Greg Mankiw thinks the VA is having problems.
I can not believe the nerve of Greg Mankiw posting a blog about the Veterans Administration having problems.
He suggests giving Vets a voucher.
I suggest that he should apologize to all the Vets for the War and Tax cuts policies that were implemented while he was at the White House that created the problem he is referring to.
But I guess Republicans do not believe they ever have to take the blame for the problems they create.
PGL also speaks to the issues:
http://econospeak.blogspot.com/2014/05/funding-for-veterans-health.html
The only reasonable voucher system I have seen for VA is to help serve veterans in highly rural areas where the nearest VA is miles and miles away, for things involving Physical therapy for instance.
Hear, hear, Spencer. We Jews have a word for this type of thing: chutzpah.
(I’m feeling pretty Jewish today. See http://angrybearblog.strategydemo.com/2014/05/do-take-advantage-of-your-brand-new-prayer-opportunities-along-with-your-newly-created-job-opportunities-and-all-your-new-freedoms.html.)
It is really tough to find that economists like Greg Mankiew, whose books we read while growing up and learning Economics, suggest privatization at every drop of hat. The issue of governance cannot be linked with the issue of privatization. Inefficiency in delivering the right services to the veterans that government should look into to provide them a better life. However, privatization cannot be the solution of the problem always to inefficiency. In fact, spill over takes place in case of private entities too. Therefore, it is erroneous to link delay in delivery system with that of privatizing the entity in entirety. That’s a plain neo-liberal agenda and nothing else.
Economic and/or political ideology is often other than the result of intellectual inspection and introspection. Ideologies often are the result of one’s recognition and awareness of one’s own best interest. Not necessarily a quid pro quo, but often a mechanism which filters out those whose ideas coincide with what is best for society rather than what is best for personal gain. And those who rise to the top, based on their anti-societal ideas, come to internalize those ideas as being good for all. In effect Mankiw understands how his bread gets buttered and who it is that controls the distribution of the spread.
The VA does have a geography problem, and some use of private service would prevent some 300 mile round trip van rides.
Some older vets use Medicare and then VA as a supplement, when the geography makes sense.
Start a war and cut taxes – dumb ass.
Hi Spencer:
This vet is a little fed up with those who wish to have sway in what we deserve. 20 years and a 50% pension plus medical care, why is this outrageous to some? Cut Senator and Representative benefits until they get 20 years into the effort. I read this a while back on another blog:
pretty good read here: http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2014/05/empire-decline-city-city-town-town.html by Peter Van Buren. It talks about decaying towns in the US. I tried posting there; but, I think I made a mistake somehow as it did not materialize.
Peter Van Buren also talks about Camp Lejeune as being a gated community in NC. What he describes is not the Camp Lejeune I remember with the brick barracks; the blue panel trucks pulling up to them in the lunch/evening selling cardboard pizzas, Royal Crown soda, peanuts and moon pies. When I left the west coast, I was based out of Lejeune and would make that jump to Cuba with 8th Marines or swoop up to NYC to visit my gf who lived between my aunts and cousins. Gated community? I do not thinks so although it was neatly kept and no one was running around with live ammo except for MPs or your rifles as they were in the armory. There was a polluted water issue at Lejeune which I found out about after applying for VA benefits for when I am destitute. It seems trichloroethylene got into the water supply. I suffer no ill effects from it. The Commissary I went to was not what he describes.
As far as pay, my $420/month as a sergeant e-5 in 1971 did not go far and it was enough to get me up to NYC once and still have enough to launder clothes for the month. I do not doubt there is waste in the military; but at the enlisted levels and for what we did, it was not enough and you can see the evidence of it on The Wall. There is no amount of retirement or money that can pay for that.
Living quarters for married? I remember small apartments and trailers for the married enlisted at my rank and below which is one reason I would not get married while in the military. My Master Gunnery Sergeant cousin had a house in Albany with 4 kids + a wife in it. It was neat; but, it was no mansion. Yet some seem to think it was an easy road.
Medical services for rural? The VA could let them go to local hospitals and clinics and just bill back to the VA. There is no need for vouchers. If you do it for one group, it will grow to encompass everyone.
But I think we do need to look at military compensation as it stands today.
My 50 something relative(E-9, almost 40 years active and reserve) has been recalled to active duty and sent to the Middle East.
While he is there, his income is more than $12,000 a month after all taxes. And he will retire when he comes home and his pension will exceed $50,000 a year.
EMichael:
I do not know what Combat Pay is today; but, it would be part of that $12,000. That does not count towards retirement. 20 years into the military and you retire at 50% of TIG income. $50,000 may be a bit of a stretch. 🙂
It strikes me as very interesting that several of the “founding fathers” warned of the dangers to democracy from a standing professional army. Madison seems to be quoted a lot on this theme. Keeping in mind that the Revolutionary War and WW II were both fought and won with conscripted armies the question as to the need for a standing professional army bears consideration.
“In June of 1787, James Madison addressed the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia on the dangers of a permanent army. “A standing military force, with an overgrown Executive will not long be safe companions to liberty,” he argued. “The means of defense against foreign danger, have been always the instruments of tyranny at home. Among the Romans it was a standing maxim to excite a war, whenever a revolt was apprehended. Throughout all Europe, the armies kept up under the pretext of defending, have enslaved the people.” That Madison, one of the most vocal proponents of a strong centralized government—an author of the Federalist papers and the architect of the Constitution—could evince such strongly negative feelings against a standing army highlights the substantial differences in thinking about national security in America between the 18th century and the 21st.”
Also, note the reference to Madison as “an author of the Federalist papers,” “architect of the Constitution,” and “one of the most vocal proponents of a strong centralized government.” I have often wondered why federalism is so often referred to as being in support of states rights over federal government authority.
jack
always remember that vietnam was fought with “conscripted army.”
the evils of a standing army are not a good reason to restore conscription.
the problem is not the way we find recruits. the problem is the government that decides what to do with the recruits.
conscription is a form of slavery.
EMichael
fifty thousand is not a huge amount of money by today’s standards. neither is 150k “too much” to pay a middle aged, mid career, person to leave is work to go stand in harms way in support of some vital national interest.
try to focus on the real problem here, and not just stupid envy and greed because someone is getting paid more than you think he should be.
i don’t make anywhere near 150k, or even 50k, but it would take a hell of a lot more than that to get me to go join the army. and remember your army career could be a lot shorter than your professional football career.
Umm, let me know how many people you know retire at age 58 with a $50K pension(we’ll forget the healthcare). Also, let me know how many people you know who gross over $200K a year which is what $12k a month net is.
I also find it insulting you think I am envious of my brother or my nephew(both the same rank and almost the same age) and both who have been in Afghanistan. Or that I do not value their service or the dangers they face.
My post was in response to Run’s depiction of military pay several decades ago. It has changed drastically.
Gonna have a professional army, you’re gonna pay professional rates.
Everyone wants to be considered a professional. Though even that title is starting to break under the increased pressure to decrease wages over all.
What a hack. Given that studies find that the VA provides 30% better health outcomes then private insurance despite costing 40%less
EMichael
feel free to feel insulted if you want to. that was not my intent, but I am always happy to oblige people who think I mean to insult them.
whether 12k a month is 150k (good enough approximation) or “200k gross” is a trivial refocussing of the argument.
i was trying to say that when you want someone to do something for you, you might have to pay him as much as he asks. or you could just force him at gunpoint… the draft. i prefer the pay for services approach.
and i also think that if you want someone to get shot at for a living, you ought to expect to give him a pension that is enough to live on should he live longer than his usefulness as a soldier.
so, yeah, i think it’s something like stupid greed and envy.
now if i was king i might see if i could get kids to sign up for less…. the king’s shilling always did the trick for good old king george. or i might try to do with a smaller army used far less often, but in better causes.
thing is
i feel about soldiers about the way i feel about “entrepreneurs.”
we need ’em. no reason not to pay them a lot.
but that doesn’t mean i want them making the rules.
about what i think about the prize bull.
Geez cob.
Read Run’s post again. Then figure it out.
BTW,
A $50K pension is more than the median income in the US today. It is almost unheard of in any industry.
Run,
He gets half of his last pay without the combat pay which is $225 a month. The big benefit is income tax free(in his case federal and state.) Flight pay adds to it(don’t know the numbers)
Trust me, his pension will be more than $50K a year. I have two Chief Master Sergeants I have known for more than 50 years telling me so.
Emichael:
Air Force or Navy? If they are Air Force, you are right they don’t deserve it.:)
EMichael you would also have to ask how many private sector workers with pensions nearing $50k never got a penny or even comp time for work weeks that even if peacetime could be 80+ hrs a week.
I was peacetime Navy and when out at sea worked standard 6 AM to 4 PM workdays six days a week and half days most Sundays. Additionally I mostly had a rotating ‘watch’ of 8 hours per day including a midnight to 4 shift every three days of which only 4-6 hours overlapped with my workday. So easily 14 hrs per day. Which didn’t count drills which (to preserve readiness) came unannounced at any time day or night or refueling exercises which mostly occurred at night. All for straight salary.
Now I was a ‘twidget’ or electronics tech who spent SOME of that time riding around in air-conditioned spaces and sometimes that duty watch was me sitting in a big chair carefully watching a radar screen with coffee always at hand. On the other hand your typical Army Master Chief spent much of his career carrying heavy loads for miles in heat and rain and these days having random bullets and IEDs going off around them.
So I don’t begrudge that Gunny a dime that he had coming. Because even the cushiness billet in the U.S. Military, at least among enlisted personnel typically consumes vastly more uncompensated (and often dangerous) hours than any comparable civilian occupation. None of which goes into retirement compensation calculations (unlike a lot of civilian ones)
Bruce,
You are talking about my family here, you do not need to tell me about their risks and sacrifices. My comment was in reference to Run’s $420/month for an E-5 in 1971, and the changes since.
And quite frankly, I know exactly zero private sector employees with $50K a year pensions(not even counting healthcare). And I know an awful lot of private sector employees who routinely work 60 hour weeks.
Btw,
Do you have a guess on how many military personnel never get anywhere near the war zone? Hard to do, since flying into Qatar for a couple of days and sitting at the pool was a great way for Pentagon personnel to punch their war zone ticket(till they stopped it).