In Monday’s Republican presidential debate sponsored by CNN and the Republican Party front group, Tea Party Express, moderator Wolf Blitzter asked Rep. Ron Paul a hypothetical question. How would Paul and his followers handle it in their everyone-for-himself fantasy world, if a 30 year old man who had chosen not to buy insurance were to get sick and require long-term care.
Rep. Paul, a physician, dissembled for a few seconds before Blitzer prompted him, “Are you saying that society should just let him die?”
Before Paul could answer, several of his followers in the audience were heard cheering and shouting, “Yeah!”
But, as Mark Karlin at BuzzFlash/Truthout pointed out yesterday, the question was not actually hypothetical:
Ron Paul knows something about uninsured men dying without health insurance. Kent Snyder, who was Paul’s 2008 presidential campaign manager, died on June 26 of that year without any medical coverage. His hospital bills had accumulated to $400,000 at the time of his passing.
A couple of differences between the real story and the hypothetical: Snyder was 49, not 30, and it is possible he was prevented from buying insurance because of a preexisting condition.
Karlin linked to a July 2008 article we published on Kent Snyder’s bankruptcy and death at the hands of the United States’ medical system, quoting a Washington Blade story that is no longer active:
News of Snyder’s death and his lack of health insurance has triggered a behind-the-scenes debate among Paul supporters and libertarian activists over whether or not the Paul campaign should have provided health insurance to its staff.
When Dr. Paul finally answered the question in the debate on Monday, he suggested that churches and “our neighbors, our friends, our churches would” provide care for the uninsured.
But, as Mark Karlin noted, “That’s not how it played itself out with your longtime fundraiser and campaign manager, Kent Snyder, Dr. Paul. He didn’t even get the health coverage he needed from you, nor did you pick up his $400,000 medical care bill after he died.”
Alright so I watched the video and I’m not a Ron Paul fan at all but- he did answer Wolf when he was asked if “we” should just let these people die. Also it was like 2 or 3 people tops that said “Yeah” so that doesn’t say much about Paul and or the views of the entire tea-party.
This seems like a hit piece, rightfully so, it is neither fair or informed.
I beg to differ, Roary. Paul says, “That’s what freedom is all about, taking your own risk,” which quite clearly expresses his opinion that if we make bad decisions we should suffer the consequences whatever they might be — in this case having to go without lifesaving medical care. It sounded like the entire audience cheered that statement. Hardly weak-kneed agreement.
Regarding the follow-up question of whether the young man should be left to die, the clip cuts off too soon. After a couple of “yeahs” and smattering of applause from the audience, Paul states quite unequivocally that the government should not come to the aid of the indigent, but that friends and neighbors should do so if they choose. In the context of that statement, the article posted here is certainly a legitimate evaluation of Paul’s moral values and a far cry from a “hit piece.”
If the Tea Party shares those values, they should say so — and I think they do. Repeatedly. Today’s GOP subscribes to the Randian philosophy of rigid self interest in all things. Of course, Ayn Rand herself softened her stance when she became gravely ill and had to accept Medicare. The government of the people (you and I) stepped up to help her, as we will step up to help Tea Partiers who someday may find themselves broke and ill. That’s the difference between conservatives and liberals. They never forgive. We do.
So make sure all your friends are wealthy as well as kind-hearted if you are unemployed and poor. Otherwise you deserve to die. That’s basically what you’re saying.
Society is now truly gone.
I read this article and comments yesterday and I’ve been mulling it over ever since.
What I seem to be seeing is that nobody should have to contribute to a medical insurance fund. That’s real freedom they say. However when they get old and possibly sick they also have the freedom to mooch off of the rest of us who have been contributing for years. What a total crock of baloney.
As far as I’m concerned they really are delusional.