GIMBY - Government In My Back Yard

Veterans

Trish Anderton — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 16:53:41 +0000

The fortunes of veterans have been a hot issue in the US for about as long as the US has existed. In 1783, hundreds of Continental Army veterans who were owed back pay following the American Revolution marched on the State House in Philadelphia where the US Congress was meeting. The politicians fled – proving that the pen isn’t always mightier than the sword – and the Pennsylvania Mutiny was put down by the US Army.

A similar scenario happened after World War I, when thousands of vets and their supporters marched on the capital to demand their war bonuses early. At President Herbert Hoover’s direction, a young general named Douglas MacArthur leveled the veterans’ encampments.

Politicians in America have always praised the sacrifices made by veterans in foreign wars, and from the earliest days of the Republic the US government has taken responsibility for soldiers’ pensions, disability pay and death benefits. The 20th century saw government tackle a broader range of challenges, from housing to education to mental and physical health. Current issues include homelessness among veterans, the psychological effects of battle, and the long-term effects of exposure to toxins in the field.

The chief US agency dealing with veterans is the Department of Veterans Affairs, while groups fighting for veterans’ rights include the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion.

Key Dates

1776 Continental Congress encourages enlistments by providing pensions for soldiers who become disabled.
1783 Pennsylvania Mutiny
1783 Newburgh Conspiracy – Disgruntled unpaid soldiers hatch a plot to overthrow the government; it is defused by George Washington.
1834 The first government home for veterans, the Naval Asylum, opens in Philadelphia
1865 Government builds first of eleven grand and leafy National Homes for elderly and disabled veterans
1930 Congress enables merger of three agencies to create the Veterans Administration
1989 Department of Veteran Affairs becomes a cabinet level position; "There is only one place for the veterans of America, in the Cabinet Room, at the table with the President of the United States of America,” says President George H. W. Bush.
1989 National Center for PTSD created to help veterans suffering from Posttraumatic Stress Disorder.
2007 Washington Post investigation highlighting poor care at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center prompts an extensive review of VA facilities.
2011 Department of Veterans Affairs sets a goal of eliminating homelessness among veterans by 2015.

Federal Reserve System

Brooks Hays — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 20:33:04 +0000

Whether you call 'em notes, stacks, greenbacks, dead presidents, papers, scrilla, loot, bones, or dough, it's all just chump change to the Federal Reserve. The Fed, as it’s known on the street, currently sits on over $11 billion in gold reserves and $176 billion in uncirculated bills. Not to mention the over one trillion dollars currently in circulation in the U.S. and the world.

FDA can’t protect you from dangerous dietary supplements

Marci Greenstein — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 21:57:01 +0000

Dietary supplements like vitamins and herbal medicines are a multi-billion dollar business in the U.S., but as a recent Government Accountability Office report highlights, government regulators have their hands tied when it comes to ensuring supplements are safe for consumers.

Island highway needs emergency help, says North Carolina

Trish Anderton — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 19:36:54 +0000

North Carolina’s governor has declared a state of emergency for Highway 12, the venerable road connecting the Outer Banks – the barrier islands off the state's coast – to each other and to the mainland.

Many fires, less firefighting money expected in 2013 wildfire season

Brooks Hays — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 14:55:45 +0000

While several late winter storms have momentarily tempered drought conditions around the country, officials are concerned 2013’s wildfire season could be every bit as bad as last year’s.

Reporting to Congress about fair debt collection

admin — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 14:51:49 +0000

Today, we presented our annual report to Congress on the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA.)
From the report:

USDA Announces New Partnership with States to Strengthen Integrity of Nation's Most Vital Nutrition Assistance Program

admin — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 14:00:00 +0000

WASHINGTON, March 20, 2013 – Agriculture Undersecretary for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services Kevin Concannon today announced a new federal-state partnership targeting recipient fraud in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). USDA will share its extensive experience in monitoring retailer fraud to help states develop a more robust set of tools to identify suspicious activity and improve tactics to catch recipients that attempt to commit SNAP fraud.

We’re studying the costs of complying with consumer finance regulations

admin — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 13:55:47 +0000

Banks, credit unions, and other financial services providers are concerned with compliance costs – how much it costs to comply with financial regulations – and we’re interested as well. Regulations can have many benefits for consumers, but the benefits sometimes come at a cost.
What we want to know
What are the extent and nature of compliance costs?
So, what are we doing?

Readout of Deputy Secretary of Defense Ashton B. Carter's Visit to Jakarta

admin — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 05:00:00 +0000

News Releases are official statements of the Department of Defense.

General Officer Assignments

admin — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 05:00:00 +0000

News Releases are official statements of the Department of Defense.