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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