As you can see, I only deal with facts on this blog so if you want to talk about legislation Gov. Palin passed relating to the Alaskan National Guard your going to have to show me (not that it is very relevant to her lack of foreign policy experience).

Please don’t be mistaken this is not a pro-Obama blog. There are plenty of those out there. This is more of an anyone but McCain/Palin blog.

With that being said, let me just point out that being the Gov. of a wealthy state, population 600,000 is kinda of like being a United States senator, except that when a senator helps to pass a law in support of our troops, it protects all of our troops.

Obama’s record on troop support:

February 15, 2005: Obama critiques Bush for providing a veterans budget funding that is $4 billion short

March 26, 2005: Obama introduces a bill to add $2.85 billion to VA health care, but the bill was defeated (<–probably by people who usually put their hands over their hearts instead of singing for the national anthem)

April 14, 2005: Obama gives Senate floor speech about wounded veterans who were paying for their own meals and phone service while recovering

May 12, 2005: Senate passes Obama amendment ensuring that wounded veterans recovering in military hospitals would not have to pay for their own meals.

May 23, 2005: Obama, Durbin, and Nichols hold a Veterans Town Hall meeting to hear veteran’s concerns

June 14, 2005: Obama, Durbin introduce bill to prevent Iraq War widow from being sent back to Kosovo

June 23, 2005: Obama releases statement of concern about the $1 billion shortfall in the budget for veteran’s care.

June 28, 2005: Obama pushes for emergency funding for veteran health care in light of the fact that Congress found billions to give people tax cuts.

June 30, 2005: Obama praises Senate decision to provide $1.5 billion for VA health care

July 15, 2005: Obama gives major speech at the American Legion on caring for America’s veterans

July 21, 2005: Obama votes to add additional funding for armor military vehicles

August 10, 2005: Obama criticizes VA decision not to review cases of veterans who were denied claims for post-traumatic stress disorder

September 23, 2005: Senate passes Obama, Durbin legislation requiring VA to inform veterans in states who had received below-average disability compensation

September 23, 2005: Obama, Durbin amendment ensures that veterans whose PTSD cases were reviewed would not get their benefits reduced or revoked.

October 3, 2006: Military Update highlights Obama’s efforts on reviews of PTSD cases

November 10, 2005: Obama releases statement about the VA suspending their review of PTSD cases.

November 16, 2005: Obama passes amendments to protect troops from Avian flu and to improve their health care

November 18, 2005: Obama, Durbin legislation requiring individuals to be informed about lower than average disability compensation in their states moves toward being signed into law

December 16, 2005: Kerry, Pryor, Obama provision to help troops save thousands on their taxes passes Senate

January 25, 2006: Obama decries the fact that thousands of veterans were denied VA care in 2005

January 27, 2006: Obama and others demand answers from VA for rude service and incorrect answers at their call center

February 2, 2006: Obama addresses low job placement rates for veterans

February 16, 2006: Obama criticizes “accounting gimmicks” in Bush’s proposed VA budget, the increase in veterans’ health care and co-payment fees, the ban on middle-income veterans, the cut in claims benefits processing staff, no increased funding for nursing home construction, and cuts for medical and prosthetics research.

March 16, 2006: Senate approves Obama bill providing $40 million for homeless veterans and veteran’s employment

May 8, 2006: VA acts on Obama, Durbin legislation to inform veterans who have received below average disability benefits

May 17, 2006: Obama helps a veteran get $12,500 in back benefit pay.

May 22, 2006: Obama calls the theft of 26.5 million VA records “unconscionable”

May 23, 2006: Obama, Durbin asks VA to provide credit monitoring services to veterans whose records had been stolen

June 7, 2006: Obama introduces bill to keep homeless veterans off the street

June 22, 2006: Obama bill to get homeless veterans off the street passes Senate Veterans Affairs committee

November 30, 2006: Obama releases statement expressing encouragement by Iraq Study Group’s call for redeploying U.S. forces

February 20, 2007: Obama, McCaskill plan to introduce legislation that would improve care at active duty military hospitals

February 27, 2007: Obama releases statement on troops being deployed to Iraq without proper training

March 1, 2007: Obama, McCaskill officially introduce the Dignity for Wounded Heroes Act

March 1, 2007: The Army Times highlights the Dignity for Wounded Warriors Act introduced by Obama and McCaskill

March 13, 2007: Obama, Durbin ask VA for info about most recent disparities in disability benefits and about whether they are prepared for the increasing number of new veterans

March 27, 2007: Other Senators join Obama and McCaskill¡¯s Dignity for Wounded Heroes Act

March 29, 2007: Obama commemorates sacrifice of the Tuskeegee Airmen

March 29, 2007: Senate Republicans reject provisions in the Dignity for Wounded Heroes Act introduced by Obama and McCaskill that would have provided funding for caseworkers, mental health care counselors, a women¡¯s mental health treatment program, and a study of mental health care for returning soldiers

March 30, 2007: Obama calls on Bush to support care for returning soldiers by supporting the Dignity for Wounded Heroes Act

April 10, 2007: Obama and other senators introduce a bill to provide housing for homeless veterans

April 12, 2007: Obama raises concerns about Bush¡¯s nominee for Veteran¡¯s Affairs

April 19, 2007: Obama and other senators ask GAO to study military¡¯s mental health care

April 19, 2007: The Army Times examines soldiers being discharged for PTSD and the efforts of Obama and other senators to address it

May 2, 2007: Obama, McCaskill introduce the Homecoming Enhancement Research Oversight (HERO) Act that would evaluate the physical, mental health, and readjustment needs of service members returning from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

May 8, 2007: Obama asks President to ensure that the National Guard has the resources it needs to respond to national emergencies

May 10, 2007: Obama, other senators introduce bill to update treatment of traumatic brain injury for military servicemembers

May 10, 2007: The AP highlights the National Guard¡¯s readiness and Obama¡¯s efforts to address it

May 22, 2007: Obama, other senators express concern about mental health care services for soldiers at Fort Carson

May 23, 2007: Obama, Domenici introduce bill to expand mental health care access for veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan

May 28, 2007: The Washington Post writes an editorial highlighting the need for Obama¡¯s legislation to improve veterans¡¯ mental health care

June 14, 2007: A comprehensive Senate bill to improve health care for service members incorporates proposals from Obama and McCaskill¡¯s Dignity for Wounded Heroes Act.

June 21, 2007: Obama and other senators demand review of personality disorder discharges for soldiers

June 21, 2007: Obama and other senators introduce bill to improve VA services for blind veterans

June 27, 2007: Several Obama proposals are incorporated into a Senate bill to improve veteran¡¯s health care and benefits including a VA Hospital Quality Report card and extended mental health coverage for veterans and increased outreach to the National Guard and the Reserve

July 12, 2007: Obama and other senators plan to introduce legislation to temporarily cease military personality disorder discharges

July 17, 2007: Obama releases statement on resignation of VA secretary with whom he had to fight to get veterans their benefits

July 19, 2007: Obama introduces legislation to impose a moratorium on military personality disorder discharges until the procedure is reviewed

July 25, 2007: Obama, McCaskill applaud passage of Wounded Warrior legislation

July 26, 2006: Obama and other senators introduce legislation to provide an employment safety net for families of wounded service members

August 2, 2007: Obama and other senators introduce ¡°Patriot Employers Act¡± legislation to reward companies that invest in jobs, benefits, decent wages, and support for their employees who are called to active duty

August 2, 2007: Senate passes Obama/McCaskill’s Military Family Job Protection Act which provides up to a year of job protection for family members caring for a service member recovering from combat-related injuries

August 21, 2007: Barack Obama gives major speech to the VFW on America’s veterans

September 18, 2007: Obama, McCaskill release statement on Military Family Job Protection Act urging the Senate to approve it

September 19, 2007: Obama co-sponsors Jim Webb legislation that requires minimum periods between troop redeployments

September 25, 2007: Obama, McCaskill continue to fight for passage of Military Family Job Protection Act

September 26, 2007: Obama releases statement on GAO report that wounded soldiers are receiving substandard treatment from the Pentagon and VA

September 26, 2007: Obama releases statement asking Bush to ensure that private contractors are not jeopardizing military¡¯s efforts in Iraq

October 1, 2007: The Post-Dispatch discusses military soldier discharges for “pre-existing conditions” and the Obama/Bond legislation that addresses it.

October 1, 2007: Obama, Bond praise new safeguards on military personality disorder discharges

October 17, 2007: Obama calls on Gates to ensure that all service members are receiving full educational benefits

October 21, 2007: The Post-Dispatch interviews soldiers handling the effects of personality disorder discharges and highlights the Obama/Bond legislation that calls for a moratorium

October 23, 2007: Obama, Durbin demand full report on military post traumatic stress disorder cases

October 30, 2007: Obama releases statement on nomination of James Peake for VA Secretary

November 5, 2007: Obama and other senators call on Pentagon to ensure quality care for returning service members with eye injuries

November 8, 2007: Obama introduces the Veterans Homelessness Prevention Act which provides housing and support services for veterans and their families, including those returning from Iraq, who are at high-risk of becoming homeless

November 17, 2007: Obama and Durbin introduce legislation to improve hiring and quality of care at VA medical centers

November 19, 2007: A wounded Iraq veteran visits Barack Obama’s Senate office for help.

November 20, 2007: Barack Obama writes a post on VetVoice, the blog for VoteVets explaining his vision for taking care of America’s veterans

December 12, 2007: Obama, Durbin hail House introduction of the Veterans Health Quality Improvement Act

December 14, 2007: Obama and other senators call for DoD review of treatment of service members with mental illness

December 17, 2007: Obama hails passage of legislation that improves mental health care for troops

December 21, 2007: Obama other senators urge special review for discharged military personnel, moratorium on personality disorder discharges

December 21, 2007: Obama, other senators urge President to fully fund Veteran’s Department