Author Topic: House VA chairman: Shinseki did an 'absolutely abysmal job'  (Read 497 times)

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Offline mystery-ak

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http://thehill.com/policy/defense/206305-house-va-chairman-shinseki-did-an-absolutely-abysmal-job

House VA chairman: Shinseki did an 'absolutely abysmal job'

By Rebecca Shabad - 05/16/14 10:18 AM EDT

House Veterans' Affairs Committee Chairman Jeff Miller (R-Fla.) late Thursday said VA Secretary Eric Shinseki did an “absolutely abysmal job” trying to re-instill trust within the agency at a hearing that day.

On CNN’s “Anderson Cooper 360,” Miller said Shinseki’s testimony before Congress Thursday makes him “less convinced” the appropriate leaders are running VA.

“I have said that I wanted to wait until the entire [Office of Inspector General] investigation is complete,” Miller said. “Now, unfortunately, they're telling us it may be August before it is done. But the secretary did an absolutely abysmal job of trying to re-instill faith and confidence in a very broken system.”

Miller previously said he would wait until the inspector general probe is complete until he decides whether to join calls for Shinseki’s resignation. He stopped short of explicitly calling for it on CNN.

Lawmakers grilled Shinseki at a Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee hearing about allegations of wrongdoing at VA facilities nationwide.

Shinseki said he has been “mad as hell” about the reports, but said he was unaware of officials “cooking the books” at VA hospitals to make it appear like veterans were receiving medical appointments on time.

Miller said he doesn’t understand how the person in charge of the second largest federal agency didn’t know about this misconduct.

“And it tells me one of two things, either his subordinates, his leadership underneath him has not been telling him the truth or he is just woefully unprepared to lead the agency,” he said.

Earlier this week, Miller called on President Obama to establish a bipartisan commission to investigate the allegations against the VA.

Obama announced Wednesday he is dispatching deputy chief of staff Rob Nabors to oversee the VA review.

“I think it is total spin control,” Miller said about the White House’s efforts to oversee the investigation.

“People are rapidly losing faith,” he added. “And today the secretary did nothing in his testimony to help restore that faith.”
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Offline Bigun

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Re: House VA chairman: Shinseki did an 'absolutely abysmal job'
« Reply #1 on: May 16, 2014, 03:20:23 pm »
That he did but the problem is bigger than just General Shinseki! It is systemic!

When you have no authority to make the changes necessary to run the agency efficiently it becomes an impossible task regardless of who holds the title!  You simply cannot just fire civil service employees even when they CLEARLY need firing and without that authority it is impossible to run any large organization effectively!
"I wish it need not have happened in my time," said Frodo.

"So do I," said Gandalf, "and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us."
- J. R. R. Tolkien

Offline Chieftain

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Re: House VA chairman: Shinseki did an 'absolutely abysmal job'
« Reply #2 on: May 16, 2014, 03:43:35 pm »
That he did but the problem is bigger than just General Shinseki! It is systemic!

When you have no authority to make the changes necessary to run the agency efficiently it becomes an impossible task regardless of who holds the title!  You simply cannot just fire civil service employees even when they CLEARLY need firing and without that authority it is impossible to run any large organization effectively!

Yep...but I remain unconvinced that Shinseki's termination would do anything to help correct any problems at VA.  All it would do is force a very bitter confirmation battle over whomever was selected to replace him.  While that is going on, the individual VA Medical Centers will continue to run things their own way, which by the way is exactly how Congress has directed the VA to operate.


Offline Bigun

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Re: House VA chairman: Shinseki did an 'absolutely abysmal job'
« Reply #3 on: May 16, 2014, 03:47:29 pm »
Yep...but I remain unconvinced that Shinseki's termination would do anything to help correct any problems at VA.  All it would do is force a very bitter confirmation battle over whomever was selected to replace him.  While that is going on, the individual VA Medical Centers will continue to run things their own way, which by the way is exactly how Congress has directed the VA to operate.

I think I essentially agreed with you above but in case I didn't make it clear there. I'll do it here!

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"I wish it need not have happened in my time," said Frodo.

"So do I," said Gandalf, "and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us."
- J. R. R. Tolkien

Offline GourmetDan

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Re: House VA chairman: Shinseki did an 'absolutely abysmal job'
« Reply #4 on: May 16, 2014, 03:48:52 pm »

That he did but the problem is bigger than just General Shinseki! It is systemic!


Yep, been a problem for a very, very long time.  It's nothing new.

The solution, of course, is for the government to take healthcare over completely.  Then everyone can enjoy the same treatment and veterans will no longer be discriminated against.

Liberal logic at it's best...
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