First things first. Former U.S. Marine Tim Foster has started a petition on Change.org which helps you tell Congress to change a law that forbids disabled vets from getting disability compensation if they've also received separation pay. As it is now, if the military downsizes, and gives you a severance package (a.k.a. "separation pay") to help you ease your way back into civilian society, the military won't give you disability pay if VA doctors diagnose you as disabled -- no, even if you're disabled as a result of your military service. This doesn't constitute "double-dipping" at all -- these are two entirely separate payments with two entirely separate causes, and making one contingent upon repayment of the other has no utility other than to pay soldiers less money than they've earned. Our government is so anxious to go to war all the time, but comes up with excuse after excuse to avoid taking care of our soldiers after the wars are over, and we've got to change that. Getting rid of this particular absurd hurdle is a good way to start.
Meanwhile, H.R. 2110/S. 2044, the Consumer Review Freedom Act, addresses the problem good Americans often have when they post negative reviews of a product -- they find themselves violating an agreement they made with that product's maker. If you think posting a negative review of a product, in good faith, shouldn't be illegal, you'll be pleased to learn that the courts generally agree with you -- or they find that contracts that give one side (i.e., the corporation) the power to completely dominate the other side (i.e., you) is unconscionable and therefore unenforceable. You might well be saying to yourself: self, then why do we need legislation protecting our right to post negative reviews of products? Because most people get scared into silence or inaction by unconscionable contracts, and thus don't enjoy the protections they deserve in the first place. The EFF link above explains the problems it has with the Consumer Review Freedom Act, and you can refer to it as you call your Reps and Senators about the bill. They'll never see it coming.
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