Post by Sharon W on Oct 10, 2009 5:05:26 GMT -8
From yesterday's LA Times, in case you missed it in print:
My heart goes out to Lane. I also commend The Times for clarifying that the contract employees' medical and rehab coverage comes from the federal government -- the U.S. taxpayers. The huge profits that corporations are reaping from our wars are well known, but that these companies are not financially responsible for their injured employees is not.
It is an interesting use of the term "contract worker" throughout the article, instead of the blunter term for a privately hired soldier: mercenary.
If that word bothers us, the solution is to stop outsourcing tasks traditionally performed by soldiers (driving, food service, security), a budgetary sleight of hand to try to make unnecessary -- and thus unpopular -- wars more palatable.
Roberta Medford
Montrose
My heart goes out to Lane. I also commend The Times for clarifying that the contract employees' medical and rehab coverage comes from the federal government -- the U.S. taxpayers. The huge profits that corporations are reaping from our wars are well known, but that these companies are not financially responsible for their injured employees is not.
It is an interesting use of the term "contract worker" throughout the article, instead of the blunter term for a privately hired soldier: mercenary.
If that word bothers us, the solution is to stop outsourcing tasks traditionally performed by soldiers (driving, food service, security), a budgetary sleight of hand to try to make unnecessary -- and thus unpopular -- wars more palatable.
Roberta Medford
Montrose
