Comments on: This time its for real.

By: bowser

bowser — Thu, 22 May 2014 23:00:34 +0000

Physicians and nurses are not usually recruited from the general public. They belong to organizations which are targeted. They are offered scholarships for their last years of school in return for service. They have organizations which place them in positions they would like.

Walk through any medical or dental school and look at the bulletin boards. They are thick with recruiting posters. Those are more likely to come to the attention of a practioner than a TV ad.

Any medical student or graduate is extremely aware of the positions available to them. I can’t help but think the ads you’ve seen are strictly pap for the masses.

By: bowser

bowser — Thu, 22 May 2014 22:53:54 +0000

Clearly, if Obama knows what is going on in the VA in Omaha he’s not doing his job. To try to hold him responsible is irresponsible – the government is simply too big for any one person to know all, especially if clever minds are hiding matters.

The case for Shinseki is a bit tougher. He is paid to know, or at least paid to have staffers who know and tell him. However, I can’t help but think about the forgiveness heaped on Condaleeza Rice when she said the plot to hijack airplanes and fly them into the WTC “didn’t rise to the attention” of those supposed to protect the US.

Shinseki may have practiced due diligence and still been deceived. Or he may not have, like Rice didn’t. In that case he should be fired but we don’t know that yet.

And Congress sets the tone and standards for the VA, as well as appropriates the money. What role did they play, or are they going to get away with pointing the fingers at others?

This calls for time and a sniper, not a Tomahawk missile.

By: DanS

DanS — Thu, 22 May 2014 20:19:55 +0000

A commercial on TV advertising for doctors and nurses to work in VA hospitals and clinics.

Interesting…

By: ER

ER — Thu, 22 May 2014 18:55:32 +0000

They are responsible, it was on their watch. As for unscrupulous users “gaming the system”, I agree, I’ve seen them. And they always seem to be the ones with patriotic slogans and flags all over their cars and tattoos. Besides, its part of the bureaucrats’ job description to eliminate fraud and inefficiency.
You can’t blame all crime on the criminals, the police need to do their job as well.

As for Republicans, its their JOB to gut social programs. They at least are up front about it. Its up to the Obamas and Shinsekis to take care of the vets because the Bushes and their ilk certainly won’t.

The point is that this affair will have a political result, and you can bet it will be one dictated and profited by the Right, not the Left. And fairness will have nothing to do with it.

By: bowser

bowser — Thu, 22 May 2014 18:20:23 +0000

There is no doubt in my mind there have been major failings in parts of the VA system. There is also no doubt in my mind that neither Obama nor Shinseki are at fault.

Everyone I know who avails themselves of the local VA facilities are uniformly pleased. From what I’ve seen, and that’s a bit, the care is superb, absolutely excellent, with no expense spared.

And I’ve seen veterans “game” the system, over and over and over. Anything to increase their benefits is done, and they have organizations and attorneys who specialize in getting benefits increased. Non service connected disabilities somehow find a service connection. People expect and get the VA to raise them simply because they were drafted for a couple of years. The VA winds up responsible for everything.

I trust Obama and I trust Shinseki. If there are areas which failed vets, and I have no doubt there were, it was because they, too, were “gamed”. Fix what’s broken but don’t throw the babies out with the bath water.

Hell, given a chance Bush would have turned those parts of the VA over to Halliburton and passed a law saying that any malfeasance could not be prosecuted.