GOP senator apologizes after staffer is caught saying what GOP actually believes about health care

[catbyte]

GOP senator apologizes after staffer is caught on tape saying what Republicans actually believe on health care

September 9, 2020

By Cody Fenwick, AlterNet

North Carolina Republican Sen. Thom Tillis — viewed as one of the most vulnerable GOP senators in 2020 — has found himself in an uncomfortable situation after a staffer’s excessively honest comments to a constituent were caught on tape.

As first reported by WRAL, Bev Veals of Carolina Beach, a three-time cancer survivor, called her senator out of fear that her health insurance was at risk. She has previously faced medical bankruptcy and difficulty accessing care, WRAL said, and her husband was furloughed because of the pandemic. She wanted assurance that she’d have coverage if she lost her health insurance.

“You’re saying that, if you can’t afford it, you don’t get to have it?” she asked. “That includes health care?”

“Yeah, just like if I want to go to the store and buy a new dress shirt. If I can’t afford that dress shirt, I don’t get to get it,” the staffer explained.

“But health care is something that people need!” Veals said, clearly alarmed. “Especially if they have cancer.”

“Well, you got to find a way to get it,” the staffer said.

“So what do I do in the meantime, sir?” she asked, not hiding the irritation in her voice.

The response was snide: “Sounds like something you’re going to have to figure it out.”

snip

In a statement to WRAL, Tillis dishonestly defended his position:

“When he was Speaker of the House [in North Carolina],” the statement continues, “Senator Tillis inherited a Medicaid program that was mismanaged and plagued with overspending and inefficiency. Expanding Medicaid at the time would have been a promise that the state wouldn’t have been able to keep, requiring cuts to the program that would have harmed patients that states like New York and California have already been forced to make. Instead, Senator Tillis worked to strengthen the state’s Medicaid program to deliver quality health care to patients, and the reason the North Carolina is in a position to discuss expansion is because of Senator Tillis’ leadership.”

snip

https://www.rawstory.com/2020/09/gop-senator-apologizes-after-staffer-is-caught-on-tape-saying-what-republicans-actually-believe-on-health-care/

https://www.wral.com/coronavirus/cancer-survivor-pleading-for-help-with-health-insurance-angry-and-hurt-over-tillis-staffer-s-response/19276097/
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Whoopsie...

[beachbumbob]

1. the basic philosophy of GOP towards american people vs their philosophy towards Big business

sometimes the "inside words", come out

[maxrandb]

2. There's always money for Wall Street n/t

[beachbumbob]

5. yep and typically unaccounted for

[MrsCoffee]

3. Direct link to article (not Rawstory):

https://www.alternet.org/2020/09/gop-senator-apologizes-after-a-staffer-is-caught-on-tape-saying-what-republicans-actually-believe-on-health-care/

[catbyte]

4. Just FYI, Alternet & Raw Story have an agreement to crosspost articles. The direct article is

the WRAL link I posted.

[raccoon]

6. That's how the bastard conservatives and Republicans think.

Although I’d have thought by now that many of them would have close relatives who DON’T have insurance through their employment. That’s been the trend in my area over the last few decades. More and more part-timers, no benefits.

[Chainfire]

7. Cancer/Dress shirt

I can see the equivalence there....

The really sad thing is that that is the Republican's attitude. Suck up to anyone above me, and piss on anyone under me.

[LaMouffette]

8. "I got mine, you get yours, and if you CAN'T get yours . . ."

"Eff off and die."

The Republicans' attitude toward everything, including health care, a quality education, affordable housing, clean drinking water, and so on.

[edhopper]

9. And the good people of NC will still vote for a man

who wants them to die.
I know it is a close race, but really, why is this close? Why do people support this kind of evil?

[Demsrule86]

10. I think he is going to lose.

[cwydro]

12. Well, this NC citizen will not vote for him, nor will anyone I know.

No “good” people of NC will vote for him.

[bucolic_frolic]

11. Restricting the benefits of society to those who can afford it

Rationing based on money. Period.

[yardwork]

13. It's a disgrace that North Carolina hasn't expanded Medicaid.

Tillis is a disgrace. I'm voting for Cal Cunningham to be my new senator.