January 13, 2005 EVERY VETERAN SHOULD COPY
THIS ARTICLE AND PASTE IT IN A "LETTER TO THE
EDITOR" OF YOUR LOCAL NEWSPAPER. Read this one then, read it again and then , discuss it at
your post and every place you and other Veterans  meet!!

“Welfarizing” the VA
The selling of VA benefits as welfare"

Opinion by Larry Scott

 It’s a disturbing trend.  All around us we see the not-so-subtle
positioning of the VA as a gigantic welfare program.  The VA is not a
welfare program!  It’s just that simple.  The idiomatic definition of
welfare is:  Receiving regular assistance from the government or private
agencies because of need.  Veterans receive benefits not because they “need”
anything.  Veterans receive their VA benefits because they earned them by
their service to our country. In testimony before the U.S. Senate last year
an AMVETS representative said, “As a nation, we owe veterans an enormous
debt of gratitude—for their service, their patriotism, and their sacrifices.
The benefits to which they are legally entitled are not the product of some
social welfare program, as some might argument. Rather they are yet another
cost of freedom that unfortunately is too often forgotten." Disturbing trend
#2 is that those in Washington who have been the most vocal defenders of
veterans are being removed from their positions of influence.  VA Secretary
Anthony J. Principi was asked, or forced, to resign after he publicly
expressed dismay that the Bush administration cut $1.2 billion from the FY
2005 VA budget request.  Arlan Specter (R-PA), Chairman of the Senate
Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, moved to the Judiciary Committee and was
replaced by Larry Craig (R-ID).  Craig supported the administration’s $1.2
billion cut. But the biggest blow to veterans came when Representative Chris
Smith (R-NJ) was removed as Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans’
Affairs.  Smith was universally respected as a friend to veterans and a
fighter for increased benefits but strayed from the official Party line one
too many times.  Not only did he lose the chairmanship, he was removed from
the Committee. Smith has been replaced by Steve Buyer (R-IN).  In his first
few days as Committee Chair Buyer has managed to offend every veteran’s
group in the country.  At a time when every veteran knows the VA needs more
funding Buyer said, “I want to modernize the system. I am not a defender of
bloated bureaucracies.”  Buyer then went on to paint a perfectly clear
picture of the VA of the future by saying, “Some of the veterans service
organizations, they are having this belief that everyone should have open
access to the VA system, when in fact I believe that the VA system should
follow its core constituency and the intent of Congress when we laid out our
priorities, and that was in fact to take care of our disabled and indigent
veterans first.” (emphasis mine) This was NOT an off-the-cuff remark by Rep.
Buyer.  He was placed in his position by the Republican Party leadership and
speaks for the Party who answers to the White House.  Buyer speaks the
gospel and gets his sermons right from the Top.The most important part of
Buyer’s remarks is his deliberate “welfarizing” of the VA healthcare system.
By telling us the priority of the VA is to care for “disabled and indigent”
veterans first, he minimizes and denigrates the sacrifices made by ALL
veterans.  The VA was setup to serve ALL veterans including the “disabled
and indigent.”  This careful positioning of the VA healthcare system creates
the impression that the VA is a welfare program and veterans are just
looking for a “handout.”  Also, it’s easy to talk about the “intent” of a
previous Congress when your goal is to undo what they have done.  And the
remark about “core constituency” is just plain outlandish.  The VA serves
ALL veterans.Buyer’s remarks are clever, well-planned, well-delivered and
approved at the highest levels.  Buyer’s remarks also point to a dismal
future for the VA.  The VA healthcare system is about to be changed and
there may never be any going back.  Priority Group 8 veterans have now been
cut from the system.  Outgoing VA Secretary Principi has indicated that
Priority Group 7 is the next to go.  Under-funding means veterans wait
months, and sometimes over a year, for necessary surgeries and other medical
procedures.  Yet Buyer talks of “bloated bureaucracies.”  That’s code for:
More budget cuts.  Funny that there was no mention of “bloated” bureaucrats.
They always seem to survive.Don’t think this “welfarizing” of the VA won’t
fly.  Using carefully chosen buzz words in the proper setting can sell this
in a heartbeat.  “Bloated bureaucracies” are hated by all even though the VA
is hardly bloated.  “Modernize” is another good word because new is
perceived as being much better than old.  A phrase like “intent of Congress”
coming from a member of Congress has the sound of authority.  Then there are
the two key words.  “Disabled” is easily construed by many to mean unwilling
as opposed to its true meaning of unable.  “Indigent” just plain means
homeless to most people and a majority of Americans feel the homeless choose
to be that way.

Often, this type of campaign to change public perception is referred to as
“demonizing.”   By “demonizing” the VA and not veterans the onus has been
placed on a governmental system that can be viewed, by some, as “bloated”
and out of control.  You will notice there is no “demonizing” of veterans in
all this rhetoric.  To do that would be political suicide.  The only way to
“support veterans” and cut their services and benefits at the same time is
to portray the VA system as broken when it is not.  The VA just needs to be
funded properly. So, get ready for more.  The only effective way to keep
cutting the VA budget is to sell the concept to the American people as a
form of welfare.  As an old broadcaster and public relations guy, let me
tell you how it’s going to be done.

REMOVE DISSENT.  Principi, Specter and Smith are gone.  Those with a say now
speak with one voice.  Unity is important.  Say we support veterans.

USE DEFLECTION INSTEAD OF FACT.  When asked about under-funding at the VA,
President Bush has never directly addressed the issue or answered the
question.  He uses deflection.  Like this statement on October 13, 2004:
“We've increased VA funding by $22 billion in the four years since I've been
president.”  The dollar figure is accurate and it appears to paint a rosy
picture.  But it’s just a number taken out of context and does not take into
account that veterans seeking healthcare have increased faster than the
budget increases can handle them.  Don’t worry.  Just say we support
veterans.

SAY IT AND SAY IT AND SAY IT.  If you say it enough people will accept it as
the truth.  This works for everything from political campaigns to
advertising widgets.  Just keep saying it.  Say we support veterans.  Then
say it again.  Say we support veterans.

GET IN LOCKSTEP.  Make sure everyone is saying the same thing.  This is only
slightly removed from #1 but can only be implemented after the dissenters
are gone.  Say we support veterans.

FLOAT A TRIAL BALLOON.  Once all the proper players are lined up have one of
them say it out loud.  The Steve Buyer statement about “disabled and
indigent” veterans is a perfect example.  Say we support veterans.

GAUGE REACTION.  Did anybody squawk when you floated the trial balloon?  Did
the Senate march, en masse, into the Oval Office demanding an end to this?
No?  Did the veterans’ groups moan and groan?  They did?  Don’t worry about
it because we’ll just go back to #2 and #3 until they believe.  OK, it looks
like it’s going to fly.  Say we support veterans.

REPEAT #3 WITH HELP FROM THE MEDIA.  Get the talking points out to the talk
show hosts and have them beat it into the ground.  Many Americans say they
get their “news” from talk shows, so what better place to sell a concept
that people will think is factual.  Say we support veterans.

PROPOSE LEGISLATION.   Use all the right phrases like “bloated
 bureaucracies” and “core constituents” and “intent of Congress.”  Cut the
VA to the bone and wait for veterans to yell.  Say we support veterans.

LET THEM YELL.  Give the other side of the aisle lots of time to scream
bloody murder then call them “tax and spend liberals” and move on.  Let the
veterans groups raise heck and tell them it is for their own good.  Say we
support veterans.

DISREGARD #9 AND PASS THE LEGISLATION.  Hey, we listened, right?  Pass the
bill and forget about it.  Oh, yeah.  Don’t forget to say we support
veterans.

Right now we are in the midst of #6.  The rest will come faster than you
think.  As the VA is carefully positioned as a welfare program public
support for more funding will fade away.  Is Priority Group 7 next?  The
Clothing Allowance?  Benefits for spouses?  How about a dollar cut in
monthly benefits?  How about longer waits for medical treatment? We can sit
back and watch this happen or we can do something about it NOW!  It is time
for a new level of activism in the veteran community.  If we accept this
deliberate and willful destruction of the VA we dishonor every American
veteran.  Let us not allow this to happen.

EDITOR'S NOTE;

In our opinion, Larry has it nailed in this article. Never, in the years of writing for veterans newspapers and activist publications have we seen it more plainly put in words. As a activist in Veterans affairs, we can tell you that every word that Larry has printed here can be documented and proven and if you have a brain cell in your head, you will know that this is how it all happens in D.C. This is the machine, the (yes) enemy we are fighting every day in every hall of this nations capitol. It must stop and as Larry says, we can not let it happen.

Signed,

Bill Gast
USN (ret) DAV

Editor, Wesupportthevets.com
California Chairman, Veterans Party of America.