Friday, August 14, 2009

Dangerously Dumb People in the World

It's Friday, which means it's time for this week's dangerously dumb people in the world.

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3rd: A tie to John Boehner, Thaddeus McCotter, Johnny Isakson, John Mica, and Charles Grassley -- all Republicans -- for hypocrisy in the first degree.

http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/senate-republicans/multiple-republican-leaders-voted-in-2003-for-measure-they-now-decry-as-government-euthanasia/

All have suggested the current health care bill could lead to government-led euthanasia. All have voted "yea" on a similar bill in 2003. Here's the conference agreement provision of relevance in that bill:

The conference agreement provides coverage of certain physician's services for certain terminally ill individuals. Beneficiaries entitled to these services are those who have not elected the hospice benefit and have not previously received these physician's services. Covered services are those furnished by a physician who is the medical director or employee of a hospice program. The covered services are: evaluating the beneficiary's need for pain and symptom management, including the individual's need for hospice care; counseling the beneficiary with respect to end-of-life issues and care options, and advising the beneficiary regarding advanced care planning. Payment for such services equals the amount established for similar services under the physician fee schedule, excluding the practice expense component. The provision would apply to consultation services provided by a hospice program on or after January 1, 2005.


http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/cpquery/?&dbname=cp108&sid=cp108d60yh&refer=&r_n=hr391.108&item=&sel=TOC_2103579&

Don't believe me that they voted for it?

http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/108/house/1/votes/332/

So what are these people fearing?

http://dyn.politico.com/printstory.cfm?uuid=BE4A649B-18FE-70B2-A8D69613031185EB

(Boehner and McCotter)

http://www.politico.com/blogs/glennthrush/0809/Isakson_rejects_Obama_shout_out_from_town_hall.html?showall

(Isakson)

http://thinkprogress.org/2009/08/12/gop-congressman-there-are-death-counselors-authorized-in-the-health-care-bill/

(Mica)

http://washingtonindependent.com/54853/grassley-government-plan-threatens-to-pull-the-plug-on-grandma

(Grassley)

Grassley's comments were particularly despicable. This type of rhetoric is exactly what I was talking about in my ominous post yesterday. It is this type of talk, I believe, that is dangerous to the current and future state of America. Grassley should do the country a favor and resign. Promptly.

Fear-spreading liars. Representing us daily.

2nd: Sarah Palin, for basically the same thing.

http://thinkprogress.org/2009/08/13/palin-deathpanel-flipflop/

Guess what advance directives are, Ms. Palin? Don't know? Don't care? It is possible to be stupid and apathetic at the same time.

Here is the official document: http://74.125.95.132/search?q=cache:_qjXL_3J08EJ:www.eeo.state.ak.us/archive-50122.html+%22HEALTHCARE+DECISIONS+DAY%22+palin&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&client=firefox-a

So why does Palin deserve special recognition? Well, because I believe her comments, in particular, have fueled this "death panel" nonsense.

Now imagine her as President.

1st: Approximately 12% of North Carolina conservatives, for not knowing Hawaii is a part of the US. Rachel Maddow tells the rest:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/vp/32396083#32396083

People who don't know Hawaii is a part of the US? And these people can (and probably do) vote? That's why those 12% are this week's dangerously dumb people in the world.