Commentary by Stephen Macaulay
In 2018 Donald Trump reportedly said he didn’t want to make a visit to the Marne American Cemetery in France, where American service people are buried, “Why should I go to that cemetery? It's filled with losers."
While he denied saying that, he can’t deny saying of honorable military veteran John McCain, "He's not a war hero. He was a war hero because he was captured. I like people who weren't captured."
He said that out loud at a campaign rally in Iowa in 2015.
Trump, of course, didn’t serve. Four deferments because he was going to school. Another because of bone spurs in his heels.
What has and continues to make America great are the brave men and women — yes, Hegseth, women — who put their lives on the line to defend this country.
This has been the case since the late 18th century.
On June 15, 1775, George Washington was named commander-in-chief of the Continental Army. He resigned, at war’s end, in 1783. He served without compensation.
During his March 4 speech Trump said, “In fact, it has been stated by many that the first month of our presidency, it's our presidency, is the most successful in the history of our nation. By many. And what makes it even more impressive, is that you know who number two is? George Washington.”
It is not a fact. It is [fill in your favorite word here].
Washington was a hero who helped build this country. Trump is busy tearing it down and going to economic war with our allies while giving political support to our enemies.
The country has a compact with our military veterans.
They support us 365/24/7.
We support them after their service.
On July 21, 1930, President Herbert Hoover established the Veterans Administration. It was created by Executive Order.
And now Trump is reportedly planning on cutting some 80,000 employees, 15% of the staff, at the VA.
The reporting comes from the Associated Press, whose people saw an internal memo about it. The AP, the stalwart organization that is doing its reporting without compromising its journalistic ethics.
The AP reports:
“Michael Missal, who was the VA’s inspector general for nine years until he was fired last month as part of Trump’s sweeping dismissal of independent oversight officials at government agencies, told the AP that the VA is already suffering from a lack of “expertise” as top-level officials either leave or are shuffled around under the president’s plans.
“What’s going to happen is VA’s not going to perform as well for veterans, and veterans are going to get harmed,” said Missal.
The AP also reports this:
“White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said in a statement that the president ‘refuses to accept the VA bureaucracy and bloat that has hindered veterans’ ability to receive timely and quality care.’ She added that the changes would ‘ensure greater efficiency and transparency’ at the VA.”
Really? More efficiency? What systems are they putting in place to accomplish that?
How is it that possible with fewer people to answer the calls and to schedule the appointments and to help with the paperwork and to support our vets.
Adding insult to injury: Some 25% of the VA employees are vets.
Macaulay is pundit-at-large for The Hustings.