VA Secretary Asks Iraq War Veteran: 'What Have You Done?'

[K1052]

Even if he did decide to micromanager a single hospital's construction woes, what exactly do you suggest happen? Use pure force of will to get building costs to go down? Kick the construction company off the site, put on a hard hat and go lay some girders himself? All he could do possibly at this point make some personnel changes at the top of the executive group and minimize any further pain, and that assumes there's some diamond in the rough waiting in the wings who can jump in and take over running this thing. What's that going to result in, a 1% cost savings or speed up after the chaos of regime change takes its toll?

Yes, it was fucked long before he came on the scene. When you find yourself massively late/over budget on a project like that you can't just take a walk or magically trim a huge amount of cost out after the fact. More pertinent questions would be about what controls will he implement that will prevent it from recurring.

 

[fskimospy]

The VA is under the Exec branch, not Congress. Congress can't manage it. All they can is oversight and budget. Oversight basically complaining or allocating the resources needed. If Congress is digging into the details, they've done their oversight job.

Ok so you are in fact saying that you believe the person who has been charged with budgeting and oversight of the agency for six years has no responsibility but the guy who has been there for six months does.

I mean if someone can't be held in any way responsible for an agency he ostensibly oversees after being in Congress for SIX YEARS, when could he be held responsible? Your answer seems to be "never". If that's the case, why not disband Congress if they aren't responsible for anything?

He'd bear responsibility if he didn't find and note the problem. Congress can't fix it, that's the Exec branch's responsibility.

The VA secretary doesn't have a good point. He should have been working on the larger immediate problems, such as the out-of-control hospital construction, before 6 months out. And his behavior/response was entirely unprofessional.

Fern

Out of control hospital construction. Hmm, maybe congress should have revisited the VA's construction budget or engaged in more vigorous oversight of hospital construction. All those things were within his power to do, but for six years he failed. Maybe if we put a D in front of his name you'll change your mind about the duties of Congress.

His point was spot on and you know it. In fact, we need more people who are willing to call out incompetent Congressmen. I for one am willing to say they both serve a role and should both be held responsible. You seem to think that Congress has no purpose and can't be held responsible for anything.

Convenient.

 

[Fern]

He's the Secretary of the VA, not Secretary of Making Sure This One Hospital's Cost Overruns Magically Get Fixed
-snip-

Oh, FFS. Nobody says he has to personally see to it himself. As I previously wrote above, he has the entire staff of the VA at his disposal to delegate such tasks.

Are you people for real?

Fern

 

[Fern]

So if I put you in charge of say the IRS would you like to be dragged in front of a public committee six months later in order to berate you for being an incompetent fuckup because you haven't fixed everything yet?

While his responses weren't diplomatic at all and too harsh I think the Congressman appropriately got bit for stepping over the line. He was probably shocked that someone would actually hit back.

Seriously?

You're put in charge of mess and cannot be questioned about progress 6 months later?

And again, what he apparently got berated for was being dishonest and sugar coating it. I.e., 'selling' and they weren't buying the bullshiz.

Fern.

 

[Fern]

Ok so you are in fact saying that you believe
-snip-

Pure BS.

Enumerate for us what/how a member of oversight panel has in way of powers/authority to micro manage an Exec branch.

And you can stop with your budget BS. We both know the contracts were signed and Congress can't/won't/shouldn't default by eliminating the money.

Enumerate the powers please.

Fern

 

[fskimospy]

Oh, FFS. Nobody says he has to personally see to it himself. As I previously wrote above, he has the entire staff of the VA at his disposal to delegate such tasks.

Are you people for real?

Fern

Interesting that you want to hold the VA secretary responsible for not delegating his authority more effectively but seem completely disinterested in holding Congress responsible for delegating its authority effectively, which is effectively what Congress is doing by establishing the VA. (Instead of voting money for every hospital and staff member it delegates that to executive agencies to do)

Why is that?

 

[yllus]

Oh, FFS. Nobody says he has to personally see to it himself. As I previously wrote above, he has the entire staff of the VA at his disposal to delegate such tasks.

Are you people for real?

Fern

Oh, I see. He just needs to delegate "such tasks" to the people in place who most likely oversaw and were responsible for the original disaster to begin with and everything will turn around. Great management tip there, chief.

 

[fskimospy]

Pure BS.

Enumerate for us what/how a member of oversight panel has in way of powers/authority to micro manage an Exec branch.

And you can stop with your budget BS. We both know the contracts were signed and Congress can't/won't/shouldn't default by eliminating the money.

Enumerate the powers please.

Fern

Hahaha. I won't cut it with the "budget BS". Congress has both budgetary and regulatory powers it could have used to regulate the VA differently. It is hilarious to watch you try and declare that Congress is completely unable to regulate a federal agency.

Not only can they regulate it, it's their job. You seem invested in finding a way for a guy who was tasked with this for six years not to be responsible for what goes on there. If that's the case, why have committees at all? Hell, why have congress? Apparently they aren't responsible for anything that happens, so what is their purpose?

What if he was in congress for ten years? Twenty? Fifty? Would he ever be responsible for what happens at agencies he oversees in even the slightest way? Ever?

 

[Sonikku]

Fool. I bet Mike Coffman would have had that place beloved patriot and span turned around into a well oiled machine in those 6 months.

 

[Fern]

Hahaha. I won't cut it with the "budget BS". Congress has both budgetary and regulatory powers it could have used to regulate the VA differently. It is hilarious to watch you try and declare that Congress is completely unable to regulate a federal agency.

Not only can they regulate it, it's their job. You seem invested in finding a way for a guy who was tasked with this for six years not to be responsible for what goes on there. If that's the case, why have committees at all? Hell, why have congress? Apparently they aren't responsible for anything that happens, so what is their purpose?

What if he was in congress for ten years? Twenty? Fifty? Would he ever be responsible for what happens at agencies he oversees in even the slightest way? Ever?

You're dodging.

Enumerate the exact powers an oversight member has to manage a VA project.

Fern

 

[Mandres]

I think everyone's about tired of tea-party congressman acting belligerent to score political points.

 

[fskimospy]

You're dodging.

Enumerate the exact powers an oversight member has to manage a VA project.

Fern

I already did. The power to budget and the power to regulate federal agencies. This is one of the primary purposes of congress.

Now stop dodging. At what point is a member of congress in any way responsible for the performance of the agencies he oversees? You can ballpark it in decades. Can we hold him at all responsible at the half century mark? Let's start from there and work back.

 

[rudeguy]

Seriously?

You're put in charge of mess and cannot be questioned about progress 6 months later?

And again, what he apparently got berated for was being dishonest and sugar coating it. I.e., 'selling' and they weren't buying the bullshiz.

Fern.

It's the difference between being a leader and being an appointee. A leader will take ownership and fix the problems. If that means pissing off your boss, so be it. These people are so afraid of rocking the boat that they won't even pick up a paddle.

 

[werepossum]

Ok so you are in fact saying that you believe the person who has been charged with budgeting and oversight of the agency for six years has no responsibility but the guy who has been there for six months does.

I mean if someone can't be held in any way responsible for an agency he ostensibly oversees after being in Congress for SIX YEARS, when could he be held responsible? Your answer seems to be "never". If that's the case, why not disband Congress if they aren't responsible for anything?

Out of control hospital construction. Hmm, maybe congress should have revisited the VA's construction budget or engaged in more vigorous oversight of hospital construction. All those things were within his power to do, but for six years he failed. Maybe if we put a D in front of his name you'll change your mind about the duties of Congress.

His point was spot on and you know it. In fact, we need more people who are willing to call out incompetent Congressmen. I for one am willing to say they both serve a role and should both be held responsible. You seem to think that Congress has no purpose and can't be held responsible for anything.

Convenient.

This is how oversight works, by holding accountable those running it.

 

[rudeguy]

I think everyone's about tired of tea-party congressman acting belligerent to score political points.

I'm not. These idiots need to be questioned.

 

[Fern]

I already did. The power to budget and the power to regulate federal agencies. This is one of the primary purposes of congress.

Now stop dodging. At what point is a member of congress in any way responsible for the performance of the agencies he oversees? You can ballpark it in decades. Can we hold him at all responsible at the half century mark? Let's start from there and work back.

Budget ain't happening and we both know it.

To say "regulate" is not enumerating.

Try again.

Fern

 

[fskimospy]

Budget ain't happening and we both know it.

To say "regulate" is not enumerating.

Try again.

Fern

I don't know what to say when you apparently don't know that the regulation of federal agencies is a congressional power. Also, your attempt to pretend that budget powers (edit: DON'T) exist is a pathetic dodge.

Still waiting for you to tell me when congress can be held responsible for anything. What if a congressman was immortal and had been in congress since the founding of the U.S.? Would he be responsible for anything then?

 

[K1052]

Seriously?

You're put in charge of mess and cannot be questioned about progress 6 months later?

And again, what he apparently got berated for was being dishonest and sugar coating it. I.e., 'selling' and they weren't buying the bullshiz.

Fern.

See my subsequent post.

It was screwed before he got there. Not being able to magically un-screw something that is already done isn't a legitimate criticism.

 

[fskimospy]

This is how oversight works, by holding accountable those running it.

Yes, and the overseer is responsible for the performance of the agency as well. The CEO of a company exists to oversee its operations precisely because they are responsible for it.

 

[yllus]

It's the difference between being a leader and being an appointee. A leader will take ownership and fix the problems. If that means pissing off your boss, so be it. These people are so afraid of rocking the boat that they won't even pick up a paddle.

Haha, do you think McDonald jumped into the role of VA Secretary because he thought it'd be a plum gig with nothing but roses thrown at his feet? He knew he was in for hell and he took the job anyways. And then he gets this asshole yelling at him who's been sitting around for six years and has done squat to help. I wonder why nobody good ever wants to get involved in civil service?

 

[Fern]

I don't know what to say when you apparently don't know that the regulation of federal agencies is a congressional power. Also, your attempt to pretend that budget powers (edit: DON'T) exist is a pathetic dodge.

Still waiting for you to tell me when congress can be held responsible for anything. What if a congressman was immortal and had been in congress since the founding of the U.S.? Would he be responsible for anything then?

Stop saying "regulate". Congress has oversight. That is different.

What can do they with their oversight power? This is what I have been asking and you've been dodging.

Oversight committees can generally do 2 things: (1) Make budget recommendations to the Ways & Means Committee and (2) Investigate.

No where the hell do you see where I said budget powers don't exists? Hint: You won't be able to find it; I didn't say that. I said the budget is not going to be used to 'manage' the construction of the hospital. We both know why it's ill-advised and won't, and shouldn't be used, for this particular problem. If you're clueless about this, say so. I can spell it out.

Now, beside the budget power the Congressional committee can hold hearings. This means they can ask questions, even issue subpoenas if need be to get info.

Now explain how in the hell you fix the hospital construction project with the power to ask questions?

-----------------------

Congress DID do it's job. If the hospital problem went unnoticed and unaddressed THAT would be on Congress. They've done their job.

Fern

 

[Fern]

Haha, do you think McDonald jumped into the role of VA Secretary because he thought it'd be a plum gig with nothing but roses thrown at his feet? He knew he was in for hell and he took the job anyways. And then he gets this asshole yelling at him who's been sitting around for six years and has done squat to help. I wonder why nobody good ever wants to get involved in civil service?

Explain what kind of help could be given by Congress as regards the hospital mess.

TIA

Fern

 

[Fern]

This is how oversight works, by holding accountable those running it.

Please explain how Congress can hold an executive appointed by Obama to lead an Exec branch agency.

E.g., can they fire him?

TIA

Fern

 

[werepossum]

Please explain how Congress can hold an executive appointed by Obama to lead an Exec branch agency.

E.g., can they fire him?

TIA

Fern

Nope. They can only badger him and make him look bad.

 

[ivwshane]

If you get out of the service alive & more importantly "well". Those whom stood up to defend my freedom should be treated much better than the scum that plots my demise.

I wasn't aware of anyone being treated worse than the people we are fighting. Or was that hyperbole? Also no one in Iraq or Afghanistan or anyone involved with the war on terror is fighting for my freedom. The sentiment is nice but it's not based in reality.

Our veterans, like all people should be taken care of, because it's the right fucking thing to do.