General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsInside the Koch brothers campaign to privatize the VA.
THE best piece I've seen on this. A realistic assessment of the VA, exposing the Fake News behind the Repubs' plan to dismantle it. It's in-depth & worth the read.
http://washingtonmonthly.com/magazine/maraprmay-2016/the-va-isnt-broken-yet/
A-Schwarzenegger
(15,596 posts)Hortensis
(58,785 posts)The VA's operating costs are about 3% of its budget, the rest going to patient care. And in the process, many billions of dollars in profits from exploiting veterans problems are being denied the hyenas.
Charles Koch: "The only legitimate role of government is protection of person and property."
OF COURSE, they intend to destroy the VA.
A-Schwarzenegger
(15,596 posts)They are irredeemable.
mountain grammy
(26,620 posts)just read the first one to my vet husband who gets his health care through the VA and loves it (the VA that is.)
I'll wait a bit to show him the second one.. he needs to calm down.
A-Schwarzenegger
(15,596 posts)When i read it I thought, man, everybody's got to read this.
moondust
(19,979 posts)at the VA as part of a larger campaign to delegitimize publicly provided health care.
Exactly. My own VA care including three outpatient surgeries has been excellent.
A-Schwarzenegger
(15,596 posts)And the piece does address the VA's actual problems honestly.
moondust
(19,979 posts)Thanks for posting it.
A-Schwarzenegger
(15,596 posts)LisaM
(27,808 posts)It makes no sense.
A-Schwarzenegger
(15,596 posts)"But we didn't think they really meant what they said!"
pinboy3niner
(53,339 posts)That was a pretty BFD for them.
A-Schwarzenegger
(15,596 posts)if they do fuck with the VA.
KamaAina
(78,249 posts)Kind of like in the civilian world.
Ace Rothstein
(3,161 posts)From what he's told me it is the opposite. A lot of officers vote Democrat and most of the enlisted vote Republican.
lunasun
(21,646 posts)I likened it to the public education breakdown to privatization ... another Koch dream
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10028409390
A-Schwarzenegger
(15,596 posts)If Trump tries this I think/hope it would wake up a lot of vets who vote Repub. It's interesting that the VA post is the last Cabinet position to be filled. They don't know how bad they should try to fuck the VA.
Wellstone ruled
(34,661 posts)Everyone one of those Vets who voted for Trump needs to read and digest this . Koch's have been working on this for more that a decade. It was to be used the next time we had a VA Scandal,forturenatly the Dems were able to stop it from happening.
A-Schwarzenegger
(15,596 posts)Wellstone ruled
(34,661 posts)they would know that the Koch Brothers have established at least one P.R. office in every state. These so called Offices are for the express purpose of Promoting the Interests of the Koch Family Values and their Ideals. Kid you not,that was the Statement used last January when their office opened in Carson City Nevada.
And one of their targets of their Ideals is the new VA Center in North Las Vegas. If one has read some of the Campaign Literature that came from the Tea Baggers,this is one of their go to wants.
A-Schwarzenegger
(15,596 posts)They utterly worship money and power for its own sake.
Cha
(297,196 posts)Inside the Koch brothers campaign to privatize the VA.
THE best piece I've seen on this. A realistic assessment of the VA, exposing the Fake News behind the Repubs' plan to dismantle it. It's in-depth & worth the read.
http://washingtonmonthly.com/magazine/maraprmay-2016/the-va-isnt-broken-yet/
Thank you for the link on the VA, A
A-Schwarzenegger
(15,596 posts)Sorry to lizards.
Achilleaze
(15,543 posts)Since, like Comrade Casino - The Republican Draft (and tax) Dodger in Chief - almost all Republicans out to shitcan our American veterans and crap on our troops are notorious Republican Chickenhawks.
A-Schwarzenegger
(15,596 posts)pinboy3niner
(53,339 posts)While Trump met personally with health care CEOs about the future of the VA, the highest transition official the major veterans' orgs got a meeting with was...Omarosa.
I posted the story in DU's Veterans Group:
Trump won votes promising to protect veterans, but major veterans groups are rattled by his plans
http://www.democraticunderground.com/11796873
A-Schwarzenegger
(15,596 posts)I guess EVERYBODY thought he was a liar, even his supporters.
Proud Liberal Dem
(24,412 posts)Post-election interviews with his supporters seem to bear out this idea- that Trump really didn't mean what he said about much of anything during the campaign, at least insofar as it negatively applies directly to specific individual Trump voters.
A-Schwarzenegger
(15,596 posts)And I know he wouldnt lie to me about that!"
Proud Liberal Dem
(24,412 posts)Is that a movie/tv quote BTW? Sounds familiar.
A-Schwarzenegger
(15,596 posts)but it's not, not as far as i know, but movie lines can burrow into our depths unbeknownst...
hunter
(38,311 posts)... let Trump know the Koch brothers will sacrifice him in an instant when things get ugly.
A-Schwarzenegger
(15,596 posts)i'm imagining Russia and the VA will be two of Trump's many Achilles' heels
Rollo
(2,559 posts)nt
suffragette
(12,232 posts)To them.
K&R
A-Schwarzenegger
(15,596 posts)suffragette
(12,232 posts)I shudder to think what they are planning to shove through in the first 100 days.
mountain grammy
(26,620 posts)Americans are in shock and bad stuff will happen. We better remain vigilant.
suffragette
(12,232 posts)McCamy Taylor
(19,240 posts)A-Schwarzenegger
(15,596 posts)Generic Brad
(14,274 posts)They made Trump mad on New Years Day. He will go out of his way to make sure they do not get what they want and that they are embarrassed somehow - repeatedly. He may humor them on this, but he will ultimately see they do not get anything they want.
A-Schwarzenegger
(15,596 posts)on my way to google
edit: the golf course ouster of Hurt?
Generic Brad
(14,274 posts)He will get even with them on his terms.