Is Rick Scott guilty of murder?
By Thom Hartmann A...
Florida Governor Rick Scott is now officially a killer, and Charlene Dill is one of his victims. Charlene Dill was a hardworking Florida woman, who moved down to Florida when she was just 18 years old. To help make ends meet, Charlene worked at various fast food restaurants, at Disney World, and even cleaned houses and babysat. As the years went by, Charlene found herself, as a single mother, struggling to raise 3 children. Last year, Charlene made just $11,000 cleaning houses and babysitting. She used that money to help put food on the table for her children, and to put a roof over their heads.
Then Charlene discovered she had a severe heart problems that needed to be managed. And she couldn't afford to get it treated right, because Charlene didn’t have health insurance. Charlene fell into what's called the “Red State Donut Hole,” created by Republican lawmakers like Rick Scott. It says that if you make over $5,400 and less than $11,400, you get no health insurance.
Below the $5,400, Charlene would have qualified for Florida's pretty pathetic Medicaid program. Over $11,400, she would have qualified for free health insurance under Obamacare because of the subsidies for low-income people. But because she only earned $11,000, she made too little to qualify for Obamacare, but too much to qualify for Florida Medicaid.
This isn't, of course, how the Obamacare law was written. But this giant Swiss Cheese hole was drilled into Obamacare by John Roberts, when the Supreme Court said that states could refuse to take federal money to pay to cover people who don't earn enough to qualify for insurance subsidies but make more than state Medicaid programs will cover. It was into that hole that Charlene fell.
Twenty-three states which are either controlled by a Republican governor or a Republican legislature have refused to expand Medicaid coverage to their citizens under Obamacare. This is pure politics, an effort to sabotage Obamacare by cutting the working poor out of the program. Republicans are hoping that working poor people like Charlene will be so upset that they can't get Obamacare, and won't realize that it was the Republican governors who refused their eligibility, that they'll be angry with Obama and the Democrats and vote Republican in 2014 and 2016.
It's all about politics. These states are literally playing politics with people's lives, and Charlene is one of the people they've now killed. Around 5 million Americans won’t have access to healthcare in 2014, because they fall into the “Red State Donut Hole,” just like Charlene.
Since she didn’t have insurance, Charlene couldn't afford a regular doctor or regular treatment. In 2012, Charlene went to the emergency room because of a flare-up with her heart. Doctors there told her to start taking medicine, and to be routinely monitored. But she couldn't afford it, because she only made $11,000 a year and had to feed three kids, and Rick Scott wouldn't let her have the free health insurance that working poor people in every Democratically-controlled state in America have.
Rick Scott was willing to let her to die so he could score political points against President Obama. Back in December, Charlene again went to the emergency room, this time because of abscesses in her legs. Shortly after that trip to the ER, Charlene picked up another job as a vacuum cleaner saleswoman, on top of babysitting and house cleaning, to help provide for her family and to pay for her ER bills, which weren't covered because Rick Scott and the Florida Republicans refused to let the federal government pay for her Medicaid.
This past Friday, Charlene was supposed to go see one of her close friends, so their children could play together. Charlene never made it to her friend’s house. Charlene died during one of her vacuum cleaner sales appointments that day. The hardworking and loving single mother of three young children was just 32-years-young.
Charlene died because multimillionaire Republican and Florida Governor Rick Scott chose to play politics, rather than protect the lives of the Florida citizens he is supposed to be serving. And unfortunately, if Republicans across the country continue playing politics with peoples’ lives, Charlene won’t be the only one to die.
A recent study by researchers at Harvard University and the City University of New York found that as many as 17,000 Americans will die directly as a result of Republican states refusing to expand Medicaid under Obamacare. Samuel Dickman, one of the authors of the study, told Morning Call that, “The results were sobering. Political decisions have consequences, some of them lethal.”
Unfortunately, Republicans like Rick Scott don’t give a rat's ass that their political decisions have life-and-death consequences. Consequences like three young children losing their mother. They just want to smear Obama, and don't care who dies, just so long as it's just working poor people.
But enough is enough. Some things are more important than politics, and life is certainly one of them. Republicans say that they’re pro-life, but that's a bald-faced lie, because they refuse to let low-wage working Americans have access to life-saving Medicaid. If Rick Scott and his Republican buddies in the Florida legislature are really the Christians they claim they are, then they're going to burn in hell. Deservedly.
Comments
#2
sarah palin & michelle bachmann were right about government death panels.
THEY are the republican legislators and governors who are rejecting the medicaid expansion and closing down women's health clinics.
#3
"Ckrob" - Agreed! And I'm more than fed up with these "genteel" Dems, who should be raising hell right now. How about calling a spade an axe... or a guillotine!
Thom is right. Republicans are killers. But as I see it, the "genteel" silence of the Democrats is a form of betrayal. - Aliceinwonderland
P.S. "jkh", well put! I've made the exact same point for years about death panels. Isn't it ironic how the defenders of "pay-or-die" are who invented that cute little tag line, in an effort to define government-funded healthcare! This is a classic case of projection, since death panels are what "pay-or-die" is all about.
#4
That SOB criminal and all the rethugs who pretend to look out for Floridians need to be beaten to within an inch of their lives. Damn It! Why do we put up with this shit.
#5
It is always quoted that "Forgiveness is necessary for one's own good." There are some things in this world which seem to me to be unforgiveable; this kind of deliberate abuse of hard-working people should never be forgiven. Rather, it must be rectified. And this can happen only when people open their eyes and vote in ways which benefit ALL the people - not just the ones who can afford whatever they need and play golf whenever they want.
#6
Yes, I agree and thank you for taking a strong position. To be a Republican today, one must be rich, cruel, or ignorant, and these categories are not mutually exclusive. After witnessing today’s Republican agenda, I’ve gone so far as saying that the Republicans and the Righteous are mutually exclusive. Of course, I’m referring to the current Republican Agenda, and forgive the individual honest Republican, especially the Eisenhower Republicans, who are struggling to take their Republican Party back.
#7
Yep! Lots of murder going on all over, and much of it can be traced directly to the rich and powerful. The Koch's oil refineries cause kidney cancer, leukemia, serious lung problems you name it....people die! I certainly could go on and on about food additives, Monsanto's RoundUp, Tea publican austerity and poverty....people die, it's a fact....yet if I walk up and punch David Koch or Rick Scott, I'm considered violent and will be arrested for assault????? It's all murder, it's not accidental!
#8
I look at all these casualties of our privatized, for-profit healthcare extortion racket as murder victims. Politicians from both parties, who are responsible for their deaths, are the murderers. And Thom, it's both parties! Why let the Democrats off the hook?! Max Baucus is no Republican, but he's as slimy a fascist as any of them. I even think our president is partially responsible for these needless tragedies. After all, if we had the single-payer system we all need and deserve, folks like Charlene Dill would still be alive. Let's not forget, Obama invited those no-count insurance hacks to "The Table" while single-payer advocates were kept out of the discussion! That is something I cannot forgive. Ms. Dill's death is doubly tragic because it could - and should - have been avoided. So now we have a young mother with most of her life still before her, sacrificed at the altar of Big Money! Talk about death panels...
My husband and I are lucky. Because we live in Oregon, we get to benefit from Medicaid. Alleleuyah! But we still need single payer, and we need it NOW. - Aliceinwonderland
#9
Why do people vote against their own interests? Seems like the poorer they are, the more likely they are to vote republicant.
#10
Ms. Necker, I can come up with two reasons: (1) The poorer they are, the more jobs they have to maintain just to cover the barest necessities; therefore they are too harried & busy to read, or stay abreast of the issues. (2) This corporate-fascist hijacking of our media, which is really just a thinly disguised propaganda racket designed to brainwash rather than inform the public. Keep telling the same old lies long enough and eventually, people start believing them! So in the sheeples' realm of reality, black is white (or vice versa), bitter is sweet, cold is hot, down is up; or in other words, greed is a virtue, corporations are people, healthcare is a privilege, fascism is "freedom" and money is speech. - Aliceinwonderland
#11
this is what happens when laws are pushed through with emotion rather that logic. Before completely changing health care for 330 million shouldn't all of the loop holes be thought through. This was pushed through with very little thought. Nancy Pelosi said herself she didn't know Completely what was it it when she voted for it.. I think everyone would agree America needed a change with there health care delivery. But I think logic was thrown away with emotion. You have to understand states have budgets. When basically over night the Feds force a massive exspence like this what do you want them to do. I think maybe try this system on one state first if it is as good as you say then all states would follow. Come to think of it didn't one try it. Oh ya that was the replublican that ran against Obama
#12
Kend says "You have to understand states have budgets."
News flash: single payer not only saves lives; it saves MONEY too! So please, spare us the serenade over "massive expense" and "What do you want them [the feds] to do…?" What we want them to do, Kend, is stop coddling the damn extortionists and put people's lives before profit. No more useless paper pushing saves money! No more advertising saves money! No more bullshit barriers to care, designed to exclude those who can't pay, which saves money and lives! Just plain old uninterrupted, unadulterated HEALTH CARE for ALL, without all that expensive, useless, tedious bureaucracy!! Our current system is indefensible; not only morally but financially.
What do we want the feds - our public servants - to do? Their jobs. - Aliceinwonderland
#13
Can the kids/gaurdian of kids of the lady that died charge the governor for neglect???
Would have a chance of fairness if done by a jury.
#14
Gov Scott & his ilk do not care about hard working folks, just their powerful billionaires pals & cohorts. All one has to do is look at GOP policies...they are anti middle class - anti poor but very PRO Wealth. Same for 30 yrs of Reaganomics / deregulation which favors large corps , and the super rich. Bit by bit US laws & policies have driven down wages, crushed labor unions & tried to take away womens health choices / access to birth control. Guess the GOP leaders want more moms to have babies they can not afford or care for properly.
#15
GOP SO Why is there always money for wars, bombs, killing & corps cuts, perks, subsides, loopholes ?
#16
Doghnut holes are a divisive Red State strategy designed to create a resentment as Medicaid before created "middle class resentment" against the poor when some middle class people, barely unable to afford health insurance, were too well off for Medicaid means tested qualifications. Single payer would eradicate that making everybody qualified.
#17
So Kend, are you then for it or against it? The "Republican guy that ran against Obama" tried it in a single state first, like you recommended, with stellar results. It was also the Heritage Foundation plan.
The Red State doughnut hole is called the "Red State doughnut hole" because it's in the Red States, Kend. It's because the Republican governors refused to implement the plan. This is all because we had to please conservatives. We had to take out the pulic option, which would have closed any doughnut hole or loop hole, for Lieberman to vote for it because we needed every Democrat and Independent vote in the Senate as the Republicans vowed a filibuster.
Kend, you're such a loveable clown. We love havin' you around 'cause you're so easy to trounce.
Bet you don't even realize you've been trounced half the time, eh Kend?
#18
Kend - Pelosi's comment was in recognition of the fact that the Senate and House bills would immediately go to a reconciliation committee which was free to change any provision in order to effect 'reconciliation.' Seems to me the committee has too much power but them's the rules. I think it should be noted that ACA is an INSURANCE (not a medical practice) program which still works through the corrupt private health insurance morass. A bad approach to begin with, no doubt, but that was what could get the votes at the time. Your point about budgets -- much of the cost of the U.S. healthcare non-system is external to the governmental budget so even in the event costs are contained, internalizing those new costs make budgets larger for awhile.
#19
I think we can win more elections if we listen to what Loren Bliss said some time ago. One wedge issue is making people in red states have to vote Republican when they otherwise wouldn't. Gun Control! People in cities who are immersed in poverty and the resulting gun violence are easily convinced that Gun Control is a great idea when actually, ending poverty is a better idea. People who live in the country and rural areas have no access to emergency police services; and, as Loren said, one 30 cent round can take down an animal that can feed a family for a year. To them, the idea of Gun Control is a threat to their very existence. They have no choice but to hold their nose and vote Republican.
I believe that if we were to stop this silly self-defeating campaign in the Democratic party we would be able to attract enough red states to voting Democratic to win every election in a landslide.
It is a shame to throw elections away and have to deal with the likes of George W. Bush and his administration of cold blooded, war profiteering murderers just to support one initiative that if even enacted to the fullest would do nothing to prevent the very problem that it would allegedly solve.
#20
Guns bore me.
#21
Quote Aliceinwonderland:Guns bore me.
Aliceinwonderland ~ No pun intended, I'm sure?
#22
agreed, Thom.
#23
As usual, republicans "project" what they cause to happen, onto democrats (this case death panels).
#24
Right on, Bobbler! I've made the same comment more times than I can count. And that "death panels" projection really makes me crazy, because private insurance is all about death panels... What do these fascist clowns think we've been dealing with already?! (HELLO...) - Aliceinwonderland
#25
Wasn't that the Romney campaign slogan "I'm rubber, you're glue"?
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The Repugnicans would say that they have to break a few eggs in order to make a paradise (for themselves?) While we're discussing murderers, let's remember another mass murderer: George W. The Dems are just too genteel to call a spade a shovel.