Daniel Cooper knows how to properly evaluate what’s important. He’s George W. Bush’s undersecretary for benefits at the Department of Veterans Affairs. We’re in the middle of a bloody, wasteful war, and we’ve got lots of veterans who deserve support and, you know, benefits, so I think Mr Cooper’s job is fairly important.
What does Mr Cooper think is important? He’s made a video for Campus Crusade for Christ in which he plainly spells out where his priorities lie.
In the video, Cooper says of his Bible study, “it’s not really about carving out time, it really is a matter of saying what is important. And since that’s more important than doing the job — the job’s going to be there, whether I’m there or not.”
If you’re a veteran, and you’re not getting the benefits you deserve, shhhh … Daniel Cooper is studying his bible. But perhaps benefits are flowing freely from the Department of Veteran Affairs while Mr Cooper diligently studies bible verses?
Since Cooper was appointed the head of the Veterans Benefits Administration, the number of veterans waiting on their disability claims has increased dramatically, from 325,000 in 2002 to 600,000 today.
On average, a U.S. war veteran must wait six months for an answer to their application. If a vet decides to appeal a denial, the process often drags on as long as three years.
In addition, Veterans Administration hospitals, clinics and counseling centres report that more than 52,000 Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans were diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). But under Cooper’s leadership, only 19,000 of those veterans were approved for service-connected disability compensation for PTSD, a significant discrepancy.
This all seems to be part and parcel of the evangelical invasion of the military. The new requirement for piety seems to compromise the competence of our armed forces…which honestly doesn’t seem like a particularly good idea right now.
May I suggest that the government give Daniel Cooper more time to study the bible and, since he’s so inessential to his job, let him go? Maybe the job should go to an atheist, who won’t have such otherworldly distractions keeping him away from the work of delivering benefits to veterans.
Gyaagh! I just can’t wrap my mind around Cooper’s almost comical denial of reality. It’s inhuman.
Here is the video:
Cooper appears at about 2:20. It’s a fairly old video, since J.D. Hayworth, the Arizona congressman tossed out in the 2006 elections, appears in it also.
“Since Cooper was appointed the head of the Veterans Benefits Administration, the number of veterans waiting on their disability claims has increased dramatically, from 325,000 in 2002 to 600,000 today.”
Yes, but at least he is praying or them. In these fath-based times he has to be free to do the job as he sees best and if it is praying and studying the bible, so be it. But there should at least be benchmarks for success and if he fails to produce, he should try something else – like sacrificing goats.
The only way to begin dealing with idiocy like this is to finally make someone’s devout and inane religious beliefs a liability. That is, when it comes to running for office, if someone starts yammering on about how they’re Godly and Biblical and pray for guidance on a daily basis, the immediate reaction should be that they’re going down.
Christian whackjobs have been playing the religion card for years. It’s high time to use it against them in exactly the opposite direction.
No surprise to me here. My four years in the Marines taught me that all the Republican talk about supporting the troops is just that, talk.
These retards make my HEAD practically EXPLODE.
I found out long ago when they said ‘Nothing is too good for the troops’ that they meant it. They wanted you to have generous helpings of exactly that – nothing. You served your purpose, now go off somewhere and quietly dry up and blow away.
Nothing new, look what happened the the English sailors after they fought the armada.
Heya Sarge (and all of course) did you ever watch the BritCom “Fools and Horses”? There’s an early episode where the grandfather is talking about “the war” WW II, and says “They promised all the hero’s houses, but what we got was heros only ready for the homes.” Still appropriate these days it seems.
Thanks for the video John Pieret,
Major General at the Pentagon: ” My first priority is my god, then my family, then my country.” Yikes!
My theory about the “evangelical takeover of the military” is that this is their plan B of the xian Dominionists.
Plan A is to through elections take over the government. They controlled the congress until 2006, had a near majority of the supreme court, and own the president.
Plan B would be simply to infiltrate the military and either use the military to support an electoral driven takeover of the country or just stage a coup d’etat to install a theocracy.
Plan A is public knowledge, they talk about it incessantly. I have no proof for my Plan B theory, but remember who we are discussing here. God is on their side and these people can’t sink low enough in their efforts to “serve god”. Torture and murder aren’t just what they might do, it is what they did at Abu Ghraib and Guantanomo. Enless lies are the norm.
Raven, Plan B is to turn all of our enemies gay. Then, after we turn them gay and win the War, we can use Jesus to turn them back.
“Plan B is to turn all of our enemies gay. Then, after we turn them gay and win the War, we can use Jesus to turn them back.”
Don’t we want our enemies to burn in eternal damnation, just the way Jesus wants them to?
I’m curious to know how this “good and godly” Daniel Cooper reconciles his incompetence and apathy toward our wounded soldiers with that whole notion of “Christian compassion.”
Dominionists like Cooper make Nero look like a freakin’ visionary just a little ahead of his time.
Thomas Jefferson is spinning in his grave, as we speak.
We have GOT to get these idiots out of Washington.
Somehow, I am reminded of echoes of Ruyard Kipling’s “The Last of the Light Brigade”.
“We think that someone has blundered,
an’ couldn’t you tell ’em how?
You wrote we were heroes once, sir.
Please, write we are starving now.”
What gains a man if veterans gets their benefits only for him to lose his soul?
Heckuva job, Coopie!
@#4 CC, making religion a liability would be a dream come true, but right now, not professing your faith is a liability in politics. I’d be happy with religion just becoming a non-issue.
@Janine: What did Jesus say about feeding the hungry and all that? Go back and read your Bible again.
“Since Cooper was appointed the head of the Veterans Benefits Administration, the number of veterans waiting on their disability claims has increased dramatically, from 325,000 in 2002 to 600,000 today.”
I think this is a misleading statement. It suggests that Cooper is the sole reason the number of veterans waiting for disability claims has increased since 2002 and in fairness this is probably not the whole story. Since you can not collect disability until after you have left military service what this tells me is the number of people medically discharged and/or leaving the military has increased dramatically since 2002. This is just not a reflection on the efficiency (or lack thereof) of the DVA but also on the number of military personnel leaving the service due to injury from fighting a protracted insurgency in Iraq and also those leaving due to dissatisfaction with extended tours, inadequate equipment, failed marriages, etc.
If you’ve ever worked for the government you know that waiting for six months for a decision is nothing new. Yes it’s too slow and they need to do something about it but unfortunately the government has always operated at a snail’s pace. At a recent military retirement briefing I attended we were told that disability determination takes, on average, one year if you apply after you retire/separate. The time is much less if you start the process before you separate.
As a military atheist I’m very concerned about senior leaders putting their mythology before their jobs but making off-hand cause and effect statements without proving supporting evidence or considering other, more likely, causes undermines the validity of what is otherwise a valid concern over the role of religion in government.
Janine, go read your Bible carefully. Did Jesus pray instead of helping the man lowered through the roof? No, Jesus healed him. Did Jesus delay healing the person on Sunday, the sabbath? No, Jesus healed immediately, and criticized the Pharisees for thinking it was in error or a violation of any of God’s laws. Did Jesus withhold healing from any of the blind men for any reason? No, Jesus healed them all immediately — even though only one bothered to say “thanks.”
There are 600,000 veterans who need healing. Would Jesus delay to make a video for some group of Pharisees?
It’s not that the question, “What would Jesus do?” is offensive of itself. It’s that so often the holier-than-thous don’t have a clue what the answer should be in any given situation. Like this one.
If Christianity has blinded Janine and Daniel Cooper to doing what’s right, it’s time to fire them and make sure the next people we hire don’t have that sort of blindness.
Perhaps no federal law was broken. I have some veterans in my Sunday school class — I wonder if they would think that, perhaps, some moral law was broken? Think about this for a minute: Rather than study scripture, Jesus healed, the Bible tells us. It’s the moral thing to do, Jesus said. Here’s this yahoo in VA saying his priorities are exactly the opposite.
Hello? Do we need any more evidence this nut isn’t even avoiding his work like he says he is, but is instead just avoiding all work?
No surprise to me here. My four years in the Marines taught me that all the Republican talk about supporting the troops is just that, talk.
Oh c’mon, you know all veterans are dedicated Republicans, those of us who aren’t, simply don’t exist. If you keep talking you’ll draw attention to us and we’ll vanish in a puff of logi
Guys, I suspect that Janine is making a (rather good, dry) joke. At least, I hope she is.
I think we’re being a little too strident in our criticism of Dominionists. By strongly condemning their desire to turn the USA into a theocracy, don’t we risk alienating them, making them want to turn it into an even worse theocracy? Let’s hold off on further criticism until we find the right frame. I’m sure it’s around here somewhere.
Not seeing problems with that question. The fundies never ask it anyway. Their question is, “who would Jesus maim, torture, rape, and kill while lying.” Unfortunatley they often think they have the answer.
Pete (comment #25), you have achieved a heretofore unattained (and I would have thought unattainable) level of sheer snark. I applaud you, sir.
(In case I forget by then, remind me to nominate Pete for the next Mollies!)
Since 9/11 I’ve often been embarrassed to be an American…and this kind of crap makes me embarrassed to be a soldier. We’re not all freakoid Republican theocratic assholes…really…I promise.
There’s a long and honourable military tradition of slaughtering the dusky for Jesus.
What’s wrong with a Godly jet jockey singing that ‘Jesus is the J on my JDAM?’
I think Janine was in sarcasm mode.
Referring to post #4 and liability Lawsuits are instigated at the drop of a bucket (pretend the bucket broke and the manufacturer didn’t specify not to carry nuts in it)… perhaps it’s time to take these nuts to court.
Regards
Dave
What did Jesus say about feeding the hungry and all that? Go back and read your Bible again.
I think in the weird prosperity-dominionist playbook they’re reading, it would go something along the lines of “it’s their own damn fault they’re poor and hungry…either that or it’s Bill Clinton’s fault”
I haven’t seen it, Dahan, but I’ve heard it said. WWI was supposed to make Britain a “Land Fit For Heros”, or so I’m told.
My father was in England prior to DDay and when I was a kid we went on leave for a couple of weeks. (Dad was in the army, we were stationed in Germany, mid ’50s) I remember a man talking to my father one place we stopped to eat, and he was still indignant. He’d been a survivor at Dunkirk, got back, and in 1957 he was still, rightfully, outraged. “The rotters tried to soak us for our bleedin’ lost kit!” was something he said.
But here in the USA they do the same thing.
Concerning Ray C and Ed Darrell, I have no desire to ever read the bible again. I have better thing to do with my time. And Ed, how dare you call me a christian. I have not called myself that in over twenty five years.
Mrs Tilden and Tim were correct about me being sarcastic. That fact that this fool is letting his religion get in the way of doing his job is sad and maddening. It such not be allowed but just look at our godsmacked head of state.
And for the record, I am an atheist. I am also very sarcastic.
7. And Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD slew him.
10.And the thing which he did displeased the LORD: wherefore he slew him also.
Genesis 38
I don’t think we should ask “What would Jesus do?” lest He slew us also.
However….. I wish more people would proclaim they embody the ‘spirit of christ’ so we can nail their asses to some crosses.
As a vetran (NAVY) and an atheist I must applaud Mr. Coopers priorities. Having a standing volunteer military force has obviously become so much of a burden on the tax payer that he is actively disgouraging enlistment. This can be the only rational interpretation of his actions since it will cause ex-military like myself to warn anyone of recruitment age to avoid service like the plague.
When I signed up for service I loved my country, now I barely respect it. We’ll see what tomorrow brings.
Regards to my comments, I’d like to underline that I in no way hold Mr. Cooper personally responsible for the current situation, only that said situation reminded me of Kipling’s poem, a somewhat moving piece about how you can applaud the courage of someone yet do nothing to help them.
Here’s the comment I left at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qIVLvJQHS_w:
Well, I really don’t know if Cooper is a YEC, but I thought it made a good point. When I was going up, the bible studies that I was forced to attend were brain-washing sessions where I was taught about creationism and how evil science was. I had no right at these “bible studies” to disagree with anything I was being told. I was expected to shut up and believe everything. I have no reason to think that Mr. Coopers bible studies are any different.
On the other hand, Jesus initially ignored the Canaanite woman’s request to heal her daughter, and then flat-out refused, saying he was sent to help the Jews only. Only when she cleverly answered his analogy did he relent.
Support Michael (Mikey) Weinstein in his fight to rid the US military of evangelical dominionist influence.
http://militaryreligiousfreedom.org
Recently CSPAN BookTV had a speech by him;
made my hair stand up on end.
Ah, silly little me. Here I was hoping the Ed Darrell would at least apologize to me for calling me a christian and putting me in the same class of foolishness as Daniel Cooper. I did not realize I was acting like a troll here.
@Janine: I did not realize that #16 was sarcasm; it seemed just the sort of thing that a real fundie would say.
It’s not the question “What Would Jesus Do” that seems to be the problem, but it is the _answers_ that result.