[185JHP]

This is wrong. Thoroughly, utterly, unconscionably wrong. Veterans benefits are compensation, not welfare. It's also changing the deal after one party has performed.

[B4Ranch]

The suspension, scheduled to last through 2003, goes against VA policy set in 1996 when Congress ordered the agency to open health care to nearly all veterans. The change is expected to affect about 164,000 veterans.

Please, pass along the disgust this brings to Congress from all veterans when the Democrats come to town. Maybe they will raise enough of a fuss that they can get the rules obeyed.

[Jesse]

"It's also changing the deal after one party has performed."

You forget, if you or I do this, it's fraud and we go to jail. If the government does it, it is fiscal responsibility.

Anyway, the VA hospital system is an expensive anachronism and should be closed down. Veterans should get a voucher and get their own insurance and seek health care in the private sector. Service connected vets vouchers would be higher and high risk vets would go into a high risk pool that all insurance companies who want to sell health insurance to veterans would have to participate in.

Oh, I know it will never happen. But the solutions which makes the most sense when it comes to socialistic, paternalistic government job programs like the VA system or federal education system (ie, close them down)will never happen because they are a source of votes and political power for politicians.