Veterans turned away from the White House in 1932
Months after a politically embarrassing $1 billion shortfall that put veterans’ health care in peril, Veterans Affairs officials involved in the foul-up got hefty bonuses ranging up to $33,000.
The list of bonuses to senior career officials at the Veterans Affairs Department in 2006…documents a generous package of more than $3.8 million in payments by a financially strapped agency straining to help care for thousands of injured veterans returning home from Iraq and Afghanistan.
Among those receiving payments were a deputy assistant secretary and several regional directors who crafted the VA’s flawed budget for 2005 based on misleading accounting. They received performance payments up to $33,000 each, a figure equal to about 20 percent of their annual salaries.
The bonuses were awarded even after government investigators had determined the VA repeatedly miscalculated — if not deliberately misled taxpayers — with questionable methods used to justify Bush administration cuts to health care amid a burgeoning Iraq war.
As much as I hold both major flavors of American politico in contempt, I have to admit the sleazy crowd running the White House and Congress for the last 6-10 years really have raised the bar for corrupt practices.
The real problem is the cuts to their budget, which come at a time of greater, not lesser, need. It is detestable that our government would cut benefits and budgets at the same time we send those boys off to fight and die “for their country”. It is wrong on the very face of it.
The crisis of health care and benefits for our war wounded is no surprise – it was stated clearly that this would happen at the time the budget cuts were made, but was roundly ignored.
Semper Fidelis,
-JM
Sometimes it feels like Herbert Hoover never left.
Come to think of it – include J.Edgar in that, too.
Now you know why people spend $500million running for a job tat only pays $400K…
You get to do stuff like that.
Eideard- Thank you for keeping this stuff in the public eye, I think its very important and I appreciate it. And yes it is very distressing.
The only way to fail at your job with Bushco, Inc. is to:
a) Not do what Karl Rove tells you to do
b) Tell “The Commander Guy” something he doesn’t want to hear
c) Do “a heck of a job.”
d) Get massages from prostitutes.
I am retired from the USAF and I have NEVER heard anything good about the VA.
Seems they think their job is to short change our veterans and try to either forget about them or do the minimum needed to keep them quiet.
As shameful as this is it is no suprise.
When I retired I considered applying for a partial disability, but heard so many horror stories I decided that I don’t want anything to do with the VA.
You also have to know which pot of money those bonuses came from. Different pots of money can only be spent for certain intended purposes.
As a disabled Korean War Marine, I say with some authority, the VA does a good job with what they are given. It’s the people at the top appointed by our president of oil greed and his boss, Halliburton Cheney who screw the troops and the government out of our tax dollars.
TO PAY HARDWORKING CAREER EMPLOYEES–THAT DID NOT DO THEIR JOB SHOULD HAVE BEEN FIRED AND THE PEOPLE WHO TRAINED THEM SHOULD WORK FOR NOTHING UNTIL THE PROBLEM IS FIXED. LET THEM GO ELSEWHERE, WE WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER OFF WITH A NEW EMPLOYEE.
SRF
I AGREE WITH STAN. POINTS ARE BETTER MADE WHEN GRAMMATICALY CHALLENGED AND TO SHOUT IS A GOOD THING!
From Digg:
http://tinyurl.com/3bd2wv
Pelosi taking phone poll on Bush/Cheney Impeachment!!!!
Call 1 202 225 0100
Wed, 2 May 2007 10:03:58 / Government
Call Now!!!!
I just called and got through, registered my support for impeachment. They were very nice and said they would pass it on. Pass it on if you support this.
11. That one stopped working this one should work.
http://tinyurl.com/2ldv3m
“As a disabled Korean War Marine, I say with some authority, the VA does a good job with what they are given.”
Exactly. Don’t blame the VA in general, blame the “yes men” political appointees in the VA’s top positions and the politicians who underfund the VA even in a time of war.
Bill (also USAF ret.)
I thought James Hill was already saying that these news were just liberal lies.
You know that the majority of government agencies ensure their funding will continue is by burning though the allotted funds so that they can get the same amount next fiscal year – if they dont, they will get less. Love it or hate it, thats how the system works.
#11 and #12 – The mailbox is full…
1997 to 2001 to the present is the most corrupt? 6-10 years represents mayn different crowds running the Whits House and Congress. I’d say Clinton’s first term was more corrupt, though all the scandals exploded in the 2nd term.
#17 – Clinton’s first and second term were both pretty corrupt, I agree. What the Republicans were doing then was almost as bad during his administration as what they’ve been doing through Bush’s.
#15, I know that to be all too true. It disgusts me how much money just my relatively small office wastes each year, just so our budget doesn’t get cut for the next FY. Funny, I work for the government, and all doing so has done is make me dislike almost all aspects of it even more.
The VA has never been the most efficient agency in the government. I’ve always thought they ought to just move it under the DOD not that they are all that efficient but you might occasionally get someone in charge of it who might have to use its services some day.
What disturbs me is that this country is starting to be run as a corupt business…
WE are the Next ENRON.
Iv been wondering about Checks and Balances…Where did they go?
what happened to the Watchdog programs,
the citizian advisery programs,
And ASKING Everyone there opinions Before you do things in the Gov.
Back to the Stipend system(look it up).