Vets Demand Apology From GOP and FOX For Lies About VA

[True_Blue_KY_Dem]

Source: veterans-for-common-sense.org

Veterans Demand Apology from GOP and FOX for Lies About VA
Written by Veterans for Common Sense
Thursday, 27 August 2009 12:36
August 27, 2009 - The claim that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has a manual encouraging veterans to "commit suicide," made by Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele, is an asinine assertion with no basis in fact.

Steele made the charge two days ago (August 25th) on FOX News. Steele's egregious comments are an outrageous slander against VA designed to create an atmosphere of mistrust and fear among the millions of our veterans who rely on the VA for medical care. Veterans demand an apology from Steele and FOX News.

"Let me be absolutely clear, Steele lied. There is no VA manual encouraging veterans to commit suicide," said Paul Sullivan, the executive director of VCS, a non-profit based in Washington, DC providing advocacy for veterans, especially veterans with mental health conditions.

Here is the full text of Steele's comments:

"If you want an example of bad public policy, let's look at this situation with our veterans where you have a manual out there, telling our veterans stuff like, ‘Are you really a value to your community?' and, you know, encouraging them to commit suicide. This is crazy coming from the government, and this is exactly what concerns people, what puts them in fear of what government controlled health care, of health care, will look like."

Source: Fox News, August 25, 2009:




In 2007, VCS worked closely with CBS Evening News investigators and uncovered the rising suicide epidemic among veterans, especially younger Iraq and Afghanistan combat veterans. VCS encourages veterans who need mental health counseling to contact VA. VCS also supports VA's new suicide prevention hotline established in 2007. In less than two years of operation, the hotline answered 150,000 calls from distraught veterans. The existence of the suicide prevention hotline contradicts Steele's claims that VA promotes suicide. Source: CBS News, November 13, 2007.

The unconscionable comments by Steele on FOX News followed an attempt last Sunday by FOX News to selectively edit government documents in an effort to attack VA. According to Media Matters:

"On Fox News Sunday, Chris Wallace repeatedly cropped quotes from a Veterans Health Administration (VHA) document to falsely suggest that the Obama administration is pressuring veterans to end their lives prematurely and to accuse Assistant Secretary of Veterans Affairs Tammy Duckworth of lying about it. In fact, contrary to Wallace's false assertions, the document he referred to does not require doctors to direct veterans to what conservatives have labeled the 'Death Book for Veterans.'" Source: Media Matters, August 23, 2009.


Read more: http://www.veteransforcommonsense.org/index.php/whats-new/1165-veterans-for-common-sense

---

The GOP and FOX News, a bunch of low-life SOB's!

[Tarheel_Dem]

1. Recommended. Thanks for posting. (nt)

[youngharry]

73. Steele and FOX News

I think it is long past the time that these people were sued. In addition, Many of these right-wingers are GUILTY OF SEDITION and need to be arrested and put in prison as enemies of the State.

[MadMaddie]

75. I totally agree with you!

Add on the subtle and not so subtle death threats to the President, they have crossed the line.

[AlbertCat]

89. I think it is long past the time that these people were sued.

Indeed!

They should be cited loudly as liars for every lie they tell... even if it never goes to trial or anything, just the start of such procedures can make the news. The sooner Fox News is widely associated with false information (like it isn't? Oh well, You'd think after Fox's case against Frankin being ruled "totally without merrit".... but I digress...) with false information the better.

I think Obama could even sue Beck for calling him a racist in a public forum. Prove he has a deep seated hatred of white people, Glenn.... in court.

[Stellar]

95. Fox calls it 'freedom of speech'

http://www.ceasespin.org/ceasespin_blog/ceasespin_blogger_files/fox_news_gets_okay_to_misinform_public.html

[saigon68]

2. Cowardly Draft Dodgers like Cheney et al.

Scum of the earth

[No Elephants]

12. Not all draft dodgers were cowardly, IMO. However, those who cheered warring AND

dodged the draf tare sickening,IMO.

[saigon68]

14. Didn't mean all of them

Mostly the chicken hawks and those who were "occupied or busy with other things" like Cheney

[No Elephants]

18. We agree. I was not imputing anything to you, just wanting my opinion out there.

:fistbump:

[Wabbajack_]

23. I would have dodged the draft

you bet your ass I'd have been afraid and more concerned with my current pursuits.

That's okay. It's only wrong when the dodger is war-monger who didn't put his money where his mouth was.

[sulphurdunn]

84. I should have dodged the draft

and I'm thankful many of my friends did. I say that without reservation. The war in which I fought 40 years ago is over. It's really time to stop fighting it and to start fighting the war we should be fighting in the streets here at home.

[tucsonlib]

105. I did dodge the draft

And it makes me neither proud nor ashamed. We all did what we felt we had to do back then. But Saigon68 has it exactly right.

(BTW, I'd still be living in Ottawa if the climate there wasn't so friggin COLD!)

:hippie: :toast:

[orleans]

3. hope no one holds their breath for that apology. n/t

[No Elephants]

13. Maybe the standard non-apology; i.,e., I'm sorry if anyone was silly enough to get offended.

It was not my intent to get anyone angry at me. My lies were only supposed to get people angry at Obama and other Democrats.

Well, not in those exact words, but that is the Republican to reality translation.

[Drunken Irishman]

4. I never understood why so many in the military vote Republican...

When it's clear the Republicans don't give a shit about them.

[opihimoimoi]

5. The GOPs ability to Social Engineer their Base with deception bodes ill for the Nation

[Hubert Flottz]

15. The GOPers terrorized us for 8 years with fake alerts and bullshit

They took the fear created on 9/11 by Bin Laden, the man whose family helped finance both the Bush's campaigns, and they used that fear just as surely as any terrorist organization would have, to get what they wanted politically for 8 years.

Again the neocons want to pick on the weak. The republican party are predatory animals who detect weakness in the herd and single out the weak because they can get what the need the easy way. The neocons want to create MORE FEAR, because it's always worked so well for them for years now and it's about the only card they have left to lay down, at the drop of a hat 24/7, to get what they want politically. They've been caught whoring around so many times that they can't hardly claim to have a lock on "MORALITY" anymore and creating FEAR is the only trick they have left in the bag. The people on FOX and their neocon benefactors, belong behind bars for terrorizing the people in this country, just as much or more than the terrorists at Gitmo do.

Bush never went after Bin Laden because Bush depended on Bin Laden to help him frighten the American people who were weak enough to swallow the bullshit. Many of those same fools will still rise to the bait!

Terrorism

1. the use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, esp. for political purposes.
2. the state of fear and submission produced by terrorism or terrorization.
3. a terroristic method of governing or of resisting a government.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Terrorism

:bounce:

1. the use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, esp. for political purposes. 1. the use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, esp. for political purposes. 1. the use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, esp. for political purposes. 1. the use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, esp. for political purposes. 1. the use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, esp. for political purposes. 1. the use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, esp. for political purposes. 1. the use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, esp. for political purposes. 1. the use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, esp. for political purposes. 1. the use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, esp. for political purposes. 1. the use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, esp. for political purposes. 1. the use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, esp. for political purposes. 1. the use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, esp. for political purposes. 1. the use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, esp. for political purposes. 1. the use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, esp. for political purposes. 1. the use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, esp. for political purposes. 1. the use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, esp. for political purposes. 1. the use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, esp. for political purposes. 1. the use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, esp. for political purposes. 1. the use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, esp. for political purposes. 1. the use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, esp. for political purposes. 1. the use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, esp. for political purposes. 1. the use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, esp. for political purposes. 1. the use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, esp. for political purposes. 1. the use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, esp. for political purposes. 1. the use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, esp. for political purposes. 1. the use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, esp. for political purposes. 1. the use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, esp. for political purposes. 1. the use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, esp. for political purposes. 1. the use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, esp. for political purposes. 1. the use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, esp. for political purposes. 1. the use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, esp. for political purposes. 1. the use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, esp. for political purposes.

LET ME SAY THIS ONE MORE TIME>>>... TERRORISM, 1. the use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, esp. for political purposes.

[dgibby]

40. I wrote to the Southern Poverty Law Center,

and suggested that they catagorize the Republican Party as a terrorist group and put them on their watch list until such time as the republican leadership denounce the threats/violence they fomented.

[opihimoimoi]

65. The Terrorist Brown Shirts and their Hate cannot continue to be a major force in the U.S,, it is BAD

ounter productive in the long run(2 years or less

8 years of Bush almost killed us..

another term woulda

thats why John got skunked...the People Knew...they wised up in 06 and knew better again in 08

[Hubert Flottz]

112. Brown Shirts = Brown Shorts!

Either way means Full Of Shit! Fed on and fattened up on pure old BUshit for eight straight years. They can't go anywhere without their Porta-Potties.(meals on wheels)

[mcollier]

47. So True OPi

It will backfire, as it the current example of "Steele's" lie... It is easily exposed for what it is.

[opihimoimoi]

66. about 21.46 % still thinks the GOP is GOD...this will change down the road...

[Overseas]

55. Sad to see so little coverage of that in all but our few token liberal cable news shows and

internet news sites.

We see it happening and are appalled by the recklessness of corporate interests funding amoral right wing PR firms to gin up dangerous hatred and fear in vulnerable people and get them to storm town hall meetings to oppose their own self-interest

and then see those storms reported as genuine grass roots sentiment on our TV news and radio news clips.

That dangerous professional astro-turfing should be the story; I hope our interest in their machinations drives more coverage on the TV news that most people watch.

[opihimoimoi]

67. Our Lib sites are slowly turning this picture around...Jon, Rachel, Keith etc

are killing the GOP and their latest antics...we should get them a name...FRANTIC ANTICs ny the GOP Party

[Overseas]

72. But I don't hear the regular TV news discussing the blatant manipulation

by well financed right wing PR firms.

I'm loving my token liberal exposés but still waiting to see others discuss those dangerous techniques used in support of corporate bottom lines.

[opihimoimoi]

102. the incipient shift has only begun...soon we see a torrent of new dems

them pubs gonna shit

[Overseas]

108. I would love to see that happen. Mike Papantonio suggested that I

be glad to see the GOP imploding. Their ridiculousness is on display apparent to all. Their fear mongering is foolishly blatant and will cost them votes, he assures me in his precisely witty way-- but I still wonder... Will enough people get to see and desert that party in droves before the fake rage is manipulated to achieve another end?

These Maniacal Christian Righties are playing ruthless hardball in support of extending corporate power. wrapping it in some squeaky clean obedience to the Lord Jesus and those he favors.

Will GOP ridiculousness turn off enough people soon enough to let Democrats dominate 2010? When will the level of dominance be enough to imbue my party with the courage to push through the changes we the people desperately long for -- single payer healthcare and environmental re-engineering? Must we give them 70 seats in the senate to feel safe to push the changes we need to survive?

Or do we need to ignore the main broadcast media and reassure our legislators that many of us do that now. Enough of us to secure their reelections if they serve the people instead of the tantalizing corporate donors. Enough of us are on to blatant fear-mongering and will still support them in spite of the round of rumors sure to seep into local elections to undermine their candidacies. Can we assure them that we understand bullying on all dimensions and will not let it sway us next time?

[RobinA]

114. Frankly, I See No

evidence of any imploding. It seems that no matter what they do there are a substantial number of people who lap it up. There's books on the best seller list talking about what a criminal Obama is. Now, I'm no fan girl for Obama, but painting him as a criminal and a Communist just seems like blatant nonsense to me. It's depressing to me how some of this silliness takes hold in popular opinion. I'm starting to think there is no hope at this point.

[mcollier]

79. Or we could call them the

Grossly Obsence Party (GOP)

[dgibby]

98. I call them Goons on Patrol (GOP) n't

[No Elephants]

10. The Republican Party sold itself as the party of patriotism, the party that favors a strong defense,

the party that supports the troops, the party of family values, the party of God, etc. In fact, it is the party of cynical marketing and empty symoblism. So, the military changed from mostly Democratic to mostly Republican. Not to mention, Dummya had them listening to Flush Limpballs.

The curtain has been moving, though, or at least blowing up now and again. And the military, who are fiercely loyal by inclination and training, have been starting to glimpse the truth.

Democrats REALLY need to get better at marketing.

[dotymed]

24. I WAS RAISED AS AN "ARMY BRAT"

People in the military are CONSTANTLY reminded that the
Rethuglicans are the party that increases the
"defense" budget, consistently. The soldiers
however, are not informed that the Rethugs actually work to
lower their pay, personal equipment, seek privatization and
constantly cut their retirement benefits. They want that money
to go to them and their accomplices in the Military Industrial
Complex. They want us to spend money on "weapons and
their development", not on soldiers and their families. I
remember, not too long ago,(maybe still),when a new
"recruit" would have to depend on food stamps to
feed his family. Of course, their "base pay" doubles
if they are in war or a danger zone. So, many of these (kids)
soldiers would volunteer for dangerous duty, so their family
could benefit. My father was an officer and a career Army man.
After he retired, he became a Democrat (now both parties are
corporate owned) and he became an academic, until he died. He
was chosen to fly Nixon in California and a lot of other
things, while he was active. He really awakened after his
retirement, and was "ready for the revolution."

[midnight]

48. Good for your dad. It is hard to keep turning your head when

our enlisted are treated like expendable resources. Nice that you could see them as soldiers with kids doing their best.

[lefthandedlefty]

34. Because republicans keep them employed

[southernyankeebelle]

51. Am not sure that is the case. I come from a lonnnnnnng line of

military veterans who served over 20 yrs each. My dad, father-in-law and my husband. Dad and father-in-law served in WWII, Koerea and my father-in-law in VN, my dad said he was getting to old and besides that he had been there before we even got our troops going their. My father-in-law was a trainer and said from the beginning we wouldn't win there because the people didn't have the will to win. My husband was in the Army during Desert Storm. They all have served under presidents they liked or disliked. They all said it didn't matter because they respected the office of the president not the person who is there. That was they way they were. They all retired senior enlisted and all of them were Democrats. They never went out and supported anyone. They voted and it was their business. I think alot of these soldiers today according to my husband who has seen some of them are thrilled to kill. He noticed that many seem to believe this crusade mentality that the christain right is pushing. That is funny since my husband was a chaplains assistant but they never pushed that kind of thing. They took it to be there to support the troops and give council when they needed someone to talk with. Not all soldiers are republicans believe me they aren't. If they are and when they come home after a tour or 2 they quickly change their mind. War is truelly hell. My dad and father-in-law were both wounded in WWII and my dad served with his wounds til the day he died.

[qazplm]

70. not in the enlisted ranks

that's more fifty fifty, it is the officer ranks that is something like 90-10 Republican and that is partially because of religion IMO.

Although as an officer in the JAG Corps which is slightly likely to be more liberal than most other ranks (being filled with attorneys), I haven't seen it as bad as I suspect it is among the rest of the officer corps. I can only guess how bad it is amongst the regular officers. At any rate, they seriously skew the numbers.

[jberryhill]

82. What makes you think they do?

[rpannier]

110. I was in the miltary in the late 80's and early 90's and they do

There are a lot of reasons
1. The military is an organization that pride's itself on tradition.

2. When the military went from a draft to an all-volunteer force many on the left chose not to serve. The military became more-and-more republican just because of who enlisted.

3. Many in the military (at that time) still viewed the left (and Democrats) as being anti-military

4. Reagan poured a lot of money into the military. MY The pay and COLA rates went up under Reagan and Bush I

5.The republikkans fawned over service men and their families as being the core of what makes America great.

6. Many careerists I served with had served in Vietnam, Of the ones I served with, many had been to Vietnam and felt Dems were anti-military

[Douglas Carpenter]

6. kick and recommended...the craziness just does not know any boundaries - at all

[Skittles]

7. you, sir, have one of the coolest DU profiles EVER

:thumbsup:

[MrModerate]

8. Is it just me, or have the 'Licans ratcheted up the crazy lately to heretofore unseen heights?

I guess it's finally getting through to them that some sort of healthcare funding reform is going to happen and their overlords are going to take a (potentially) mortal blow. And given their unfair ration of dirt-stupid, they are jumping the shark higher and higher each day.

Will the American people notice? Will the media? This seems like the scene in "The Perfect Storm' when the boat overturns and the crew knows with a certainty how they're going to die: by drowning, and within less than five minutes. Some of them greet it with grace and others with panic.

For the 'Licans, it seems panic predominates, and whether that allows them to focus their crazy attacks a bit more sharply than 6 months ago when they were all wandering around like they'd taken a two-by-four upside the head, it's still crazy, crazy stuff. They're losing their grip on reality, big-time.

If Dems can pull together, the 'Lican party may be irretrievably broken within a few months.

[depakid]

9. "Will the American people notice? Will the media?"

The American media is pushing this stuff 24/7- with little in the way of honest analysis. That's not going to change, so we'll just have to see how well the propaganda works, as they continue to push the envelope.

Having seen the effects thus far, I don't share your optimism.

[JohnnyLib2]

11. Glad to see this.

Rec.

[DrDan]

16. lets not forget health insurers in your "bunch of low-life SOB's:" comment

they are funding this spreading of lies.

[indimuse]

17. knr!!! n/t

[Vidar]

19. I'm glad that at least some vets are beginning to realize how the

Republicans & slime merchants like FOX have used them to the detriment of their own interests.

[Deja Q]

32. Wholly agreed. Especially when Rupert and his family of vultures do things like this:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=4038301&mesg_id=4038301

The unmitigated nerve of these two-faced pigs...

[No Elephants]

20. Wallace claims to be objective, too. Not that anyone with a brain believed that,

but this kind of puts a kibosh on that claim, doesn't it? (Mike Wallace must be cringing by proxy.)

If it's on media matters' website and no one in the media picks it up, even Olberman, that will say a lot.

Error: You've already recommended that thread.

[Altoid_Cyclist]

21. When will they make it official?

At some point they have to change their name from the Republican Party
to the Reptilian Party. These people are becoming more cold blooded
by the day.

[Strong Atheist]

74. Welcome to DU!

:toast:

[Altoid_Cyclist]

113. Sorry, I was away from the computer for quite some time.

Thanks for the welcome! Judging by your moniker, I see that we non-believe in the same thing.

[The Wizard]

22. Exploiting the worst fears and lowest instincts

is what gets Republicans elected, but that's all they can do. They can't govern because governing is complex. They prefer to rule.
They have the corporate media pushing their propaganda 24 - 7, and the military gets to see what the rulers demand.

[onlyadream]

25. disgusting! nt

[Lerkfish]

26. I only hope this is a precedent for repeated and multiple lawsuits in the future

since the FCC is toothless, maybe litigation will force FOX to be more truthful.

[truthisfreedom]

27. Yes! Let the voices be heard!

Alright!

[geckosfeet]

28. Yes - I remeber waLLace badgering Tammy Duckworth about this.

Another faux news corp. fail.

[SpiralHawk]

29. The cabal of Republicon Chickenhawks has a Big Problem with truth & honor

As they have repeatedly demonstrated to their everlasting shame.

[Sirveri]

30. I am in the VA system. If they screw with it I will get PISSED.

I'm sure things could be better, but right now it's working for me and doing a decent job. Unlike my freinds I actually HAVE health CARE (not insurance) because of the VA. It's the one thing that has kept me out of this stupid BS debate. A bunch of idiots claiming to be 'fiscal conservatives' rally against a plan that costs less and covers more than what we currently have! Yeah right, real smart.

[Deja Q]

31. No apology. Profit-owned news sites are more reliable and honest and true. They don't lie!

:sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarc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Just in case people don't get it:

:sarcasm:

[BEZERKO]

33. We need a picture of him with LIAR in bold block letters across his face

[rucky]

35. Here's a MUST READ book about the VA:

http://www.newamerica.net/publications/books/best_care_anywhere

Best Care Anywhere, by Phillip Longman

The long-maligned Veterans Health Administration has become the highest-quality healthcare provider in the United States. This encouraging change not only has benefited veterans but also provides a blueprint for salvaging America’s own deeply troubled healthcare system.

Best Care Anywhere shows how a government bureaucracy, working with little notice, is setting the standard for best practices and cost reduction while the private sector is lagging in both areas. Author Phillip Longman challenges conventional wisdom by explaining exactly how market forces work to lower quality and raise prices in the healthcare sector, and how U.S. medical practices have a weak basis in science.

Longman's research and conclusions stem neither from ideology nor politics. When his wife was diagnosed with terminal cancer, he was forced to confront the inefficiencies, inadequacies and uncertainties that are an all too familiar part of health care in the world's richest country. Thus, when he was assigned by Fortune Magazine to figure out who had the best solution for America's health care crisis, he eagerly accepted. Fortune declined to publish the results of his research.

This story of how and why VA became the benchmark for quality medicine in the United States promises to shift the terms of the debate about health policy in America. He argues that precisely because the VA is a big government bureaucracy with a near-lifetime relationship with its patients, it has incentives for investing in prevention, disease management, electronic patient records, and other quality measures that are lacking in for-profit medicine.

[wial]

36. Can't the vets sue them

for inciting suicide?

At the least, a big well-publicized protest is warranted. Upside down flags.

In a way, I kind of admire how Fox takes heavily financed unregulated "free" speech to its logical extremes, but it's also a great case in point for why neo-liberalism does not work and why the founders created such a careful system of checks and balances. Without Fox, there would be no Daily Show, no Stephanie Miller, no way to pump out the truth in a wave of satire and outrage. Now that Fox has personified the dangerous fallacy of their ideology, is there a way we can repair media law to marginalize them? They should be getting the same kind of attention as fundamentalists on Youtube -- fascinated amused horror from those masochistic enough to watch, not the drooling indifferent receptivity they buy by controlling basic cable.

I guess the simple thing is to fight to overturn that bad SCOTUS ruling equating money and speech.

[tooeyeten]

37. SOP Republican style

Use Veterans and the military for their own selfish goals.

[mascarax]

38. "Steele lied" - we need that word out there more!

The Democratic Party needs to be refuting in the simplest terms: "lie, lied, lying, liars" are all easily understood words. Instead of long ramblings. Steele lied. Period. Not "Steele wasn't quite truthful when <repeat lie!?!>, but maybe..."

GOP and FOX: low-life SOB's...that I like!

[scarface2004]

39. i saw his lips moving!

he s lying!

[dgibby]

41. Good for the Vets.

Now, the VA needs to jump on this bandwagon, and so does the Democratic leadership in Congress. In fact, I'd like to see the Navy SEALS pay him a little visit, have a little "come to jeebus meeting"!:evilgrin:

[sasquuatch55]

92. We need Ventura!

nt

[defendandprotect]

42. Evidently the GOP hasn't destroyed the VA system fast enough . . .

though they have certainly tried!!!

Good to see people talking back to the corruption and lunacy of the GOP!

About time!!!

:)

[LiberalFighter]

43. I posted an item about the "Death Book" correctly known as "Your Life, Your Choices" yesterday ->

Veterans Affairs: "Your Life, Your Choices" or known by wackos as Death Book

Please... anyone connected with the military or their issues should download the document for references to their computer.

Thanks

PS: That way there will be a copy of the document somewhere in the USA.

[JohnnyLib2]

68. I appreciated that.

[BREMPRO]

44. Steele's vile assertion is part of a political strategy to kill health care reform

They don't want Obama to get a bill that actually works and gives him political momentum. This flat out lie on such a sensitive subject is an opening and a political goldmine for Democrats to discredit Steele and highlight the disgusting tactics of the Republicans in this debate. It's shows Democrats supporting veterans, and at the same time makes the Republicans like Steele look like lying obstructionists. We have the truth on our side, and now the Veterans administration and Vets who are demanding a public apology. We should all demand a public apology, not just because it's the right thing to do, but its a win win for Democrats and the American people for substantial health care reform.

[Crowman2009]

45. You know the only death book I can think of was the one about W's justification for the Iraq war.

[alfredo]

46. Write your local cable company to complain.

[lovuian]

49. I do believe waterboarding our own troops

and putting them in gas chambers giving the effect of air hunger

to help their programming (training)

needs to be stopped

this is another major issue going on in our military

that needs to STOP

[Honeycombe8]

50. They need to get air time for this to be effective. Most people will have only seen Steele's lies.

Sigh. Of course, anyone with a brain would know that Steele's comments weren't true. And then there are those who know they aren't true but love to hear yet another lie as a step in the war against health care reform...another lie to put on a poster and get the ignorant among us all riled up.

[brewens]

52. Fox should apologize for this too

Old news now but I didn't find any posts on it. Hard to believe anyone would say stuff like this under any circumstances.

http://www.newwest.net/city/article/tv_military_analyst_says_idaho_soldier_is_collaborating_with_taliban/C108/L108/

[TwilightGardener]

53. This is just crazy. And evil. The GOP doesn't deserve the protection

of free speech anymore, because they're lately doing the equivalent of shouting "Fire" in a crowded theater--now trying to scare veterans away from the VA healthcare which they EARNED and DEPEND on. Fucking sick, that's all I can say.

[The Backlash Cometh]

54. Jesus Christ! Bush put these soldiers in harm's way with his asenine Republican

policies, provoking these suicidal tendencies in the first place. And then the GOP tries to confuse the cause and effect by blaming the VA?

I mean, can they possibly get any more absurd?

[Bluzmann57]

56. Good luck with getting an apology

Those so and so's will never apologize for anything because, as we all know, they consider it to be a sign of weakness, or they are just plain stupid. Or both.

[Plucketeer]

57. Maybe we should hope that Steele et al keep this up

The outrageously stupid lies their fielding are gonna swallow them up like the La Brea tar pits did with the prehistoric creatures that sought to prey on other animals that were already mired in.

[Jim__]

58. The rest of the media have to start demanding this apology from the GOP and Faux -n/t

[IndianaGreen]

59. How about pulling Faux broadcast license for inciting terrorism?

That's really what is at play here.

[Cha]

60. "Let me be absolutely clear, steele lied"..says Paul Sullivan, executive director of VCS..

steele needs to get up on national tv and admit he lied and then apologize..nothing less.

steele once again reaches challenging atmospheric heights of stupid by lying about our Vets, this time.

[OwnedByFerrets]

61. Its about time someone (with substance) started calling them

out on their lies.
I LOVE KO, but he is (unjustly) seen as a left winger. This SHOULD carry some weight in the circles that matter.

[True_Blue_KY_Dem]

63. Just so everyone knows........................

I am a Navy veteran and a liftime member of the Disabled American Veterans. Remember all of the shody care the military was doing in the mid 80's? I was a victim of that.

By the time I got out of the Navy, I had 3 Congressional Investigations going against the U.S. Navy(Great Lakes(Mistakes) Naval Hospital).

I sure wish I could of had the right to sue the military back then, it was hands down malpractice.

[Joey Liberal]

62. The GOP hates veterans. nt

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

64. Wow

The GOP seems bound and determined to self destruct.

[nostalgicaboutmyfutr]

69. My priest brought this up in the homily....

And has told probaly 500 families the same story....I will be happy to present him the truth....

[LiberalFighter]

77. You need to find out where he got his "facts".

And if he gets snippy about it let his superiors know about it.

[4lbs]

71. Those vets are sooooo un-American. What do they know about patriotism?

:sarcasm:

[midnight]

76. Our vets have been lied to and used as tested subjects for

ever. If Fox news has to appoligize for their lie, can I request that the bush and cheny administration get inline?

[McCamy Taylor]

78. Waiting for them to claim that SCHIP has a suicide manual. Any public healthcare is fair game for

them now. And you know that these idiot politicians do not think this stuff up for themselves. Some hired pr person working for a drug or insurance company is coming up with these whoppers and distributing them along with the checks.

[Patchuli]

80. Shut Fox down!!! Delicense them!

This is outrageous and it has gone far enough!!

edit to add: Steele should step down and the entire party should be quarantined until they are law-abiding and country-respecting once again.

K&R angrily! :grr:

[BlueIdaho]

81. The GOP & and their media outlet FOX Hate Veterans.

They are filled with hate and beyond contempt. Are these the family values they keep talking about?

[MH1]

83. Arlen Specter should be added to the demand

Fox hosted Specter to attack booklet for veterans, despite Wash. Post report that he hadn't read it - http://mediamatters.org/research/200908250030

[Hulk]

85. There is no depth to which the gop won't stoop....

We all know, or we certainly should know by now, that the gop talking heads/spin meisters/shit tossers will say ANYTHING to defame the Obama administration and make the left/progressives/liberal/Democratic Party look like animals determined to take the United States and all her glory to the depths of hell.

steele is a dispicable whore. he says some of the most ridiculous things to keep himself "relevant" to the right wing nutcakes in this country. Remember, it's limpballs, beck, malkin, vannity, she-man, bor and the rest of the scumbags that keep themselves IN the news by saying the outrageous. steele is no different. It's how they survive in their sewer.

Good for the VA. I am appalled by it all, but not the least bit surprised.

[Historic NY]

86. Michael Steele should commit 'Seppuku' he is worthless.

[AlbertCat]

91. Michael Steele should commit 'Seppuku'

That requires courage from the token Uncle Tom.

[AsahinaKimi]

104. Seppuku

Is only done by "honorable" Samurai...I doubt Steele has any honor at all.

[Blandocyte]

87. Don't hold yer breath or you'll have another medical prob

Like those arrogant fuckheads would apologize, ever.

[pleah]

88. K&R

[Zorra]

90. GOP kool-aid has almost achieved Jim Jones status.

These people are totally fucking nuts.

[jma10131]

93. Steele is a douchebag!

Steele is arguably one of the biggest asshole politicians I've ever seen- and he's a complete idiot too.

[yawnimawke]

94. VICIOUS LIARS!

Ya know, I'm trying really hard not to name call. But I have to say this story is really sick. They were pushing it with the death panel bullshit but this one really takes the bullshit prize. These pukes have ALOT of nerve talking this kind of trash when they do everything they can to underfund the VA. If it weren't for the democratic congress, there would be no mental health support for the troops returning home from the wars currently being conducted. Just who the fuck do these people think they are? Where's that puke face...:puke:

[dhpgetsit]

96. I came across the "Death Book" talking point about a week ago.

This is just another example of how morally bankrupt the GOP has become. There is no filthy gutter too disgusting for them to wallow in. Since they have nothing positive to offer the world, they resort to sowing the seeds of fear, uncertainty, and doubt in every dishonest and libelous manner they can imagine.

[The River]

97. More Lies

from Faux and company.
Who would have guessed?

[BrklynLiberal]

99. GOP and FAUX NOISE...if that isn't a match made in hell, there never was one.

[kestrel91316]

100. GOP = pond scum

[1776Forever]

101. They "FOX" get away with so damn much they think no matter who says what on their network it is OK!

FOX needs to be called out! I agree with this from a blog called Hoffmania:

Aug 23, 2009
#FoxNews - There Used to Be an FCC Law Against This

http://hoffmania.com/2009/08/foxnews-there-used-to-be-an-fcc-law-against-this.html

Of course, it doesn't apply to basic cable. But if a broadcaster falsified the news as Chris Wallace did this morning on FOX News Channel, the license could've been challenged and the FCC could've shut it down and award the license to someone else.

But thanks to the basic cable loophole, and FOX all but admitting their "news channel" is entertainment-based, they can get away with mind-numbing horseshit like this.

From Media Matters:

http://mediamatters.org/research/200908230014

Wallace crops VHA doc to falsely suggest Obama administration pressuring vets to end their lives
August 23, 2009 2:57 pm ET — 121 Comments

On Fox News Sunday, Chris Wallace repeatedly cropped quotes from a Veterans Health Administration (VHA) document to falsely suggest that the Obama administration is pressuring veterans to end their lives prematurely and to accuse Assistant Secretary of Veterans Affairs Tammy Duckworth of lying about it. In fact, contrary to Wallace's false assertions, the document he referred to does not require doctors to direct veterans to what conservatives have labeled the "Death Book for Veterans."

[AsahinaKimi]

103. don't you think that...

If the Vets were to protest and hold a rally on Fox News door step and invited all the media with the exception of Fox News that would help show all America, that Fox News is not to be trusted? Or would the Republicans simply label them as Traitors and terrorists?

[VPStoltz]

106. While I applaud the VA and veterans everywhere for addressing this travesty...

Where was it and where were they when they KNEW Bush was lying about the war.
They let Kerry be denigrated by the Swift Boat pukes.
Better late than never to realize you've been had.
Now, have them back...

[HowHasItComeToThis]

107. +275

[rpannier]

109. Standard GOP apology

We're terribly sorry if some out there were offended by what we said.
We understand that in this inflammatory political climate how some thin-skinned people might have been offended by what was said.
We stand by our comments

[True_Blue_KY_Dem]

111. Thanks to everyone who posted.................

you all made my day!!

:yourock: