Shulkin's Firing, and VA Privatization.

On March 28^th Donald Trump announced over Twitter that he was replacing the current Secretary of Veterans Affairs, David Shulkin, with Admiral Ronny L. Jackson, the White Houses physician who you might recognize from a press conference earlier this year that purported President Trump was in “excellent health” and “very sharp and articulate.”

                Trump has made a habit out of seemingly spontaneous firings during his term, and as usual, this most recent firing is trailed by a wake of controversy. The Trump administration claims that the firing was a result of the VA inspector general’s report that found while Shulkin was on a business trip to Europe he spent the majority of his time sightseeing, and also accepted Wimbledon tickets as a gift. Obviously, these are unethical ways for a government employee to conduct themselves, but it is hardly enough reason to be fired from office, especially when compared to the ethical bar set by Trump.  The real reason many people believe Shulkin was fired, including himself, was to remove opposition to the privatization of the VA. In a New York Times op-ed piece written by Shulkin following his firing he states:

“They saw me as an obstacle to privatization who had to be removed. That is because 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.”

Not only do I think this firing is a thinly veiled attempt at advancing privatization, I also think it is irresponsible to select Admiral Jackson as Shulkin’s successor. It is no secret the VA is an organization that is inundated by issues, and hiring Admiral Jackson, who has very little managerial experience, is not a step towards fixing the many problems plaguing the VA.

       The private healthcare sector already struggles enough with its attempts at providing for the general public, and privatizing the VA will only bloat the healthcare system more with the complex healthcare needs of veterans. Privatization will cause more issues than it will solve, and in my opinion, the primary motivation behind the privatization of the VA is increased profits, and not better healthcare for veterans. 

Trump's impulsive plan to meet with Kim Jong Un

      Recently President Trump promised to hold unconditional talks with Kim Jong Un before the end of May. This statement has caused controversy because it will give Kim Jong Un recognition on the world stage without requiring him to agree to a nuclear disarmament deal. Shortly after Trump's statements, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders attempted to “walk back” Trump's statements by claiming the meeting would only happen after the North Koreans made verifiable steps towards denuclearization. For more information on this topic, I revisited the Washington Post blog written by the conservative columnist Jennifer Rubin named “Right Turn”.

       Rubin is clearly worried that Trump's attitude towards diplomacy is too casual and doesn’t factor in the severity of the situation, instead, Trump is treating the meeting “like a real-estate deal. He marches into the room, barks a few lines, sets a price and then goes out for a steak dinner with the guy on the other side — all the details to be worked out later”. By highlighting this aspect of Trump's personality, specifically his “massive ego and virtually [nonexistent] understanding of foreign policy” Rubin is warning of the dangers of what could happen if no one was able to prevent Trump from making impulsive and irrational decisions that have a global impact. Rubin goes on to explain why meeting with Kim Jong Un would “undercut much of the good work the Trump administration has actually done” such as relisting North Korea as a state sponsor of terror, and imposing stricter sanctions on trade with them. By meeting with Kim, Trump is allowing him to be “cast as a normal leader on the international stage” and doesn’t portray him for what he truly is, a dictator, and a human rights criminal who constantly threatens the world with nuclear weapons.

       The two arguments that Rubin makes; that Trump is irresponsible with international diplomacy, and that meeting with the North Koreans gives them undeserved credibility on the world stage are both logical, and I am inclined to agree with her although I don’t think I’m as worried that Trump will cause any significant problems regarding North Korea as Rubin is. Trump appears to speak without thinking quite frequently, and if his term as president so far is any indication, then I think the world has already learned not to take what he says at face value, however disconcerting that may be. I think that Trump is largely kept in check either by competent people at the White House, or the limitations of his office, and as Rubin says, “We should pray that barrier lasts through the end of his time in the White House”.