Over the last 10 years it's almost triple that number ...
Posted on 05/27/2014 2:33:01 PM PDT by LucianOfSamasota
Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., said in an interview that Washington’s cost-cutting culture helped spark the growing Veterans Administration hospital controversy by encouraging VA officials to understate their financial needs both internally and to Congress.
Murray, a top appropriator and former chairwoman of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, had strong words for a department that she said not only faces chronic management issues but also consistently underestimates its funding needs and how many veterans will seek care each year. Though many Republicans have called for current VA Secretary Eric Shinseki to step down from his post in light of reports of secret waiting lists at VA hospitals across the county, Murray focused on cultural issues that extend deeper than one official.
“In an environment where everybody is told, 'Keep the cost down. Don't tell me anything costs more.' — it creates a culture out there for people to cook the books,” Murray said in an interview with Yahoo News. Administrators learn to “hide the facts, because they don't want to be told by their bosses, 'Don't tell me you need more money, because we can't say that,'” she added.
“Well, in the VA, if they need more money, they need to be able to tell us, because how else are we going to solve these problems,” Murray said. “So we have to change that culture and mindset.”
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
A typically cogent thought from the midget senator.
BS
The culture of incompetence created this scandal! You cannot throw money at criminals that use the system! But one thing for sure, now you have stolen lives Mr Obama. If you can’t kill em on the battle field you can kill em at home! Crimes worth hanging!
I don’t know-—she has approximately the brain power of a tennis shoe, that I can tell you.
This is a scandal and the blame lies solely at the feet of 0. It should garner rage, not concern, glee, or whatever stupid emotion the GOP is exhibiting. RAGE! You’re right, the Rats will spin the GOP’s detachment into blame. Milquetoast calls for investigations, resignations, hearings have no place in this scandal.
What an idiot. Maybe just maybe Obama could have addressed this issue instead of spending billions on making the hospitals green.
Isn’t this the hag Ryan chose to design a budget with? You know, the one that cut benefits to vets.
This old, dried-up cretin hag is such a complete buffoon. Maybe if the VA spent less on new administrative furniture, lawn care and bonuses to the incompetent they would be able to better service the sick Veterans. Isn’t that their mission?????? More money...the never-ending DIM/LIB cry. What chronics.
The Department of VA has had more $$$ appropriated to it for the past five years than it can spend.
We’re not fooled, Patty... try again, lying bitch.
“Top” senator?
Budget Data Reveal: VA Spending Exploded Amid Deadly Delays
http://news.investors.com/052014-701560-va-budget-exploded-amid-chronic-treatment-delays.htm
excuses are like gubmint bureacrats...everybody’s got one.
Is she polled or does her hair dresser grind her horns down to keep them out of sight?
She memorized dem buzz words.
One of the most embarrassing pictures I have seen was when she was pictured with Rep. Ryan on some budget dealio.
Oh, the shame of it all. That’s when Ryan’s name became mud for me.
Oh, gosh, that was funny!
Hey Patty...the VA budget has increased 37% since 2008, and more than 200% since 9-11. Where did all that money go? Vets still wait months for primary care appointments while VA managers collect fat bonuses and the agency spends money on artwork and landscaping for its facilities.
And just to let you know, Murray has two kids, so her gene pool will continue for another generation. I can only hope her children aren’t as dumb as their mother; Murray and Maria Cantwell are two of the dimmest bulbs in the U.S. Senate.
Murray is the postergirl fo “STUPID”. Always has been; always will be.
Patty’s just trying to blame it on President Bush and the Republicans. She’s trying to say that because Republicans have pushed for reducing spending that we are responsible for the problems at the VA. Not so.
What’s interesting about that graph in Post 48 is that in the eight years, from 2001 to 2009, spending went from $60 to $100 billion. This encompasses both the heights of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. In the next four years, from 2010 to 2014, when ostensibly, both wars were winding down, military spending went up by that same amount, $40 billion dollars! Just where are the cuts?
Gee - and just the other day there was a story on how the VA will once again, for the 5th year in a row, have a budget that is too big for it to spend it all.....
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