Palin on health care reform – she’s not the worst

Former Alaska Gov Sarah Palin (R) has added her own voice to those decrying the current health care reform proposals – and in so doing has added yet more evidence that she is not credible.
According to the unimpeachable Fox News, “Who will suffer the most when they ration care? The sick, the elderly, and the disabled, of course,” the former vice Republican presidential candidate wrote on her Facebook page, which has nearly 700,000 supporters.
“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,” Palin wrote.”
(Fox’ pundits went on to agree with Palin; here‘s one “death panel” quote from one of the ‘experts’ at Fox.) Fortunately, the good folks at ABC did their homework, identifying the source of the ‘death panel’ BS – our old friend Betsy McGaughey.
Just hours after her initial wacko proclamation, Palin appeared to temper her bizarre assertions by asking health reform opponents to calm down and be civil, saying “we must stick to a discussion of the issues and not get sidetracked by tactics that can be accused of leading to intimidation or harassment.”
Unfortunately the former Governor’s call for civility hasn’t had much of an impact – at least not in Memphis. Here’s one rather telling excerpt from the article:
“Roger Fakes, 70, said he sat quitely [sic] during most of the meeting, but Cohen’s insistence that citizens would be able to keep their private health care drove him to his feet.
He argued that changes to private insurance would force citizens into the government plan.
“There are some of us old gray-haired folks that don’t want the government involved in any of our business,” he said.”
Alas, he’s about as well informed as our erstwhile Vice President, Ms. Palin…It appears Mr Fakes isn’t aware that the insurance he so ardently defends is a ‘government program’.
This is one example of the apparent ignorance of at least some of the ‘protesters’ about what is being proposed, what alternatives exist, and the current state of the health care system. You don’t know whether to be furious with these folks for their blind support for right wing causes or pity them for the ease with which they are manipulated.
As I and others have noted, there are significant concerns with the current health reform initiatives, yet none of the real concerns are in evidence at these corporate-funded outrage parties. Lets start with cost – our system just costs too much, and that’s what is making it unaffordable. Why aren’t protesters screaming about cost? Because the people funding their outrage are the very companies that base their business’ success on that system.
Aided by their fellow travelers; here’s anexample of the ‘grass roots’ nature of the anti-reform campaign. The tour bus that has been cruising around North Carolina with an “Americans for Prosperity” logo has been funded by none other than Koch Industries, one of the most notorious polluters in the nation. AFP has also challenged global warming, an intelligent energy policy (one that is backed by oilman T Boone Pickens, no less), and tobacco legislation.
Thank goodness the ACLU will fight to its last nickel to defend these slimeballs’ right to publicize their propaganda.