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Politics : Liberalism: Do You Agree We've Had Enough of It? -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Kenneth E. Phillipps who wrote (168471)	5/23/2014 11:10:16 AM
From: TideGlider	3 Recommendations Recommended By lightshipsailor locogringo Sedohr Nod Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 224749

The VA budget more than double last year and has been growing yearly. What do they have to show for it? A half billion dollars worth of new board room furniture and lots of bonuses.

To: Kenneth E. Phillipps who wrote (168471)	5/23/2014 11:32:52 AM
From: longnshort	1 Recommendation Recommended By TideGlider Respond to of 224749

Bernie Sanders said about the vets that died "hell you are gonna die someday"

To: Kenneth E. Phillipps who wrote (168471)	5/23/2014 11:57:08 AM
From: lorne	2 Recommendations Recommended By locogringo TideGlider Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 224749

Comrade Kenny...."This Administration knew about the increase in patients but Republicans in Congress refused the money anyway.".... I'm sure you have credible instant proof of this otherwise you would never post that statement? And why comrade kenny did your dear leader not make money available by his infamous executive order like he has for so many things that did not involve the deaths of so many Vets? And of course from what I hear the VA had more than enough money to operate the health care facility for veterans...right comrade Kenny?

To: Kenneth E. Phillipps who wrote (168471)	5/23/2014 12:59:00 PM
From: tonto	4 Recommendations Recommended By lightshipsailor locogringo Sedohr Nod TideGlider Respond to of 224749

Obama can make choices and lead...but he chooses not to... Al Qaeda terrorists at Guantanamo treated better than our vets By J.D. Gordon Published May 23, 2014 FoxNews.com Facebook3740 Twitter1783 Gplus102 President Obama finally addressed the nation Wednesday about the growing scandal at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. After meeting with VA Secretary Eric Shinseki he pledged to hold folks accountable. Thanks, Mr. President. By now most American have heard about the VA’s infamous patient “secret wait lists” which reportedly contributed to the deaths of up to 40 veterans in the Phoenix area alone. Those patriots were American heroes who served our country proudly. Yet they were left to die waiting to see a doctor. While the Gitmo ratio is 1.5 to 1, for America’s 9 million veterans receiving VA health care and 267,930 VA employees, the ratio is 35 to 1. Here’s another secret the White House doesn’t want you to know about the VA. Al Qaeda detainees get better medical treatment than our veterans. Say what? Yes, it’s true. I know because I served as a Pentagon spokesman from 2005-2009 and visited Guantanamo Bay Naval Base over 30 times during those years. Despite the fact that Al Qaeda terrorists carried out the Sept. 11 terror attacks, killing 3,000 people in America, the admitted co-conspirators and their roughly 150 fellow jihadists at Gitmo have approximately 100 doctors, nurses and health care personnel assigned to them. Doctors and medical personnel are at their beck and call. Got a cold, a fever, a toothache, a tumor, chest or back pain, mental health issues, PTSD? No problem, come right on in. Military doctors are waiting to see you. The VA and Gitmo eligible patient-to-health care provider ratios speak volumes. While the Gitmo ratio is 1.5 to 1, for America’s 9 million veterans receiving VA health care and 267,930 VA employees, the ratio is 35 to 1. But beyond the Gitmo numbers, the situation at the VA is also a bright, shining example of misguided priorities and terrible mismanagement. In late 2008, when Obama was president-elect, he and his staff were warned not to trust the wait times reported by VA health care facilities. But instead of fixing the problem, their focus was closing Guantanamo and improving the comfort of detainees. Even though they already lived under some of the best prison conditions ever seen. While some who see “2008” may reflexively say, “blame Bush, not Obama” the fact is that the VA’s health system has been fatally flawed for years, regardless of who has been the president. The VA is a classic example of big government gone wild. It is America’s second largest cabinet agency after the Defense Department. Since civil service promotions are traditionally based more on seniority than performance, and it’s near impossible to fire anyone, there’s a punch-the-clock mentality that’s pervasive. Not surprisingly, there's little to no sense of urgency. So to instill incentives, the VA shells out high salaries and bonuses, deserved or not. According to a Fox News report, Phoenix VA hospital paid staff up to $357,000 for doctor executives and $147,000 for nursing staff. On average, doctors and nurses in Phoenix make just over half those figures. Meanwhile, the gardening budget at Phoenix VA hospital was over $180,000 in 2013. The facility also spent $211,000 on interior design over the past three years. If any government entity ever needed a complete overhaul, it’s the VA. If it were in the private sector, it would have been shuttered long ago. Today’s VA has near zero accountability, while labor unions fight to protect employees who aren't doing their jobs. Shinseki and his senior staff should be the first to go. President Obama needs to refocus his priorities. There must be less time, effort and energy caring for Al Qaeda and Taliban detainees at Gitmo and much more attention put on caring for America's veterans. Our veterans have served the nation proudly. In many cases they were gravely wounded during their service and now will require a lifetime of medical support. Every one of them deserves better. J.D. Gordon is a retired Navy Commander who served as a Pentagon spokesman in the Office of the Secretary of Defense from 2005-09. He serves as senior adviser to several Washington-based think tanks.

To: Kenneth E. Phillipps who wrote (168471)	5/28/2014 9:27:24 AM
From: tonto	3 Recommendations Recommended By locogringo Sedohr Nod TideGlider Respond to of 224749

VA flush with $$ amid wait-list scandal AP DESPITE THE GROWING SCANDAL over secret wait lists at the Department of Veterans Affairs, the agency, headed by Eric Shinseki, left, expects to have more money for medical care than it can spend for the fifth year in a row. 'Why didn't they prepare?' Hundreds of VA vacancies, as returning vets strain system This Administration knew about the increase in patients but Republicans in Congress refused the money anyway.

To: Kenneth E. Phillipps who wrote (168471)	5/28/2014 9:47:19 AM
From: TideGlider	7 Recommendations Recommended By dave rose DeplorableIrredeemableRedneck FJB locogringo lorne and 2 more members Respond to of 224749

That is as lame as your assertion that Benghazi was caused by the Republicans reducing the budget. Even after the State Department testified the lack of security wasn't a matter of available funds.