The VA Scandal

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But just keep in the back of your mind as you watch Republican Senators grandstand on it and feign outrage, they had the opportunity back in February to give a commitment to VA benefits and chose not to over petty election year politics

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Obviously it wouldn't have had any impact on what occurred at the VA,

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So then why take a shot a Republicans now?

Why not hold the President's appointee and his staff responsible? And the President himself?

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VA medical centers defied some agency policies on supplying opiates to veterans in 2012, including simultaneously prescribing thousands of ex-troops with narcotic painkillers and psychoactive drugs -– a combination that’s been linked to lethal overdoses, a new audit shows

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Among the VA’s “take-home opioid patients,” 7,426 died in fiscal year 2012

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Blumenthal asks why Shinseki hasn't notified FBI of poss. criminal activity by VA records falsifiers. Shinseki hems & haws.

"I don't know what data is being assembled" for VA review.

Shinseki sez 3,000 VA workers "involuntary removed" for misconduct...but some reassigned or retired.

VA undersecretary Petzel hesitates & says "he doesn't know if it would be appropriate" to remove employees who falsify data.

When Shinseki says Deputy Chief of Staff Nabors & family are longtime friends, I wonder where the impartiality lays?

Shinseki "not aware" of book-cooking, "can't remember" getting fall 2013 OSC/OMC reports on VA ghost clinics, double-booking schemes.

eta- notice the problems, deaths and secret lists, PREDATE what you linked?

And in your mind, that excuses the deaths and actions and should shut them up. Forget, once again, finding the truth and holding those responsible for those deaths.

For someone that likes to label others for their "right" sidedness and lack of "objectivity", you have a really huge propensity to inject political positioning into your arguments at times.

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Why not hold the President's appointee and his staff responsible? And the President himself?

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I hold anyone and everyone that is responsible accountable.

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notice the problems, deaths and secret lists, PREDATE what you linked?

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Of course it does, and that's the point. The problems in the VA have been festering for quote some time. The bill in the Senate in February aimed to address some of those issues, but the Republicans(save for 2 of them in the Senate) decided election year politics was more important.

This isn't about not holding anyone accountable. This is about not falling for the BS the Republicans are about to roll out in the coming weeks on your TV.

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And in your mind, that excuses the deaths and actions and should shut them up. Forget, once again, finding the truth and holding those responsible for those deaths.

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Of course not. What occurred is an absolute disgrace and is something that should never happen here. It's one of the few things that has gotten my blood boiling over the past few years. I'm all for them beating the drum to get to the bottom of it, but excuse me if I find their grandstanding on it a bit disingenuous.

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For someone that likes to label others for their "right" sidedness and lack of "objectivity", you have a really huge propensity to inject political positioning into your arguments at times.

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I am absolutely injecting politics into it, no argument. It's disgraceful that one party, the same party that still so vehemently defends us going into war, put politics over funding for taking care of those men and women they sent into that war. I'm not saying they're going to be wrong to be outraged. I'm saying to keep in mind when they express their outrage they had the chance to help the situation, but didn't.

It shouldn't be a surprise. The government, by definition, cannot efficiently allocate resources,

Everything is tied to pork or earmarks these days and they shot down line item vetoing some years back which would have prevented this and many other needed measures from going through.

Politicians pander to special interest money and little else.

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Any respect I had for you being an objective poster, putting morals ahead of party is now gone. Good job.

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Im sure he's heartbroken

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Im sure he's heartbroken

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Wouldn't you be?

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We lavish billions on illegals and our own veterans suffer.

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But in a good way.

I know it doesn't make sense. But whenever I want to feel better about something, I just add "but in a good way" to the end. It really works.