Thread: As vets await checks, VA workers get $24M bonuses...

Another Layer to the VA Scandal:
Bodies of Veterans Left Unburied for Over One Year
May 26, 2014 By Jennifer Burke

Those who lose their lives in battle deserve to be treated with the utmost respect. Our veterans, whether the bodies are claimed or not, are required by law to receive a proper burial. However, that is not what happened to as many as 60 deceased veterans whose bodies have been at the morgue in L.A. County for the past year and a half.

On Friday, 28 bodies were transferred from the morgue to be buried at the Riverside National Cemetery. The Veterans Administration claims that they were never notified about the bodies and is blaming the L.A. County Morgue. According to CBS2/KCAL9, the morgue is pointing the finger of blame at the VA also stating they have no idea how long the bodies have been there.

Rightfully so, many citizens, some veterans themselves, are furious that individuals who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to America have not been given a proper burial. Richard Burns, a Marine veteran, leads memorial services every Wednesday at the Riverside National Cemetery in honor of unclaimed veterans. Burns said of this travesty, “I think it’s incomprehensible. It’s kinda sad that these people didn’t get the proper care that they deserve even after death.”

A VA spokesperson, Cindy Van Bibber, claims that at no point was the VA contacted about the bodies. The morgue disputes that claim stating, “…there are about 60 decedents of probable veteran status that have awaited disposition for about a year as a result of a personnel change in the Veterans Affairs office and stringent identification/eligibility processes required by the VA.”

With the Obama administration and the VA embroiled in a scandal with veterans dying due to secret lists that hid failure to provide medical care, this latest revelation may add more anger to the fury surrounding that VA scandal.

http://www.tpnn.com/2014/05/26/anoth...over-one-year/

Uh-Oh, Even Jon Stewart is Blasting Obama VA
Hell hath no fury like a liberal confronted with government incompetence, corruption.
Published: 5/20/2014 1:38 PM ET

Editor’s note: this article contains language some will find offensive.

The news that Veterans Affairs medical facilities had been lying about patient wait list times and delaying treating patients in a timely manner, to make their services appear better in reports to the government, is not new news, but it’s making headlines again. And this time, even the president’s fans are mad at the way the government under Obama has mistreated veterans. Continued after the video.

http://www.mrctv.org/videos/daily-sh...ffairs-scandal

In a profanity-laced rant on the “Daily Show” May 19, liberal comedian Jon Stewart mocked the VA Secretary General Shinseki who testified before Congress that horror stories were “isolated cases” that made him “mad as hell.” Stewart deemed General Shinseki’s response “not strong enough” and suggested, “Mother Fucking Shit does seem appropriate.” Throughout the segment Stewart would open a jar labeled, “Veterans’ Affairs F*@K-Ups,” which would shout out swear words.

Stewart then went after the White House’s tepid response to the situation. After playing a video of the White House Chief of Staff relaying, “The president was madder than hell. I’ve got the scars to prove it,” Stewart mocked, “Ooh yeah, I’m sure the story of how you got those scars will really impress the guys waiting for the VA for treatment ... ‘I got this when some spittle hit me in the eyebrow!’”

Comparing it to the 2007 Walter Reed Army Medical Center scandal, Stewart lamented, “Our government leaders are clearly suffering from ‘Post-Bureaucratic Stress Disorder (PBSD)’...That wake-up call was seven years ago, but for some reason we just keep hitting the fucking snooze button.”

http://mrc.org/articles/uh-oh-even-j...ign=stewart-va

comments

But wait!!!!! Jay Carney just stated that the President didn't even know about the problem until he saw it on the news last week!!!!! His evil twin must have been the one talking back in 2007, 2008, 2011........

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...-scandals.html

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The president is so down to Earth. He gets his news from morning TV, just like the rest of us! ...

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Give the veterans access to hospitals with their DD-214 and require illegal aliens to use the VA hospitals for treatment.

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Welfare recipients, have available medical treatment, 24 7 in this country. Illegal Aliens can walk into any emergency room and get immediate treatment. Veterans are made to wait up to a year to even see a doctor, then often months more for treatment.. VA workers are giving themselves bonuses for the great job they are doing. Our President is undecided whether or not to fire the person responsible for this?

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This shows what is most important to the politicians (D) & (R) - and that is illegal immigrants over Veterans. They have shown this time and time again. Remember during the Democratic shutdown of the Government when they closed the memorial to the Vet's but opened the Mall for the illegals? Pelosi basically gave Veterans the finger when she stepped up to the podium and thanked Obama for the permission to protest. Now they are trying to get the Redskins to change their name\. Seriously they can't find something more pressing to spend their time on? Time to get rid of these PC police and replace them with people that know what Representation means.

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Just require the president and congress receive the same health benefits us Vets get and it will get fixed before the week is out.

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It started under Bush's administration; who told the Obama administration about it when he was President elect. They're both a part of this.

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After all these years Bushes involvement really means nothing, other than to show an on going mindset. Obama has done nothing about a problem he's been aware of since the start. No quite the contrary they're now claiming he didn't even know. Trying to change history, but of course since I don't believe his lying a** and remember his prior promises, I must be a raciest. Just for the record; I never voted for either Bush, I thought George HW (read my lips) was an idiot. Didn't figure the fruit fell far from the tree, and was right.

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Blame Bush Derangement Syndrome seems to have affected Obama's memory re: Veterans Administration http://allenbwest.com/2014/05/obama-...dministration/

Democrat slams Obama on the VA scandal

http://www.tpnn.com/2014/05/27/democ...a-doesnt-care/

Democrat strategist Pat Caddell, appearing on FOX News, said that Obama doesn’t care anymore about the VA scandal than he does about the IRS or Benghazi scandals


Caddell began by mockingly comparing Obama to Hogan’s Heroes’ TV character “Sergeant Schultz.”

“Look, this is a president who said I know nothing, the Sergeant Schultz defense, as it was with the IRS, as it is with every scandal, as with Benghazi. ‘I don’t know. I know nothing about it,’” began Caddell.

“We have people in the VA getting bonuses for killing people, for God’s sake, a disgusted Caddell told Harris Faulkner and the other panelists. “Obama hasn’t cared anything about it any more than he has cared about what happened at the IRS or anything else,” an angry Caddell said.

Caddell blasted the self-serving “feather our nests” culture in Washington, D.C., as being “unbelievable” and even chastised his fellow Democrats for not being upset about Obama’s many scandals:

“It is that the people serve the government. The government is there for us to feather our nests. The VA is the worst example, and it’s so amazing now to see even Democrats, even people in my party upset who can’t seem to get themselves upset about all the other scandals. But it is a mentality in Washington that says screw the people and the hell with them as John said. And the president, he really doesn’t care. I’m sorry to be cynical but truthful.”

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/vid...dh20YLeXZmn4qf

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/vid...dh20YLeXZmn4qf

Montel Williams Goes on Fiery Rant over VA: Why Didn’t Obama Apologize?!
by Josh Feldman | 6:30 pm, May 28th, 2014

Talk show host Montel Williams is an American veteran, and he is particularly incensed about the scandal over veteran deaths as a result of secret waiting lists. Moreover, he was bothered by how President Obama was at West Point, yet didn’t take a moment to apologize for how his administration has dropped ball on veterans’ health.

Williams told Neil Cavuto that giving Secretary Shinseki the boot won’t really fix much. He said soldiers left the battlefield abroad only to come back to another battlefield at home, saying he is “angry” as hell because “our guys went over, they’ve left body parts, some of them never made it back, some of them are here now but their souls are still there, and we have the audacity to turn our back on them right this second.”

As for Obama’s West Point speech, Williams bewilderedly said, “The president just promised five billion dollars for terrorists around the world at West Point?! Where he could have used the day to say, ‘I’m sorry for the pain that I’ve caused you, the families, and I’m gonna fix it today!’”

He called for a “VA surge” to help these veterans, and had some tough words for the nation on how it’s gradually forgotten about veterans over the years. “Be as tired as you want,” Williams said, “but that barbecue you had on Sunday was paid for on the backs of soldiers who left body parts in the battlefield. So you have no right to forget!”

http://www.mediaite.com/tv/montel-wi...upGKyocGBBpm1W

http://www.mediaite.com/tv/montel-wi...ama-apologize/

Originally Posted by boopster

obama's speech at west point was about obama.......................perhaps because of obamacare he is looking for something else to be his 'signature' accomplishment...how about a box of crayons with only one color...red?

The Way West Point Cadets React to Obama vs. Bush Tells You Everything You Need To Know
Posted by: Joshua Riddle May 29, 2014

Here is Obama’s greeting at West Point. Even CNN called it “icy”.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0C_F...layer_embedded

Now look at Bush’s:



http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=0TgLYLuDjlY

Obama promised “change”. That is the only promise he has kept.

One of these presidents loved the troops with all his heart, the other one is more interested in golfing and being a celebrity. These graduates know which one is which.

http://youngcons.com/the-way-west-po...-need-to-know/

V.A. Secretary Shinseki Resigns; Obama Sings his Praises
May 30, 2014 By Jennifer Burke

Embattled VA Secretary Eric Shinseki has resigned during a closed door meeting with Barack Obama. Many expected Shinseki to resign during a press conference held earlier this morning. However, his remarks were focused on the success that he has had addressing the homelessness of veterans. Despite a bi-partisan call for Shinseki to be fired, Barack Obama has stood by him praising him as a good man and stating that he had every confidence in his ability.

Reports of secret waiting lists at the VA out of Phoenix that resulted in the deaths of at least 40 veterans were revealed by a whistleblower. Following that allegation, over 42 facilities throughout the country had whistleblowers come forward stating that secret waiting lists were used at their facilities as well. Bonuses for V.A. executives and employees were based on decreased waiting times. Therefore, two lists were kept. There were fake lists provided to D.C. that showed low wait times. However, the real lists were kept in secret. These secret lists revealed that veterans were waiting for months for life-saving treatment.

Calls for Shinseki’s resignation or firing have increased after an Inspector’s General report showed that the events at Phoenix were not isolated, but were systemic around the country. After finally tendering his resignation to Obama in their behind closed doors meeting, Obama took to the podium for a press conference, stating that he regretfully accepted the resignation, during which he actually sang Shinseki’s praises.

Under his leadership, we have seen more progress on more fronts at the VA and a bigger investment in the VA than just about any other VA Secretary. He cut the veterans homelessness by almost 28%. Brought in folks who had been exposed to Agent Orange who had been waiting for decades to get the services and benefits that they earned. Making sure that post traumatic stress disorder.

Calling Shinseki a champion of our veterans, Obama commended him for realizing that he would be a distraction to fixing the problems at the V.A. because of questioning and scrutiny from the media and Congress. Obama also shifted the blame away from the widespread corruption at the VA, where workers were more concerned about their bonuses than the health and well-being of veterans, to be due to a lack of resources and doctors. The V.A. did, however, find over $500 million to buy new office furniture under the Obama administration.

Sloan Gibson, current deputy secretary to the VA since his appointment three months ago, will take over as the acting secretary.

Obama placed the finger of blame not on himself or Shinseki, but rather on a lack of knowledge claiming that neither he nor Shinseki were informed fully of issues ranging from scheduling to computer system antiquity. Given the fact that Obama campaigned in 2008 on issues surrounding the VA, there are questions as to why he was not more aware or involved in the reform that he promised as a candidate.

In fact, Obama has in recent years sung his own praises for his commitment to veterans benefits. Obama’s claim that the scheduling problems also stem from an outdated computer system, which he says is from the 1990s, runs completely counter to points made in a speech by a VA official in 2013. In September 2013, Stephen Warren, who was in charge of information and technology systems at the VA, bragged about the scheduling software utilized by the VA stating that it played a role in providing quality health care to veterans.

http://www.tpnn.com/2014/05/30/v-a-s...nseki-resigns/