Saturday, September 20, 2008

A South Texas VA Hospital? Cornyn Can’t Deliver the Goods.

Working fast and furious, our two Republican senators got some tax extensions included in a tax bill, and got some hurricane relief funds included in it as well. But when it came down to the wire, the much-promised funding for a VA hospital to serve the Rio Grande Valley somehow did not make the cut.

So South Texas veterans will have to continue to receive health care from VA hospitals that are up to a 6 hour drive away.

According to Cornyn, who is very quick to lay blame at others’ feet, the bill was not included as an amendment to a defense funding bill because Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and bill manager Carl Levin refused to include it.

John Cornyn has only himself to blame for this one.

Cornyn’s problem?

John Cornyn.

As the second to lowest ranked senator in the US Senate in terms of effectiveness, Cornyn is a liability for his constituents and the Senate leadership knows it. John Cornyn is up for re-election this year against a formidable opponent, Lt Col Rick Noriega. Senate leadership sees an opportunity to exchange a lemon for a plum, and declined to give the junior senator a piece of pork to deliver to his state.

The message to Texans is clear. Clean up your act and send a Democrat to the US Senate. If Texans want to get these things funded, they need to rethink this whole “elect-a-Republican-at-any-price” thing.

So South Texas veterans who are being told by John Cornyn to “keep up the pressure on Congress by making phone calls, sending e-mail and letters, and holding meetings” maybe ought to reconsider working on this with Cornyn. As we all found out this week, Cornyn can’t deliver the goods because Cornyn is Cornyn.

Rather than gnash your teeth at Cronyn’s failure, better to send a Democrat to the US Senate. A Democrat will be able to get this done.

A Democrat like Rick Noriega.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

This was S. 1838. Obama and Clinton were 2 of the three Co-Sponsors. Why didn't Reid allow this?

Clark Bowers said...

Is this the same perspective you gave to your students?

Reid, aka the Democratic Majority leader block the Valley Veterans Hospital so you think it's Cornyn's fault for trying? I know how many patients come up from the Valley and how much Veterans need this.

Maybe you should read how the Veterans in the Valley are cheering for Cornyn's efforts. Even Obama and Clinton backed him, why can't you??? Oh, that's right partisan politics. Think of the citizens, not the party numbers on capital hill.

Do the right thing, that's what Cornyn's trying to do. You don't have to support him, but why not support those efforts? This is just sad.

Read what the Veteran's think Hal:


http://www.riograndeguardian.com/rggnews_story.asp?story_no=21

http://www.riograndeguardian.com/rggnews_story.asp?story_no=22

Hal said...

Agreed. This is partisan politics at its most naked. But don't you see the point? Partisanship aside, Cornyn is worthless and needs to go. Why allow a bill to come to a vote that gives Cornyn something to crow about? Why not instead send the message to Texans that if they want to get anything out of the senate that Republicans have immobilized with their filibustering, elect a Democrat.

Clark Bowers said...

Well how about it Hal? You haven't posted my last comment, but I wanted to see what your thoughts are about rising past the partisan politics to help the great citizens of the state of Texas. Why is proposing a hospital for Veterans a chip in a poker game, that's just wrong.

Hal said...

Before you accuse me of anything, take a look above, Clark.

Using these things as a chip in partisan politics may be wrong, but it is done ALL THE TIME by BOTH parties.

Give me a break. You must be a political tyro if you don't know that.

This time it's our turn to say to Texans if they want something, like a VA hospital, it would be best to vote for the Democrat.