Hey, V. A.: First Came Veterans, So Put Veterans First

 

What Would Walt Do?

“When you go to Disney, do they measure the number of hours you wait in line? What's important is what's your satisfaction with the experience.”--VA Secretary Robert McDonald

Actually, they do measure wait times at Disney, Mr. Secretary, and they try to keep them down. And if it gets bad enough, you can buy a Fast Pass that lets you cut in line, like Congress gives themselves an exemption from Obamacare that you can't get. Walt would never have allowed any of that.

But they don't shoot at you when you go to Disney and then promise you care, either. And then side with the Unionized Government Bureaucracy--the worst of Three Worlds--over the interests of veterans.

Malia Zimmerman at Fox News:

OpentheBooks.com ....found the VA added more than 39,000 positions (a 12.5 percent increase) between 2012 and 2015, while spending on annual salaries increased by 18.7 percent. The 3,591 medical officers hired amounted to less than 10 percent of the new positions.

Much of the money that could have been directed to hiring new doctors – including $99.1 billion in salaries and bonuses – flowed to VA employees largely outside of the medical field.

The report noted the VA hired 175 lawyers between 2012 and 2015, bringing the total number of lawyers to 1,060 at the cost of $454 million in salaries and bonuses. The VA also directed $99 million to salaries and bonuses for public relations officials, according to the report author.
In addition, the report said the VA paid $1.7 million for surveys; $751.1 million for “household” and “office” furniture; and $303 million for non-essential positions such as painters, interior designers and gardeners.

The group also found 19 percent of the employees – or 67,609 – were paid more than $100,000 per year, with the top echelon of salaries reaching $400,000. ...

The VA scandal that was exposed two years ago concerned reports that veterans were dying while waiting for care, and that officials were covering up how long the wait-times really were. ...

The Independent Assessment of the Veterans Health Administration reported in September that VA doctors only consult with 10 to 12 veterans per day, which is just about half the number of patients private consultants see. ...........................

Plush salaries
Plush offices
Plush bonuses
Lawyers
Public Relations officials

Where's the Care?

The VA is run for the benefit of the Government Unions, not veterans, just like the Education System is run for the Teachers Unions, not for students.

That is why Democrats fight tooth and nail against vouchers for veterans and vouchers for students. The Blob Comes First.

Let's go to Disney together, Bob:

"There's no wait times here in Tomorrowland. What's Frontierland like, Ronnie?"

"The steamboats are running on time, Walt. How's Main Street, Mr. President?"

"No wait times over here, either, boys."

Ike Sez: This Memorial Day, remember that First Came the Veterans, So Let's Put Veterans First!