With VA Secretary David Shulkin likely one of the next to be fired by Trump, the Koch Brothers are getting ready to make their move on privatizing the VA.
Axios’ Jonathan Swan reported, “Right now, Trump is happy to watch Shulkin twist in the wind for a while. Remember how unhappy we told you John Kelly and others have been about Shulkin’s handling of internal problems in his department and especially his freelancing to the New York Times? A prolonged period of job insecurity and public humiliation is a uniquely Trumpian form of payback. The White House — specifically the president, Kelly, the White House Office of Presidential Personnel, and the director of Trump’s Domestic Policy Council Andrew Bremberg — have been asking allies for names of people they’d recommend to replace Shulkin.”
Trump’s Domestic Policy Director was put in his current position by the Kochs to help carry their agenda of privatization.
Where this is going is fairly obvious, as Democratic strategist Jim Manley put it:
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The Koch bros on the move in their desire to privatize the va https://t.co/ALSpVeFVb8
— jim manley (@jamespmanley) March 25, 2018
The Kochs immediately infested the Trump administration, and their fingerprints have been all over much of his executive action and agenda. Republicans have been dreaming about privatizing the VA for decades. Veterans were promised healthcare as part of their reward for serving their country, but the Republican privatization plans cut and cap healthcare services.
It is only a matter of time before Trump fires Shulkin, proclaims the VA to be a failure, and announces a privatization scheme. With Democrats on the cusp of sweeping back into power, the Koch brothers feel the urgency of now.
Get ready to fight because Trump and the Koch brothers are coming for veterans’ healthcare.
Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
