Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Palin Strikes Back

The reference to 'death panels" has made a return to The Wall Street Journal by none other then Sarah Palin.  She writes:
In an interview with the New York Times in April, the president suggested that such a group, working outside of 'normal political channels,' should guide decisions regarding that 'huge driver of cost . . . the chronically ill and those toward the end of their lives . . . Given such statements, is it any wonder that many of the sick and elderly are concerned that the Democrats' proposals will ultimately lead to rationing of their health care by—dare I say it—death panels? Establishment voices dismissed that phrase, but it rang true for many Americans. Working through 'normal political channels,' they made themselves heard, and as a result Congress will likely reject a wrong-headed proposal to authorize end-of-life counseling in this cost-cutting context. But the fact remains that the Democrats' proposals would still empower unelected bureaucrats to make decisions affecting life or death health-care matters.
Why are the sick and elderly concerned?  Is it because Palin misinterpreted the legislation and decided to scare her followers with the term "death panel", which of course was picked up by the media because she was a top ticket candidate last year, not to mention all the inane comments made during the campaign trail leaves much to be ridiculed from the now former governor of Alaska.  She also mentions "normal political channels", which I assume she is referencing town halls, but these town halls had digressed into a forum for the misinformed, who believed in such "death panels" and government rationing that Palin wants you to believe. 

Maybe if she used her journalism degree and researched what exactly the president mentioned instead of misquoting him and then making grand misinterpretations that eventually materialized in her brain as "death panels", then maybe Americans wouldn't be scared, and then maybe we would see rational, informed people using these "normal political channels" to express concern.  Instead we havea  nation of Sarah Palins blubbering about death panels and government rationing, and fearing the government is going to take away their rights... but just as long as they leave their Medicare alone.

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