Holy crap! Congress actually got something done!

[Delta4Embassy]

Admittedly, usually I turn the channel when anything rleating to Congress comes on so they may have actually done other things, but breaking on Anderson Cooper right now, Congress passes bipartisan $17 billion Veteran's Affairs bill.

Am I wrong in thinking not only was this something really great to get done, but that this was the first significant accomplishment by Congress in rather a long time?

 

[UllysesS.Archer]

When a subject is viewed important and needs to be fixed, to both sides of the aisle, congress can get something done, when it wants too.

I wonder what riders are on the bill? That is always fun reading.

 

[Nyvin]

I thought it just came out of committee, don't they still need to do a full vote on it?

 

[tinydancer]

Reid's the obstructionist. Congress has been passing bills. The stats are out there.

 

[whitehall]

WTF is going on? Every administration in the last hundred years was led by and associated with and identified by the president. Obama controls 2/3 of the federal government with a substantial number of democrats in congress and the low information left seems clueless about leadership and substance and blames congress (which technically includes the democrat controlled Senate) for all the ills in the administration. Such is the power of the media when it becomes the arm of a political party.

 

[The Rabbi]

1) Will the bill actually fix the problems with the VA?
Prediction: No.
2) Will the bill do so in an efficient and cost effective way?
Prediction: No.
3) Was the bill larded over with special interest money to make it pass?
Prediction: Hell yeah.

 

[Missouri_Mike]

Admittedly, usually I turn the channel when anything rleating to Congress comes on so they may have actually done other things, but breaking on Anderson Cooper right now, Congress passes bipartisan $17 billion Veteran's Affairs bill.

Am I wrong in thinking not only was this something really great to get done, but that this was the first significant accomplishment by Congress in rather a long time?

I was happy to hear this, at first. Now thinking it through of course it's looking more and more like a money grab that won't really help as much as it should. Most of that money, in addition to the money they already get is simply going to be bonused out or used to hire new people to process more cases. Very little will be actually used to pay outside doctors to help these people.

Once again we do the wrong thing. We have a solution that wouldn't cost us a single dollar more. Give the Vet's a set amount to purchase outside insurance with certain guaranteed coverage and let the VA fight to get that money with better treatment. But no. We are just going to shovel more money over there and hope it band-aids the situation for now.

The VA has just taken the most disgusting example of government run single payer healthcare and turned it into a giant pay day.

We did not help the Vet's today. We only helped the government employees.

 

[Delta4Embassy]

While pleased to see it being done, I'd still rather see incompetant people fired than more money getting thrown at problems.

 

[Nyvin]

Reid's the obstructionist. Congress has been passing bills. The stats are out there.

You understand Senate bills are much...much harder to pass then House bills right?

 

[OKTexas]

While pleased to see it being done, I'd still rather see incompetant people fired than more money getting thrown at problems.

That is a provision in the bill, it allows the secretary to unload dead wood with no fuss.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

Admittedly, usually I turn the channel when anything rleating to Congress comes on so they may have actually done other things, but breaking on Anderson Cooper right now, Congress passes bipartisan $17 billion Veteran's Affairs bill.

Am I wrong in thinking not only was this something really great to get done, but that this was the first significant accomplishment by Congress in rather a long time?

Like I have been saying, the VA is what you get when the government works.

 

[LordBrownTrout]

The best time for the country is when they're taking their august recess.

 

[blackhawk]

Admittedly, usually I turn the channel when anything rleating to Congress comes on so they may have actually done other things, but breaking on Anderson Cooper right now, Congress passes bipartisan $17 billion Veteran's Affairs bill.

Am I wrong in thinking not only was this something really great to get done, but that this was the first significant accomplishment by Congress in rather a long time?

You have to remember there is an election in just over three months no member of Congress is going to want to go on their extended vacation before the election without doing something to address the VA. It is great to get it done but it has more to do with their own self interest than anything else.

 

[francoHFW]

The SENATE passed it, but the house will screw it up. They can only pass bs propaganda, hater dupes...

 

[The Rabbi]

Reid's the obstructionist. Congress has been passing bills. The stats are out there.

You understand Senate bills are much...much harder to pass then House bills right?

Why are Senate bills harder to pass? I mean other than that the Senate is ruled over by Harry Reid, who has a nasty tendency to deep six bills without debate.

 

[Politico]

Admittedly, usually I turn the channel when anything rleating to Congress comes on so they may have actually done other things, but breaking on Anderson Cooper right now, Congress passes bipartisan $17 billion Veteran's Affairs bill.

Am I wrong in thinking not only was this something really great to get done, but that this was the first significant accomplishment by Congress in rather a long time?

Yes you are wrong. They accomplished nothing.

 

[zeke]

1) Will the bill actually fix the problems with the VA?
Prediction: No.
2) Will the bill do so in an efficient and cost effective way?
Prediction: No.
3) Was the bill larded over with special interest money to make it pass?
Prediction: Hell yeah.

Yep, if there ain't no "special interest" money in it for Republicans, they ain't interested in voting. Wonder what little hand outs they got this time. You know, to buy their support of Veterans. They (Republicans) love vets so much they had to be bribed to vote for legislation to help them.

 

[ScreamingEagle]

my understanding is vets would now be able to see local doctors if they are more than 40 miles from a VA facility or if they have been waiting more than 2 weeks to get an appointment.....this is a huge step in the right direction.....how it will be paid for remains to be seen however....

another agreement is the VA secretary will have more authority to fire top level employees but a board would have 21 days to review it....

there's more....but the whole thing still needs more negotiations and still needs to be passed by both House and Senate and who knows what will happen in the interim...

 

[paulitician]

1) Will the bill actually fix the problems with the VA?
Prediction: No.
2) Will the bill do so in an efficient and cost effective way?
Prediction: No.
3) Was the bill larded over with special interest money to make it pass?
Prediction: Hell yeah.

Bingo!

 

[The Rabbi]

1) Will the bill actually fix the problems with the VA?
Prediction: No.
2) Will the bill do so in an efficient and cost effective way?
Prediction: No.
3) Was the bill larded over with special interest money to make it pass?
Prediction: Hell yeah.

Yep, if there ain't no "special interest" money in it for Republicans, they ain't interested in voting. Wonder what little hand outs they got this time. You know, to buy their support of Veterans. They (Republicans) love vets so much they had to be bribed to vote for legislation to help them.

It's Zeke, toothless brainless stumpbroke of USMB. Hey Zeke, you think Democrats never take home the bacon to their own districts to make themselves look better?