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M O N D A Y , J U L Y 1 1 , 2 0 0 5Bush's Failure To Protect and Defend AmericaPart IIby Michael in New York on
7/11/2005 04:30:00 AMWe've already talked about some of the many, many waysBush has weakened our military, left our borders vulnerableand simply refused to take the common sense, essential stepsneeded to make America safer and more secure.Here's another infuriating way Bush has let our troops -- andtherefore our country -- down. Our crumbling, delapidatedVeterans Administration hospitals.The Washington Post focuses on one hospital to tell the story ofBush's incompetence on the care of veterans. That hospital justhappens to contain one of the best PTSD (Post TraumaticStress Disorder) Units in the country, one ideal for helpingveterans cope with their injuries and a return to civilian life.250,000 new veterans entered the VA system in 2004, withalmost half of them coming from Iraq. Bush couldn't haveguessed this would happen? Here's the result of hisnegligience.According to documents released at recent meetings of theHouse and Senate Veterans Affairs committees, the VAhospital in White River Junction, Vt., was forced to shutits operating rooms temporarily because of a lack ofmaintenance funds to repair a broken heating, ventilationand air conditioning system. Hospitals in Arkansas,Oklahoma, Mississippi, Louisiana and eastern Texasstopped scheduling appointments for many veterans.The VA medical center in San Diego, with a waiting list of750 veterans, diverted $3.5 million in maintenance fundsto partially cover operating expenses and delayed filling 131vacancies for three months to cover operating expenses.The Portland, Ore., hospital delayed non-emergencysurgery for at least six months, and 7,000 veterans whouse the VA facility in Bay Pines, Fla., are waiting longer than30 days for a primary care appointment.He's not just screwing over soldiers who fought in Iraq. He's screwingover the veterans of Vietnam, Korea and World War II to boot. Bushtries to cut hazardous pay to soldiers fighting overseas, plays gameswith the VA budget by pretending there won't be a massive influx ofwounded kids that will need intensive care, and abuses the NationalGuard and Reserves. How can he even pretend to support the troops?
HuffPost PoliticsHuckabee's Huck Pac In Turmoil With StaffTurnover, Mounting Debts - Former Arkansas Gov.Mike Huckabee's political action committee, HuckPac, is undergoing a "restructuring," ExecutiveDirector Sarah Huckabee said Wednesday....2 minutes ago
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Show AllA M E R I C A B L O G T VEnd Deadlock? Yes With ISVoters select one issue: lawmakers must resolve it or be replacedIssueSelection.org
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5 of 57/23/09 1:44 AM
7/11/2005 04:30:00 AMWe've already talked about some of the many, many waysBush has weakened our military, left our borders vulnerableand simply refused to take the common sense, essential stepsneeded to make America safer and more secure.Here's another infuriating way Bush has let our troops -- andtherefore our country -- down. Our crumbling, delapidatedVeterans Administration hospitals.The Washington Post focuses on one hospital to tell the story ofBush's incompetence on the care of veterans. That hospital justhappens to contain one of the best PTSD (Post TraumaticStress Disorder) Units in the country, one ideal for helpingveterans cope with their injuries and a return to civilian life.250,000 new veterans entered the VA system in 2004, withalmost half of them coming from Iraq. Bush couldn't haveguessed this would happen? Here's the result of hisnegligience.According to documents released at recent meetings of theHouse and Senate Veterans Affairs committees, the VAhospital in White River Junction, Vt., was forced to shutits operating rooms temporarily because of a lack ofmaintenance funds to repair a broken heating, ventilationand air conditioning system. Hospitals in Arkansas,Oklahoma, Mississippi, Louisiana and eastern Texasstopped scheduling appointments for many veterans.The VA medical center in San Diego, with a waiting list of750 veterans, diverted $3.5 million in maintenance fundsto partially cover operating expenses and delayed filling 131vacancies for three months to cover operating expenses.The Portland, Ore., hospital delayed non-emergencysurgery for at least six months, and 7,000 veterans whouse the VA facility in Bay Pines, Fla., are waiting longer than30 days for a primary care appointment.He's not just screwing over soldiers who fought in Iraq. He's screwingover the veterans of Vietnam, Korea and World War II to boot. Bushtries to cut hazardous pay to soldiers fighting overseas, plays gameswith the VA budget by pretending there won't be a massive influx ofwounded kids that will need intensive care, and abuses the NationalGuard and Reserves. How can he even pretend to support the troops?
HuffPost PoliticsHuckabee's Huck Pac In Turmoil With StaffTurnover, Mounting Debts - Former Arkansas Gov.Mike Huckabee's political action committee, HuckPac, is undergoing a "restructuring," ExecutiveDirector Sarah Huckabee said Wednesday....2 minutes ago
Ben SmithGoing small - My story tonight: President BarackObama came alive about 50 minutes intoWednesday night’s news conference – whensomebo24 minutes ago
Daily KosOpen Thread and Diary Rescue - *Today, srkp23(pulling a double shift), ybruti, taylormattd,ItsJessMe and vcmvo2 combed through hundredsof diaries to find this powerful list. Today's...1 hour ago
EschatonOvernight - Folk On. Newish.1 hour ago
Crooks and LiarsOpen Thread - Open Thread below...2 hours agoJ O H N ' S P H OT O S
Show AllA M E R I C A B L O G T VEnd Deadlock? Yes With ISVoters select one issue: lawmakers must resolve it or be replacedIssueSelection.org
Next 6AMERICAblog News| A great nation deserves the truth: Bush's...http://www.americablog.com/2005/07/bushs-failure-to-protect-...
1 of 57/23/09 1:44 AM
Visit ourAMERICAblog TV site.see all 323 videos >I collect with
vodpod
In honor of SenatorDeMint
For the GOPers, healthcare is politics. They just
Traditional media has todebunk the birthers
One small step...
The right-wing media, thevoices of the GOP, inAMERICAblog News| A great nation deserves the truth: Bush's...http://www.americablog.com/2005/07/bushs-failure-to-protect-...
2 of 57/23/09 1:44 AM
The TreatmentObama Has a Grown-UpTalk With America(Gulp)1 hour agoEzra KleinTab Dump6 hours agoWonk RoomSen. Byron Dorgan:The ‘Trade’ InCap-And-Trade ‘MakesNo Sense To Me’7 hours agoHealth BeatTruth Squad: WallStreet Journal HealthCare Editorial Wrong onthe Facts . . .8 hours agoDaily DoseProviders Endorse 'PayG AY P O L I T I C S
Visit our new gay politicssection, AMERICAblog Gay.F E E D S
Blog RSS
AMERICAblog TV RSS
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Get the blog by email:
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Top AdAdvertise in this spot.H E A LT H C A R ER E F O R MAMERICAblog News| A great nation deserves the truth: Bush's...http://www.americablog.com/2005/07/bushs-failure-to-protect-...
3 of 57/23/09 1:44 AM
S E A R C H
AMERICAblog
Web
SearchS E N D U S T I P S &C O M M E N T Samericablog@starpower.netB L O G A R C H I V E
Blog ArchiveS I T E S W E L I K EAir America RadioAlan Colmes' blogAri Melber (The Nation)Ben SmithBicycleMark's blog &podcastBilericoBradBlogBring It OnCarrie FisherCrooks and LiarsDailyKosDan Savage's "Slog"Daou ReportDemocratic UndergroundEschatonEzra KleinFire Dog LakeFiveThirtyEight.comFreeway BloggerThe Gavel (SpeakerPelosi's blog)Good As YouGlenn GreenwaldHoly Bullies and HeadlessMonstersHuffington PostHullabaloo (Digby)Jack and Jill PoliticsJed ReportJesus' GeneralKenneth in the 212Margaret and HelenMatthew GrossMedia MattersMike Signorile's "The Gist"MudflatsMyDDOpen LeftPlum LinePolitical Punch (JakeTapper)Political WirePolitics 1Pop SurfingProgressive Blog DigestQueers UnitedRawStoryRex WocknerRude PunditSmirking ChimpTalk LeftTappedTaylor MarshThink ProgressTowleRoadVetVoice.comWashington NoteWayneBesen.comWonketteWorth Repeating
N E W S L I N K SUSWashington PostNYTAP PoliticsReuters PoliticsRasmussen PollsTimeNewsweekRoll CallThe HillABCNews
P L E A S E S U P P O RTA M E R I C A B L O GOne-time donation$
Recurring monthlydonation$
Donations are nottax-deductible.L A B E L S
Select a labelL A S T 1 0 0 V I S I T O R SRecent Visitors
A B O U TA M E R I C A B L O GWhy AMERICAblog?Because a great nationdeserves the truth.What issues do youcover?US politics overall with aparticular focus on theObama Administration, theradical right, and civilrights.Who are you?John AravosisEditorWashington, DCJoe SudbayDeputy EditorWashington, DCChris RyanAssociate EditorParis, FranceRobert ArenaContributing EditorBaltimore, MarylandJacki SchechnerContributing EditorWashington, DCAMERICAblog News| A great nation deserves the truth: Bush's...http://www.americablog.com/2005/07/bushs-failure-to-protect-...
4 of 57/23/09 1:44 AM
© 2009 - John Aravosis | Design maintenance by Jason RosenbaumSend me your tips: americablog@starpower.netAMERICAblog News| A great nation deserves the truth: Bush's...http://www.americablog.com/2005/07/bushs-failure-to-protect-...
5 of 57/23/09 1:44 AM