SwiftVets.com

[cedarford]

Jerry -

The VFW policy reflects obeying current law. They are a 301C-3 IRS registered organization. If they specifically denounce one Prez candidate or endorse the other, they risk losing their tax-exempt status. Many in VFW leadership would love to take on Kerry, but that is outside their Charter activities and would be outside what the members of the VFW voted them to promote on behalf of Vets.

Maybe the VFW could set up a stand alone ILA (institutional legislative action) group, or a "PAC", like the NRA and Sierra Club do to steer members into political areas they want to be in - where distinctly separate contributions to that separate group do enter the political process and are used to lobby - but those contributions are not tax-exempt. That way the main organization doesn't endanger it's tax-exempt status. But you have another big problem even if you do that. Unlike the NRA, which is all pro-gun, Sierra all environmentalist, the VFW has members all across the political spectrum. Many leftist members of the VFW support Kerry, and Kerry himself is a member. Try making the VFW a Republican proxy group, and you will end up breaking up the VFW into two organizations more concerned with partisan politics than helping their fellow Vet.

Unions are a different beast. As are, because no one has dared challenge them yet, 301C-3 black churches that regularly & openly work for a candidate.

[cedarford]

Rats! Sorry Jerry, I forgot a "dodge" that tax-exempts do all the time to express favor or disfavor of a politician without "openly taking sides" and risking a loss in IRS classification.

Rate the candidates on a scale of 0-100 or A-F on how well they have served VFW objectives with legislation votes.

But I daresay even then, Kerry would get a decent grade under such rules because he no doubt has voted to fund a panoply of Vet programs and entitlements, consistently, in his career.

[Jerry M]

It is my understanding the VFW does have a PAC which does endorse candidates for the Senate and House. I also believe up until 1980 they also used to endorse candidates for President through their PAC. Maybe someone can confirm the latter but I do know they have a PAC which makes endorsements. I understand the issue of membership being from across the political spectrum. The process of endorsing a candidate would have to be fair and based on facts. They manage to do it for House and Senate seats. It should not be assumed a Republican would always be endorsed.

Actually, more than an endorsement, I would just like to see a complete factual background published to the membership on each of the candidates for better or for worse. With Kerry, many VFW members just don't know he was a traitor by WW II standards for example.

[Enlistedman]

A 501 C 3 organization such as the VFW and American Legion have to conform with certain tax laws in order to maintain their tax exempt status. Unfortunately they are not like the Democratic supported Jessy Jack who can violate those rules without paying the price.
For those of you who stay up to date and current with your membership you know the July edition of Legion posted two very good articles from each candidate. Both articles presented what the authors called facts and some issues were pointed out.
The magizine also pointed out the fact that Vets are not as unified in support for one candidate over another as some other groups and organizations. Vets also represent approximately 10% of the voting populace nation wide.
This has been the first election in which Vets have come close to unifying behind a singel candidate.
A thing about the 10% voteing power of the Vet. It appears that not all Vets are registrared voters or participate in electing policical candidates. I suggest you guys start knocking on doors and taking those buddies who are registrared down to the local elections office or wherever and getting the Vet vote out. That is unless you feel lucky and you are confident the Democrates can't afford the gas money to transport votes arcoss state lines again this year.
Remember there is no such thing as a national voters ID in the US and as Vets we can not leave the future up to a potential hanful of men and women willing to disenfranchise other voters by voting in more than one state, city, or by absentee in one state and in person in another.
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Retired USN
Disabled Warehouse Maintenance Mechanic
Former Merchant Marine
And I really miss being able to run 60 miles a week since I got hurt three years ago.
Keep up to date with your Vet benefits, it's a matter of our countries integrity.

[Theresa Alwood]

Does anyone know when and where JOhn Kerry will be speaking at the American Legion? Maybe was can get some supporters to go and protest?
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Born to raise a little hell!

[lucky]

Theresa. I just checked and he will be speaking at the american legion convention in Nashville, Tn this coming wednesday. I believe it is at the Opryland resort and convention center. He is breaking with history that is a candidate goes home and sits while the opposing party is nominating its leader but he is a american legion member i believe. Hope this helps.
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life is great

[MikeH]

I'm not surprised the VFW is giving John a free ride. They were not there when I came home. Nor were the DAV, the AMVETS or anyone but a few American Nurses and a couple hundred long hairs calling me names and hurling bags of dog doo at me.

This is something we'll have to do ourselves.

that probably sounded (read) pretty negative towards the Vet orgs. Sorry, I'm still waking up. Late night! The orgs serve a very important function regadless of what they do politically. I just don't expect them to step into controversy too readily. To be fair. They aren't going after George's record either.
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If I could pick my best freind for life; he'd be a dog.

[GaryD]

Cedarford,
Unfortunately you are 100% right about the legalities with the exempt status of the VFW and the Legion. My memory could be a little off but I seem to remember an IMPLIED endorsement of Clinton by the VFW. The reason I remember is that I was really p---ed off over that. I used to belong to the Legion but couldn't stand their bickering and petty snits over what amounted to BS.
But now we are involved in a situation that most people do not have a clue as to how serious this is or how widespread it has become. There is PRINCIPLE involved here and I believe that Kerry's testimony before Congress and his lies should without question, BANN him from the VFW and Legion forever!!!! Screw the legalities!!
REMEMBER, "All that is needed is for good men to do nothing"!!!!
Note: 10% of approximately 1.5 Billion Muslims are extremists and want to kill you and me, that is a scary number.
The Swift Vets have lit the fire, thank God, and I hope the rest of the Vets get their heads out of their asses.
Gary
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USASA 66-70

[Hanger]

I hope that some of the swifties attended the Legion meeting today and brought plenty of material for fellow veterans to read. Especially where Kerry said that as a member of VVAW he would never join the Legion or VFW!
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Can Tho Tet Survivor

[Mattm]

After the VFW supported senator Wellfare in 2002, I mean the VFW-PAC, I cancelled my membership since all they have become is a glorified AARP. My letters to the PAC's have been met with same as the others.
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US Army 1987-current

Are you an American or a Democrat?

[SusanB]

(Deleted by Moderator)

Moderator Note:

This forum was designed to facilitate the discussion of the Swift Boat Veterans For Truth strong conviction that John Kerry is unfit to serve as Commander-In-Chief.

If your defense of John Kerry can only be couched in rhetoric denigrating the fitness of another candidate, or within issues unrelated to our conviction, then we suggest that you find another venue for that expression.

Thank you

[TEWSPilot]

Picture this banner in the background as Kerry opines before the VFW:

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"We will not quickly join those who march on Veterans' Day waving small flags, calling to memory those thousands who died for the "greater glory of the United States." We will not accept the rhetoric. We will not readily join the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars -- in fact, we will find it hard to join anything at all and when we do, we will demand relevancy such as other organizations have recently been unable to provide. We will not take solace from the creation of monuments or the naming of parks after a select few of the thousands of dead Americans and Vietnamese. We will not uphold traditions which decorously memorialize that which was base and grim."

-- John Kerry, in "The New Soldier"

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In 1984 he ran for the U.S. Senate - dusting off his veteran's credentials by standing in front of the black Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington to shoot a TV campaign ad, defying regulations that the memorial not be used for political purposes. The ad "was filmed illegally against the wishes of the National Park Service," according to the Boston Globe. Kerry authorized its broadcast anyway.

-- J. Michael Waller, Insight Magazine, March 5, 2004

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