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The OP is correct in that the standing US armed forces and associated support organizations are the only actual "socialist" part of the United States. Maybe pouring 70% of the national budget into an all-encompassing totalitarian system with its own government, housing, hospitals and laws, operating within the USA but also independent of the USA wasn't such a good idea after all? Dwight Eisenhower would have agreed with you.
Under Obama those allowed to access VA care was greatly expanded. That came on top of the already large infusion patients as veterans from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan began arriving stateside, with more to come as the draw down continues.
To his and their credit Obama and Congress have increased funding for the VA over the past five years. What was missing is the oversight and placement of persons in charge to ensure things were being done correctly.
From what one understands the VA has long been one hot mess, and often throwing more funding at it was simply flushing it down a rat hole. It isn't the money but how it is spent and who is making the decisions
The VA has hundreds of dedicated men and women that love their jobs and are dedicated to our veterans. Sadly it also has a good number who are in it for what they can get out of it.
This has nothing to do with socialism. Socialism implies social ownership of the means of production and a specific form of economic management. Public welfare programs, or even a full-blown welfare state, do not necessarily imply any form of socialism proper is present. Even the most left-leaning northern European countries have active capitalist economies.
1) The government owns all of the V.A.'s hospitals (153).
2) The government employs and pays all of the V.A.'s employees, including doctors.
3) The government pays for all health care and insurance.
The VA has traditionally been the care center of choice for those who have few other options. I will never go to them, even though I served 9 years on active duty. Simply put; I don't have to.
I am very sorry for those who have no other options, and for those who feel they have no option, but I am not sorry for those who served in a minimal capacity for a minimal length of time and then ruined their health through careless habits or laziness. A lifetime of smoking and obesity is not a service connected disability. For that matter, neither is age.
If the goal is to achieve a society with full employment, no poverty, reasonable income inequality, universal healthcare and education, then capitalism certainly doesn't work.
Bottom line......capitalism doesn't work that great. And I don't believe that it's the best system possible. I'm not saying that socialism is better or worse though.
This has nothing to do with socialism. Socialism implies social ownership of the means of production and a specific form of economic management.
In its operation and nature, the VA system, its assets, its management, outcomes -- it is textbook Socialist.
Healthcare, although not a production activity, is still part of the "Base" where both, Means of Production (capital / assets) and Relations of Production (no capitalists / no bourgeoisie, no proletariat there) in the VA are purely Socialist.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lunar Delta
Public welfare programs, or even a full-blown welfare state, do not necessarily imply any form of socialism proper is present. Even the most left-leaning northern European countries have active capitalist economies.
Besides that Northern European Govt still own a vast majority of the Productive Means, heavy Govt interference and Regulation in the Labor Market has mutated Capital / Labor relations into some hybrid form.
The problem is that Northern European countries are headed for economic disasters, if math is to be trusted. Besides, these are dying societies to begin with, demographically speaking. Why? We can cover that in another thread.
Let me just say that -- death, inhumanity, and Socialism go together. Just look at the VA.
Bottom line......capitalism doesn't work that great.
Really?? Just look at the last 200 years since Capitalism has been around. Capitalism has achieved in its short life what all kinds of tyrannical regimes did not achieve in 5000 years. Besides economical and material things -- talk about healthcare, human rights, quality of life, etc. etc.
Take slavery for example -- Engels named a whole 1000 year period of human history as the slave-ownership societies. Feudalism was even darker. Capitalism abolished slavery in very short order.
Ironically, based on facts, it have been the modern Socialist Regimes that have re-introduced slavery.
Maybe Communism or Utopia (if achieved) can be better (!!), but Socialism is just another flavor of a very old rule -- Tyranny. Same-old, same-old. It has been a plague on humanity for the 5000 years, and we just can't seem to get away from it.
Curious, how many people chiming in here has a close family member who relies on the VA.
My parents are on a fixed income and use their VA benefits. They would be in a world of trouble without it. We Re underfunding the system unfortunately.
Personally, I think we should do away with the VA system altogether. There is no reason for it, the doctors can still treat our veterans in any private practice. I think the veterans should get the same medical as all federal employees, based on their income. If they can't afford much, they won't pay anything. The government workers get it, the Congress has it, the President has it, why not the armed forces? They would simply get the same medical card that the President gets. For life.
If you put your life on the line, and come back either healthy or injured, you get it. It would certainly save the taxpayers money, from what I hear about some of the care our vets are receiving. Simplify life, it's too complicated already. And all you all shouldn't complain about vets getting health care. If you voted for this longggg war in the middle east, well, now you have to pay for it. At least you didn't have to fight in it and get your limbs blown off, or worse.
Last edited by Oldhag1; 05-26-2014 at 02:53 AM..
Reason: Fixed formatting
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