The Veterans Administration

The VA is once again in the news thanks to republican charges that accuse the VA of manipulating appointments that have resulted in death for some veterans.  The head of the VA has been asked to resign by some republicans.  Like Benghazi, it is a political football that is being used to influence the 2014 and 2016 elections. 

Republicans overlooked what happened at the Walter Reed Medical Center during the Bush years when returning wounded vets from Iraq and Afghanistan could not receive the necessary medical attention they required because of the deplorable conditions that existed at that facility.  Millions of dollars had to be spent to remedy the problem.

The VA has had many problems over the years under both republican and democratic administrations because politicians use the VA as a political football.  They speak before the American Legion convention and other veteran groups and promise to put the VA service as top priority but their political deeds never match their political rhetoric.  Then of course it is big government that is to blame.  Those that rail against big government love to serve in that big government and dole out political favors.

Does any one remember "Agent Orange" of the Viet Nam war that inflicted many illness and even death among our veterans who were exposed.  Our government through out that war and even after refused to admit our veterans health problems were contributed too being exposed to "Agent Orange."  Many of them went without treatment.  That happened on the watch of both republican and democratic administrations while both served in congress.

Nothing will change until we elect enough "serious" public servants who are willing to commit to those issues that best serve our veterans and our country with the finances necessary to do the job at hand.  Some in politics and civilian life has yet come to grips with the loss of 4400 plus lives in a war in Iraq over WMD that did not exist.  Too many, it has just been treated as a footnote in history.

Is it any wonder why elected officials use the VA and America's veterans as a political football.  Understanding the mistakes of the past is still the key to a better future.  The future of the VA and veterans can be bright if we learn from the past mistakes of our political leaders.  Hopefully, the elections in 2014 and 2016 will produce more "serious" elected officials to change directions.

Big government is not the problem.  It is those that want to be elected to big government and then refuse to fund the needs of its people.


This commentary written by John Lucia.