Buck Once Again Says That He Thinks The VA Would Better Off Outsourced To Private Companies

[Joanne98]

During an appearance this Sunday on Face The Nation, the candidate once again said he was “in favor” of allowing the private sector to operate VA hospitals. When host Bob Schieffer asked Buck if he is in favor of privatizing the VA, the candidate first claimed, “You’re getting the Democrats’ talking points.” But when Schieffer gave Buck the chance to fully explain his position on VA hospitals, he explained that he thinks “the private sector runs operations like hospitals better than the government” and that he’d be “in favor of doing something like that”:

SCHIEFFER: Let me ask you about something else in the papers out there. At one point, you were over to turning hospitals in the VA over to the private sector, is that what you said?

BUCK: You’re getting the Democrats’ talking points —

SCHIEFFER: These come from newspapers, but I want to hear your side of it. Obviously that’s why I asked.

BUCK: Sure. What I said is what I was asked a question about the VA and I said if we could improve the quality and care for veterans by outsourcing some of the functions such as outsourcing a VA hospital I would be in favor of doing that. And I think that it’s important also as part of that answer, I think that we have to look at the costs. The costs can’t come out of the veterans pocket, the cost would come out of the government. But I think the private sector runs operations like hospitals better than the government, if we can reduce the deficit and increase the quality of care for veterans I’m in favor of doing something like that.

Watch it
http://thinkprogress.org/2010/10/19/buck-once-again-va/

[county worker]

1. Everything they believe in is a lie.

Add need for profit to the VA hospitals and the care would deteriorate. Why were private hospitals afraid of a public option? They said they can't compete with government.

The trouble with the rights talking points, is that they have been repeated so many times that people don't use an critical thinking when they here them.

It's like saying, water seeks it's own level and the private sector does everything better than the government. The majority of Americans would agree with those two ideas.

[Canuckistanian]

2. There's NO evidence that outsourcing hospitals leads to lower costs

State or non-profit-run hospitals have demonstrably lower overhead costs than those run by private businesses.

Don't let them privatize the VA.