I am so sick of hearing about the “beer summit”. Who cares that two extremely prejudice black guys, an idiot white guy and a police officer sat for a photo op with a couple of beers. I mean really America. Don’t we have bigger fish to fry than that? Our country is being “transformed” into some socialistic welfare state and all the media can focus on is Obama’s fain attempt at giving a crap about racial divide. FYI; better start with the guy in the mirror Barry.
Seriously, we are in a serious drought here in the Great State of Texas. Almost 80 out of 254 counties in the state are in extreme drought. This has been the worst drought in a half century and $3.6 billion has been lost in crops and livestock. In April, the USDA labeled 70 Texas counties as natural disaster areas. But for goodness sake we can’t worry about that. We all have to sit glued to the TV to watch the cop and three stooges play nice.
For all we know, our healthcare was thrown out the window while the world focused on this little “sit-down”. Shame on the media for allowing Obama to turn peoples attention away from the things that matter in this country. Luckily, they couldn’t deter all of us from staying the course on the real issues. Some of us can’t and won’t be lured by “The One” and his gaggle of hypnotized puppets. There are many of us who love this country enough to keep the people informed of every puppet’s’ actions. So keep that in mind every time you vote on a bill or amendment. As a matter of fact, think long and hard about it when you pop open a nice cold beer.
Have a nice weekend!!!!!!!!
Friday, July 31, 2009
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
The Obama Agenda
As last years Presidential race went on, one thing kept jumping out at me as Obama spewed his agenda. The man has been polished and placed in this position. At first, I couldn’t figure out if he was the master piece of Muslims or black activists. Perhaps it is both. And while I still am not 100% sure, I am leaning more and more toward black activists with an agenda. What agenda….making the white man pay for the sins of his father. Hey, maybe that is where he came up with the title of his book. One would have to be ignorant and stupid to miss that agenda. (Which explains why the left has such a hard time seeing it.) Make no mistake; I believe that slavery was a horrible sin. But God is mans judge. Not some blowhard from Chicago. Of course we all know that he thinks he is God but there is only one, and it isn’t you Barry.
I do have to give him credit….he laid out his agenda for the world to see during the campaign. I was so insulted every time the man spoke about my country and what his larger than life government was going to do to it, that I could have screamed. I believe that I actually did a few times. I only wish that the voters would have listened when he told them what his plans were. I wish that they would have listened to Rush, Hannity or Beck. They all warned of the impending doom awaiting this country if Obama were elected. Instead, they all focused on the fact that the first African-American to become President is going to finally take care of us. (By the way….I hate the term African-American….your either an American or your not) Well for some of you, yes he is going to take care of you. You won’t have to lift a finger (not that you ever have) but you will be taken care of. For the rest of us however, we are screwed. Especially white men. This country has allowed every race, and women, to have or do whatever they want and in some cases even paid for it. Everyone except the white man that is. Well I am sorry but that is wrong. I do believe that it was the black man that sold the slaves to the white man. So where is the anger there? I have yet to here Jeremiah Wright screaming “damn the African that sold my great grandparents”. But I guess then he would be selling his people out. No pun intended.
Be it the Muslims or the black activists, it is apparent that Obama hangs his chains on the Marxist side of the fence. His hatred of white America has him on a mission to wrap them around the wallet of every American that has the audacity to get up and go to work everyday. It’s up to us, the American people, to stop him, his hypnotized followers and whatever organization it is that placed him in power, from getting away with it.
As always…….write, call or fax your Congressman, Senators and local officials and let them know how you feel on the issues in this country.
I do have to give him credit….he laid out his agenda for the world to see during the campaign. I was so insulted every time the man spoke about my country and what his larger than life government was going to do to it, that I could have screamed. I believe that I actually did a few times. I only wish that the voters would have listened when he told them what his plans were. I wish that they would have listened to Rush, Hannity or Beck. They all warned of the impending doom awaiting this country if Obama were elected. Instead, they all focused on the fact that the first African-American to become President is going to finally take care of us. (By the way….I hate the term African-American….your either an American or your not) Well for some of you, yes he is going to take care of you. You won’t have to lift a finger (not that you ever have) but you will be taken care of. For the rest of us however, we are screwed. Especially white men. This country has allowed every race, and women, to have or do whatever they want and in some cases even paid for it. Everyone except the white man that is. Well I am sorry but that is wrong. I do believe that it was the black man that sold the slaves to the white man. So where is the anger there? I have yet to here Jeremiah Wright screaming “damn the African that sold my great grandparents”. But I guess then he would be selling his people out. No pun intended.
Be it the Muslims or the black activists, it is apparent that Obama hangs his chains on the Marxist side of the fence. His hatred of white America has him on a mission to wrap them around the wallet of every American that has the audacity to get up and go to work everyday. It’s up to us, the American people, to stop him, his hypnotized followers and whatever organization it is that placed him in power, from getting away with it.
As always…….write, call or fax your Congressman, Senators and local officials and let them know how you feel on the issues in this country.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Profound
"You cannot legislate the poor into freedom by legislating the wealthy out of freedom. What one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving. The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else. When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other half is going to take care of them, and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is going to get what they work for, that my dear friend, is about the end of any nation. You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it."
~~~~ Dr. Adrian Rogers, 1931
~~~~ Dr. Adrian Rogers, 1931
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Interstate Concealed Carry Fail
The United States Senate voted yesterday to reject an amendment that would allow people with concealed weapons permits to carry in states other then their own. Those that opposed the amendment do not realize that all they are doing is forcing law abiding citizens to commit criminal activity. I for one do not know anyone that would travel without some sort of self defense. And frankly I don’t think that we should be asked to.
The amendment needed 60 votes to pass but failed 58-39. Only two votes stood in the way of it passing. Twenty Democrats joined 38 Republicans in voting for the amendment, while two Republicans, Richard Lugar of Indiana and George Voinovich of Ohio, joined 35 Democrats and two independents in opposing it. I sure hope that the people of Indiana and Ohio remember this vote when it comes election time.
The amendment needed 60 votes to pass but failed 58-39. Only two votes stood in the way of it passing. Twenty Democrats joined 38 Republicans in voting for the amendment, while two Republicans, Richard Lugar of Indiana and George Voinovich of Ohio, joined 35 Democrats and two independents in opposing it. I sure hope that the people of Indiana and Ohio remember this vote when it comes election time.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Great...Another Czar
To date, Obama has appointed 18 czars to “oversee” different things in our country. On the chance you don’t know, a czar is defined as…..A male monarch or emperor, especially one of the emperors who ruled Russia until the revolution of 1917 or a person having great power; an autocrat. That’s what we need….people with more power. At any rate, this Sunstein fella has given me cause for concern due to his animal rights comments in the past. Read the article below from Fox News and if you are as concerned as I am, please take the time to contact Senator Cornyn’s office and let him know how you feel. I have attached his contact information below.
info@johncornyn.com or
http://cornyn.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.ContactForm
or Call/Fax him
Washington DC
517 Hart Senate Office Bldg.
Washington, DC 20510
Main: 202-224-2934
Fax: 202-228-2856
Map this | Directions To
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Southeast Texas
5300 Memorial Drive
Suite 980
Houston, TX 77007
Main: 713-572-3337
Fax: 713-572-3777
Map this | Directions To
Article From FoxNews…..
WASHINGTON -- President Obama's nominee for "regulatory czar" has hit a new snag in his Senate confirmation process -- a "hold" by Texas Sen. John Cornyn, who's says he's not convinced that Harvard professor Cass Sunstein won't push a radical animal rights agenda, including new restrictions on agriculture and even hunting.
Senators are permitted "holds" to prevent a vote on a nominee from coming to the floor. They are often secretive and for very specific reasons.
"Sen. Cornyn finds numerous aspects of Mr. Sunstein's record troubling, specifically the fact that he wants to establish legal 'rights' for livestock, wildlife and pets, which would enable animals to file lawsuits in American courts," the Republican's spokesman, Kevin McLaughlin, said in a statement to FOXNews.com.
Cornyn's hold on Sunstein comes just as Sen. Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., last week lifted his own hold on the nominee, whom Obama tapped in April to become the administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs at the Office of Budget and Management.
Chambliss said he was dropping his hold because Sunstein had convinced him that he "would not take any steps to promote litigation on behalf of animals," and that he believes the "Second Amendment creates an individual right to possess guns for purposes of both hunting and self defense."
Both statements were included in a letter Sunstein sent to Chambliss on July 14.
Chambliss added in a Senate floor speech last Wednesday that "Professor Sunstein comes highly recommended by a number of folks from the conservative side of the philosophical divide in this country."
One of Sunstein's top jobs would be to review and provide guidance for draft federal regulations at different federal agencies. It is a wide-ranging and largely unrestrained position in the executive branch.
That's a large part of the reason Sunstein's positions on animal rights have become worrisome to his critics. Despite his assurances to the contrary, Sunstein has spoken stridently in favor of allowing people the right to bring suit on behalf of animals in animal cruelty cases and to restrict what he calls the more horrific practices associated with industrial breeding and processing of animals for food.
In a 2007 speech at Harvard, Sunstein also advocated restricting animal testing for cosmetics, banning hunting and encouraging the general public to eat less meat.
The Center for Consumer Rights' David Martosko, a Sunstein critic, said those positions make the agricultural industry -- major stakeholders in the states represented by both Chambliss and Cornyn -- nervous.
Martosko said there are plenty of ways to pursue a "stealth campaign" on any one of these fronts -- guns or animal rights -- by putting pressure on the regulatory heads of the different agencies.
"He is the gatekeeper between the president and the secretaries," he said, noting that "as a regulatory czar, he won't be a judge or a legislator, so he cannot make laws. ... What he can do is nudge the departments in the direction of his philosophy," which is very much in line with "hard core animal rights zealots."
But Sunstein, who is married to National Security Council Director of Multilateral Affairs Samantha Power, has earned widely varied reviews among the political left and right, and from some of the unlikeliest of quarters.
"We still don't know much about how Barack Obama plans to overhaul our financial regulatory system, but his reported appointment of Cass Sunstein to an important post is a promising sign," Wall Street Journal editors wrote in January, when Sunstein's possible nomination was being floated.
The paper's editors said they were cheered by Sunstein's long-held beliefs in using cost-benefit analysis in regulation -- a concept that worries proponents of greater and tighter regulations.
"We have concerns about some of his academic writings regarding his approach to regulatory policy and regulatory review," Bill Samuel, AFL-CIO legislative director, told The Chicago Tribune. "We want to hear more from him about how he intends to approach regulatory policy."
Environmentalists also say Sunstein's nomination is a potential blow to their efforts to roll back what they call Bush-era deregulation. Frank O'Donnell, director of Clean Water Watch, wrote that "progressives would've screamed" if President Bush had nominated someone with similar views for the OIRA post." In fact, Bush did, O'Donnell noted, much to the chagrin of progressives.
Adding to animal rights and cost-benefit analysis is concern over Sunstein's positions on freedom of speech.
News of Sunstein's latest book, "On Rumors: How Falsehoods Spread, Why We Believe Them, What Can Be Done," lit up the blogosphere last week when The New York Post ran a column by a reviewer who received an advance copy.
Writer Kyle Smith suggested Sunstein threatens to tweak libel laws for the Internet and make online writers, particularly bloggers, legally responsible for falsehoods and rumors that get generated in cyberspace.
"Sunstein calls for a 'notice and take down' law that would require bloggers and service providers to 'take down falsehoods upon notice,' even those made by commenters -- but without apparent penalty," Smith wrote. "How long would it take for a court to sort out the truth? (Presidential daughters) Sasha and Malia will be running for president by then. Nobody will care anymore. But it will give politicians the ability to tie up their online critics in court."
Sunstein, a prolific writer who has penned 35 books since 1990, has plowed the issue of rumors and how they are spread, and leaves much of the policy debate in the air.
For instance, in a paper titled, "'She Said What?' 'He Did That?' Believing False Rumors," for Harvard Law School in November 2008, Sunstein wrote: "In discussions of possible restrictions on free speech, it is standard to speak of, and to deplore, the 'chilling effect' that is created by the prospect of civil or criminal sanctions."
"Libel law, for example, might chill speech about public figures and public issues, in a way that could damage democratic debate. And if there is a 'marketplace of ideas,' we should be especially concerned about the risk of chilling effect because it will undermine processes that will ultimately produce the truth," he wrote.
Sunstein, who once taught alongside Obama at the University of Chicago Law School, did not return an interview request from FOXNews.com.
But being taken for both a liberal activist and a free market cheerleader makes the nominee a true "wild card," observers say.
John Lott, conservative author of "The Bias Against Guns and Freedomnomics: Why the Free Market Works," called Sunstein "open minded" and a "true academic," but also warned that in its opposition, the left might be looking a gift horse in the mouth.
"My guess is that these progressives are unlikely to find anyone who could champion many of their views as well as Cass can."
Tom Firey, managing editor of the Cato Institute's Regulation magazine, said, "Sunstein really doesn't fit readily, politically or ideologically, in any box.
"I think this is going to be a very interesting nomination to watch on Capitol Hill. He's going to be getting some shots from the right and from the left. You are never going to make anyone who is a stakeholder in these debates happy," he said.
Cornyn's spokesman said the senator will be happy when he gets direct assurances from Sunstein that he will not pursue an agenda akin to some of his past writings, particularly on the animal rights issue.
"Sen. Cornyn hasn't had a chance to speak with him yet, that's the reason for the hold," said McLaughlin. "He wants to have a chance to before moving forward."
info@johncornyn.com or
http://cornyn.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.ContactForm
or Call/Fax him
Washington DC
517 Hart Senate Office Bldg.
Washington, DC 20510
Main: 202-224-2934
Fax: 202-228-2856
Map this | Directions To
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Southeast Texas
5300 Memorial Drive
Suite 980
Houston, TX 77007
Main: 713-572-3337
Fax: 713-572-3777
Map this | Directions To
Article From FoxNews…..
WASHINGTON -- President Obama's nominee for "regulatory czar" has hit a new snag in his Senate confirmation process -- a "hold" by Texas Sen. John Cornyn, who's says he's not convinced that Harvard professor Cass Sunstein won't push a radical animal rights agenda, including new restrictions on agriculture and even hunting.
Senators are permitted "holds" to prevent a vote on a nominee from coming to the floor. They are often secretive and for very specific reasons.
"Sen. Cornyn finds numerous aspects of Mr. Sunstein's record troubling, specifically the fact that he wants to establish legal 'rights' for livestock, wildlife and pets, which would enable animals to file lawsuits in American courts," the Republican's spokesman, Kevin McLaughlin, said in a statement to FOXNews.com.
Cornyn's hold on Sunstein comes just as Sen. Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., last week lifted his own hold on the nominee, whom Obama tapped in April to become the administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs at the Office of Budget and Management.
Chambliss said he was dropping his hold because Sunstein had convinced him that he "would not take any steps to promote litigation on behalf of animals," and that he believes the "Second Amendment creates an individual right to possess guns for purposes of both hunting and self defense."
Both statements were included in a letter Sunstein sent to Chambliss on July 14.
Chambliss added in a Senate floor speech last Wednesday that "Professor Sunstein comes highly recommended by a number of folks from the conservative side of the philosophical divide in this country."
One of Sunstein's top jobs would be to review and provide guidance for draft federal regulations at different federal agencies. It is a wide-ranging and largely unrestrained position in the executive branch.
That's a large part of the reason Sunstein's positions on animal rights have become worrisome to his critics. Despite his assurances to the contrary, Sunstein has spoken stridently in favor of allowing people the right to bring suit on behalf of animals in animal cruelty cases and to restrict what he calls the more horrific practices associated with industrial breeding and processing of animals for food.
In a 2007 speech at Harvard, Sunstein also advocated restricting animal testing for cosmetics, banning hunting and encouraging the general public to eat less meat.
The Center for Consumer Rights' David Martosko, a Sunstein critic, said those positions make the agricultural industry -- major stakeholders in the states represented by both Chambliss and Cornyn -- nervous.
Martosko said there are plenty of ways to pursue a "stealth campaign" on any one of these fronts -- guns or animal rights -- by putting pressure on the regulatory heads of the different agencies.
"He is the gatekeeper between the president and the secretaries," he said, noting that "as a regulatory czar, he won't be a judge or a legislator, so he cannot make laws. ... What he can do is nudge the departments in the direction of his philosophy," which is very much in line with "hard core animal rights zealots."
But Sunstein, who is married to National Security Council Director of Multilateral Affairs Samantha Power, has earned widely varied reviews among the political left and right, and from some of the unlikeliest of quarters.
"We still don't know much about how Barack Obama plans to overhaul our financial regulatory system, but his reported appointment of Cass Sunstein to an important post is a promising sign," Wall Street Journal editors wrote in January, when Sunstein's possible nomination was being floated.
The paper's editors said they were cheered by Sunstein's long-held beliefs in using cost-benefit analysis in regulation -- a concept that worries proponents of greater and tighter regulations.
"We have concerns about some of his academic writings regarding his approach to regulatory policy and regulatory review," Bill Samuel, AFL-CIO legislative director, told The Chicago Tribune. "We want to hear more from him about how he intends to approach regulatory policy."
Environmentalists also say Sunstein's nomination is a potential blow to their efforts to roll back what they call Bush-era deregulation. Frank O'Donnell, director of Clean Water Watch, wrote that "progressives would've screamed" if President Bush had nominated someone with similar views for the OIRA post." In fact, Bush did, O'Donnell noted, much to the chagrin of progressives.
Adding to animal rights and cost-benefit analysis is concern over Sunstein's positions on freedom of speech.
News of Sunstein's latest book, "On Rumors: How Falsehoods Spread, Why We Believe Them, What Can Be Done," lit up the blogosphere last week when The New York Post ran a column by a reviewer who received an advance copy.
Writer Kyle Smith suggested Sunstein threatens to tweak libel laws for the Internet and make online writers, particularly bloggers, legally responsible for falsehoods and rumors that get generated in cyberspace.
"Sunstein calls for a 'notice and take down' law that would require bloggers and service providers to 'take down falsehoods upon notice,' even those made by commenters -- but without apparent penalty," Smith wrote. "How long would it take for a court to sort out the truth? (Presidential daughters) Sasha and Malia will be running for president by then. Nobody will care anymore. But it will give politicians the ability to tie up their online critics in court."
Sunstein, a prolific writer who has penned 35 books since 1990, has plowed the issue of rumors and how they are spread, and leaves much of the policy debate in the air.
For instance, in a paper titled, "'She Said What?' 'He Did That?' Believing False Rumors," for Harvard Law School in November 2008, Sunstein wrote: "In discussions of possible restrictions on free speech, it is standard to speak of, and to deplore, the 'chilling effect' that is created by the prospect of civil or criminal sanctions."
"Libel law, for example, might chill speech about public figures and public issues, in a way that could damage democratic debate. And if there is a 'marketplace of ideas,' we should be especially concerned about the risk of chilling effect because it will undermine processes that will ultimately produce the truth," he wrote.
Sunstein, who once taught alongside Obama at the University of Chicago Law School, did not return an interview request from FOXNews.com.
But being taken for both a liberal activist and a free market cheerleader makes the nominee a true "wild card," observers say.
John Lott, conservative author of "The Bias Against Guns and Freedomnomics: Why the Free Market Works," called Sunstein "open minded" and a "true academic," but also warned that in its opposition, the left might be looking a gift horse in the mouth.
"My guess is that these progressives are unlikely to find anyone who could champion many of their views as well as Cass can."
Tom Firey, managing editor of the Cato Institute's Regulation magazine, said, "Sunstein really doesn't fit readily, politically or ideologically, in any box.
"I think this is going to be a very interesting nomination to watch on Capitol Hill. He's going to be getting some shots from the right and from the left. You are never going to make anyone who is a stakeholder in these debates happy," he said.
Cornyn's spokesman said the senator will be happy when he gets direct assurances from Sunstein that he will not pursue an agenda akin to some of his past writings, particularly on the animal rights issue.
"Sen. Cornyn hasn't had a chance to speak with him yet, that's the reason for the hold," said McLaughlin. "He wants to have a chance to before moving forward."
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
VA Is Failing Our Women Warriors
VA Is Failing Our Women Warriors
The Government Accountability Office (GAO), the investigative arm of Congress, released a stunning new report detailing significant barriers that many female veterans face in accessing healthcare at the Department of Veterans Affairs. Not just for policy wonks, this report should be required reading for every American. The VA must ensure that women veterans receive the care they deserve. With more women serving in combat than ever before, action should have happened yesterday. "The Women Veterans Healthcare Improvement Act" (S.597/H.R.1211), lead by Senator Patty Murray and Congresswoman Herseth-Sandlin, would help assess, expand, and improve VA care for women veterans, especially those who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan. With the female veteran population growing daily, it will also equip the VA with the tools necessary to plan long-term for this historic growth. And it's just steps away from the President's signature.
Let your public officials know how you feel! Call, write, email or fax them. It's the least we can do for our female soldiers.
To learn more, read the article below from Military.com.
If you blinked, you could've missed it. With the media's obsession over Michael Jackson's death and Sotomayor's confirmation hearings plastered across cable news shows, an important story might have skipped your radar.
This week, the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the investigative arm of Congress, released a stunning new report detailing significant barriers that many female veterans face in accessing healthcare at the Department of Veterans Affairs. Not just for policy wonks, this report should be required reading for every American.
Some of the critical findings include:
Privacy standards for women veterans at VA facilities aren't being met. The GAO found women's exam room tables that faced doors instead of walls, and instances where women patients had to walk through waiting rooms to use the restrooms, as opposed to next to the exam room as required by VA policy. Some hospitals under review also did not guarantee access to private and secure bathing areas or visual and auditory privacy at check-in.
Comprehensive primary care is not available for women veterans at all hospitals and clinics. Despite its commitment 8 months ago, the VA has still not establish a deadline for facilities to meet its requirement of complete primary care and basic gender-specific services available to all women veterans by one provider at one site. Some VA officials were even unclear on the steps needed to implement this new plan. The availability of services for women veterans continues to vary by hospital and clinic.
The VA still has shortages of qualified women's health and mental health care providers. The VA's ability to provide consistent and timely care to female vets is also being compromised by difficulties hiring providers that specialize in women's health and mental health. For the female veterans coming home from war everyday and those suffering from mental health injuries or who have experienced Military Sexual Trauma, these shortages could not come at a worse time.
But the GAO isn't the only one voicing concern. We recently asked female vets to share their experiences at the VA. And their responses were alarming:
"I tried several times to use the mental health services. I was told that women don't go to combat so we shouldn't need counseling." -- Female Iraq and Afghanistan Veteran
"The VA hospitals are used to dealing with male Vietnam, Korea and WWII vets -- the quality of care for a female at a VA hospital is very low." -- Female Iraq Veteran
"The [local] VA is supposed to have 4 women's doctors, but there is only 1 full-time doc and 1 semi-retired (her knowledge is outdated and she's made serious mistakes on basic women's health problems that were already in my military medical record). With all the women veterans, this is ridiculous…Also I get annoyed because everyone calls you "Mr." until they realize you're female, they assume all vets are guys." -- Female Iraq Veteran
This is absolutely unacceptable. The VA must ensure that women veterans receive the care they deserve. With more women serving in combat than ever before, action should have happened yesterday.
Thankfully, some advocates in Congress aren't waiting. A bipartisan group of lawmakers lead by Senator Murray and Congresswoman Herseth Sandlin are championing legislation to improve VA services for women veterans. "The Women Veterans Healthcare Improvement Act" (S.597/H.R.1211) would help assess, expand, and improve VA care for women veterans, especially those who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan. With the female veteran population growing daily, it will also equip the VA with the tools necessary to plan long-term for this historic growth. And it's just steps away from the President's signature.
Like their male peers, women veterans have shown incredible dedication and courage in defending their country. It's about time they get the same recognition and support.
The Government Accountability Office (GAO), the investigative arm of Congress, released a stunning new report detailing significant barriers that many female veterans face in accessing healthcare at the Department of Veterans Affairs. Not just for policy wonks, this report should be required reading for every American. The VA must ensure that women veterans receive the care they deserve. With more women serving in combat than ever before, action should have happened yesterday. "The Women Veterans Healthcare Improvement Act" (S.597/H.R.1211), lead by Senator Patty Murray and Congresswoman Herseth-Sandlin, would help assess, expand, and improve VA care for women veterans, especially those who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan. With the female veteran population growing daily, it will also equip the VA with the tools necessary to plan long-term for this historic growth. And it's just steps away from the President's signature.
Let your public officials know how you feel! Call, write, email or fax them. It's the least we can do for our female soldiers.
To learn more, read the article below from Military.com.
If you blinked, you could've missed it. With the media's obsession over Michael Jackson's death and Sotomayor's confirmation hearings plastered across cable news shows, an important story might have skipped your radar.
This week, the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the investigative arm of Congress, released a stunning new report detailing significant barriers that many female veterans face in accessing healthcare at the Department of Veterans Affairs. Not just for policy wonks, this report should be required reading for every American.
Some of the critical findings include:
Privacy standards for women veterans at VA facilities aren't being met. The GAO found women's exam room tables that faced doors instead of walls, and instances where women patients had to walk through waiting rooms to use the restrooms, as opposed to next to the exam room as required by VA policy. Some hospitals under review also did not guarantee access to private and secure bathing areas or visual and auditory privacy at check-in.
Comprehensive primary care is not available for women veterans at all hospitals and clinics. Despite its commitment 8 months ago, the VA has still not establish a deadline for facilities to meet its requirement of complete primary care and basic gender-specific services available to all women veterans by one provider at one site. Some VA officials were even unclear on the steps needed to implement this new plan. The availability of services for women veterans continues to vary by hospital and clinic.
The VA still has shortages of qualified women's health and mental health care providers. The VA's ability to provide consistent and timely care to female vets is also being compromised by difficulties hiring providers that specialize in women's health and mental health. For the female veterans coming home from war everyday and those suffering from mental health injuries or who have experienced Military Sexual Trauma, these shortages could not come at a worse time.
But the GAO isn't the only one voicing concern. We recently asked female vets to share their experiences at the VA. And their responses were alarming:
"I tried several times to use the mental health services. I was told that women don't go to combat so we shouldn't need counseling." -- Female Iraq and Afghanistan Veteran
"The VA hospitals are used to dealing with male Vietnam, Korea and WWII vets -- the quality of care for a female at a VA hospital is very low." -- Female Iraq Veteran
"The [local] VA is supposed to have 4 women's doctors, but there is only 1 full-time doc and 1 semi-retired (her knowledge is outdated and she's made serious mistakes on basic women's health problems that were already in my military medical record). With all the women veterans, this is ridiculous…Also I get annoyed because everyone calls you "Mr." until they realize you're female, they assume all vets are guys." -- Female Iraq Veteran
This is absolutely unacceptable. The VA must ensure that women veterans receive the care they deserve. With more women serving in combat than ever before, action should have happened yesterday.
Thankfully, some advocates in Congress aren't waiting. A bipartisan group of lawmakers lead by Senator Murray and Congresswoman Herseth Sandlin are championing legislation to improve VA services for women veterans. "The Women Veterans Healthcare Improvement Act" (S.597/H.R.1211) would help assess, expand, and improve VA care for women veterans, especially those who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan. With the female veteran population growing daily, it will also equip the VA with the tools necessary to plan long-term for this historic growth. And it's just steps away from the President's signature.
Like their male peers, women veterans have shown incredible dedication and courage in defending their country. It's about time they get the same recognition and support.
Monday, July 20, 2009
What's Good For The Goose....
I had to post this extra blog today. It was just too priceless to pass up.
By Albert N. Milliron, Editor Politisite.com and Iron Mill News
If Government health care is good enough for the American people shouldn't it be good enough for the legislators themselves? Congressman John Fleming M.D. (R-LA Dist 4) House Resolution 615 would require lawmakers to enroll in the government-run health plan it passes for the rest of Americans.
Under the current draft of the Democrat health care legislation, members of Congress are curiously exempt from the government-run health care option, keeping their existing health plans and services on Capitol Hill. If Members of Congress believe so strongly that government-run health care is the best solution for hard working American families, I think it only fitting that Americans see them lead the way. Public servants should always be accountable and responsible for what they are advocating, and I challenge the American people to demand this from their representatives.
Source: michellemalkin.com
What HR-615 would do is put each member of Congress, who have especially good medical coverage through the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP), on record to accept or reject the same health coverage they are pushing on all Americans. This vote would be quite telling. Congress has many benefits that are not offered to America in General. One benefit is for their children commonly referred to as Vouchers. Members of Congress can put their children in private schools while they continually vote against the same benefits for all Americans.
Congressman Fleming is asking Americans to call their congressman and request that HR-615 be included in the amendments to the Health Care Bill. He has provided a Support Letter for House Resolution 615 to send to your representative as well.
Related:
Flemmings website is : http://fleming.house.gov/
By Albert N. Milliron, Editor Politisite.com and Iron Mill News
If Government health care is good enough for the American people shouldn't it be good enough for the legislators themselves? Congressman John Fleming M.D. (R-LA Dist 4) House Resolution 615 would require lawmakers to enroll in the government-run health plan it passes for the rest of Americans.
Under the current draft of the Democrat health care legislation, members of Congress are curiously exempt from the government-run health care option, keeping their existing health plans and services on Capitol Hill. If Members of Congress believe so strongly that government-run health care is the best solution for hard working American families, I think it only fitting that Americans see them lead the way. Public servants should always be accountable and responsible for what they are advocating, and I challenge the American people to demand this from their representatives.
Source: michellemalkin.com
What HR-615 would do is put each member of Congress, who have especially good medical coverage through the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP), on record to accept or reject the same health coverage they are pushing on all Americans. This vote would be quite telling. Congress has many benefits that are not offered to America in General. One benefit is for their children commonly referred to as Vouchers. Members of Congress can put their children in private schools while they continually vote against the same benefits for all Americans.
Congressman Fleming is asking Americans to call their congressman and request that HR-615 be included in the amendments to the Health Care Bill. He has provided a Support Letter for House Resolution 615 to send to your representative as well.
Related:
Flemmings website is : http://fleming.house.gov/
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