President Obama again reveals where his loyalties lie – with the unions. According to The Washington Free Beacon, the Obama administration is proposing cuts to health benefits for active duty and retired military members and their families, while leaving the benefits for unionized civilian defense workers alone. If anything, it should be the opposite – those who put their lives on the line day-in and day-out, and their families who sacrifice so the rest of us are safe, should be given the highest priority.

Some members of Congress believe the proposed changes are designed with the intention of dumping military personnel into Obamacare.

The Obama administration’s proposed defense budget calls for military families and retirees to pay sharply more for their healthcare, while leaving unionized civilian defense workers’ benefits untouched. The proposal is causing a major rift within the Pentagon, according to U.S. officials. Several congressional aides suggested the move is designed to increase the enrollment in Obamacare’s state-run insurance exchanges.

The disparity in treatment between civilian and uniformed personnel is causing a backlash within the military that could undermine recruitment and retention.

The proposed increases in health care payments by service members, which must be approved by Congress, are part of the Pentagon’s $487 billion cut in spending. It seeks to save $1.8 billion from the Tricare medical system in the fiscal 2013 budget, and $12.9 billion by 2017.

Many in Congress are opposing the proposed changes, which would require the passage of new legislation before being put in place.

“We shouldn’t ask our military to pay our bills when we aren’t willing to impose a similar hardship on the rest of the population,” Rep. Howard “Buck” McKeon, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee and a Republican from California, said in a statement to the Washington Free Beacon. “We can’t keep asking those who have given so much to give that much more.”

Read the whole thing, there’s much more they want to cut, including equipment. Oh, and the health benefit cuts won’t take place until after the next election, of course.

Isn’t it odd that the same administration that intends to increase co-payments and health care costs for the military is at the same time mandating contraception be provided to women with no co-payment whatsoever? Priorities.

Cross Posted at Right Wing News

Update: Linked by The Other McCain and Scared Monkeys- thanks!