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News-Sentinel.com Your Town. Your Voice.
Opening Arguments

11/11 plus one

Happy Veterans Day, even though 11/11 was, well, you know, yesterday, and this three-day-weekend crap that ignores the real holiday observances is getting way out of hand.

Here's President Obama, speaking at Arlington National Cemetery yesterday, the right day, thank you very much:

The president touted the work of first lady Michelle Obama and Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, for their work in the Joining Forces campaign, which urges businesses to hire veterans. He also reaffirmed his commitment to continuing the post-9/11 GI Bill program, which provides college education funding for those who have served, and said soldiers suffering war-related health problems will get the care they need.

"No one who fights for this country overseas should ever have to fight for a job, or a roof over their head, or the care that they have earned when they come home," he said.

I don't know about that. I was able to finish college without major debt, thanks to the GI Bill. And that seems like a fair bargain to me -- help with my education as a repayment for my three years of service. And certainly I would expect that any injuries or illnesses acquired as a result of my service would be taken care of. But being guaranteed a job and a roof over my head seems overly generous to me. What do you think? Am I that swell of a fellow that you want to take care of me forever? Oh, go ahead, what's a few more dollars borrowed from China?

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