Rep. Jeff Miller, R-Fla., introduced the a bill called the VA Accountability Act which would allow the Department of Veterans Administration to fire employees without a right of appeal. Seems like good thing for veterans given that no one at the VA has been held accountable for their mistreatment of the people they're obligated to serve.
But no. President Obama threatened to veto the bill. Obama has gone from community organizer to union representative, protecting jobs of of the least competent bureaucrats.
In any event, this is a good point to recall some of Milton Friedman's memorable quotes, some of which are dutifully repeated in 22 Quotes to Celebrate Milton Friedman Day. Here are a few from the list applicable to the VA situation, to wit:
1. “If you put the federal government in charge of the Sahara Desert, in 5 years there’d be a shortage of sand.”
3. “Governments never learn. Only people learn.”
4. “Many people want the government to protect the consumer. A much more urgent problem is to protect the consumer from the government.”
5. “One of the great mistakes is to judge policies and programs by their intentions rather than their results.”
12. “Hell hath no fury like a bureaucrat scorned.”
13. “The lack of balance in governmental activity reflects primarily the failure to separate sharply the question what activities it is appropriate for government to finance from the question what activities it is appropriate for government to administer—a distinction that is important in other areas of government activity as well.”
Those are just a few. Read all 22 for a reminder on just how brilliant Milton Friedman was when he presented in simple language principles that seem obvious after they're stated.
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