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VA PLAYS POLITICS WITH 33 NEW CLINIC ANNOUNCEMENTS

ON EVE OF MEMORIAL DAY -- Releases list of new clinics

not to the public but to politicians just in time

for Memorial Day publicity.

 

 

Story below:

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This comes under the heading of "Politics as Usual."

The VA has announced that it will fund 33 new Community-Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs) for veterans.

Well, they sort of announced it.

The information is NOT on the VA web site as of this writing.

Where are the clinics to be built?  You have to go digging to find out.

Who got this information last Thursday and Friday?

The politicians in whose Districts the CBOCs will be built.

These "announcements," just prior to Memorial Day, is political manipulation at its worst.

The politicians take this information, make a big splash in the press, tie it to Memorial Day and gain a political advantage in the veterans' community.

Here's an example.  One of the clinics will be built in Clare County, Michigan.  The Congressman for the District (4th) is Dave Camp (R).  Camp issued a statement with the following in it, "...and I couldn't think of a better time to get this news than Memorial Day weekend."

Here's another:  A clinic will be built in Palatka, Florida.  The Congressman for that area is John Mica (R) who said, "Our veterans have earned the right to have quality health care provided in their own community."

And, one more:  A clinic will come to Elkhart County, Indiana.  The Congressman is Joe Donnelly (D) and he said, "As we enter the Memorial Day weekend and remember those who have served and sacrificed for our nation, I am happy to announce...that the VA will soon be opening a new community-based outpatient clinic in Elkhart County."

It does not matter which political party these politicians belong to.  What matters is that they are using this information, supposedly public information, for political grand-standing on the most solemn day of remembrance we celebrate.

This is just plain old bad policy.

The list of clinics should be posted on the VA's web site, and it is NOT at this time.

The VA should make the public announcement, then let us sort out the politics, who "worked hard" and who is "responsible" for the clinic coming to the community.  We're smart enough to do that, you know.

Shame on the VA and these politicians for turning Memorial Day into just another day to make political hay.

 

To try and find out if there will be a new CBOC in your area, go to Google News ( http://news.google.com ) and type in "VA clinic" without the quotes, then sort by date.  You will see news stories from all over the country.

And, I hope the VA gets off the dime and posts the complete list...soon!

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Larry Scott