Romney Campaign Boots Navy Vet Over Her T-Shirt

[Lakhota]

By Evan McMorris-Santoro-November 15, 2011

There are ways to deal with protesters gracefully at a campaign event, and then there’s kicking a Navy veteran out of your rally because she’s wearing a t-shirt you don’t like.

Melissa Harmon tells TPM she was given the latter treatment by Mitt Romney staffers at an event in Columbia, SC Tuesday. Harmon, who was discharged honorably from the Navy under Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell before the policy changed, showed up at the rally to protest Romney’s suggestion that VA benefits should be at least partially privatized.

Harmon, like a lot of veterans, is worried about the idea. But she said the Romney campaign thought her form of protest — a handwritten T-shirt — was too hot to handle and so she was kicked out of the Columbia event. There’s video to back up her story, but it’s somewhat vague.

More: Navy Vet Says She Was Kicked Out Of Romney Rally Because She Was Silently Protesting (VIDEO) | TPM 2012

 

[dnsmith35]

Romney’s suggestion that VA benefits should be at least partially privatized.

I agree with Romney. I am a 27 year veteran of the Army, 100% disabled, and to use VA health care for treatment I need to commute 160 miles round trip. If the partial privatization Romney suggests were to occur we could get treatment locally from private providers without the difficulty and inconvenience of travel. Many Iraq and Afghanistan wounded vets liver further away from facilities than I do and this is an extreme hardship for them.

 

[WatertheTree]

Romney’s suggestion that VA benefits should be at least partially privatized.

I agree with Romney. I am a 27 year veteran of the Army, 100% disabled, and to use VA health care for treatment I need to commute 160 miles round trip. If the partial privatization Romney suggests were to occur we could get treatment locally from private providers without the difficulty and inconvenience of travel. Many Iraq and Afghanistan wounded vets liver further away from facilities than I do and this is an extreme hardship for them.

If it was that much of a hardship then you could use the so called market like the rest of us.

Guess its not that much of a hardship. And I dont mean to be mean, im just sayin.

 

[rdean]

Romney’s suggestion that VA benefits should be at least partially privatized.

I agree with Romney. I am a 27 year veteran of the Army, 100% disabled, and to use VA health care for treatment I need to commute 160 miles round trip. If the partial privatization Romney suggests were to occur we could get treatment locally from private providers without the difficulty and inconvenience of travel. Many Iraq and Afghanistan wounded vets liver further away from facilities than I do and this is an extreme hardship for them.

I understand what you think might happen. The problem is private care means you will be saddled with a percentage of the cost. And remember, it's a "private" for profit company. They will need to pay CEO salaries, money for ads, pay investors. Your care would be less, but the people that are trying to convince you see you as a cash cow. Not someone they actually care to help. That's the bottom line. You take money out of a system and there is less for your care. It's only common sense.

 

[Big Black Dog]

I like Newt.

 

[Lakhota]

Romney’s suggestion that VA benefits should be at least partially privatized.

I agree with Romney. I am a 27 year veteran of the Army, 100% disabled, and to use VA health care for treatment I need to commute 160 miles round trip. If the partial privatization Romney suggests were to occur we could get treatment locally from private providers without the difficulty and inconvenience of travel. Many Iraq and Afghanistan wounded vets liver further away from facilities than I do and this is an extreme hardship for them.

I can relate more than you know. However, what does that have to do with the Romney camp evicting the Navy vet in the OP?

 

[Political Junky]

Romney wants more money for the private insurance companies, like most republicans do. Keep those contributions coming in from insurance and big pharma.

 

[Truthmatters]

Newt says we need Glass Steagal back.

That means MORE regualtions on banks.

He admitts the right fucked up by deregulating the lending industry

 

[Ringel05]

I agree with Romney. I am a 27 year veteran of the Army, 100% disabled, and to use VA health care for treatment I need to commute 160 miles round trip. If the partial privatization Romney suggests were to occur we could get treatment locally from private providers without the difficulty and inconvenience of travel. Many Iraq and Afghanistan wounded vets liver further away from facilities than I do and this is an extreme hardship for them.

I can relate more than you know. However, what does that have to do with the Romney camp evicting the Navy vet in the OP?

Because it's politics and when a candidate is selling a specific message everyone has to be on board........ That was easy........ Duh........

 

[Lakhota]

You're so smart...

 

[Ringel05]

You're so smart...

Yes I know.

 

[Stephanie]

I agree with Romney. I am a 27 year veteran of the Army, 100% disabled, and to use VA health care for treatment I need to commute 160 miles round trip. If the partial privatization Romney suggests were to occur we could get treatment locally from private providers without the difficulty and inconvenience of travel. Many Iraq and Afghanistan wounded vets liver further away from facilities than I do and this is an extreme hardship for them.

I can relate more than you know. However, what does that have to do with the Romney camp evicting the Navy vet in the OP?

Is this your Faux outrage of the day? You seem to search them out daily.

 

[Lakhota]

I can relate more than you know. However, what does that have to do with the Romney camp evicting the Navy vet in the OP?

Is this your Faux outrage of the day? You seem to search them out daily.

No, the brutal dismantling of Zuccotti Park is my outrage of the day.

 

[Stephanie]

Is this your Faux outrage of the day? You seem to search them out daily.

No, the brutal dismantling of Zuccotti Park is my outrage of the day.

tsk tsk, I'd say the city finally started listening to the PEOPLE who had to LIVE and WORK around that crap..I guess they will have to go find another way to get paid for (occupying), I mean protesting..

 

[Dont Taz Me Bro]

I agree with Romney. I am a 27 year veteran of the Army, 100% disabled, and to use VA health care for treatment I need to commute 160 miles round trip. If the partial privatization Romney suggests were to occur we could get treatment locally from private providers without the difficulty and inconvenience of travel. Many Iraq and Afghanistan wounded vets liver further away from facilities than I do and this is an extreme hardship for them.

If it was that much of a hardship then you could use the so called market like the rest of us.

Guess its not that much of a hardship. And I dont mean to be mean, im just sayin.

Why the hell should he have to use the market? VA is a benefit provided to our military servicemen as a condition of their risking their lives fighting in the military. It was our government that sent him into war resulting in his injuries so our government should pick up the tab.

Maybe should you spend more time thinking and less time being a callous assclown and I don't mean that to be mean. I'm just sayin.

 

[bripat9643]

No, the brutal dismantling of Zuccotti Park is my outrage of the day.

That's your conception of "brutal?"

They had to move their sleeping bags!

Oh the humanity!

 

[uscitizen]

Was she dragged out by her collar?

Ohh wait she did not have a collar...

 

[bripat9643]

If it was that much of a hardship then you could use the so called market like the rest of us.

Guess its not that much of a hardship. And I dont mean to be mean, im just sayin.

Why the hell should he have to use the market? VA is a benefit provided to our military servicemen as a condition of their risking their lives fighting in the military. It was our government that sent him into war resulting in his injuries so our government should pick up the tab.

Maybe should you spend more time thinking and less time being a callous assclown and I don't mean that to be mean. I'm just sayin.

This same asshole will probably scream bloody murder if Republicans insist on some cheaper ways to provide Veteran's benefits.

 

[JoeB131]

By Evan McMorris-Santoro-November 15, 2011

There are ways to deal with protesters gracefully at a campaign event, and then there’s kicking a Navy veteran out of your rally because she’s wearing a t-shirt you don’t like.

Melissa Harmon tells TPM she was given the latter treatment by Mitt Romney staffers at an event in Columbia, SC Tuesday. Harmon, who was discharged honorably from the Navy under Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell before the policy changed, showed up at the rally to protest Romney’s suggestion that VA benefits should be at least partially privatized.

Harmon, like a lot of veterans, is worried about the idea. But she said the Romney campaign thought her form of protest — a handwritten T-shirt — was too hot to handle and so she was kicked out of the Columbia event. There’s video to back up her story, but it’s somewhat vague.

More: Navy Vet Says She Was Kicked Out Of Romney Rally Because She Was Silently Protesting (VIDEO) | TPM 2012

They probably looked at her and thought she was mentally unstable. Hand-scrawled T-shirt? Seriously, that's just scary!

I mean, Jesus, I'm defending Romney. I never defend Romney.

 

[Conservative]

from the OP..

There’s video to back up her story, but it’s somewhat vague.

Translation: We have the persons story, with a video that doesn't prove their contention.

I'll reserve judgement until some real evidence is presented. I don't expect any from the OP, so it's up to the rest of you.