Posted on 05/30/2014 10:21:08 AM PDT by PJ-Comix
As the scandal over falsified waiting lists continues to engulf the Department of Veterans Affairs, VA Sec. Eric Shinseki is facing mounting calls for his resignation from even members of President Barack Obama’s party. On MSNBC on Friday, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) blamed veterans groups and the Koch brothers for the increasing pressure leading Democrats to join Republicans in calling for Shinseki to step down.
MSNBC anchor Chris Jansing asked Sanders if the pressure on Shinseki to resign from lawmakers and veterans’ groups had become overwhelming.
“Some veterans’ groups and some veterans’ groups have not,” Sanders replied. “I do understand, you know, the Republican Party, and the Koch brothers, and others are putting the money into television ads where people are running for reelection or running for election, and it is hard to stand up to that pressure.”
(Excerpt) Read more at mediaite.com ...
At least he isn’t blaming Bush. Geez, can’t these folks ever accept facts?
Running scared, runnin blue
Run so scared don’t know what to do !
and the disappearance of the Roanoke Colony
Is Bernie Sanders auditioning for Harry Reid’s position?
Man, these assholes are into everything!!!!
KOCH BROTHERS!!! Sloooooooowly I turned...step by step...
Big Labor’s VA Choke Hold
The Wall Street Journal ^ | May 29, 2014 | Kimberley A. Strassel
Posted on 5/30/2014, 8:03:59 AM by KeyLargo
Big Labor’s VA Choke Hold How Democrats put their union allies before the well-being of veterans. By Kimberley A. Strassel May 29, 2014
We know with certainty that there is at least one person the Department of Veterans Affairs is serving well. That would be the president of local lodge 1798 of the National Federation of Federal Employees.
The Federal Labor Relations Authority, the agency that mediates federal labor disputes, earlier this month ruled in favor of this union president, in a dispute over whether she need bother to show up at her workplace—the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Martinsburg, W.Va. According to FLRA documents, this particular VA employee is 100% “official time”—D.C. parlance for federal employees who work every hour of every work day for their union, at the taxpayer’s expense.
In April 2012, this, ahem, VA “employee” broke her ankle and declared that she now wanted to do her nonwork for the VA entirely from the comfort of her home. Veterans Affairs attempted a compromise: Perhaps she could, pretty please, come in two days a week? She refused, and complained to the FLRA that the VA was interfering with her right to act as a union official. The VA failed to respond to the complaint in the required time (perhaps too busy caring for actual veterans) and so the union boss summarily won her case.
The VA battle is only just starting, but any real reform inevitably ends with a fight over organized labor. Think of it as the federal version of Wisconsin, Indiana, Michigan and other states where elected officials have attempted to rein in the public-sector unions that have hijacked government agencies for their own purpose. Fixing the VA requires first breaking labor’s grip, and the unions are already girding for that fight.
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3161731/posts
Nah. He got a memo from hairy screed to pump up the volume.
I am confused.
Is Senator Sanders suggesting that Shinseki should have remained in office?
Shouldn’t the title be “Bernie Sanders Credits Koch Brothers for Pressure on Shinseki to Resign”?
If Shinseki should resign (he has) then so should Obama. The only reason Shinseki should resign is the doctrine that the leader is responsible for the acts and omissions of his inferiors. Under the same logic Obama was Shinseki’s boss. Obama knew about these problems years ago. Shinseki did not.
Assume for the moment that Shinseki is a reasonably competent manager. Assume that when he took the job he planned on fixing the problems that he saw with the organization. Assume that he quickly recognized that he needed to fire 20% of the staff, eliminate the many excuses that the employees have to for not showing up for work. Assume that he could see how inefficient the workforce is in terms of doctor visits per day.
Now, assume that he wanted to do something about all of the above. What would happen?
Answer: In an Obama Administration nothing approaching reform would be possible. So nothing happens and it is clear that nothing is going to happen, with Shinseki or whoever replaces him.
So: If you assume that Shinseki is an honorable man they you should have read about his decision to resign quite some time ago.
You didn’t read about that did you. Draw your own conclusions.
Bernie is just upset because Obama said the VA medical system would demonstrate how well the government could dispense medical care through a socialized system.
And it has.
Cool. The Koch brothers? At least we have some scary force on our side that makes the D’s cry.
We have the Koch brothers and you don’t.
I read somewhere that Obama had a private meeting with Hilary prior to firing Shinski. She probably told him protecting the guy was damaging her campaign.
I don’t doubt Shinseki is now sitting pretty.
Don’t shed any tears for the guy, he was paid off to take the fall. Watch how he’s demonized in the next few weeks over this.
Of course, the Dems will simply blame a lack of funds for all the VA’s failures, and most voters will believe it.
I blame the4 Koch Brothers for the Trabant and chronic flatulence.
and add to all you said that Shineki was dealing with a strong government employees union, a union which punishes members for good performance and encourages fraud (secret waiting lists).
I guess the Koch brothers have now replaced Sarah Palin in the role of Emmanuel Goldstein.
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