BernieHund: The Political Watchdog

Could it be possible that our veterans will finally get the help they need from Ret. Gen. Eric Shinseki?  If so, it will be long overdue.

Retired Gen. Eric K. Shinseki pledged to move quickly to fix gaps in health care if confirmed as Veterans Affairs secretary, saying he will reopen benefits to hundreds of thousands of middle-income veterans denied during the Bush administration.

As the present administration led our young men and women into war, not only did they fail to have an exit strategy, they also failed to prepare for the injuries and disabilities that would follow the invasion. Over the past few years we have seen our VA hospitals in shambles, our young veterans waiting for extended periods of time to receive necessary care, and rejections of the benefits the veterans were due and deserved.

Although many of us have stood staunchly against the War in Iraq, we have stood solidly behind our men and women in the military. The lack of respect, not to mention the lack of care and concern for their well-being is a disgrace to our nation. Perhaps, Retired General Shinseki will have the will to see that our veterans, from any of the wars in which we have been engaged, get the medical, physical and psychological care they deserve. We will be watching. That’s for sure.

The man named by the scandal-plagued governor of Illinois to replace President-elect Barack Obama in the U.S. Senate failed to gain entry on Tuesday when the chamber’s secretary rejected as incomplete his credentials for the seat.

Roland Burris, a Democrat appointed to the seat by fellow Democrat Rod Blagojevich, said afterward, “I am not seeking to have any type of confrontation. I will now consult with my attorneys and we will determine what my next step will be.”

Well, let’s just say that at this moment in time Governor Rod Blagojevich is still the Governor of Illinois and it is his duty to select and appoint the replacement for the Senate seat vacated by President-elect Barack Obama. 

So, enough of the silliness and all the huffing and puffing.  There are more important things to do than keep Roland Burris from taking his seat.  Harry Reid needs to focus on what needs to be done for the people of America, not just attempt to flex his so-called authority, especially when in all likelihood Burris will be seated and soon.

See the Roland Burris reaction.

The dismal sales results for the Big Three were worse than many thought it would be.  Chrysler sales were down around 50% for December with Ford and GM seeing a little over a 30% reduction in sales for the same time period.  But, lest we think that only American automakers are feeling the economic crunch, Toyota has announced an 11-day shut down of production.

Toyota is suspending production at all 12 of its Japan plants for 11 days over February and March, a stoppage of unprecedented scale for the nation’s top automaker as it grapples with shrinking global demand.

The last time Toyota Motor Corp. halted production at all its Japan plants was in August 1993, when demand plunged because of a rising yen, and that was for only one day, according to the company.

Toyota reported a 37% reduction in car sales in the U.S. in December.