With all of the hearings going on in congress concerning the problems veterans have been exposed to in receiving health care it should now be clear the situation has existed for years and members of both political parties are aware of it.
It is also clear now that the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have added over 400,000 new veterans in the last 10 years to the system and congress has failed to fund the needs of the VA to handle the increase work load that requires many more doctors, nurses, more facilities and health care workers.
Congress has reduced needed federal revenue by giving billions of dollars in tax breaks to Corporate America who do not need it and who obtain it thru campaign contributions to congress for those special favors. A good example is the $8 billion in tax breaks for the Oil industry. Does any one really believe that the most profitable industry in America needs that? Our veterans could use that lost federal revenue to fund needed services from the VA. Corporate America is doing well while the VA and veterans are getting short changed.
The American Legion and other veterans groups should stop inviting politicians to speak at their conventions. They can not compete with the milllions spend on campaign contributions. There are other and better ways to address veterans needs and those veteran groups know first hand political talk does not convert to political deeds.
The bottom line is that America has sent our men and women in uniform to fight in 3 of the longest wars in our history and instead of taking care of the VA and veterans needs politicians have formed a partnership with special interest groups who are willing to use their financial resources to corrupt elected officials decisions in favor of their own narrow agenda.
Yes my fellow Americans, our political system of fairness has been sold out to the highest bidders and the situation is getter worse. Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. "Serious" public servants who are willing to say no to this corruption are badly needed.
This commentary written by John Lucia.
