Veterans Aren’t Tourists Yet VA Delivers Mickey Mouse Service

“Disneyland remains the central attraction of Southern California, but the graveyard remains our reality.”

WASHINGTON TIMES— Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert McDonald on Monday compared the length of time veterans wait to receive health care at the VA to the length of time people wait for rides at Disneyland, and said his agency shouldn't use wait times as a measure of success because Disney doesn't either.

"When you go to Disney, do they measure the number of hours you wait in line? Or what's important? What's important is what your satisfaction with the experience is," McDonald said Monday during a Christian Science Monitor breakfast with reporters. "And what I would like to move to, eventually, is that kind of measure."

McDonald's comments angered House Speaker Paul Ryan, who tweeted out Monday afternoon, "This is not make-believe, Mr. Secretary. Veterans have died waiting in those lines."

McDonald faced questions at the breakfast about the VA's lack of transparency surrounding how long veterans must wait to receive care at VA facilities around the country. The agency has weathered controversy over the past several years due to its struggle to provide timely care for many patients.

The VA secretary said most veterans report being satisfied with their care and argued that the average wait time for a veteran seeking VA treatment is only a matter of days.

He said he did not believe a measure called the "create date," which gauges a veteran's wait time by counting from the day the veteran first requests care, was a "valid measure" of a veteran's VA experience.

The Government Accountability Office released a report in April exploring the metric used to count a veterans' wait time, called the "preferred date." The measure does not count from the time a veteran first calls to make an appointment.

Independent Journal Review reached out to the Disney Corporation for comment on the assertion that it did not measure wait lines.

A Disney Theme Parks spokesperson responded by phone to deny this claim:

“We take wait times very seriously. We continually push the boundaries to give our guests the best experience possible. A large team of highly trained industrial engineers are tasked with improving our guest’s experiences, from transportation, to guest flow, to ride comfort and certainly wait times.

One of the things we take great pride in is if you have a wait time at our parks, your wait is enjoyable. We call this the Disney Difference. We recently remodeled the Dumbo ride, doubling its size and adding a Big Top area for families waiting for the ride. This area is a huge, interactive, air conditioned area for children to play in and where adults can relax with a buzzer they receive that notifies them when their spot is ready on the ride.” 

 The spokesperson added:

“If you wait at the Haunted Mansion there are musical tombstones that will sing to you. There is a flowing honey wall at the Winnie the Poo ride. We designed animated crabs for The Little Mermaid waiting area which will interact with you and play games while you wait.

We take every facet of the guest experience very seriously. If you have to wait, you should have fun while doing it.”

When asked why the VA Secretary would use their company as an example for wait lines, the Disney spokesperson said:

“I’m not sure. This company was founded by veterans. Roy Disney was an officer in the U.S. Navy and Walt drove an ambulance in France assisting service members directly after WWI.”

A $10b program that was supposed to "fix" VA wait times for some vets has actually made wait times worse https://t.co/cYd0dr7c3n

— ProPublica (@ProPublica) May 16, 2016

Feeble Clapping, Awkward Silence And Dagger Stares

Photo courtesy: Charles Dharapak, AP

It was a tough crowd make no mistake about it.  Some 10,000 Legionnaires attended the 96th Annual American Legion Convention in Charlotte, NC today.   Did I mention it was a tough crowd?

Montel Williams, who was tremendously outspoken when the VA scandal broke, was the Master of Ceremonies.  He praised the Legion and its members effusively for their fight for accountability and change during the scandal earlier in the year.

NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty was presented the James V. Day “Good Guy” Award for his patriotism and service to the community.

Lt. Col. Oliver L. North, U.S. Marine Corps (Ret), was presented the National Commander’s Public Relations Award for raising public awareness about the honorable nature of military service and the sacrifices made by America's heroes.

The World’s Most Dangerous Community Organizer had barely wiped the dust off his golf cleats after two weeks on the island of Martha’s Vineyard when he climbed aboard Air Force One to speak at a convention chock-full of veterans.

The insufferable airhorn droned on for 35 minutes.  According to The Daily Mail, there was a small group of admirers who sat near the front and tried to generate applause for him about 10 times.

His 35-minute speech seemed to have reminded the audience of the stark divide between the White House's policy choices and the feelings of the men and women often called on to carry them out.

After the customary introductions and thank-yous to dignitaries, TWMDCO spoke for nearly 8 minutes without a single clap.

Most of the veterans sat on their hands, leaving awkward silences where White House speechwriters expected ovations. 

A special thanks to The Right Pundit for taking the time to create a shorter version of today’s speech and the apathetic response to it by these veterans.

Obama Wants A Report. Sanders Wants A Report. Meanwhile, Veterans Must Wait For Accountability.

Ben Jacobs, writing for The Daily Beast snidely opined that “lefty groups are signing petitions urging” the socialist senator “to register and throw his hat in the (presidential) ring, the problem is that there is nothing bearing the slightest resemblance to a path to victory” for him in Iowa, a state where presumed front-runner Hillary Clinton is weakest and which has traditionally proved receptive to liberal candidates. 

Who cares?  Consider this—by and large this doddering old fool is relatively unknown—he needs to show his political chops.  So…

Parroting The World’s Most Dangerous Community Organizer, the socialist Vermonter is waiting to see facts from the ongoing investigation of the burgeoning VA scandal.

On Thursday, Sanders blocked a move by Sen. Marco Rubio to pass a bill that would make it easier for the VA secretary to fire senior executives. The House passed its measure on Wednesday, over Shinseki’s objections with an overwhelming bipartisan vote of 390 to 33.  All of the “no” votes came from Democrats.

Harry Reid and Bernie Sanders were immediately confronted with the stark choice of standing with veterans who rely on the VA health care system or standing alongside poorly performing bureaucrats entrenched in a dysfunctional personnel system.

Sanders said he felt that any legislative fix should not get a vote without a hearing and he sought Rubio’s support for a more comprehensive bill.

That stunt incensed Rubio who said, “He said we may one day pass it, it’s a really good idea, but he wants to have a hearing on it first. And I just don’t understand that.  They blocked it. And unfortunately members of Congress will head home for Memorial Day and veterans will keep waiting for accountability, and that’s outrageous.”

“We could have sent this bill to the president, and next week when the preliminary investigation returns Shinseki could have started firing people that weren’t doing their jobs,” said Rubio.

By closing ranks with TWMDCO, Senate Democrats are playing a treacherous game of politics with the lives of veterans.  Political power is their craven desire.

UPDATE:  Linked by The Pirate’s Cove and we thank him.

All I Know Is What I Read In The Papers

His coal mine canaries are ABC, CBS, CNN, NBC and MSNBC.  When they start covering a scandal then he’s compelled to come forward. 

Every damned time The World’s Most Dangerous Community Organizer is confronted with a scandal his modus operandi is to feign outrage, blame George Bush and/or the Republicans.

For good measure he tosses in a milquetoast threat implying he will not tolerate it and will make sure that “we find out exactly what happened on this” and then…buries it.

TWMDCO addressed the issue of long wait times and secret waiting lists at VA hospital facilities for the first time in three weeks Wednesday, but did so insufficiently given the scope of the problem.

According to the latest reports, 26 VA facilities nationwide are now being investigated for preventable deaths due to delays in treatment.

In 2007 in Kansas City, Missouri TWMDCO, vowed to tackle the issue of insufficient care for veterans at a campaign event during his first run for the presidency in a speech entitled “A Sacred Trust”.

“When a veteran is denied care, we are all dishonored.  It’s not enough to lay a wreath on Memorial Day, or to pay tribute to our veterans in speeches.”

A CNN report says that three senior VA officials identified as Dr. Thomas Lynch, Assistant Undersecretary for Health and Clinical Operations; Joan Mooney, Assistant Secretary for Congressional and Legislative Affairs and Michael Huff, a Congressional Relations Officer failed to appear before the House Health Care and Wellness Committee citing that the committee did not provide enough notice.

Rep. Jeff Miller, committee chairman said, “My intent is to go ahead and subpoena them for a hearing” before his on committee on May 30th.

It is unquestionably Socratic irony that we observe Memorial Day this weekend.

As our attention is directed to those 624 fenced acres of Arlington National Cemetery where more than 320,000 heroes are interred we are called upon to remember that the soil there is watered by the silent tears of the mothers and fathers, husbands and wives, sons and daughters, brothers and sisters they left behind and a triangular folded American flag that is all that remains for them to hold.

Obama's VA Hashtag

Cross posted at Proof Positive

UPDATE:  Linked by Cardigan at iOwnTheWorld, and we thank them.

How Many Dead Veterans Do You Need?

I am proud to announce the addition of Duffel Blog to our Right Jabs Blogroll.

Thus far, President Obama and his team have regarded the scandalous treatment of veterans seeking care from the government over which they preside as a political hiccup rather than an indefensible breakdown in competent management that has led to the deaths of at least 40 veterans.

Dick Scuttlebutt has a searing satire that I am shamelessly appropriating:

We appreciate you holding. The VA is experiencing a higher-than-average volume of calls this week. Calls are answered in the order they are received. Someone should be able to assist you in [ONE] minutes. 

From the lakes of Minnesota … to the hills of Tennessee … 

Did you know that you can check the status of your claim by going online? Point your browser to w-w-w dot claims dot veterans dot medical dot va dot gov, forward-slash medical, forward-slash veterans, forward-slash claims, forward-slash 404 dot vagov dot current, forward-slash aspx dot com, forward-slash va.gov, forward-slash 404.html##. 

Across the plains of Texas! From sea to shining sea … 

Your call is important to us. Someone should be able to assist you in [ONE] minutes with your call about [INVALID MENU ENTRY]. 

From Detroit down to Houston … from New York to L.A. … 

A claims representative should be with you [SHORTLY]. Your call is important to us. Just hang up and kill yourself. Someone should be able to assist you in [ONE] minutes. 

Well there’s pride in every American heart, and it’s time we stand and saaaaaay… 

You selected menu option [INVALID MENU ENTRY]. Please have your claim number and social security number on hand when you speak with the claims representative. You should just hang up and watch cat videos and leave us alone. Your call is very important to us. Someone should be able to assist you in [ONE] minutes. 

And I’m proud to be an American, where at least I know I’m free … 

We appreciate you holding. Did you know you can check the status of your claim by presenting yourself in person to your local VA claims center? Just hang up, go to your local VA claims center, and sit in our waiting room. Current in-person wait time is approximately [DEATH] hours. 

And I won’t forget the men who died, who gave that right to me … 

Your call is extremely important to us. If this is an emergency or if you are having suicidal thoughts, please hang up and dial 911. Make sure you have your claim number, your social security number, and a sharp paring knife on hand while you wait for a suicide prevention specialist. Someone should be able to assist you in [ONE] minutes. 

And I gladly stand up next to you and defend her still today … 

We appreciate you holding off killing yourself. The VA is experiencing a higher-than-average it’s hopeless, just end it all this week. Calls are answered in the order they are sweet release of death. Someone should be able to assist you in [ONE] minutes. 

Cause they’re ain’t no doubt I love this land…God bless the U.S.A…

D-Day at the VA

Cross posted at Proof Positive

From Eric Shinseki To Susan Rice: Dead Americans Do Not Live Long In The Conscience Of This Administration

On Tuesday, May 13, 2014, The Insufferable Airhorn uttered these words at the Medal of Honor ceremony for Army Sgt. Kyle White:

“Kyle, members of Chosen Company, you did your duty, and now it's time for America to do ours:  After more than a decade of war, to welcome you home with the support and the benefits and opportunities that you've earned. You make us proud, and you motivate all of us to be the best we can be as Americans, as a nation; to uphold our sacred obligations to your generation and all who have faced that ‘measure of danger’ and ‘the willingness to incur it.’"

Today, Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Ret. Gen. Eric Shinseki testified before the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee about our veterans languishing and dying on secret waiting lists.

Last month, the shocking story of the secret waiting lists came to light that centered on the Phoenix VA.  Once Dr. Sam Foote, a physician at the Phoenix VA for 24 years blew the whistle of the VA’s problems other whistleblowers came forward across the country.

During today’s testimony, Shinseki rather bloodlessly said, "Any allegation, any adverse incident like this makes me mad as hell," urging the legislators to wait for the investigation's finding before trying to resolve a complex set of problems.

His assurance that "we will act" on any substantiated allegation angered senators from both parties who insisted the problems are real and need immediate action.

Some pointed to a policy implemented by Shinseki that set a 14-day limit to provide care for veterans applying for the first time, saying a deadline they labeled as unworkable resulted in VA administrators devising ways to cover up months-long delays.  Months-long delays that resulted in the unconscionable deaths of 40 Americans who served their country with honor.

CNN’s Jake Tapper took White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough to task as he showed him a letter from Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman Jeff Miller who warned over a year ago that there existed “serious and significant patient care issues.” [emphasis mine]

The pull quote from the video:

“How many stories like this, how many letters like this, how many dead veterans do you need before somebody asks the question within the White House: Maybe this guy isn’t the best steward of these veterans?”

Dead Americans do not live long in the conscience of this Administration.  Case in point:

On Wednesday, May 14, 2014, National Security Advisor Susan Rice appeared Wednesday morning at the Women’s Foreign Policy Group in Washington, D.C. 

According to reports, Rice had earlier made a joke alluding to the harm the Benghazi scandal caused to her career, prompting PBS journalist Judy Woodruff to ask about Republicans’ new allegations.

“You’re too smart for that!” Rice laughed. “Come on!”

But Woodruff pressed on, asking her what the American people can expect to be revealed as part of the House select committee on Benghazi. “What more is there that the administration has done or said that we’re not aware of?” she asked.

“Dang if I know,” Rice boldly declared.