Jackson Withdraws as VA Secretary Nominee

       My last month's blog post discussed the circumstances surrounding the firing of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, David Sulkin, and President Trumps nomination of Admiral Ronny L. Jackson as his replacement. The main point I was arguing in my post was that Trumps nomination of Jackson, who has virtually no experience leading such an organization, was a step in the wrong direction for the VA, and largely just an attempt at advancing the privatization of the organization.  It turns out I was not the only one who doubted that Jackson was competent enough to lead the VA. On Thursday, April 26th, roughly a month after his nomination, Jackson withdrew as a nominee after multiple claims and accusations of misconduct, ranging from drunk driving to creating a hostile work environment.

      Jackson claimed in his statement that the accusations are "false and fabricated" but in my opinion, his immediate withdrawal makes the claims seem more credible. I have no doubt that Jackson performs very competently as a physician, he has been the lead physician in the White House the last three presidents, but it's clear he was unprepared to handle the responsibility of heading such a large and complicated organization as the VA. Hopefully, the amount of scrutiny directed a Jackson will force Trump's future underqualified nominees to reconsider their choice to step into the national spotlight.

       I am glad Washington was able to react relatively quickly to this nomination and shut it down before it even made it to a confirmation hearing. With any luck this will bring more attention to this cabinet position and prevent Trump and his allies from advancing the privatization of the VA without first undergoing nationwide scrutiny.

The Economic Benefits of Planned Parenthood

In my classmates editorial on her blog All About U.S. Gov, she makes a compelling argument for the benefits of effective and readily available contraceptives and warns of the consequences of President Trump's plans to defund organizations like Planned Parenthood.  Her arguments are especially effective because they are based on objective facts and empirical data. I think her editorial will help convince people who are more inclined to base their political opinions on economics that supporting organizations like Planned Parenthood is the best move for the country as a whole.