Friday, May 30, 2014

There is no reason to war anymore.

The major powers need to secure their economies and it doesn't take militarism anymore. There is more cost to destroying each other's country than ever to finding ways of resolving hatred through economic measures.

The Middle East is laced with jihadists that are well funded and want to kill Americans.

Africa is fractured, broken, impoverished and unable to resolve to improve the lives of their people so much as provide a government ruling class to oversee whatever occurs internationally. 

That last thing the Middle East, Africa, the East or the West needs is war. It is just the way it is.

But.

I'll grant you, the American press like their power players and will create fear enough to drive people to the polls for the Neocons. The Dems just aren't the wealth machine type. The Dems are more about equity and MAINTAINING economic growth rather than bubble and bust. President Obama should have recognized the signs when he stated he would prioritize a better economy without bubble and bust. I mean, Yellen? How boring does it get? Wall Street might actually have to work at making money for a change. The real question is do they still remember how to do that? Yellen will make a good mentor no doubt, if she realizes she needs to have that capacity. She might take for granted the wealth merchants actually are as intelligent and learned as she is. That would be her mistake.

Jihadists are culturally isolated.

The Nusra Front rarely grants interviews to Western media, and spokesmen were unavailable for comment.

The U.S. government designated the group a terrorist organization in 2012, saying at the time that Nusra was an alias for al Qaida in Iraq, which was founded by Abu Musab Zarqawi, a Jordanian, to battle the U.S. presence there. That designation was recently updated to recognize that the organization is officially seen as an al Qaida branch operating in Syria.

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2014/05/30/4147111/american-suicide-bomber-in-syria.html#storylink=cpy

They are not necessarily poor at the time of their death, but, they usually are poor prior to it. So, there is incentive to be a suicide bomber if a young man wants to create a degree of comfort to their family upon his death. 

The lack of information provided Americans about how citizenship is denied to jihadists is interesting. The New York Times of all news media should be supplying information that is an understanding of how all that works rather than leaving the door open to fear there will an influx of Americans trained in suicide bombing. The fear mongering for election purposes is more than interesting.

Such fear mongering sincerely causes concern President Obama is a do nothing sort of guy. Sure, whatever the press says has to be real, right?

It is easy to understand why Nusra Front exists. What do we know about the death of a martyr? We know they are given greater brevity after death than before. So with the death of Abu Musab Zarqawi there would be a loyalty to his memory to carry on without him, hence Nusra Front.  

It was Americans that killed Zarqawi and it was an American that was recruited. There is some sort of twisted victory in that I suppose.
 
...I asked Azzam (click here) if he knew who was funding al-Zarqawi’s activities in Iraq.
He thought for a moment, and then replied without answering, “At the time of jihad, you can get vast amounts of money with a simple telephone call. I myself once collected three million dollars, which my father had arranged with a single call.”
“A bank transfer?” I asked.
“No. I collected it on my motorbike.
“I was in Syria when the war in Iraq began,” he went on. “People were arriving in droves; everyone wanted to go to Iraq to fight the Americans. I remember one guy who came and said he was too old to fight, but he gave the recruiters $200,000 in cash. ‘Give it to the mujahideen,’ was all he said.”
He then told me about a young boy he had met in the early days of the war.
“He was from Saudi Arabia and had just turned thirteen. I noticed him in the crowd at a recruiting center near the Syrian-Iraqi frontier. People would come and register in the morning, then cross the border in the afternoon by bus. I first saw him at the registration desk. The recruiters refused to take him because he was so young, and he started to cry. I went back later in the day, and this same small guy had sneaked aboard the bus. When they discovered him, he started to shout Allahu Akhbar!—‘God is most great!’ They carried him off. He had $12,000 in his pocket—expense money his family had given him before he set off. ‘Take it all,’ he pleaded. ‘Please, just let me do jihad.’”...

He was of American origin, but, he was no longer an American.

I can't imagine his family isn't devastated by his decisions. I'd be more concerned if they actually consented. But, there have been parents of violent individuals such as the Boston Bombers who indirectly supported their family members.

By Amy Sherman, Charles Rabin and Patricia Mazzei
The young American suicide bomber (click here) who blew up a truck he was driving in Syria last weekend previously lived in Fort Pierce, law enforcement sources told the Miami Herald on Friday.
The man, in his 20s and believed to have been the first American suicide bomber in Syria, was identified late Friday by the New York Times as Moner Mohammad Abusalha. He had previously been identified by his nom de guerre, Abu Hurayra al Ameriki, or Abu Hurayra the American. It’s unclear when he traveled to Syria or for how long before that he was in Fort Pierce, which is about 130 miles north of Miami.
Law enforcement officials were speaking Friday with the man’s family and friends — some of them elsewhere in Florida — and tracing his movements, including his online activity, in the U.S. before he left for Syria. Federal authorities are investigating whether he was recruited or radicalized online.... 

...“There is going to be a diaspora out of Syria at some point,” Comey said, “and we are determined not to let lines get drawn between Syria today and a future 9/11.”...

He had no right to return. The so called diaspora only exists in theory, there is already laws that provide for the exile of citizens found to have alienated themselves from their citizenship. The FBI should bring this reality to the legislature and the Executive Branch to be sure there is a clear understanding these people are no longer of American citizenship. Basically, no falling through the cracks.

"Although a person's enlistment (click here) in the armed forces of a foreign country may not constitute a violation of U.S. law, it could subject him or her to Section 349(a)(3) of the Immigration and Nationality Act [8 U.S.C. 1481(a)(3)] which provides for loss of U.S. nationality if an American voluntarily and with the intention of relinquishing U.S. citizenship enters or serves in foreign armed forces engaged in hostilities against the United States or serves in the armed forces of any foreign country as a commissioned or non-commissioned officer." 

The reality is, the USA does not have to accept the hostile actions of a natural born citizens or anyone else as if they have a right to carry out violence at home or abroad. This act of violence is not murder, it was an act of terrorism. It is a foregone conclusion terrorism includes suicide bombers. 

The shadow was cast to the idea when Anwar al Awlaki was an estranged American. He never attacked anyone directly, but, he did carry out an act of war against the USA when he mentored another American to killing soldiers within the sovereign USA. To that end he could be considered a conspirator to the deaths and was considered exiled from the country. It was very bizarre though for his son to be murdered. The son had no connection to violence or conspiracy.

There are all sorts of interesting developments now.

The White House Press Secretary is leaving. I don't blame him. Charlize Theron states the press has raped her privacy. I believer her. The Press has a real problem with the treatment of women. They assume the attention they provide is suppose to promote an actress career. I don't know of many actresses with careers promoted by the press actually. There was a blond bombshell willing to provide her talent that the press ultimately destroyed. That would be Marilyn Monroe. The only reason Ms. Theron is receiving backlash about her comments is because the Press can't admit they have no boundaries between reality and fantasy.

I don't see there is an obligation of any actress to be scrutinized by the press. The performance is what is suppose to be valued, not their baby bump. 

NATO is confirming Russian troops are moving away from the Ukraine border. The military pressure did not deter the vote so it's time to go home. Isn't that just as obvious as it can be. But, the upside is with the USA, Germany, Ukraine and Russia participating in D-Day there can be a return to normalcy. 

True to form Speaker Boner is claiming the resignation of the VA Secretary accomplished nothing. So good of him to say so now. The silence was deafening. The press was doing all his work for him, why interfere? Why risk being an enemy to veteran's groups who did not want Secretary Shinseki to resign, right?

May 29, 2014

..."I'm going to continue to reserve judgement (click here) on General Shinseki," Boehner told reporters during the weekly GOP leadership news conference. "The question I ask myself is: is him resigning going to get us to the bottom of the problem, is it going to help us find out what is really going on? The answer is no."...

So, now that he's reserved judgement along with Cantor it's on to President Obama. I am sure he'll have the support of the press as well.  The spineless Speaker again refused to stand up to any political backlash to address the eons of change Secretary Shinseki brought. As far as Boner is concerned the Secretary did about as much for the country as he did. Nothing.

Blood in the water, Boner, or is the political cash still have your hands tied?


America’s insurgent Right-wing suffered (click here) a bruising time at the polls last night as mainstream Republicans triumphed over more extreme Tea Party candidates in several key races ahead of November’s US midterm elections.
Four years after the populist anti-government Tea Party movement stormed the polls in the 2010 elections, their favoured candidates faired poorly on a night when six US states chose candidates in some of November’s marquee races.
With Republicans hoping to take back control of the US senate and render Barack Obama a lame duck for the remaining two years of his presidency, the GOP’s establishment in Washington has worked hard to neutralise fringe candidates on the party’s right wing...

Is it true? The GOP is the puppet of the Tea Party? There is no reason to believe otherwise.

The Veterans Administration is usually invisible to the American people, except, for those that frequent it for medical and prescription services. Secretary Shinseki moved the VA into a new role in the lives of soldiers plagued with the residual of an illegal war and a prolonged war due to the abandonment of Afghanistan to the Taliban by Bush so he could toy with Iraq. The veterans and returning soldiers lost a friend today and now the House Republicans want to simply move on politically. They were never interested in the veterans in the first place, except for whatever political clout they could throw their way for PROMISES to funding and improved services. 

The Republicans aren't capable of leadership. They are only capable of living with their need for political funding and how their cronies are best served.  

Ms. Theron has more in common with the political press than she realizes. It would seem the gossip columns and the political press will do anything to prostitute themselves for a buck.

When it comes to Nigeria, I have to wonder how much cultural tensions play into the activities of the militias.

I was engaged (click here) in a heated argument with one of my friends yesterday evenin' when we heard the news that the senate has empowered the vice president to act as president. We were arguing about his name 'Ebele', my friend said it's igbo and that Jonathan is some retribalized igbo man(just like Mike Okiro). I disagreed and insisted that the 'ebele' name was just a mere coincidence in spelling with the igbo name 'ebele' and that they were pronounced differently. He never agreed up till now and i felt like asking u guys especially the ijaw peeps Is there an ijaw name 'ebele'?

The Boko Haram militia is primarily located in the northern regions of the country. The President of Nigeria is from southern Nigeria. The differences are quite interesting when it comes to culture and LANGUAGE. 

There is also the issue of Boko Haram and the Fulani. They have been conducting hostilities. The Fulani's presence extends past the Nigerian borders but with them being herdsman and women they tend to migrate somewhat anyway. 

I have to wonder if the Fulani have better relations with the Nigerian President and can they work together to reduce the power of Boko Haram in the north?

There are a great deal of complaints about the Nigerian government and the impoverishment of the people. There obviously has to be changes instituted to elevate the people out of poverty, but, the people are troubled by the violence in the country. 

Boko Haram is a Muslim organization that isn't just oppositional to Western education, if that is what the girls were receiving at all, but more the focus to eliminate Christian influence within the country of Nigeria. That focus justifies the violence Boko Haram conducts, but, the kidnapping of the girls is more than just more violence against the people of Nigeria, it is about removing young women away from any Christian/Western influence.

Jonathan is a Christian with strong educational ties to Christian schools. Are there any Muslims within his administration that can bring the country together? Someone to address any fears used by Boko Haram that can be dispelled by the government? I have a difficult time believing the people of Nigeria, which vary in culture and language, can't find a common thread to put the violence into a context that would unite the country.

The other aspect of Jonathan's background is his ties to the delta region of the country. He knows the exploitation of the petroleum industry and the abandonment of the people in the delta to suffer the consequences. He has to be somewhat motivated into office because of that injustice. He has to end violence, but, he also has to bring reforms to government corruption. If he can do that he can motivate Nigeria to a far more peaceful existence and less divided among the cultures and religions. The division of the people creates legitimacy to the violence as does the fact natural resources are still not the wealth of the nation so much as the wealth of a few. 

The cultural and religious divisions within Nigeria can be problematic for any military intervention. If the people remain divided into factions, one against the other, the question enters 'Where is the next attack coming from?' The Nigerian government has to resolve the people to care about the same national issue. Improving the poverty and health of the people can be the direction needed to end such militias and their violence. Right now the militias have legitimate causes. The government needs to resolve to make those causes mute and only solvable by the elected government. Jonathan has to unite the country to non-violence. But, his words cannot be empty, humanitarian assistance may begin the process of turning to the government as an authority that can be respected.

Gun might be the answer to ending militias, but, they don't solve the problems that spawned the militias in the first place. If the core problems are not confronted, Boko Haram will simply be replaced by another militia leader with greater claims of authority. 

Any humanitarian aid into the country where violence reigns will most likely need a military to accompany them. If aid doesn't enter the hands of those that need it, it will become a commodity that the poor will never afford and it's purpose to that end worthless.

Yep, it is a really lousy hand to be dealt, but, it what it is. 

Ideally, the corruption in Nigeria should have been handled a long time ago. If that had occurred no one would be facing this problem now.
General Shinseki resigned because of the press. It carried public pressure for no valid reason, so he left because he didn't want to be a distraction. 

The USA Press knew exactly what they were doing and they drove a qualified man out of office.

THE PROBLEM IS NOT SOLVED BECAUSE HE LEFT!

Now what is the press going to harp on to correct the problem? Oh, wait. The backlog is now asking members to attend to their needs through private and state hospitals to reduce the backlog. That's right. That occurred under Secretary Shinseki, so all is taken care of and the problem is solved.

It must be an awesome power to actually cause greater problems for the country and a power to be so very proud of.

I suppose if a national press can drive a country into an illegal and immoral war, it can do anything.

It is more than ironic the national press never listened to General Shinseki in both his roles in the military in regard to Iraq and now when there was covert activity within the VA system.

Amazing. It isn't about General Shinseki's feelings, it is about a lousy national press that doesn't LISTEN and only launches propaganda whenever it works to it's power structure to pull strings for the purpose of directing politics. THAT is what this is about. 

General Shinseki is not the issue, the power of the national press to push and pull the people this country in wrongful directions is the issue. He should still be at the VA as he has the most information about the circumstances facing veterans. He has made incredible changes to increase the profile for veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.

The length of issues facing this country that are manipulated by a press anchored in 'their power' rather than 'the truth' is astounding. This is just another example of how the country is disaffected by a national press directing the attention of a nation.

I am still waiting to hear how compromising an entire Olympics and the safety of millions of people were considered fair play for the press to promote Romney over Obama. It is so obvious the press pushed a power play button, Romney - Olympics - National Security - Presidential Election. The power play is all to obvious.

The really unfortunate aspect to the national press is that the people suffer because of it. The condition of this nation is hideous compared to the wealth of Wall Street. Now, the VA has lost the best advocate it ever had. 

General Shinseki needs to remain involved and public. He needs to continue to speak for those underserved and to a nation that needs his expertise and insight. 
But the world is changing with accelerating speed. This presents opportunity, but also new dangers. We know all too well, after 9/11, just how technology and globalization has put power once reserved for states in the hands of individuals, raising the capacity of terrorists to do harm.

Kinda of mixed reviews on those words, because, there is the issue of NSA and Mr. Snowden. Quite frankly, the computer age is over for the USA military. They are better off with paper and files. Seriously. I like the idea of a dossier on paper rather than disc. 

But, national security aside, when is Carlyle going to be sworn in before oversight in the US Senate to atone for their sins when it comes to USA national security? I mean the Fifth Amendment is still part of the US Constitution last I checked. 

It just seems to me since the House doesn't understand the meaning of the Fifth Amendment, it should be exercised in a way they do understand it. 

Russia’s aggression towards former Soviet states unnerves capitals in Europe while China’s economic rise and military reach worries its neighbors.

True. Buoy, that was a gas, huh? Ukraine has an interim president and Crimea becomes a staging area. Like, what the heck? And that entire China and Vietnam thing is just unreal. One day they are buddies and the next day China is claiming Vietnam as their own sovereign territory. It makes me wonder how scared to their skivvies China and Russia are about this entire USA Superpower thing. In observation of all this desperation, it lines up with the first couple of paragraphs of the speech where Prez states 'America...unmatched...without peers...Right?

From Brazil to India, rising middle classes compete with us, and governments seek a greater say in global forums. And even as developing nations embrace democracy and market economies, 24-hour news and social media makes it impossible to ignore the continuation of sectarian conflicts, failing states and popular uprisings that might have received only passing notice a generation ago.

I disagree with the middle class assessment. I don't really see their middle class as competition, so much as an opportunity for new markets, increased trade and better trade balances. I have to agree about the 'passing notice a generation ago.' All the signs were there. This generation simply said, "ENOUGH, we'll take our chances."

It will be your generation’s task to respond to this new world. The question we face, the question each of you will face, is not whether America will lead but how we will lead, not just to secure our peace and prosperity but also extend peace and prosperity around the globe.

Extending PEACE and PROSPERITY around the globe, rather than war torned and decimated infrastructure is really the true form of national security. The war torn business model is what attracts hate and resolves to suicide bombing. But, to state all was peace and prosperity in this administration is not really being spot on. But, at least the drones are out of Pakistan.

Now, this question isn’t new. At least since George Washington served as commander in chief, there have been those who warned against foreign entanglements that do not touch directly on our security or economic well-being.

Today, according to self-described realists, conflicts in Syria or Ukraine or the Central African Republic are not ours to solve. And not surprisingly, after costly wars and continuing challenges here at home, that view is shared by many Americans.

Syria is a problem for the Russians, quite frankly. That is why when I look at Egypt and they are using the 'control at any cost' model of the Russians; it is worrisome. But, Sisi is the one true leader regardless of his lack of support to the people. Gee, whiz, that reminds me of the parallel elections for Syria's leadership. When one starts to line up Syria's outcomes and Egypt's outcomes and Crimea's outcomes, it spells Russia loud and clear.

Russia is a chosen ally and understandably so. It is up to the global community to continue to speak to Russia about it's very poor policies within Russia and their allies. There are common threads of oppression throughout. 

I don't really see that within China. China is more progressive. Granted invading Vietnam's sovereign borders is not cool and was a really bad measure of the resolve of the Vietnamese, but, China is seeking to improve on their human rights problems, carbon emissions and a secure Middle Class to JOIN the global commerce markets which means they have to improve their product quality. I don't see China as regressive as Russia. Then again, it has been spying on Americans and American companies to find their footing in markets and technology. In that realm there is the fact China is now closing down relations with American consulting agencies whom they believe have been siphoning and channeling American ingenuity. Makes sense. It is called corporate espionage.

The moral to the story is, if the media didn't participate in partisan politics of the right wing adrenalin rush of fear it might actually be an interesting read.

That's all for now. I'll convene more about the speech later. Glen Beck, Rush Lambaugh and Joe Scarborough simply have to process small amounts otherwise their hate messages gets lost. 
When I first spoke at West Point in 2009, we still had more than 100,000 troops in Iraq. We were preparing to surge in Afghanistan. Our counterterrorism efforts were focused on al-Qaida’s core leadership -- those who had carried out the 9/11 attacks. And our nation was just beginning a long climb out of the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.

So, true. 

Four and a half years later, as you graduate, the landscape has changed. We have removed our troops from Iraq. We are winding down our war in Afghanistan. Al-Qaida’s leadership on the border region between Pakistan and Afghanistan has been decimated, and Osama bin Laden is no more. (Cheers, applause.) And through it all, we’ve refocused our investments in what has always been a key source of American strength: a growing economy that can provide opportunity for everybody who’s willing to work hard and take responsibility here at home.

Do, tell.

The CIA's targeted killing program in Pakistan,(click here) once the mainstay of President Barack Obama's counterterrorism effort, is winding down.
 
Because of stricter rules, diplomatic sensitivities and the changing nature of the al-Qaida threat, there hasn't been a U.S. drone strike in Pakistan's tribal areas since Christmas. And American officials say opportunities for drone attacks will dwindle further as the CIA and the military draw down in neighboring Afghanistan, reducing their intelligence-gathering footprint.

"The program (in Pakistan) appears to have ended," said Peter Bergen, who has closely studied drone strikes for the New America Foundation, a Washington think tank.
U.S. officials won't go that far, but Obama announced this week a plan to pull nearly all American troops out of Afghanistan by the end of 2016. The targeted killing program in Pakistan relies on drones flown from, and intelligence gathered in, U.S. bases in Afghanistan that would then be closed....

29 May 2014
KARACHI: A Pakistani court (click here) on Thursday reserved judgment on former military ruler Pervez Musharraf's application to have a travel ban on him lifted, his lawyer said.
The 70-year-old, who flew to Karachi last month to undergo medical tests, has been waiting for a decision on his application for over a month.
He says he wants the travel ban lifted so he can visit his sick mother in Dubai, but many in Pakistan see it as a ruse to flee the country and avoid the litany of criminal cases against him dating back to 1999-2008....


...In fact, by most measures America has rarely been stronger relative to the rest of the world. Those who argue otherwise -- who suggest that America is in decline or has seen its global leadership slip away -- are either misreading history or engaged in partisan politics.

See, that is what has everyone. Correction, Republicans. That is what has Republicans up in arms; President Obama stated there are partisan politics in the 'fear factor' of right wing partisan politics.

And, oh my god, what about Russia and China? Are they still a national security threat? I mean, President Obama didn't say the words, "HATE China and Russia as the ultimate enemies of the USA."
  
Think about it. Our military has no peer. The odds of a direct threat against us by any nation are low, and do not come close to the dangers we faced during the Cold War. Meanwhile, our economy remains the most dynamic on Earth, our businesses the most innovative. Each year, we grow more energy independent. From Europe to Asia, we are the hub of alliances unrivaled in the history of nations.

It think THINKING PEOPLE, like the cadets at West Point, might have picked up on the line about the Cold War. 

America continues to attract striving immigrants. The values of our founding inspire leaders in parliaments and new movements in public squares around the globe. And when a typhoon hits the Philippines, or schoolgirls are kidnapped in Nigeria, or masked men occupy a building in Ukraine, it is America that the world looks to for help. (Applause.) So the United States is and remains the one indispensable nation. That has been true for the century past, and it will be true for the century to come.

I especially like the part about immigrants. (dig, dig, dig) And I suppose the world leader thing still affirms America's place in the world, huh?

See, there are members of the US Armed Forces that achieve their citizenship while serving for a country they weren't born into. I am quite confident these members of our armed forces, some of the dead before achieving their citizenship, have relatives they would love to have legalized as well. 

Did Erin and Austen get the attention of the national press? Nah. Let's instead create panic over cuts to the military budget.

PRESIDENT OBAMA: Thank you. (click here) Thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you, General Caslen, for that introduction. General Trainor, General Clarke, faculty and staff at West Point, you have been outstanding stewards of this proud institution and outstanding mentors for the newest officers in the United States Army.

I’d like to acknowledge the Army’s leadership -- General McHugh -- Secretary McHugh, General Odierno, as well as Senator Jack Reed who is here and a proud graduate of West Point himself. To the class of 2014, I congratulate you on taking your place on the Long Gray Line.

Among you is the first all-female command team: Erin Mauldin and Austen Boroff. In Calla Glavin, you have a Rhodes Scholar, and Josh Herbeck proves that West Point accuracy extends beyond the three point line. (Laughter.)

So, tell us Erin and Austen what does it mean to be the best female command team in the country? Is the compensation good? Can you support a family, especially when you find yourselves out of the country?  When you break down all the hours the two of you put into your dedication to protecting the American homeland, is it at least minimum wage?

So, what are their plans for their command? What approach do they take to sexual harassment and maintaining a cohesive unit on the battlefield? Do they have any advise for the other male commanders? 

To the entire class, let me reassure you in these final hours at West Point, as commander in chief, I hereby absolve all cadets who are on restriction for minor conduct offenses. (Laughter, applause.).

Let me just say that nobody ever did that for me when I was in school.

I know you join me in extending a word of thanks to your families. Joe DeMoss, whose son James is graduating, spoke for a whole lot of parents when he wrote me a letter about the sacrifices you’ve made. “Deep inside,” he wrote, “we want to explode with pride at what they are committing to do in the service of our country.” Like several graduates, James is a combat veteran, and I would ask all of us here today to stand and pay tribute not only to the veterans among us, but to the more than 2.5 million Americans who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as their families. (Applause.)

It is a particularly useful time for America to reflect on those who’ve sacrificed so much for our freedom, a few days after Memorial Day. You are the first class to graduate since 9/11 who may not be sent into combat in Iraq or Afghanistan. (Cheers, applause)
RT is reporting contact with OSCE is lost. So where are they? This is "Russian Television," right? So, where are they? Maybe Larry King can ask Putin where they are.

I mean Russia is doing everything they can to help secure international agency members, right? We can count on Russia to do the right thing here, correct?

Politics and only politics are at the heart of the right wing ranting about Secretary Shinseki.

Published 5:19 pm, Thursday, May 29, 2014
...The situation (click here) brings up a bigger question of what should follow. House Republicans are pushing to privatize veterans coverage with vouchers, saying it would be the quickest way to improve coverage. Senate Democrats want to pour more money into the system to improve service and fill job vacancies said to be a source of the delays. The two approaches have all the makings of a familiar standoff over government limits and responsibilities....

He needs to stay exactly where he is. 

The Republicans always want to punt to the private insurance industry with corruptly underfunded health care in the way of vouchers. Vouchers are suppose to work for Medicare and now they are the 'pill for the common cold' of VA health benefits. 

It would be interesting to find the implosion of our health care system when every VA facility shut down.

So, let me get this right. There are POTENTIALLY 6.5 million former service members ELIGIBLE for care through the VA system. There aren't 6.5 million patients in the VA system. Many veterans have private insurance.

But, let's say there are 6.5 million in the VA system. Where do they go? When the Republicans shut down the VA medical system, where do they go with their vouchers? Because if the monies from the VA system is cut to simply provide $7000 per veteran for private insurance carriers, where do they go for care? The VA system will be defunded and all those facilities won't be available. 

The Republicans are idiots. They have no clue what to do and the fact of the matter is Secretary Shinseki has provided incredible guidance to improve the VA system. The Republicans have no clue so, "light bulb goes on," let's provide vouchers. 

Idiots and the Dems going on with this level of immorality, "Selling our Vet to Wall Street," are just as stupid. Congratulations, the Dems are actually demoralized enough to go along to get along. Amazing. Tell me, are the Dems now receiving Koch money, too? I mean the positions are identical to the Republicans, did that change the funding?

I don't think so.