Disabled veterans criticize VA budget shortfall

Last week, the Veterans Affairs Department announced that its health care costs had risen faster than expected, “forcing the agency to shift money among accounts to cover the shortage.” On Wednesday, the Senate unanimously approved $1.5 billion in emergency funds for VA health care programs.

“[Veterans Affairs Secretary Jim] Nicholson told lawmakers Tuesday that the administration had vastly underestimated the number of service personnel returning from Iraq and Afghanistan who would seek VA medical treatment. The estimates had been based on outdated assumptions from 2002, he said.”

David Gorman, the executive director of Disabled American Veterans discusses the funding shortfall and the politicization of veteran healthcare and services. [Listen to interview]

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Walking a tight-rope

The O’Connor resignation raises great uncertainty. The President will most likely be rewarded with another vacancy, (Rehnquist will also resign) and thus the Democrats must be careful in how they play their cards. We must pick and choose our battles, fighting conservative reactionaries (yes, that’s redundant) while agreeing to disagree with more moderate appointees (i.e. Alberto Gonzales). The balance must be preserved, a lot is at stake.

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