Let Them Die!

Let Them Die!
By Cate Cavanagh

The GOP continues to forge its philosophy of leaving poor families and their children to flounder helplessly. Much as people gathered and cheered as people were guillotined during the French Revolution, it seems the far right fringe audiences that have attended Republican are also bitter mobs that relish in the languishing of the growing poor as they continue to lose ground in their struggle to be participants in our society.

Rush Limbaugh stated recently recently that dumpster diving is a viable way for the poor to find food to eat. Ron Paul recently expressed that charitable organizations and churches were alternatives to those needing medical care that did not have health care.

The more GOP candidates talk the more they demonstrate how ignorant of this society they really are.
Firstly, charitable organizations receive government funding but, as a career advocate in the field of disabilities I can state that many programs for the needy are becoming increasingly smaller.

The logic of this position makes no sense whatsoever because in essence, one way or another, major funding from the federal government would be necessary to set up these programs and the far right would rather fund a few people with huge tax cut benefits than provide health benefits for needy families and children. They also overlook that a good number of the growing poor were once working people paying taxes with an implicit understanding that if they were ever in need, they would be helped. In Republican terms, this was an “investment” made by millions for a rainy day.

With Perry's pride in the number of executions he approved and with Arizona Governor Jan Brewer's moratorium on transplant procedures for the sake of a budget, the obvious is being overlooked. It is frighteningly apparent that the party of “no” endorses death. For a party aligning itself with Right to Lifers, these policies simply defy humanity and logic.

Years ago congress wanted ketchup listed as a vegetable in school lunches. Today the vegetable of the day is tomato sauce! Of course this is all targeted to demean children in poor areas. Within these misleading comments, most recently by Newt Gingrich, is a code that implies these poor children are Black. Frankly Republicans seem unaware that there are poor children of Republican families.

How many patients waiting for transplants were Republican? How many Republicans are unemployed.
Do they feel their hardships are their own fault? Do they believe that, according to Ms. Bachman, if they cannot find work they deserve to not eat?

I am sure former Congressman Alan Grayson had no idea how prophetic his observation that the Republican philosophy on health care was simply “Let Them Die” was going to be.

But I say let them rant on. As they do it becomes clear there are two separate focuses on what our society should become. I just hope the suffering live long enough to cast their vote.
Cate Cavanagh has been a career family advocate and service coordinator for developmentally and physical disabled children and adults. She is a published syndicated columnist and author.

CATE CAVANAGH Author, HER GODMOTHER
CONTRIBUTING AUTHOR, CHICKEN SOUP   FOR THE SOUL