I commented in a thread at the end of an online article about the ACA coverage gap in many Republican states. I intended to post a few supportive words and suggestions for "KJ", who explained that his/her best friend was terminally ill, suffering, and unable to get Medicaid because Pat McCrory is amoral.
At first, I was really angry about "KJs" friend's tragic and needless victimization by Governor Tom McCrory, but THEN, I read the response from...ahem..."Wiser Now".
"Wiser Now"?? What did that pseudonym imply? I had some ideas.
"Wiser Now" was the cookie cutter, quintessential generic Republican.
Was "Wiser Now" understanding.... respectful? One might have that impression for the first few words. Then the message crystallized, veiled in syrupy sweet, godly, genuine concern.
"Wiser Now" told KJ that the predicament was the President's fault, and advised him/her to be angry at the President...oh, and..God loves you..he will take care of the problem..pray..."
I was angry as hell! From my perspective, just Like the governor, "Wiser Now" had utterly dismissed "KJ" as a nonperson.
"KJ" was not worthy of or deserving of anyone else's time, energy, or consideration. Just....go....away...
Wanting "KJ" to know that there was someone who saw that "Wiser Now" was a mouthpiece, and that someone empathized with the feelings of betrayal.... I added an impulsive knee-jerk (but lengthy) comment from the right side of my brain.
Before you follow the squiggle to read the comment thread....
The title of this article about the Medicaid gap needs to be an inflammatory bullhorn to get people to pause, read it, get enraged, and then go vote the governor out of office.
" Guilty .....as Direct Purveyors of Evil Disregard for the Needless Pain and Suffering They are Causing American Citizens, Malicious Passive-Aggressive Republican Governors and Legislatures Refuse to Expand Life-Saving Medicaid.... because..... they hate President Obama"
KJ writes
“While this piece does address the many deficits & desperate needs of many, especially Minorities. It doesn't do justice to the entire Needy population of N.C. There are also PLENTY of Non-Minorities that are also being ignored & left by the wayside by these insane actions of the MC ( appears to mean writer meant “NC”) Legislature & Repub. Governor.
Case in point, my best friend has among several other major Disabilities, a TERMINAL Heart Condition, Diabetes, can barely walk & cannot sit or stand for more than a few mins. at a time. He has been in a "dogfight" with the S.S.A. for approx. FOUR YEARS, attempting to receive Disability Benefits, which he worked & paid for, for over 42 yrs. Only to be denied time & again, according to THEIR OWN WORDS, because these idiots seem to claim that he "can work at some type of job". "They clearly state that they do not know of what type of job that he could possibly hold or attend sufficiently, to keep it, or that regardless of it being even a Part Time 10-20 hr. a week position, that he can do so & somehow support himself with that income." Of course in NC, that along with the Blockage of the Medicaid Expansion, disqualifies him from getting ANY Health Benefits. he also has Medicine costs running at approx. $2200-$2400 a month, for what is needed to simply keep him alive & not suffering 24-7. If it were not for the Cheap/Sub Par Care at a local County Medical Clinic, aid from the National Heart Assoc., the MAPP Program & ONE caring compassionate Cardiologist that has donated his treatment to stay alive, my friend would already be DEAD. But, due to the actions of NC, he cannot get Medicaid or Medical/Prescription Assistance & will most likely die before the S.S.A. approves him for honest Disability Benefits. Of which, after he starts to receive those benefits, he will be required to pay the entire amount in return, in MEDICARE Parts A & B Coverage & still will not be able to get his needed Medication, eat or keep a roof over his head, short of a Homeless Shelter or Nursing Home. This is simply because of the fact that all of those years that he DID work & was a productive member of society, he made too much income in the past, to qualify him for Medicaid instead. There is a SEVERE problem with elected officials that have ZERO compassion for the Disabled, Needy, Indigent & Dying, in this state. And absolutely NO desire on their part, to address or even consider any changes in position. Yet, SOMEHOW, the so-called Conservatives seem to believe in their strange "Christian reasoning", that this is Spiritual behavior.”
"Wiser Now" responds to KJ • 19 hours ago
KJ - My heart breaks when I read your post. I have a brother and sister-in-law in NC that are in the same boat as your friend and I am angry beyond words about it. That said, I would ask that you don't lay the blame at the feet of Christians.....the blame rests with Obama and his lies and with his devoted minions who crafted this horrific travesty to start with and/or re-elected him for a second term. If he had been stopped at a single term, we could have overcome this through legal challenges and repeal processes. God has nothing to do with this KJ...nor do His real followers. God bless you....and God be close to your friend and his family.
"Jessie Mae" responds to "Wiser Now" • 9 hours ago
I am moved by KJ's friendship and concern for her/his
friend. This friend has endured abhorrent unjust responses to his plea for
help. It is clear that he is experiencing immeasurable emotional pain caused by
the personal, intimate betrayal of his worthiness to live-- The physiologic
equivalent is gasping for air and panicking when it is not forthcoming.
(Since he is already living and breathing, there are no Republican lawmakers on
a rabid mission to enact existing laws to assure his rights to access medical
care)
"Wiser Now's" response was to advise KJ to be angry at the President. Then she
stated that if he were not the President there would be no increased access to
healthcare for many people, and that the SSA under President Romney would
handle his case differently....oh, and God loves you and cares....Really?OK,...
My wager is that "Wiser's" comment really meant, "Your situation is
sad, but Christians did not refuse to help you in this time of great need (but
they did).
>It is President Obama's fault because he was able to implement what
is already a right in every other industrialized nation on the
planet-(eventually)healthcare coverage for every American.
>The Republicans hate the President and every thing he has tried to do, and I have been scared witless by those I deem to be authority figures.
>Because the authority figures pray loudly and publicly, they are "real Christians".
> I hate the President and I belong to the Republican Party, which is the Christan Party of "Real Americans" and doesn't care if it tends to offend, exclude, and delegitimize most groups of people who are not white, Protestant, financially stable, straight,and male.
>I will believe every false claim that they made about the ACA. I will not bother to actually research the Congressional records and review a broad range of information sources.
>I know that the whole healthcare plan is a Republican
creation, and it promotes the Republican value: individual responsibility... Newt
Gingrich even complained to Hillary Clinton in the 1990's that her plan did NOT
have an individual mandate. Isn't that ironic? Health care coverage means that
small hospitals do not fail financially and close completely and people lose
their jobs due to providing care for uninsured people, But...none of that
matters...because...we, in the collective, hate President
Obama, and it really doesn't matter to me that your friend is suffering"
KJ, the fact that we live in a nation of such wealth and
resources belies the reality for so many people, including your friend. We have
the best of everything, and it comes down to factors including who you are, how
much money you have, your employment, the family into which you were born, the
address where you live, and hopefully some luck or two shiny pennies to rub
together that all coalesce to determine whether or not you are a human being
worthy of having health care. Is that what Republicans call "American Exceptionalism"?
KJ, I am angry about what your friend has been denied and I share your anger at the elected lawmakers who, in some cases, are sure to "pray loudly on the street corner" as if that insulates them from their responsibilities and the tragic outcomes of their
decisions which cause undue harm to the most vulnerable citizens they are paid to
represent. It is criminal; research from Harvard demonstrates that higher rates of insured people significantly decreases morbidity and mortality in a
population.
The lawmakers who refuse to act humanely, and fail to uphold their responsibility for the General Welfare (refer to The Constitution of the United States-most
Republicans carry a pocket-sized transcript with them everywhere), are at least
somewhat culpable for peoples' adverse health consequences which could have been treated if Medicaid were expanded.
The Republican position on the healthcare law is like the position they have on
every other issue--they are WRONG, anti-American, and every decision they make
these days is infused with hate of the President and the people who voted for
him, and reverence to THEIR almighty god...the market!
(If you haven't tried local or regional programs or advocacy groups that have
resources/information for people who have disabilities, you might try them.
Maybe the local department of aging. Perhaps a hospital social worker when he
is admitted. Some pharmaceutical companies will help pay for RX.)
My family is from NC. I honestly am thankful that my grandmother is not alive to see it. She was so proud of her state, and she helped to raise money to establish the Battleship Memorial in Wilmington. She used to have some choice names for Jesse Helms, whom, your legislature would exhume, if possible.
It is so painful to watch that beautiful state be harmed by a minority of people who are well funded. The legislature making it so hard to vote is a criminal operation with the blessings of the few who bought and paid for it.
Democrats need to be aggressive, loud, and repeat this injustice committed out of spite over and over and over. It will not alter the Republican position, but it could be used as a means to raise a level of anger that will motivate people to vote.
Lastly, I am not convinced that the Christians who deprive people of human
rights and human dignity and constitutional rights are following the real Christ.
Unspeakable injustice is being hung on the yoke that the vulnerable
must carry.
Vote them out for the sake of health and welfare and education and
general prosperity in NC.
Totally Aside: People in Indiana had been given erroneous information about the ACA and they were actually afraid....they were told that when you sign up for the ACA, they put a tracking device in your arm....NOT KIDDING...just heard on CSPAN-panel discussing health centers ramping up for the ACA.