It's Obvious - That To Some - It's Politics Before Country

[HARDCORE]

4-26-2018

(opinion)

Even down to the selection of “A New Veterans Administration Secretary”, some of those immature cretins (opinion) within congress are still squalling like a spoiled baby with a crappy diaper!

And even as far as opinions go, and judging from the past comments of some within that esteemed body (and elsewhere), they have also made it quite clear that “Their way of thinking is the only acceptable way of thinking (enter “Big Brother)?”

“Maybe we should vet our congress people and senate on a day by day basis as well – a vote of confidence so to speak, with immediate impeachment being the final possibility?”
And Once Again – Let me make it perfectly clear that I could give a damn less what political party occupies “The White House”, just so long as “Our People Themselves” are their primary concern and consideration - “But Apparently We Are Not!”

It is also my opinion, that to some in congress, they could give a damn less if “Our Country” falls apart, or is overrun by foreign interests, just as long as their demands are obeyed without question!! In fact, it would not surprise me at all, if many of them were in favor of abolishing all but “The Legislative Branch of Government?”

But once again, when a well qualified candidate for V.A. Secretary is thrown under “The Grinding Wheels of Absolute Control” - and this for no other reason than congressional arrogance and pouting, then I can not help but wonder how long it will be before congress begins to individually attack “Our People” as well? “And in my opinion, that too is fast approaching!” Maybe a “One Term Limit” isn’t such a bad idea after all, and at times, maybe even that is far too long?

For the record: No human being is perfect, so as ‘Jesus Christ’ once said: “Let He Who Is Without Sin Cast The First Stone?”

Hardcore

[Boats]

Jeff Flake: A lot of Republicans had concerns about Jackson from the beginning
RE: https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-ne...kson-trump-va/

Note some of the issues that plagued Mr. Jackson during his confirmation hearings:

Sen. Jeff Flake said Dr. Ronny Jackson made the right decision to withdraw his name from the VA nomination.

But he added that there should have been better vetting of Jackson to begin with.

"Well it was certainly the right decision. He wasn’t gonna go anywhere. But I have to say there should have been better vetting done in the first place," Sen. Flake told CNN.

"The President was saying that it was just Democrats who had an issue, it wasn’t. A lot of Republicans, a lot of my colleagues were very uneasy about this nomination from the beginning just because of the lack of experience and qualifications."

Senators uncertain about promoting Ronny Jackson's military rank
From CNN's Manu Raju

Dr. Ronny Jackson is awaiting a promotion of his military rank, something that requires approval from the Senate Armed Services Committee. Senators are uncertain they will support that yet.

Sen. Lindsey Graham said he’s sure there will be an investigation into the allegations and said, “While I’m fully prepared” to support him based on his career “I want to hear more about these allegations.”

Sen. Blumenthal said there needs to be a full inspector general investigation before there’s any promotion to two stars.

Dr. Jackson will stay on as White House physician
From CNN’s Kaitlan Collins

White House press secretary Sarah Sanders noted earlier that Dr. Ronny Jackson is at the White House for work today.

Separately, a second official said the plan is for Dr. Jackson to remain on as the White House physician as long as he is assigned here. His assignment could change, of course, but there is no immediate plan for him to resign or retire.

This would mean that the allegations against him were serious enough to warrant him withdrawing his nomination, but not serious enough for him to resign.

This morning, President Trump said Sen. Jon Tester, who led the congressional oversight on Dr. Ronny Jackson’s now-failed nomination to lead the VA, should have a “big price to pay in Montana.”

An official for the Tester campaign told CNN that the idea that the senator was going after Jackson to pick a fight with Trump is laughable and disagreed with Trump's comments.

“Jon’s focus from the beginning is making sure we have strong leadership at the top of the VA so our veterans are taken care of. Jon has worked with the president to get 8 bills signed into law on the VA,” the official noted. “That is his goal.”
“This isn’t political for him, it is about doing right by our veterans,” he said.

Jon Tester also released a statement following Jackson's announcement that he has withdrawn his nomination:

“I want to thank the servicemembers who bravely spoke out over the past week. It is my Constitutional responsibility to make sure the veterans of this nation get a strong, thoroughly vetted leader who will fight for them. The next Secretary must have a commitment to reform a strained health care system and a willingness to stand up to special interests who want to privatize the VA. My sleeves are rolled up and ready to work with Chairman Isakson to vet and confirm a Secretary who is fit to run the VA.”

Trump: Nobody has the experience to run the VA
The Department of Veterans Affairs is one of the largest government agencies, charged with taking care of about 20 million veterans.

Jackson's nomination was a major surprise, and many questioned whether or not he had the experience to run such a large department.

Speaking to Fox News this morning, President Trump acknowledged Jackson's lack of experience, but added that no one has that experience.

"Nobody has the experience" to run the VA, Trump said. "It's a big monster."

White House says Jackson is at work today
From CNN's Kevin Liptak

Though he may no longer be Trump's nominee to lead the VA, Dr. Ronny Jackson still has a job.

Press secretary Sarah Sanders said moments ago that he is at work today.

"Admiral Jackson is a doctor in the United States Navy assigned to the White House and is here at work today," she said.

Trump: Democratic senator who ran oversight on Jackson should have a "big price to pay"
From CNN's Dan Merica

President Trump says Sen. Jon Tester — who led the congressional oversight on Dr. Ronny Jackson’s now-failed nomination to lead the VA — should have a “big price to pay in Montana.”

Tester is up for re-election in a state the President won by more than 20 points in 2016. The senator was the most public critic of Jackson, including interviews with CNN and NPR.

“I think this is going to cause him a lot of problems in his state,” Trump said on Fox News Thursday morning.

Earlier this week, Tester said Jackson was known as "the candy man" inside the White House, citing reports from individuals who raised concerns about his nomination.

Dr. Ronny Jackson has faced multiple accusations of misconduct over the course of his career.

Democratic staff on the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee released a document last night that included a list of allegations from the committee's conversations with nearly two dozen of Jackson's former and current colleagues made Jackson's chances at survival more uncertain.

Here's what those allegations are, according to the summary released by Senate Democrats, the contents of which remain under investigation by lawmakers and have not yet been substantiated:

Jackson was allegedly "abusive" to his colleagues.
He reportedly loosely handled prescription pain medications
Jackson was allegedly periodically intoxicated, even once wrecking a government vehicle while drunk.

Trump says he has another candidate in mind
President Trump, speaking to Fox News this morning after Ronny Jackson's withdrawal, said he has another person in mind for the top job at Veterans Affairs.

Though he didn't go into detail, Trump said his next candidate is someone with “political capability.”

He did not expand on who that person may be.

The White House's next problem? Finding someone to replace Jackson.
From CNN's Kaitlan Collins

Now that Dr. Ronny Jackson has withdrawn his nomination, the White House have has big problem on their hands: who to replace him with.

Several officials tell CNN there is no plan B. The reason David Shulkin lasted for so long when he was on the verge of being fired was because the White House couldn’t settle on a suitable replacement, until President Trump picked the White House physician on a whim.

Several names were floated previously — Pete Hegseth, Rick Perry — but there is no obvious choice here.

They are right back where they started, one official says.

Read Jackson's full statement announcing he's withdrawing as Trump's VA pick
Rear Adm. Ronny Jackson just announced he has withdrawn as Trump's nominee to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Here's his full statement:

One of the greatest honors in my life has been to serve this country as a physician both on the battlefield with United States Marines and as proud member of the United States Navy. It has been my distinct honor and privilege to work at the White House and serve three Presidents.Going into this process, I expected tough questions about how to best care for our veterans, but I did not expect to have to dignify baseless and anonymous attacks on my character and integrity.The allegations against me are completely false and fabricated. If they had any merit, I would not have been selected, promoted and entrusted to serve in such a sensitive and important role as physician to three presidents over the past 12 years. In my role as a doctor, I have tirelessly worked to provide excellent care for all my patients. In doing so, I have always adhered to the highest ethical tandards.

Unfortunately, because of how Washington works, these false allegations have become a distraction for this President and the important issue we must be addressing – how we give the best care to our nation’s heroes.While I will forever be grateful for the trust and confidence President Trump has placed in me by giving me this opportunity, I am regretfully withdrawing my nomination to be Secretary for the Department of Veterans Affairs. I am proud of my service to the country and will always be committed to the brave veterans who volunteer to defend our freedoms.

Trump wanted to defend Jackson at the White House press briefing, but aides said no
From CNN's Jeff Zeleny, Jeremy Diamond and Kevin Liptak

A White House official said President Trump raised the prospect of going into the briefing room today to stick up for Dr. Ronny Jackson, simply to say he’s a good guy and he has his support. Several senior administration officials advised him against doing so, an official told CNN, including White House press secretary Sarah Sanders who urged him not to.

The president is increasingly questioning whether Jackson can survive the latest round of allegations “before things get worse,” an official said.

The White House was blindsided by the latest CNN reporting of the car accident and other allegations, the official said, and the president is astonished no one is coming to his defense — a sign he believes this is worse than he thought.

White House aides are preparing tonight for the possibility that Jackson may pull his nomination, and aides are openly discussing the possibility that Jackson could pull his nomination, two White House officials told CNN.

Democratic congressman calls on Jackson to "remove himself from consideration"
Rep. Tim Walz, the ranking member of House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, called on Ronny Jackson to withdraw his nomination to be the Veterans Affairs secretary.

“For the good of our nation’s veterans, I urge Adm. Ronny Jackson to immediately remove himself from consideration and for President Trump to work closely with our nation’s well respected veterans service organizations to identify a qualified candidate to lead the department and who will stand up to efforts to privatize VA.”
Walz said Jackson, who is Trump's presidential physician, lacks the experience to run the massive agency.

Former Obama officials defend Jackson on character, but say he lacks experience
From CNN's Jeff Zeleny

Two officials who worked closely with Ronny Jackson in the Obama administration said the nickname “The Candyman” has been misconstrued.

They told CNN Jackson was, in fact, called that name on occasion, but it was because of his friendly demeanor and people liked being around him.

The officials didn’t dispute that Jackson gave out sleeping aids, but only after asking routine medical questions.

Jackson would ask staffers how long they wanted to sleep and whether they had to get any work done on the flight. The prescriptions ranged from Ambien to non-prescription drugs like melatonin.

“The people who are calling him the Candyman are out to get him,” one of the officials said. “White House staffers were expected to make Transatlantic flights sleeping on the floor. It wasn’t just him.”
Six former Obama officials told CNN they were reluctant to speak on the record because they did not believe Jackson was qualified to lead the Veterans Affairs Department.

They believed he was a highly-qualified, dedicated and attentive physician, but lacked the management experience to run the massive government agency.

A former Obama official who traveled frequently with Jackson said “he had his detractors."

"He was bossy. He was loud,” the official said. But this person said the portrait being painted of Jackson was inaccurate.

While Jackson was known to drink alcohol on trips, the officials said, he was also often seen not drinking in social situations.

The officials said they were never made aware of drunken incidents at the time, which have now been reported to the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee by whistle-blowers.