No Help for Injured and Disabled Veterans - Unfortunately it is Left Up to Congress (a Blog for My Grandfather)
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The San Franscico Chronicle recently reported Dictrict Court Judge Samuel Conti dismissed a lawsuit filed on behalf of injured and disabled veterans who sought better access to both medical benefits and mental health treatment. The Judge, who is powerless as this issue is one for Congress to decide, did make a point to state that the plaintiffs had clearly shown evidence of shortcomings in the department’s care of veterans.
However, as I mentioned, the power to enact changes within the VA rests with Congress. As an attorney, I understand and appreciate the Judge's ruling. Courts do not and can not make laws, only interpret them.
The problem I have with our veteran's healthcare and disability benefits being left in the hands of Congress is that odds are Congress will do nothing. No matter what you think of filmmaker Michael Moore, several points he has made in his movies (I don't think he is always accurate but these are points I believe to be true) do not give me any reason to be optimistic...
In "Farenheight 911," Michael Moore states that at the time the film was produced, only one member of Congress had a child who had served in wartime.
In "Sicko" he documented the outstanding healthcare received by detainees, many who are alleged terrorists, in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba (healthcare approved by Congress). In contrast, he revealed that Congress would not pass laws to provide healthcare to the brave citizens who assisted at Ground Zero and now suffer from disabling breathing problems. Their remedy is to attempt to obtain Social Security benefits. As this is a primary practice area in our law firm, I can tell you that the benefits they seek will likely take two or three years, if they ever receive them. Meanwhile, the alleged terrorists who may have had a part in 9/11 are being provided exceptional healthcare...paid for by our tax dollars!
It is sad that Congress is the only chance our nation's veterans have when its' members don't have immediate family who are veterans. (likely because the military's advertising is directed to poor minorities and other underpriveleged but I will save that for another blog). Back to Congress...these are the same elected officials pass laws to provide billions of dollars in funding to the pointless war we are now stuck in. Think about it for a moment... they will fund the wars our soldiers risk and often lose their lives in but will not pass laws to fund appropriate care and benefits for those who are fortunate enough to return alive. The same elected body has passed laws ensuring appropriate healthcare to alleged terrorists, but refuse to come to an agreement to provide healthcare to the people who voted them into office in the first place, including the ones who assisted in saving fellow American lives at Ground Zero.
As I have been writing this blog, I have thought about my grandfather. He was a highly decorated WWII veteran. His war efforts began on the beaches of Normandy and ended three years and seven countries later. He received a Purple Heart among nearly a dozen other medals of honor and accomplishment. I have always been told he came home an entirely different person. He underwent thirty-one electric shock treatments and suffered from PTSD his entire life. He never even mentioned the war to me. The sad thing is that it took nearly thirty years for him to receive disability benefits. He died two years later, a shell of the young man who left to fight for our country.
What happened to him never seemed right to me. We all want to change the world. The best I can do is fight for social security and veterans benefits for the disabled. I never want to be a politician.
I can only hope that we, as a nation, begin voting the right candidates into office. The decisions we make in November can change our world. If you are concerned about our nation's healthcare crisis and want to see our veterans receive appropriate medical care and disability benefits, please vote for Obama. I never intended this blog to be as political in nature as it has turned out, but I thought of my grandfather and how truly worried I am about our nation right now...particularly the welfare of those who have fought to retain our freedoms, including my right to compose this blog.