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You're Voting for Your VA Medical...

By Nick Medvecky

One of the things inherited from World War II vets was the GI Bill. I went through college, purchased a home, and can always count on medical benefits when needed. Now that I'm on Social Security and Medicare, the VA makes all the difference in the world.

New York Times economist Paul Krugman warned in an op-ed last November, "Vouchers for Veterans," that candidate Romney intends to privatize the Veterans Health Administration.

The reality is the VA provides better care than most Americans receive. As an integrated system—both providing and paying for health care—it's a prime example of both public cost savings and universal treatment. And yes, it is "socialized medicine."

I've always been amazed that the leading corporatists in America argue, in effect, for "privatization of profit, and socialization of loss." They reap the profits, we pay for it.

While they haven't mentioned it lately (there's an election on), they fully intend to "voucher" the VHA. This is a bald design to profitize the service, jack the admin costs, and sell it back to you.

This is an election for the very soul of what remains of democracy...presumably what all vets have and continue to fight for.

Romney-Ryan would offer vets the "option" of giving them vouchers so they could buy their own private insurance, thereby undermining and destroying the VHA. He and his corporatist pals would clean up.

The costs of that insurance? "Hey, that's private, unregulated enterprise!"

They promise precisely the same for Medicare and Social Security. Medicaid they plan to radically cut and restructure.

To their thinking, it's quite clear: "If you're stupid enough to fall for it, then you deserve what you get...an empty bag and the bill!"

Dr. Nick Medvecky (PsyD), served in the 101st Airborne 1959-61. A journalist in the Middle East (1969-71), he was also a Criminal Defense Investigator for 17 years in Detroit, and served 20 years in federal prison. He publishes a blog at the AmericanTribune.org.