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Second Nexus © 2019
President Donald Trump and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (National Archives)
President Donald Trump tweeted his support for Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY). Who saw that coming?
At a town hall meeting, Ocasio-Cortez argued against the privatization of veteran's health care, saying that the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs provides "some of the highest quality care."
<p>"If it ain't broke, don't fix it," <a href="https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/ocasio-cortez-defends-va-healthcare-to-veterans-if-it-aint-broke-dont-fix-it">she said</a>.</p><p><div id="action_button_container"></div>
<script async="" type="application/javascript" src="https://embed.actionbutton.co/widget/widget.min.js">
</script></p><p>Republican Phil Roe (R-TN) heartily disagreed:</p><p>"While Rep. Ocasio-Cortez and I have VA medical facilities in and near our districts with great quality ratings, not all veterans are so lucky....It is evident that she <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/top-republican-fires-back-at-aoc-over-her-praise-of-va-health-care-apparently-ignorance-is-bliss">paid little attention</a> to the scandalous treatment of veterans that occurred several years ago by some in the very agency created to serve them," he said.</p><p>Surprisingly, <a href="https://observer.com/2019/04/veterans-affairs-troubles-trump-alexandria-ocasio-cortez-wrong/">Donald Trump</a> sided with Ocasio-Cortez on the matter. However, they agreed for different reasons.</p><p>While AOC stood against the privatization of veteran care in opposition to greed from the pharmaceutical industry, Trump saw a chance to brag.</p><p><div data-conversation-spotlight=""></div></p><p><iframe width="100%" height="150" scrolling="no" class="rm-shortcode twitter-embed-1121095181690974208" id="twitter-embed-1121095181690974208" type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="/res/community/twitter_embed/?iframe_id=twitter-embed-1121095181690974208&created_ts=1556124894.0&screen_name=realDonaldTrump&text=Rep.+Alexandria+Ocasio-Cortez+is+correct%2C+the+VA+is+not+broken%2C+it+is+doing+great.+But+that+is+only+because+of+the%E2%80%A6+https%3A%2F%2Ft.co%2F2XHTS0gNl9&id=1121095181690974208&name=Donald+J.+Trump" frameborder="0" data-rm-shortcode-id="YQPCPS1574873772"></iframe></p><p>This didn't go over well on Twitter.</p><p><iframe width="100%" height="150" scrolling="no" class="rm-shortcode twitter-embed-1121095866700324865" id="twitter-embed-1121095866700324865" type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="/res/community/twitter_embed/?iframe_id=twitter-embed-1121095866700324865&created_ts=1556125058.0&screen_name=treasonstickers&text=%40realDonaldTrump+Remember+when+you+took+veteran+funding+and+instead+used+it+to+pay+for+caging+children+at+the+border%3F&id=1121095866700324865&name=Treason+Stickers" frameborder="0" data-rm-shortcode-id="YAC4WC1574873773"></iframe></p><p><iframe width="100%" height="150" scrolling="no" class="rm-shortcode twitter-embed-1121110750989303808" id="twitter-embed-1121110750989303808" type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="/res/community/twitter_embed/?iframe_id=twitter-embed-1121110750989303808&created_ts=1556128606.0&screen_name=RobertWasdin&text=%40realDonaldTrump+Come+to+Jacksonville+to+the+VA+canter+at+Southpoint+and+speak+with+my+doctor+on+the+Orange+team.+S%E2%80%A6+https%3A%2F%2Ft.co%2FrWLWnYpJ0e&id=1121110750989303808&name=Robert+Wasdin" frameborder="0" data-rm-shortcode-id="H8ZUBS1574873773"></iframe></p><p><iframe width="100%" height="150" scrolling="no" class="rm-shortcode twitter-embed-1121114365489336320" id="twitter-embed-1121114365489336320" type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="/res/community/twitter_embed/?iframe_id=twitter-embed-1121114365489336320&created_ts=1556129468.0&screen_name=DarleneSoliz&text=%40realDonaldTrump+System+still+broken.++Husband+is+a+vet+and+has+to+deal+with+appts+pushed+out+weeks+instead+of+days%E2%80%A6+https%3A%2F%2Ft.co%2Fog1tjoAvbG&id=1121114365489336320&name=Darlene+Soliz" frameborder="0" data-rm-shortcode-id="UL12511574873773"></iframe></p><p>Under the current Veterans Choice Program, eligible veterans can receive health care from a community provider instead of waiting for care at a VA facility. Ocasio-Cortez lauded the program, likening it to her Medicaid for all proposal in the Green New Deal.</p><p><iframe width="100%" height="150" scrolling="no" class="rm-shortcode twitter-embed-1120839583560867842" id="twitter-embed-1120839583560867842" type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="/res/community/twitter_embed/?iframe_id=twitter-embed-1120839583560867842&created_ts=1556063955.0&screen_name=ComingHomeWell&text=We+invite+%40AOC+to+a+polite+conversation+about+just+how+bad+the+VA+healthcare+system%2C+and+some+of+its+employees%2C+can%E2%80%A6+https%3A%2F%2Ft.co%2FBRsgFwkSSN&id=1120839583560867842&name=Coming+Home+Well" frameborder="0" data-rm-shortcode-id="E30PNI1574873773"></iframe></p><p>"They are trying to fix the VA for pharmaceutical companies, they are trying to fix the VA for insurance corporations, and, ultimately, they are trying to fix the VA for a for-profit healthcare industry that does not put people or veterans first," Ocasio-Cortez said.</p><p>"Problems and inconsistencies like that are the definition of a system that needs fixing," Roe <a href="https://ijr.com/phil-roe-slams-aoc-va/">shot back</a> in a statement. "I am baffled as to how Rep. Ocasio-Cortez fails to see that."</p><p><iframe width="100%" height="150" scrolling="no" class="rm-shortcode twitter-embed-1120663577050980352" id="twitter-embed-1120663577050980352" type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="/res/community/twitter_embed/?iframe_id=twitter-embed-1120663577050980352&created_ts=1556021992.0&screen_name=SeanParnellUSA&text=.%40AOC+%26amp%3B+every+politician+should+have+to+get+their+healthcare+from+the+%23VA.+All+the+healthcare+issues+that+veterans%E2%80%A6+https%3A%2F%2Ft.co%2F3vI2oLwilz&id=1120663577050980352&name=Sean+Parnell" frameborder="0" data-rm-shortcode-id="GNE8XS1574873773"></iframe></p><p><iframe width="100%" height="150" scrolling="no" class="rm-shortcode twitter-embed-1120499957046435841" id="twitter-embed-1120499957046435841" type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="/res/community/twitter_embed/?iframe_id=twitter-embed-1120499957046435841&created_ts=1555982982.0&screen_name=texasdemyall&text=%40HuntsmanAbby+%40MeghanMcCain+%40AOC+It+was+not+the+result+of+the+care.+The+care+is+superior.+However%2C+the+antiquated+s%E2%80%A6+https%3A%2F%2Ft.co%2Fjx2ewZ9tNw&id=1120499957046435841&name=Texas+Y%E2%80%99all" frameborder="0" data-rm-shortcode-id="GPWAOJ1574873773"></iframe></p><p>Even as he sided with Ocasio-Cortez, Trump tried to take credit for improving access to healthcare for veterans. In Trump's tweet, he says the Trump administration "got Veterans Choice & Accountability passed." In actuality, the Veteran's Choice Act had nothing to do with the Trump administration at all - it was passed by Barack Obama in 2014.</p><p><iframe width="100%" height="150" scrolling="no" class="rm-shortcode twitter-embed-1121109734764032013" id="twitter-embed-1121109734764032013" type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="/res/community/twitter_embed/?iframe_id=twitter-embed-1121109734764032013&created_ts=1556128364.0&screen_name=c_nancyr&text=%40realDonaldTrump+https%3A%2F%2Ft.co%2F484hG7ZhOm&id=1121109734764032013&name=Nancy+C+Robertson" frameborder="0" data-rm-shortcode-id="EQKQMH1574873773"></iframe></p><p><iframe width="100%" height="150" scrolling="no" class="rm-shortcode twitter-embed-1121110111525560320" id="twitter-embed-1121110111525560320" type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="/res/community/twitter_embed/?iframe_id=twitter-embed-1121110111525560320&created_ts=1556128454.0&screen_name=thor_benson&text=%40realDonaldTrump+You+mean+the+Veterans+Choice+%26amp%3B+Accountability+Act+that+passed+in+2014%3F+That+one%3F+The+one+Obama+signed%3F&id=1121110111525560320&name=Thor+Benson" frameborder="0" data-rm-shortcode-id="XEADD51574873774"></iframe></p><p><iframe width="100%" height="150" scrolling="no" class="rm-shortcode twitter-embed-1121098592565862401" id="twitter-embed-1121098592565862401" type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="/res/community/twitter_embed/?iframe_id=twitter-embed-1121098592565862401&created_ts=1556125708.0&screen_name=Hiromi_UKnowMe&text=%40iTalkiChadwick+%40realDonaldTrump+https%3A%2F%2Ft.co%2Fq2Sw5nsVmN&id=1121098592565862401&name=Nick+H." frameborder="0" data-rm-shortcode-id="34MHVZ1574873774"></iframe></p><p>Trump did <a href="https://www.military.com/daily-news/2018/06/06/trump-signs-55-billion-bill-replace-va-choice-program.html">sign a bill</a> to continue the VCA program in 2018, which he has conflated with signing initial bill on several occasions.</p><p><iframe width="100%" height="150" scrolling="no" class="rm-shortcode twitter-embed-1121116439723642880" id="twitter-embed-1121116439723642880" type="lazy-iframe" data-runner-src="/res/community/twitter_embed/?iframe_id=twitter-embed-1121116439723642880&created_ts=1556129963.0&screen_name=KathyNole1&text=%40realDonaldTrump+Fun+fact%3A+%F0%9F%91%87%0Ahttps%3A%2F%2Ft.co%2FeTWFGEtBKh&id=1121116439723642880&name=Kathy+Nole" frameborder="0" data-rm-shortcode-id="SGCV551574873774"></iframe></p><p>"If we really want to fix the VA so badly, let’s start hiring, and fill up some of those 49,000 [staff] vacancies," <a href="https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/ocasio-cortez-defends-va-healthcare-to-veterans-if-it-aint-broke-dont-fix-it">Ocasio-Cortez said</a>. Pretty sure Trump didn't listen to that part of her speech before he sided with her about veteran's care.</p>
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