News
We read the story this weekend about Lee Woodruff and Jenny Briest meeting recently in South Sioux City, Neb.
Lee Woodruff is the wife of Bob Woodruff, the ABC News reporter who suffered brain injuries from a roadside bomb while covering the war in Iraq. Jenny Briest is the wife of Corey Briest, a soldier from Yankton who suffered traumatic brain injuries fighting in Iraq.
Their bond runs deep, as they both suddenly became caregivers to wounded men.
After the two of them met, Lee Woodruff spoke to a reporter at the Yankton Press & Dakotan. "The vets are very deserving of care and rehabilitation," Lee said. "They gave the highest cost in service to the country, but they are not always receiving the highest level of care."
Woodruff criticized the inadequate funding and resources for "wounded warriors" returning from war. She pointed to the Briests' initial struggles in getting proper treatment for Corey.
The story made us think about funding for wounded soldiers' health care, a topic in the news. Also in the news is the controversy of "pork barrel projects" or "earmarks," in which members of Congress request funding for local projects in their state or district. These are sometimes worthy projects with the national interest in mind, but other times, they are merely a way for members to show constituents that they can get "free money" for the folks back home, which will help at election time.
Here's an idea: The cost of every earmark proposed by Congress should be compared to what that money could do for a wounded soldier. If the earmark is more important (and many of them are, like providing clean water for thousands or safer schools), then it gets funded. If it doesn't (a museum for the Woodstock music festival, or playground equipment for a small town, or landscaping for downtown Miami), then it shouldn't.
We could adequately fund important projects and reduce the federal budget deficit. Yes, some people in towns that don't get their pork project might vote out a member of Congress, but if that's the only thing keeping members in place, they should go anyway.
Putting our priorities in the right place is one of the most important things Congress can do. They should start doing it right now.
Lee Woodruff is the wife of Bob Woodruff, the ABC News reporter who suffered brain injuries from a roadside bomb while covering the war in Iraq. Jenny Briest is the wife of Corey Briest, a soldier from Yankton who suffered traumatic brain injuries fighting in Iraq.
Their bond runs deep, as they both suddenly became caregivers to wounded men.
After the two of them met, Lee Woodruff spoke to a reporter at the Yankton Press & Dakotan. "The vets are very deserving of care and rehabilitation," Lee said. "They gave the highest cost in service to the country, but they are not always receiving the highest level of care."
Woodruff criticized the inadequate funding and resources for "wounded warriors" returning from war. She pointed to the Briests' initial struggles in getting proper treatment for Corey.
The story made us think about funding for wounded soldiers' health care, a topic in the news. Also in the news is the controversy of "pork barrel projects" or "earmarks," in which members of Congress request funding for local projects in their state or district. These are sometimes worthy projects with the national interest in mind, but other times, they are merely a way for members to show constituents that they can get "free money" for the folks back home, which will help at election time.
Here's an idea: The cost of every earmark proposed by Congress should be compared to what that money could do for a wounded soldier. If the earmark is more important (and many of them are, like providing clean water for thousands or safer schools), then it gets funded. If it doesn't (a museum for the Woodstock music festival, or playground equipment for a small town, or landscaping for downtown Miami), then it shouldn't.
We could adequately fund important projects and reduce the federal budget deficit. Yes, some people in towns that don't get their pork project might vote out a member of Congress, but if that's the only thing keeping members in place, they should go anyway.
Putting our priorities in the right place is one of the most important things Congress can do. They should start doing it right now.
