The VA is what you get when the government works

[Quantum Windbag]

Couldn't have said it better if I tired.

Why? Because the Democratic party simply is the party of government. It is the party that insists on the nobility, efficacy and intellectual superiority of government. The VA is at the intersection of all the things liberals insist are wise and good and just about government. It is government-run healthcare. It is the tangible fulfillment of a sacred obligation the government has with those who’ve sacrificed most for our nation. It is also the one institution and/or constituency that enjoys huge bipartisan support. The VA, rhetorically and politically, is more sacrosanct and less controversial than Medicare, Social Security, road building, the NIH, or public schools. We are constantly told that we could get so many wonderful, super-fantastic things done if only both sides would lay down their ideological blah blah blah blah and work together for yada yada yada. Well, welcome to the VA. How’s that working out for you?
The White House keeps saying these horrible cases of deception and wrongdoing are “isolated incidents” and not “systemic.” As I asked last night on Special Report, how many isolated incidents do you need before they become systemic? Right now, allegations have surfaced in 19 states. That feels systemic to me. But what do I know?
I do know that the VA has had problems of one sort or another for decades. The current allegations are particularly egregious, but the fact that the VA is plagued by bureaucracy and inefficiency is hardly a revelation. It’s certainly not news to Obama, who acknowledged many of the problems as a candidate and was briefed on them after he was elected. Then senator Obama told the VFW in 2007, ”No veteran should have to fill out a 23-page claim to get care, or wait months — even years — to get an appointment at the VA.” He continued, ”When we fail to keep faith with our veterans, the bond between our nation and our nation’s heroes becomes frayed. When a veteran is denied care, we are all dishonored.” And given that in most of his State of the Union addresses Obama has gone on and on about improving government efficiency and cutting red tape generally, you’d think the VA would be near the forefront of that effort.
It is absolutely true that the VA was plagued with problems before Obama came into office and Republicans who talk a lot about how much they love the military are open to criticism as a result. But Democrats talk about how much they love the government. And everything they need to make the VA work is available to them. And yet, it’s a mess and has been a mess for decades. Why? Maybe it’s a mess because such messes come with the territory when you put bureaucrats in charge. Criminality, as alleged, may not be inevitable (though I’m not so sure). But rationing, incompetence, bloat, waste, rent-seeking, and a sort of legal corruption certainly are.

The VA and the Limits of Liberalism | National Review Online

 

[Plasmaball]

sure you want to go down this road seeing how we can point to Hospitals who make mistakes and Insurance companies denying people procedures?

No system is perfect...

 

[Missouri_Mike]

sure you want to go down this road seeing how we can point to Hospitals who make mistakes and Insurance companies denying people procedures?

No system is perfect...

Well I thought obiecare was supposed to take care of all those problems.

So now your best defense is obiecare won't be perfect, won't actually help anyone but we all get to pay more for...not perfect.

And by that you mean not only imperfect but will cost us all way more money for less perfect.

And somehow in your little mind this is progress.

 

[Quantum Windbag]

sure you want to go down this road seeing how we can point to Hospitals who make mistakes and Insurance companies denying people procedures?

No system is perfect...

I never said it was, did I? The difference is that, when the government makes a mistake, it hides it,

In other words, bring your best argument for government on, you will lose even if I go to sleep.

 

[TemplarKormac]

"No system is perfect" you say. That is a big fat cop out. No other administration has presided over such a tragic loss of lives due to governmental incompetence in America's history! This is entirely unprecedented. Bush warned Obama it was going on, but Obama just ignored it. Plasmaball, no sir. Each and every time I hear a new report about the VA causing the deaths of their patients, I get that more pissed off. Where is Obama anyway? Why hasn't he spoken out about this? He has become noticeably quiet since all of this came on? Is he hiding something?

But go ahead, I dare you to make an argument about how well our government is serving our veterans. I will destroy it.

 

[williepete]

Well I thought obiecare was supposed to take care of all those problems.

So now your best defense is obiecare won't be perfect, won't actually help anyone but we all get to pay more for...not perfect.

And by that you mean not only imperfect but will cost us all way more money for less perfect.

And somehow in your little mind this is progress.

Oh, give Obamacare a little time and a lot more money. Everything works better with more of other people's money. Look how well Obamacare is working in Oregon:

Caution. Foul language: