Democrats Shirk Accountability

Lawmakers fault vets care under Bush

Acting Army surgeon general airs concerns about morale, funding

Updated: 5:47 p.m. PT March 27, 2007

WASHINGTON - The Army’s new acting surgeon general said Tuesday she is concerned about long-term morale because the military lacks money to hire enough nurses and mental health specialists to treat thousands of troops coming home from Iraq and Afghanistan.

“When the original plans were made, we did not take into consideration we could be in a long war,” said Maj. Gen. Gale Pollock. She became surgeon general earlier this month after Kevin Kiley was forced to resign in a scandal over poor treatment of war-wounded at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

“We have not been able to do the hiring,” Pollock told a House Armed Services subcommittee.

*snip*

Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., said a first step is to provide the VA and Pentagon the money they need to treat problems such as post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury. A Senate bill that provides $122 billion to fund the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan includes millions to build polytrauma centers and hire new claims processors.

“I’ve just about had it with administration officials who assure us everything is being taken care of,” Murray said. “I know you work hard, but we are going to judge you by the results you get for our veterans, and we’re going to hold you accountable.”

And, Ms. Murray, where have you been since you got into the Senate? Where was your outrage last week as fellow Democrats in the House added some $20 billion in vote-buying pork, including $74 million for peanut storage, $25 million for spinach growers, $283 million for dairy farmers and not one single dime for Veterans care or Military Hospitals?

Personally, I've about had it with aggrandizing Democrats who never lifted a finger, who undermine our President and Troops in harm's way and have the gall to complain about accountability.

John Murtha chimes in from an email recently received,

“As a veteran I cannot express how I felt when I read about the horrific conditions at Walter Reed Army Hospital. It dishonors our brave men and women's' sacrifice to expose them to such horrific conditions. We are acting to immediately improve conditions at Walter Reed and other VA hospitals around the country. But those who are responsible must be held accountable,” adding, “The fact is the conditions at Walter Reed are only the tip of the iceberg -- from day one the Bush Administration has cut funding from veterans programs.”

That last part is a blatant Bold Faced LIE, and Murtha knows it. Under Bush the V.A. budget has increased 27%. That is hardly a ‘cut.’ A graph from the Senate showing VA spending into 2008 may be seen at Clear Commitment to Veterans.

Just a couple weeks ago, Murtha said,

“I routinely visit our military hospitals, as does Congressman Bill Young and his wife, Beverly, and I am always inspired by those who have sacrificed so much. Over the past few months, I have personally visited with our wounded at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Bethesda Naval Medical Center, Brooke Army Medical Center and Wilford Hall Medical Center in San Antonio, Balboa Naval Medical Center in San Diego and Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany. From my many visits to Walter Reed in particular, I can tell you that the medical staff there is second to none. During these visits I always make sure that I ask the question, “Is there anything you need?”

With all these “personal visits,” where was Murtha’s outrage before two reporters made known the conditions in Building 18, off post from Walter Reed? How did John Murtha miss “the horrific conditions at Walter Reed Army Hospital?”

Don’t forget, this is the same Murtha who was accusing our Marines of cold-blooded murder even before they were investigated.

Democrats smell blood. They fooled the public into returning them to power in Congress in 2006 and they will now say and do almost anything to ensure their ‘putsch’ to total control of the country and establishing the Socialist ‘nirvana’ that has failed everywhere else, but not before causing much harm to the countries economy and citizens.

Wake up, America, while you still have a few liberties left.

Wounded Troops: Is There Anything the Democrats Won’t Exploit?

Lew