Veterans Affairs Thumbs Nose At Judge
Veterans Affairs Deputy Secretary Sloan Gibson thumbed his nose at a recent troubling decision by the Merit System Protection Board that reversed termination of a VA executive.
Two weeks ago, a Board judge overturned the termination of senior executive Linda Weiss. Weiss was terminated for failing to take steps to protect veterans from abusive VA employees. Tuesday, Gibson gave the Board a piece of his mind when he said the Board decision is unenforceable and that Weiss will not get her job back.
VETERANS AFFAIRS SNUB
Gibson said:
“Today, an Administrative Judge of the Merit Systems Protection Board belatedly published his full decision on my removal of Albany VA Medical Center Director Linda Weiss, The same judge issued an incomplete decision on February 5, 2016 that purported to reverse my removal action without explanation. I believe today’s decision, which states the judge’s reasoning for the earlier decision, is not only wrong for Veterans, but also fails to meet the 21-day time limit for appeals decisions mandated by the Senior Executive accountability provision of the Choice Act.”
Weiss was formerly head of Albany VA Medical Center. There, she failed to terminate a nurse assistant prior to that assistant harming a veteran. The misdeed was deemed sufficient to warrant termination. Meanwhile, Kim Graves and Diana Rubens gaff worth over $400,000 apparently only warranted a demotion that was swiftly overturned.
Officials at VA are now trying to figure out how to bypass the Board procedures to allow termination of all bad executives without a fuss.
TRUE INTENTION OF VA?
Should we hope they succeed or is this deviancy a sign that the Executive Branch is manipulating public sentiment to bypass checks and balances from Congress and the Courts in favor of a more totalitarian approach?
Perhaps the push to allow such abuses by VA executives is a broader move to revoke rights of workers rather than responsibly deal with issues head on.
In the civilian workplace, unions are front and center when it comes to protecting workers when they abuse company policy. The VA is no different. Government unions are a force to be recconed with especially when it comes to upper level workers. Secretary McDonald would never admit it, but, when he goes before Congress to ask for funds for the VA, it’s not just money for veterans and their care, it’s for the unions that represent VA workers, and unions run the show.
02/21/2016
Dear Benjamin Krause,
“TRUE INTENTION OF VA?
Should we hope they succeed or is this deviancy a sign that the Executive Branch is manipulating public sentiment to bypass checks and balances from Congress and the Courts in favor of a more totalitarian approach?
Perhaps the push to allow such abuses by VA executives is a broader move to revoke rights of workers rather than responsibly deal with issues head on.”
It is boiling down to Treason.
Sincerely,
Don Karg
PS Senator McCain received Karg’s letter on 02/04/2016
Crazy elf and Namnibor: it wouldn’t let me answer as a reply but I think you are on to something.
.I have seen estimates that Baghdad Bob is worth 33 million from his P&G days. He didn’t take the job for the money. He took it for his ego. He wanted his Wiki to say he fixed the VA not fired from P&G.
Right after the Fox News debacle of Baggie telling Fox News to have the Navy SEAL that killed Bin Laden call him over having his wallet stolen while getting an MRI only to call live on TV and get this mail box is full…you can’t make that shiite up…rumor was that Bob showed up at the Bethesda ER with a driver needing something to calm his nerves.
I saw a clip from C-SPAN from last week of Baghdad being rather curt to a congressman asking him about why he isn’t backing Sloan Gibson’s idea of being able to fire top execs. It only amounts to about 500 employees. Bob tells him you can’t fire your way to excellence. Congressman tries to tell him otherwise.
I looked at Sloan Gibson’s bio today. Another guy who shouldn’t need the money. Was a banker who retired to run USO. Developed the “USO in a box” idea that troops loved. Deployable container of computers, TV, games, etc. Could be brought by helo to FOB’s. He seems to have improved the USO before leaving.
Might be the guy to give it the next shot. Pat Baghdad Bob on the back, give him a nice plaque and wave goodbye.
Only, Gibson needs congress to give HIM a few things from the onset. Power to back up his firing over that judge, power to fire any GS-12 or higher for any reason.
We have zero to lose by losing Baghdad Bob.
I have heard that the VA is going to be “torn down and rebuilt”. This is grandstanding of the highest order or lowest if you are so inclined.The panic button will be pushed over and over again. Hopefully to no avail!!!
The more I think about this, wouldn’t it just be properly self-serving of Gibson to all the sudden “grow a conscience”, spouts out at a judge, ONLY to try to make his a$$ stand-out to be nominated down the near future, as VA Secretary?
**That’s only a hyperbolic hypothesis but it would not surprise me one bit…and I am also wondering if the “Judge” is on the VA Payroll or something? Something does not pass the serious sniff test here. It’s that nonsensical.
@namnibor
You may be on to something!
With this new scandal, maybe Bagdad Bobbie doesn’t have that much time left. Just a thought!
Just maybe, we’ll hear Obama say great things about Bobbie, just as he did with Shinseki! Just a thought!?
And, then without warning, we’ll hear about Bobbie “retiring” – with a substantial retirement package! Just a thought y’all understand!
Everyone wants the executives and directors held accountable for horrible things they are involved in at the VA. When one is terminated they all of sudden have rights,but the vets still don’t have any. As I said the VA is totally broken; the boards, unions, OIG everything. It’s time for a special prosecutor to be appointed by the Senate over site committee with the power to put people in jail whether they are executive,director,supervisor or janitor. Also the to dismantle these protection boards and make recommendations on how to rebuild. I hate to keep mentioning former POTUS Ronald Reagan patco remember him well. Unions are to protect honest decent people not thugs and criminals.
I have a question. what are other countries doing with provided medical care to their veterans of military service.. like UK, France, Germany, Australia, isreal, Japan, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Canada, etc.?
I have read where Canada VA equiv. has it’s own problems, but the Dutch Navy folk I spent a year and half with in the USAF at Keflavik, Iceland, (Navy Seals, USAF, and Royal Dutch Navy), the Dutch have a social medicine system that takes care of everyone, including military and they at least had no vocal complaints about their ‘system’, and the topic came up back then in mid-80’s because we were talking about Vietnam vets still fighting the VA and DOD over Agent Orange and other problems…was after a workout at that huge gym and conversation was echoing a bit within this huge steam room. That’s all I know about other Countries, and any system has it’s rats but we have an infestation of escaped laboratory alien rabid rats running our VA system in the sewer.
It’s outlandish that Sloan Gibson feels he has the power/authority to contest a JUDGE…and I hope to God this backfires and the judicial system wakes up to the stench called VA.
I can’t speak for what they are doing for their current veterans, but I know the UK and Canada ignored their Gulf War veterans. I also recall reading articles of Canadian vets being treated like crap, but cannot recall details.
I think the French provided fairly good care for their vets, but again, I cannot recall details.
I can’t help but get the feeling he’s doing this to cover up something else. VA just looks out for VA and screw everybody else!
Go with Ben Krause’s expertise on this one. It’s a wolf in sheep’s clothing; ‘the devil appears as an angel of light [and] is the author confusion and contradiction’; i.e., Gibson has ulterior motives.
We are a nation of laws and rules; three branches of government and not any one on its own can function unilaterally. Just because you disagree with a judge’s ruling does not mean you can ignore that ruling. It’s all smoke and mirrors as Ben points out.
It’s like the (goofy) line from the Star Trek movie where Kirk says, “What does God need with a starship?” As it turned out, in the story (if I recall) it was actually the Devil that wanted the starship. Connect the dots and you will see the horns on Gibson’s head though it looks or seems to be pro-vet and justice-based.
Yes the VA IS under gross mismanagement and YES they need to be taken to task for that. But to be fair Elf, when they do something that is right as they are seemingly trying to do here, then we need to pat them on the back and tell them good job so hopefully they will start doing it more the way they should instead of the way they want.
Gibson and the VA are trying to orchestrate a work around to cover their previous misdeeds when it came to accountability. Thumbing your nose at a judicial decision because you carry some perceived “Executive Branch Clout” is dangerous. Gibson and his attorneys are openly attacking judges… That is scary. If they get away with it here, it will not be long before we see the same at the US Court of Appeals… This is likely a trial run for a power grab utilizing public sentiment against corruption to fuel an end run against judges. It’s a bad move.
Ben watched CNN today.I think that was you speaking4how people want to make this election racial.I think you did a good job.
@James-
Do you have the weblink to that specific interview/quote you were commending Ben on?
You would think it would be a dead-ringer for the elections to be about the corruption at the VA and as important as this Administration’s shitty moves in this on-going series of wars instead of it being a ‘racial issue’ but then again, maybe they want to make ‘election issue theme’ steer towards ‘race’ instead of the VA, because they know they all have allowed this to fester into the current mess the VA is in?!! They are ALL culpable.
@Mr. Ben Krause
Thank You.
I do believe Gibson, with his attorneys, are trying to make an “end run” around established “laws of our land!”
I also believe, as I stated earlier this a.m., Gibson is using this “Weiss Case” as a diversion of other egregious acts committed by VA upper management employees! All due to this being an “Election Cycle!”
The acts which multiple VA employees have committed over the decades are finally seeing the “light of day!” No longer can their acts be hidden, even though they try.
People are angry, upset, and scared over what’s occuring within our country! There are millions of people calling for a complete revamp of Congress, the Senate, POTUS, SCOTUS and all other government agencies!
Our country is in dire need to correct the corruption that is widespread in Washington and elsewhere. Including corruption in the cities, counties and states!
@91 Veteran
I understand now about the “WHAT” you were implying over that individual out in Denver. And I did thank you.
I agree completely over your stance on HOW VA should apply laws against someone who breaks the law. Yet, as long as VA holds themselves above the law, very little to nothing will happen.
I also agree VA employees should be held accountable within each State. Gov. Scott (Fl.) tried that a few years ago. He failed miserably! He was denied any access to any VAMC he visited. It was well documented on all local stations and newspapers.
The reason – he was trying to enter federal land. And a Govenor has no authority on federal lands! Sad but true.
If I’ve forgotten anyone, I apologize!
Crazy elf!
18 Feb. @ 5:12 pm est
That is amazing they did that to Scott. Some veteran should have invited him to accompany them to the VA and see what they would do.
It reminds me of something that happened years ago at the VA in Madison, WI. Another veteran and I went to some public veterans event at the VA, and this reporter we both knew wanted to tag along. He asked no questions, didn’t “gotcha” any VA hack, and then we were leaving. As we were walking out the front door, the VA PR hack for the hospital stopped him and chewed him out for not calling before the event to let him know he would be attending. The PR hack was incredibly snotty about it, and I believe the veteran with me caught enough of the conversation and said the reporter was there at our invitation. The PR hack just ignored us, mumbled something about the reporter knowing better and walked away.
As for Gibson, again, I think this is nothing more than him blustering publicly trying to show he wants accountability. If he wanted that, he wouldn’t be trying to redefine it. Whether he gets it with this director doesn’t matter, only the public show. If the director stays, no big deal, Gibson doesn’t care. If she goes elsewhere, Gibson gets to look like he figured out what his job is.
The bottom line is he doesn’t care. He can act harshly against this director because she likely doesn’t have any dirt on him like Rubens and Graves do, or at least Pummill is not involved.
Either way, given what Gibson has said before Congress, he doesn’t care because it looks like he believes Congress won’t do anything to him.
I’m kind of lost on this. I cannot believe the administration is having Gibson act like this in an attempt to remove workers rights since the administration has acted with the MSPB and Dept of Labor to go overboard on protecting employees.
I cannot figure out Gibson praising Rubens and Graves before the MSPB on the one hand, unless they were protecting others pulling the same scam, then essentially telling them to take a hike in this issue.
I would believe this may be simply bluster on Gibsons part trying to indicate publicly to Congress that he’s trying to do his job and hold these crooks accountable after screwing up so badly on the other problems with MSPB.
Finally, as far as Weiss getting her job back, Gibson has the power to give an employee at the level of director a directed reassignment. It could be to anywhere in the VA system, and could likely be at the same pay level. Either she accepts it or resigns. I don’t believe she has the right to appeal, particularly since the MSPB substatiated the charges against her. She may want to retire in New York rather than being forced to move to Alaska or to DC.
Ok Guys, calm down a bit. It seems that for this one time the VA is actually doing it right (yea I know its a shocker as it shocked me as well)
“Today, an Administrative Judge of the Merit Systems Protection Board belatedly published his full decision on my removal of Albany VA Medical Center Director Linda Weiss,” Gibson said in a statement Tuesday evening. “The same judge issued an incomplete decision on February 5, 2016 that purported to reverse my removal action without explanation. I believe today’s decision, which states the judge’s reasoning for the earlier decision, is not only wrong for Veterans, but also fails to meet the 21-day time limit for appeals decisions mandated by the Senior Executive accountability provision of the Choice Act.”
The legal merits of Gibson’s counterargument are unclear, but as far as he is concerned, the VA views the Merit Systems Protection Board’s (MSPB) decision as unenforceable. This means the board’s decision “does not entitle Ms. Weiss to return to VA employment.”
Even before the MSPB released the full decision, Gibson said he would not allow Weiss to return to her previous position as head of the Albany medical center, nor would she be allowed to assume directorship at any other medical center. His latest statement reveals an intent to prohibit her from any VA employment, whatsoever, which is somewhat of a shocking move given how lax the department has been in holding its questionable executives to account.
Whether the VA will actually try and oppose the MSPB is unclear, although Gibson certainly hints at the possibility. He especially expressed outrage at the fact that while the judge agreed Weiss failed in her duty to protect veterans and remove a nursing assistant from her position, firing was viewed by the administrative judge as simply too harsh and “unreasonable” a punishment. “I could not disagree more,” Gibson said.
Not only did Weiss fail to remove the nursing assistant, but she rated that assistant as “Excellent” in a performance review.
Officials at the VA are currently brainstorming strategies to remove all executives of the right to appeal before the MSPB, which would allow the department to remove bad eggs without having to deal with the long appeal process.”
What this means is that NEITHER of these two sleezeballs are going to get their jobs back NOR are they going to get paid the money they stole.
Seems the article writer neglected to mention that very important fact.
Yep, that’s a shocker. Hopefully she won’t end up like Kirk reports, a big fat separation check with perks.
I got my subtle message from the VA today. A bag of prescriptions that I have told them does me no good, for months, …….and laxatives. No prescribing names on the meds. No pain meds like the ‘new and improved chronic pain clinic” said I was to remain on. But my latest foreigner primary refused as usual to keep my care constant and continuous like many years before her or any other new ones. I have lost track of the revolving door of primaries and the like I have had over the past several years. There still was no referrals to my usual clinics because the new MD can’t do her damn job. Too late. They can play their games, I am done with them and told the last PA by phone message I was done with them all and no longer trust them or care to play the VA games. Laxatives??? They must think I’m full of shit. How nice of them. I have two more corrective surgeries now to go through the end of the month because of their “Excellence” of care. BS. Glad I am done with them idiots.
An aside. If you refuse to sign a special contract with the VA over pain meds, announce that their talks/counseling only healed your pains, the head dope is fantastic stuff, and bow to their high insane expectations, we aren’t team players and must be driven out……….. or destroyed it seems. Oh yeah. we are to…”smile and never act or admit we are in any pain, ever.” Thus sayeth the gods of the VA and their new pain clinics.
The crap at Roudebush VA needs shut down, moved, Just ceased and investigated.
Or the two sleazeballs (i assume you mean Weiss and the nurse, but I don’t see what they stole), sue the VA for not getting their jobs back based on the MSPB decision arguing retaliation, costing the VA thousands more in attorney fees even if the VA wins.
@Daniel Grey
Sorry I’m not in agreement with your hypotheses! I believe this is a (failed) attempt on Gibson’s part too say, “See, I’m standing up for veterans!” Or, “See, I’m not going to stand by and allow your (MSPB or union) board dictate anything to me!”
Daniel, I stand by my “rebuttal” (posted here @ 6:42 am this morning) against Gibson, and anyone else in VA’s Washington’s Bureaucracy, who “claim they are in it to help veterans!”
There’s been way too many FUBAR’s committed by VA’s upper management to let them have “pass”!
This has been, and always will be, my opinion. Over the gross mismanagement by the VA!
The VA has been thumbing it’s nose at Congress since 2002, and perhaps even before. The treatment of the Vietnam Blue Water Navy was in direct opposition to the intent of Public Law 102-4.
In 1977, the first claims of Agent Orange exposure came flooding into the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). But it took 14 years for Congress to actually listen, take action and give our Vietnam veterans the benefits they deserved.
The Agent Orange Act of 1991 was implemented to provide much-needed care to veterans who were exposed to the harmful chemical cocktail Agent Orange. Many of us thought the fight to get the medical attention we deserved was over, but that wasn’t the case. In 2002, the VA amended its initial plan and excluded thousands of “Blue Water” Navy vets — who served right off the coast — from receiving our rightful benefits. Because we hadn’t served on land, the VA tried to say we were unlikely to suffer the effects of Agent Orange poisoning. Even though we didn’t serve on Vietnamese soil, we were still exposed to Agent Orange. In fact, a 2011 study by the National Institute of Medicine found that Blue Water veterans could have been exposed in multiple ways, including via the ships’ water distillation system and through the air. The 2009 IOM update stated “Given the available evidence, the committee recommends that members of the Blue Water Navy should not be excluded from the set of Vietnam-era veterans with presumed herbicide exposure.”
We are asking for your help in urging Congress to pass legislation (House Bill H 969 and Senate Bill S 681) that will reinstate our right as Vietnam Navy veterans to receive the benefits we deserve for being exposed to this terrible chemical.
Nearly 90,000 Blue Water vets are depending on you. We are dealing with serious health issues that range from cancer to diabetes, and from Parkinson’s to heart disease. Many of these diseases have made it nearly impossible for some of us to get steady work.
Last year, the VA finally extended benefits to Air Force crew members who flew in C-123s after they had been used in Vietnam to spray the toxic cocktail. The VA came to the realization that even the slightest exposure to this chemical had serious effects on a soldier’s health. So why are the Navy vets’ pleas being ignored? We breathed the Agent Orange-polluted air that drifted from the coast and drank water sprinkled with the herbicide, and now our bodies are paying the cost.
We ask you to stand with us, (and with Representative Chris Gibson, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, and others to demand that the VA assume responsibility for the effects of Agent Orange on Blue Water vets. Please sign our petition asking Congress to pass House Bill H 969 and Senate Bill S 681 and give us our benefits.
https://www.change.org/p/u-s-house-of-representatives-give-the-vietnam-blue-water-navy-veterans-their-presumptive-rights?recruiter=174924799&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=copylink
@Daniel Gray-
I specifically recall you coming to same firm belief that Rubens and Graves would be forced to pay back their ill-gained $400,000+ in fraudulent moving/relocation expenses…and see how that went? Reinstated and keep the cash. Now do you understand the deep cynicism in Sloan Gibson’s ranting of nonsensical maddening grandstanding?
Do not drink that Kool-Aid…it’s meant to deceive as it’s main ingredient.
To All
Here’s Mr. Trump’s email address;
veterans@donaldtrump dot com
Get your messages to him!
To reform the VA you MUST do away with Civil Service protections…
In my opinion, ALL the VA rats, from McDonald, Gibson on down the line, are trying to figure out “HOW” they can keep their jobs!
IMO, again, Gibson’s bark is like a whimper. There is absolutely NO bite. The MSPB will force VA to rehire Weiss in a “backroom deal!” As has been taking place in Washington for too damn long!
The only question is; WHERE to place her?! Back in Albany? No! I believe she’ll be transferred out west. Which means she’ll receive “moving expenses”!
Maybe I’m wrong, IDK. Only something is definitely occuring in Washington. Maybe it’s that “Dog and Pony Show” everyone keeps mentioning!
Or maybe it’s because this year is an “Election Cycle!” And, IF a certain person were to be elected. All the “career politicians”, “agency appointees” and other government officials, on thin ice, are trying to figure ways to “appease constituents”. And in the process, keep their jobs!
This Cincinnati Scandal is the one, as someone commented on yesterday, where many VA employees in the “mid to lower rank and file” is keeping their eyes on. Because, I believe this IS the first time where a large contingency of “Whistleblowers” have come forward at one VAMC. To show the American Voter WHAT is really happening!
IF this is the “Scandal” which breaks VA’s back. I believe larger contingencies of Whistleblowers will emerge from MANY VA’s nationwide. They will “spill the beans” on ALL the corruption which VA has gotten away with for decades!
I also believe, because of the way the “Current Wave of Veterans”, (The First Gulf War until Today), have been treated, ie; being called “Terrorists” by this current POTUS and corrupt administration, POOR healthcare and “abysmal records keeping” to name a few, WILL BE AND IS the reason most have, and will, come forward to “protect them”!
Someone mentioned about a “VAMC Scandal” taking place out in Denver. I believe it had something to do with “Meds”. The person mentioned about many veterans needed to be contacted (3,000) over HIV or something like that!? If he comes on today. Please give us the “link”. So we can “spead the word!”
If anyone else out there hears or reads articles about corruption at VA’s nationwide. Put the links here in Ben’s “coments section!”
Let’s keep the pressure going. It’s definitely working!
Crazy Elf,
I think the investigation in Colorado was mentioned by 91Veteran and although it is not involving the VA. He mentioned it to demonstrated how a medical facility should respond when someone is caught stealing drugs from a medical facility.
What he posted was “To provide more contrast, there is a news article today from Denver in which a medical tech has been fired and is facing 14 years in prison for tampering with patient narcotics. The hospital is contacting almost 3000 people for HIV and Hep C testing. Meanwhile, the VA would ignore the perp, possibly suspend them or look like other way while the perp sold drugs on VA grounds like at Tomah.”.
@Kirk R, “T” says and namnibor
Kirk, it took me awhile, but I found the article 91 Veteran wrote about. Your correct. It’s about Civilian healthcare and the many dangers within! I was just coming on here to comment about what I had found. When I noticed your correction! Thank You, Brother!
To “T” says
You may remember how Vietnam Vets were treated when we returned. I don’t need to expound any further on that issue. Because EVERYONE was a “RAMBO!”
@namnibor
I do believe this “Cincinnati Scandal” just may be the “feather which breaks the camels back!”
If you’ll notice ABC & NBC have fudged the poll numbers on Mr. Trump. IN REALITY, CBS and other news outlets are informing the voting public the “True Numbers”! Which shows Mr. Trump as “…having a commanding lead!”
Yes, IF it hadn’t been for Mr. Trump stating facts since he started his “campaign”. We wouldn’t be hearing anything from anyone.
If you’ll notice, all the politicians called him a liar at first. Then they jumped onto his “coat tail!” To imply they were first. What a crock of crap!
In South Carolina, a law suit has been brought against the Govenor and a few agencies to stop the influx of Muslim Refugees and others from Mexico and South America!
It’s being brought by a number of “Concerned Citizens”, not Mr. Trump!
There’s a great many new articles coming out about this in “Conservative News Sources!”
Elf, you hit the nail on the head. It’s all about “deals” and politics. Diane Feinstein (Dem-socialist-commie) stated that veterans are dangerous, should be dis-armed, not trusted. That helped put us on the POTUS watch and terrorist list. That sentiment was reflected in some of our orientation classes for depression to chronic pain issues. “Veterans are all alike and should be treated in kind, as one not as individuals.” Punished too for asking to be treated as individuals not as a huge group or as criminals. We don’t know ourselves and all are potentially dangerous and totally irresponsible. Those sentiments we are told come from the top as well as from the AMA, boards, politicians, etc. So we keep watching most things being the same, the games, deals, moving the rats around to harm others instead of actually changing things and attitudes because we may offend someone or make them lose six figure incomes, or possible loss of medical credentials and the “professional courtesies” to do no harm to other so-called professionals or politicians will remain in force. Unless people protest as much as they follow Hollywood or fill sports arenas like the Romans did savoring entertainment and distractions instead of taking some stands by the multitudes to change things. Voting and speaking out will not do it. Too much passing the bucks and cover-ups with the help of a un-caring lying media.
In previous posts I’ve tried to list all the connections, the networking, and their ability to silence any outspoken people. It goes far outside the VA too, into daily life and other affairs once we are known to be “outspoken.” It’s about control, positions, “Politics,” money, perks, special interest agendas, including all concerned trying to make it all look good and publically appeasing. etc. Cities, towns, colleges, etc., don’t want to hear truth under the facade of all looking good and perfect. It’s really all encompassing and there is no dealing with it, or trying to expose it as being a national issue, and a horrendous one at that for many.
@crazyelf and all-
Yu all nailed it. The VA’s spin cycle is in overdrive because the ice is becoming thinner and I truly hope this Cincinnati VAMC scandal does exactly what you said, and make more people feel safety in numbers in coming forward and exposing the rats, and in an ideal world, the rats al jump ship. Many will need more than a swift kick from obstinate defiance and some simply because of their girth, or fat asses.
The Union needs to be decoupled for anything to happen with teeth…a VA Tea Party, if you will.
I think this also kind of explains the cryptic way the VA notified in scripted messaged about the Cincinnati VAMC scandal late on a Friday of a 3 day Federal Holiday weekend, trying to bury it in the election spin.
Let’s all send the links to Trump via email about the recent Cincinnati VAMC scandal…as things heat up, we may as well take advantage of that national platform, even if you do not like Trump, he’s the only one saying the things nobody else has dared to until now…I like change and people with balls.
🙂
I try to send links and tell of my own experiences whenever I can including Trump, Faux news, ad infinitum.
I tested this forum from the start using my real name. It took just a matter of days to hear of the repercussions of it here locally when I mentioned Indiana and those in cahoots with all we here have had to contend with in and outside of the VA. My grapevine locally shut down because of local politics and families involved with the VA corruption, abuse and neglect we get here. One Patient Advocate let it slip of my “online accusations and activism against the Excellence of the VA.” Especially when certain “teams” or clinics were mentioned. Actually there is just so much going on today, so many enemies and corruption it’s impossible for one person or a fearful handful to deal with it or even try to keep up with all the oppressive elements in our country today. Freedom of speech and the censoring the most increasing issues for “offending someone or group,” “stepping on toes,” to being accused of some family or “mafia” member maybe losing their positions due to our out-cries for some justice, real professional healthcare, and decency. I long gave up on honor, integrity, or truth from the VA and all those connected.
I’ve been online more hoping my info and links to this site may help some people locally or in dealing with the Roudebush VA in Indianapolis. Now Illinois is sending severely ill and disabled vets there for care. Why I don’t know when they have hospitals and better outsourcing than we have in Indiana. So now they have to drive hundreds of miles for care instead of them getting decent treatment locally over there. It’s nuts. The vets I have talked to from Illinois don’t know why either.
Below is more about what we are fighting about… special interest groups and more loss of freedom of speech and their want of censoring. Like SEIU’s MoveOn dot org activist who have no love for veterans or anyone other than the far left crowd. Then why the feds or the VA would use militant and activist unions like that is beyond me unless it’s intentional destruction and power tripping. Whatever those people are not out for betterment of our health care and concerns, just their own agendas.
Local elected officials to the media who are members of such groups don’t give a hoot about our issues or concerns. They go out of their way to see to it we are not heard and censored, or attacked in various ways. IF we are not part of the socialist, open-border, movement we don’t count. If they think we are out to blemish the propaganda and lies they have spent tax dollars on hiring marketing/public relations firms to defend their lies and propaganda, we are simply ignored, dismissed, hated. And for me there is no use attempting going to town meetings or trying to get represented since I am a know dissenter and refuse to jump on their band-wagons of deception and anti-American agendas. This veteran will not hate on others just for an agenda, power-tripping or to be accepted by the lefties, the corrupt on any scale of politics, and control freaks.
IF we are not allowed to upset, offend, hurt the feelings, expose activist militants/the inept at the VA, mistreatment, incompetence, misconduct of so-called professionals, or embarrassment of evil and corrupt people in this nation, it’s over but the crying.
“Dear Concerned American,
SJR 14, a bill calling for a dangerous Article V Convention, has already passed the Senate and could come up in the House Judiciary Committee at any time.
This bill puts the Constitution at extreme risk.
Some well-meaning Article V supporters think calling a constitutional convention will help create new “limits” on the federal government.
And many believe a constitutional convention can be limited to certain types or categories of changes.
But that simply is not true. Article V itself does not back up any assertions that a convention can be limited — and noted constitutional scholars agree.
It’s critically important you contact the Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, Rep. Gregory Steuerwald, and tell him to refuse to schedule SJR 14 for a hearing.
Please call Rep. Steuerwald at 800-382-9841 right away.
Did you know the various special interest groups pushing different Article V Convention measures have formed a coalition?
All of these special interest groups claim to be working toward a convention limited to their own issue, yet they are working together behind the scenes.
Groups like Convention of States — who claim to want a convention to limit the federal government — are working with groups like Wolf PAC — who want to limit YOU.
Lawrence Lessig — a friend to Wolf PAC and former advisor to the Obama campaign — is also on the list of people pushing hard for an Article V Convention.
Lawrence Lessig advocates for legislation forcing you to fund the campaigns of candidates you don’t support by making campaign financing a mandatory, taxpayer obligation.
Like Wolf PAC, he wants a constitutional convention to pass an amendment that would limit your political speech rights protected by the First Amendment.
The Congressional Research Service quoted Lawrence Lessig in a recent report on Article V:
“The beauty of a convention is that it would provide a forum of possibility for conservative Tea Party types… as well as progressives.
The only requirement is that two-thirds of the states apply, and then begins the drama of an unscripted national convention to debate questions of fundamental law. It would be a grand circus of democracy at its best.”
A “grand circus” indeed!
It’s critically important you take action to stop this train wreck before it’s too late.
Please call Rep. Steuerwald at 800-382-9841 right away.
Then be sure to forward this email to your contacts in Indiana.
Elected governments at all levels are trampling on your rights every day and it’s up to you and me to stop them.
But an Article V Convention would only add fuel to the fire.
As pointed out above — a convention CANNOT be limited, so proposals from the likes of Lawrence Lessig would be fair game.
And once everything is said and done, every existing amendment could be utterly dismantled.
Even if “conservatives” managed to propose an idea or two, it would be open season on the Constitution — nothing would be off-limits.
And what “conservative” victory could possibly justify new restrictions on your First or Second Amendment rights?
You’d think with views like Lessig’s, conservatives wouldn’t even be caught in the same room with him.
But he’s spoken at multiple conferences alongside conservative “leaders” in the movement — all promoting an Article V Convention.
These “conservatives” are working with liberals like Lessig, who want to use an Article V Convention to restrict your rights, yet they claim there is no reason for you to oppose a convention!
Literally hundreds of progressive organizations, such as Sierra Club, Code Pink, Alliance for Progressive Values, MoveOn, and “Occupy,” have been pushing for a convention since 2009.
Do you trust THEM to fall in line and rein in the government?
It’s critically important you contact the Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, Rep. Gregory Steuerwald, and tell him to refuse to schedule SJR 14 for a hearing.
Please call Rep. Steuerwald at 800-382-9841 right away.
Some argue if a convention results in proposals to gut our Constitution, it would still take 3/4 of the state legislatures to ratify.
We can’t even get 1/4 of the states to stand against Common Core.
Politicians involved in the convention process will be working double time behind the scenes to ensure their pet amendments get ratified.
And there’s no predetermined time limit for the states to ratify amendments unless the U.S. Congress proposes one, so politicians could have an untold number of legislative sessions to work toward their goal.
Don’t fall for it. Those holding power will stop at nothing to get what they want.
This bill simply MUST be stopped; please take action right away!
For Freedom,
Theodore A. Patterson
Executive Director
Indiana Council for Freedom and Enterprise
SJR 14, a bill calling for a dangerous Article V Convention, has already passed the Senate and could come up in the House Judiciary Committee at any time.
It’s critically important you contact the Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, Rep. Gregory Steuerwald, and tell him to refuse to schedule SJR 14 for a hearing.”
You know namnibor, VA employees will only come forward if they are seeing an impact to themselves as much as an impact on how veterans are treated. If you read about Cincinnati, it looks as if people came forward because they saw themselves being impacted by having their jobs or clinics cut. How long were dirty surgical instruments used and and not reported, or minimally reported before these jobs were cut and people got louder about their complaints?
Today I will ignore the dirty instruments, but tomorrow I will complain about my job being cut AND the dirty instruments.
My point in this is, how loudly would the very first person who noticed those dirty instruments be screaming if they knew their job would be permanently impacted by not reporting it?
State regulatory agencies will stomp on things like medical providers using dirty instruments, and often those providers are mandated by state laws and requirements of their license to report those conditions.
Imagine how fast a VA nurse would report dirty instruments being used like in Cincinnati if they knew they could permanently lose their license for not reporting it?
I firmly believe a huge majority of the problems in the VA are directly related to medical providers knowing full well they can do whatever they want, and their license to practice will never be impacted, because the VA claims they are exempt. I can understand a DOD doctor taking more time to get licensed or being exempt because they move around every few years. VA doctors are not forced to move unless they screw up, so there is no justification for that exemption. If the doctor wants to live in a different state, they should be licensed and regulated by that state the same as private doctors.
I also firmly believe that if veterans want to see rapid change from top to bottom in the VA, we will demand Congress pass legislation mandating VA medical providers follow all state laws and requirements the same as private providers must in the state they are practicing in.
No nurse will ignore dirty instruments if they know their license can be revoked for not reporting it. No surgeon will stand by and allow corners to be cut if they know they will permanently lose their ability to do their jobs.
No VA manager will have a job long if all of their staff quits because they want to protect their license to practice.
If you want to see fast change in the VA, tell your Congressman to pass legislation mandating that.
This may be a long rant, but using dirty surgical instruments on veterans, then the Chief of Staff saying they shouldn’t be so picky just pisses me off.
Crazy elf…I never thought of this until you made it clear, but every veteran should know, if either the WH or others in this administration think of returning veterans as terrorists, why should we be surprised when VA emloyees adopt that attitude and treat us like the enemy?
As for your question about Denver, that medical tech worked at a private hospital in Denver and previously in Arizona, but not at the VA from what I could tell.
My point in mentioning the article was the contrast of him being fired so fast by the hospital, charges being brought and him facing 14 years in prison, and the VA and how they have blatantly ignored or tried to cover up much worse, from sexual assaults on patients to murder.
Given the way the VA operates, he could easily go to work for the VA of he beats the charges.
The Denver Post has the arrticle. It’s interesting that this case developed because someone reported he had removed a syringe with narcotics, and replaced it with something else. Someone took that seriously enough to investigate and now he has been fired. Imagine how much a VA employee could get away with before they even bothered to investigate.
This smells of Sloan Gibson soon having open hands out before Congress for more $$$, and his come-lately opposition to the Board’s Decision seems more like political theatrics, nothing more.
Sad to think tis way but based on what we have NOT SEEN as rulings with teeth, why should we expect anything different?
Mark my word the only thing that will end up happening here is Linda Weiss will be getting a big fat paycheck to walk away from the job and that paycheck will be under the table.
A full copy of the decision can be found at: “https://www.mspb.gov/netsearch/viewdocs.aspx?docnumber=1270807&version=1275891&application=ACROBAT”