Cedric's Big Mix

Saturday, May 24, 2014

His priorities

BULLY BOY PRESS & CEDRIC'S BIG MIX -- THE KOOL-AID TABLE

FADED CELEBRITY IN CHIEF BARRY O GAVE HIS WEEKLY ADDRESS TODAY AND IT WAS ON MEMORIAL DAY.

THE VETERANS WHO FEEL BARRY O HAS BEEN AWOL ON THE LATEST V.A. SCANDAL DID NOT RECEIVE MUCH COMFORT IN HIS SPEECH WHICH DID NOT EVEN NOTE THE SCANDAL BUT ALSO OPENED:

Hi, everybody. It’s Memorial Day weekend – a chance for Americans to get together with family and friends, break out the grill, and kick off the unofficial start of summer.

HE MARCHES TO HIS OWN LITTLE DRUM, DOESN'T HE?

FROM THE TCI WIRE:

Imagine that you woke up this morning to find you were the ruler of a country and that your country had only one high value export while your people lived in poverty and you had to import rice and other basic food staples.

Realizing the importance of your sole commodity, you would most likely attempt to ensure that everything was in order, every 'i' dotted, every 't' crossed.

You'd do that because of the importance of the commodity to your entire country.

And if you didn't do that and the citizens found out, they'd consider you a failure.

Well the commodity is oil, the country is Iraq and the failure is Nouri al-Maliki.

The chief thug of Iraq was put into place by Bully Boy Bush in 2006 with the understanding the Nouri would push through an oil and gas law because 'liberated' Iraq had none. In 2007, with the US Congress questioning what was being accomplished in Iraq, the Bully Boy Bush administration came up with a series of 'benchmarks' which success would be measured by. Chief among the benchmarks? Passing an oil and gas law.

Nouri wanted the US taxpayers money that the US government had been wasting to continue to flow into Iraq, so he readily agreed to the benchmarks.

But he was unable to pass any oil and gas law.

Not in 2006.

Not in all the years he held the post.

Let's not pretend that there weren't problems.

There were problems.

I, for one, was always thrilled watching Nouri's continued failure.

That's because the law the US government wanted, the one Nouri forever pimped, wasn't wanted by Iraqis and especially wasn't wanted by Iraqi labor groups.

When a proposed law is deeply unpopular what do you do?

If you're the leader you can try to ram it through.

It's not democratic but sometimes it can be rammed through.

But you might try that once or even twice. When you've tried that over and over since 2006?

You're not just a bad leader, you're kind of idiot.

A smart person jettisons the parts that are felt objectionable and refashions a new bill. A smart person refashions it in a way to get more people on board and uses horse trading on that and other issues to bring others on board.

When your economy has no diversification to speak of and is rooted around only one commodity, you do everything you can to secure that commodity.

If you're not an idiot.

Nouri's an idiot. Eight years in a row as prime minister and he couldn't even make the most basic move to secure the economy. And yet the failure thinks he deserves a third term as prime minister.

SPA reports, "Iraq filed for arbitration against Turkey on Friday" and that the filing was "with the Paris-based International Chamber of Commerce."

What's going on?

From yesterday's snapshot:

Marina Ottaway offers an analysis for CNN which includes, "Elated by his victory, al-Maliki is sounding uncompromising, and although he has declared that he is open to work with any political party, he has made it clear that it would be strictly on his own terms. For example, he has told the Kurdish party that they are welcome in a government coalition as long as they accept his interpretation of the constitution, thus renounce their ambition to export oil independently." Apparently while preparing that analysis today, Ottaway missed Sinan Salaheddin's Associated Press report which opens, "Iraq's self-ruled northern Kurdish region on Thursday started exporting crude oil to the international market through the Turkish port of Ceyhan despite objections from the central government in Baghdad, Turkey's energy minister said."

This morning, Gary Dixon (TradeWinds) noted, "Turkish energy minister Taner Yildiz told Reuters loading of the 1m barrel stem was completed on Thursday." Selcan Hacaoglu and Ali Berat Meric (Bloomberg News) added, "More than one million barrels of Kurdish oil were shipped from Turkey to Europe yesterday, Turkey’s energy minister and the Iraqi Kurdish administration said, a sale that may trigger legal action by Iraq’s government."

The Kurdistan Regional Government issued the following today:

Erbil, Kurdistan (KRG.org) - In line with its policy of implementing the 2005 Constitution of Iraq and helping Iraq achieve its oil production, export and revenue targets, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) has completed the first sales of crude oil produced in the Kurdistan Region and piped to the port of Ceyhan.
A tanker loaded with over one million barrels of crude oil departed last night from Ceyhan towards Europe. This is the first of many such sales of oil exported through the newly constructed pipeline in the Kurdistan Region.
The revenue from the sales will be deposited in a KRG-controlled account in Halkbank in Turkey and will be treated as part of the KRG’s budgetary entitlement under Iraq’s revenue sharing and distribution as defined under the 2005 Constitution of Iraq.
Meeting Iraq’s continued international UN obligations, five percent of the sales revenue will be set aside in a separate account for reparations.
The KRG has invited independent bodies to observe the sales and export process in line with the KRG’s commitment to transparency. KRG also hopes that officials from SOMO (the federal Iraqi oil marketing organization) accept KRG’s invitation to observe the process.
The KRG will continue to exert its rights of export and sell oil independently of SOMO but remains committed to negotiate in good faith with its counterparts in Baghdad to reach a comprehensive settlement on oil issues within the framework of Iraq’s Constitution.

The KRG has worked tirelessly with its international partners and investors to create new pathways to prosperity and economic development for the people of Kurdistan and Iraq and is ready to become a reliable and stable source of energy both for its immediate neighbours and international markets.

The Kurds can sale their oil because (a) they're semi-autonomous and (b) no national oil & gas law has been passed.

Friday, May 23, 2014

Time for the nuclear option?

BULLY BOY PRESS & CEDRIC'S BIG MIX -- THE KOOL-AID TABLE

FADED CELEBRITY BARRY O CONTINUES TO FLOUNDER IN THE FACE OF THE VA SCANDAL.

IT IS CONSUMING SO MUCH ATTENTION THAT HE'S CONSIDERING WHAT'S BEING DUBBED "THE NUCLEAR OPTION."

A WHITE HOUSE RAT TOLD THESE REPORTERS, "THE NIT-TIT PLAN IS THE NUCLEAR OPTION. THE CELEBRITY IN CHIEF WOULD TAKE OFF HIS SHIRT AND GO THE ENTIRE WEEK TOPLESS WHILE IN PUBLIC AND BEFORE PHOTOGRAPHERS. WHEN ASKED ABOUT IT, HE WOULD STROKE HIS NIPS AND COYLY ASK, 'YOU MEAN THESE? DO YOU THINK I'M SEXY? DO YOU THINK I'M PRETTY?' AND AFTER A WEEK OF THIS, THE VA SCANDAL WOULD BE FORGOTTEN. REMEMBER, THIS IS ON BACKGROUND. I CAN'T LOSE MY JOY SO YOU CAN'T USE MY NAME OR EVEN MY TITLE. IF YOU IDENTIFY ME AS 'WHITE HOUSE SPOKESPERSON,' EVERY ONE WILL KNOW IT'S ME JAY. SO YOU CAN'T DO THAT, OKAY?"

WHEN THESE REPORTERS SPOKE TO BARRY O FOR CONFIRMATION ON THE NIT-TIT PLAN, HE GIGGLED AND SAID, "I'M NOT SAYING I AM DOING IT. I'M NOT SAYING I'M NOT. I AM SAYING THESE MOOBS ARE BOUNCY AND MEATY WITH PERKY NIPPLES AND MAYBE IT'S TIME THE COUNTRY FOCUSED ON THEM?"

FROM THE TCI WIRE:

Starting with the VA scandal. Senator Patty Murray is the Chair of the Senate Budget Committee and serves on the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Murray Press Office

Thursday, May 22, 2014 (202) 224-2834

[AUDIO] VETERANS: Murray Continues Call for Decisive, Transparent VA Action

Murray: “What we need from VA now is decisive action and I think this Committee should be clear to the VA what we expect. The lack of transparency and the lack of accountability are inexcusable and cannot be allowed to continue.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) continued her push for action at the VA during the Senate Appropriations Committee’s first Full Committee Markup of the year. During consideration of the Military Construction and Veterans’ Affairs Appropriations bill, Murray reiterated her call for decisive, transparent action from the Department of Veterans Affairs to address the deep, system-wide problems when it comes to health care wait times. Murray also expressed support for provisions that would address those wait times and increase accountability through prohibiting the VA from awarding bonuses to VHA senior executives, medical directors, and assistant directors until the Inspector General completes a nation-wide review and the VA provides a plan to implement the recommendations.

The bill also funds Senator Murray’s key priorities for veterans, including mental health and suicide prevention, gender specific care for women veterans, Vet Centers, care for veterans in rural areas, and care for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans.

LISTEN to Senator Murray’s remarks here.

Full Text of Senator Murray’s Remarks:

“I want to thank Chairman Johnson and Ranking Member Kirk and their staffs for all their work putting this bill together.

“Like pretty much every American, I believe that when it comes to caring for our nation’s heroes, we cannot accept anything less than excellence.

“The VA and the Department generally offers very high quality health care—but it is really disappointing that the Department has failed to address wait times for that care.

“I was glad to see President Obama weigh in on this issue yesterday, but these recent allegations are not new issues – they are deep, system-wide problems, and they do grow more concerning every day. We should not be waiting to take action.

“The Inspector General and GAO have reported on this problem repeatedly for several years. But many of the recommendations still have not been implemented by the VA.

“The Department has announced it’s going to conduct a nation-wide review of access to care. And there have been some adjustments in personnel. But those are really only first steps.

“There are still far too many unanswered questions about the review, including whether it is taking a serious look at the problem.

“As I told Secretary Shinseki last week, I continue to believe that he does take this seriously and wants to do the right thing. But we really have come to the point where we need to have more than good intentions.

“What we need from VA right now is decisive action and I think this Committee mark should be very clear to the VA what we expect.

“The lack of transparency and the lack of accountability are inexcusable and cannot continue to be allowed.

“Giving bonuses to hospital directors for running a system that places priority on gaming the system and keeping their numbers down rather than providing care to veterans – has to come to an end.

“That is why I am very pleased the Subcommittee’s mark includes a provision to prohibit VA from awarding bonuses to VHA senior executives, medical directors, and assistant directors until the Inspector General completes a nation-wide review and the VA provides a plan to implement the recommendations.

“And I also commend you Mr. Chairman for adding an extra $5 million to the Inspector General to conduct that review.

“We cannot continue to not provide the resources for the care at the local level or for the IG to be able to conduct this very important review.

“So I really want to thank Chairman Johnson and Ranking Member Kirk for including those really important provisions in this bill and addressing wait times and increasing accountability. I think this takes a very important direction, and I appreciate it.

“There are other issues in this bill very important to all of us. I do want to thank the Chairman for his willingness to continue to work with me on providing reproductive health services to our most catastrophically wounded heroes. I wasn’t able to include it in this, but we are going to continue to work on that.

“Madam Chairman, I just think it is extremely important that all of us recognize that this committee is making a strong statement with this bill about the challenges we’ve been hearing at the VA, and I appreciate it.”

###

---

Meghan Roh

Press Secretary | New Media Director

Office of U.S. Senator Patty Murray

Mobile: (202) 365-1235

Office: (202) 224-2834

@PattyMurray | @SenateBudget | @MegRoh

The cooking of the books by the VA? Two lists were kept at some VA medical centers (over 20 are now under investigation). One was the fairy tale list known as the 'real' list and it was entered into the computer system. It showed veterans needing medical attention being able to make appointments within 14 days of calling in for an appointment.

Senator Murray's calling for an end to the bonuses and that is smart because these fairy tale lists allowed VA officials to be rewarded for their 'good' job.

But the reality was there was an off book list. It was kept by hand and it demonstrated that veterans were not receiving timely medical attention. Scott Bronstein, Drew Griffin and Chelsea J. Carter (CNN -- link is text and video) report:

Some veterans injured in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan are being made to wait for months in the Phoenix Veterans Affairs Health Care System despite a national mandate they be given priority access to medical care, a VA doctor told CNN.

Dr. Katherine Mitchell, medical director of the Phoenix VA's post-deployment clinic, outlined the allegations in a report that aired Wednesday night on CNN's "AC 360°."

She accused the Phoenix VA -- up until at least three weeks ago -- of not following a mandate that the highest priority be given to new or injured veterans for scheduling appointments.

Wait lists in Phoenix for veterans injured in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan can be "six months, nine months or longer," Mitchell said.

In the video (from Wednesday's Anderson Cooper 360), Drew Griffin comments on Barack's speech from yesterday.

Drew Griffin: You know, I thought these poor veterans are going to have to wait now even longer to get care while the President studies the issue, Anderson. The fact is veterans across the country have been waiting too long to get doctor's appointments. That is a fact. The other fact is, the VA has known about that. Not only that, the VA has known that its offices out here in the country have been cooking the books to try and hide those numbers. Those are facts which come from numerous government reports. So those are facts that are already out there. In the last several months, six months, on your program, whistle-blowers have come forward and told us, have told us, they have talked to the VA Inspector General reporting that due to delays in care, deaths have occurred as a result. The VA has admitted to 23 deaths due to delays. Now, I just want to tell you, Anderson, who this is harming and why many believe the President's speech today was completely inadequate. Last night, here in Phoenix, I talked to a physician at the VA who runs the post-deployment clinic, Dr. Katherine Mitchell, and I had to ask her twice because I couldn't believe what she was telling me. She told me even recent war vets, vets coming home injured are waiting months to get care.

The Economist weighs in on yesterday's speech noting:

Not for the first time, Mr Obama’s first response seemed oddly detached. He offered tepid support for Eric Shinseki, a former four-star general who serves as his secretary for veterans’ affairs, calling him a great public servant who “cares deeply about veterans”, before noting that, if Mr Shinseki were to conclude that he had let veterans down, “then I’m sure that he is not going to be interested in continuing to serve.” With that out of the way, the president then explained how hard it is to run the VA, an agency that has endured backlogs for decades and now faces an influx of troops wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as claims from newly-eligible veterans after rules were relaxed for those exposed to Agent Orange in Vietnam or suffering from post-traumatic stress.

This afternoon, Dana Bash informed Jake Tapper (The Lead, CNN) that Shinseki told (bragged to?) reporters today that he has not offered his resignation and insisted, "You guys know me better than that."

Bret Hayworth (Sioux City Journal) reports Iraq War veteran Jim Mower, who is running for Congress, publicly called today for Shinseki to resign:

"I am appalled by the actions of the president and the V.A.," Mowrer said.

Mowrer is a veteran who served in Iraq for 16 months with an Infantry Battalion out of Waterloo, Iowa. He said Obama only reacted after weeks of media outcries about veterans hospitals, so he sees "a rudderless ship approaching disaster."

Mowrer is not worried about any fallout from his criticism of Obama, who is a fellow Democrat.

"I don't care who the president is, it needs to be fixed," he said.

Jim Mower isn't the only Democrat making the call for Shinseki to step down. As noted in yesterday's snapshot, US House Reps John Barrow and David Scott (both Democrats) called yesterday for Shinseki to step down. In addition, Andrew Johnson (conservative National Review -- link is text and video) notes Bob Kerry appeared on Hardball last night and called for Shinseki to step down. (Disclosure, as noted before, I know and like Bob Kerrey.) The Vietnam veteran, former Governor of Nebraska and former US senator told Chris Matthews, "In this case I think there's an urgency for General Shinseki, who is honorable man and served his country honorably, but he needs to step aside."

Mike Lillis (The Hill) notes House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi declared that the scandal "could rise to the level of criminal misconduct" and points out, "She's not alone in suggesting the alleged misconduct might be criminal. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) has urged VA Secretary Eric Shinseki to call in the FBI to investigate."

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Thursday, May 22, 2014

Barry plays with the jocks

BULLY BOY PRESS & CEDRIC'S BIG MIX -- THE KOOL-AID TABLE

FADED CELEBRITY BARRY O SUFFERED THROUGH A SPEECH ABOUT VETERANS NEEDS AND HOW THE V.A. IS NOT SERVING THEM. IT WAS 1370 LONG WORDS.

BUT THEN, AS HE NOTES, "THE FUN BEGAN."

BARRY O TOLD THESE REPORTERS, "I GOT TO GIVE A SPEECH ABOUT THE SEATTLE SEAHAWS -- 1330 WORDS. PRIME JOCK MEAT. I WAS REALLY LOVING IT, GRINNING AND FLIRTING, WONDERING IF THE BOYS BROUGHT ANY STINKY JOCK STRAPS FOR ME TO PLAY WITH. THAT'S WHAT'S IMPORTANT, YOU KNOW? WHAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT."

FROM THE TCI WIRE:

The last time I saw Barack?

You like roses and kisses and pretty men to tell you
All those pretty lies, pretty lies
When you gonna realize they're only pretty lies
Only pretty lies, just pretty lies
-- "The Last Time I Saw Richard," written by Joni Mitchell, first appears on her Blue album.

Pretty lies no longer work as well for US President Barack Obama. And today he spoke about the latest Veterans Affairs scandal.

“The question is this: if the administration has known about these issues for at least four years, why is it just now taking action?"

That is the question to ask, we'll get to it in a moment.

In the United States, the VA stands accused of cooking the books. Numerous VA medical centers maintained two sets of appointment lists. The first one, the official one kept in the computer system, demonstrated veterans received medical attention within 14 days of needing it. That list is the fairy tale. The reality was the off books list which demonstrated veterans were actually waiting weeks and months.

The fairy tale list was used to give the impression that VA was doing their job and serving veterans in a timely manner. It was also used to reward officials for strong performances -- resulting in raises for them and bonuses. Again, this list was a lie.

Most recently, Patricia DiCarlo and Scott Bronstein (CNN) reported, "An audit team sent to the Malcom Randall VA Medical Center in Gainesville, Florida, discovered a list of patients needing follow-up appointments that was kept on paper instead of in the VA's electronic computer system." It is just the most recent addition to a growing list. Scott Bronstein and Tom Cohen's (CNN) report, "Meanwhile, the number of Veterans Affairs facilities under investigation has expanded to 26, the agency's Office of Inspector General confirmed Tuesday. Last week, the inspector general told a Senate committee that 10 facilities were being investigated."

As the scandal has grown, people have awaited word from Barack. Monday, the White House said Barack had just learned of the scandal and then it was revealed Barack learned of the scandal right before he was sworn in as president in January 2009.

Stephanie Gaskill (Defense One) reminds, "In 2008, Sen. Barack Obama vowed to fix the Department of Veterans Affairs if elected president. But over the past 5 years, problem after problem has emerged: a massive case backlog, delayed GI Bill payments, a stalled electronic records system, and now allegations that federal employees have been lying about wait times at VA hospitals." David Zucchino, Cindy Carcamo and Alan Zarembo (Los Angeles Times) offer the following examples:

• In Washington state, Navy veteran Walter “Burgie” Burkhartsmeier, 73, had to wait two months to get an MRI exam at a VA facility in Seattle for shooting pains down his left arm. Eighteen months passed before someone read the MRI results — which showed bony projections on his spinal cord that put him at risk of paralysis if he were struck in the back.
• In Texas, Carolyn Richardson, 70, said a VA doctor last year ordered “immediate” chemotherapy for her husband, Army veteran Anson “Dale” Richardson, 66, but a two-month delay robbed him of the chance to fight the throat cancer that killed him Nov. 4.
• In Phoenix, Thomas Breen, 71, a Navy veteran with a history of bladder cancer, waited two months last fall for a follow-up appointment at the VA facility there after discovering blood in his urine. His family finally took him to a private hospital that diagnosed him with terminal bladder cancer. He died Nov. 30.
• In Nevada, Sandi Niccum, 78, a blind Navy veteran, was forced to wait five hours for emergency room treatment at a VA facility in North Las Vegas last year. Niccum, who was weeping and pounding the floor with her cane because of intense pain in her abdomen, died less than a month later after a large mass was found. A VA investigation did not link the care delay to her death, but it faulted the facility for the long wait and for failing to monitor Niccum.

• And in Durham, N.C., two employees were put on administrative leave last week after an internal review uncovered irregularities in appointments, a local VA spokeswoman said.

Today, Barack finally spoke himself about the scandal.

What did he say?

Among other things, "He has put his heart and soul into this thing. At this stage, Rick is committed to solving the problem and working with us to do it."

What?

Yes, Barack finally spoke about the scandal and his primary concern was "Rick" -- Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki.

"Rick," Barack wants the world to know, "has put his heart and soul into this thing."

So forget you, Barry Coates, the VA's failures kept you from getting timely medical treatment meaning your cancer wasn't caught in time and progressed to stage-four. Your problems are nothing, apparently, when compared to "Rick" Shinseki's "heart and soul." (Barry Coates shared his story with the House Veterans Affairs Committee on April 9th -- nothing in Barack's speech indicated he was aware of how the VA failed Coates or other veterans in the same situation.)

You can read his remarks in full here -- all 1370 words.

All 1370 words.

I emphasize that for a reason.

Barack made a joke of veterans today.

He thought 1370 words were adequate for this issue?

On the same day he gave a speech "Honoring the Super Bowl Chapmion Seattle Seahawks"?

Really? Because I think he came off looking like a fool -- and an uncaring and thoughtless fool at that.

1370 words in his VA scandal speech.

We're supposed to take that seriously when he gives a speech on a football team the same day and that speech is 1330 words -- only 40 less than his speech on a VA scandal that threatens the health and well being of veterans?

He should be ashamed of himself.

Veterans health and lives in jeopardy was only worth 40 more prepared remarks than Barack's gushing (and whoring) over a sports team. He and his speech writers should be ashamed of themselves.

Not surprisingly, Barack's speech did not go over well.

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Wednesday, May 21, 2014

He's ready to disrobe if that would help

BULLY BOY PRESS & CEDRIC'S BIG MIX -- THE KOOL-AID TABLE

AS ALWAYS, FADED CELEBRITY BARRY O LOOKS TO DO ANYTHING EXCEPT HIS ACTUAL JOB. WHICH IS WHY HE SHOWED UP AT WASHINGTON'S FRIENDSHIP PARK ON MONDAY IN AN ATTEMPT TO CREATE A NEW PHOTO OP AND TAKE OVER A LITTLE LEAGUE GAME. THE CHILDREN WERE NOT IMPRESSED WITH ONE DECLARING, "DADDY. LET'S JUST PLAY."

IT WAS AN ATTEMPT TO DISTRACT FROM THE GROWING V.A. SCANDAL -- THE ONE WHERE WHITE HOUSE PLUS-SIZE SPOKESMODEL JAY CARNEY DECLARED BARRY O FOUND OUT ABOUT THE WAIT-LISTS VIA THE MEDIA AND THEN, OOPS, A FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST MADE CLEAR BARRY O WAS INFORMED OF THE PROBLEM 7 YEARS AGO . . . AND DID NOTHING.

"LOOK," AN EXASPERATED BARRY O DECLARED THIS MORNING, "WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO TO CHANGE THE FOCUS? I'M EVEN WILLING TO POSE TOPLESS AGAIN IF THAT WILL DO THE TRICK."

FROM THE TCI WIRE:

Some people should grasp that they don't know everything. Linda Bilmes has her areas of expertise and her areas of stupidity. She tells Jordain Carney and Stacy Kaper (National Journal), "Congress has been totally exasperated by the VA’s inability to get on top of the problem for a long time. But they haven’t been willing to really contemplate anything other than throwing more money at the problem."

Her stupidity is dangerous to the nation.

Her statement 'feels' right so she blathers on like an idiot. But she's completely uninformed and ignorant. If you didn't do the work, sit your tired ass down because nobody needs to hear it.

I've been at the hearings, I've reported on the hearings. Linda's efforts to blame Congress are shameless. I don't care if it's a Democrat or a Republican, members of Congress have not just tossed money at the problem. They have asked VA repeatedly, "What do you need?" They have asked that in terms of money, in terms of bills. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin was one of the best about this. Her remarks in Subcommittees she chaired went like this, "We are here to help our veterans and we need to work together on this. So what tools do you need that you don't have?"

Carney and Kaper say that it takes 2 years for a VA claims adjuster to be trained. Really?

I'd love to know where they got that figure. VA officials have usually told Congress that it takes 8 months to a year. It's interesting how so-called facts can be made up -- look at the crap Linda's spewing for example. We note Linda on the costs of the Iraq War. We will be far less likely to note Linda in the future because she is either lying in the statement we quoted or she is perfectly willing to speak without any research at all. In either case, she is no longer trustworthy and her ridiculous remarks question the legitimacy of all of her work -- past, present and future.

Linda didn't make the VA claims remark ("It takes approximately two years to fully train a claims worker") but here's why Carney and Kaper look like idiots -- how about people start doing the damn work required? -- the House and Senate Veterans Affairs Committees did not start offering money for more claims workers two years ago. Bernie Sanders is the Chair of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee and I can remember then-Chair Patty Murray raising this issue and then-Chair Daniel Akaka raising this issue.

And, by the way, when Committee members raised this issue they were told by Dr. Robert Petzel and Allison Hickey and others with VA that they didn't want extra workers (because it would take 8 months or a year to fully train them) which is why overtime was utilized instead.

Do Carney and Kaper know about that? Apparently not.

Apparently, you can 'report' any damn thing in the world if you're willing to make it up.

Bob Filner. I know Bob and I like Bob. As San Diego Mayor, he disgraced himself with unbecoming actions that were also criminal. My heart breaks for Bob and I hope he can learn from what happened, I do believe in redemption.

But what happened there has nothing to do with his tenure as Chair of the House Veterans Affairs Committee. He called out Petzel and Hickey. The only one who shows that kind of determination today is Senator Richard Burr (Ranking Member of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee).

Maybe if reporters had actually attended the hearings -- novel concept, isn't it? -- and reported on them, we wouldn't have to scream so loud here.

I'm fine with holding anyone accountable -- even Oval Office occupants.

And I think, with the exception of Bob Filner and Richard Burr, all Committee members are too kind to VA officials -- who are liars, they've lied repeatedly and should be held in contempt of Congress for their lies.

I praise Daniel Akaka for the tone he set as Chair of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, but I also called out Daniel. And I know Daniel and like Daniel. But we're the ones who said he needed to step down and we're the ones who said Patty Murray needed to be made the Chair. I love Daniel but he was making too many mistakes and was far too pleasant in the face of repeated lies from the VA. I cried after I dictated the snapshot calling for him to step down as Chair but I cried after. I didn't silence the criticism (which I still consider accurate).

So no one should ever think I'm going to pull punches. If I feel a hard call has to be made, I will make it.

That doesn't mean I'm right and I can be wrong and often am. But it does mean I don't run around trying to excuse the Veterans Affairs Committees.

Linda flaunts gross ignorance when she states, "Congress has been totally exasperated by the VA’s inability to get on top of the problem for a long time. But they haven’t been willing to really contemplate anything other than throwing more money at the problem."

Patty Murray has repeatedly asked VA officials what tools do they need? Richard Burr has especially asked them that question with regards to how to hold failing employees accountable.

Linda needs to get her lazy ass to a VSO hearing. That's when the Committees hear from various Veterans Service Organizations about proposed bills and laws and what the VSOs think of these measures.

In hearing, VA officials will frequently insist that this or that bill will hamper them. Does Linda know about that?

No, she doesn't know a thing.

But what a pleasing lie to tell, "It's everyone's fault!"

The Veterans Affairs Committee need to do a better job of oversight but, in terms of attempting to address problems, they have proposed various legislative changes and, generally speaking, the VA opposes them on every measure.

Whatever Bob Filner is, he was a strong advocate for veterans. So was/are Steve Buyer, Jeff Miller, Patty Murray, Daniel Akaka, Richard Burr, Mark Begich, etc. And it is insulting to be ignorant of what's taken place yet respond to the latest VA scandal with some insipid remark that builds on collective guilt (but lacks the guts to go there).

It's amazing Linda can blame Congress but not say a word about the president.

That would be Barack Obama, the president who has nominated Jeffrey Murawsky for the post of Under Secretary of Health despite the fact that Murawksy is currently responsible for overseeing one of the VA medical centers involved in the current scandal where whistle-blowers have come forward to expose two sets of appointment lists. The first is a fairy tale where veterans request an appointment and receive one within 14 days. The fairy tale list is the official list, the one in the computers. There's also an off books list where its documented that veterans are waiting weeks and months for medical care. Murawsky was either involved in that or unaware of it -- neither option builds confidence in his nomination.

It's the Phoenix VA medical center where the lists are said to have led to the deaths of 40 veterans so, yes, it's better that Murawsky was over Chicago instead of Phoenix but not 'better enough' to justify nominating him for a promotion. Oh, wait, he was also supposed to supervise Phoenix.

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Tuesday, May 20, 2014

Why the need for the smokescreen?

BULLY BOY PRESS & CEDRIC'S BIG MIX -- THE KOOL-AID TABLE

'HOW GAY IS BARRY O?"

THAT'S THE QUESTIONS MANY AMERICANS NOW PONDER AS YET ANOTHER FALSE RUMOR OF HIS SLEEPING WITH A WOMAN -- THIS TIME KIM KARDASHIAN -- EMERGE.

AS BRUCE VILANCH TOLD THESE REPORTERS THIS MORNING, "THEY SPENT FAR LESS TIME IN THE 50S MAKING LIBERACE LOOK STRAIGHT!"

FROM THE TCI WIRE:

The April 30th election results are known. or are they?

Reuters reports, "Preliminary results on Monday showed Maliki won at least 94 seats, far more than his two main Shi'ite rivals, the movement of Muqtada Sadr, which picked up 28 seats, and the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq (ISCI), which won 29 seats." Press TV reports, "Results released by Iraq's Independent High Electoral Commission on Monday showed that the premier’s State of Law alliance garnered 92 out of 328 parliamentary seats. Maliki’s bloc won 30 seats in the capital Baghdad alone and won the first spot in 10 out of 18 provinces overall, while his main rivals are said to have gained between 19 and 29 seats in total." Sinan Salaheddin and Sameer N. Yacoub (AP) reports 92 as well and point out, "He will still need to approach other parties to piece together a broader majority coalition to get the first crack at forming a government as violence rages and instability grows." Duraid Adnan and Tim Arango (New York Times) point out that these are "initial results -- still subject to challenges from various political parties" while stating Nouri won 93 seats.

They also note Saleh al-Mutlaq call for the United Nations and other international bodies to launch an investigation into election irregularities. National Iraqi News Agency reports:

Spokesman for the Citizen Coalition, Baligh Abu Kalal confirmed on Monday that the coalition has recordings of fraud acts and breaking the locks of ballot boxes and what preceded that as the distribution of lands and the use of public money.

92 or 93 or 94 seats, it's not a winner. Nor are Nouri's votes -- he ran for Parliament the same as everyone else -- particularly impressive.

The rush to praise him for basically standing still (State of Law got 89 seats in the 2010 elections) is rather surprising since the goal ahead of the elections for other Shi'ite parties was to break up into smaller groupings because it was felt that the 2010 elections benefited smaller political blocs. He managed to prevent much of Anbar from voting. Disqualifying cities such as Falluja from voting is preventing Anbar from voting. This was not free and fair elections. At one point, the US government was publicly insisting that if elections did not take place everywhere then the election would not be free and fair. But that assertion disappeared as parts of Anbar were prevented from voting. In many ways, Nouri's thuggish manner was on display in 2013 when he sought to punish Anbar Province and Nineveh Province by refusing to allow them to vote in March 2013 provincial elections.

The White House has privately claimed that it was only their efforts and those of the State Dept which allowed Anbar and Nineveh to finally vote in June 2013.

Apparently, the concern was never over the Iraqi people -- the US government's concern. It was only over being embarrassed publicly by their proxy and puppet Nouri al-Maliki. That's why the farce of letting sections of Anbar -- a highly populated and Sunni dominated province -- vote went over so well with hypocrites such as US President Barack Obama.

UNAMI issued the following today (yes, today -- they wrongly put "19 April" on it):

SRSG Welcomes the Announcement of the Preliminary Results of the Parliamentary Elections, Calls for Complaints to be Resolved through Legal Channels

Baghdad, 19 April – The Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Iraq (SRSG), Mr. Nickolay Mladenov, welcomed the announcement by the Independent High Electoral Commission of the preliminary results of the Council of Representatives elections held on 30 April 2014.

“As the people of Iraq have now spoken, I call upon all elected representatives to work together for the future of Iraq”, he said.
He reiterated his appreciation of the work done by the Independent High Electoral Commission and recalled that all potential complaints and disputes should be addressed through the established legal mechanisms in a fair and transparent manner and without undue political pressure.
Mr. Mladenov reaffirmed the United Nations’ readiness to continue working closely with the newly elected Members of Parliament in pursuing the necessary reforms aimed at further enhancing the democratic process and addressing the country’s priorities.

Ban Ki-moon is the United Nations Secretary-General. His office issued the following:

The Secretary-General welcomes the announcement of the preliminary results of the Council of Representatives election in Iraq of 30 April 2014. He looks forward to the certification of the final results after all procedures have been completed, including the adjudication of possible appeals. The Secretary-General urges all political parties to engage constructively and in a timely manner in the process of government formation.
The Secretary-General is concerned about the security situation in Anbar province and urges the government of Iraq to ensure that military operations against terrorism are conducted in accordance with Iraq’s international and constitutional human rights obligations.

The Secretary-General condemns the deliberate flooding of the Abu Ghraib area and urges all sides to refrain from actions that result in displacement of populations or cause environmental disasters. He reiterates his appeal regarding the need to address the humanitarian needs of the hundreds of thousands of people affected by the ongoing fighting in Anbar Province.

Press liars are hailing Nouri as a winner. This wasn't a win. He stated his plan for an I-rule-alone government and not a power-sharing one. By that goal, he lost. He didn't get the votes necessary for that. He doesn't even have enough MPs currently to be named prime minister-designate.

He barely improved on his 2010 standing -- despite all the fraud, the refusal to let some areas vote, the refusal on April 30th to open the polls in areas where he was expected to perform poorly -- instead his military sent people away. And the polls there remained closed for half a day, only opening after noon.

He rigged the elections and he still came up short. And that's not even factoring in that the results could change. Or that one outlet says he got 92 seats in Parliament, another says 93 and another says 94 -- great job, 'Independent' High Electoral Commission in announcing the votes.

The custom now is to form a group -- the Constitution was tossed aside long ago -- so now the move will be to try to form groupings and blocs. The one with the most seats in Parliament is supposed to have a member named prime minister-designate and then that person has 30 days to form a Cabinet. That means nominating people and getting Parliament to vote for them.

Press liars love to lie for Nouri. So when he fails to form a Cabinet, they lie and say the Constitution says nothing about a full Cabinet. That's because it's obvious to any fool -- even those with press passes. You move from prime minister-designate to prime minister solely by forming a Cabinet. This is the sole test. If you can do that, you're up to the leadership aspect.

If you can't do that, the President of Iraq names another person prime minister-designate.

A partial Cabinet is not meeting the requirement.

But that's the Constitution and the reality is that the United States picks Iraq's prime minister.

That's not written into the Iraqi Constitution.

But it's what they did in 2006 when the Bully Boy Bush administration refused to allow the Parliament to name Ibrahim al-Jafaari prime minister. BBB insisted on Nouri al-Maliki.

In 2010, there was no way to give Nouri a second term. Not constitutionally.

So Barack Obama's administration came up with a legal contract, The Erbil Agreement, to give Nouri a second term.

Barack spit on democracy and pissed on the Iraqi people with that one.

Despite voting in March 2010, the determination of who would be prime minister would come via a backroom contract -- brokered by the US -- that would give Nouri a second term.

It condemned Iraq. Not just because it put Nouri in charge but also because Barack broke his word. After his envoys insisted the contract had the full support and weight of the US government behind it (and Barack made that promise to Ayad Allawi over the phone -- personally made it), the White House looked the other way as Nouri refused to honor his promises in the contract.

The contract didn't just say, "Nouri gets a second term as prime minister."

To get that, Nouri had to make promises to the various political blocs. And he used the contract to get a second term and then refused to honor it, has his attorney declare it was illegal and the US government, Barack Obama, stabbed the Kurds in the back, stabbed Iraqiya in the back, stabbed the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq in the back, stabbed Iraqi Christians in the back . . .

You only believe Barack keeps his word if you're a partisan whore.

And it's disgusting to see those people lie about all the great things Barack's done in Iraq.

He's destroyed the country.

Not by pulling out. (All US forces never left.) But by backing a known thug who was known to run secret prison and torture chambers. That's who Barack hopped into bed with in 2010. Shame on him.

All of Iraq's current political crises stem from The Erbil Agreement and Nouri's refusal to honor the legal promises he made in that contract.

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Saturday, May 17, 2014

She's angry

BULLY BOY PRESS & CEDRIC'S BIG MIX -- THE KOOL-AID TABLE

FIRST LADY MICHELLE O HIT THE ROOF AS "THAT LITTLE RUNT UNDERCUT ME."

SHE WAS REFERRING TO BARRY O TAKING JOE BIDEN TO SHAKE SHACK.

"NOT ONLY DOES IT UNDERCUT MY 'LET'S MOVE' CAMPAIGN," SHE FUMED TO THESE REPORTERS, "BUT HE NEVER TAKES ME ANYWHERE! NEVER!"

"AND COME ON, HE COULDN'T EVEN BRING ME BACK SOME FRIES? COME ON!" WITH THAT, AN ANGRY FIRST LADY STRODE OFF.

FROM THE TCI WIRE:

Starting with veterans issues, US House Rep Eddie Bernice Johnson told her local Fox4 News today that she has been receiving complaints from veterans in her district about problems getting medical appointments in a timely fashion. She explained this is not just one or two veterans and the problem appears persuasive. She contacted Veterans Affairs' Office of Inspector General to report the allegations and they have already sent a representative to the Dallas VA earlier this week to investigate the allegations.

She tells Fox4, "Just the other day, we received additional calls that [they] were ordered to shred records and I reported that right away to the Inspector General."

The Congress woman's region is only the latest across the nation to experience this problem.

Yesterday, the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee heard from VA Secretary Eric Shinseki as the Committee explored the information VA whistle-blowers have revealed: The VA has two lists for medical appointments.

The first list is entered in computers and is the official list VA officials point to for bonuses and raises -- and Shinseki and other high ranking officials cite when painting rosy pictures for Congress. It suggests that the VA is responsive and pro-active, actively working to ensure that veterans get medical attention within 14 days of requesting an appointment.

It's a happy little fairy tale that goes like this, "Once upon a time, the VA was plagued with problems and scandals but along came Sir Eric Shinseki, the brave knight, to vanquish the problems and scandals."

In the real world, however, there is a second list, a secret list kept 'off book' where veterans wait weeks, months and years for the medical help they need. It is said that 40 veterans died due to the VA medical center in Phoenix, Arizona's use of these secret lists.

Yesterday, the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee attempted to get answers or even a course of immediate action and they only thing they received from Shinseki was an endless series of non-answers and non-responses. We covered the hearing in yesterday's snapshot, Ruth covered it in "Senator Richard Blumenthal says call in the F.B.I.," Kat covered it in "Shinseki needs to be fired," Ava covered it in "Shineski (Ava)" and Wally covered it in "More talk, no action (Wally)."

Thursday, Shinseki appeared to dodge questions and today he appears to have attempted to trick and deceive the American people. Bryant Jones (Military.com) wrote early today, "The head of Veteran Affairs Health Care resigned Friday following allegations that scheduling delays had led to 40 deaths at an Arizona VA hospital." Jones was referring to the VA's Dr. Robert Petzel, Undersecretary for Health Care. Jones we give the benefit of the doubt. We don't extend that courtesy to MSNBC's Amanda Sakuma. Not because she writes for MSNBC but because she writes poorly.. Not only does she repeat the lie that Petzel resigned due to the scandal, she gets a number of other key details wrong. Someone introduce her to CBS News since she either is mistaken or lying by claiming that Phoenix is the only facility accused of running a real list and a fake list. Tuesday, for example, Wyatt Andrews (CBS News -- link is text and video) reported on the whistle-blower coming forward to make similar claims regarding an Illinois VA center. Similar to the wait lists at the Phoenix VA -- two sets, the real one and the cover one to make it look like vets are getting timely treatment -- Chicago steps into the spotlight. Whistle-blower Germaine Clarno has stepped forward.

As the day wore on, people began to feel lied to as it was noted Shinseki turned in his notice last September (he's retiring) and Barack had already nominated Dr. Jeffrey Murawsky to be the new Undersecretary for Health Care.

Pete Kasperowicz (The Blaze) quotes three people on Shinseki's attempted con. The Chair of the House Veterans Affairs Committee Jeff Miller states, "Today's announcement from VA regarding Undersecretary Robert Petzel's 'resignation' is the pinnacle of disingenuous political doublespeak. Petzel was already scheduled to retire in 2014 and President Obama has already announced his intention to nominate Petzel's replacement, so characterizing this as a 'resignation' just doesn’t pass the smell test." Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America's Tom Tarantino is quoted stating, "To be clear, Dr. Petzel's resignation is not the step toward accountability that our members need to see from VA leaders. Anyone who has been following this situation knows that Dr. Petzel had already announced his retirement earlier this year." The American Legion's Daniel Dellinger is quoted declaring, "This move by VA is not a corrective action, but a continuation of business as usual. Dr. Petzel was already scheduled to retire this year, so his resignation now really won’t make that much of a difference."

A veteran with a veterans VSO discussed Shinseki's appearance before the Committee at length with me today. He is also grossly offended by Senator Bernie Sanders. As Wally pointed out in his report, after the hearing Sanders went on CNN and was so craven in toadying up to the VA that host Chris Cuomo even pointed it out. My friend does not feel Sanders stuck up for veterans in the hearing either.

He feels Sanders made a strong statement in the opening ("when all the press was present") and then "faded quickly." He's not alone in feeling that way. I spoke to four other veterans present to get their take on Bernie Sanders' performance as Chair on Thursday and no one's impressed.

I noted that everyone -- in the snapshot yesterday, I noted -- on the Committee spoke at length to express outrage. They did. But as my friend points out, Bernie Sanders faded quickly.

Reviewing my notes and evaluating the points made by five veterans present for the hearing, I will state that my opinion was wrong -- or whatever term you want to apply (opinions aren't 'wrong,' they're opinions but I will state mine was wrong) -- the points made by those offering input today were valid. I painted with broadstrokes and probably with relief (after press predictions that a huge split was going to take place on the Committee). That was wrong, my apologies for that.

I can be wrong and often am.

Reviewing the notes, I'd say this stands out the most, "One of the concerns that I have to be very honest is that there has been a little bit of a rush to judgment."

The most repeated criticism of Sanders was that he was deferential to the VA and swept veterans under the rug. If you're going to make that criticism, I'd argue that line from Sanders ("One of the concerns that I have to be very honest is that there has been a little bit of a rush to judgment.") captures it.

40 veterans may be dead because of the VA's actions. And Bernie's big concern is "a rush to judgment"?

Equally true, the biggest outrage expressed about veterans being denied timely health care should come from the Chair. In the conversations with the five veterans, it was noted that Ranking Member Richard Burr demonstrated real passion on the topic. It was noted that Senator Patty Murray doesn't raise her voice but gets chilly when extremely bothered "and she went freezer on Petzel." Senators Mark Begich and Dean Heller were also noted as conveying how unacceptable the crisis was. Senator Richard Blumenthal's call for the FBI was noted by three as needed. But no one bought that Sanders was putting veterans first.

"Great opening statement that then went nowhere."

I am fine with disagreeing with any of the five or all of them. And they know that. But as they made their case, I didn't find myself disagreeing. I was wrong, they are correct.

One pointed out, and this is a very important point on this topic, that Sanders has promised "hearings."

"When," the veteran asked, "has Sanders ever held hearings? We're lucky to get a hearing on one topic with him. Hearings? Do you really see him devoting any real time to this? We'll be lucky to get one more hearing on this topic. And you can talk about his acupuncture and yoga issues for the hearing last month [April 30th] but the reality is his pet causes don't trump dead veterans. When this became the topic in the news, his pet causes should have been put on hold. In that hearing, he promised there would be a serious hearing on the wait lists but I don't feel he offered anything serious in yesterday's hearing."

Excusing the VA in the CNN interview did not help Sanders but the veterans can all point to moments in the hearing where they felt Sanders was placing VA officials over the health and lives of veterans.

On Thursday's hearing, US House Rep Jeff Miller's office issued the following:

For more information, contact: Curt Cashour, (202) 225-3527

May 15, 2014

WASHINGTON, D.C.— Following VA’s testimony at today’s Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Hearing and the temporary assignment of White House Deputy Chief of Staff Rob Nabors to VA to oversee the department’s review of patient safety and appointment scheduling policies, Chairman Jeff Miller released the following statement:
“After Sec. Shinseki’s out-of-touch performance today, it’s no wonder President Obama felt compelled to assign someone from the White House to help clean up the mess at the department. Had the president heeded our calls last year to help address the growing pattern of preventable deaths and patient safety incidents at VA medical centers across the country, perhaps VA would not find itself mired in the scandal it is today. While I appreciate the fact that the president has assigned a crisis manager to help deal with what is indeed a crisis, I have no confidence whatsoever an internal VA review will yield results that are either accurate or useful. VA officials in Washington have known about problems with medical care access for at least six years and have failed to fix them. That’s why the only way we can begin to fix VA’s delays in care problem is via an independent bipartisan commission. Anything less is unacceptable. – Rep. Jeff Miller, Chairman, House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs
Related
Chairman Miller letter to President Obama Requesting Bipartisan VA Medical Care Access Commission
May 13, 2014
Chairman Miller letter to President Obama
May 21, 2013

Friday, May 16, 2014

Barack insists the law does not apply to Conyers

BULLY BOY PRESS & CEDRIC'S BIG MIX -- THE KOOL-AID TABLE

AT 85, MAYBE JOHN CONYERS NEEDS TO PARK HIS TIRED ASS ON THE PORCH AND STOP RUNNING FOR CONGRESS?

MR. COWARDLY HAS HIS BALLS SNIPPED BY NANCY PELOSI IN 2007 AND, SAD FOR JOHN, THEY DON'T GROW BACK. SO HE INSISTED HE WOULD IMPEACH BULLY BOY BUSH . . . AFTER HE LEFT OFFICE BUT THEN COWARDLY CONYERS DIDN'T EVEN DO THAT.

NOW THE OLD FOOL MAY NOT BE ABLE TO RUN FOR RE-ELECTION BECAUSE HE DIDN'T FOLLOW THE LAW.

HE NEEDED TO COLLECT THE SIGNATURES OF ENOUGH REGISTERED VOTERS TO BE ON THE BALLOT.

FROM THE WHITE HOUSE, BITCH BARRY INSISTS CONYERS MUST BE ON THE BALLOT.

ISN'T BITCH BARRY SUPPOSED TO BE SUPPORTING THE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES?

AND WHAT MESSAGE DOES BITCH BARRY SEND WHEN HE ARGUES THE RULES DON'T APPLY TO JOHN CONYERS?

THE WHOLE THING IS SHAPING UP TO BE ANOTHER BEER SUMMIT AT THE WHITE HOUSE.

FROM THE TCI WIRE:

"Very serious allegations have been made about VA personnel and they're doing this in Phoenix and in other locations," declared Senator Bernie Sanders at this morning's Senate Veterans Affairs Committee hearing. Sanders is the Chair of the Committee.

Chair Bernie Sanders: I take these allegations very seriously as I know every member of this Committee does which is why I have supported an independent investigation by the VA Inspector General. As we speak right now, the Inspector General's office is in Phoenix doing a thorough examination of the allegations. My hope is that their report to us will be done as soon as possible. And what I have stated and repeat right now is that as soon as that report is done, this Committee will hold hearings to see what we learned from that report and how we go forward.

These accusations that he takes seriously? That veterans are being denied needed and timely care and that the VA has systematically covered this up by working two lists of patients -- one public and in the computers and one kept by hand. Falsifying these records, it's alleged by whistle-blowers, has allowed various honchos to collect bonuses and receive praise in performance appraisals (which would also indicate that they received raises). While this lying has been going on, veterans have suffered.

The April 9th snapshot covers that day's House Veterans Affairs Committee hearing. At the start, Chair Jeff Miller stated the following regarding those who had suffered.

US House Rep Jeff Miller: I had hoped that during this hearing, we would be discussing the concrete changes VA had made -- changes that would show beyond a doubt that VA had placed the care our veterans receive first and that VA's commitment to holding any employee who did not completely embody a commitment to excellence through actions appropriate to the employee's failure accountable. Instead, today we are faced with even with more questions and ever mounting evidence that despite the myriad of patient safety incidents that have occurred at VA medical facilities in recent memory, the status quo is still firmly entrenched at VA. On Monday -- shortly before this public hearing -- VA provided evidence that a total of twenty-three veterans have died due to delays in care at VA medical facilities. Even with this latest disclosure as to where the deaths occurred, our Committee still don't know when they may have happened beyond VA's stated "most likely between 2010 and 2012." These particular deaths resulted primarily from delays in gastrointestinal care. Information on other preventable deaths due to consult delays remains unavailable. Outside of the VA's consult review, this committee has reviewed at least eighteen preventable deaths that occurred because of mismanagement, improper infection control practices and a whole host -- a whole host -- of other maladies plaguing the VA health care system nationwide. Yet, the department's stonewall has only grown higher and non-responsive. There is no excuse for these incidents to have ever occurred. Congress has met every resource request that VA has made and I guarantee that if the department would have approached this committee at any time to tell us that help was needed to ensure that veterans received the care they required, every possible action would have been taken to ensure that VA could adequately care for our veterans. This is the third full committee hearing that I have held on patient safety and I am going to save our VA witnesses a little bit of time this morning by telling them what I don't want to hear. I don't want to hear the rote repetition of -- and I quote -- "the department is committed to providing the highest quality care, which our veterans have earned and that they deserve. When incidents occur, we identify, mitigate, and prevent additional risks. Prompt reviews prevent similar events in the future and hold those persons accountable." Another thing I don’t want to hear is -- and, again, I quote from numerous VA statements, including a recent press statement -- "while any adverse incident for a veteran within our care is one too many," preventable deaths represent a small fraction of the veterans who seek care from VA every year. What our veterans have truly "earned and deserve" is not more platitudes and, yes, one adverse incident is indeed one too many. Look, we all recognize that no medical system is infallible no matter how high the quality standards might be. But I think we all also recognize that the VA health care system is unique because it has a unique, special obligation not only to its patients -- the men and women who honorably serve our nation in uniform -- but also to the hard-working taxpayers of the United States of America.

As many as 40 veterans may have died while waiting for treatment from the Phoenix center. In addition, veteran Barry Coates testified about what he went through.

He's owed an apology. Not just from the VA but from that stupid idiot US House Rep Corrine Brown. How dare that stupid idiot tell someone with stage four cancer that it's not so bad and, hey, she's got a friend who a doctor said would die in a few months and he's still alive, you just never know.

The only thing you never know is how embarrassing Corrine Brown will be. It is time for Democrats to remove Brown from the House Veterans Affairs Committee.

Yes, realizing the idiot couldn't be Ranking Member was wonderful and I applaud Democratic leadership for that. I also applaud them for naming US House Rep Mike Michaud Ranking Member. He's very effective and he comes across as someone who cares.

If you saw Barry Coates face (or his wife's face) when Corrine decided to be peppy as she rushed to rescue the VA and offer her useless crap, you know Brown has to go. She has to go.

Minimizing stage four cancer? To someone suffering from it?

To someone who is a veteran and who wouldn't be in stage four if he could have gotten the appointments he needed in a timely fashion?

Corrine Brown is not fit to serve on the House Veterans Affairs Committee. She and her vast wig collection need to move over to a Committee that's far less important so that her idiotic and insulting remarks will not be aimed at people who suffer because the VA failed them.

The Senate Veterans Affairs Committee has no Corrine Brown fortunately.

So today's hearing included no lectures that stage-four cancer really wasn't that bad or insults of universities (another stunt Corrine Brown pulled -- that was in 2009 -- she was completely wrong on her facts as she attacked America's universities for, you know this is coming, a failure that was in fact the VA's).

The hearing was divided into three panels. The first was Secretary of Veterans Affairs accompanied by the shifty Dr. Robert Petzel. The second panel was the American Legion's Daniel Dellinger, Disabled American Veterans' Joseph A. Violante, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America's Tom Tarantino, Paralyzed Veterans of America's Carl Blake, Student Veterans of America's D. Wayne Robinson, Veterans of Foreign Wars' Ryan Gallucci and Vietnam Veterans of America's Rick Weidman. The third panel was the VA's Acting Inspector General Richard Griffin and --

And we're stopping right there.

There is no transparency in this administration. Hillary Clinton doesn't like accountability which is why she ran through four years as Secretary of State with no IG to monitor her. It's also why State can't account for vast sums today. John Kerry came into the post wanting a real and active Inspector General (and State now has one).

With all the VA scandals since Barack became president, why hasn't he found an Inspector General and not an acting one. And we all know Griffin's tainted, right? He's a Deputy IG really and he was nominated by Bully Boy Bush . . . after his own Blackwater issues.

In fact, the shooting from 2007 that's again been in the news? Did we forget that? Let's drop back to the Monday, September 17, 2007 snapshot:

Turning to the issue of violence, Sahar Issa (McClatchy Newspapers) reported Sunday that a Baghdad shooting (by private contractors) killed 9 Iraqi civilians and left fifteen more wounded. Later on Sunday, CNN reported, "In the Baghdad gun battle, which was between security forces and unidentified gunmen, eight people were killed and 14 wounded, most of them civilians, an Interior Ministry official said. Details were sketchy, but the official said witnesses told police that the security forces involved appeared to be Westerners driving sport utility vehicles, which are usually used by Western companies. The clash occurred near Nisoor square, in western Baghdad. CBS and AP report that Abdul-Karim Khalaf, spokesperson for the Interior Ministry, announced "it was pulling the license of an American security firm allegedly involved in the fatal shooting of civilians during an attack on a U.S. State Department motorcade in Baghdad," that "it would prosecute any foreign contractors found to have used excessive force" in the slaughter (eight dead, 13 wounded) and they "have canceled the liscense of Blcakwater and prevented them from working all over Iraqi territory."

Was anyone punished for those deaths?

Griffin lost his State Dept job over that.

So why the hell is he an 'acting' anything in this administration?

It is a failure of leadership and accountability.

October 25, 2007, Karen DeYoung (Washington Post) reported:

The State Department's security chief was forced to resign yesterday after a critical review found that his office had failed to adequately supervise private contractors protecting U.S. diplomats in Iraq.

Richard J. Griffin, a former Secret Service agent who was once in charge of presidential protection, was told by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's deputy, John D. Negroponte, to leave office by Nov. 1. Griffin's chief deputy, Gregory B. Starr, will become acting assistant secretary for diplomatic security.
Griffin is the first senior official to lose his job over the widening private-contractor scandal. Under fire from Congress, the U.S. military and the Iraqi government after the Sept. 16 contractor killing of 17 Iraqi civilians, Rice on Tuesday ordered extensive changes in diplomatic security arrangements in Iraq and pledged stronger oversight.

Some job loss, he's remained in the administration under Bully Boy Bush and now under Barack.

And Barack doesn't just keep him on, he makes him 'acting' IG. What an insult to the Iraqi people. Next time US Vice President Joe Biden wants to pretend in a phone call that he really, really wants to see the criminals in the incident pay, Nouri al-Maliki should ask him why the official charged with failure (a) hasn't been tried and (b) gets rewarded by Barack naming him "acting Inspector General" for the VA.

Ranking Member Richard Burr; [. . .] but we are here to take a look at the investigations that have already taken place and addressed certain deficiencies in the veterans system that no action was taken on or at least corrective action. In Fiscal Year 2013, VA reported that 93% of specialty and primary care appointments and 95% of mental health appointments were made in 14 days of the patient or provider's date. At first glance, these numbers seem to demonstrate that veterans are receiving the care they want when they want it. However, we know this is not the case. I think if VA had asked hard questions regarding these statistics, we would not be here today discussing recent allegations surrounding many -- and I stress "many" -- VA facilities. More importantly, we're here today to discuss when senior leadership in the Dept became aware that local VA employees were manipulating wait times to show that veterans do not wait at all for care. It seems that every day there are new allegations regarding inappropriate scheduling practices ranging from zeroing out patient wait times to scheduling patients in clinics that don't even exist -- and even to booking multiple patients for a single appointment. The recent allegations were not only reported by the media but have even been substantiated by the General Accounting office, the Inspector General's Office and the Office of Medical Inspector.

As usual, Kat will cover Ranking Member Burr at her site (we'll cover him in a moment from the first panel). Ruth has a Senator on the Committee, Senator Richard Blumenthal, and she'll cover him at her site. Wally will grab Senator Heller for Rebecca's site. At Trina's site, Ava will cover Senator Mazie Hirono.

We'll move to Senator Patty Murray's opening statement.

VIDEO: Senator Murray’s Opening Statement

Like most Americans, I believe that when it comes for caring for our nation's heroes, we cannot accept anything less than excellence. The government made a promise to the men and women who answered the call of duty. And one of the most important ways we uphold that is by making sure our veterans can access the health care they need and deserve. So while the Department generally offers very high quality health care and does many things as well as, or better than, the private sector -- I am very frustrated to be here, once again, talking about some deeply disturbing issues and allegations. It's extremely disappointing that the Department has repeatedly failed to address wait times for health care. So I was encouraged when you announced a nation-wide review of access to care. And I am very pleased that the President is sending one of his key advisors, Rob Nabors, to assist in overseeing and evaluating that review. His perspective, from outside the Department, will make this review more credible and more effective. But announcing this review is just the first step. These recent allegations are not new issues -- they are deep, system-wide problems. And they grow more concerning every day. When the Inspector General's report is issued -- and when the access review's report is given -- I expect the Department to take them very seriously and to take all appropriate steps to implement their recommendations. But there are also cases where the facts are in right now. There are problems we know exist. And there is no reason for the Department to wait until the Phoenix report comes back before acting on the larger problem. The GAO reported on VA's failures with wait times at least as far back as the year 2000. Last Congress we did a great deal of work around wait times, particularly for mental health care. The Inspector General looked at these problems in 2005, 2007, and again in 2012. Each time they found schedulers around the country were not following VA policy. They also found in 2012 that VA has no reliable or accurate way of knowing if they are providing timely access to mental health care. But now the IG recommendations are still open. And the Department still has not implemented legislation I authored to improve the situation. Clearly this problem has gone on for far too long. It is unfortunate that these leadership failures have dramatically shaken many veterans' confidence in the system. Secretary Shinseki, I continue to believe that you take this seriously and want to do the right thing. But we have come to the point where we need more than good intentions. What we need from you now is decisive action to: restore veterans' confidence in VA, create a culture of transparency and accountability, and to change these system-wide, years long problems. This needs to be the wakeup call for the Department. The lack of transparency and the lack of accountability is inexcusable and cannot be allowed to continue. The practices of intimidation and of cover-ups must change – starting today. Giving bonuses to hospital directors for running a system that places priority on gaming the system and keeping their numbers down, rather than provide care to veterans -- must come to an end. But, Mr. Secretary it can’t end with just dealing with a few bad actors or putting a handful of your employees on leave. It has to go much further and lead to system-wide change. You must lead the Department to a place where we prioritize the care of our veterans above everything else. The culture at VA must allow people to admit where there are problems and ask for help from hospital leadership, VISN leadership, or from you. This is the time for the Department to make real, major changes. Because business as usual is unacceptable.

We'll focus on the first panel today with plans to pick up more of the hearing in Friday's snapshot. Let's note two key exchanges. What the Committee is addressing is is not a new issue. It's new to the public because CNN broke the story in April. But it's not new to the VA.

Ranking Member Richard Burr provided a walk through on just this when questioning VA Secretary Eric Shinseki.

Ranking Member Richard Burr: Mr. Secretary, were you aware that on October 25, 2013, the Office of Special Counsel requested that the VA conduct an investigation into the allegations of inappropriate scheduling at the Fort Collins Community Outpatient clinic? And that since then, the media has reported about Mr. Freeman's e-mail of June 19, 2013 that explains how to game the system to avoid being on the bad boy list. Were you aware of those?

Secretary Eric Shinseki: Uh, Senator, I became aware of that-that, uh, that screen shot -- I believe that's what it was -- screen shot of an employee who was suggesting that there are ways to game. I put that employee on administrative leave, uh,

Ranking Member Richard Burr: When was that?

Secretary Eric Shinseki: That was last Friday.

Ranking Member Richard Burr: Mr. Secretary, it's my understanding that on June 21, 2013, VA received a report from the Office of Medical Inspector regarding chronic understaffing issues at the Jacksonville VA Medical Center and that report described multiple patient scheduling problems including scheduling two patients for the same appointment slot and scheduling patients for a clinic that does not have any assigned providers -- often referred to as ghost clinics. And that on September 17, 2013, the Office of Special Counsel submitted a letter to the President of the United States on which the VA was courtesy copied the findings of that June 21st Office of Medical Inspector on the Fort Jackson Medical Center including the practice of double-booking patients and the use of ghost clinics. Do you remember reading that report and receiving that copied letter to the president?

Secretary Eric Shinseki: Uh, I can't say that I remember it today here.

Ranking Member Richard Burr: Okay. There was a December 23, 2013 report by the Office of -- by the Office of Medical Inspector regarding the Cheyenne Medical Center in Fort Collins Clinic that found that several medical support assistants reported that, and I quote, "Medical Center's business office training included teaching them to make the desired date the actual appointment and, if the Clinic needed to cancel appointments, they were instructed to change the desired date to within 14 days of the new appointment." Did you read that report?

Secretary Eric Shinseki: That, uh, report has come to my-my attention here recently.

Ranking Member Richard Burr: Okay, on February 25, 2014, your Chief of Staff, Mr. [Jose D.] Riojas, submitted a response to the Office of Special Counsel which included the December 23 , 2013 Office of the Medical Inspector report on Fort Collins. And in that letter, Mr. Riojas states, and I quote, "However as OMI" Office of Medical Inspector "was not provided any specific veterans cases effected by these practices, it cannot substantiate that the failure to properly train staff resulted in danger to public health or safety." Were you aware of what your Chief of Staff wrote?

Secretary Eric Shinseki: I was.

Ranking Member Richard Burr: Okay. Mr. Secretary, were you aware that the GAO report entitled "VA Health Care: Reliability of Reported Out Patient Medical Appointment Wait Times Scheduling Oversight Need Improvement" which was publicly released in January 2013 and then on December 11, 2012, to that same report, your former Chief of Staff, John Gingrich, sent a letter to the GAO which stated, and I quote, "VA generally agrees with the GAO's conclusions and concurs with GAO's recommendations to the Dept"? Do you remember that letter? That report and your Chief of Staff's response?

Secretary Eric Shinseki: In-in general, I do remember that report.

Ranking Member Richard Burr: Mr. Secretary, you knew that there were specific issues relating to scheduling and wait times as early as June 21, 2013 at Jackson, December 23, 2013 at Fort Collins, as well as numerous IG reports related to excessive wait times in January '012 in Temple, Texas, September '012 in Spokane, Washington, October 2012 in Cleveland, Ohio, September 2013 in Columbia, South Carolina. December '012, a GAO report questions the validity and the reliability of the reported wait time performance measures. Which brings us to today in Phoenix. On May 1, you publicly stated that you had removed Ms. Hellman as the medical director. And you stated then that that was to ensure the integrity of the IG's current ongoing investigation. On May 5th, Dr. Petzel conducted a conference call with all medical directors, all VISN directors and the chiefs of staff -- a rather large group -- to discuss the ongoing face-to-face audits of all VA centers and large community outpatient clinics. I have been told by sources that were on that call that during that call, Dr. Petzel made the statement that the removal of Ms. Hellman was, I quote, "political and that she's done nothing wrong." If you're asking us to wait until the investigation is over, doesn't the same apply to people who work for you? And, Mr. Secretary, from all I've described to you and the current investigation, why should this Committee or any veteran believe that change is going to happen as a result of what we're going though?

Secretary Eric Shinseki: I-I was not aware of, uh, the phone call you referred to and I will look into it. Uhm, I would just tell you that, uh, my removal of the director, uh, placing her on administrative leave was at the request of the IG. He is the lead in this, uh-uh, comprehensive review. Uhm, I don't get out ahead of him. Uh, he requested it. And I, uh, put Director Hellman and two other individuals on administrative leave.

Let's start with Petzel. Did Dr. Robert Petzel do what he's accused of? No one knows at this point. But what we do know -- because we reported on it here -- is that Dr. Petzel doesn't seem to feel compelled to shut his damn mouth in the midst of an ongoing investigation. In the May 1st snapshot, we reported on the April 30th Senate Veterans Affairs Committee hearing and noted:

The big disgrace that is the VA's Dr. Robert Petzel told the Committee, "I need to say that to date, we found no evidence of a secret list. And we have found no patients who have died because they were on a wait list."
Did you grasp what just happened because the press didn't?
I've heard Jen Psaki, Marie Harf, Victoria Nuland, Jay Carney, Robert Gibbs, Dana Perino and many more explain, when asked, that they couldn't what?
Remember?
Pick any controversial and embarrassing topic and what do they say, "I'm sorry. I can't comment on an ongoing investigation."
But Petzel didn't say that -- despite it being an ongoing investigation.
So, in fact, we now know that they can comment on an ongoing investigation, they just don't want to.
After denying any guilt, Petzel then declared, "We think it's very important that the Inspector General be allowed to finish their investigation before we rush to judgment as to what has actually happened." But he rushed to judgment when he denied it.

The May 2nd snapshot included this:

Scott Bronstein, Drew Griffin and Neili Black (CNN) report today:

He's the leader of the Department of Veterans Affairs, which runs the VA hospitals where dozens of U.S. veterans died waiting for simple medical screenings.

Yet in the six months that CNN has been reporting on these delays, Eric Shinseki has been silent. And he hasn't spoken out on the matter to any other news organization, either.

Early Friday evening -- after this story appeared on CNN.com -- the VA gave a response, via spokesman Drew Brookie. He explained that the VA's inspector general's office (referred to as OIG), which is probing the matter, "advised VA against providing information that could potentially compromise their ongoing investigation at the Phoenix VA Health Care system."

Petzel doesn't seem to grasp these concepts. If, after shooting his big mouth off in the April 30th hearing, he then shot it off again May 5th in a conference call, it's not a write-up, it's a goodbye.

As Burr made clear, this is not a newly emerging issue. And the VA has been given multiple heads ups as far back as 2012. What kind of leadership is Shinseki providing?

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