Dear Editor:
Our disabled veterans are grossly under compensated and have been for generations. This is most especially true for our totally and permanently disabled veterans. Our disabled veterans have been asking various Congresses and Administrations for fair and adequate compensation since the end of WWI (1918). That was a 103 years ago. Where is it?
In 2022 a totally disabled veteran with no dependents is compensated at the ridiculous rate of $39,984.72 dollars annually. The National Average Wage Index (NAWI) for 2020 was $55,628.60 dollars per annum and the median income for 2020 was $67,521.00. The per capita GDP in 2020 was $63,416.00 dollars, among the highest in the world. This rate of compensation to disabled veterans is deliberate and cruel. It is unconscionable that the wealthiest nation that ever existed compensates its disabled veterans at such a ‘low rent’ scale. I am completely embarrassed at this national disgrace. Our Elites in government are completely behind this scam. Trust me, at some point this is going to blow up in all of our faces.
Perhaps the biggest problem with low compensation for disabled veterans is that we pay them only for projected lost wages. Quality of life payment is not included in their compensation. That is an antiquated formula for injury compensation that dates back to the early part of the 20th Century. Even the courts do not use that formula anymore when awarding injury compensation. They always look at quality of life payments as part of the compensation package. We do not afford our disabled veterans that advantage. It is deemed too expensive by the Elites serving in government. Oh really?
Disabled veterans realize that they are being manipulated and given short shrift by the wealthy and politically connected top 5% of the wealth pyramid who lobby Congress hard in order to keep their compensation low in order to ensure a low tax rate for the Elites. Since our Elites make their money by investments and not by labor they are not subjected to the same tax situation as a worker. That is wrong and it is causing all sorts of problems in the USA right now relative to revenue collection. It only exacerbates the already fierce divisions in the country due to the widening wealth gap between the top and bottom of the wealth pyramid.
So…
We can levy at least a penny tax on every dollar traded on the stock market to pay for their compensation. The New York Stock Exchange alone traded about 1.46 billion shares a day in 2019. There are presently 13 separate stock exchanges operating in the USA. The money is definitely there. We MUST show the courage to take it. To hell with the Elites and their out of touch screaming about taxation!
Please introduce legislation now to set compensation at least at the level of the NAWI for ALL types of totally and permanently disabled veterans and/or give them federal tax exclusion for up to $125K per annum.
There is one more thing to consider here. This is a growing national security problem.
We all need to fully understand the danger to all of us should this untenable situation for disabled veterans continue much longer.
Once our young people fully comprehend that should they enlist in the armed forces and subsequently suffer serious illness or injury then they are looking at a lifetime of near poverty. At that point the armed forces will collapse. It will take a generation to rebuild it to adequate manning levels. Retention within the Service will be extremely low. It will be a national defense nightmare. Be warned. We won’t be able to escape the serious consequences of a paper tiger armed forces. Our enemies will not be fooled by our machinations to hide our weaknesses due to low manning levels in the armed forces.
And just to be clear, ultimately this all boils down to our Elites refusing to be taxed at an adequate level thereby making proper revenue collection to fully compensate disabled veterans and other disenfranchised Americans impossible. This all comes down to Elitist greed. It really IS this simple.
I do not request a response. If you do respond use my email address.
N.B.
Act now. This situation is a lot more dire than most of us realize and the consequences will be nigh impossible to reverse quickly should it happen on a large scale. We are already on the cusp of this disaster.
Sincerely,
Eddie Shafovallof
Nashville, TN 37210
