VA Secretary Robert McDonald

VA Secretary Robert McDonald

You’ve been seriously wounded in the defense of your county, so what are you going to do?

Why go to Disney, of course!

That’s according to VA Secretary Robert McDonald, who shamefully compared wait times at a veteran’s hospital to long lines at the amusement park.

“When you got to Disney, do they measure the number of hours you wait in line? Or what’s important? What’s important is, what’s your satisfaction with the experience?”

McDonald was trying to downplay concerns about wait times to get medical treatment, concerns which arose because numerous veterans actually died while waiting to get treated.

We don’t recall anyone ever dying at Disney while waiting in winding queues to coast through “It’s a Small World” or to ride the teacups, although some small children certainly act like it.

U.S. Rep. Mike Coffman called McDonald’s remarks outrageous, and demanded he apologize and rectify the situation.

“Clearly there is a difference between waiting for a roller coaster ride and waiting for life-saving treatment. Our veterans who have served this nation have earned the right to receive quality care in a timely manner. And, by the way, Disney does measure wait times. You can download their app and see for yourself.”

McDonald was complaining that wait times to get treatment should not be counted, but rather satisfaction with medical treatment measured.

We’re going to go out on a limb here, and predict that if a veteran dies while waiting for treatment, they are not satisfied.

If these problems are not taken seriously at the top and this attitude permeates the culture of the VA, no wonder the service has gone beyond terrible to life-threatening.