An aerial view of the VA hospital construction site in Aurora. (Photo courtesy U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs)
Re: “Anatomy of a calamity,” Aug. 9 news story.
Your investigation of the Veterans Affairs hospital was both excellent and overwhelming. My frustration and anger at this massive incompetence was too much to take.
Rep. Ed Perlmutter put it best: “Itap a bureaucracy thatap calcified, with an attitude that those in Congress will be long gone and they’ll still be there.”
There is only one logical solution: Veterans should be allowed to seek medical treatment in the market. The federal government owes lifelong care to our veterans. It is clearly not up to the task of providing it. Let them go where they choose, and just write the check.
Donna Brosemer, Denver
This letter was published in the Aug. 15 edition.The article stated that members of Congress share some of the blame because they were “sitting on the sidelines.” However, in 2014, Congressman Mike Coffman helped pass legislation in the House to strip the VA of all of its construction management authority and transfer it to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Sens. Cory Gardner and Michael Bennet recently sponsored a similar proposal that was added on to the National Defense Authorization Act.
This hardly sounds like “sitting on the sidelines.”
David Tanner, Littleton
This letter was published in the Aug. 15 edition.He fought for our country, he’s in a wheelchair, and now you’re putting him on a waiting list? Whatap up with that?
Cade Turnbull, Littleton
This letter was published in the Aug. 15 edition.Naturally, Republican Rep. Jeff Miller wants the president to take money from programs other than the VA to pay for completing the new hospital. It would ensure “smaller government,” except for the Department of Defense. Logic says money to help veterans should come from the DOD, but Republicans will never allow that, especially if it takes away from the expensive military hardware built in their districts — much of which is not needed.
Dick Sugg, Golden
This letter was published in the Aug. 15 edition.
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