General Shinseki......
General Eric Shinseki is a retired 4 star General who is currently the head of the VA (Veterans Administration).
Eric is currently under withering attack from Republicans because of major issues within the VA. The main problem is long wait times to see a doctor. Some have even died waiting.
So what is REALLY going on here…….
Republicans HATE Eric Shinseki because (in 2003) he testified before congress regarding the pending Iraq war.
He stated The Bush war plan did not have enough troops to successfully execute the war.
http://www.cnn.com/2013/03/20/opinion/mills-truth-teller-iraq/
Shinseki said Hundreds of thousands more troops would be needed, and the current plan would fail.
Rumsfeld, Bush and the rest of the Republicans mocked the assessment.
Shinseki became Republican enemy #1.
In the end Shinseki was correct, and the Bush plan failed miserably. More troops were needed.
Years later Bush took bows for coming up with the “ The Surge”……
more troops……. What a novel idea. Bush was hailed (by the Republicans) as a strategic thinker.
In November 2013 the Republicans shut down the government. Shinseki told congress that action would create a worse back log for the VA……. Republicans didn’t care.
“If the shutdown doesn't end soon, the Veterans Affairs (VA) Department won't be able to ensure that checks go out on Nov. 1 for 5.18 million beneficiaries, Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki told House Veterans' Affairs Committee. That amounts to $6.25 billion in payments that VA beneficiaries are expecting.”
“Already the VA has furloughed more than 7,800 employees, Shinseki, half of whom are veterans. While the VA has in the last six months made progress on reducing its disability claims backlog, the shutdown has reversed that progress, with the number of backlogged claims increasing by 2,000 since Oct. 1.”
"We've lost ground we fought hard to take," said Shinseki, who at multiple points in his testimony to Congress used military analogies to explain the challenges his department is facing.”
In Feb 2014 Republicans voted down more funding for the VA. Funding that would have built 22 new hospitals (and help the growing back log. Republicans didn’t care.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/27/us-usa-veterans-congress-idUSBREA1Q26O20140227
“U.S. Senate Republicans blocked legislation on Thursday that would have expanded federal healthcare and education programs for veterans, saying the $24 billion bill would bust the budget.”
“the measure would have brought the most significant changes in decades to U.S. veterans' programs. For example, it called for 27 new medical facilities to help a healthcare system that is strained by veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.”
Here we are in May with Republicans appalled that there is a back log and people are dying….Really?
Now they want Shinseki’s head on a platter. Really?
Republicans didn’t care about the troops in 2003 (when they didn’t send enough).
Republicans didn’t care about the troops when they shut down the government.
Republicans didn’t care about the troops when they denied additional funding…..
But when there is a political vendetta…..Republicans will tell you all about how they care.
All these soldiers need medical attention (today) because Republicans started a war that wasn’t necessary,(and was poorly executed) in 2003.
None of it would be the case if they listened to Shinseki in the first place.
Yet somehow now it is his fault.
Eric is currently under withering attack from Republicans because of major issues within the VA. The main problem is long wait times to see a doctor. Some have even died waiting.
So what is REALLY going on here…….
Republicans HATE Eric Shinseki because (in 2003) he testified before congress regarding the pending Iraq war.
He stated The Bush war plan did not have enough troops to successfully execute the war.
http://www.cnn.com/2013/03/20/opinion/mills-truth-teller-iraq/
Shinseki said Hundreds of thousands more troops would be needed, and the current plan would fail.
Rumsfeld, Bush and the rest of the Republicans mocked the assessment.
Shinseki became Republican enemy #1.
In the end Shinseki was correct, and the Bush plan failed miserably. More troops were needed.
Years later Bush took bows for coming up with the “ The Surge”……
more troops……. What a novel idea. Bush was hailed (by the Republicans) as a strategic thinker.
In November 2013 the Republicans shut down the government. Shinseki told congress that action would create a worse back log for the VA……. Republicans didn’t care.
“If the shutdown doesn't end soon, the Veterans Affairs (VA) Department won't be able to ensure that checks go out on Nov. 1 for 5.18 million beneficiaries, Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki told House Veterans' Affairs Committee. That amounts to $6.25 billion in payments that VA beneficiaries are expecting.”
“Already the VA has furloughed more than 7,800 employees, Shinseki, half of whom are veterans. While the VA has in the last six months made progress on reducing its disability claims backlog, the shutdown has reversed that progress, with the number of backlogged claims increasing by 2,000 since Oct. 1.”
"We've lost ground we fought hard to take," said Shinseki, who at multiple points in his testimony to Congress used military analogies to explain the challenges his department is facing.”
In Feb 2014 Republicans voted down more funding for the VA. Funding that would have built 22 new hospitals (and help the growing back log. Republicans didn’t care.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/02/27/us-usa-veterans-congress-idUSBREA1Q26O20140227
“U.S. Senate Republicans blocked legislation on Thursday that would have expanded federal healthcare and education programs for veterans, saying the $24 billion bill would bust the budget.”
“the measure would have brought the most significant changes in decades to U.S. veterans' programs. For example, it called for 27 new medical facilities to help a healthcare system that is strained by veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.”
Here we are in May with Republicans appalled that there is a back log and people are dying….Really?
Now they want Shinseki’s head on a platter. Really?
Republicans didn’t care about the troops in 2003 (when they didn’t send enough).
Republicans didn’t care about the troops when they shut down the government.
Republicans didn’t care about the troops when they denied additional funding…..
But when there is a political vendetta…..Republicans will tell you all about how they care.
All these soldiers need medical attention (today) because Republicans started a war that wasn’t necessary,(and was poorly executed) in 2003.
None of it would be the case if they listened to Shinseki in the first place.
Yet somehow now it is his fault.
posted by res17 at
May 08, 2014
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