I understand the anger and indignation over the health care stuff but when personalities from the right blatantly perpetuate misinformation, disninformation, and often out right lies that is meant to appeal to emotion and absent of fact .... I have a hard time making a distinction between those legitimately angry about health care issues and the right wing lunacy.
To quote a line from an article I read today: "Perhaps Citizen Palin should take her own advice, "honor the American soldier", "Quit makin' things up" and "leave the kids alone."
In recent weeks, conservatives have been attacking a small provision in the House-proposed health care legislation that would allow Medicare to cover advanced care consulting. The Republican National Committee sent out a research document claiming the House legislation is encouraging euthanasia. Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC) said it was placing “seniors in a position of being put to death by their government.” Former Alaska governor Sarah Palin picked up this meme on Friday and took it further in a statement she posted on her Facebook page:
The America I know and love is not one in which my parents or my baby with Down Syndrome will have to stand in front of Obama’s “death panel” so his bureaucrats can decide, based on a subjective judgment of their “level of productivity in society,” whether they are worthy of health care. Such a system is downright evil.
These claims are complete lies. The House bill would simply give seniors the option of speaking with an expert about advanced care issues, such as living wills. As FactCheck.org explains, “[i]t requires Medicare to cover counseling sessions for seniors who want to consider their end-of-life choices — including whether they want to refuse or, conversely, require certain types of care.”
“This measure would not only help people make the best decisions for themselves but also better ensure that their wishes are followed,” responded AARP Executive Vice President John Rother. “To suggest otherwise is a gross, and even cruel, distortion.”
On Friday, HBO host Bill Maher questioned Republican Reps. Darryl Issa (CA) and Jack Kingston (GA) about Palin’s “death panel” statement. “It’s a scare tactic, no question about it,” said Kingston, who added that there are no death panels. Issa ignored the question and tried to change the topic.
Guests on today’s Sunday talk shows were also largely incredulous at Palin’s statement. “About euthanasia, they’re just totally erroneous. She just made that up,” said former governor Howard Dean. “Just like the ‘Bridge to Nowhere’ that she supposedly didn’t support.” On NBC’s Meet the Press, conservative columnist David Brooks said it was “crazy.” On CNN, reporters said it showed how Palin has trouble discussing substantive issues:
JESSICA YELLIN: No, and that’s a low blow. That’s not an accurate assessment of what this panel is, but it definitely will get her attention.
DAN BALZ: Jessica is right, it does get attention. It’s not the way to debate this bill, and it’s another example of Sarah Palin having difficulty figuring out how to enter into a serious debate about issues.
ED HENRY: Yes, and people are being whipped up on that issue right now and they think that essentially euthanasia is going to be allowed based on this health bill. Obviously it just doesn’t pass the Joe Six-pack test, I think even Sarah Palin would acknowledge.
The one person who did defend Palin today: Newt Gingrich.
CONSERVATIVES SLAM PALIN ATTACK AS 'CRAZY'.... Newt Gingrich told a national television audience this morning that Sarah Palin's "death panel" argument is fair and legitimate. I should note, in fairness to other conservatives, that others on the right have not been as kind to the former Alaska governor.
On "Meet the Press" this morning, David Brooks called Palin's attack "crazy," adding that "the crazies are attacking the plan because it will cut off granny. That is simply not true, that simply is not going to happen."
Similarly, Rep. Jack Kingston (R) of Georgia, who no one has ever considered a moderate, told Bill Maher there's nothing to Palin's attack. "It's a scare tactic," Kingston said. "No question about it."
Even some political reporters who shy away from drawing firm conclusions have acknowledged the facts. The Washington Post's Dan Balz said this morning, "It's not the way to debate this bill, and it's another example of Sarah Palin having difficulty figuring out how to enter into a serious debate about issues."
I've long wondered if there would be a point at which Sarah Palin went just a little too far for the political mainstream. A whole lot of political observers noticed the obvious lies, the cringe-worthy ignorance, the petty feuds, and the bizarre behavior, but wanted to maintain the fiction that Palin was a credible political figure. After all, John McCain wanted her to be one heartbeat from the presidency -- and 60 million Americans agreed.
Maybe, just maybe, her "death panel" message on Facebook -- complete with lies, poor writing, policy confusion, and family exploitation -- will be enough to convince the skeptical that Palin really is that far gone?
I am no Palin fan (the largest bone i have to pick with her was her inability to name a supreme court case that she disagrees with).....but her "death panel" description was spot on.
If you have rationed health care, you have death panels. Arguing that fact simply discredits the arguer.
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That right there is enough for me to see. As if Bill Maher is anything but a left wing wacko nanny state nut job who wouldn't know the truth if you hit him in the face with it.
I am no Palin fan (the largest bone i have to pick with her was her inability to name a supreme court case that she disagrees with).....but her "death panel" description was spot on.
If you have rationed health care, you have death panels. Arguing that fact simply discredits the arguer.
Trig ... with all due respect .... pull your head out. The death panel issue is a blatantly false accusation. By all means prove me wrong. I posted a couple of posts that back up my assertion. Please post a reasonably credible source that actually speaks about the death panels, that kids such as her son would be euthanized, that seniors would be euthanized. That assertion is pure, unadulterated, genuine, no artificial ingredients added, new and improved, bovine scat.
By the way ... in a way we already have death panels. Health insurer's are already doing this. Pre-existing condition ... sorry, please step out of line and die on your own time. Boy, your medical condition is going to cost us a bunch so we're going to discontinue your coverage come renewal time.
What the proposal says that covers the end of life planning is that it will have Medicare pay for a meeting between patient and physician IF the patient wishes to do it. It's not mandatory. All it does is offer a way to pay for such a meeting. There is no death panel. I sure hope someone in the mainstream media would interview Palin and have her tell all of us where she got this idea and explain to us how it would work since in her empty head she knows about these panels.
Palin, Beck, Limbaugh, and all Fox News are airing stories to appeal to the emotions and are very short on facts. They are doing a disservice to all when they ignore facts and play on emotion. Very disgusting tactic and unfortunately many are being the sheeple and just following their emotions instead of their intellect.
Trig ... with all due respect .... pull your head out. The death panel issue is a blatantly false accusation. By all means prove me wrong. I posted a couple of posts that back up my assertion. Please post a reasonably credible source that actually speaks about the death panels, that kids such as her son would be euthanized, that seniors would be euthanized. That assertion is pure, unadulterated, genuine, no artificial ingredients added, new and improved, bovine scat.
By the way ... in a way we already have death panels. Health insurer's are already doing this. Pre-existing condition ... sorry, please step out of line and die on your own time. Boy, your medical condition is going to cost us a bunch so we're going to discontinue your coverage come renewal time.
What the proposal says that covers the end of life planning is that it will have Medicare pay for a meeting between patient and physician IF the patient wishes to do it. It's not mandatory. All it does is offer a way to pay for such a meeting. There is no death panel. I sure hope someone in the mainstream media would interview Palin and have her tell all of us where she got this idea and explain to us how it would work since in her empty head she knows about these panels.
Palin, Beck, Limbaugh, and all Fox News are airing stories to appeal to the emotions and are very short on facts. They are doing a disservice to all when they ignore facts and play on emotion. Very disgusting tactic and unfortunately many are being the sheeple and just following their emotions instead of their intellect.
Watch this and tell me that this is not a valid concern. Dispute the facts if you can.
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Thanks for the video. Costs are a big concern, wait times, etc. I know that there are some who want a single payer system a la the UK. I am not one of those. However, I do argue for reform in some areas of the health care equation.
Now that I have honestly answered your question I have to take you to task because the topic at hand is the absurd notion of the death panels. That was a little over 7 minutes of video and not once did I hear "death panels" in the UK system.
Straight up question for you XDC: do you really think Palin knows what she is talking about in regards to the death panels issue?
Thanks for the video. Costs are a big concern, wait times, etc. I know that there are some who want a single payer system a la the UK. I am not one of those. However, I do argue for reform in some areas of the health care equation.
Now that I have honestly answered your question I have to take you to task because the topic at hand is the absurd notion of the death panels. That was a little over 7 minutes of video and not once did I hear "death panels" in the UK system.
Straight up question for you XDC: do you really think Palin knows what she is talking about in regards to the death panels issue?
She's equating the lessening prioritization of older members of society in terms of receiving care due to their lack of contributions to the system to what the UK is experiencing, discussed in the video. Do I think ole Barry will set up a "Death Panel" by name or even in specific practice? No. I don't think Palin does either.
The message to take away is that de facto life and decisions will naturally have to limit care to the elderly in order for this system to be remotely affordable, which equates to the very same thing as a "Death Panel". After all, no one seems to disagree that the most expensive healthcare period in a persons life is the last 3-6 months. What conclusion would that lead you to?
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