Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s fierce defense of the Department of Veteran Affairs, saying, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” has earned her flak from the very people who are served by the scandal-ridden agency: veterans.
During the same town hall, she said VA would be a blueprint if “Medicare for all” were to pass: “If you ask me, I would like VA for all.”
Eli Crane, a former Navy SEAL who now runs the company he started from his garage while on active duty, told the Washington Examiner that the New York Democrat’s comments about not fixing the VA were ironic, given that Ocasio-Cortez, who identifies as a democratic socialist, “is trying to fix the world’s greatest economy of all time.”
“I would love to see her tell that to the family members of veterans who died waiting for treatment from the VA. As veterans, we deserve the same rights that private citizens have to shop around and find healthcare options, doctors and providers that fit our medical needs,” said Crane.
Afghanistan veteran Adam Maneen, a small business owner who identifies as a conservative, but also agrees with the idea of universal healthcare, told the Washington Examiner he believes Ocasio-Cortez’s strong belief in democratic socialism leads her to fight the wrong battles.
“Ocasio-Cortez is upset with the notion of VA reform and … is so fixated on socialism that she has developed a reflexive nature against anything that says ‘privatized’ and really misses the point about reform,” Maneen said. “She is fighting the wrong fight. If she wants support to model universal healthcare after the VA, then she needs to honestly acknowledge the VA’s subpar care, inept leadership, and bureaucratic processes.”
Veterans also expressed their frustration on social media with Ocasio-Cortez’s defense of the VA.
[Also read: Trump: AOC is right about the VA not being broken, and it is because of me]
.@AOC & every politician should have to get their healthcare from the #VA. All the healthcare issues that veterans face today…calcified bureaucracy, secret wait lists, minimal continuity of care…would be fixed in a week if they did.
In fact, let’s put it up for vote! https://t.co/YdxzHpyPvc
— Sean Parnell (@SeanParnellUSA) April 23, 2019
Navy SEAL Robert O’Neill, who took part in the raid that took down al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, said New York sent a kid to represent them.
Ever take your kid to work, let ‘em color and tell ‘em they’re helping? New York did. https://t.co/5axdUJ4nGv
— Robert J. O’Neill (@mchooyah) April 23, 2019
Veteran and social media personality Joe Briggs asked if the VA provides the highest quality healthcare to veterans, why there are so many suicides on VA property.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported 22 military veterans have killed themselves at VA centers in the last 18 months.
“But what they do is drug, drug, drug, drug, drug, drug, drug, drug,” he said. “They never get to the root of the problem. And then most of us don’t even live near one of these major facilities. Some of us only live near a very small clinic that’s only able to do certain things and you have to travel hours on end.”
AOC thinks the VA is quality care. This veteran thinks you’re an idiot. #MABA pic.twitter.com/b3isxBnhlS
— Joe Biggs (@Rambobiggs) April 23, 2019
Dan Caldwell, executive director of Concerned Veterans for America, an advocacy group that promotes allowing veterans to pursue private medical care, told Fox News that reformers really just want to let veterans have more choice outside of VA hospitals to get treatment for their issues.
Ocasio-Cortez followed up her comments last week, saying part of the problem with the VA is the department not being fully funded.
If Congress wants to #ProtectTheVA, we shouldn’t starve it + then sell it off for parts, forcing vets into for-profit emergency rooms + to providers who aren’t used to working w/their unique medical needs.
We should fight to fully fund the VA + hire to fill its 49,000 vacancies. https://t.co/v25R2UNanW
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) April 18, 2019
The VA’s budget is about $200 billion. The department is now requesting a total of $220.2 billion for the 2020 fiscal year, a 9.6% increase from the previous fiscal year. The VA’s large budget was pointed out by Rep. Michael Waltz, R-Fla., who is also a Green Beret.
He said despite the large budget, the VA is still failing veterans.
FYI @AOC the VA budget doubled from $90B to $200B over the last 10 yrs. When my Green Berets are not receiving the care they deserve, they should not have to drive past dozens of qualified providers to a govt run facility. Best thing you can give vets…choice! #VAMissionAct https://t.co/o8zYOu1KB0
— Rep. Michael Waltz (@RepMichaelWaltz) April 23, 2019
Hey @AOC, check out this article that highlights a big problem at VA that needs fixing. We would love to share with you other examples of things that need fixing at VA. https://t.co/Ch9vKucthP https://t.co/AgXdppcxP1
— HouseVetAffairsGOP (@HouseVetAffairs) April 23, 2019
