While campaigning, seasoned, savvy politicians will address a crowd by extolling the virtues of all he or she has done or will do if elected. When the audience applauds, a good public servant will stay focused on that issue and shy away from the others.
Last night, the Venice Neighborhood Council invited 33rd District Congressional candidates Henry Waxman and Bill Bloomfield to give a10-minute talk on how each would help the community of Venice.
Mr. Bloomfield spoke about his qualifications as a successful businessman and complained that Congress was broken. Running as an Independent, he promised to fix Congress by bringing Democrats and Republicans together and stopping the stalemate bi-partisanship. He talked about balancing the budget and various reforms that would help establish a more harmonious and effective Congress.
Toward the end of his speech, he mentioned the homeless problem in Venice with an emphasis of solving the homeless Veteran problem by operating the Los Angeles VA’s nearly 400 acres just as it was deeded in 1888, as a National Home for disabled and homeless Veterans.
He received a long and loud applause for this pledge.
He wrapped up his talk by saying that he was 62 years old, and he guaranteed that he would not spend 38 years in Congress as his opponent has. Mr. Bloomfield received another long applause.
Mr. Waxman boasted about his 38 years in office and all the bills and legislation he supported, including tobacco regulation, Aids research and treatment, air and water quality standards, pesticide regulations, nutrition labeling and more.
Oh, Yes, by the Way…
Near the end of his speech, Mr. Waxman also mentioned the homeless Veteran problem. He received long and loud applause even though his followup solution is to spend $20 million to rehab a rat-infested building that has been vacant for decades and only will provide housing for 52 Veterans. He did not receive any applause for this incredulous waste of money that will take two years to complete.
There are an estimated 20,000 homeless Veterans in Los Angeles, approximately 8,000 disabled and chronically homeless. We cannot wait longer. Neither candidate offered an emergency plan to provide temporary shelter on the VA grounds.
It was obvious that the homeless Veteran problem received the greatest response last night. Yet it continues to be the least talked about issue by either candidate.
Steve Lopez, the legendary Page 2 columnist of the Los Angeles Times, recently wrote an essay titled “Poor care for veterans becomes campaign issue.” He took serious issue with the misuse of Veterans property at the VA and the shameless abuse of disabled and homeless Veterans.
Do You Have Influence or Not?
He interviewed both Congressional candidates because Veteran homelessness is indeed a “campaign issue,” and this was underscored last night.
In the first Lopez column, Mr. Waxman claimed he had no authority whatsoever over the VA, even though he is the elected public servant entrusted to hold the Dept. of Veterans Affairs accountable for the proper use of this sacred land.
Congressman Waxman and Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) both are on record for supporting a public park on Veterans property.
In his column this morning, Mr. Lopez again boldly steps forward on behalf of our disabled and homeless Veterans. He takes serious umbrage with President Obama for coming to Los Angeles for celebrity fundraisers and Jay Leno appearances, but never taking the time to visit the largest Veterans Home in the nation and asking why the VA bureaucrats in his administration are not taking better care of our disabled and homeless Veterans.
You Call Yourself a Champion?
The reason the President steers clear of this is because it’s a classic “Catch-22” for him.
The ACLU filed a lawsuit against his Secretary of the VA, Eric T. Shinseki, and the executive director of the Los Angeles VA, Donna Beiter. The lawsuit is for misuse of Veterans land and the mistreatment of disabled homeless Veterans.
President Obama’s Dept. of Justice and U.S. Attorneys are vigorously fighting the lawsuit.
To distance himself from the lawsuit, Mr. Waxman continues to portray himself as a helpless victim unable to penetrate the VA and solve the homeless Veteran problem. By his own admission, he’s essentially of no value to our disabled and needy Veterans.
Mr. Waxman’s disgraceful dereliction of duty does not paint a pretty picture for the Democratic party, which claims to be the champion and defender for the downtrodden, disabled, disadvantaged, homeless, and minorities.
President Obama has endorsed Mr. Waxman for another term in Congress, which began in 1975, just four months before the end of the Vietnam War.
Today, 47 percent of all homeless Veterans are of the Vietnam era. Los Angeles is our nation’s capital for homeless Veterans. The Los Angeles VA has become a national disgrace. All of this happened under Henry Waxman’s “watch” over the past four decades.
The only legitimate applause last night was on behalf of our homeless Veteran population that has been silenced for 38 years under Henry Waxman’s iron fist of defiance to demolish all the antiquated and empty buildings at the VA and rebuild a new Los Angeles National Veterans Home.
Does Bill Bloomfield hear the thundering silence of our homeless Veterans?
More importantly, will he now focus the last two weeks of his campaign responding to the singularly loudest applause that he received last night?
He will if he wants to soundly defeat Henry Waxman.
Mr. Rosebrock may be contacted at RRosebrock1@aol.com
