Lib Radio Host Calls Paying Military Death Benefits a 'Big Mistake

Radio host and noted liberal Bill Press said Thursday that Congress making an exception during the partial government shutdown to pay death benefits to families of fallen U.S. soldiers is a “big mistake.”

His reasoning? If the U.S. government makes an exception for one group, then the shutdown will continue indefinitely.

"What I’m going to say, no one else will say, but I’m going to say it anyway: I think it’s a big mistake to pay the death benefits to the families of members of the military who are killed in Afghanistan and whose bodies are being brought back to Dover Air Force base and were not going to get benefits because of the government shutdown,” Press said.

Press did praise the privately-owned Fisher House Foundation for stepping “up to the plate” and offering to pay the benefits the Pentagon said it couldn’t, adding that this more or less “fixed” the death benefits issue.

“The government does some great things,” he said. “When you shut down the government, a lot of great things are not going to get done. And why should we make an exception for those that just happen to pop up and get a lot of media attention?”

The U.S. Senate approved a bill Thursday that would ensure the families of fallen U.S. soldiers would receive death benefits. President Barack Obama signed the bill later that evening.

(H/T: Mediaite)

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