We're reduced to Worthless Political games, media jokes and critical Iraq issues ignored!

We accomplish more as we sleep: We're reduced to Worthless Political games while the media jokes and critical Iraq issues are ignored!
As we listened to the Partisan bickering over an Iraq withdrawal we have been reduced to playing Republican games. In this instance it is the Political theater of a Senate sleep over. The vote of course failed and is being called a defeat for the Democrats but it is not. It is a defeat for America and our troops.
Meanwhile some very important Issues to our troops and their care is being ignored and swept under the rug. As I was researching news sources to talk about what was happening or "not happening" in the Senate I discovered the usual biased coverage. While CNN took this seriously Fox accused Democrats of playing games. Meanwhile nothing is going to get accomplished and I had to go to other sources and stories to get the serious news on this that is glossed over, ignored, and not mentioned to us.
The CNN story did show that as we know, that all night session was absolutely worthless as everyone interviewed insisted on holding their Partisan course while ignoring the real issues at hand.
It is sickening to hear the childish senseless banter to Protect Bush and his mess while our troops are in real danger, being ill cared for, and their equipment needs go unmet and underfunded by Bush.
http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/07/17/senate.iraq/index.html
Sen. Christopher Dodd of Connecticut did say that he would introduce an amendment to the defense authorization bill that would cut funding for combat missions in Iraq and he would use the billions in savings to rebuild the nation's military. that of course is something else that may be needed but will never happen. Millions of dollars a week are being squandered in Iraq . While our nation's military is calling out for additional resources to repair the damage caused by the administration's policies Dodd said.
Dodd said the National Guard has requested $38 billion from Congress to replace vehicles, aircraft, equipment and personal gear that were transferred to Iraq, and that shortfall remains unfunded in the current defense authorization bill.
"It means that we are short of equipment to respond to natural and man-made disasters here at home, short of equipment for training, short of equipment to maintain the standard of maintenance rotation for equipment currently in the field ... short of equipment to protect the American people," he said.
How can we ignore those issues and make a joke out of the very important issue of troop withdrawal? I was disappointed to see that the Washington Post also treated the all night debate as a joke instead of treating our situation seriously. Amidst all these wasted Partisan arguments on withdrawing our troops I did run into an important story that is unfolding at least under my radar and on the Washington Post. Maybe things will get done right, there now.
Anyway the secretary of veterans affairs, resigned yesterday and said he would leave his post by Oct. 1, ending a tenure marked by the largest data breach in the federal government's history and sharp criticism of the care given to injured veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.
He has done such a great job of mismanaging the Department of Veterans affairs that I am sure he too will be given a medal.
I'm sure you remember that The agency has faced considerable criticism for its treatment of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans as they move from the military healthcare system to VA's, and for its chronically slow processing of disability claims by injured or sick veterans from all eras. Critics complain about lost paperwork, a shortage of VA caseworkers, a caseload of 400,000 pending disability claims and long waits for initial appointments in the VA healthcare system.
The criticism grew louder this year when The Washington Post revealed decrepit conditions and poor outpatient treatment of wounded troops at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, though that facility is run by the Pentagon, not VA.
Yet Nicholson said he was not asked to step down. He said It is a good time -- if there ever is a good time -- to leave the VA. There were no frustrations causing me to think about resigning. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/17/AR2007071700701.html?hpid=sec-nation
Sadly, I can believe that as like Bush, his whole MisAdministration, and the bias Media, they all think they are doing a great job and they are but for them. Someone has to start doing the right thing for our soldiers in Iraq and get them home while treating them right if they are wounded. All this back slapping and game playing must stop or our soldiers situations everywhere are going to continue to degrade and get much worse.

James Joiner
Gardner, Ma
www.anaveragepatriot.com

Funding Victory for Veterans Holds Precedence over other important Stories of the Day!

This morning I heard three issues I really wanted to talk about. 1. The expected negative Pentagon Surge Report, 2. a very titilating story I heard about Bloomberg and Arnold, and a third party 3. Supposed experts saying when all is said and done Guiliani would be facing Hillary in 2008. No friggen way. Maybe Romney VS. Edward's or Obama, Gore would be nice. Ahyway many here know how inportant treatment of our Veteran's is too me. I just got off the phone with one but I thought you should hear the latest on Veteran's funding in light of the overwhelming negative stories we hear, the latest being lost mail at Walter Reed. This is crossposted from http://www.anaveragepatriot.com/

From Senator Olver: Funding Victory for Veterans
I would like to share some important news regarding funding for our nation's veterans. Today, June 15, 2007, the House of Representatives passed the largest single funding increase for the Veterans Administration (VA) in the agency's 77 year history.
As you know, the current VA healthcare system is struggling to care for wounded veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. This dramatic increase helps fulfill our obligation to the men and women who risked their lives on behalf of a grateful nation. We must provide medical care that honors the gravity of their sacrifice. This bill is a momentous achievement for our nation's veterans, and it sets an important precedent to honor their service by fully funding veteran's healthcare in the years to come.
The Military Construction/VA spending bill passed today 6/15 by the House of Representatives:
Increases the VA budget by $6.7 billion above the Fiscal Year (FY) 2007 level, the largest single increase in the 77 year history of the Veterans Administration
Ensures quality health care for 5.8 million patients, including about 263,000 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, which the VA will treat in FY 2008.
Reduces the 400,000 claims backlog for veterans waiting for disability and other benefits by adding more than 1,100 new claims processors.
Provides much needed maintenance of VA health care facilities. A recent VA report outlined 1,000 specific problems at VA health facilities around the country, with a backlog of $5 billion in maintenance.
Provides $600 million more than the President's request for mental health, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and makes five polytrauma centers and three Centers of Excellence for Mental Health and fully operational this year to care for those returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. An estimated one-third of veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan are facing mental health challenges, and up to 300,000 troops are expected to return from Iraq suffering from TBI.
Develops and operates a toll-free telephone and web-based hotline for veterans to report on deficiencies in VA medical facilities and care.
I am proud to join numerous veterans organizations in supporting today's spending bill. Providing the small dignity of proper healthcare is incumbent upon such a wealthy and prosperous nation.

Sincerely,
John W. Olver
Member of Congress