The Democrats take another Surreal Turn...

[dean_acheson]

I probably didn't spell Surreal correctly, but that correct stuff is all for objective people anyway.... something the folks controlling Congress don't seem to believe anyway....

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c110:H.R.1595:

This isn't a parody, it is for real, you couldn't make this stuff up.

[NefariousKoel]

"Temporary File Not Found."

[dean_acheson]

Try it again, that link works. It is to Thomas.loc.gov, where bills are reported out of.

I guess next we get to pay reps. to Korean comfort women.

[wireman]

"Please resubmit your search" is all I get.

[TteFAboB]

"Please resubmit your search" is all I get.

It worked the first time but now I'm getting this aswell.

All I can say is that if there are so many heroes in Guam and if each of them is so expensive call Tina Turner to the rescue: "We don't need another heeeeeeeeero!"

Shouldn't they ask Mr. Abe for compensation? What maniac charges for his own liberation? Perhaps it would've been better to leave Guam occupied by Japanese forces to this date if the price of taking it back is so high. Make it an enclave for the forced-labor officers. Glad the French or the Brits aren't charging us. Or even themselves.

Then again, if the bill passed and the money started flowing, besides the whole "democracy ends when the people discover that they can vote themselves more public money", you know, every two years a commission of representatives would land on the Island to remember them: "vote for us or else they'll cut your benefit", wouldn't this actually deny their justification for requiring compensation because it would declare in fact that their acts in the past were not in resistance to an invading army but an investment in the strict monetary sense? Japanese, American, whoever, liberated sooner or later, they just want to take a punch or get shot in the ankle so they or their children can get rich 60 years in the future.

Serves a smart lawyer and his acolytes. Check.
Serves demagogue and populist politicians. Check.
Serves the greedy who hope to have found a jackpot. Check.

There's only one excuse for doing anything like this, and it wouldn't be done in this form: if vets (and only the vets themselves, not their great grand son's cousin's sister's friend's roommate) are in despair. Then again, they should be helped through some sort of organization, not by a direct assault in the pot'o'gold.

Is there any Guam resistant in distress out there?

[Heibges]

I can't read it either, but the only folks we every saw a dime from after WWII was Finland, and they were the enemy.

One dead chicken in Germany is worth like $50k to the US Taxpayer, a tree was like $10k, and it a German car is hit Uncle Sam just bought two of them.

[dean_acheson]

that link seems to work for now.

if it messes up again, it is a bill introduced in the U.S. House to pay reparataions to certain 'citizens' of Guam for Japanese atrocities in World War II.

I 'see' the logic of that, in some screwy left wing "we are imperialists so it is our fault" kinda way... but for goodness sakes!

[OddjobXL]

Actually, without the background and some context, it's hard to know what prompted this particular bill as much fun as speculation may be. One thing did leap out at me:

whose death would have been compensable under the Guam Meritorious Claims Act of 1945 (Public Law 79-224) if a timely claim had been filed under the terms of such Act.

That makes me think that back in 1945 what must have happened there was so terrible the government felt compelled to aid these people regardless of who was responsible for the deaths and suffering. My question, then, would be why wouldn't everyone who was eligable then not have applied? The answer to that it could well be the reason for the proposal of this bill.

[Heibges]

Or maybe they just wanted to buy the loyalty of the remaining folks on Guam? It is pretty strategic after all.

My friend is in charge of the IT Department at the University of Guam. He says the only thing there is US Military and Japanese Tourists.

They have huge shopping malls and hotels.