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<body class='hmmessage'>I apologize to Arnold and the Vision 2020 listserve for my comment suggesting that Arnold has no clue.<BR>
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It is simply that matters concerning veterans are extremely important and dear to me and I "flew off the handle". I may have misinterpreted Arnold's intent of his posting. If so, I apologize for that as well.<BR>
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Although my responses to such matters may continue to seem heated, I will make every attempt to refrain from "attacking the messenger".<BR>
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If any of you fine people feel that I have been unduly harsh and/or wrongly attacked a subscriber, I would sincerely appreciate off-list comments.<BR>
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Again, my apologies to Arnold and the fine people of Vision 2020.<BR>
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Tom Hansen<BR>
Moscow, Idaho <BR><BR><BR><BR><BR>
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> To: donovanjarnold2005@yahoo.com; nickgier@adelphia.net; vision2020@moscow.com; lfalen@turbonet.com<BR>> From: thansen@moscow.com<BR>> Date: Sat, 21 Jun 2008 13:41:41 +0000<BR>> Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Our Troops Deserve Better Support When They Come<BR>> <BR>> Again, Arnold has absolutely NO CLUE.<BR>> <BR>> I am a lifetime member of Disabled American Vets (membership which <BR>> requires considerably more than a regular fee) and have been in regular <BR>> contact with its regional representative in Lewiston, as well as <BR>> monitoring various VA activities.<BR>> <BR>> "Arnold" stated:<BR>> <BR>> "The biggest problem with VA hospitals is that they are not in enough <BR>> locations and that they do not service all Veterans."<BR>> <BR>> HUH?!?!?!?<BR>> <BR>> Although I know the answers to these questions, I will ask "Arnold" just <BR>> the same.<BR>> <BR>> Since the "biggest problem with VA hospitals is that they are not in <BR>> enough locations", why are more and more of them being closed down . . . <BR>> like the one that used to be located in the Tri-cities area?<BR>> <BR>> Why is the VA hospital in Spokane considered for termination almost on an <BR>> annual basis, as they reduce the number of available programs?<BR>> <BR>> When I first moved to Moscow, back in 1992, the number of physicians that <BR>> accepted Tri-Care (health insurance provider for active duty and retired <BR>> military personnel) could be counted on one hand (and they were primarily <BR>> general practitioners). Today, a considerably larger percentage of <BR>> physicians in Moscow accept Tri-Care.<BR>> <BR>> Yes. I realize that I am talking about retirees. But, these same <BR>> resources must be available to ALL veterans.<BR>> <BR>> The primary reason why there are fewer and fewer VA hospitals available to <BR>> all veterans has to do with the federal budget. As more and more tax cuts <BR>> are introduced and made permanent, the smaller the federal budget. The <BR>> smaller the federal budget, the less money there is to subsidize various <BR>> departments. The less money there is to subsidize departments (i.e. the <BR>> Department of Veterans Afairs - www.va.org), the more those departments <BR>> must redefine their programs (trim here, trim there, eliminate this, <BR>> eliminate that).<BR>> <BR>> "Arnold" goes on to utter:<BR>> <BR>> "I frankly, don't believe we should have VA Hospitals. Instead, any US <BR>> Veteran should be able to walk into any clinic or hospital, and visit any<BR>> doctor and get any necessary treatment they need. The hospital and doctor<BR>> should gladly take any insurance payment the veteran is able to offer,<BR>> whether it be Blue Shield Plus or the last piece of gum melted in the<BR>> bottom of his pocket."<BR>> <BR>> The veteran NEEDS VA hospitals! There are many, MANY veterans that simply <BR>> cannot afford insurance, or haven't any of those "many veterans", that you <BR>> take to private hospitals, mentioned that to you?<BR>> <BR>> And don't even get me started on the ever-increasing number of homeless <BR>> veterans.<BR>> <BR>> Pro patria,<BR>> <BR>> Tom Hansen<BR>> Moscow, Idaho<BR>> <BR>> "We're a town of about 23,000 with 10,000 college students. The college <BR>> students are not very active in local elections (thank goodness!)."<BR>> <BR>> - Dale Courtney (March 28, 2007)<BR>> <BR>> <BR>> ---------------------------------------------<BR>> This message was sent by First Step Internet.<BR>> http://www.fsr.com/<BR>> <BR>> <BR>> =======================================================<BR>> List services made available by First Step Internet, <BR>> serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994. <BR>> http://www.fsr.net <BR>> mailto:Vision2020@moscow.com<BR>> =======================================================<BR><BR></body>
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