David Shulkin – * Failed Pols

I do not fault stupid people for making the stupid decision to elect Donald Trump in 2016.

I do fault smart people for making stupid decisions. These include:

1. Senators who voted to acquit Donald Trump in his no-witnesses-allowed impeachment trial, including primarily Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell:

* Impeachment of Donald Trump (2020-02-05)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impeachment_of_Donald_Trump#Acquittal

* Mitch McConnell (2020-02-05)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitch_McConnell#Impeachment_trial

2. Members of the GOP who voted to disenfranchise voters in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin – before, during, and AFTER the 2021 storming of the United States Capitol – including Paul Gosar (AZ-04), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Jody Hice (R–GA-10), Mo Brooks (R–AL-05), Scott Perry (R–PA-10), Josh Hawley (R–MO), and Louie Gohmert (R–TX-01).

* 2021 Storming Of The United States Capitol (2021-01-06)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2021_storming_of_the_United_States_Capitol

* 2020 United States Presidential Election Electoral College Count (2021-01-06 – 2021-01-07)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020_United_States_presidential_election_Electoral_College_count

3. Donald Trump’s cabinet, who could have invoked the 25th Amendment to remove POTUS at any time:

* Cabinet Of Donald Trump (2017-01-21 – PRESENT)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabinet_of_Donald_Trump

4. Social media, including especially Facebook and Twitter, for allowing their social networks to be used as platforms for hate speech.

* Donald Trump On Social Media (2017-01-21 – PRESENT)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Trump_on_social_media#2021

5. Mainstream media, including especially CNN (on the left) and Fox News (on the right) for not doing their jobs – asking questions until they get answers – and allowing POTUS to lie unchecked.

* Veracity Of Statements By Donald Trump (2017-01-21 – PRESENT)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veracity_of_statements_by_Donald_Trump

6. Lawmakers at all levels, for failing to fix bad laws and for failing to enact good laws. Changes that must be made going forward include:

Limiting POTUS power:

Executive order power must be limited.
All cabinet members (acting/interim/actual) must be confirmed by Senate.
Treaties and tariffs must be the role of Congress so that POTUS cannot engage in trade wars.
War Powers Act must be updated to limit POTUS power to deploy the military.
Special Counsel Act must be updated to make clear that POTUS cannot fire special counsel.

Writing better and new laws:

Impeachment Act of 2021, to define how impeachment is conducted, including the requirement to have witnesses.
Follow the lead of The Restatements Of The Law project (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Restatements_of_the_Law) and codify major SCOTUS cases, including especially Roe v. Wade.
Fix the Census.
Fix immigration.
Fix SCOTUS processes, such as limiting appointments to 2 per POTUS with the number of SCOTUS justices fixed at the number of Federal Circuits (currently 13).
Election reform, including who is qualified to run for POTUS and that tax forms must be disclosed to do so.

Just to name a few.

Stupid people, bad laws, and lies got us into this mess.

Smart people, good laws, and the truth can get us out of this mess.

LAW >> MAN.

#FailedPols
https://www.failblog.com/

Veterans Affairs Secretary Dr. David Shulkin’s head is the most recent one to roll at the Trump White House. Dr. Shulkin was fired on March 28. President Trump cited his reason for dismissing David Shulkin as the fact that Shulkin wasn’t in alignment with the White House agenda to privatize U.S. veterans’ health care.

During a speech in Ohio, Donald Trump said of David Shulkin’s firing,“We made changes because we want them (veterans) taken care of, we want them to have choice so that they can run to a private doctor and take care of it, and it’s going to get done…It’s going to get done. We’ll always protect the people that have protected us. We have to.”

In a New York Times op-ed he wrote shortly after being ousted, David Shulkin wrote, ““They saw me as an obstacle to privatization who had to be removed…As I prepare to leave government, I am struck by a recurring thought: It should not be this hard to serve your country.”

David Shulkin said that he has argued against privatization. The private sector, he maintains, is “ill-prepared” to address the numerous and unique health care needs of veterans. The Veterans Administration has a body of research and a greater understanding of the issues that veterans face, according to Shulkin.

“…I am convinced that privatization is a political issue aimed at rewarding select people and companies with profits, even if it undermines care for veterans.”

David Shulkin had earlier been the subject of a report by the VA Inspector General, accusing him of improperly accepting tickets to Wimbledon, and of using his government staff to help him arrange a European sightseeing tour. Shulkin repaid the Veterans Administration for the Wimbledon tickets. In his op-ed, David Shulkin wrote,

“I am a physician, not a politician. I came to government with an understanding that Washington can be ugly, but I assumed that I could avoid all of the ugliness by staying true to my values,” wrote David Shulkin. “I have been falsely accused of things by people who wanted me out of the way.”

It’s not difficult to believe in the truth of David Shulkin’s words. In Donald Trump’s administration, it seems that whether it’s by simply disagreeing with him, or whether it’s by conducting a legal investigation involving him, anyone who might make things difficult for the President should consider his or her days to be numbered. David Shulkin appears to be just the latest manifestation of this.

Ousted Veterans Affairs Head Writes Op-ed on Firing | Fox News [2018-03-29]

David Shulkin Slams Political Climate after Being Fired | CBS This Morning [2018-03-29]

Category: David Shulkin

* Erik’s Editorial: The Guilty Parties Who Put American Democracy At Risk In The Name Of Donald Trump

David Shulkin, This Week’s White House Departure