{"id":106867,"date":"2019-01-10T00:52:52","date_gmt":"2019-01-10T07:52:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/admin.patheos.com\/blogs\/markshea\/?p=106867"},"modified":"2019-01-09T00:07:56","modified_gmt":"2019-01-09T07:07:56","slug":"the-real-death-panel-party","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/markshea\/2019\/01\/the-real-death-panel-party.html","title":{"rendered":"The Real Death Panel Party"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

As has now become obvious, the standard strategy of the GOP Christianist Cult of Trump is to its enemies of the very things it desires and intends itself. Back during the debate over universal health, a standard trope of the Cult was that people only advocated universal health care so that they could form \u201cdeath panels\u201d and exterminate the weak. Christianists shamefully defied the Church\u2019s century old call for universal health care by joining in that lie with gusto.<\/p>\n

Now that the Cult is in charge we see that they are, in fact, the homicidal purgers of the weak and poor.<\/p>\n

Exhibit A<\/a>:<\/p>\n

Megan Willis lives with cystic fibrosis, a deadly disease that causes extensive lung damage. The 22-year-old said she spends around six hours a day administering medications and therapy, and that the disease frequently causes infections and other complications.<\/p>\n

With the condition, Willis qualified as a disabled adult for Social Security benefits on living expenses. About 10 million other Americans too disabled for work also get the stipend, called Disability Insurance. More importantly, having Social Security gave Willis access to Medicaid, which paid her annual health care costs of over $100,000.<\/p>\n

But in March, Social Security sent her a letter saying her health had improved since the last review of her case and that she was able to work. This was news to Willis.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy health has only gotten worse in the past year,\u201d Willis told CBS News chief medical correspondent Dr. Jon LaPook.<\/p>\n

Despite that, her Social Security benefits were terminated and she lost Medicaid. Since she lives in Florida, one of 14 states without expanded Medicaid, she had no other way to get it. Her family can\u2019t afford private insurance.<\/p>\n

While the medical bills mounted, she began law school.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t want to just stay stagnant and you know, depressed, looking at the four walls of my room,\u201d Willis said. \u201cI want to move up in the world even if you know it\u2019s going to be hard.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Exhibit B:<\/a><\/p>\n

Brian Harvey\u2019s employer took away his health insurance just in time for his son\u2019s cancer diagnosis. <\/p>\n

\u201cBeginning of June my wife found a lump in my son\u2019s stomach when she was just playing with him,\u201d he explained. \u201cWe went in to see his pediatrician and next thing you know they just told us to go to the emergency room.\u201d<\/p>\n

Harvey\u2019s son had his kidney removed shortly after, but he got a phone call after the surgery saying the child had stage three cancer that had traveled to his lymph nodes. A week later, he got a letter in the mail saying that his insurance was being terminated.<\/p>\n

Energy giant National Grid, where Harvey works, recently locked out 1,250 gas line workers in Massachusetts, and ended their health care on the same day, to put pressure on workers during union contract negotiations. They also reported $3.66 billion in profits in May \u2014 a 24% jump. The company is hoping to cut wages and health benefits in the new contract.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt the times like, this, you think, you know, you\u2019re basically just a number to them,\u201d said Harvey. \u201cWhat I\u2019d say to National Grid is how greedy can you be? And is it worth it to you like, the more money you put in your pocket, is it really worth it to hurt all these people?\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

I know. I know. This is a private company, not the state denying him insurance. But that, of course, is because the state protects private companies that do this to their workers and the GOP has labored to punish people who children are rude enough to have pre-existing conditions when their job cuts off their insurance. Because the bottom line for the Cult of Trump is the bottom line, not human beings. If the poor be like to die, they had better do it and help decrease the surplus population. Or as the GOP cheered: \u201cLet him die!\u201d<\/p>\n