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Good Day, this is the Commonwealth Report:
A Veterans Day Special
News for the public, not the powerful.
Today America raises its flags, plays its anthems, and thanks the men and women who wore our country’s uniform.
But here’s the question Washington would rather avoid. When the speeches end and the cameras disappear, we are not keeping our promises to them.
Patriotism isn’t measured by politicians praising veterans from a podium. It’s measured by whether veterans can see a doctor, find a home, support their families, and live with dignity.
Because the real test of a nation’s values is how it treats people after their sacrifice.
Start with a number that should outrage every American.
According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, 6,488 veterans died by suicide in 2024, the latest year with complete national figures. That’s nearly eighteen lives every day.
The number declined from the previous year. That’s progress. But sixty-two percent hadn’t received VA healthcare in the year they died or the preceding year.
Think about that. We can deploy troops across the planet and spend billions on sophisticated weapons, yet struggle to reach veterans suffering here at home.
And then there’s healthcare itself.
A September VA inspector general report found that all 139 facilities surveyed reported severe staffing shortages, including doctors and nurses. These were facility officials’ assessments, not independently verified vacancy counts. Still, the warning is unmistakable.
Senator Richard Blumenthal has accused the Trump administration of undermining veterans’ care through staffing losses. Administration officials cite expanded enrollment, suicide prevention outreach, and housing grants.
Those claims deserve examination. But here’s the bottom line. You cannot honor veterans with speeches while leaving them struggling for appointments. Healthcare isn’t charity. It's a promise earned through service.
Now consider homelessness.
The VA reports that 32,495 veterans experienced homelessness on one night in January 2025. That’s a record low since federal tracking began, and a major improvement from 2010.
That progress matters. Housing vouchers, case management, and sustained outreach have helped thousands rebuild their lives. Government can work when we give it the resources and demand results.
But how can tens of thousands of people who served this country still lack a stable home?
A Government Accountability Office investigation found that from 2020 through 2024, approximately 174,000 veterans eligible for a joint VA housing program weren’t referred to it. In most cases, officials hadn’t documented why.
Imagine surviving military service, seeking help, and getting lost between an eligibility rule and a caseworker’s desk.
That’s not a failure of courage by veterans. It’s a failure of accountability by the government that promised to stand behind them.
There’s another promise at stake this Veterans Day, one that reaches the heart of democracy.
When Americans enlist, they swear to support and defend the Constitution against enemies foreign and domestic. They also promise to obey lawful orders under the rules governing military service.
Not Donald Trump. Not any political party. Not the personal ambitions of whoever occupies the White House.
The Constitution.
That distinction matters when presidents deploy military power and service members confront questions about the legality of orders. Discipline is essential. So is the rule of law.
Last year, lawmakers with military and intelligence backgrounds reminded troops that they must reject unlawful orders. Trump condemned their message, and the Pentagon announced an investigation involving Senator Mark Kelly, a retired Navy captain.
Consider the implications. A veteran reminded troops of their legal obligations, and the administration responded with an investigation. Whatever your politics, that deserves scrutiny.
The principle is bigger than any president. Military obedience has legal limits. The armed forces serve the Constitution, not one man’s political interests.
Remember the Americans who fought Nazi Germany. Remember those who served in Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, and countless other missions. Their experiences differ, and so do their political beliefs.
No politician gets to claim that every veteran agrees with him. Honoring veterans means protecting their right to criticize the government they once served.
And let’s remember their families.
Behind every deployment may be a spouse raising children alone, parents fearing a terrible phone call, or a caregiver spending decades helping someone whose life was permanently changed by war.
Defense contractors receive payments. Families live with consequences that no contract can calculate.
So here’s my Veterans Day challenge to Washington.
Stop treating veterans like patriotic decorations. Staff their clinics. Make appointments available. Fix housing referrals. Protect benefits. Support caregivers. Publish the results, expose the failures, and repair the programs that aren’t working.
And before sending another generation into war, remember who bears the costs. The bill doesn’t stop when the shooting ends. It arrives for decades in hospitals, households, and communities across America.
We can honor courage without glorifying war. We can respect military service without demanding political silence. We can insist on accountability without questioning anyone’s patriotism.
No veteran should have to fight one battle overseas and another against their own government just to receive the care and dignity they earned.
A folded uniform doesn’t end America’s obligation. Neither does a parade, a flag, or a politician’s speech.
The promise is lifelong.
This Veterans Day, judge our gratitude not by the words we speak, but by the promises we keep.
And that’s the way it is, today, Wednesday, November 11, 2026. I’m Thom Hartmann
News Links
These are the original reports and official records supporting the major facts in today’s Commonwealth Report, with publication dates.
1. Veteran suicide deaths averaged nearly 18 per day
Department of Veterans Affairs • September 30, 2026
The VA documented 6,488 veteran suicides in 2024. Sixty-two percent had not received VA healthcare in the year of death or preceding year.
VA News
Read the VA suicide prevention report
2. VA healthcare facilities report severe staffing shortages
VA Office of Inspector General • September 11, 2026
Officials at all 139 VA facilities identified severe occupational staffing shortages, including widespread reported shortages among doctors and nurses.
Oversight.gov
Read the inspector general report
3. Senator Blumenthal alleges VA staffing losses are harming veterans
Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee • January 22, 2026
A report from the committee’s ranking Democrat alleges that workforce reductions have damaged healthcare access, benefits processing, and other veterans’ services.
veterans.senate.gov
Read the Senate committee report
4. More than 32,000 veterans experienced homelessness
Department of Veterans Affairs • June 25, 2026
Federal figures show 32,495 veterans experiencing homelessness during the January 2025 count, despite substantial long-term improvements.
VA News
Read the VA homelessness report
5. Thousands of eligible veterans were not referred for housing assistance
Government Accountability Office • March 30, 2026
Investigators found approximately 174,000 eligible veterans weren’t referred to the HUD-VASH program between 2020 and 2024, with most missing explanations.
U.S. GAO
6. Pentagon investigation raises questions about unlawful military orders
Associated Press • November 2025
The Pentagon announced an investigation involving Senator Mark Kelly after lawmakers reminded military personnel of their obligation to reject unlawful orders.
AP News
Read the Associated Press report
7. The military oath and the Constitution
U.S. Code • Title 10, Section 502
The federal statute establishes the enlistment oath, including defending the Constitution and obeying orders consistent with military regulations and law.
U.S. Code
Read the military oath in federal law
8. VA announces record grants to combat veteran homelessness
Department of Veterans Affairs • September 14, 2026
The VA announced $1.17 billion in grants for organizations providing housing assistance, prevention services, and support to veterans at risk of homelessness.
VA News
Read the VA funding announcement
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