As part of his 2012 presidential campaign, Mitt Romney briefly floated the idea of privatizing veterans’ health care benefits through some kind of voucher system. Many of the nation’s leading veterans’ organizations made their displeasure known, and the Republican candidate quickly abandoned the idea.
More than a decade later, Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance dipped his toes in similar waters. The Military Times reported:
Republican Vice Presidential candidate JD Vance in an interview Wednesday said he would ‘consider’ plans to privatize parts of the Department of Veterans Affairs and push for more private-health care options for patients in the system if elected this fall. In an appearance on the Shawn Ryan Show podcast released Wednesday, the Ohio senator … also said he would fire or cut thousands of federal civilian jobs, including many within VA.”
Vance, who served in the Marines, said he’s used VA hospitals, before adding that he’s open to privatization ideas within the VA system.
Asked specifically whether he’d ever consider privatized health care for veterans, the Republican senator replied, “I think I’d consider it.”
Not surprisingly, it wasn’t long thereafter when Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign was promoting the exchange online.
Q: Would you consider privatizing veterans health care?
— Kamala HQ (@KamalaHQ) September 12, 2024
Vance: I think I’d consider it pic.twitter.com/wmjJq59vNJ
In fairness, it’s important to emphasize that Vance didn’t endorse privatizing all veterans’ care. In fact, in the same interview, the senator added, “I would not say, ‘Get rid of the whole thing.’ But I would say, ‘Give people more choice.’ I think you’ll save money in the process.”
Nevertheless, it wasn’t long before Democrats responded to the fact that the senator opened the door to privatizing at least some VA services.
The Harris campaign released a statement from Sen. Tammy Duckworth — a decorated combat veteran who served in Iraq — who said, “When JD Vance floats the Trump-Vance Project 2025 agenda to privatize the VA, we should take him seriously. This isn’t just some misguided policy idea; it’s a slap in the face to the men and women who served this country. … Veterans deserve better than candidates who will turn their health care into a business opportunity the minute they get the chance.”
The Illinois Democrat’s written statement added, “The VA isn’t just another government agency — it’s a lifeline for Veterans, families, and caregivers who’ve sacrificed for our freedoms. They deserve a leader who will protect their health care, not sell them out. That’s Vice President Harris.” A Vance spokesperson told the Military Times, “The Kamala campaign is once again twisting his words.” Time will tell what kind of impact this has on the 2024 campaign, if any, though it’s worth emphasizing that the GOP ticket doesn’t have a lot of credibility to fall back on when it comes to those who’ve served in the military. Over the last decade or so, for example, Donald Trump has reportedly denigrated those who serve in the military and condemned fallen American heroes as “suckers.” (He denies doing so.) Trump has also complained bitterly about American military leaders, reportedly disparaged wounded veterans, blamed military leaders for failed missions he approved, downplayed the importance of traumatic brain injuries suffered by soldiers, feuded with Gold Star families, downplayed the significance of the Medal of Honor and famously declared in reference to American prisoners of war, “I like people that weren’t captured, okay?” His running mate opening the door to privatizing some VA services probably won’t help.
Steve Benen is a producer for "The Rachel Maddow Show," the editor of MaddowBlog and an MS NOW political contributor. He's also the bestselling author of "Ministry of Truth: Democracy, Reality, and the Republicans' War on the Recent Past."
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