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Death Pannel Debate

This afternoon while waiting for one of my clients to show up, I was "perusing" the internet, specifically the site for David Frum, a Canadian expatriate, famous for being a speach writer during the W. administration, and a Republican commentator.

David linked to the web site of one Laura Ingram, a Talk Radio personality (according to her Wiki profile) on the role of Sarah Palin in the Republican party. One comment in particular was rather interesting, David alluded that Palin missed the boat in her book, it is a "tell all" revenge tom of the usual DC kind instead of being her opening salvo of a policy discussion. As an example he reproaches her the popularization of the "Death Panels", her well know comment on her Facebook page, when no such panels exists (End of life counselling).

Now most Republicans know full well that the death panels were a falsehood, in fact, end of life counselling is an important part of the health care system, making sure that the patient's wishes are followed. But both Ingaram and John Ziegler (a condescending A-hole by the way from his commentaries) could not bring themselves that say that Palin had at the very least misspoke, or had lied, no they maintained that "rationing" was the same as death panels. Although for the life of me I don't know what "uninsured because of preexisting condition" is, if not rationing!

There is a fascinating disconnect here, something similar to what we saw in 2007 when not one single conservative could bring himself to criticise then President Bush. It seem to be a blindside of this political formation. You do not criticize "your"guy, you would never see something similar to what Saturday Night Live has been doing to President Obama, where week after week SNL skewer the current administration lack of progress on so many fronts.

Palin remains incredibly popular with the base of the Republican party. You have to admit that her ability to make her daughter the poster child for abstinence only contraception, while she just gave birth to a little boy/girl rather spectacular, while living at home and unmarried.



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