![]() This out-sourcing trend got a further boost in May when Congress passed the VA MISSION Act. Former military men and women, in both parties, have jeopardized the quality of veterans’ care by embracing privatization of VHA services and leaving the government’s own hospitals and clinics for veterans increasingly under-funded and under-staffed. Second, “bi-partisanship” has been the guiding principle of recent Congressional action adversely affecting the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), its 300,000 employees, and nine million patients. First, past military service does not insure trust-worthy-or even pro-veteran-behavior inside the Beltway, as revealed by the federal indictment of former Marine, Duncan Hunter Jr., a five-term Republican Congressman from Southern California. My own experience, as a journalist covering veterans’ affairs, leads me to question this approach for two reasons. If elected, these Bezos-backed candidates have promised to avoid “hyper-partisanship” and embrace political “compromise,” for the good of our country and veterans in particular He and his wife have pledged $10 million to assist 33 Congressional hopefuls this Fall (19 Democrats and 14 Republicans). With Honor is being funded by the richest man in the world, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. ![]() And one such group, the With Honor Fund, claims that electing more vets will help restore “public trust” in Congress and reduce “the extreme partisanship that has corroded our national legislature.” Across the political spectrum, various Super PACs have backed this effort to increase the veteran population on Capitol Hill. To hold onto or win back seats in Congress, both major parties have recruited many candidates whose resume includes past military service. ![]() Veterans running for office have never had a stronger personal brand or more political backing. ![]()
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