Fire Shinseki? Why?

To fire the Secretary of Veteran's Affairs, Eric Shinseki, over the current scandal spreading through the Department would serve only one purpose: to provide the satisfaction of punishing someone.

It would assure that nothing would be done toward solving the problem. It would embroil the Senate in a big confirmation struggle to approve a replacement Secretary..The problem is not management...it is government... probably all three branches.

Long ago, in an effort to protect Civil Service employees from being used as political pawns, the Congress made it almost impossible to fire an under-performing employee.

Then, to reward organized labor for supporting one political party, the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) were permitted to set up work rules designed to drain any remaining incentive from Department employees. Betsy McCaughey, former Lt. Governor of New York, says "For AFGE, the VA is a jobs program. The union wants more patients, bigger VA budgets, and more staff, never mind what ailing vets need."

You cannot fix this system. The government should sell every V.A. hospital. Yes, there are many good employees among the current 300,000 work force. Under professional, private administration, the former V.A. hospitals would eagerly retain those good employees.

Then, give the Vets proper health care. Several systems have been suggested. It should be possible to agree on one of the choices.