Drain The Swamp

Prospect Of ‘Drain The Swamp’ At VA Guided Veteran Vote

Drain The Swamp

The new Trump motto “drain the swamp” resonated with veterans who were sick of failed VA reforms and apathy by the Obama White House and Clinton campaign.

CNN exit polls showed veterans played a huge role in Donald Trump’s big surprise victory. That assessment revealed exit polls showed Donald Trump’s big surprise was bolstered by veterans who played a pivotal role.

The good news for veterans, whether you are a Democrat or a Republican, is that the VETERAN VOTE MATTERED in this election! But why?

Veterans voted for Trump, an alleged draft dodger and populist candidate, 2-1, despite his flaws. This is a population group that is the least racist and least bigotted group against women out of any majority group in the country. What about his position resonated?

I guarantee that if Hillary Clinton responded appropriately to the wait list scandal and other fraudulent VA union employee actions, she may have carried the veteran vote.

But that is not what she did, and it was likely because of her affiliation with the AFGE Union that caused her to fail to address the needs of veterans. She earned this outcome in large part because the ignored the concerns of over 13 million veteran voters.

Oops. The veteran vote matters, as does the vote of the 20 percent of American voters related to a veteran.

Why did the DNC ignore this seemingly obvious voter bloc? Did DNC ever consider that most veterans are also patriotic and affiliated with faith movements?

DisabledVeterans.org Reader Feedback

Yesterday, I asked readers what a Trump Department of Veterans Affairs might look like from their perspective. That article received 95 comments at the time of this article. Overall, readers were optimistic that Trump will drain the swamp at VA.

Some even had suggestions of who might be the next VA head:

Commenter 1

“Trump can’t be bought off. This means that he can do as he sees fit. He can say what he thinks and he can act with all the authority that the most powerful position in the world can wield. Trump is a man that gets his way.

“Right now Donald Trump is nearing a moment in time that he will take the reigns of the most powerful nation on Earth, the most deadly fighting force ever assembled, and an electorate that has given him permission to go kick some ass inside our own borders. America has given him permission to drain the swamp.

“If he fails, he fails for lack of resolve and he is nobody after all.

“If he succeeds then he really is Donald Trump, The President of the United States. I personally as his new boss expect him to be Donald Trump in office, the same as he was before being crowned King – and the King’s brand new God is called The People. I expect piety and prayer every single day of the new King to his new God.”

Commenter 2

“If he can legally get rid of the AFGE, that would be a HUGE step in the right direction. I don’t automatically assume, that Trump can control VA, no one else ever has been able. I am hopeful, but we must wait and see.”

Commenter 3

“Well Ben, overall a good day . Lots of good ideas today . I’d like to see you in office Ben. I even enjoyed listening to the trolls . Oh well tomorrow’s another day . If only for a moment, it feels good to be a veteran.”

Commenter 4

“How about all of us. Writing to Trump and tell him about how Ben has reached out to all of us using this site.

“I think if we should advise him about the great job Ben has done and how he really cares about his fellow veterans. That Ben deserves a real good look at for the top job at the VA.

“Thanks Ben. Wish you and yours a bright future. May veterans finally be vindicated. The VA has lied too many times about veteran’s or to veteran’s.”

Commenter 5

“One of the likely persons being considered for the position as Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs is Chairman Jeff Miller. House Veterans’ Affairs Chairman will also be retiring this January. He was also an early Trump backer.”

MSNBC Rachel Maddow Warning To Hillary Clinton

Ironically, staunch Democrat Rachel Maddow of MSNBC was one of the first TV personalities to publicly warn Hillary Clinton that apathy toward veteran scandal would force a backlash. And that backlash happened:

“If I had been running a Republican campaign against President Obama last year, I would have run it entirely on VA. A bureaucracy, a bloated big government program, that can’t be fixed. And let’s do right by our veterans.”

WATCH: Maddow Interview Of Hillary Clinton

About the wait list scandal that resulted in veterans dying, Clinton said, “It’s not been as widespread as it has been made out to be.” She was referencing her deluded theory that negative press against VA was part of a false Republican scheme to privatize VA:

“Veterans who do get treated are satisfied with their treatment…. Now nobody would believe that from the coverage that you see and the constant berating of the VA on part of the Republicans in part because of this ideological agenda.”

Maddow warned that problems within VA could be a major problem for Democrats for the 2016 vote. She was right, but Clinton failed to heed the warning.

Of course, I have been covering privatization of VA for years. In case anyone hasn’t noticed, President Obama has expanded the same privatization policies initiated by Hillary Clinton as chair of the Healthcare Committee when Bill Clinton took office starting in 1993.

President Bill Clinton initiated numerous policies geared at gutting the federal government with the goal of “ReInventing Government”. It obviously failed, and many within the federal government including union employees figured out how to screw up the program.

RELATED: POLIFACT – Clinton Claim Trump To Privatize Entire VA ‘Mostly False’

Veteran Vote Ignored Privatization Scare Tactics

One thing VA insiders must consider is the large repudiation of scare tactics focused on false allegations that Donald Trump would somehow privatize VA more than is already in place under the existing Democrat president.

Veterans did not buy it, and the 2-1 vote from the veteran community, and the relatively higher turnout of veterans than normal citizens, should send a message. Veterans want to have a choice in getting their healthcare and they want Trump to “drain the swamp.”

Numerous Independent and Democratic veteran voters flipped their vote this election in response to President Obama’s piss poor inability to oust criminal VA employees responsible for the deaths of many veterans in the nationwide wait list scandal. Hillary Clinton’s public dismissal of these scandals came back to bite her.

Clinton was warned but failed to address the surge of unaddressed VA scandals that festered on the watch of Democratic President Barack Obama.

Curiously, the day after the election was called for President-Elect Donald Trump, VA OIG released a report on the wait list scandal:

“The VA Office of Inspector General substantiated the OSC complainant’s allegation that managers improperly directed scheduling staff to zero out patient wait times at the Ocotillo Clinic in violation of the agency’s scheduling directive. Review of scheduling data showed 76 percent of appointments in the Ocotillo Clinic had a zero-day wait time from December 2013 through August 2014. According to the Primary Care Nursing Supervisor, as well as several of her nursing staff, SAVAHCS scheduler training taught methods that violated VA’s national scheduling policy.”

READ IT: https://www.va.gov/oig/publications/report-summary.asp?id=3814

The timing reminds me, in part, of Iran’s reaction to President Ronald Reagan’s election over President Jimmy Carter when the country suddenly released Americans they were holding as hostages.

How do you think a Trump VA will investigate ongoing wait list allegations that have yet to be resolved? It would not surprise me if VA suddenly resolved its ongoing investigations quickly to avoid shining more light into President Obama’s failure to protect veterans.

Trump Mandate: “Drain The Swamp” At VA

Award-winning reporter Aaron Glantz asked veteran voters about the election and why many voted for Donald Trump, a man who was accused of being a Vietnam War draft dodger.

Despite this possible hurdle, Americans with military service backgrounds had a higher rate of turnout and voted 2-1 for Donald Trump. Surprisingly, many of these voters were not traditional Republican voters.

Here are some direct excerpts from Glantz’s article:

John Oliveira

John Oliveira voted for Hillary Clinton in the Democratic primary in 2008. Then he voted for Barack Obama in the general election. In 2012, he voted for Green Party candidate Jill Stein; and in the primaries earlier this year, he chose Bernie Sanders.

But in November, as the election drew near, Oliveira decided to do something different.

The former U.S. Navy lieutenant commander, who led bombing missions in Afghanistan after the Sept. 11 attacks, cast his ballot for Donald Trump.

“Thirty years in public service and she really hasn’t accomplished anything,” Oliveira said from his home in New Bedford, Massachusetts, where he has been medically retired. “It’s time to shake things up. It’s time to try something different.”

Chris Neiweem

Other veterans said they were attracted by Trump’s caustic rhetoric and outsider persona, including his promise late in the campaign to“#draintheswamp” – make government honest again.

“He had me at drain the swamp,” said Chris Neiweem, an Iraq war veteran and political consultant in Virginia who split his ticket, voting for Trump and his local congressman, a Democrat.

“I was voting on VA issues,” Neiweem said, “and it was an anti-establishment rejection of the political-industrial class of unions and managers at the VA who conspire against us.”

“I see Trump as a clean slate,” Neiweem said.

Ryan Honl

“All I know is that Trump is sending fear into the very status quo special interests I despise,” said Ryan Honl, a Gulf War veteran in rural Wisconsin who blew the whistle on the massive over-prescription at the VA hospital in Tomah last year.

Though the hospital’s chief of staff has been fired and the VA has rolled back narcotic prescriptions nationally, Honl said many senior hospital managers responsible for the scandal have simply been shifted to other facilities.

Honl voted for Obama twice, in both 2008 and 2012, and for Democrat John Kerry in 2004 before that. But in the months before this election, he worked overtime to elect Trump and re-elect Republican Sen. Ron Johnson, who decisively held on to his seat that many observers thought might flip to the Democrats.

So will Trump follow the mandate he received from the veteran community to drain the most infamous swamp in the federal government, the Department of Veterans Affairs?

Will he break the back of the federal unions that have reputations for obstructing reforms within the agency to the detriment of the veterans it is supposed to serve?

Indepentend News And Failure Of Establishment News Media To Report Accurately

One untold story here is the power of alternative news sources like this website except on a national platform. It’s important to reflect on who was right and who was wrong. Hint: budget of the organization did not matter.

I would like to highlight a couple resources that helped inform my understanding of where this election was going:

Here are some news resources that were often wrong in the polls and in assessment of messaging from the candidates despite enormous budgets and legions of reporters:

  • New York Times
  • CNN
  • Fox News
  • MSNBC

I can definitely empathize with protesting Democrats who are shocked at the result of the election. Their news sources were plainly wrong.

My Voting Booth Experience

Personally, I stepped into the voting booth without a firm decision who I would vote for after having my vote for Bernie Sanders disrespected by the DNC establishment.

Looking at my ballot, it struck me that I no longer knew, based on the ballot descriptions, what any party stands for with a couple exceptions.

For example, DNC / Labor Party (in Minnesota) now seemingly stands for Wall Street, Big Insurance and Foreign Interests (Saudi Arabia) just like the insiders of the RNC, and not for working class people. (My description excludes Sanders or Trump, who I view as populist candidates that did not adhere to all traditional political alliances.)

Labor, one would think, would mean the party would support workers. However, my analysis of the parties now indicated the DNC is more focused on outlier groups rather than its old base of “labor” meaning people who are not elite intellectuals like Garrison Keiler addressed in his embarrassing diatribe of Americans lacking financial wealth.

READ IT: Donald Trump won. Let the uneducated have their day.

Curiously, Keiller made a lot of money from writing about and performing about the small town experience he now denigrates as being inferiorly “uneducated”.

HRC Could Take Note From Pot Party

The only group I could easily discern their position was the “Legalize Marijuana Now” party. I voted for them in the local election because that makes sense to me. The pot prohibition is stupid and it has always been stupid.

I don’t even smoke pot, but I did in a past life and know enough to know its an ineffective prohibition when compared to the enormous death and injury rates caused by legalized drugs like alcohol or pharmaceuticals.

I was a believer that Bernie Sanders could beat Donald Trump who could beat Hillary Clinton. I voted for Bernie but ultimately flipped for Trump given the prospect that Clinton with continue to allow veterans to be victimized by VA employees, apparently like many other veteran voters.

I cannot allow future abuses of veterans and will do what I can to stop it. In my estimation, voting for Trump was the most immediate thing I could do, and apparently other veteran voters agreed. Anyone who chides me for this decision can piss off. If I am a member of any party, it is the “Anti-Dead-Veteran Party”. This is a party AFGE will never join.

We now know this prediction was at least correct as it relates to Trump v. Clinton. What about Bernie? Do you agree that voting for Trump over Clinton based on the risk to life and health of veterans posed by Clinton was a reasonable decision made by many veterans?

Impact Of DNC Manipulations

Let’s also note that John Podesta and the DNC attempted to rig this election. The DNC provided a candidate Democrats did not want while inflating candidates like Donald Trump who they thought Hillary Clinton could beat.

Based on the Wikileaks emails (apparently leaked by various elements of the American intelligence community actors), there was more going on under the covers than most voters realized.

These emails are dubiously named “The Podesta Emails”. Here are some issues unhappy DNC voters need to know:

If you have voted Democrat as I have, and you are pissy about how this election turned out, you owe it to yourself to read the leaked emails and start looking at alternative news outlets with less funding but more accurate assessments of our political situation.

<<I LINKED TO THOSE ABOVE>>

Hillary’s gamble to rig this election failed, and unhappy Democratic voters should turn their angst against their own party elite who thought they knew better than Democratic voters.

My estimation this year was the year of the populist candidate. But this is no surprise.

In a leaked speech to Goldman Sachs, Hillary Clinton acknowledged the 2016 election would be the year of populist voters unhappy with establishment Republicans and Democrats. So why did DNC not support Sanders?

Instead, DNC pushed an establishment candidate through manipulations of the primary and those same manipulations backfired during the general election.

My Take On The VA Swamp

That’s my take. And I do think Trump will “dredge the swamp” in the Department of Veterans Affairs. There are many leaders in the agency who actively engaged in fraud that was confirmed.

But for the active corruption of those superiors, those same idiots would be out of a job. I am directly talking about Diane Rubens and Kim Graves, two idiots who are probably sweating bullets right now.

The status quo will end. And both parties should take note that no amount of media and election manipulation can “trump” the populist movement.

I believe Bernie could have beat The Donald, but the establishment apparently thought their manipulations could sway the election.

Regardless, as a true independent voter, I am glad a non-insider won this election, and I am ready to serve if President Trump asks for help implementing radical reforms to drain the swamp in the most corrupt and secretive agency of 2016. I made the same offer to Obama in 2012, and here we are.

I made the same offer to Obama in 2012… and was largely ignored. So here we are.

Trump v Sanders

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113 Comments

  1. Something has to be done to employees acussing veteran’s of disruptive behavior. They punished me year’s ago and made me travel 120 miles round trip for 5 year’s

    Before they would let me be seen again at my local clinic Martha Martinez of the la junta cboc has not only falsely accused me of disruptive behavior and did not have to furnished any proof. She has turned her staff against me

    I do not want to be treated by them. But on Thursday I became sick with flu like symptoms. I called the cboc and had to leave a message with the nurse

    She did not call back and I had a sore throat and having a hard time breathing. So I went to the cboc and asked if I could be seen. As I thought I may have Streep

    The nurse took my vitals and said I will let the pa know and said take cough surypt and aspirin. End of story and I left !

    Called them back advising them that I could hardly swallow or breath. Was told well you can come in and we will take a culture for strep

    But since Friday is veterans day. We can’t send it to Denver until Monday

    Friday. I got worse and went to the emergency room and was told I had acute bronchitis and a upper respiratory infection

    They said I needed antibiotics and breathing treatment and an inhalier

    If I would have not went to the Emergency room. When I did. The infection could have killed me

    The VA said we will order you some syrup with codine. Told them you know I’m allergic to codine

    I was never seen by the pa. Nor was I offered to see the pa

    Employees making false allegations about veteran’s and then turning the staff against the veterans Must stop

    It’s criminal. This is a small town !

    Stop veteran’s abuse. Veteran’s lives matter !

  2. I am a 100% disabled veteran and even though I am unemployable & mental & physical stress can lead to unstoppable seizures I would welcome the chance to volunteer for Trump’s campaign to stop VA problems for veterans even though it would mean placing my life at risk for my life has already
    Been put at risk by the lame VA system. For all I asked for when I first came to the VA was help and all I got was increased insensitivity for my conditions. So I had to pre medicate myself every time I went to the VA so not to have panic attacks uncontrollable leg and arm shaking and a few seizures. And the topper was when they asked me if I ever tried to kill myself in front of my son and I showed them my wrists scars I had to leave the room for I feared for what I would do & only because my son was in the room I did not loose it. So I left the room and took more medications and left shaking uncontrollably & didn’t come back for years and suffered even more for the torture they imposed upon me.

  3. Google this on Utube, Mary.

    “NBC Incites Race War”

    (03:45 minutes)

    Lester Holt is really part of the problem!

    1. On CBS at 7:45 pm edt, the moderator spoke about a newscaster wanting a “Race War”! It was probably the newscast from Lester Holt yesterday.

      I never voted for Obama, either time. That said, I also didn’t go out and protest, cry or destroy people’s property. As a matter of fact, I don’t remember ever seeing or hearing of that happening by Republicans! I guess we have better morals than most Dumbocrats!
      So, again, if the “Spoiled Brats” want a race war, they’d better be very careful as to where they want to start it.

      Have y’all seen what’s taking place in New York City around Trump Towers?

  4. Here’s a Utube video y’all should watch. Although there’s been corruption emanating from Washington DC for quite some time. There’s many Utube videos out now, saying the job of “vigilance” is not over. We must “stand beside” President Elect Trump, to insure he gets the job done.
    That said, from;
    Wayne Levi Price of “WeAreTheTribulationSaints.com”

    “Warning: Trump is Already being Infiltrated – WOW”

    He has a Newt Gingrich video of how Trump should proceed. Newt speaks on the VA and border. This was from an earlier video from “The Sean Hannity Show” yesterday, I believe.
    (19:58 minutes)

  5. I don’t know why so many are saying a “surprise Trump victory” I wasn’t! The mainstream media tried to brainwash everyone…but, really, are you surprised Trump won? Wasn’t anyone paying attention to the people out there?

    1. Mary, the MSM is still trying to “brainwash” the Americans. Even right now on World News, the “crap” is being spread nationwide against President Elect Donald Trump.
      They’ve shown exactly what they are all about, deceptive extreme liberal punk-ass antagonistic little crybabies. Who didn’t get their way. Just like all those crybabies who are out in public, in 10+ cities, destroying property and play acting like “SPOILED LITTLE BABY BRATS!”
      That’s what has happened to this young generation, by being “politically correct” and taking “corporal punishment” out of the school system.
      Let me ask;
      What’s wrong with “the board of education”? I’m not talking about people, I’m talking about a “piece of wood”, hickory!

      1. Hickory with .5″ holes drilled for aerodynamics…give them a Physics lesson at same time. 🙂

    2. I wasn’t surprised Trump was elected given the sentiment of many in the country. The corruption, lawlessness, unemployment, Obama care premiums more than most people’s mortgages, etc., meant many people were desperate and angry, and would have voted for anyone vowing to clean it up.
      A good example are the comments here about Granny ignoring the scandals in the VA.
      What did surprise me was the lack of reporting of vote fraud or other attempts at screwing with the process on election day. I sincerely believe we would have heard of many examples if the returns were closer in some states. Any sane person looking at the State by state returns can see in several states, it wasn’t even close.
      On top of all that, there were the Podesta emails showing how badly the DNC and Granny screwed their own supporters, along with the Project Veritas videos…I think that caused millions to stay home.

  6. Personally I believe that a good start to draining the swamp at the VA would be to put Health Net and Tri West in charge of the AFGE health insurance program.

    1. You have to be kidding. I’m a Health Net Choice veteran. Health Net because that is the only Choice choice I have. And it is an unmonitored contract. Service is terrible unless all you need is a PC visit for medication refill.

      What is AFGE if it isn’t a contract that isn’t enforced? It is out of the frying pan into the fire with Health Net.

      1. No Lem,

        I am not kidding. I really do feel they need to have Tri West and Health Net administer the AFGE health care program. Personally I would like to see the AFGE union members get a taste of the BS they call health care for Veterans.

        I would even support having AFGE union members be faced with nurses, physician assistance and pharmacist being their primary health care provider. Since they wanted to ram it down our throats.

        Why not give them a taste of their won medicine?

      2. Then Seymore, you have to fix Health Net so that it is actually better than those AFGE members that provide good care in most places.

        Health net doesn’t guarantee you won’t see a NP instead of a neuro surgeon. I know I was sent to a neurosurgery clinic. The NP took the MRI disk I provided which was done in Denver and read by a resident under the supervision of a teaching radiologist and the NP decided to cut out my name and overlay a text book picture of minor arthritis of the spinos over my MRI of desiccated discs with moderate stenosis affecting the spinal cord and some of the neural forema.

        So you can take Health Net and shove it.

    2. Champas works well I’ve heard…Certainly better than the HealthNet service I’ve been exposed to…40+ mile drive to my Cardiology provider, outright refusal to change to a closer provider, slow enough to approve visits that I lost appts twice after making 45 min drives there and finding the approval wasn’t there even though clinic had asked for approval weeks in advance…lost another appt. because I contacted the clinic before making the drive and the approval wasn’t there yet…Absolutely on explanation why when I inquired to HealthNet…

      The cardiologist that put in my Defib/Pacemaker has an office literally a 3 min drive away but they wouldn’t approve him for me because he refused to waive doctor/patient privilege…I can go on…

      1. I agree with you Don. We are worse off than if we lived close to a VA Medical Center. Preferably a large one that could get you in to the specialist you need to see when you need to see one.

        I don’t doubt there are bad VA Clinics and Medical Centers. I experienced such a clinic 30 miles away. Glad I wasn’t assigned there because it is “out of the territory of the Cheyenne, WY VA Medical Center and I am in the Cheyenne territory which would make me drive 81 miles or use a truck and be seen by less than a PA and a work at home physician over a TV monitor. One that didn’t notice I wore hearing aides and ask the attendant to turn up the volume for me a couple of times. Her report, I had no difficulty hearing.

        In other words her job depends on entries diminishing disabilities. No harm done by her report on me because I’ve had my compensation for hearing for 32 years, well over the length of time for which it cannot be lowered or removed. But what about someone who just got out with a hearing loss that would be compensable.

  7. The self-congratulatory tone of superiority when so many will suffer from this is what makes this worthless .org and this blog so revolting. Your moral compass clearly includes only people exactly like you. The information here can be found hundreds of other places on the web. I’m thinking FTC complaint.

    1. Trolling Trolling Trolling. Looking forward to the upcoming investigation and trial for your girl Hillary. How many years do you think she will get?

      If you don’t like the conversation at this site there are a number of other sites that support your experienced loser that you voted for. No one is stopping you from going and spending your time there. Since the only thing you do here is complaint and whine constantly.

  8. Perhaps our President can begin draining the swamp with John Burch Jr. VAOIG, as I understand, found him guilty of fraud and theft, (misuse of funds), while chairing a veterans charity. He at same time, works full time job for the VA. Seems they made him quit the charity work, fined him, and he’s back to work. There is no justice here .

  9. I knew when Mrs Clinton would not discuss veteran issues on the Rachel Maddox show debating Mr Trump was an eye opener. I wrote Obama, Biden and McDonald no response to my letters concerning VA. The gentleman who thought it was because he is white they acted they treated some black veterans the same way or worst. The VA Hospital in Washington DC was a cesspool of maltreatment especially by the nurses and the Administrative Offices no professionalism. You could tell the VA was put there for them not a veteran. I was put in Bethesda Rehab Hospital and the service was great and very caring.

    1. Am thinking a good number working in the VA system are just so miserable with their own lives that they lash-out at any Veteran, regardless of race, sex, sexual preference or lack of, if you breath you are irritating some of them, some more than others, depending on the added personal bias. We are all Vets and human beings. We need no division amongst us.

  10. From; “Fox Live” today,
    “News Alert: Trey Gowdy Returns To Washington Amid Rumors Of Him Becoming Attorney General”
    (03:58 minutes)

    There’s mention of a “spread sheet”! On it “…was a ‘build the wall’ box…”. I believe President Elect Trump will try to “Drain the Swamp”!

    I watched Obama and Mr. Trump speak today. In my opinion, after their 90+ minute ‘closed session’, Obama was nervous! I believe Mr. Trump listened and then let Obama know exactly what’s going to happen.
    I believe there may have been more discussed than just “internal and external policies” by them.
    We’re just going to have to wait and be patient.
    _________________________

    There sure are a lot of TROLLS on here today. More than usual, if y’all ask me!

    1. Pretty sure Ben or the site did a flush, as I did see many of the same post go…POOF. It was a particularly irritating troll, at that.
      Too bad Washington, D.C. does not have a master flush lever to make transition more efficient.

      I am hoping Trump let Obama know this BLM rioting is going to cease…or else. The National Guard needs some boots on the ground ‘exercises’ to take place to put the fear of the law back in people’s minds again.
      Harsh? Nope. Obama and his Soros buddies have enabled and fueled these flames and I am quite sick of it.
      Why? I personally think Obama has kind of done a disservice for racial tensions in this USA.
      Lawlessness of the citizens reflects the leader’s ability to actually lead. January cannot come fast enough.

  11. Pretty good read on this, but active duty military and veterans usually vote Republican, anyway.

    I think this was only part of the story, though. It also figured into my thinking that if we had committed even 1% of the offenses she committed with classified information when we were serving, we would be under a federal prison somewhere. If she was arrogant enough to disregard protocols while SoS, what would she do in an even more powerful position? The case she tried to make about Trump being dangerous boomeranged on her, big-time.

    I despise the Clintons; so I wasn’t going to vote for her, anyway, but any chance she might have had went bye-bye when she said the VA scandals were an overblown invention of the Republicans to garner political favor. I’m not quite a single-issue voter, but there are three issues that are important to me, and she was on the wrong side of all of them from my perspective.

    A final word on Trump allegedly being a draft dodger. Her husband not only evaded the draft, he also gloated about having done so. In this same letter he admitted loathing the military. How the hell did we ever elect a commander-in-chief who hated our guts when we were serving under him? There’s a lot that has been made about not holding Hillary accountable for Bill’s character issues, but she married him after his feelings about those of us who served were well-known. Bottom line, from Trump’s perspective what he did during the Vietnam era was at worst a wash with the Clintons’ history on that issue.

  12. Hey folks. This morning at 2:00 AM, I was up puking due to the extreme pain. This is becoming the norm. Almost a daily affair now. I have gone from 225 lbs to 177 lbs.. I have gone from weight lifter, construction worker who could swing a sledge hammer 12 hours a day to a scrawny couch slug. In previous posts on Ben’s site I have plainly stated that my ONLY hope was the election of Donald Trump. That has blissfully happened but here’s the rub. Does anyone really believe that the corruption in the VA can be fixed, really? That is not my humble opinion. Mr. President elect, Shut down these medical horror houses and let us get our medical care from the private sector. At least the private sector has rules. The worthless fucks at the VA have none!

    1. Mr Carmona,,I too am a chronic physical pain humanbeing due to medical illness and doctor error,,,ie Thoracic,,,,,,,I went over to that new site,,thee GreatAgain.gov and wrote down everything that has happen to those of us forced to endure physical pain be it from desease,medical error,war injuries,,I wrote that torture and genocide are suppose to be illegal in America,,but recently it has become the medical prescription towards the chronic physical pain due to medical issues doctors are writing now a days,,Well I am sure u know all the terrible wrong things Dr.Government has done to us,,,but,,hey it can’t hurt to let the new administration know what the old administration refuse to hear,,I mean forced endurement of physical pain is torture,and the fact that many,,50 % exactly have been forcible dropped by their doctors due to the fear of the dea and this opiate phobia and pseudo addiction propaganda,,,has forced human beings to suffer and those who refuse to live the rest of their lifes in forced physical pain choose death to stop their physical pain because their meds have been forcible taken,,At least Trump will be made aware of the torture and genocide our government has committed under their watch in that last 8 years,,jmo,mary

  13. Setting all of the bull aside, do the people that voted for this guy really believe he cares for anyone but himself, anyone can say they care but take a look at his history, it’s what can I do to make more money for Donald! Nothing more! What about the donation to a veterans organization he said he made, he only made the donation after he was caught lying about it. Donald is for Donald nothing more. This guy has absolutely no experience in the military or government, not to mention his proclivities to those of a sexual predator! Would any one of you leave your wife, daughter, sister or your mother alone in a room with this pig, be honest, he did tell Howard Stern that it was ok to refer to his daughter as a fine piece of axx on a national radio show and went on to say he would date her if she wasn’t his daughter, makes me wonder! As I was watching the debates and listening to him attempt to arrange a complete sentence and focus on one thing for more than 8 seconds was very disturbing. Believe me, I’m not saying that any of the candidates would do what needs to be done for the our V.A. but am certain that this guy couldn’t come up with a complete sentence as to what he would do to fix it. I want to wish those of you who are expecting this guy to make everything okay a very real good luck wish. Make a note of the items you feel Donald would do during his campaign that you think he will accomplish for you and write back when he does!

    1. Awwwh! Poor Poor Hillary fan. Trying to fit in now that there is nothing left for his leader except the amount of time she will get for all those criminal acts. Go ahead you whine whiner. It is just icing on the great cake of Trump winning. Please Hillary fan go on and keep whining I really enjoy it. Waaa, Waaaa, Waaaa. Keep whining you can do it.

      1. This service organization appears to help only those that agree with their politics. Demeaning any veteran looking for help is revolting.

      2. Do I offend you James?

        Poor poor you. James Does the first amendment only protect trolls? Meaning I cannot say what I believe because it offends you?

        That’s not how the first amendment works James.

      3. These are some truly revolting people working at this .org. They will attack other veterans and anyone that doesn’t share their racist rants.

      4. Well lets see,,Trump is looking for 4,000 employee’s at the federal government,,Now,,think about that,,,y??????HE IS GOING TO DRAIN THE SWAMP,,,HE GONNA CLEAN HOUSE,,,,,WHICH IS BETTER THEN THE LAST 16 YEARS,,,mary

      5. CSFiles- Perhaps, *just* perhaps, your approach is all wrong? You come across as an irritating fire ant. Wanting to cause disruption like a human IED. Look in the mirror for answers on that one or your therapist. (assuming your are one in same Craig S Files from earlier)
        Insulting Vets anytime, esp. on eve. of Veteran’s Day shows where your moral compass is pointed. Just saying…

  14. I liked Bernie and donated my $27. twice. It wasn’t much, but he got alot of $27. donations to fuel his campaign. What I liked about him was he was a grouch sitting in the seat as chairman of Senate Veterans Affairs committee and he was an independent. In NY, I could not vote for him in the primary, because he’d switched to the democratic party and independents were not allowed to vote in the primary. (This should be changed for sure.) Anyway, as much as I liked Trump’s audacity. I didn’t believe what came out of his mouth. I lost respect for him when the GTBTP video was released. Voting for Hillary was a vote for 2 presidents in the White House at the same time and a possible fix for Obamacare. It was a desperate, faithless vote.

    1. I donated to Bernie more than twice. And then because of the way politics played in the DNC, I voted for Trump as a protest vote. Wonder if there were enough like me, who accepted the poles but wanted to make it close enough to be heard is what put him over the top.

  15. Just a fyi,,,President elect Donald Trump has put up a website,,GreatAgain.gov,,,there are 3 ,”click on,” categories…the 1st is he is looking for 4,000.00 new federal employees who want to help him drain the swamp..The 2nd is your ideas on how to fix it all,,,the 3rd is your feedback on what needs fixen,,,,For me,,,,not bad,,,so far,,,,the last administration never used the internet for such a purpose,,,,soo,,,time will tell,…Again,,,,GreatAgain.gov,,,,,mary

    1. The Obama administration did have it. Just didn’t use it any more than I expect the Donald to use his. Too many “advisors” on the payroll of lobbyists through laundered money will be in his face.

      At least he is familiar twitter. I would suggest anyone posting keep it as short as a tweet if you expect him to actually read your post.

  16. Who says Trump will live up to his campaign promises of reforming the VA? Have you ever seen a politician live up to any of their campaign promises? I know I haven’t seen any of them do it yet. Trump is going to “FIX” the VA, right? HA! I look for him to put a “FIX” on all us veterans!

    1. I’ve said it before and I will say it again.

      I think the press will shock you at how they become rabid pit bulls on Trumps promises.
      On the VA, can you seriously see a veteran going to the media 6 months from now about a wait list problem and the press not demanding answers from Trump?
      Think of the vet in Louisiana that was beaten to death, or the vet who burned himself to death in New Jersey.

      The press would be hounding him for weeks on what he was going to do to fix it…and rightly so.

      With Crooked Granny, they would only be local news stories, if that, like they were with Obama.

  17. You have no credibility. I find amusing that trump supporters ate a badket of deplorables in an attempt to sway the vote. It did sway my vote that was the day I decided she has overstated her visit.

    Now that I am now an uneducated deplorable van someone please tell me
    where I can get that teeshirt? Please use sinple words for me.

    And craig stewart files since you just admitted to be supposibly being a veteran you must also be uneducated as you just said we all are. Please let us know in the name of fairness what va facility to go to and claim you are working and please also let us know how many thousands a year you are stealing from taxpayers by playing work at the va.

  18. Too early to tell for me . I look at the people around them, and I know a lot about the people around him, that kind of scares me . I hope he changes the people around him . Oh well , Ben it’s been a pleasure enjoy the Trump ride. It’s like the Moral majority lost. I’m going to pray for President Trump, and the citizens.

  19. The majority of enlisted military are uneducated. They therefore qualify as the idiots that think Trump cares about veterans. If your logic were sound, George W. Bush would have solved all the VA Problems. You can apologize in 4 years.

    1. @Craig Files-
      Thanks for projecting your uneducated mental ability onto all other Veterans, Craig Files. Real mature of you to insult each and every Veteran the day before Veteran’s Day. You are indeed predisposed of missing a head with brain so other measures would have to be devised to deal with you…since you brain seems to be in your posterior quarters. The VA could do a colonoscopy to fix that for you. Hillary Troll.

    2. You truly are an ignorant ass for making that kind of comment about enlisted members and education.

      In surprised you didn’t get fragged.

      1. You guys got 4 years to prove your not just a bunch of old white racists claiming to help veterans. You did not help me so I’ll go elsewhere. Others may be a little more disappointed in all this talk If your logic was sound, George W.. Bush should have solved all your problems with the VA.

      2. “You’re”…but you claim to be the educated one.

        As for helping you, what specifically have you requested help on?

        As far as I can recall, you have never asked for any help other than you crying about changing this web site and comments here to ease your severe butthurt.

        You may want to grow up a little.

      3. 91Veteran,

        We didn’t help Craig when we didn’t vote for Hillary. Now he is back with his next claim being we are all picking on him and we will be bad for the site. Come Craiggie you know your candidate lost you can go away now. Just go lay down by your dish.

        You will still be able to cheer for Hillary at her sentencing!!!

  20. Good post Ben.
    I voted for Trump for 2 reasons.
    1. SCOTUS appointments which will affect this country for decades, and will likely be a deciding factor in any attempt to drain the swamp.
    2. The shocking level of corruption in DC on both sides, which the wikileaks emails from Podesta and the DNC clearly show, the Democrats would make zero attempt at cleaning up that corruption.
    Those news sources links you posted are very good, and showed a large number of other traditional, established news sources simply did not want to do their job of reporting facts.

    If Trump is serious about cleaning up DC corruption, he’s got a long, tough job ahead of him, since corruption in many federal agencies is dug in deep.
    Every single one of his appointees is going to have to be involved at rooting out the corrupt, lazy, criminal, and incompetent. Its also going to take an army of lawyers for the subsequent lawsuits.
    How bad is the corruption? You give a hint in your excerpt from the IG. “SAVAHCS scheduler training violated VA policy”.
    The corruption within the VA is so bad that it is being formally trained.

    The problem he faces are those corrupt politicians in both sides that want their gravy train, or are too gutless to stand up to special interests…like Mitch McConnell who is already making rumblings of watering down any reforms Trump has spoken about.
    To fix that, Trump will need to forcefully inform Congress that he is carrying out his agenda, so they can get on board or leave.
    Once he gets Congress in line, he needs to appoint nut-cracking agency heads that will not hesitate to fire the dead weight.

    Even if he just immediately fired every appointee within an agency that had any inkling of corruption, it would set the tone for the entire agency.

    I wish him well in draining that sewer.

    1. Governments and corruption cannot exist independently. Unless we blind ourselves to history and to human nature, this will always be the case.

      Unfortunately our system is not geared toward dealing with it directly, like China does when one of its own beaurocrats is caught being corrupt. The forfeit the use of their heads. It has a strikingly effective deterrent effect for a culture that has been dealing with this for seceral housand years.

      I am not proposing to behead the entire organization, but I would support a Constitutional Ammendment that allowed for expedited hangings of VA most upper management officials. NO WAIT LIST! No rescheduling for later! No customer complaints! It would serve as a model of efficiency!

      And brother, after the first few heads rolled down the hallway, I guarantee the culture at VA would change…

      We could auction the heads off on eBay. They are bound to be worth something to somebody.

      1. The problem is that corruption and theft has become so widespread, even if an entity wanted to do something about it, they cannot. On the other hand, laziness within any entity that is charged with doing something about it means the cases pile up, and nothing gets investigated.
        That’s why when you call the IG, they claim they only investigate certain problems. That’s why insurance companies only investigate if it involves above a certain dollar amount.
        That’s why the VA ignores fraud involving millions, yet has posters warning of travel fraud likely involving less than $500.

        If federal agencies treated all theft equally and stopped giving the bullshit excuse of not having the resources to investigate everything, you would see a lot less corruption.

        It still comes down to leadership with integrity, and having the right priorities.

        They can stomp on a veteran for travel fraud of a few bucks, but ignore blatant theft in travel fraud with Rubens and Graves involving thousands.

      2. You should seek help for those delusions you have.

        If you have a sane moment of clarity, can you explain how all here are racist white males?

        Is it simply your delusion that we are racist white males because we refused to vote for an old, corrupt vajayjay?

        I bet you sport a man bun too, right?

    2. Don Avant,
      I agree. Trump needs to inform Congress, both houses, “…IF any of you are involved in any illegal activity, I’d suggest you leave NOW!”

  21. Be clear. The problem is the lobbyist interference with operations of the VA for the benefit of their clients. Whether it be instigating bogus medical research studies (Kastl etal: CEREBRAL MALARIA) or the Yale cutting-edge theory that cut so many benefits and treatment to veterans with temporal lobe seizures or the effort to privatize VA health care for the benefit of the fee based insurance industry.

    1. That won’t change with a change at the top of the VA unless his effort is directed at rooting out that corruption that goes all the way to the Veterans’ Affairs Congressional Committees and includes the VA’s Directors of…..

      1. 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, including but not limited to: campaign contributions, junkets, gifts of any kind, preferential treatment, promises of future employment, entertainment of any form, in short anything other than information.
        2. A committee will be established, made up of members representing The White house (1), both houses of Congress(1 each), purchasing authority for the military (1 for the military, and all other branches of government)and (20) members from the public at large.

        3. Public members will be chosen from the american public at large. The identities of public members will kept a strict secret.
        4. This committee will be empowered to supervise all lobbying of all branches of government. Funding for housing, staff, office equipment and all other needs shall come equally from the White House, Congress and Purchasing authorities.
        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, regarding any committee business or function unless requested, summoned or subpoened by the committee,
        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. It would be effective though). Punishments decided by the comittee.
        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 PROBABLY MOST IMPORTANT…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)…

  22. First,
    Let me say I’m 69+, going on 70! While growing up, I’ve had physicians who were knowledgeable on almost every ailment known to man AND women. They were kind, considerate and had great “bed side manners”!
    In the past 40 +/- years, everything changed. Physicians were “specialized”. No longer could/would they treat patients as people. Now we’re a number, or a dollar sign. They don’t know how to distinguish between a bad cold and flu. They pass the buck. It’s a bad form of “Socialized Medicine”!
    Hillary Clinton wanted our medical to be like Canada’s medical.
    There’s proof positive Canadians come to America for surgeries and other forms of medical treatment. If Canada’s medical is so great, why are they traveling out of country?
    __________________

    Here’s another Utube video from “Hannity” last night. It’s full of statistics and how he perceives what needs to be done in Washington DC.
    Google;

    “Hannity: The American people have finally been heard”
    (11:33 minutes long)
    Well worth watching!

    1. There’s also a portrait of “The Forgotten Man” at the end of the video. It shows Obama stomping on our Constitution. While all the past Presidents look on, and a “hunched over man” sits on a park bench. Wondering ———————–???????

  23. Being told by VA staff to vote for Hillary or straight Dem for better health care shows the real climate of things in Indiana, claimed red or not.

    The attitudes from the college kiddies, or supposedly med students, and older well established lefties in the system shows the swamp needs drained. The only free paper from the local VA is a far left news rag called NUVO andof course their lying VA news letters. NUVO alone along with the attitudes and looks, and occasional name calling behind our WHITE backs is also a clue. Or being totally ignored while certain others are given full attention as we lay there and listen to recent family news about them, hood news, or a host of other BS instead of doing what they are being for.

    Here in Indiana watching the race crap from the commies on TV just reminds me of the MANY times I have endured true racism and hate at the VA. Nothing like being cared for or having to deal with those hired full of hate and disrespect by affirmative action, various activist, big city type attitudes, and of course the usual left winger college campus attitudes especially is we live in hell in towns with elected officials and media bent on making, have made, our towns feel like one huge college campus where the left winging, communist, so-called Dem/socialist, open border crowd, and hatred for White people is really rampant. That is what political correctness and the poisons have done to our new culture or social structure.

    How to drain the swamp without being labeled something, somehow, is impossible. The pure hate and emotionally disturbed, the real hate is being reported on the news as we read this article. That includes those at the VA, being white themselves, try to push that self hatred or activist college time crap on us about “White Privilege” so our race and evil heritage deserves others to cut in line before us, make it dangerous to travel streets in big cities and certain areas. And pray you don’t encounter road closures or detours leading us into very unsafe places, streets.

    Nope. Not much hope around here from me. Nine out of ten doctors are foreigners and can’t speak English very well and don’t really seem to care at all. Very long insane waits, ill treatment, obvious incompetence and much is, or has to be, intentional, seemingly state, media, teaching colleges, activist approved. When we are supposed to just lay down and take it, be door mats for all others, especially when these towns and VA areas are passing “tolerance laws” and not being able to speak some truth let alone point a finger to possibly save some old vets life being dangerous or harmful to us, nope.

    Given everything I have tried to relay to others out here, what some of us experienced locally, are dealing with, the suffering, etc. Then to think other veterans, their families, cliques, ad infinitum, don’t care? That is a lot of swamp draining, exposing vast corruption, and going against the new grains in our sick American culture, with predatory companies, sick schooling and academics, to predatory abusive health care. If we don’t agree with the MSM or all the bandwagons and activist, or the new ways of pathetic medical care or not agree with the stupid war on drugs while we greatly suffer? We are the enemy? To be totally ignored, dismissed by most, or deal with some real hate and modern racism on the flip-side?

    Try to drain the swamp while I am forced to draw some lines in the sand, and not assimilate with the herd to be PC and part of the herd. That is what this government, media, the VA activist, their lousy contractors, the radical feminist filled CBOC has done to me. Plus all the rest of it. Wow. The back-lash over Hillary, the tears and irrational emotions, will for sure create some issues around here, and glad I will not have to endure Indiana’s VA stuff or the radicals that fit in very well there. God help the decent people who are forced to work daily with all those others, and must be silent or lose out.

    1. For me the choice is clear; I have taken three oaths, once in he Marines, once upon entering the Nat. Guard, and once upon entering Officer Candidate School. The three have slightly different wording but all substantially require of me the same thing – to abide by, uphold, and to defend the Constitution of The United States against…..wait for it……ALL enemies, both DOMESTIC and foreign.

      Years ago I wondered what this meant for me. I know now. In exchange for the honor of serving in each of the listed capacities, I pledged upon my sacred honor and vowed to defend with my kife if necessary the principles sritten down on that sacred piece of paper called “Constitution”.

      VA has pissed on our Constitution. For me the awakening happened when I got a letter explaining to me the Circuit Court issuing a Restraining Order to cease further abuse was the VA grounds for terminating care and labelling me a Catagory One Violent Patient. They then in order to support the notion informed me that I had threatened to murder the entire clinic staff. This was news to me.

      I realized that I had let the Oath to my country down. I waited until the alligators bit me to start doing something about them, and when I started doing something a WHOLE lot more alligators showed up. These people wanted me in prison and my own VA social worker after learning their plans told me, “I think I gonna throw up.”

      I will never forget the lesson I have learned by disregarding my oaths. Freedom is secured only for those who wrench it from the hands of government, and it sure as hell gets rusty quick when you don’t keep a shine on it.

      1. Thank you for the response Dennis. All of these reports and issues really break my heart. Especially when I know I have seemingly wasted over forty years of my life, time, and vast amounts of money fighting the “machines.’ Lost two homes trying to help vets in need. To learn no good deed goes un-punished, sadly. Years later, nothing has changed for the good. Having seen what others have gone through much like yourself, and with the Disruptive Commitee crap, no way can I ever return to the VA. Nor put myself in such dangerous, unethical, corrupt, evil. positions alone with any of them again. It’s enough to discover we aren’t really safe or protected, treated decently, by civilians either who are just a mirrored image here following the threats we got from the VA. Again apparently all state sanctioned and protected.

        Can’t sit right now and read through all the postings but I’ll deal with stuff long enough to get this out to you all. Then I gotta hit the sick bed again.

        A young guards-man followed me home from the store yesterday evening. He noticed my anti-VA stickers and bumper stickers, Trump support on my vehicle. He told my why after noticing my condition in the store and parking lot. So he offered to remove the stickers and stuff, politely, but I refused.

        MoveON, ACLU, VA workers, La Raza, NAACP, Nation of Islam, ‘social justice warriors’ activist, etc., (very long list) are out to get us I reckon. He was showing me stuff on his note-book thing about Facebook, Snapper chat, whatever, what is going on online and from guys in his own Indiana NG unit. One guy, looked Mid-Eastern ethnically reported he was going to punch us old vets in the throat or kill us because his Black wife is tired of being treated like a slave in Indianapolis, “Slavery must end” and the minorities being “oppressed.” ???? Him and those like him, and VA activist staff, etc., are going to destroy us all if we voted for Trump, or disagree with Hillary and the far lefties here or the Democrat party. To which has already destroyed the state with corruption on all levels. So now it is open season, publicly accepted, to “kill whitey?” “Punch old white veterans in the throat for wearing red?” Guess the Hillary crowd and Democrat party is going full gang land style on us, and that is acceptable to media and to all those rioters and cop killers. Nuts.

        I haven’t checked the stuff out on my pc since he showed me all the junk using his cell phone, or note-book items. But it did come from Indianapolis. The one guy, a body builder and NGer doing the threats was named “Dube” or something like that if anyone wishes to search all this crap up online. I am not going to put myself through the pain or wasted of time to read or watch more of that anti-American, vicious, activist crap. Heard enough of it all my life, and have dealt with more than my share of treasonous filth, the foreigners, illegals, and youthful brain-washed college kiddies who we area all supposed to bow to.

        He said he had other stuff he’d seen but some how it disappears a while after being posted. I don’t know about the stuff or have much knowledge about the social media craze. Local news media is totally silent and usual censoring.

        Be well and take care folks. Soros, Hillary, the communist agenda, United Nations and others seem to be getting their way in our land.

      2. Show proof. Hearsay is B.S. I have not read or seen anywhere where whites have been threaten.

        I still have a hard time understanding what white people means.?

        There are people that are light skin in different nationalities. So please tell me who’s these white people your speaking about.

        My family is from Europe. Remember the Spanish ship’s. Guess who owned them. So my question who is white. Many Hispanics are light skin with blue. Green Brown eyes

        My grandchildren are mixed and different shades and I love them and I will not let one of them be hurt. Because someone is lighter skin.

        This country is mixed and all are Americans bigotry. Will be the down fall of these here United state’s if acted upon.

        Again what is white?

      3. Oh cease your VA activist, cover-up, innocent acting, protective BS. “Prove it?” The proof is in the pudding and you and those spouting the very same words and excuses or ‘we are one’ stuff doesn’t fly. Or trying to avoid the problem with definitions and PC-ness. And keep the college styled labeling junk or pigeon holing to your self too. Keep it simple and what is usually meant by us low life commoners in daily usage, minus the clap-trap crap confusing over-lays or designation. You know damn well what I mean.

        If you haven’t walked that mile in someone else s shoes then keep your happy butt out of things, cause you can’t prove anything, or know much of anything to begin with. Just lip service from a keyboard commando pretending to know it all and play the usual college town race game, or play ‘let label “whitey or snow-flake since Caucasion may not cover the American White boy well enough.”

        That is why I requested all my files and filed FOIA requests to get some truth out of the VA and the many hassles and threats we got from the VA. Until it was so bad I left ALL their stinking socialist styled ‘Caucasian” hating social justice activist crap and threats. Generally meaning “White “non-Hispanic’ (just like all those forms we read today and sign refers to, or on the Census.)

        All you have to do is watch the news. The riots and threats in the streets over Trump isn’t exactly love for us hated ones who they are saying are “White European invaders” and we are all illegal immigrant” rhetoric filled with real hatred. You know like burning the “White Man’s flag” and “we will not follow the white man’s laws.” Get it yet? Or are you part of the VA, social justice warriors, hate the snow-flake, hate white bread gamers?

        Not one Black, Hispanic, Latino, whatever, appeared to be nor spoke up about being anything else than a female, or “white veterans” so labeled commonly and as used by the rioters and real haters.

        If we challenge or question some administrator, female contractor, whomever, we are labeled misogynist or ant-feminist or oppressive. With the activst being insulted seemingly in their high positions and should never be questioned or upset with silly questions about our records and such disappearing. And my oh my, they are so “educated, trained by the VA being the best, and know better than us.” BS

        How many times have you sit in a clinic for a 8 am appointment only to sit there past twelve, watching other fearful, silent, “white” veterans shrugging their shoulders, shaking heads, while a line of “colored” vets/people who ever, keep cutting in line and asking the desk clerk about getting in because they are in a hurry. Not being very shy or quiet about it either. Is that example enough or want more? A simple investigation would be a tell all if the other vets weren’t so afraid to speak up because of some violence or VA retribution.

        You write about “false allegations” towards vets must stop. Odd, then how about the others stuff too when we turn our backs or questioned by some other worker or problem staff.

        How would you like to bounce back and forth from a Pakistani doctor, playing games over another colored doctor, to another clinic, black staffed, to another, for months trying to get a consult through, then told eight months later is was done way back then, but still can’t get into the clinics or a app because they claim by phone then that no consult was made. Then try to be calm about all of it only to be called grouchy snowflake or whitebread when the back is turned. And much more could be written but I’ll not waste my time with jokers like you and the college crowd racial designation BS. The racism and hate is obvious by actions, body language, words, their tantrums and fits, to totally ignoring us just because it makes some of them feel big and powerful.

  24. Here’s a snapshot of how out of touch even hardcore longtime Republicans can be:

    I have a neighbor that’s a widow of a Vietnam War Veteran and yes, he died from complications of agent orange. She has voted lockstep Republican ALL her life, as her family and friends do as well.

    A few months ago she and I had a political talk. She was and does currently support Hillary Clinton. She questioned my then potential support for Trump. I then highlighted some of the VA scandals and how Hillary said these were all wild conspiracy theories, whereas Trump is ;listening to Vets.
    My hardcore Republican neighbor then looked at me and said while looking almost in a hypnotic daze, “I get GREAT care with using CHAMPVA and my now-deceased husband got the very best care…so these are indeed wild conspiracy theories about the VA…the VA only wants the BEST for Veterans.”–WTF?!

    So, her mentality is, “I get great care and so did my husband, so all is okay.”

    I tried to explain the huge differences between CHAMPVA and regular VA Healthcare. I also tried to explain how the VA parses Service-Connected and Non-Service-Connected health issues. My neighbor thought I did not have a firm understanding of how great the VA is and that I should reconsider slapping and badmouthing the hand that feeds me!!! Again, WTF?!!! (incidentally, she also thinks all Vietnam Vets are getting excellent treatment and benefits for Agent Orange and PTSD and when I told her about Murphy being appointed to VBA and his still firm stance of being an Agent Orange denier of the science…she again said dreamily, “the VA only wants the best for Vets”…WTF?)

    I wanted to convey this microcosm of thought because on the larger scale, America has become complacent regarding these 15+ years of wars and if it does not directly affect them, they ASSUME all is well.
    Interesting, how the heads are in the sand about the VA.

    1. Yep. I have to deal with them on both sides being in the middle somewhere my self. Living in a very strong far left very blue college town, in a claimed to be ‘red state.’ With the VA, their contractors, being seemingly very far left and totally disconnected. There is not much voting for opposition to the far left and corruption supporters here. Most of the left run un-opposed. A very stacked deck locally. Yet the majority of -all- things here have a dirty little symbiotic relationship between both parties, like the unions do or have with the VA, top to bottom. Scratching and protecting each others backs when it comes to covering-up, and retaliation. The swamps are full of these creatures.

      Those who have it made in life, doing well, don’t give a damn about the rest of us and they don’t want to get involved. They get good care perhaps for watching others get abused to dying and still don’t care. They have theirs.

      It’s impossible to get some truth and reality across to some while they claim to be fully informed by calling us, or me, just trouble makers or mal-contents (some label). They don’t want to hear truth. Some claim to know it all while watching Faux news alone or PBS, or some college rag alone for truth or some reality. I have been called a lying old man when I tried to inform some youth, younger people, some older, that we have been is some war or conflicts now for that 15+ years and they look at me like I have a third eye and deny it. Locally and since it all seems to be state sanctioned and academically accepted, this area is a total lost cause on many levels. Too many heads in the sand over countless issues and wrongs. IF corruption benefits some, it is good, for others there is no concern or thoughts given. It’s all good until we rock the boat and we try to awaken some people to reality and what others have dealt with.

    2. Champ VA is like Bkue Cross Blue Sheild. My wife can walk down the street to see her Dr. While I have to drive 30 miles one way to see a VA dr.

      1. @Bill- That’s what I could not get through to my clueless Hillary supporter whom uses ChampVA…she goes to her own private Dr.’s and also has Medicare on top of that…I even asked her if she went to the VAMC to acquire RX’s sent she said the VA mails them to her…without fail.
        She thinks ALL Vets have…CHOICE…and can go *anywhere* and not just the VA.
        The other day she was giving me a ride, as my car was in the shop, and as I picked-up my expensive RX at drugstore, she also could not understand why I would have to pay any copay…so when I attempted to explain to her that the VA would have killed me had I stayed with them, because they refused to acknowledge my private Dr.’s expensive, solid science tests that showed these meds are or were the only options for me due to resistance….the VA wanted to use 1995 meds that killed people faster than the medicine…my required RX was NOT on the VA’s Drug Pharmacy Formulary and part of this particular condition is not directly Service-Connected, so that’s why I just use Medicare and private Specialists.

        My Hillary supporting, die-hard Republican then looked at me and said, “You must be sorely mistaken, the VA only wants the very BEST for Vets”….WTF?

        Seriously, how can people be so blind? If this -1- widow of an agent orange Vietnam Vet can have her head in the sand that deep just because all is fine in her tunnel visioned world, then this too, is the apathy within our Veteran Collective we have to deal with and guess what? Those usually are the diehard lifelong VSO members. That Kool-Aid is strong. Jim Jones Strong. (JJS)

        Red Kool-Aid or the Blue Kool-Aid? Red Pill or Blue Pill? Wake-up!

        Rant Out. Ignorance is not bliss while Veteran are dying.

      2. I prefer Purple Kool-Aid if I must drink any at all. Trump is the closest to Purple I have seen in my life.
        As Monty Python always used say, “And now for something completely different”…Trump. (more of an orange color but purple inside) 🙂

        The VA OIG needs dismantled and reformed made solely of Veterans.

      3. And it is not like CHOICE either. If her Dr. orders a lab test or X-ray that has to be read or done outside his office CHAMP will pay. Not with CHOICE.

  25. Last night on “Hannity”, Laura In graham said some good things.
    Google this;
    “Laura In graham to Pissed Off Liberals: Suck It Up, Buttercup!!- November 9, 2016”

    From: “Fox News”

    1. Correction:
      “Laura Ingraham to Pissed Off Liberals: Suck it up, Buttercup!! – November 9, 2016”

      1. Bill,
        Not only ISIS, now the US and Europe have to worry about Iran’s Royal Guard infiltrating.

      1. The VA at times posts on this site either trolling or on orders from higher up to diffuse something embarrassing.

        This is useful. I believe ¾ of my own posts rely on this fact and often when I visualize who I am writing to, it is VA. It makes me feel warm and fuzzy to know some bloated egocentric incompetent idiot at VA is reading these words. For better communication I can provide translations in 17 different languages which should cover 64% of the languages native to the current crop of VA medical staff.

  26. Google the following:

    “Donald Trump Must Keep His Promise to Prosecute The Clinton Crime Family”

    (27:25 minutes long)

  27. Ben, is there something wrong with putting comments on. I’ve tried multiple times now, and what I want to say disappears!

    1. I had trouble with the site on my iPad as well but rebooting the iPad seems to fix it. I assumed that the new iOS along with the modernized look of the site caused it, however, I have had my i
      pad lock up trying to text into a Craigslist ad as well so I am thinking it is the new iOS.

    2. Don’t feel bad Crazy elf…I am a well know veterans advocate and my comments have to be approved and even this AM, again my comment never showed up…this one probably wont either.
      President Elect Trump already has a gov web site….he wants to here from Americans:
      https://www.greatagain.gov/

      We need to tell him how bad the VA is and give ways to fix it because it Can be fixed!

  28. “[I cannot allow future abuses of veterans and will do what I can to stop it. In my estimation, voting for Trump was the most immediate thing I could do, and apparently other veteran voters agreed. Anyone who chides me for this decision can piss off. If I am a member of any party, it is the “Anti-Dead-Veteran Party”. This is a party AFGE will never join.]”

    That’s exactly where I was and I too, was originally a Bernie supporter, voted for issues rather than ‘party’ all my life, and to this day still feel unrepresented as a voter and Veteran but took the chance with Trump simply because he was the only candidate actively listening to our plea for help with the VA.

    Another consideration is fact we are now in 15+ years of active wars and I viewed Clinton doing the same failed policies that have kept us in 15+ years of war while keeping gov’t contractors very, very happy…war profiteering on steroids.
    I am not anti-unions but I have to wonder if just like VSO’s have long worn-out their usefulness to Veterans and have become the lamprey to the VA, the unions are the same in wanting only to keep their cookie jar while blatantly ignoring those bulldozed over in process of protecting their turf. I wonder if unions have outlived their pragmatic usefulness.
    I hope we Veterans can collectively help Trump “drain the swamp” and reform the VA into something we can be once again proud of and I agree about the mainstream media (the big boys) being completely out of touch and with all the great independent news outlets, one may have to consider if the MSM has also outlived it’s usefulness in conveying the truth and truth in news.
    Great article today. The MSM and political parties need to take notice that we Veterans are a strong voting force and hope this brings some unity amongst we Vets collectively.

  29. I get great care at the local VA, and I also voted for Donald Trump. The new administration can shake up the management and the bureaucrats all they want, but had best not mess with the funding. Taking money from the VA budget and funneling it into Veteran’s Choice, with the intent of weakening the VA and dragging it toward privatization will be seen as a transparent ploy to privatize and defund the VA. Private practices do not have the experience treating many problems specific to Vets, including PTSD, war wounds, etc. Also, I have some experience with Veteran’s Choice, and it is very apparent that some specialties suffer from scheduling difficulties/shortage of providers every bit as much as the VA or worse.

    1. The local clinicians that VHA funded to treat my own PTSD p, and surgeons and doctors who have treated me outside of VHA for horrific wounds had this to say about our own local VHA clinic – each quote from a different local medical professional; “…and I am aghast at your treatment (her letter to VHA) of my client.” , “…I am appalled that VHA has done this to you…”, “…if you were a dog you could call the humane society and have them arrested for this but you are a veteran.”, “…and I urge you to turn this over (VHA medical retaliation) to the police.”, “…What do I think? Dennis, I think they should bulldoze that building (VHA) into the ground.”

      Each from a different person and one more hat came from the mouth of he Oregon State Police Detective interviewing me about massive VHA corruption that found me and hurt me, “I am going to have to take this directly to the Oregon Attorney General. Crimes of this magnitude are outside our normal scope.”

      and finally a quote by the 28 year veteran reporter who broke my story last year, “..my God, this means that the (VHA medical) system is completely broken.” after she saw all my info via FOIA and heard my recorded conversations with VHA folks.

      Pete, the swamp can be full of beauty and wonderment. A swamp is host to all sorts of creatures and vermin. Some are furry and soft. Some eat furry and soft things. But Pete, irregardless of the swamp you are talking about, or the good times you might have had swimming there, I have het to find a person who thhink the swamp smells good. It just stinks because the core meanism that keeps it alive is decay and rot.

      I am glad for you that you can stand the stench in the swamp, and I am not rederring to the liquifying corpses either. By all means, Pete, keep swimming in the swamp if it feels good.

      Have you filled out your end of life directive yet, because I think there is a ripple in the water headed your way…

    2. My experience with PTSD treatment at the VA is VODOO. Nearly cost me my life do to over medication and the statements like “There is only a 30% chance this will work, so take this drug also. And their favorite berating of me is “WHY DONT YOU JUST GET OVER IT!”. I capiltalized it becaused it was screamed my by a non english speaking shrink.

      When I complained to a hearing aide tech that my hearing aides dont work right, this nit wit said said and I quote “what are you complaining about, you get medical treatment for free”. I had to remind her I paid my premiums in full 40 years ago.

      She did not agree with me I guess as she tried to put me in the disruptive list. Please remember to leave your 1st ammendment rights at the door when going to the VA.

      I am fed up with being lied to yelled at and
      Threaten. FED UP.

      I begged to be allowed to use veterans choice but was just ignored, btw how is is it Veterans Choice when you need permission from the system that is protecting their turf and not the patient? Reminds of George Carlins play on words such as “Military Intellegence”

      Time to DRAIN THE SWAMP, please keep your word Mr. Trump, It is less than 4 years until the next election.

      1. I’m in the CHOICE program. AND IT IS NOT CHOICE! Every appointment has to have clearance. If a care is not pre-cleared, even if you think it should be, like lab tests drawn at your clinic and sent out to a lab you get the bill.

        This is a way for the car dealer to bill the owner plus the company for warrantee repairs. It isn’t covered by the warrantee to the owner and it is to the manufacturer. Same deal with Choice.

      2. So the VA used the disruptive committee to try and shut you up. This is a major problem and should be brought to the forefront and kept there until they are held accountable for falsely acussing veteran’s of disruptive behavior or anything else.

        Next they will try to obtain money from the veterans as a fine for being disruptive?

        Just like speed traps

        Ben would it be ok with you. If some of us veteran’s. Put a bug in trumps ear. To consider you as part of the VA higher management

        Like Bob McDonald’s office. !

        Or would you like the OIG job.?

      3. I am absolutely convinced that when America learns what harm has been done at the hands of the kangafoo court system called the DBC that the numbers will stagger the imagination. Even VA OIG stated in their 2013 report on DBC that they had no way of knowing how many vets have been flagged as catagory one violent patients.

        The list of the dead will make the Vietnam Memorial look like a instant message in comparison. Mark my words thqt this horror has yet to be fully revealled to America and when it is America is going to vomit. The harm that DBC has done cannot be calculated and it defies the imagination that this is going on RIGHT NOW at every VA across the nation and the pace is rapidly increasing. No longer is any individual stopped from perpetrating tyranny upon the sick because of a sense of duty to country.

        At my own VA hospital the DBC is now headed by the Chief Of Staff, who is a native of Kenya. Senior staff members included on the committee are from a variety of countries, some are even from America. The senior staff is not American yet they sit in judgement without due process with a jury comprised of exactly the same people from exactly the same uniom. VA’s own internal report states flatly that at least 50% of vets flagged as violent never return for care. .the report does not indicate how many died waiting for the flag to be lifted.

        When VA says itself that the DBC is so out of control that they have lost count of the convicted patients, and when VA itself says 50% do not come back, then what do you think the REAL numbers are. This one single issue beyond all others is an issue that every American understands. Americans understand when somebody is getting railroaded by our government elite and this pisses people off. Just wait until the real numbers hit the airwaves and too many widows line up to tell the tale to count.

        Or is this just another right wing conspiracy theory?….

      4. Dennis, I know you have had these people hurt you and people like us need to keep fighting this corrupt system. many Veterans have had this done to them and have no voice, They need our help and I will continue to speak out to try and stop this injustice.

        These Employees have no idea what they are doing by reporting Veterans to this committee, to our Mental Health. We joined the Military to defend the rights of Americans to live free, Freedom is not Freedom to do harm to other Human beings !

        We have seen over and over Veterans coming on this site, Stating they too have had VA employees falsely accuse them, This has to stop !

        Thanks for your service !

      5. I deserved to get on the list. What I didn’t deserve was the way the list was used. Yes, as an activist, I was disruptive. I didn’t deserve to have my claim shut down and road blocked.

      6. You have to do what you have to do, But thousands of veterans have done 0 nothing and do not deserve to be retaliated against, Believe it or not, They are retaliating against you.

        Your Freedom of Information Request should request all Veterans, Employees and Visitors that have been reported, You wont get it, Because they don’t keep track !

        They don’t want to keep records of this, Because they know they are breaking the law and using this tattic to punish Veterans for many reasons. How many of our fellow veterans killed themselves because of Disgruntled Employees.

        We have read over and over when a veteran questions his care or refuses to take their Drugs ( They are reported disruptive )

        And from that day on, the veteran will be attacked, their medical records will be noted of this said disruptive Behavior and passed on to each employee and the Veterans treated like a criminal, At least real criminals get a hearing or trial, Veterans have no way to clear their good name.

    3. I would think if the VA has the budget to give out $142 million in bonuses in 2014, and $177 million in bonuses in 2015, it is not a funding issue with the VA, but a problem of leadership setting the wrong priorities.

  30. He needs to turn the OIG Office on its head and the DOJ needs the same decapitation of rogue attorneys defending a corrupt VA . Namely Jennifer Welsh, Charles Oberley District of Delaware. They can say whatever they want, but I have direct evidence of misrepresentation by that office, trying to defend the VA. My evidence will be forwarded to the White House, Judicial Watch, FACT and last but not least the BAR Counsel for Delaware. As for the Secretary position, Ben would an excellent choice!

      1. AGIN VETS C THE VA DC HQ IS A FEDERAL RICO CRIME RACKET RUN BY @ FOR AFGE UNION CONTRACTS THAT A LEGAL FACT VA BUDGET 2017 182 BILLION $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ THE VA SWAMP RATS ARE DOGS IN HEAT TO SCAM MOST OF THE $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ TRUMP DECRTIFY THE AFGE UNION UNDER RICO CRIME RACKET ASAP IF NOT NOTHING WILL CHANGE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!FIRE FAKE RANGER BOB MCDUCK ASAP TRUMP THE VETS DEMASND THIS TO DRAIN THE VA SEWAGE SWAMP !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    1. The OIG will become a non essential service when Trump makes it impossible to earn more than the average Joe. This is what draining the swamp means. You can’t use bulldozers to try and fill it. You can’t remove all the alligators and reasonably expect none to return. You can never even get rid of that foul and God aweful smell unless you do,but one thing – you turn off the water.

      Turn off the source of water to any swamp and the swamp goes away. The game wardens, corrupt or otherwise, are no longer needed. OIG is worthless to America and always has been. The only possible benefits to OIG is that they sustain the paper industry. My choice would be to turn off what keeps hings flowing in VA – turn off the money.

      I availled myself as likely hundreds of thousands have by now of Trump’s family history in business. I could give a shit what he did as a youth, what he says about women, or who he pisses off. I ain’t ever gonna be his chum so why in Earth should I care about those things?

      Out of EVERY single President that we have ever had this one stands apart. This one KNOWS precisely and with great effect how to influence the outcome of ANYTHING financial to arrive at his goals. OIG is clearly not a path that has ever produced anything. Trump is a man that understands production and what makes things fail or work.

      The water that keeps he VA swamp alive and killing is money. Can you pick a person that understands money like Trump? OIG is in now way a fix, because OIG is a core source of stench and decay. VA has tried to sell itself as different entities. They are not. Do a FOIA request of your own VA and your own OIG and ask for a return of the total Civil Rights complaints filed. Then ask for a return of any verified and actionable Civil Rights complaints. Ask to see how many CR complaints were found to be valid, and how many were not.

      Do it. I predict and will bet many $$$ on the outcome; you will find that no Civil Rights complaint ever filed with VA over their treatment of vets has been found to be valid.

      Shake up OIG? Nope. Let us outsource those guys instead…Private investigators only paid from the dismantled OIG budget and answerable to the Attorney’s General of each State. Satae courts could be funded from the dismantled OIG budget as well as prison cells to hold the VA employees. All Civil Rights and other complaints would be made outside of VA scope and authority and investigated with Presidential authority by outsourced investigators who answer to non VA cronies.

      This is step one to draining the swamp. OIG has no place at all that I can see in our government. Can you honestly say vet services would be hurt by shutting down OIG? Nope.

      1. I agree the office of the IG in many agencies has strayed pretty far from how they came to be as Congress intended when they passed laws creating them.
        Obama set that tone when he fired 4 of them within a few months of starting his first term.
        Congress danced to that tone when they refused their oversight role of those laws and ignored any requirements that the IG be independent as the law intended.
        They too wanted in that gravy train, and a nosy IG would just cause problems.
        The effectiveness of an IG office can be measured easily. I suggest if any IG office is found negligent, that their entire office in an agency be disbanded, and their duties being given to the GAO, Government Accountability Office. The VA IG has already been measured, are worthless, and need to be fired. Every one of them right down to the snotty woman answering the phone.
        We used to hear often about the GAO because oversight committees in Congress used them all the time to investigate any issue they truly wanted to know the facts about.
        That changed in the late 90’s when Democrats controlled the House for a short period, and turned the GAO into a weapon to attack political enemies. The Republicans started doing the same, then they both called a cease fire and stopped using them.
        Since Obama’s first term, I haven’t heard much of the GAO, and I believe the swamp creatures infesting DC on both sides like it that way.
        The GAO would be completely independent of an agency like they always have been, and would not be influenced by corrupt agency heads.

        The problem is, Congress needs to start using them again, once Congress decides they want to know the answers to tough questions again.

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