Fear Mongerers On Health Care Reform: What Would Jesus Do?

Fear mongering appears to be one of the favorite past times of the conservative right. There have been so many amazing claims going around recently about proposed health care reform, that I thought it would be an interesting exercise to document some of them. Here are some excellent examples.

“You folks review with me a little bit as I recall Stalin in the 1920s issued about 20 Million end of life orders for his fellow Russians. Pol Pot did it in the Vietnam War. He issued about 2 Million end of life orders. It’s being done in Africa today. Mugabe is doing it every day. Adolf Hitler issued 6 Million end of life orders. He called his program the final solution. I kind of wonder what we’re going to call ours…” Speech at ‘Patients First’ Bus Tour in Pueblo

Seriously? You really want to go with that one? Comparing President Obama to Hitler? You really want to claim that health care reform is akin to the Final Solution in Nazi Germany? It’s not even worth arguing with people like this.

“Obama will kill your grandmother, so he can give health care to Spanish speaking Muslim terrorist illegal alien rapists.” Sign held by a paid protestor Billy Singleton at meeting in Lebanon, PA

Considering this protestor was being paid to make stuff up, it’s barely worth addressing the comment. Although this one covers all the basic fear mongering techniques and highlights just how low conservatives and health insurance companies will go.

“I’ve been out of work since 2000 when the Republicans paid me to yell at them vote counters who were trying to have Al Gore steal the election from a real American, George W. Bush. So it was great when they called me back and told me to go to a meeting and call Obama a Communist Nazi leftist fascist.” Also a paid protestor Bull Casey of Elkhart, ID.

“Communist Nazi leftist fascist”? Hmmm . . . Only a conservative could get away with putting those four words into one sentence. Great to see the health care reform protest is helping to lower unemployment though. I wonder if it comes with health benefits.

“I don’t believe this is just health care. This is about the systematic dismantling of this country. … I don’t want this country turning into Russia, turning into a socialized country. What are you going to do to restore this country back to what our founders created, according to the Constitution?” Protesting woman at Lebanon, PA

If this woman had any real concept of how Russians lived under a socialist state, she probably would not find this analogy appropriate. As for the constitution, I believe there is a certain emphasis placed on equality for all Americans. Does this not apply to the over 40 million Americans who are uninsured?

“I know the people. They build a special part of the hospital just for all the people coming in across the border to escape Canadian health care.” Glenn Beck on his Fox show

This is a common complaint of conservatives and has little basis in truth. In reality, it is Americans crossing the border for health care and cheap pharmaceuticals.

“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.” Sarah Palin comments from her Facebook page

Evil? Serial killers, pedophiles, and rapists maybe, but a health care system? Who listens to Sarah Palin anymore anyway?

“People such as scientist Stephen Hawking wouldn’t have a chance in the U.K. where the National Health Service would say the quality of life of this brilliant man, because of his physical handicaps, is essentially worthless.” Editorial from Investor’s Business Daily on July 31st, which appears to have now been removed

As has already been glaringly pointed out by others, Stephen Hawking was born in Britain, raised in Britain, and is currently living in Britain thanks to their universal health care system. Hawkings has also come out strongly in favor of the NHS, claiming he wouldn’t be alive without it.

“Grandmas and Unborn Babies Face Extermination by Obama’s “Health” Care Plan” Actual title of the editorial as cited above

Extermination? I mean really. How many times does Obama have to defend this accusation before conservatives find something new to arouse the fear of Americans?

“Health Bill Would OK Forced Vaccinations in Private Homes” Article from Newsmax.com

For the life of me, I cannot find one single reference to “forced vaccinations” in the bill quoted in this article.

“You’re gonna bankrupt this country. . . We don’t need Obama and his crew telling us how to die.” Protestor Sam Cataldo at Portsmouth, NH

The only thing bankrupting this country right now is the current health care system. America has higher health care costs than any other Western nation and is increasing each year at a rapid rate.

“President Obama and his supporters are confusing the public on this issue. They aren’t proposing to change the cost of health care, rather they are proposing to force Americans who pay taxes to subsidize those who can’t afford it.” Blogger on health care reform

These conservatives just don’t get it. We already are paying for those who can’t afford it through other taxes and the costs keep going up thanks to greedy health insurance companies. Our premiums will only get higher as health care costs get higher.

“The son of Stalin has put forward a health care plan that will ravage the checks and lifestyles of hardworking Americans with a universal tax; a tax that will be forced upon everyone, so that non-working slobs and ghetto miscreants alike can go to the doctor for any and all ailments.” Christian blogger

I suppose this is what it all comes down to. Conservatives think that anyone who doesn’t have a job or health insurance chooses not to. Under the current system, people like this should cross their fingers and pray to their God that they don’t lose their job in this economic crisis we’re having. Ironically, I also found it interesting that this comment was made on a Christian website. These comments seem to be in direct contradiction to the teachings of Jesus. I think it would be wise for all these people who believe in fear mongering to stop ranting and raving, start listening to what’s really going on with America’s health care, and ask themself one question: WHAT WOULD JESUS DO?