What do you think of President Obama’s 19 new executive actions to improve mental health care for servicemembers and veterans?

These actions represent a significant improvement in what ails the VA.
11% (94 votes)
These steps are a good start but won’t address the real issues affecting veterans’ care.
37% (321 votes)
The steps toward addressing suicide prevention will have a real impact on veterans.
3% (24 votes)
It’s too little, too late.
42% (369 votes)
Other. Answer in the comments section.
7% (62 votes)
Total votes: 870

 

 

View more polls

Comments

Just more empty promises from an empty suit!

Submitted by Petty (not verified) : Aug 28, 2014 2:07pm

Still in denial, it is not just wait times. The system doesn't work. Everyone is a pansy about addressing retaliation. It is how they survive in their positions. And if anyone had any idea of how many employees attached to VAMC's in D.C. also who just exist write new policies that no one follows you would be sick. They do not follow the policies that exist already. But White House Congress Service Groups are all external stake holders. It is common knowledge it is massive pit for mal practice. And on a consistent basis they know no suit. Cause they advertise Drs. don't need insurance. Nothing going to change, they just write more policies to make themselves look better. If you get out of military make sure you get job security with insurance. If your stuck your stuck in VAMC. Don't bother learning policy to protect you from them its a waist of time.

Submitted by mahl (not verified) : Aug 28, 2014 4:50pm

so more blue water navy vets die and still no one gives a shit.

Submitted by sam philllips (not verified) : Aug 28, 2014 11:57pm

Typical liberal solution for failing to enforce existing laws & carry out established mandates is to pass new laws & create more mandates.

Submitted by Pistol Pete (not verified) : Aug 28, 2014 2:22pm

Petty & Pete! Listen up! Your right wing criticism is pointless and useless. Please spare us from having to sift through your worthless replies.
If you both were paying attention over the past months, you would have noted that the $40B now finally allocated should have been done years ago when it was asked of congress; but no, the Republican led House refused to address it.

Submitted by gbssvcs : Aug 28, 2014 2:33pm

And who is allocating that money? A Republican-led House. But wait, Harry Reid and the Democrat-dominated Senate still have to have their say. Don't hatch your chickens . . .

Submitted by DCStark, MD (not verified) : Aug 28, 2014 2:43pm

The house GOP budget makes seniors and veterans pay for tax breaks and loopholes for corporations, millionaires, & billionaires and a voucher system for either medicare or veterans healthcare is a bad idea. Keep up the means testing so low income veterans can get the excellent care we have been getting at VA medical centers. Get rid of the CEOs that are causing all the problems and hire more people to answer the phones and set up appointments.

Submitted by Bruce Runnels (not verified) : Aug 28, 2014 3:56pm

The VA is FUBAR. It needs to be disbanded and replaced with something that works. As long as the present staffing remains in place, and it most assuredly will, very little will change for the better and you can take that to the bank.

Submitted by R Hoel (not verified) : Aug 29, 2014 2:41pm

Obama had a democrat house and senate his first two years in office. He promised to fix the VA issues in his first election campaign. What did he do to address it his first two years? Nothing. Only when it hit the news this year, did he decide to care, and, now he can blame republicans.

Submitted by Lcuace (not verified) : Aug 31, 2014 7:59am

Your defense of the liberal, left wing, socialist administration in Washington offends the hell out of me. Understand, I am not a republication but a liberation. However, when it comes to those who risk their life and limb for this country deserve the absolute best care available without having to wait months to see a physician. In the private medical market you can normally see a doctor within a week or two. I know because I am a disabled vet that refuses to deal with the VA for health care. Back to politics, you need to research your facts. It is Harry Reid and the senate that refuses to act.

Submitted by Phil G (not verified) : Aug 31, 2014 12:22pm

To gbssvcs. Your defense of the liberal, left wing, socialist administration in Washington offends the hell out of me. Understand, I am not a republication but a liberation. However, when it comes to those who risk their life and limb for this country deserve the absolute best care available without having to wait months to see a physician. In the private medical market you can normally see a doctor within a week or two. I know because I am a disabled vet that refuses to deal with the VA for health care. Back to politics, you need to research your facts. It is Harry Reid and the senate that refuses to act.

Submitted by Phil G (not verified) : Aug 31, 2014 12:24pm

There will be no real fixes at the VA. Don't be fooled be rhetoric from the " Empty Suit" ... SEIU and Government bureaucrats will continue to get raises, bonuses, and destroy the evidence! The Unions political donations mean much more to the DNC than do the lives and well being of veterans, current service members and all future service members!

Submitted by AZ Mike (not verified) : Aug 28, 2014 2:35pm

AZ Mike, I don't know why you are singling out unions. I'm a union member & most unions fight for the working man. The people running & ruining this country, Democrat & Republican, are owned by the bankers & international corporations. That's where the big bucks are. Do you think the unions are the ones that are sending all the better paying jobs out of the country for cheaper labor & tax breaks? I don't think so.

Submitted by Milt (not verified) : Aug 28, 2014 2:47pm

Politicians lie so much, including the President, I pretty much don't believe anything they say. Talk is cheap. I'll wait & see the actions.
Not my fault, theirs.

Submitted by Milt (not verified) : Aug 28, 2014 2:37pm

This bunch treats the Legion, vets and the military as a whole as nothing more than another "special interest group", that they can use when it benefits them and panders with no results.

Submitted by rlscaptusn (not verified) : Aug 28, 2014 2:38pm

Yet another Band-Aid thrown at the problem as a sop to deflect attention from his utter lack of caring about the military and veterans. People will say, "Oh, look, isn't he being presidential in taking action on the issue", when in reality, NOTHING will change, because there will be no money appropriated to actually pay for any improvements. After all, in just a few years, we'll all be covered by ObamaCare, right?

Submitted by DCStark, MD (not verified) : Aug 28, 2014 2:40pm

Though Petty & Pete didn't articulate their stance very well, I do believe that they are able to see history repeating itself. I am sorry to say, but if you properly analyze this issue, and the administrations in office during the big votes, and issues involving both AD military and veterans issues, you’ll note that the liberal administrations have always opted to short change the military, both AD and Veterans. It’s well documented. GBSSVCS; if you review the issues, and exclude your political opinion, you’ll see that Mike, Petty & Pete’s comments are spot on. Condescending remarks don’t do much for either side. Remember; we’re all on the same team. It’s the politicians that need to rethink their stance, and provide the quality service that all of our military members rate.

Submitted by srmac (not verified) : Aug 28, 2014 2:56pm

Executive actions are the only way anything is going to get done as long as Boner sits on his thumbs waiting for god knows what. Maybe Boner should sue the VA.

Submitted by Pablo Sr. (not verified) : Aug 28, 2014 2:58pm

Wake up and smell the coffee. The House has passed over 300 bills and forwarded them to the Senate where Whispering Harry Reid has left them to gather dust. They have also failed to pass a budget since 2009, running the government using continuing resolutions. So much for fiscal responsibility, huh. I have no love for any of our career politicians and do not trust ANY of them, R or D.. Time for term limits and a ban on lobbying after they retire.

Submitted by BB in OKC (not verified) : Aug 28, 2014 3:47pm

We know he's lying, his lips are moving. My VA office wouldn't even take my name. Said they were too backed up and come back in a year or three. The big O may not have caused the problem, but he sure as H--- won't fix it.

Submitted by Mike, Md (not verified) : Aug 28, 2014 3:11pm

I wholeheartedly agree with Mike, the president cannot be trusted based on his record of performance. Take any thing he says with a BLOCK OF SALT!!

Submitted by Eddie J (not verified) : Aug 28, 2014 4:29pm

Every time this clown opens his mouth he's LYING.
His speech was all about the Wonderful things he's done since taking office, like creating 10 million $7.00 an hour part time jobs. REALLY MR. President (small P).
I don't know about y'all but I am not better off than I was 6 years ago!!!!
Great idea - let's have the Head Honcho at the Amer Legion write Obama another letter.
It'll end up like all the rest-- in the SH-tcan!!!
No I shan't be joining until the Am. Legion is ready for SERIOUS action.
Looks like Ya'll took a page from Obama book--- let's TALK everyone to death

Submitted by RobP-3C (not verified) : Aug 28, 2014 3:13pm

Right On brother!!
If his lips r movin he's Lying and brother Vets are DYIN!

Submitted by Frank9389 (not verified) : Aug 28, 2014 3:16pm

Well, pResident Sport, AKA, Bathhouse Dingle Barry, has just told another sting of lies. We already have boots on the ground in the ME in response to the latest wave of violence. I also noticed the focus on ‘mental health’ issues which falsely emphasizes a focus on that issue when the real issue, in regards to the current scandal with scheduling and quotas, is with primary care and specialty clinic failures. This is an attempt in my opinion to isolate and marginalize veterans by focusing on mental health as if all vet’s are unstable. This will be used in the future to justify denying veterans 2nd amendment rights due to a perception that they/we are all mentally unstable and cannot be trusted to safely and responsibly exercise that right. He is distracting us with one hand as the other is preparing to stab us in the back, again. I wish these folks in the audience had turned their back on him or left the auditorium completely. It would be nice if he was speaking to an empty room, reflecting his empty suit.

Submitted by BB in OKC (not verified) : Aug 28, 2014 3:35pm

I personally do not believe ONE WORD that comes from Obama's lips. Any so called world leader who turns his back on what is happening in the Middle East and else where certainly does NOT have the best interests of US Military Veterans on his mind in any way shape or form. The man is a liar and this country is paying the price for its ignorance.

Submitted by Frank G. Ziccarelli (not verified) : Aug 28, 2014 4:03pm

Smoke and mirrors concealing a near-total lack of interest by a man who has no military experience, and does little to conceal his dislike of the Armed Forces which he wields as a dull axe against a world full of creeping vines.

Submitted by Bill Laudeman (not verified) : Aug 28, 2014 4:04pm

gbssvcs, now is not the time engage in partisan bickering. Comming from many generations of servicemen in my family, enlisted and officer including Academy grads, our focus should be on rendering service to those that have stood ready to defend our nation in wartime and peacetime, regardless of political view!

We dishonor them by playing the blame game. Bottom line ... action to resolve the problems. Fiscal conservativism with social responsibility! We, as a people, must honor the agreement that we made with our service men and women. PERIOD!

Submitted by RF Willey (not verified) : Aug 28, 2014 4:11pm

This is the same guy with the same admin that would'nt even take time to honor the last fallen GENERAL from the USMC because he was busy on the golf course.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) : Aug 28, 2014 4:23pm

The American Legion Convention would have made a better impact had they boycotted the president's speach and scheduled a "Boots on the Ground" demonstration on the Washington Mall, Veterans Day, Tuesday, November 3, 2014. Throwing good money after bad does not and will not fix the problem. Implementing an arrangement for patients to seek other than VA hospital expertise is a good start. Closing VA hospitals and allowing veterans to seek outside expertise will save VA and veteran money. Selling off closed hospitals reduces facilities/employee cost and reduces veteran costs. Employees can seek employment at other VA or civilian facilities. Reducing the size and bureaucracy of the VA will strengthen the VA and engage additional monies for veteran support. Let's get back on key, focusing on Veteran, not on Washington.

Submitted by David Koegle (not verified) : Aug 28, 2014 5:06pm

Too little, too late, PLUS this was a political action rather than a humanitarian one.

Submitted by Ike Kullman (not verified) : Aug 28, 2014 5:20pm

Any thing Obama touches, for Veteran's, concerning mental health, will lead to you losing your 2nd Amendment Rights to own and carry a firearm. You better believe it!

Submitted by Eric Belko, Sr. (not verified) : Aug 28, 2014 5:41pm

we've had family members in the military from ww1 to Iraq, most were drafted some enlisted. they didnt ask if we were Demo or Rino. The VA has fallen under political posturing. this is not the time for petty bickering among the troops. we need to send one clear message. I do believe voters should have to pass a test before entering a voting booth.

Submitted by gordon Pumphrey (not verified) : Aug 28, 2014 11:50pm

Just business as usual for the VA with more money. Here in Eaton Co. Michigan it is still all about Pork! Same old bla-bla-bla, favoritism, nepotism, patronage, with no actual service going to the Veteran. MSU an their affirmative action affiliates are still getting the Vet. money. All we get is la-la counseling from their Psychobable crack-head freshman. It is just business as usual.

Submitted by George G. Guenther (not verified) : Aug 29, 2014 11:43am

Didn't Trust him first time, Why should I now.
President Clinton put many Veterans in Section 8, including me. But what President Obama has done is even worse.

Submitted by Dan Dahlgren (not verified) : Sep 1, 2014 12:11pm

As a Military Veteran who has been using the VA Healthcare System since the mid 1960's, I can tell you for sure, that the VA Healthcare System was wonderful until Obama took office.
In fact today, at age seventy-one, I need life saving Respiratory equipment and treatment. However the new VA Death Panel, at the Dayton VA Hospital, has decided I should die rather than to provide me treatment.

Submitted by Charles R, Cundiff (not verified) : Sep 1, 2014 6:08pm

It is ironic that the supposed leaps in metal health coverage for veterans coincides with the announcement of more restrictions on veterans 2nd Amendment rights who have diagnosed mental health issues... The stigma continues... Few will head the call to help for fear of future restrictions...

Submitted by cf (not verified) : Sep 2, 2014 4:36pm