA facility I go to. To cut this service is a travesty at a time when we have thousands of our young men and women returning home from Bush’s skirmishes in Iraq and Afghanistan.”

[RWC] I can’t speak for this specific program, but the proposed budget for fiscal year 2007 increases the VA budget by 4.9%. As I’ve noted in previous critiques, the record shows VA spending increased at a faster rate under President Bush than under Bill Clinton.

In the state budget proposed by Gov. Rendell, there’s a line item for “Disabled American Veterans Transportation” that was cut from $250,000 to zero. If this is what Mr. Maljevec is referring to, Gov. Rendell proposed the cut, not the General Assembly. It’s possible Mr. Maljevec is referring to something else, but this was the only reference to transportation I found in the proposed budget for the state Department of Military and Veterans Affairs.

I’m surprised Mr. Maljevec would demean the service of fellow veterans by referring to their missions as “skirmishes.” In his goal to take a swipe at President Bush, Mr. Maljevec actually targeted his fellow servicemen.

“Rendell is one of the best governors Pennsylvania has ever had. He will be hard to replace.”

[RWC] You’ll note Mr. Maljevec didn’t tell us why “Rendell is one of the best governors Pennsylvania has ever had.” I could be wrong, but I suspect it is solely because Mr. Rendell has a “D” after his name.

“I understand that we have an individual who has no political experience in local politics, let alone in state politics, running against him. Lynn Swann being a good football player does not mean that he would make a better governor than Rendell.”

[RWC] While these points are true, lots of governors had no prior experience in local politics. Some examples are FDR, Ronald Reagan, George W. Bush, and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

“Think about this, you voters. Let us not ruin a good thing.”

[RWC] As I noted above, Mr. Maljevec never tells us why Mr. Rendell is “a good thing.”

“Before signing off, I would like to see more of you voters getting involved. Remember this: ‘The pen is mightier than the sword.’”