My apology for being away as I have had to help my son who was wounded in Iraq, suffering from head traumas and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which I can identify with, and since I run a small farm I have to fertilize my fields. I am a cripple, not being politically correct, and I tend to do things at one speed, SLOW!

     I am an advocate for term limits and have been well over 25 years, especially since I got a first hand look at politicians when I ran for the US Congress in 1992 and 1994. Many who will read this will proclaim that the election is the best source for term limits, but if this statement was true, then why it is we have corruption in Washington. Many will say that by having term limits we will lose the best and the brightest in Washington. Is there any evidence that we have the brightest in Washington, where congress will pass legislation without reading it?

     Most new politicians who leave their states have the best intentions in their hearts. The problem is after a few terms; they have been influenced by the political machines, the special interest and are driven by their ability to collect money for re-election outside their own state, and the promise of employment as lobbyist.

     Our forefather’s who agreed to a Constitution allowed for the election of Senators to be done by the legislature, whom by most accounts had the will of the people in mind, yet, we now have an election more of a machine than the will of people and for six years before being elected again. Most of our forefathers were farmers, where they would consider it a privilege to serve in Congress and then return home, finding hands working in the dirt were more honorable than the dirty hands in politics.

     Many people vote for their party! Hmm he or she is a Republican or Democrat and therefore must represent my views since they could not be in the party unless they did! Well, we had all the democrats and 85 republicans vote for the pork inflated Obama bill, which stick it to the children of future generations; would you consider this your views?

     So what does Term Limits achieve? They stop political action committees (PAC) from controlling elections causing them to spend more with fewer results; it stops career corruption and returns those to its states, unless they get a contract to pursue lobbying for special interest, which should be outlawed; it gives us fresh blood with new ideas and honesty with more representation for the will of his constituents. With term limits the people need to stop these insane life time pay checks given to members of congress. Prior to becoming a recluse on my farm, away from people and politics and the madness of the world, navigating prosthetics through mud, and snow, many times falling on my royal posterior, I was a political scientist.

     I have studied the politics of the world, socialism, communism, fascism, democracies and republics. In my sincere judgment and opinion, based on my research over the years, I have come to the conclusion that no house member should serve more than three two year terms, and no senator should serve more than one six year term. By these standards the People regain the power of its government. Those who are corruptible are least likely to become corrupt.

     I have heard what if we get a righteous representative and him or she has to leave office under term limits. If such a character exists, then he or she can run again after one election cycle has passed, and if this person is loved and respected by his or her people, then they will be elected.

    Now for my last insult! Corruption also comes from the people, the electorate, who have more interest in themselves, being selfish and looking out for themselves only add to the corruption in Washington where the people are holding their hands out asking: “WHERE”S MINE?

How much more do veteran’s and future veteran’s have to shed blood, sweat and tears for the this country where people are free on the backs of individuals who have served and protected this nation for many generations, only to be humiliated?

     During the Vietnam War, many were exposed to Agent Orange, developed Posttraumatic Stress and spent years afterward fighting for help as many brother vets committed suicide out of depression and desperation, many died of cancers, leaving wives and children penniless. I survived cancer, still have the PTSD, live in the country away from everyone except cows. In the mid-eighties Department of Veterans’ Affairs started service connecting for PTSD, but did not start service connecting Vietnam Veterans  for Agent Orange until the early nineties.

     I will disclose that during my youth I was a bit of a rascal on pro-veteran issues, which included POW’s Agent Orange Compensation, better medical and compensation for children of Vietnam Veterans exposed to Agent Orange. I worked hard along with Admiral Zumwalt who was not only my commander, but also a good friend, and a true warrior and I think of him always telling my children about a wonderful leader. What I did back in those days is another story and will take short stories to complete, but now I must address again the atrocities going on, we veterans are facing.

     I thought that in 1991 when the Clinton’s wanted to reduce or eliminate the prosthetics budget, for Hillary’s breast cancer research, a noble cause, as an amputee that was as low as one could get trying to squeeze service connected vets out of benefits that were promised and lost limbs in military service. In desperation, I took one of my old prosthetic legs, had 28 disabled veterans from WWII, Korea and Vietnam sign it and sent it with a note to President Clinton, which read: “Here Mr. President, you need this prosthetic more than I do, because sir, you do not have a leg to stand on”. Now I am not sure the President saw the leg, it was returned to me, but I do know the outcry of the people stopped that action, and tears of pride ran down my cheeks.

     This week, I again heard of a proposed attack on the veterans of this country where President Obama wanted the service connected soldiers, sailors, marines and airmen if they had private insurance, VA would bill the insurance carrier, relieving the VA of responsibility and saving the government 530 million per year. Mr. President we are not high paid CEO’s of banks, most of us are dirt poor, and no one will insure us because of our injuries and diseases. Why is it we fight for a nation, and then have to come home and fight congress, both political parties and the presidency for our benefits? Mr. President you want to save 530 million dollars out of a 5 billion dollar expense on veterans, and yet, the retired federal workers budget is close to 59 billion. At night Mr. President, just like many of my brothers and sister vets, I sit beside my bed and I start to disassemble my metal and plastic body parts so I can sleep, God help me if a fire breaks out and I have to get out in a hurry. I wear several prosthetics and pronged to sores from break-downs, my joints hurt because my gait is out of line, and I am arthritic in every joint. I fall many times through-out the year but I do not complain, except when you try and take away what we were promised.

     Mr. President, I had cancer from Agent Orange, by the grace of God I survived, and never in my family history had cancer. My daughter came down with non-Hodgkin, she was very beautiful, like your little ones Mr. President and two years later she passed away. The day of her funeral sir, my mother went to lie down and died, but you did not hear me complain, even though my heart felt that it had been ripped from my chest, but I knew that one day I would see them both again.

     Mr. President we now have another crisis, where good honest and decent veterans who served this country 3,260 in Miami and another 6,378 in Tennessee have possibly been exposed to infectious body fluids contaminated with HIV.

     I feel that I have returned mentally to the early 1970’s where I was spit on more than once, had people throw bottles at me before there was plastic, and called us baby killers. There was no respect for those of us who served from the American people, and now Mr. President, there seems to be no respect for us who have served through incompetent medical care, claims are not being processed.

     Veteran’s are of all colors, faiths and from all walks of life. Some of us are without limbs or eyes or other body parts. Some still have not found their way homes mentally and some are fully intact. We all still belong to a brotherhood, and we are proud.  This country made a promise to us, we are not a group represented by unions, nor are we political as that right was signed away before I became a veteran.

     As veterans’ we ask you and the American people to keep your word, be our support group as we return from those front lines. This is not a democrat issue or a republican issue it’s an American issue where all should remember that freedom is not free, it come from the sacrifices made by those who paid the ultimate, and returning warriors.

     Both democrat and republicans should co-sponsor bills that allow for constant finance for all veterans and should be hands-off, like politicians stay away from social security. It is time that those who did not serve speak up, speak loud and stand by those who served this great country.  There are certain times that people in this country put aside partisan politics and stand together for what is descent and right, and I hope taking care of America's veterans is one of them.

     Below is a poem I wrote for all who have served I hope the American public will think about its meaning.

I Am the American Soldier

Each day I arise tried, tested and true,

Starting each day saluting the Red, White and Blue,

To defend this country daily with my life,

leaving behind my children, parents, girl friend or a wife.

I am the American Soldier

I will defend the Constitution I love best,

with sailors, marines and airmen we never rest,

to defend this nation with our hearts and soul,

remembering those who came before us who have now grown old.

I am the American Soldier

I am the American Soldier who stands to defend   

this great country of ours to the very end.

Freedom and democracy is our battle cry,

knowing that many of those who fight, will most likely die,

I am the American Soldier.

Freedoms you people enjoy do not come free,

it is preserved by soldiers who served, or serving like me,

we live in fox holes, jungles, sand, and in a mud pit,

but our dedication is indestructible and we will never quit,

I am the American Soldier.

I engage in battle with the enemy day by day,

so the people back home can live the American way,

severed body parts of my brothers I am forced to see,

so you back home can have freedom and democracy,

I am the American Soldier.

I am old now from many battles of the past,

my limbs are missing and I may not last,

but with pride I served with proficiency,

so others may live and continue to be free,

I will always be the American Soldier.

Taps is played over my head,

in the ground they lay me and I am now dead,

but sacrifices I made were worth it to me,

so my family and our nation could enjoy freedom and democracy

Remember me always as the American Soldier.