New VA head

[Gilligan]

Excellent news. Shulkin was not aggressively dealing with the myriad problems in the VA and was resisting any attempts to implement veterans choice for outside-VA medical care.

http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/380296-trump-ousts-shulkin-as-head-of-veterans-affairs

 

[Chris0nllyn]

More importantly, Shulkin was abusing taxpayer-funded perks of the job. We aren't paying him to go around sight seeing in Europe with his wife.

 

[Gilligan]

More importantly, Shulkin was abusing taxpayer-funded perks of the job. We aren't paying him to go around sight seeing in Europe with his wife.

I consider his failure to bring the VA under control and fix problems with the way they perform and to focus entirely on veteran care outcomes to be FAR bigger a failure than his abuse of perks..not that the latter was insignificant by any means.

 

[Chris0nllyn]

I consider his failure to bring the VA under control and fix problems with the way they perform and to focus entirely on veteran care outcomes to be FAR bigger a failure than his abuse of perks..not that the latter was insignificant by any means.

I personally don't believe that any single person can change the culture or shortcomings of an agency consisting of almost 378,000 employees that's already so far down the rabbit hole. Whether it's Shulkin or Jackson.

 

[Gilligan]

I personally don't believe that any single person can change the culture or shortcomings of an agency consisting of almost 378,000 employees that's already so far down the rabbit hole. Whether it's Shulkin or Jackson.

It's a daunting challenge, for sure. But Shulkin just fit right in.

 

[Chris0nllyn]

It's a daunting challenge, for sure. But Shulkin just fit right in.

Optimism is a good thing.

 

[Gilligan]

Optimism is a good thing.

Doing what you'v been assigned to do, to the best of your ability and limits of your energy..also a good thing. Some are paid many millions every year because they are good at that with vast organizations.

Shulkin obviously was not one of those.

 

[glhs837]

It's a daunting challenge, for sure. But Shulkin just fit right in.

Sometimes the swamp just seems like a fine place. As so many "I dont think poiltics should be a career, I'll go and serve then leave" politicians who end up thinking that term limits would make the place worse.

 

[MiddleGround]

I personally don't believe that any single person can change the culture or shortcomings of an agency consisting of almost 378,000 employees that's already so far down the rabbit hole. Whether it's Shulkin or Jackson.

Never underestimate the power of a new figure head that carries vast managerial experience and a BIG stick with the authority to swing it!

 

[Chris0nllyn]

Never underestimate the power of a new figure head that carries vast managerial experience and a BIG stick with the authority to swing it!

How many times has that been said? Each presidency that is proclaimed, yet no one argues that the size and scope of our federal government is not conducive to being run effectively. Especially not when presidents sign spending bills that contain so much pork and extra spending that the size and scope increases.

I will always, always, underestimate the government.