Donald Trump To Fix VA If He Has To ‘Fix It’ Himself
Many veterans were thrilled with the 10-point plan presented by Donald Trump to fix VA even is he has to “fix it” himself.
The nuts and bolts of his plan, per his website, is to basically crack down on bad employees, promote honest employees, give veterans a choice for their health care, and create a private White House hotline to help report wrongdoing and ensure problems get addressed. The White House hotline seems like an interesting approach.
WATCH: Trump 10-Point VA Plan
HILLARY CLINTON RESPONSE TO VA FIX
Hillary Clinton’s campaign responded in opposition to the proposals by claiming a Trump Presidency will result in a whole sail privatization of the agency. Politico reported:
In response to Trump’s speech, Clinton’s camp released a statement from Bishop Garrison, an army veteran and campaign adviser, who said the presumptive GOP nominee’s 10-point plan would put America “irreversibly on a path toward the wholesale privatization of the VA.”
“We can and must fix the VA to ensure it provides top-of-the-line 21st century care for our veterans, and Hillary Clinton has laid out a plan to do exactly that,” Garrison said in the emailed statement. “Fully privatizing the VA – the inevitable result of Trump’s proposals – is not a fix at all; it’s an ideological crusade that will only compound the problem.”
This, of course, is completely untrue and ignores the massive privatization of VA that has already occurred under President Obama, President Bush, and since President Bill Clinton.
Does she think we do not know the history here? Perhaps.
She seems to think very little of the overall intellect of the American public. Perhaps her Goals 2000 initiative, which basically exported Arkansas failed educational model to the nation, ensured the masses received a substandard education such that we would not know if she was lying or telling the truth.
RELATED: Hillary Clinton Stands Behind Goals 2000
Personally, I am a longtime Hillary Clinton opponent. I cannot stand the woman and believe she is a pathological liar with no respect for our country or its institutions.
RELATED: NY Times Says Goals 2000 A Failure
DONALD TRUMP 10-POINT VA FIX
The plan itself seems similar to what is being pushed by lawmakers right now – greater accountability for bad VA employees and greater health care choice for veterans. The newest idea seems to be the White House call line.
While all this seems boilerplate, my problem with Hillary Clinton when it comes to VA is that she was in charge of the committees in 1993 that resulted in what we currently have as VA. It took about twenty years for those policies to come to fruition, and now we know her proposals were destined for failure.
So should we trust Hillary Clinton to get another bite at the apple? Hillary’s own policies created the bureaucratic monster we presently call the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Further, when pressed about VA by Rachel Maddow, Clinton tried to explain away the wait list scandal and veteran deaths by stating the problems were a mere rouse orchestrated by Republicans.
The whole segment reminded me of her claim that she and her husband were victims of a vast right-wing conspiracy.
RELATED: Hillary, The VA, And The Vast Right-Wing Conspiracy
Here is the 10-point plan from Trump’s website:
Mr. Trump’s Ten Point Plan To Reform The Department Of Veterans Affairs
- Mr. Trump will appoint a VA Secretary whose sole purpose will be to serve veterans. The Obama Administration has continually placed D.C. bureaucrats’ needs above those of veterans, this will not happen under a Trump Administration.
- Mr. Trump will use the powers of the presidency to remove and discipline the federal employees and managers who have violated the public’s trust and failed to carry out the duties on behalf of our veterans.
- Mr. Trump will ask that Congress pass legislation that empowers the Secretary of the VA to discipline or terminate any employee who has jeopardized the health, safety or well-being of a veteran.
- Mr. Trump will create a commission to investigate all the fraud, cover-ups, and wrong-doing that has taken place in the VA, and present these findings to Congress for to spur legislative reform.
- Mr. Trump will protect and promote honest employees at the VA who highlight wrongdoing, and he will guarantee their jobs will be protected.
- Mr. Trump will create a private White House hotline, which will be active 24 hours a day answered by a real person. It will be devoted to answering veteran’s complaints of wrongdoing at the VA and ensure no complaints fall through the cracks.
- Mr. Trump will stop giving bonuses to any VA employees who are wasting money, and start rewarding employees who seek to improve the VA’s service, cut waste, and save lives.
- Mr. Trump will reform the visa system to ensure veterans are at the front of the line for health services, not the back.
- Mr. Trump will increase the number of mental health care professionals, and allow veterans to be able to seek mental health care outside of the VA.
- Mr. Trump will ensure every veteran has the choice to seek care at the VA or at a private service provider of their own choice. Under a Trump Administration, no veteran will die waiting for service. These days are over starting January 2017.
So what do you think about the plan? What else should he have added?
What I think as a Veteran how many Veterans who share their beliefs to tell their Representatives or Senators
They don’t do anything and can’t do anything.
James Gallegos please don’t surrender you didn’t surrender when the enemies was striking you did you ?
Not stoping. Just not going to ask for any help. !
No one is listening anyway. From the president. Bob McDonald on down. !
I’m at a small town high school ?
Takes my mind off these criminals. !
James Gallegos what are fighting for anyway ….or you messing around…..I am i fighting for a New Veteran Healthcare Law it’s for if a Veteran needs a Healthcare such as if the VETERANS MEDICAL CENTER DOES NOT HAVE A MEDICAL CONDITION SPECIALIST IN THE CONDITION YOU HAVE YOU AS A VETERAN CAN GO TO ANYWHERE YOU WANT BECAUSE AS OF NOW YOU HAVE TO USED TRI WEST another word for Choice Card the reason the Stupid government because the Medical Doctors they send you too isn’t worth a penny ….and I am not going to surrender either.
If you want to reform the VA, you’re going to first have to reform the agency that enables it…CONGRESS
Here’s my take on it… https://donavantwebsites.com/congressional-reform/
Excerpts:
Congressional Reform Act
1. TERM LIMITS
2. NO TENURE/NO PENSION
3. CONGRESS (past, present & future) PARTICIPATES in SOCIAL SECURITY
4. CONGRESS CAN PURCHASE THEIR OWN RETIREMENT PLAN
Just like each and every other American.
5. CONGRESS WILL NO LONGER VOTE THEMSELVES A PAY RAISE
6. CONGRESS LOSES THEIR CURRENT HEALTH CARE SYSTEM
7. CONGRESS MUST EQUALLY ABIDE by ALL LAWS
No special exemptions or treatment. This includes parking in the Washington D.C. district…
8. ALL CONTRACTS WITH PAST AND PRESENT CONGRESSMEN ARE VOID
9. CONGRESSMEN ARE REQUIRED UNDER THREAT OF CENSURE AND EXPULSION AND JAIL TERMS TO ABIDE BY LOBBYING REFORM ACT (see below)
10. CONGRESSMEN ARE PROHIBITED FROM VOTING ON ANY MATTER IF INTEREST TO ANYONE WHO HAS CONTRIBUTED MORE THAN $1000.00 TO THEIR CAMPAIGN
LOBBYING REFORM ACT
Lobbying is to defined as: the act of attempting to influence decisions made by officials in the government, such as legislators or members of regulatory agencies or those who make purchasing
decisions.
The purpose of this act is to restrict lobbying to providing information only.
Anyone who engages in the act of lobbying in any form is to register as a lobbyist and abide by this act…
Lobbying activities shall be strictly confined to providing information.
1. Lobbyists are strictly forbidden to offer any congressman or any staff member or anyone involved in purchasing anything for any branch of the government or anyone connected to them any incentive other than information.
2. A committee will be established to monitor compliance…
3. Public members will be chosen from the american public at large.
4. This committee will be empowered to supervise all lobbying of all branches of government.
5.Lobbyists and members of the White House, Congress and Purchasing authorities, other than those on the committee are prohibited from contacting committee members in any way, except when subpoenaed.
6. Lobbyists who violate this act will be subject to: barring from lobbying activities, fines, jail, public flogging on the White House lawn (OK I got a little carried away.)
6. Members of the White House, Congress and Purchasing authorities who violate this act will be subject to: Censure, being impeached, fines, or Jail, such punishments to be decided by the committee.
AND while we’re at it…
CAMPAIGN REFORM…
All campaign ads must be CLEARLY labeled with the name and organization placing the ad…
Any Media running such must be required to provide FREE OF CHARGE an equal amount of space for an opposing view, such space to paid for by the person or organization placing the ad…(Actually I think this should apply to any and all ads. Can you tell I’m not a big fan of advertising?..LOL )…
Write this up and give it to your congressman and ask it to become law or a vote !
It all makes sense !
Why all the continued mention of Benghazi but no mention of Lebanon?
This one really has piqued my interest. You see I don’t like either candidate but some of you really have no clear ability to be critical and have any analytical skills.
200 plus dead in Beirut, Uncle Ronnie says OK lets go home. No further attacks on the cowards who did it, he never protected those Marines.
Obama trades 5 terrorists. Uncle Ronnie trades 1200 Stinger missiles. How bad was that fiasco? Well it was so bad that the Bush White House actually had to try and attempt to buy back those missiles from terrorists leading up to the war because the missiles were such a threat to our helicopters etc.
How about the time Uncle Ronnie had to go on national TV and say, OK, I was not telling the truth when he did what? Oh that was the time he traded weapons and sold weapons to a terrorist regime, Iran.
So you see it is easy to talk about lies about one party but why not admit both parties lie? I do. There is no point in hiding that fact and any patriot should call the lies out but unfortunately I have yet to meet anyone from either side who can call out the lies.
So Again, Hillary and Benghazi..how many dead? 5 Americans. Ronnie and Lebanon, how many dead? Over 200. Did Ronnie go and attack those terrorists? No.
Did Ronnie sell terrorists missiles? Yes. Did a Republican have to offer terrorists money to buy back stingers so they would not use them on us? Yes.
Facts are facts.
You Trump folks also do not like to look at the mans history. To Say that he is this great American is an utter lie. Look at his past record with Veterans around his business properties. He is an incredibly good liar. Trump and Hillary would make incredible bed fellows because they both have such an ability to lie and deceive the American people.
The least you can do if you like either is to at least admit to how much they lie. Don’t just say but.. she will do this or he will do that. Both are a disaster for America and as far as who will sink this ship both of them will without a doubt.
Choise. Between two evils. Some line Hilary some trump. !
Some on here belittle other’s for their comments. Everyone has a right to their opinion and should be able to express it.
With out being called down. One such person on here belittles anyone and everyone that does not agree with them. !
These type of people act just like VA employees. Retalation. !
You know who you are. ! Remember freedom of speech !
Chill. Your opinion is your opinion and it’s no more important than the next guys.
Trump. Has said a lot of carp. Against most everyone and that’s what many people like. He not going to take any shit. From anyone. !
Who. Ever wins veterans Will still have to fight for their rights. !
i hope Mr Trump wins and can actually implement his VA fix among other fixes. the corrupt Congress as it is now i think will prove difficult to work with. i hope not but my gut leans that way of thinking. i mean parts of this current so called gop is still trying to sabotage Trump! that shows were their loyalties lie. and it isn’t with the America citizens.
hillary and her kind and others in Congress, none have actually “fixed” much if anything at VA or we wouldn’t even be on this blog. we think there is zero accountability at VA, take a look at the Clintons and the corrupt Congress! my goodness, the writing on the walls couldn’t be any clearer.
you think Veterans Lives matter to them? we don’t see much action to support that do we. just empty words.
Around 240 years ago, at the end of 1776, Thomas Paine wrote, “America in Crisis”! He ‘penned’ these words because our newly formed Continental Army was again losing. Losing battles, which could ultimately be the losing of “Our Independence!”
Today, we hear these words being said again. Only it’s not because a “fighting army” is losing. It’s because people are torn over WHO will be best suited to “govern this great nation!”
We today, as in the past year and a half, have heard numerous political figures speak. Many are “career politicians’, like: Jeb Bush, Hillary Clinton, Berney Sanders, etc., etc. They “tell us” what they think we want to hear! Not what needs to be said! And definately, not what needs to be truly accomplished!
Yet, only one has stood up and delivered speeches that incite “patriotism”. Only one has had the fortitude to stand against what most Americans are, or have been, afraid to say outloud! Mr. Trump has said he “…was the messenger…”, and we are his voters!
“Nationalism, Patriotism, Honesty and Idealism” aren’t just words, they’re what makes our country this “Great Science Experiment” Ben Franklin expoused about!
We don’t know how this will end in the next few weeks or months from now.
Next week, and in another week or so, the two “conventions” will be held. Some are saying, they will be “…taken over…” by unscrupulous people. Some say they will be as in 1968’s conventions, ie; complete anarchy. Unlike 1968, the anarchy will be a different kind of ilke!
Many are saying there will be much violence. Thereby, causing ‘Martial Law’ to be enforced by a President who has caused “great divisionism between us!”
Whether this will happen is anyone’s guess. I pray it does not occur!
After reflection, I truly believe our country is headed for greatness again. It will only be great again if we vote out all those who have destroyed our country from within. We know what we must do. What’s keeping us from our task is simple. We must research who is running for office. And only vote for those who believe strongly in a “Constitutional Republic”!
Research all those who have stood against the taxpayers and veterans. Then vote them out!
It was once said; “The pen is mightier than the sword!” Our “pen” will be the “voting booth”!
I pray our voices will be heard!
Trump received multiple draft deferments and a high draft lottery number during the Vietnam War. From his book: “…he still “always felt that I was in the military” because he attended a military boarding school and “dealt with those people.”
Trolling Trump, again? Troll Spray for ‘those people’, Killary Troll~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~ ~ ~ ~
What is your problem?
Clinton is a communist, bull dyke, whattobe obuma homosexual Muslim toy.
LIAR.
You must be the new useless military.
That’s so funny. At least they weren’t shooting at him. what a jerk!
Like Hillary corkscrewing in and dodging snipper fire in Bosnia?
Yeah, I spelled it snipper instead of sniper, exactly as one of her campaign hacks spelled it.
That deferment may or may not be true, I don’t really care since I am not a Trump supporter, but I would think he would not abandon troops on the battlefield like Granny did because she was asleep.
Then lie about it.
For politics.
Like her husband did in Somalia.
Bush/Cheney are war criminals for the Iraq War which resulted in 5000+ American dead and thousands wounded and maimed, not to mention 100,000+ dead Iraqi civilians plus the birth of ISIS. They have much to answer for yet nothing is done! I weep for our future.
You are entitled to your own opinion, but not your own facts.
As a Gulf War veteran, I find you comment about Bush/Cheney very offensive. You are clueless about it.
As for ISIS, ISIS did not exist until Obama abandoned Iraq, fiddled around in Syria, and removed Ghaddafi from Libya.
I just received reports from readers unable to comment as of around 4pm CST. I think I fixed it, but please send me a note if you cannot use the comment feature here.
The plugin is called “Jetpack”, owned by a company called Automattic, Inc., just issued an update internally that seems to impact my comments whenever it happens.
Coincidentally, these interruptions seem to occur whenever discussions about Donald Trump happen on my website.
I am not sure what the issue is but will be researching a different solution moving forward.
Please no tests. I’m no good at them ! Just kidding thanks Ben
Why have you not helped me?
Va ruined my life
Do you care?
Please reply unless you are with the enemy
Richard, I have no clue who you are. I get contacted by tons of readers on a regular basis. Some I recognize but others I do not. This site is not for legal advice but instead where I publish my research and veteran centric news.
Well, the VA already has a “Candyman”, so we need not say Donald Trump 3x in the mirror to see what may happen! 🙂
By the way, did I miss it or has it been hid under a rock? What has come out of THE CANDYMAN @ Tomah, VAMC?
Just seems a perfect current swirl of storms in the news right now to bury fact if/the VA were to reinstate Houlihan. We have not forgotten and I would LOVE for Trump to make him a very public example of a shaming. An experimental shaming.
I like the plan, go Trump
BRAVO ZULU
Just watched on YouTube. He gets my nod. !
I just pray he does what he says. Veterans deserve nothing less and those employees that are or have hurt any veteran better run or get another job.
If not I hope trump gives them free room and board behind jail bar’s. ! And any pension stopped and taken away or bank account seized !
All employees must be vetted. !
Given an option quit or get a pink slip. !
A polygraph for each employee !
VETERANS first in line for all jobs. !
Yes Sir Mr. James
Some parts of Trump’s plan sounded good (they all sound good around election time), but the part that I’m still having trouble with is. Is Donald Trump still serious about privatizing VA healthcare? If he is, then that is not the way to go. Creates more problems and issues.
@sailor65
From what I took from his plan, it doesn’t sound like a “privatization of VHA!”
Because, he said, if you want to use VHA, by all means, do so. If you want to use outside healthcare, that will be your choice!(paraphrasing)!
Can you imagine if a majority of vets decided to go outside for healthcare. The VHA wouldn’t have a wait time scandal, that’s for sure!
Yes. Wait time’s should go down and many veterans would be free of Venditive employees who use the illegal disruptive committee to punish veterans.
make Politicians like Congress and The President have VA healthcare instead of Cadillac Healthcare
That would be a game changer. !
Some have to see and feel it for themselves before they understand. !
Just. Like the crack and heroin use. !
When it was in the low income portion of this country. Nothing was said or done !
It was not until the rich kids started using in high numbers. Was any action was taken. !
Seeing is believing. !
I love it. The only thing that I would add is to point #4. In addition to identifying possible legislation that would eliminate fraud, he should also commit to referring these cases to his AG for prosecution.
Amen to that addition! Very important.
If your supporting Hillary after what this adminisration has done your no better then the RINO’s
Whistleblowers.pay for doing the Wright thing.careing for are Vets.do you care ask Valarie riviello Albury ny Val whistleblowers.
Retalation. Is the VA major weapon. !
Management does the retaliation. !
Whistle blowers need to be protected. Hilary does not see any problems with the VA. Complaints to her. Would fall on deaft ears. !
I pretty much agree with Trumps plan,but I think all the VA Medical Centers and Clinics except for special spinal & tbi centers and mental health clinics should be phased out. It’s time to provide veterans with the best healthcare available and stop wasting taxpayers money!!!
I HEAR WHAT YOU WROTE NOW CAN GIVE ME THE NAME OF REPRESENTATIVE …..I WI’LL CALL YOUR REPRESENTATIVE TELL HIM MY BELIEF HOW TO IMPROVE VETERANS HEALTH CARE. ..SEMPER FI.
TRUMP HAS MY VOTE AND I’LL SHARPEN THE AXE FOR HIM.
Why so many workers from kenya work at v.a.?????
Me thinks it because of big o connection but thought nepotism illegal within v.a. i guess big o overide with secret deals nobody allowed to know about
Trump’s plan to empower the Secretary with the resources to reprimand and/or terminate ‘bad’ employees has already fallen on deaf ears. Congress must provide the VA Secretary with these powers, so unless the People re-elect representatives that cannot be ‘bought and sold’ by special interest groups and clean house (literally), they will not support this measure.
To a bigger issue: I feel those in the VA keep attending to the myriad of peripheral fires around the campsite while blatantly ignoring the root of this issue. The culture is the VA is a toxic waste dump. Work needs to be done to change the culture first, otherwise the care in the VA will always be substandard. It’s not systems that deliver care, its people. Trump can lay out a plan that will change the processes, but the bottom line is the toxic VA culture perpetuates bad behaviors.
Things can only change through NEW positive leadership, with only one objective in mind–veteran satisfaction–by refocusing on the relationship between veteran and provider and strengthening that bond. My point is that most health providers in the VA know NOTHING about what it means to be a veteran. The majority of VA employees that do understand us are not health providers, they work in administration. I think if Trump proposed a plan that would change the culture within the VA many problems would naturally iron themselves out. Why? Because when you have VA providers who truly care for veteran patients it is evident in all their behaviors. God help us all if ‘Crooked Hillary’ becomes President. The VA will continue rotting in its ‘camel dung’ as Crazy Elf says.
Hope everyone is having a great day!
WE ARE THE EXPENDABLES!!!
Over time, during the last 20 years, I have watched health care provided by the VA go from excellent to life threatening. The record speaks to this.
Held captive by age and infirmity, those of us who served in WWII, are easy targets for abuse and this abuse has been heaped upon us in great measure.
It is a sad commentary that those lives, that were not lost on the field of battle, should be forfeited to an agency of the very government they fought to preserve.
Staff an airline in the same manner as is the VA medical system and the planes would be falling out of the sky like rain.
A VA doctor had this to say:
“… Dr. Phyllis Hollenbeck, who worked at the VA in Jackson, Miss., is one of the whistleblowers. Her complaints included an allegation that she experienced pressure to sign prescriptions without the opportunity to see the patients in question. And she said the hospital is not properly staffed.
“Essentially everything that happens in primary care at the Jackson VA can be included under the umbrella of being unethical, illegal, heartbreaking, and life threatening for the veterans,” Hollenbeck said at a House Committee on Veterans Affairs Congressional Hearing in Pittsburgh in September…”
So much has been ‘swept under the rug’ at VA Medical that the resulting humps have taken on Everest proportions. The system is “broke” and incapable of revision.
I draw this parallel:
On August 6, 1945 the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, Japan. It was my nineteenth birthday. Ten weeks later, I went in there; what I saw there that day, or perhaps what I did not see, scared the hell out me and now, seventy years later, it still troubles my sleep to wakefulness.
Our ship was anchored in the waters adjacent to Hiroshima for more than a month and during that time we were unknowingly bathed in the ionized radiation that resulted from the atomic explosion. Years later I would develop cancer.
I thought that never again would I witness such a cataclysmic occurrence.
But, the abominable situation existing within the VA healthcare system is a Hiroshima of sorts. The mushroom cloud rising above it is not visible and the explosion muted but the fallout in terms of veterans whose lives, health and wellbeing were violated is incalculable.
Thank you for your service and your perseverance Angelo.
Very, very well written, Angelo Fragapane. Thank you for your service. May I share this?
“91” Vet, it is because of VETERANS such as you that I will not cease in my efforts to expose these people. Thank you for your service, too.
Katherine, please share this item as often as possible. Thank you also for your service!
Hillary will change the VA operation so that she and Bill get a cut. If her lips are moving she is lying. “I did not send any classified material……..”, At this point what matter…………..”.
AMEN!
Trump’s White House VA hotline. Why would that work any better than Call Me Bob’s VA hotline?
I am guessing, but I am betting the media and leftists in Congress would be searching under any rock in the country to find a veteran who was on hold more than 2 minutes.
As opposed to Mickey McDonald’s hotline that has gone to voice mail for months.
The election hasn’t even been held yet and leftist media is already attacking Trumps proposed hotline.
FRANK WHAT IS TRUMP WHITE HOUSE VA HOTLINE or Bob’s VA hotline
Same old people working at these jobs. Unless they actually fire many of these people 0 will change !
They know NOTHING will happen. Who’s going to stop them.
McDonald told everyone that hundreds were fired and that was a lie.
0 has changed !
Employees. Will laugh at Donald trump ! Old McDonald has a farm and on that farm he had a Donald duck. !
Like. I said of were going to hell in a hand basket. Might as well have Trump. Leading the charge. !
Hilary. Would take us down the same road. Except slower. !
Watch. Thus country will be just like any other country and that’s each other against each other. !
Blood. Guts and no glory. !
Are you prepared. !
To whom it may concern my belief the only way to fix the VA by buggy the S.H.I.T. OUR REPRESENTATIVES and SENATORS…..CAN YOU HEAR ME VETERANS I KNOW I DO .
.
I have never been a Trump supporter, but I may become one given his detailed plan.
He offers details on the most important thing needed at the VA, and the biggest thing missing which is the root of every one of their problems:
Accountability
Without accountability at any level from a thug who beats veterans to death to upper management committing fraud against veterans and taxpayers, nothing will change.
Hillary may have a plan, but much of it will insure the protection of the AFGE, or will never resolve mismanagement because to acknowledge any of it might mean scandal as we see with Obama.
With Trumps details, the media and leftists in Congress will be sniping at him constantly to create scandal, and holding him accountable for every minor detail of his plan.
Hillary had her chance years ago when even Rockefeller and Montgomery were chairing the Senate and House VA committees. She blew it badly when she used vets for a photo op. Back then, there could be no scandal in a federally run health care system because she was pushing a federal health care system for everyone.
Granted, the Clintons have us the Presidential Advisory Committee on Gulf War Illnesses, but that committee was staffed with enough hacks to insure any message was controlled, and nothing bad would be reported.
They were almost successful.
AGREE
Trump. Can have 100 ways. But if he uses the same people who are in the VA system. !
Nothing will change. !
All talk and no action. !
Same spill. Different mouth !
Damed if you do. Damed if you don’t. !
Confidence ( none ) !
As a veteran’s advocate for over 30 years, I have seen many problems within the VBA that do not have to occur.
Trump is in for a surprise when he finds out how screwed up the claims process is.
It would be great if he gets an email addy specifically for valid complaints from claimants.
This would be my first complaint to him (the numbers would change however by time any hot line or email line would be posted at the WH.)
‘Minutes ago I went to the BVA web site ( studying decisions at the BVA web site has helped me succeed in many claims)
Of the 915,284 decisions there, 626,215 have the word REMAND in them.
A Remand means a re do, and more often then not ,a re do of what a RO didn’t do right the first time around.
There must be a way to identify raters who have caused many remands that should not have occurred.
It is a question of competency and literacy. And a main cause of the Backlog.’
I had to delete most of my reply here. It was too long. I will save it for that Hot Line.
And the evidence I have, as a claimant, (and that MANY of you claimants have)
that ROs employ individuals who control the claims process, but who cannot even read.
I had one more thought.
In mid 1994, Pres Clinton touted the VA as the Best government -run health care system in the world.
My husband had a 38 USC Section 1151 claim pending but suddenly felt he should withdraw the claim until I reminded him that Clinton had never been a VA patient and had to be taught how to salute.
Within a few months after that my husband suddenly dropped dead, I got his medical records and proved wrongful death(FTCA and 1151)
I had no IMO, and No lawyer…
but I could read.
The illiteracy/incompetency factor is prevalent in the VHA as well as the VBA.
Berta, I firmly believe Bill said that because he and Granny Felon were pushing a federal take over of the private health care system.
Berta, you can bet the VA tracks how well raters do. I cannot see any other way of their performance being measured.
I highly doubt the VA would release any data under FOIA showing which raters were the top 10 worst in the country.
@91Veteran
I read the same thing on “military.com” this morning that Berta is talking about!
Here’s a couple articles out very recently.
1.)
“Red List News – Will You Accept U.N. Troops Enforcing Martial Law on American Citizens”
from: “The Dave Hodges – The Common Sense Show”
W/video 11 July 2016.
2.)
“American Hispanics Want Trump Wall”
from: Alex Jones, “Infowars.com” –
Short Utube video!
July 11, 2016
Yep, got a feeling, today the TROLLS will be out in force!
Here’s something else Mr. Trump said. If you want to continue using VHA healthcare, by all means continue, (Paraphrasing)!
That doesn’t sound like “privatizing” anything to me!
Another LIE by the “Clinton Camp”!
P.S.
With a majority of vets opting out of VHA healthcare. The VA AND union will no longer be able to lie about “excessive wait times”!
Think about that for awhile. Then VA won’t need a union!
Donald Trump is no fool as I can see it, but there is a serious flaw in the idea. AFGE members do not have to expose themselves their own names to scrutiny when they hide in a committee like the DBC. Who are you gonna terminate? The union has a weapon that they will bring to the table – work slowdown. In ancient China disgruntled factory weavers learned that their shoes if tossed into the loom when eyes were not looking would slow down production without anyone to blame. After all everyone wore the same shoe, called “Sabo” and the shoes got destroyed anyway in the process.
This was later referred to by our modern version of the word we now say as “Sabotage”.
With the AFGE ladership openly defiant about reforms, they will make sure that the Sabo keep getting fed into the machine. If we want that to stop, the AFGE must cease to exist as the sole provider of veteran care. Every watch the hungry hippo vid on VA? Looked like a lot of,them were missing shoes…
AFGE mission for their membership is to preserve the status quo. If it is not neutered, the bloodshed will continue. They have announced openly their hostility to reform which means they have announced openly that they will fight against the best interests of vets (reform) in favor of their paycheck. Trump is no fool, but can a
president neuter the AFGE who have taken over the agency?
I doubt it.
I entirely agree in that the AFGE *must* go away and never ever allow any Union in the VA ranks again….EVER.
I have been a fierce proponent of Unions in the past and even worked doing community organizing for a few years in a major union, but I became rather disenchanted when I realized what we were ‘preaching’ was not being practiced BY the Union itself, treating me, the activist FOR the Union like crap when my health issues finally raised their ugly head…the Union said…keep going….I learned a life lesson in application there as the Union did not practice what it preached because….it was ALL about those precious $$$$$, not so much about the empty shells of words and statements I actually once believed in…because the union said all the right words, with emphasis on ACCOUNTABILTY…but how can you have accountability when the very Union Thugs in upper management did not even prescribe to what I was taught?
I have loss respect for what Unions *once* represented. Now a days, having a Union or a fraction of a Union in a work place is usually hand in hand with sole purpose of acquiring CONTRACTS over the little guy, the independent small business owner…the Union loves to preach against the WalMart business plan but is no better than they.
Yes, the AFGE needs to go. It is the major cancer to the VA and Veterans. WE ARE SICK OF THEM AND MUST GO AWAY.
Hillary is delusional and am embarrassed for the Veteran on her staff that gobbles-up her words as if it will help fellow Vets. SHAME ON YOU.
Note: This should bring out the VA Trolls from under their bridges today. Have Troll Spray handy and air freshener. 🙂
@redturtle and namnibor.
Mr. Trump did NOT mention the union one bit yesterday.
That being said, We all know how he feels about Reagan!
Now that being said. Remember what Reagan did to a union?
Could be Mr. Trump has a “plan” for the AFGE/AFL-CIO as well!
At least, we should think that way. He didn’t build a “worldwide empire” by being stupid!
Remember, Mr. Trump said he will be “unpredictable”!
Even worse than AFGE entrenchment is a fact I discovered over the years. Vets like me remember when they botched Dad’s surgery then got caught……should I even say it? Lying.
Some people remember their Grandfathers becoming maimed. Roseburg VA hospitol was one of the last to perform labotomy on vets. The story in the paper was of a vet who was dragged kicked and screaming against his will into surgery. An ice pick was inserted through the veterans eye socket and the surgeons wiggled it back an forth to disconnect the front part of the brain from the rest.
His life is a living nighhtmare now. My point is this; VHA has created generational hatred for the very buildings that these horrors took place in and vets continue to become hurt or injured by incompetant and lying staff. The folks pick up on this hatred of the bery buildings they occupy from Grandma down to little cousin Joe.
Generational hatred of VHA makes it certain that the customers who had to hold Grabdpas hand over the years because it never stops shaking aince the labotomy will be looking for any opportunity for revenge frankly.
These places are chambers of horror to the patients and the rate of stroke related incidents while waitin for care in the building is very high. My own bloodpressure pegs at scary high levels even after the wait period. With so much hatred flowing from all parts of society touched by vets, how on Earth is any sitting President going to intervene? He cannot change my blood pressure, can he? He cannot change the anguish many feel just seeing that building.
Whether hatred is justified or not it exists, and the VHA people who are new and fresh catch the full brunt. Then, not understqnding that the hate has deep.roots, the rift between doc and patient widen. There is zero patient trust because so very many people hate the buildijg that dragged Grandpa kicking and screaming to have his brain severed in half by VHA. Yep he is still alive. Should we forget about him?
I should have added that I WISH Trump would have specifically mentioned the AFGE but I am thinking when he referred to upper management and lower employees–it will be some plan to rid the VA of the cancerous union. We can only hope, as it’s about all we have.
I find it rather interesting that the major main stream news have effectively diced-up his speech to point the VA sounds like a tiny after thought, when over 1/3 of his speech was about the VA. Deep pockets are very nervous.
I believe he can neuter the AFGE.
All it would take is someone with enough guts, and an army of labor law specialists to announce they will be negotiating a new agreement.
Further, if Trump installed proper management in the VA and made it a place where employees are proud to work without having to look over their shoulder for some AFGE union goon, I believe many employees would never want to become members.
Make the VA a right to work agency, and you will see much the same as what happened with teachers in Wisconsin. After Walkers reforms, schools were no longer being bankrupted by a corrupt union that forced schools to but exclusively union health insurance at double the cost of any other health insurance.
That and other things caused many teachers to decide they no longer needed to pay dues.
Make veterans preference a requirement of every single position in the VA, and you will also see change.
91. I hope your right. ! I’m afraid the American people are gearing up for the worst and Many. Many. People are going to be murdered. !
Hate and greed will be the down fall. ! If it was just the adults effected. I would care less. !
But our children are going to be caught in the middle and I for one will protect them at any cost and I know I’m not alone. !
God help and bless America. ! If he don’t his creation call humanity will destroy it all. !
Were at a cross road. !
I think that Donald Trump is a draft-dodging piece of shit. He is not now, and never has been, a friend of veterans. This is all bullshit hype. For years, Trump has tried to see that disabled vets with special street vendor licenses are thrown off of the streets around his hotel and other buildings he owns because “it looks bad” for shoppers. Just Google it if you think this is not true. If it wasn’t for a Washington Post investigation, he never would have made the $1,000,000 donation to veterans he said he was going to make and, so far, there is still no evidence he has actually made the donation. For years, this scumbag has made promises of charitable donations he said he would make, none of which were ever made. He has lied over and over about how he avoided the draft, claiming it was because he had a high lottery number. This is completely false. Before he ever had a lottery number, after four student deferments, he was found to be 1Y due to an alleged bone spur in an ankle. This made him ineligible for the draft unless there was a national emergency. And here’s the interesting part. While most of his draft record is still on file in New York, the medical “evidence” of the bone spur is conveniently missing. Finally, even if he did have a bone spur, this was a waivable defect. All he had to do was have a very simple surgical procedure and he could have served if he was truly the patriot he now claims to be. When asked about the bone spur, he claimed he could not remember which ankle it was in. He is a piece of shit.
All this anti Trump bullshit from a self promoting piece of shit troll. Go back to selling your little trinkets and trying to sell yourself to CNN as a hero. Better yet go back to Hillary and tell her your trolling failed miserably.
You self centered piece of excrement.
Or maybe you can come back and tell us about your role in the opium trade in Afghanistan.
Damn Seymore, ya beat me to it (on that AFGE – VA TROLL!) A fucking asswipe!
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As far as Mr. Trump’s “10 point” VA turnaround. I like it. He spelled it out pretty damn good on how NOT to run an agency! Or, a business for that matter! What more can be added?!
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Now on to Clinton!
IMHO, Clinton has no idea of what she’s doing. Where is her “plan(s)”? For that matter, Where are her “specific plans” for anything? Has anyone seen them? Can anyone find them on the net anywhere! All anyone gets from her, or her minions, is the “Washington Double Speak”! You know – LIES!
I think Bishop Garrison is lying through his teeth. Just as “Hit-LIAR-y” Clinton, “The Butcher of Benghazi”, (Utube Video my ass), has been doing all her miserable life!
BTW, She hasn’t even had a “sit down interview” in over a 120 days, (I believe sometime mid December 2015!) Many have said she may not be able keep her composure. Especially over certain questions. Which WILL arise! (She came out and lied over what FBI Director Comey said about her!) Or, that she “…may not be able to keep focused…” on the questions!
Because, I hear she’s on many, (anti blood clot), drugs. Maybe, even pain meds. Remember, she took quite a fall awhile back.
Plus, reports have surfaced “…over her excessive drinking!”
Question, is her running for POTUS, just a ploy to get “Slick Willie” back in office?
So no one can criticize the high and mighty, lying draft dodger without paying a penalty? Trump is a dirt bag, woman hating scum who doesn’t have a clue what it means to be a Veteran. His 10-points are without substance and just full of key words taken out of the headlines. How’s he going to pay for it or overcome existing laws? Oh, that’s right, he knows more about laws then anyone just like he likes war even nuclear war! TRUMP IS DANGEROUS.
I don’t expect anyone to pay any penalty, but I expect them to be informed.
Again, I am not a Trump supporter, but given his detailed plan, I would expect it to be more beneficial to vets than any BS trope Hillary offers.
As for his plan coming from headlines, can you provide links to those articles? For both Trump and Hillary?
As for paying for it, whatever his plan might be would be cheaper than the widespread fraud and corruption we are now, and would continue under Granny.
Hillary Clinton has no intentions of helping anyone but herself. She will appoint Slicky into the UN. Which everyone knows he is a draft dodger. Remember he went to Russia to study law.
Hillabeast also is no lady. Between the two of them they have ruined many females lives.
She don’t like kids any of them.
She is a very racist especially against Slickys ex and his son. She has said numerous times there was nothing wrong with the VA until a bunch of us slammed her with a bunch of Articles on Twitter. So she had to change her strategy to get Veterans on her side.
Obama has turned the private sector into the VA. So nobody gets good treatment anywhere.
And guess what Hillabeast will keep it all the same.
Trump is the only one who can get all of this mess taken care of.
Troll me people cuz I do research.
Good to see you here Kat. Keep an eye on that elf fellow.
Stu, now that you have offered your off topic opinion on Trump and the draft, do you have any comment on his 10 point plan or what Granny Felon might do to reform the VA?
I think that Trump is an idiot, and he hasn’t successfully built an empire. He has frequently filed for bankruptcy while having siphoned off money into his own accounts. I’m not pro-Hilary, but I am anti-Trump. At this point we may as well vote for Captain Obvious for President.
I have been a Trump supporter since the start. But it wasn’t until he made clear his views and plans on the VHA that I became a SERIOUS supporter. Money, time, Etc. If I have the smallest of chance of getting out of the VA system, I’m taking it. I’ll NEVER see the inside of a VA HORROR HOUSE again. Redturtle, I agree with you. I can’t get within 2 blocks of the DEATH HOUSE without my blood pressure going KABOOM. And you Suart Steinburg, how much is the afge paying you for writing your spew. Go back to earning your money by sucking Obonzo’s dick. OH you never stopped did you?
Pardon me, I think I am going to vomit, I just read Hillarys name again-uggh. Go Donald!! Straighten this mess out- we are behind you!
@mary
I’m with you! I can’t stand that lying piece of Camel dung!
A few veterans or veterans who support the Republican Party do not represent all Veterans. We need a Veteran in office who bore the ills of war. Also we need Veterans in charge of the Veterans Hospitals even if it a wounded warrior. No one who has never served, does not have a clue about what veterans go through. If Donald Trump is able to lie his way through and degrade people, what do you think he will do in office. More of the same. At least Hillary Clinton will have some compassion as a woman, a mother, a grandmother, and a minority who has been mistreated in public and be willing to listen and admit mistakes. Most politicians are not trustworthy to include a lot of people serving in Congress. They are the ones we need to do their jobs and care for the veterans like they care for themselves call themselves public servants. Name calling will not solve anything. Speaking for those veterans who can’t is something all of us veterans can do for sacrificing our lives and families.
As the incarcerated veterans, they are probably suffering from PTSD or ill treatment coming back home from war. Our country incarcerated more than we have fighting for the nation. They should still get what they earned. Only the laws are made by people who do not serve and they do what they want.
Are you living under a rock? If you want to sell nutball you should do it someplace else.
Granny Felon showing compassion?
She showed she was an ice cold witch when she laughed about getting a rapist off. A rapist of a very young girl.
She showed she had zero compassion when she used Gulf War veterans as a photo op.
She showed zero compassion or a willingness to admit any mstakes in Whitewater, to Juanita Broaddrick who her husband raped or any of the other number of women her husband sexually molested. Her sole intent was to discredit and destroy them to protect their power.
She showed zero compassion being a part of an administration that ran thousands of guns over the border resulting in the deaths of hundreds including 2 federal LEO’s.
She showed absolutely no compassion to the families of those killed in Benghazi when she blatantly and coldly lied directly to their faces.
She was just proven by the FBI director to be unwilling to admit to any mistakes when in fact she was shown to have lied to Congress and the American people repeatedly over the past several months.
You might have some snot nosed hipster on a leftist blog buy this compassion, grandma, mistakes bullshit, but I won’t. Don’t piss down my neck and tell me it’s raining.
YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHO WITCH OF THE NORTH IS.
PATHETIC AL LIAR CRIMINAL.
BETTER CHECK YOURSELVES.
U.S.N.RET
I agree. Veterans who obtain their disability. Should not be penalized for being in jail. !
Their disability does not go away. !
It took me 40 year’s if suffering from ptsd and a TBI. The VA lied about my record’s being destroyed in the saint Louis ? !
I due to the ptsd drank and ptsd and alcohol do not go good with each other and I ended up in the can. !
If they would have not broken the law and I was treated. Maybe just maybe I would have not been in trouble. !
To me taking away a veterans disability.is only another excuse to take away something they obtained legally !
Do they take away social security or private pensions? No !
The VA has had over 100 year’s of people hiring their family and friends.
They have stacked the deck. I’ve seen it time and time again. !
The VA Is broken and it’s has to be closed and all employees must be let go and hired as temporary and vetted. !
All. Management must be removed and New people hired with a strong contract that provides a clause. Where they can be fired when wrong doing is found !
Manager. Must he held accountable for their employees. After all they hired them and employee must report any wrongdoings they see.
If they don’t they would be held accountable. Just like the person doing the wrongdoings. !
It all starts at the top and shit ? I’m told shit rolls down hill. !
Accountability is the key. With out it anarchy prevails. !
Trolls seem to love living under things: bridges, rocks, head in sand…anything that will shadow them from what’s actually going on called the truth and…reality. Tell that Hillary compassionate bull shit to the survivors of Benghazi Attack…not too much compassion there.
Troll Spray~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~ ~ ~ ~