Sanders takes heat for ignoring VA problems

[ucrdem]

This came up in Sanders' CNN interview this morning:
.........................
October 14, 2015

(CNN) Sen. Bernie Sanders touted his record on veterans' issues during Tuesday's debate, citing his position as the former chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs when Congress provided billions of extra dollars to boost healthcare for veterans last year.

{snip}

Paul Rieckhoff, founder and CEO of the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, said Sanders largely ignored the appeals of organizations like his during a time when media and government reports exposed how veterans were waiting months for appointments and VA officials were covering up the delays.

"For far too long he was apologizing for the VA. He was refusing to acknowledge the severity. He was positioning it as a smaller issue than it was while veterans were dying waiting for care," Rieckhoff told CNN.

{snip}

Rieckhoff says Sanders had to be ignoring what was happening on the other side of the Capitol during this time, when House Committee on Veterans Affairs investigators were digging up records, swearing in whistleblowers and exposing the massive scandal.

http://www.cnn.com/2015/10/14/politics/bernie-sanders-va/

Could be problematic.

[ucrdem]

2. ^ That's a legit point

I imagine it has been discussed, but as of this morning, it looks like it's still an issue. Sanders basically dodged the question in his reply.

[mythology]

3. In Sanders defense he did push for the new law around veteran's health care

If somebody is going to say he didn't do enough, then nobody did enough. Sanders was one of the leaders on that issue.

[upaloopa]

4. He always introduces legislation into a repub Senate that he knows won't go anywhere then takes

credit for being a leader on the issue. I can't tell you the number of times I have heard him talk about his new piece of legislation on Thom Hartman's show that I never hear about again. He does this like he exists in a vacuum.

[TexasBushwhacker]

14. Excuse me, but has the GOP in the Senate

allowed ANY Democratic legislation to progress?

[yeoman6987]

53. What about 2009? Clearly a very easy time to pass VA bills

[mythology]

44. The law passed in this case

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/08/07/obama-veteran-affairs-hospitals-bill/13718905/

Sanders was one of the Senators pushing hardest for this.

[Kentonio]

55. Since he became chairmen the committee apparently has passed 13 bills.

In the 20 previous years only 8 were passed.

Tell me more about how he just introduces laws he knows 'won't go anywhere'.

[Art_from_Ark]

58. Oh, for crying out loud

Enough already!

"Sen. Bernard Sanders didn’t seem a likely suspect to bridge Washington’s toxic partisan divide and cut one of the most significant deals in years.

"But the Senate’s lone socialist and a potential 2016 presidential candidate did just that — negotiating a deal over the weekend to tackle wait times at the Department of Veterans Affairs and clear his biggest legislative test since he took over the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee gavel last year.

"The Vermont independent’s compromise with House Veterans’ Affairs Chairman Jeff Miller, R-Fla., would provide $17 billion to the agency with $5 billion offset with savings and fees elsewhere. In a brief interview after a Monday news conference announcing the deal, Sanders reflected on the difficulty of the deal."

http://blogs.rollcall.com/wgdb/socialist-sanders-legislates-va-healthcare-deal/

[NuclearDem]

5. Congressional oversight of the VA has been an absolute joke.

It's not exclusively Sanders, but he does bear some responsibility for not taking it more seriously, especially after the disaster at Walter Reed.

[ucrdem]

6. If Sanders gains any traction at all

this is probably where he's going have the most trouble.

[TwilightGardener]

7. Clinton doesn't think it's a widespread problem:

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/257999-clinton-veterans-affairs-scandal-not-a-widespread-problem

[dsc]

25. that isn't what she said

she said it wasn't as widespread as the GOP was portraying it to be. Her point is that the problem wasn''t systematic but was one of money.

[mmonk]

8. Which is ridiculous.

My challenge is: who in the race has done more for veterans?

[NuclearDem]

9. That's a pretty low bar.

Sanders didn't take the VA crisis seriously. Clinton doesn't understand how widespread the crisis is and how best to fix it. Republicans who don't simply treat us as props or insult us want to screw us by dismantling the VA. The candidates don't have comprehensive policy proposals to deal with veterans issues, if they've even addressed them at all.

Nobody in this race gets to portray themselves as a champion of veterans, just a person who is least awful for veterans.

[mmonk]

11. But he doesn't fall below it. Why single him out?

[NuclearDem]

13. Rieckhoff hasn't singled anybody out.

He's aggressively gone after every candidate. They've all got a very long way to go on addressing veterans issues.

[azmom]

10. Too late. Veterans came out early

For Bernie. It won't get traction.

[NuclearDem]

12. We're not a monolithic group.

Vets4Bernie doesn't represent us all by a long shot.

[mhatrw]

21. No, many vets are Republican.

At least most of those criticizing Sanders are.

[NuclearDem]

30. Not this vet.

And I know for damn certain Rieckhoff doesn't play partisan.

[stevenleser]

56. Not this vet either, and you are right about Rieckhoff

He calls out folks from all sides equally if they don't stand up for vets.

[Cha]

15. KICK! thanks ucrdem

[ucrdem]

16. Thanks Cha!

This was the first I'd heard about this one and the details don't look good. Apparently VA Sec'y Shinkseki had to resign on Sanders' watch and that's pretty drastic. Still it's mainly a partisan issue at this point so I don't expect we'll be hearing a lot about it until the RW finds a way to blame Hillary.

[mhatrw]

22. Yes, it is indeed a partisan issue! Thank you for bringing it forward

without giving Sanders equal time to respond to the Repukes' charges.

[JaneyVee]

17. Interesting.

[senz]

33. Yeh, see what you can make of it, Janey.

/revision/latest?cb=20100613215709

[Cheese Sandwich]

18. Surley that's why Sanders was 2015 VFW Congressman of the Year

The VFW Congressional Award has been presented annually since 1964 to one sitting member of Congress for significant legislative contributions on behalf of those who have worn the uniform.

“With eight years on the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee — two of them as chairman — it is no understatement to say that Senator Sanders has taken care of wounded, ill and injured veterans and their surviving family members,” said VFW National Commander John W. Stroud. “He has been a commanding voice against changing the COLA calculations for disabled veterans, for the proper care and treatment of women veterans, homeless veterans, for better employment opportunities and improved access to mental health programs, as well as increased congressional oversight of the VA claims processing transformation,” he said.


With minor edits from:
http://www.vfw.org/News-and-Events/Articles/2015-Articles/Ending-Sequestration-Again-Tops-VFW-Legislative-Agenda/

A longer version is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?&v=QJR-u6nh7oc

Published on Mar 13, 2015
Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) received the VFW Congressional Award in recognition of his outstanding service to our nation and for his support and dedication to service members, veterans and their families at the 2015 VFW Legislative Conference.

[beam me up scottie]

20. Thanks, Cheese Sandwich!

There goes another meme.

[Cheese Sandwich]

24. No problem Bernie's strong ties with veterans is one of his strengths.

Looks like Hillary supporters are following the right wing playbook...

Karl Rove playbook Tactic #2: Attack Your Opponent’s Strengths.

[NuclearDem]

37. Not really, no.

Yes, Sanders did plenty of good during his time on the committee, but he most definitely bears a lot of responsibility for not investigating VA health system issues early enough.

Rieckhoff isn't saying Sanders doesn't care about veterans. He's saying Sanders fucked up on this issue.

[senz]

28. Thank you!

[mhatrw]

19. It's all a bunch of Repukes trying to smear Sanders.

The major "veteran organizations" criticizing Sanders are Koch Brothers fronts.

[Docreed2003]

27. Any link?

Any link that IAVA is a Koch front group? I'm not being snarky, I'm a proud member and would appreciate facts to support your claim

[NuclearDem]

34. I think "Koch front group" actually means "doesn't give undying fealty to Sanders."

And howdy, fellow IAVA member!

[senz]

45. Yess.... you can give your undying fealty to Queenie

if you can manage to get her coronated.

And who knows? Maybe you can use this already questionable "issue" to push it through?

Anything's worth a try, NuclearDem.

[NuclearDem]

47. Actually, Clinton is really no better than Sanders on this issue either.

I've repeatedly said both Clinton and Sanders need to better address veterans issues.

So has Rieckhoff. In fact, he was fairly annoyed at Clinton not understanding the problems with the VA during her Maddow interview.

The only person playing stupid team sports here is you.

[Docreed2003]

51. Spot on...

Some people seem to have a hard time recognizing Rieckoff's criticism as being an advocacy for Vets. He's pushing Dems because he knows they will listen. I don't care that you support Sec Clinton or Sen Sanders, what matters is that there has to be a system to care for the many of our brothers and sisters who have been affected by the last decade of war. Our country promised us that and we should hold every damn politicians feet to the fire until they listen.

[kenfrequed]

61. Yeah...

Which is why this thread citing this was sooo accurately titled with "Sanders takes heat for ignoring vets"


Sarchasm, by the way.


The fact of the matter is that he has pushed for the most aggressive increases in spending on Veterans hospitals in decades.

I'm also a veteran and I don't really care for the way this particular organization has ignored that in tortured contortions in order to try to not favor one Democratic candidate over the other. Is there room for improvement. Yes, always, but this is like picking on your best friend in order to get the approval of someone popular. It's just dumb.

[Docreed2003]

48. Maybe so...

I'm a supporter of Sen Sanders and I think he genuinely does fight for Vets more than most pols, however, I think he and most others in DC were genuinely blind to just how bad things had become within the VA system. It took a national spotlight to force his hand on the issue. The GOP wants to do away with it completely and the Dems seems to be doing just enough to keep the system afloat.

BTW...howdy to you too , OEF 10.2-11.1 FOB EDI FRSS, Alpha Surgical Co, supporting 3/2, 1/10, 1/5 Marines....a squid but a proud honorary "Betio Bastard"

[NuclearDem]

60. I was OEF too, but I was about twenty thousand feet above you.

AF 97th Intelligence Squadron at Offutt. Rivet Joint backender.

[NuclearDem]

31. Pathetic.

IAVA is not a "Koch front group." It's the largest organization of post-9/11 veterans in the country--one that's praised Sanders for some of his work as SVAC chair, and criticized for other things.

Jesus Christ, you people have no shame. You did this with BLM, and now you're doing it with IAVA.

[Wilms]

41. Concerned Veterans for America is.

http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Concerned_Veterans_for_America

[NuclearDem]

43. Concerned Veterans for America is not IAVA.

Rieckhoff has routinely called out these front groups as well, like Trump's fake vets group.

[stevenleser]

57. Re: ..."no shame" that's what happens with "true believers" of any person or cause

All facts and information become elastic or, if they line up against the person or cause, become evil or disregardable.

[NCTraveler]

23. The situation itself is a pox on all of their houses.

But Sanders has always had veterans at the top of his priority list and was one of the quickest and most forceful in moving on the crisis mentioned. And it was a crisis. He has always fought for more for the VA and for veterans as a whole.

[senz]

26. I listened to Bernie talk about veterans every Friday on Thom Hartmann.

He was totally involved, deeply concerned, and very aware of problems. He cared about our veterans. He worked hard for them.

I sincerely wish y'all would stop spreading dishonest filth and rumors.

[leftofcool]

32. Tell that to Veterans who can't get care.

Believe me, they are not spreading dishonest filth or rumors. Better yet, why not sit down with my hubby so he can tell you how it took 3 years on a waiting list for him to even get in to see a Vet Doc and he damn sure earned the right to see one after 2 tours in Vietnam. Ask him how he was treated on the first visit and why I wouldn't ever allow him to go back.

[senz]

35. That problem existed during the Bush administration.

They wrecked the VA. Bernie knew what they did and has worked his tail off to improve it -- with a Republican congress not cooperating.

But what would YOU (a supposed Democrat) care about THAT, when you can use it to hurt the only candidate who gives a damn about your husband?

Nothing, that's what.

[leftofcool]

38. Right, Bernie cares so much.

Except he really doesn't.

[NuclearDem]

36. Paul Rieckhoff has worked for years to make sure veterans issues are taken seriously

and that post-9/11 vets like me are taken care of, can get our education benefits, transition to civilian life, and get the medical treatment so many of us need.

You do not ever get to through him under the bus because he pointed out some uncomfortable truths.

[leftofcool]

39. I adore Paul Rieckhoff!

[senz]

40. So has Bernie.

I wasn't talking about Rieckhoff; I'm talking about certain Hillary supporters who will do and say anything to destroy her opponents.

And if Bernie is so terrible for vets, why did the VFW award him 2015 Congressman of the Year? Spin that one.

[NuclearDem]

42. Rieckhoff and IAVA have praised Sanders as well.

Sanders has done a lot of good work for veterans during his time in Congress, and IAVA has never said otherwise.

BUT

Sanders, as chair of SVAC, didn't take concerns about the VA health system as seriously as he should have and waited too long to get an emergency fix in place.

I'm sorry the world isn't black-and-white, best-supporter-of-veterans-ever or cause-of-all-problems-for-veterans-ever, but some of us are capable of realizing that there are shades of gray on this.

There is no contradiction in VFW praising Sanders and IAVA criticizing him.

[Armstead]

46. Just to explain some of the defensiveness here

A lot of Bernie suppoters (myself included) are a bit touchy about certain things.

Some things are fair game. Criticisms of Sanders being too far left, a socialist, too grouchy....or whatever. We can deal with criticisms and agreements and debates that are based on who he actually is.. I think most his supporters expect that as part of the price of admission.

However, we also feel that Snders (and we) have gotten unfairly sandbagged on certain issues that have distorted the essence of who Sanders is and why we support him. .

BLM has raised valid criticisms about all candidates not addressing racial and criminal justice issues enough. However, the fact that they chose to pick a fight with Sanders first -- when his campaign was just starting -- created a totally erroneous impression and triggered claims that somehow Sanders is WORSE than other candidates on race, and that he has "a problem with black people" more so than other white candidates. Snd gthat Sandrs dpesn;t care abut social issues....This was at a time when most black people (as most white people) had no idea of who he is at the beginning.....It was particularly galling because Sanders has been more supportive of racial justice and otehr social justice issues than most candidates.

And the same pattern was applied to Hispanics, and immigrants and women...And he was painted as an NRA supporter, which is also off base. He is in favor of gun control, but has a somewhat less rigid stance than the other candidates. Again, fair game for criticism, but to portray him as something he is not is, again, galling.

Criticism is not the issue. But the problem is with the criticism that is based on misrepresentations that are totally contrary to his actual beliefs and policies and values. And to many, it seems that there are some Rovian dirty tricks being played.

As a result, when Sanders is singled out for criticism on veterans issues -- which he has worked very hard on and does care about deeply -- it seems like another case of trying to misrepresent him. Make him seem WORSE on veterans issues than other candidates, for political purposes.

It is a legitimate issue, and people can deal with legitimate disagreement and debate. If he has to defend his record, so be it. But do understand the initial response, in the wake of those other things. It hits a raw nerve and a feeling like "here we go again."

[NuclearDem]

52. I completely understand what you're saying.

I don't believe for a second that Sanders doesn't care about veterans, or doubt that he's done good work for them in Congress. I strongly doubt Rieckhoff believes any differently than I do.

[mhatrw]

54. Rieckhoff wanted big changes IMMEDIATELY. Just like we do.

Rieckhoff got many of the changes he wanted after working hard for them and putting pressure on Congress to make these changes, just as we hope to.

Sanders reflexively defended the VA at first because he felt it was under partisan attack. Sanders later worked hard to solve the VA's problem. And Rieckhoff got what he wanted. But now Rieckhoff is attacking Sanders for helping him get what he wanted, albeit perhaps a bit more slowly than he wanted.

Why? What has Rieckhoff been promised in exchange for continuing to attack a huge ally of veterans, even after getting what he wanted?

[NuclearDem]

59. Yawn.

This tinfoil hat bullshit didn't work with BLM, and it's not going to work with IAVA.

Rieckhoff and IAVA routinely criticize the other candidates--Carson's plan to privatize the VA, Trump's fake vets organization, and Clinton's poor understanding of the VA health crisis. They don't get as much attention as Sanders, however, because Carson, Clinton, and Trump never chaired a Congressional committee related to veterans affairs.

Pathetic.

[artislife]

29. He didn't make the vets

Like some of our options to vote for.

[madville]

49. I bet Hillary will create more vets than Bernie

She would certainly use the military more.

[artislife]

50. Oh yeah! nt