LOCAL VA MEDICAL CENTER - A LOOK BEHIND THE CURTAIN

- Recent revelations just the tip of the iceberg

A number of issues have surfaced, lately, concerning our local Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Northport, NY. The most recent of which has been the controversy and apparent cover-up of the closing down of all the Operating Suites at the Medical Center. I was hearing rumors, then being told by reliable sources inside the Hospital, about the true nature of the closings and the true nature of the reason for the closings. The “management” would have us all believe that miniscule particles of rust were occasionally emerging from the climate control air ducting in the ceilings. A plausibly deniable reason was given for this phenomenon and all further communication went oddly silent. Fortunately for our Veteran Community, this didn’t last too long before the local Press and our local Congressmen got a hold of it. Once that hit the fan, the “problem” was  remedied in the matter of days; after languishing in limbo for four months. What most of the Veterans thought was actually coming out of those ceiling vents, black mold, has been corroborated by the same reliable sources.

It hurts me to say that since that whole fiasco, I have been made aware of some more equally (if not more) damaging information regarding the “management” of this Medical Center. I have been pulled aside and given a detailed insight to other deeds of mismanagement, which, in my opinion,  may border on illegal and criminal. I have corroborated these tidbits of information with other sources, and to a person, what were just rumors have been confirmed as standard operating procedure here at the Northport VAMC. I have also been directed, as a Veteran stakeholder, to bring these allegations and/or practices to the attention of the United States Office of Special Counsel. From what I have been told, the Veterans Affairs Office of the Inspector General is singing the Company tune, drinking the Kool-Aide, and is completely incompetent in dealing with type and amount of corruption inside this Bureaucracy. The Office of Special Counsel is primarily a layer of protection for governmental whistleblowers. If this is the case, consider me a governmental whistleblower.

So much for the appetizer; now, for the main course and some red meat;

v  Medical Department Heads and Senior Staff have been either showing up for work visibly intoxicated, or becoming so during the workday. I’m sure CARF, the nonprofit accreditor of health and human services (http://www.carf.org/home/), the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) (https://www.cms.gov/), and the Healthcare Facilities Accreditation Program (HFAP) ( http://www.hfap.org/)  would be very interested in looking into this. And, how about the local and National Press; just to name a few......

v  The aforementioned may be unethical at many levels, but this next situation has to border on criminal. I have been told that there are at least a handful of medical Doctors who are being paid a full-time salary at the VAMC, Northport, and are not required to show up for work. Indeed, they are enjoying the fruits of private practice, and earning a full paycheck from that source. Forget about Hospital Accreditation Agencies, I have a sneaking suspicion that the United States Judicial System might be very interested in taking long, hard look at these allegations.

As it is said in the business, “Watch this space!”

As the title mentions, this is just the tip of what may be a very large iceberg. It seems, the deeper you dig into the inner workings of our Veterans health care system, the more devastating unethical and criminal practices you find. There are the obvious short-term solutions to these problems, but what is needed is a complete overhaul and long-term solution to what is ailing our Veterans’ National health care system under the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. I have looked at this situation for the past five years. I have tried to come up with the root cause of the problems, and the long-term solution that will right this ship. After all, our Nation’s Veterans are depending on a health care system that works as advertised and promised; they deserve no less for the service they have provided us all.

What I think I have discovered is that the very structure of the Department of Veterans Affairs,  especially the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), is what leads to a certain bureaucratic culture that necessarily breeds incompetence, unethical behaviors, arrogance and indifference toward its clientele. I don’t want to make this a blanket condemnation of each and every VA employee, but I have to say, based on observation, these personnel characteristics seem to run deep throughout the entire system.

A primary premise in coming up with a cure is the undeniable fact that the vast majority of this Nation’s Veterans do not feel comfortable, or understood, when dealing with private sector medical and mental health care. So, instead of trashing the entire system, let’s try to reorganize this Department in such a way that will enable it to properly and efficiently serve our Veterans. We do not need to reinvent the wheel; all the necessary parts already exist. A proper reshuffling of the deck is something that can realistically be done, and done in a relatively short period of time. Once I have gotten a foothold in Congress with my Mandatory Military Separation Transition Program (MMSTP), I am going to focus full-time on putting together a blueprint for reorganizing the Department of Veterans Affairs. If you can change the structure, you can change the culture. Hey, somebody has to do it!

 My  UN-healthevet

LETS FIX CONGRESS !?

Mr. Warren Buffet – The quotes, below, are apparently commonly attributed to Mr. Buffet in one, or more, of his public interviews. I cannot vouch for the validity of the source, but, in general, this is what needs to be done to achieve a truly representative government. I have taken the liberty to revise and add his comments regarding “term limits”.

Mr. Buffet;
"I could end the deficit in 5 minutes," he told CNBC. "You just pass a law that says that anytime there is a deficit of more than 3% of  GDP, all sitting members of Congress are ineligible for re-election. The 26th amendment (granting the right to vote for 18 year-olds) took only 3 months & 8 days to get ratified!  Why? Simple, the people demanded it. That was in 1971 - before computers, e-mail, cell phones, etc. Of the 27 amendments to the Constitution, seven (7) took one (1) year or less to become the law of the land - all because of public pressure. 

 

Congressional Reform Act of 2012 

1.       No Tenure / No Pension.

2.       A Congressman/woman collects a salary while in office and receives no pay when

          they're out of office.  

3.       Congress (past, present & future) participates in Social Security and Medicare like the

          rest of us do.

4.       All funds in the Congressional retirement fund move to the Social Security System,

          immediately. All future funds flow into the Social Security system, and Congress

          participates with the American people. It may not be used for any  other purpose.

5.       Congress can purchase their own retirement plan, just as all Americans do. 

6.       Congress will no longer vote themselves a pay raise. Congressional

          pay will rise by the lower of CPI or 3%.

7.       Congress loses their current health care system and participates in the same health care

          system as the American people. 

8.       Congress must equally abide by all laws they impose on the American people.

9.       All contracts with past and present Congressmen/women are void effective 12/1/12  

          [i.e., No Lobbying] The American people did not make any contracts with  

          Congressmen/women; Congress made all these contracts for themselves. Serving in

          Congress is an honor, not a career, and definitely not a stepping stone to further

          governmental and legislative manipulation.

10.    The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, so ours should serve their term(s),

          then go home and back to work. Term limits will be set by Law, as they are for

          Presidents, Governors, and the like. Senators will be restricted to four, six year terms;

          Representatives will be restricted to four, six year terms. The length of “term” for  

          Representatives will be amended to six years, in equality to Senator’s “terms”.^[1]

^[1]: Our Elected Officials in Washington, D.C spend entirely too much of their time “in Office” attempting to get re-elected. This is very costly in both monetary terms and time spent away form actually representing their constituency. *On the same note; the Presidential “term” should also be amended to six years, and be available for only two consecutive “terms”.

RIGHTS REVIVAL

When, in the course of a Nation, there arises a need for that Nation’s Government to choose between its own People and the Corporations that greatly profit from that Nation’s largesse, the path that Government takes speaks volumes of its regard for the Men and Women who fought long and hard to build a democratic Society, that does not question the equality of all Men and all Women. The United States of America is at that very crossroads. Both the People, and the Government charged to represent them, have some basic societal and political decisions to make in the coming month and a half.

It seems quite easy for the People to relax into a Corporate run life-style that removes much of the day to day decision making that this Nation’s original individualists prided themselves on. Reaching conclusions and acting on decisions are two very distinct and different concepts. The People of this Country can reach all the conclusions they want to, and that will still simply leave the “huddled masses” groveling at the feet of Corporate America. The inference here is that this act alone will guarantee the obliteration of anything resembling a Middle Class.

To be involved in the furthering of our National democracy, The People are the catalysts of change and progression. It is the People who must set the National agenda, and go to any, and all, lengths to insure that agenda is adhered to day after day, year after year. One of the most basic tenets of a democracy is the expectation that the People will be willing to get involved to the point of electing their peers to represent them in ways appropriate to their wishes. The inference here is that the very best decisions will be made, and acted upon, for the greater wellbeing of the Nation’s People.

There are three distinct choices the American People can make this November. By convincing yourself that your vote does not matter, and your Government will do as they please, anyway, you can stay home on our National Election Day and let the World pass you by.

Alternatively, you may participate in your right to engage your vote, and opt for the status quo, thus allowing the Nations’ Corporations a free hand to run this Country as they see fit. This option has absolutely nothing to do with your wishes and desires about the future of your Country.

You may, on the other hand, choose to engage your vote on your terms. Being of sound mind and fairly good judgment, the People of the United States of America have the capability to shape a National moral, societal, economic, and political course that will guarantee fairness and justice to ALL our Citizens.

There are two ways to arm yourself with the confidence to make the choice that is right for you. Number one is The Constitution of The United States of America; number two is The Bill of Rights. One aspect of reading these two Documents is that you can do it by your self, with no outside interference to sway your judgment. Both Documents are easy to read; easy to understand, and are the basis for our Country’s past, present, and future.

Before you make a decision to vote, or not, or to vote one way, or the other, please take the time to re-acquaint yourself with our Nation’s founding Articles and the Documentation that formed the beginning of the World’s Greatest Democracy. The grand design for the United States of America is one of longevity and prosperity, with fairness and justice to all its Citizens, and to the rest of the World’s Citizens.

    I thank you for getting involved in your Country’s future.

SEPARATION OF CHURCH & STATE

Extra...Extra...read all about it!

Problem: How do you separate Church and State, as declared in our Constitution?

 

 

 

 

During my morning constitutional atop the porcelain goddess, I started thinking about how Church and State can coexist as separate, but equal entities. I admit, I’ve thought of this before, but not thoroughly, by any means. Now that there is a general election in two months, there seems to be an audible murmuring coming from “The Evangelical” sector. I have to wonder just what makes one an “Evangelical”? Do you need to express a lot of fire and brimstone; thump your Bible; belong to the “right” Church?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I plucked this little gem off facebook©, and thought I’d give it a try with some fact checking. It didn’t take very long to debunk the argument contained in this piece. A quick trip over to Wikipedia© [division of church and state] gave me all the information I needed. “Did You Know” must pass “GO” without collecting $100.00, and go strait to jail. This is a total misrepresentation of the facts. The only accurate statement is Article 6 of the U.S. Constitution.

I. President Thomas Jefferson in 1802 wrote: “Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between Man & his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legitimate powers of government reach actions only, & not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should "make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof", thus building a wall of separation between Church & State.”

II. Another early user of the term was James Madison, the principal drafter of the United States Bill of Rights. In a 1789 debate in the House of “Re-Congress” should not establish a religion, and enforce the legal observation of it by “law-presentatives” regarding the draft of the First Amendment, the following was said: "Congress should not establish a religion, and enforce the legal observation of it by law.".

III. John F. Kennedy, in his Address to the Greater Houston Ministerial Association on 12 September 1960, addressed the question directly, saying, “I believe in an America where the separation of church and state is absolute……. I do not speak for my church on public matters—and the church does not speak for me.”

IV. The Pledge of Allegiance was written in 1892 by Francis Bellamy (1855–1931), who was a Baptist minister, a Christian socialist, and the cousin of socialist utopian novelist Edward Bellamy (1850–1898). Bellamy's original Pledge read as follows:

”I pledge allegiance to my flag and the republic for which it stands, one nation indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

V. In 1923: I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Louis A. Bowman (1872–1959), an attorney from Illinois, was the first to initiate the addition of "under God" to the Pledge.

VI. Prayer Breakfast: In 1952, Holger Christian Langmack wrote a letter to President Truman suggesting the inclusion of "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance. Mr. Langmack was a Danish philosopher and educator who came to the United States in 1911. He was one of the originators of the Prayer Breakfast and a religious leader in Washington, D.C. President Truman met with him along with several others to discuss the inclusion of "under God" and also "love" just before "liberty and justice".

             THE GREAT SEAL OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

 

             FRONT                                                                          BACK



There is no mention of the almighty here. There is no mention of the Holy Ghost, Satan, or any other Religious icon. If you look way back in History, you will easily see the consequences of a church and State marriage: The Greeks, The Romans, The Huns, The Mongolians, The French, The Spanish, The English, The Irish, The entire Islamic World, Israel, and now The United States. It’s a very slippery slope we go down, if we allow the “more Holier than thou” folks in the “Evangelical” movement a foothold on our National Government. If this movement isn’t stopped dead in its tracks, our path forward is going to be wrought with pain and suffering. Just say NO!

 

Cost and Other Potential Issues of the Afghan and Iraq Wars

Link: http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/natsec/R40682.pdf

Troop Levels in the Afghan and Iraq Wars,

FY2001-FY2012: Cost and Other Potential

Issues

Amy Belasco
Specialist in U.S. Defense Policy and Budget
July 2, 2009

Congressional Research Service

7-5700

www.crs.gov

R40682

Easy to read PDF format with 72 pages of precise statistics, graphs, charts, and text showing the number of troops involved and the number of dollars spent in regard to the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars.

Summary:

   In February and March 2009, the Obama Administration announced its plans to increase troop levels in Afghanistan and decrease troop levels in Iraq. In Afghanistan, 30,000 more troops are deploying this year while in Iraq, troops will gradually decline to 35,000 to 50,000 by August 31, 2011 with all troops to be out of Iraq by December 31, 2011. The most commonly cited measure of troop strength is “Boots on the Ground” or the number of troops located in Afghanistan and in Iraq. Based on average monthly Boots on the Ground figures, the number of troops in Afghanistan and Iraq increased from 5,200 in FY2002 to a peak of 187,900 in FY2008 primarily

because of increases in Iraq beginning with the invasion in March 2003. In FY2009, total troop strength is expected to remain the same as planned increases in Afghanistan offset declines in Iraq. By FY2012, overall troop strength for the two wars is likely to decline to 67,500 when the withdrawal from Iraq is expected to be complete.

   For Afghanistan, troops in-country grew gradually from 5,200 in FY2002 to 20,400 in FY2006. Between FY2006 and FY2008, average strength there jumped by another 10,000 to 30,100. Under the Administration’s plans, CRS estimates that average monthly Boots on the Ground in Afghanistan may increase to 50,700 in FY2009 with a further increase to 63,500 the following year once all new units are in place. Currently, additional increases have not been approved. For Iraq, troops in-country nearly doubled between FY2003 and FY2004 reaching 130,600. By

the following year, average strength grew by another 13,000 to 143,800, with that level maintained in FY2006. During the surge in troops initiated by President Bush, average troop strength in Iraq grew by 7,000 or 6% in FY2007 and another 9,500 or 9% in FY2008, reaching a peak of 157,800. CRS estimates that average troop strength in Iraq will decline to 135,600 in

FY2009, 88,300 in FY2010, 42,800 in FY2011, and 4,100 in FY2012. While it is not clear whether war costs will change precisely in tandem with troop levels, these changes can provide a benchmark to assess requests. Based on changes in troop levels and other adjustments, CRS estimates that war costs could be about $8 billion less than the Department of Defense (DOD) $141 billion request for FY2009, and about $13 billion below its $130 billion request for FY2010. For the next year, FY2011, CRS estimates that DOD’s requests could be $42 billion more than the current planning figure of $50 billion. And in FY2012, CRS estimates war costs could be $20 billion higher than the Administration’s estimate of $50 billion.

   Although Boots on the Ground is the most commonly cited measure of troop strength, that measure does not include over 100,000 other troops deployed in the region providing theater-wide support for Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), the Afghan War, and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), the Iraq War. Before the 9/11 attacks, the United States had deployed about 26,000 troops in the Central Command region, which includes Afghanistan and Iraq. Based on the most comprehensive DOD measure of troop strength, 294,000 troops were deployed for OEF and OIF as of December 2008, a tenfold increase since 2001.This more inclusive measure may more accurately capture the overall demand for troops. The Administration has not indicated how its plans would affect troops providing support in the region. Using five DOD sources, this report

describes, analyzes, and estimates the number of troops deployed for each war from the 9/11 attacks to FY2012 to help Congress assess upcoming DOD war funding requests as well as the implications for the long-term U.S. presence in the region.

   This report ranks right up at the top of all the reports I have read concerning Troop levels and the cost of maintaining those levels. My motivation for researching this topic is the fact that our Nation’s Middle Class is mostly responsible for supplying boots on the ground and the money to carry out their mission. The more I dig; the more I realize that my prediction of two years ago is not very far off the mark. I predicted back then that we would spend approximately $3.4 TRILLION on both conflicts. If you read this report carefully, you get a very clear picture of all the primary, secondary, and tertiary costs.

   At a time when we can least afford it, those friendly folks down in Washington, D.C. are still spending our tax dollars like there’s no tomorrow. There are some big ticket programs we need to spend money on; this is not one of them.

Link: http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/natsec/R40682.pdf

The Supreme State Of Islam

   Mr. Fareed Zakaria (CNN Segment Host) recently posed the question whether Syria may be the next Lebanon. Aside from the Secular and Religious aspects of many conflicts in the Middle East, I think Syria may be part of a much bigger picture than anyone has wanted to take a look at. A while back, I took a hard look at the Map of that Region, and something just jumped off the page at me. If you were to draw the proverbial “line in the sand”, and you started that line in Iran, you would run smack dab through the middle of Iraq; smack dab through the middle of Syria; and, voila, there you would be on the Israeli border. The acquisition of Lebanon would be of some strategic benefit, but not entirely necessary.

   I have felt, ever since our involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan, that the above scenario is one of the probable end games being quietly played out. The United States has a history of joining in armed conflicts with no clear vision of what victory would look like. We have been present militarily in this region for over ten years, and it seems, at every turn, there is more chaos than when we started. I am certain that the “powers that be” didn’t intend to create such mayhem, but I feel that somehow the S’Hia sect, or tribe as I’ve called them in the past, seized upon the opportunity given them to expand there influence and Religious zeal. As of this date, I can not say they are failing in their attempt to create a “Super Islamic State”, and summarily dispatch the State of Israel.

   Not a pretty picture, this. I don’t have a good feeling about the outcome of such an expansionistic move on the part of Iran; especially with their apparent march toward nuclear weaponry. Take a moment to look at the picture as it is right now. Pakistan is teetering. Afghanistan is in turmoil. Iraq is a total mess. And, now, Syria is being laid to shambles. Iran is just sitting back, fat, dumb, and happy, waiting to solidify a Supreme State of Islam under total Sharia Law. There is a myriad of scenarios after such a State is formed, and none of them should look good for the Americas, all of Europe, Russia, India, and Northeastern Africa. I get a sick feeling in my gut that indicates there is really no way anyone can stem the tide. The rest of the World is going to have to find a way to coexist with an outcome such as this, or similar.

Any Questions ?

Below are just a few questions and thoughts on the last two week’s occurrences.

      Can anybody remind me of why the Hell civilians need to own and/or carry Military style weapons of any type? I carried a Military weapon for one year, and I don’t have any desire to carry one again, ever. There is absolutely no rational for owning such weapons.

      Is there no decency in Journalism anymore? If I lost a relative in a “news worthy” event, and someone shoved a camera and microphone in my face, I would dispatch said “news” folk to the next zip code without hesitation.

 

      Why don’t I know where any of this year’s political hopefuls stand on any of the issues that actually matter to this Country? Sure, a good indication of future behavior can be found in current behavior, but I just end up getting my shorts in a knot when I hear the words Bain Capital and Birth Certificate, ad nauseum.

      Why does my Cable TV supplier choose to ignore FCC regulations that make it against the Law to air Commercials at a significant higher volume than your own personal setting? They were good about it when the regulation went into effect, but now, three years later, they have slipped back to their old ways. I do believe the Cable suppliers offer the higher volume to advertisers, as an option in their marketing contract.

      How do our returning Veterans feel about a Country and the Press putting their Wars on the back burner, while we all piss and moan over very trivial stuff, in comparison? Well, this one I can answer. They are starting to feel a lot like the Viet Nam Veterans did when they came home: forgotten, neglected, unappreciated, unwanted, disposable, depressed, and suicidal.

10 Things we need to accomplish in 2012:

1]        If we can’t end our involvement in armed conflicts, let’s not get involved in             any more.

2]        From the looks of things, the GOP simply isn’t coming up with anybody         

            that meets, or exceeds, our National needs for now and the foreseeable           

            future. So, let’s stick with President Obama for another four years, and give             the man a chance to do what knows in his heart needs to be accomplished.

3]        Right from the start of the Year, let’s make it absolutely illegal to restrict an            American Citizen’s right to vote.

4]        Let’s put to rest all the arguments against a woman’s right of self-     

           determination when it comes her body and her biology, period.

5]        A lot of folks are up for re-election this Year. They may just have opponents            who are willing to our bidding for a change. Let’s take a serious look at anyone

           who fits that mold irrespective of their Party affiliation. Let’s keep the ones

           who actually do our bidding. Believe it, or not, there are some.

6]        Let’s get our Government to realize that not everybody likes us and not      

            everybody can adapt to our idea of democracy. If we encourage anything,       

            let it simply be self-determination.

7]        For God’s sake, let the Palestinians have their own Nation. At the very least,

            let’s not stand in their way.

8]        Let’s see if we can bring an end to racism, hatred, and bigotry in this            

           Country.

9]        Perhaps it’s time to break up the banking system. It has “morphed” into a very

            ugly monster, and needs to returned to its past self.

10]      Maybe we can agree that corporations really aren’t people.

Are these the only things we need to accomplish in 2012? No, but this is a good place to start. Suggestions, anyone?