Lorde, from the “Pure Heroine” album, sings the song “Glory and Gore.” From which both this title and the principle for this article originated. The obvious is stated many times a day, oftentimes in an ironic accident, and today was no exception. The headlines on several stories help prove this point and highlight some serious problems facing America.
From The Daily Signal, we find our first instance of stating the obvious when Lindsey Burke announces that “Unions are doubling down on inserting critical race theory (CRT) into education.” Of course, the labor unions of teacher associations would be doubling- and tripling- down on applying political pressure to advance America, destroying malarkey for K-12 Educators. Show a single instance when a Marxist labor union has ever done anything to support America, and I will show you the inner workings of liars, thieves, and cheats who will tell a thousand truths to convince you a lie is a truth.
CRT is dangerous, it is a lie thought up by academics, and the only people who will benefit from CRT are liars, thieves, cheats, and politicians. Tell me, of all the people in history who have been enslaved, forced into indentured servitude, harassed, belittled, and betrayed by a different society, why are American Black populations the only ones ever targeted for pampering and coddling? When you answer this question, you will discover that this population is being treated this way by racist antagonists who know they can rely upon this population for agitation, anger, and terrorism without thought, concern, and care about the consequences. Why; because they have been intentionally groomed and carefully taught to act in this manner for the political ambitions of the same people pushing CRT.
Ever notice how President Biden and Hillary Clinton only talk at the American Black Populations, and even then only address the leaders of groups dedicated to rousing the population’s emotions, and not the population themselves? When was President Biden ever in Harlem for a political rally? When was Hillary ever in Compton, Philly, or Chicago? What about a visit to Atlanta for a political rally down by the riverside? The politicians talk to the NAACP and the Black Caucus, who then speak to the religious leaders and social justice minions. They talk to the local neighborhoods, reflecting the cowardice and true colors of the politicians as race agitators and race hustlers, not interested in the population unless it is election time. What is CRT; trouble!
The Daily Signal also carried a story authored by Hans von Spakovsky, who declared that a former Justice Department lawyer testified that lawyers abuse their power at the Department of Justice. What a revelation; lawyers were acting unethically, immorally, and illegally for personal gain in government employment. Color me shocked! Ever wonder why lawyers and attorneys have the most jokes written about them of any other profession; I never have! Worse, I cannot believe how many can get elected!
Under the heading of stating the obvious, and how you cannot color me shocked, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) continues to blame inadequate training as the go-to excuse when the Department of Veterans Affairs – Office of Inspector General (VA-OIG) comes investigating. In the almost two decades I have been chronicling poor behavior at the VA, VBA, VHA, and National Cemeteries, the number one most often cited excuse for failure is “poor or inadequate training.” As a point of reference, this lack of training drove my desire to work in training at the VA to improve the training delivered.
As an adult educator with more than 20 years in distance learning and classroom training, I thought I would be a shoo-in for the positions. Nope, I had not served in pay grades lower to “learn the VA.” Even though I had more education and experience, was Schedule A, and more skilled than any other candidate, I was deemed not qualified, and internal people filled the open roles. How do I know these facts, I asked those hired, and they were glad to relate their stories, experience, and time served in the VA to get into a plushy training position where they were grossly inadequate. Only after leaving was the other reason revealed, the HR Director at the Albuquerque VAMC claimed too many veterans were in employment at the VA and refused to hire a single veteran while she directed the HR department.
Do the VA Leaders ever think that this is the problem? Only the worst of the worst can survive the mental depravity and mind-numbing bureaucracy at the VA to obtain promotion into higher leadership positions. Worse, those who achieve these positions have agendas, lists of enemies to crush, and power empires to build, so they are never interested in doing the job!
The result, designed incompetence is bred, excuses that could not hold reality become the accepted verbiage to deflect responsibility and accountability, and if all else fails, make sure your union dues are paid, and the union will defend your pension, your job, and your benefits. Then you can lie, cheat, steal, and terrorize without prejudice and escape without any problems.
If you ever think that something is too far-fetched to believe, the VA will prove you wrong. The VA-OIG continues to inspect five VAMC’s for inadequate and improper processes, procedures, and leadership where financial controls and payments to third-party or affiliated non-profit corporations are concerned. In 2021, two additional VAMC’s have failed sufficiently to make the eternally under investigation list, Albuquerque, NM and Palo Alto, CA. The original five are Boise, ID., Boston, MA., Cincinnati, OH., Nashville, TN., and San Francisco, CA.
“The Albuquerque and Palo Alto medical centers made about $17.9 million in improper payments to affiliated non-profit corporations. The reason for improper payments was the same for all seven VA medical centers reviewed. Specifically, procedures for approving invoices did not satisfy VA policy requirements because they did not require verification that the services were provided. The audit team also noted an absence of required periodic reviews by VA supervisors of approved invoices at all seven medical centers.”
Now, here’s the other side of the coin, the internal controls at both the VA and the non-profits did not identify that their problems were internal or even an issue. When I have worked in finance, the rule is, “no evidence, no payment!” When the non-profit I volunteered at failed an audit with 27-pages of audit inconsistencies, I was called in and charged with fixing the problems. Of those 27-pages of audit findings, 26 pages were for payments where documentation was missing. Four months later, a follow-up inspection cleared all 27-pages. Yet, no evidence continues to be the single most glaring problem at seven separate VAMC’s, and nothing has changed since this issue first reared its head in FY 2017-2018. The VA-OIG has collected reports beginning in Boston, MA VA_OIG report number 18-00711-211, published 02 December 2019, where more than 3700 payments totaling more than $23 Million were made without evidence proving services rendered.
From the VA-OIG Report:
“Of the estimated $1.6 million overpayment, about $1.5 million paid to the Boston non-profit was included in the total $35.7 million improper payments due to lack of evidence that services were received. The entire $1.6 million overpayment was for unallowable or prohibited reimbursements to the non-profit.”
“The OIG previously reported a total of about $35.7 million improper payments to five affiliated non-profit corporations as shown in this report.”
Is it too obvious to declare the leadership in charge at both the non-profits and the VA needs immediate removal, transparent audits conducted, and those leaders held accountable for the money that has been lost? Recently an author claimed the VA is more of a crime syndicate than the mob. After reading that two additional VAMC’s have failed gloriously to prove services rendered for payments made, I can agree with this sentiment!
Our final entry today originates, unsurprisingly, with the Department of Veterans Affairs – Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) and a VA-OIG inspection where 88% of the claims processed involved lengthy delays in making decisions. Tell me, if you had an 88% failure rate at your job, how long would you keep your job? How long would it be before your bosses were shown the door, the company shuttered, and investigated for fraud? Now, why are government employees treated differently than private-sector employees? The inexcusable delays have led to more than $232 Million in questionable payments projected for the next two years, while the VBA is “encouraged” to fix the delay problems and “catch up.”
For the record, stating the obvious, the entire US Government is sick. The legislative branch keeps abdicating responsibility to the judicial and executive branches. Bureaucrats and bureaucracy have overcome common sense. The whole process has been rigged to keep the dregs of society in power while the taxpayer suffers. Let us, the owners of representative governments, remind those supposed to be in charge that they have cause to fear the electorate. Politicians should fear the ballot box, and they should fear having the electorate hold them personally accountable for the mess they have perpetrated.
© 2021 M. Dave Salisbury
All Rights Reserved
The images used herein were obtained in the public domain; this author holds no copyright to the images displayed.
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