I must talk too fast

People apparently hear what they want, re: the Alan Colmes interiew.

I didn't advocate that a nurse or medic should pick up a mop and clean my room, I simply stated that had they done so, the maintenance laborer's union would've likely lodged a complaint.

I also didn't clearly express my idea for "fixing" the problems at WRAMC, which I did convy to Sandi H. last week: We, the people, have to be involved more. We, the people need to make our elected leaders know that care of our soldiers and veterans is not just a hot buton issue, it is the only issue. If, under their watch, these things happen, regardless of any other thing they've done to improve our country, we'll vote them out on their ass, period.

We, the people want oversight. We want our veterans to have the exact same level of lifetime medical care that our congressmen and cabinet members enjoy, without cost, unlike the proposed hikes in "TRICARE for life" (or more aptly, Tricare until you give up and die.)

We, the people, need to demand our elected leaders pony up and start paying our soldiers what they earn, which is far more than what they currently get, and far less that what they are worse--even if it means we pay a little bit more (say $5 each) in taxes.

Most importantly, we, the people, need to get off our lazy asses and start visiting VA hospitals on (at least) the two days a year set aside to honor veterans. At least more people would know that Walter Reed isn't a VA hospital, it's an Army Medical Center.

The medical care at WRAMC, BAMC and TAMC is better than anywhere else in the world. Now if we can just fix the bureacracy that so restricts and impedes the medical personnel and patients from healing, we'd be doing great. "Budget" should never be a word uttered in the hal;s of ANY military or veterans medical facility.

--Chuck

Now, does anyone think that nationalized (socialized) healthcare would still work?