How stupid!

I probably shouldn't post this because I don't want to give anyone an excuse to vote in a Democratic president next time (that would be awful!), but I will never understand why our government doesn't have a brain among all of them.

The VA Hospital in New Orleans has been closed since Katrina. It has to be rebuilt because the old building (which was crap anyway) flooded during Katrina. Now if you look at the statistics, most Louisiana veterans live south of Alexandria and west of Baton Rouge. Alexandria has a VA Hospital but they are limited in what they can do. If you need something that Alexandria doesn't have, you have to go to New Orleans or Houston. People with a brain would think the best place for a new VA hospital would be Lafayette or at the very least, Baton Rouge. But the powers that be don't think logically. They are planning on building a VA hospital five blocks from the old flooded hospital, next to the 37 acres where LSU plans on putting the new Charity Hospital, which has also been closed during the storm. They are going to have to clear the houses and small businesses that were there before. Both Lafayette and Baton Rouge have PLENTY of land that is already clear to put the new VA hospital. But they prefer to put it back in the bowl that is New Orleans, putting it at risk again when the next Katrina hits and making veterans have to drive across the state, taking their life into their hands, going to New Orleans.

I think it is a ridiculous proposal. But I have a theory on why they are doing it. I don't think it is a coincidence that is will be near LSU and Tulane Medical Schools. They get to make our veterans guinea pigs. That's what I get out of the statement "to have these facilities side-by-side works more efficiently for the students and researchers."

My dad went through the VA system for medical treatment but he went to Alexandria and Houston. He preferred not to risk life and limb going to New Orleans. I think our veterans should be taken into consideration when making decisions of where to put a VA Hospital and I also don't think we should use our veterans as guinea pigs for experiments. They deserve better than to be treated like second class citizens with third world healthcare!