Grassley Uses Kennedy’s Brain Tumor To Spread Fear Of Rationing

[RandySF]

http://thinkprogress.org/2009/08/05/grassley-kennedys-brain-tumor/

Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA), ranking member on the Senate Finance Committee, has taken the lead role in negotiating the health care reform bill for the GOP. But earlier today during a radio interview with Iowa City’s KCJJ, Grassley steered the conversation with a caller toward rationing health care services among the elderly, one of the right wing’s favorite fearmongering tactics when it comes to health care reform. And as an example, Grassley cited Sen. Ted Kennedy’s (D-MA) brain tumor. Grassley said that in countries with government-run health care, Kennedy “would not get the care he gets here because of his age.” Instead, the government would decide to spend health care resources on younger people “who can contribute to the economy”:

GRASSLEY: In countries that have government-run health care, just to give you an example, I’ve been told that the brain tumor that Sen. Kennedy has — because he’s 77 years old — would not be treated the way it’s treated in the United States. In other words, he would not get the care he gets here because of his age. In other words, they’d say ‘well he doesn’t have long to live even if he lived another four to five years.’ They’d say ‘well, we gotta spend money on people who can contribute more to economy.’ It’s a little like people saying when somebody gets to be 85 their life is worth less than when they were 35 and you pull the tubes on them.

[alstephenson]

1. Freaking idiot.

[Betty]

2. It's rationed right now, fucker

by the INSURANCE COMPANIES

[Wapsie B]

3. They need to expose how much Grassley gets from the insurance lobby.

Do that will all those repugs and Blue Dogs too. Broadcast those numbers and let it sink into the minds of the general public. Some may wake up.

[ejpoeta]

9. isn't that what keith olbermann was doing with is special comment the other day?

though he said he could go on all night, so he didn't get to everyone.

[orwell]

4. Hey guess what Chuckles...

...Try being a brain tumor victim without health insurance in the US. Let me know how that works out for you.

Or try being an INSURED brain tumor victim in the US when your insurer decides that your treatment is "experimental".

Or try finding out that what you thought you were insured for was denied in the "fine print" on your 70 page insurance policy.

A conservative is a liberal who hasn't gotten sick yet.

[maxsolomon]

5. yeah, my mom just died of the same type of tumor in march

her care was over-the-top ridiculously expensive because no one would be honest with her - there was no hope. and insurance paid for it all. in another country, they'd have had a frank talk with her much much earlier and she'd have been in palliative care sooner, and not vomiting from chemo and radiation for the last 6 months of her life.

republicans cannot argue this on facts because they simply don't know the facts, or can't face them.

[csziggy]

12. Condolences on your Mom. My sister died of the same kind of tumor in 1993

But she, as a researcher whose doctoral thesis was on the brain and who knew many neurologists, allowed experimental treatments that prolonged her life far beyond the original prognosis of three months - she had 16 months of quality life, then about three where the quality deteriorated. It was her choice, including the point at which care was withdrawn.

The family learned from her example that we all needed to make those end of life decisions long before we got old or knew of a disease that might take our lives. She was 46 but had been wise enough to make those choices, which was good since she lost her speech center fairly early along in her treatment. If she had not made those choices before she knew of her cancer, she could not have made them when they were needed.

As a result, I have had a living will since then, and I review my choices and update it on a regular basis. Everyone should do so - the counseling every five years is a VERY good idea!

[Itchinjim]

6. As an Iowan, let me say this about that::

Fuck Chuck.

[abumbyanyothername]

7. As an ex-Iowan, +1

But I like Tom.

And my law school pal is on Chet's staff.

[LunaSea]

8. Grassley is a first class idiot, here's the proof

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/tue-august-4-2009/chuck-grassley-s-debt-and-deficit-dragon

[zbdent]

10. but then, shouldn't Thurmond have been allowed to die peacefully?

instead of being hooked up and kept alive just to retain a majority?

[RagAss]

11. What an evil thing to say. Azzhole !