It’s been sickening me, what’s been going on with the
VA. Lengthy wait times covered up by
altering stats? These guys should be
doctoring veterans, not the books. Everyone
involved with this dishonesty should be canned immediately.
The entire organization needs a full top-to-bottom “reimagining,”
because the way things are set up now, just isn’t working. Everyone gets all flag-wavy when we talk
about The Troops, right up until they’re home and in need of help. They upheld their end of the bargain, so now
we, as a country, need to uphold ours.
HOWEVER…
I have to laugh at the GOP trying to make a political scandal
out of this. These are people who are
desperately trying to conceal their own involvement in the current state of
affairs.
Now, I’ve never been in the military, but even I know that
the VA has been a CF for years… predating Obama, predating Bush, and predating
Clinton.
When Bush opened up two wars, he and his posse should have
had the foresight to know that these guys were going to come back sometime… There should have been an overhaul of the VA before all the Johnnys came marching
home. (I could also make note of how
they should have known what kind of equipment they’d need as well, before
sending them off without proper body and vehicle armor, to be blown up by IEDs,
but that’s a whole ‘nother post.)
When Obama acted to bring the wars to a close, he should
have known there would be an influx of servicemen in need of VA support, and
geared up back then. He should have had
someone… an efficiency expert, a panel of medical professionals, anyone but a politician, look at the
overall system and provide guidance.
Granted, the Democrats did
try to pass a veteran’s medical support bill, but it was voted down by 41 Republican senators. I don’t know if it was because it would have
added to the deficit, (funny how they never kill big business subsidies for
adding to the deficit), or it was to kill the chance of Obama succeeding at
something. Or maybe it was because they
weren’t able to sneak in any goodies for themselves.
I know I shouldn’t be surprised. After all, this is the same crowd who in
2010, voted down and medical aid bill for 9/11 first
responders, just to protect a tax loophole used by big business.
Bottom line, just a few months ago, they shit-canned a bill
that would have helped thousands of our nations veterans. So they don’t get to pretend they just
noticed the problem. And they certainly
don’t get to blame the other party.
There’s plenty of blame to go around here. Our soldiers did their job.
Now it’s time for our political leaders to do theirs.
It's amazing how they act like veterans are a national treasure one day and then throw them away the next when the cameras are off. I've seen a lot of coverage of this on news shows, but I hadn't heard "these guys should be doctoring veterans, not the books" yet. Nice one.
ReplyDeleteSometimes, a line like that will hit me, and I’ll build an entire post around it. This time the line was a sudden inspiration, as I was writing the post. As I’ve often said, I never know what I’m going to write until it spills out on its own.
DeleteTo add more nausea to the gag reflex, we now have Pensacola Rep. Jeff Miller bleating, "I told you so." He is chairman of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, from Chumuckla, capitol of the Redneck Riviera.
ReplyDeleteWhile this fatuous blob does cartwheels, veterans wait for wheelchairs and have as long as he's been in office.
“Told us so?” If so, where are all his proposals for changing the status quo? Where are the recommendations for improvement? Where are the requisitions for more staff and better equipment?
DeleteAny fool can complain and point fingers. If he knew about the situation and didn’t act to address it, (given his position), he’s as guilty as anyone else he’s blaming.
Who’s going to take the concrete steps to address the problems? As with most other issues, the GOP is much more interested in casting blame and making political hay, than fixing anything.
Exactly, dear Bluz. AMEN. Where and Who?
ReplyDeleteNo proposals. No recommendations nor requisitions. This fat cat will never fix anything.
and he now calls for Shinseki's resignation. A true GOP representative, Miller's only "concrete steps" are in his head.
DeleteUnfortunately, vets here are learning their champion also has feet of concrete.
What is a "big business subsidy"?
ReplyDeleteYou know what it is. It's the spigot of money that flows from our government to the largest companies in the world... oil, gas, agricultural, pharmaceutical, and of course, defense.
DeleteSometimes the money is paid directly, other times, it comes in the forms of tax loopholes, allowing these same companies to stash their profits off-shore to avoid paying taxes on them.
Ah, yes. Ye olde "lower tax rate=government giving away free money" theory. Doublespeak/thinking at its finest. How about this? Let's eliminate the middleman and just procure (take) the oil, ag, and any other products that government wants? Hey, I know! Let's take over the very means of production itself! Without that dang market demand pressure on companies, their business will be more efficient for what's really needed! You know, the stuff we decide is truly beneficial to the people, of course! Right here in People's Republic City!
DeleteIf I wanted to see someone take a point, misrepresent it, and then attack the misrepresentation, I'd watch Fox "News."
ReplyDeleteThere's nothing here that says a lower tax rate = free money, Mr Hyperbole. I'm talking about a tax dodge that allow giant companies to pay less tax than the average day-laborer. But you know that... it's just that the actual point is harder to argue against... unless you actually think Exxon SHOULD pay less in taxes than I do...
...and if so, I'm guessing the Board of Directors of Exxon are anxiously awaiting your return from your European vacation.
Neither Exxon nor Warren Buffet (he of the "secretary pays more" line), "pay less tax than the average day-laborer." "But you know that." Or will come back pretending to, with some added ridicule to boot. *sigh* Okay. Here goes. I'm sure what you mean to say is tax RATE. It's a math thing. Percentages and all that. Overall, though, here is a matter for agreement. Corporations (and Mom & Pop stores for that matter) SHOULD pay a bunch in taxes. We individuals should not. Zilch. Nada. You heard me. ZERO in personal income taxes. I'll happily pay tax in the checkout line for my purchases. As it should be and some day could be, were it not for those in life still feeling the sting of those dodgeballs.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a whole lot of bluster just to say, "But I don't WANNA pay income tax..."
DeleteObviously Exxon and the other giant companies pay more in taxes than I do, by gross numbers, but less in percentage, ie tax rate. I pay about 30% in taxes. By the time the Giants finish with their creative (but legal) accounting, their effective rate isn't even close to the 35% maximum. That's math too.
I don't think there's any 'free lunch.' If we want schools staffed, roads plowed, police and fire companies, bridges built, our country defended, and so on, it has to be paid for. Whether that's through payroll taxes, or taxes on goods, the debate can go on.
What is with you and dodgeball, anyway? It was a non-issue. I played in gym class, it was fun, we moved on to the next event. If there's anyone that knows what it's like to have balls in his face, I'm pretty sure it's you.
Thanks. I didn't think you would make it, but you came through with flying colors with the ridicule this time.
DeleteArguing with a liberal is like playing chess with a pigeon, to tie in with my favorite blogpost of yours.
No matter how good I am at chess, the pigeon is just going to knock over all the pieces, crap all over the board, and strut around as if he was victorious!
Typical conservative... comes in uninvited, makes a lot of noise, says nothing of value, claims a win.
Delete