If the government was serious about this issue, the government would already be advising employees to pay back their falsely obtained bonuses. In addition the higher ups who condoned and directed these practices would be fired and prosecuted.
I once worked for a large corporation that took this type of fraudulent behavior by management very seriously. If a VP or senior manager was believed to be falsifying reporting an investigative team from the corporate office would show up at the operating unit unannounced to review the books and interview employees. Within days there would be resignations, new managers in place, and evidence turned over to the federal or state district attorney for prosecution. It didn’t happen often because people understood the consequences of inappropriate behavior.
If the VA problem is widespread, even more reason to clean house quickly and prosecute. There are plenty of capable and ethical private sector managers who could already be put in place to shift the culture and improve performance with a sense of urgency. The absence of decisive action is more evidence nether Congress or the administration cares about rooting out corruption or criminal behavior in the bureaucracy.
“If the VA problem is widespread, even more reason to clean house quickly and prosecute. “
Wouldn’t that be fantastic! But, sadly, these federal employees, through their unions have bullet proof contracts. It’s virtually impossible to fire these people. Btw, we have the sainted JFK to thank for this. In 1962 by an executive order he granted federal employee unions collective bargaining rights. And, their power has grown along with their corruption. The only way to clean up not just the VA but virtually every federal organization is to rescind this executive order. Maybe, just maybe, in 2016 the GOP will elect a POTUS with the stones to do that. However, of the various potential candidates I’ve seen, Ted Cruz is the only one who should have the courage to take this on.