I am responding to Archie Richards’s letter “Privatize the Veterans Administration” (Monitor letters, May 27).
In it, he got one thing correct. The VA is one of the best examples of socialism in the United States, next to every branch of the U.S. military. Lest citizens forget other examples of socialism: guaranteed public education; public libraries and transportation; roads and highways; social security; Medicare/Medicaid; public universities and parks; public parking; police and fire departments, etc.
Philip Longman, author of Best Care Anywhere: Why VA Health Care Is Better Than Yours, says: “The enemies of the VA include the Koch brothers who, fearful of the spread of socialized medicine, are funding a well-coordinated campaign (including support for the group Concerned Veterans for America) to discredit its only true example in the United States, which is the veterans health care system. And they include giant corporate health care systems that stand to gain billions in taxpayer dollars from the privatization or outsourcing of veterans health care.”
Why destroy the VA as so many doctors are experts and collaborate on addressing veterans’ problems ranging from Agent Orange concerns, traumatic brain injuries, to the deleterious effects on our veterans of using high-caliber depleted uranium bullets and high-powered DU shells.
VA doctors and medical technicians have done extensive research and testing on veterans suffering from AO, TBI, DU and PTSD.
The VA does an exceptional job of meeting the unique needs and health conditions of veterans. Let’s keep it.
WILLIAM THOMAS
Auburn