A woman in Trump country TN pleading with GOP Congress to not take away Ocare covering her chemo

[Miles Archer]

https://twitter.com/samsteinhp/status/820073155872124928

Sam SteinVerified account
‏@samsteinhp
A woman in Trump country Tennessee pleading with GOP Congress to not take away Ocare covering her chemo via @kasie

https://t.co/Bpm8brR5LY

[Aristus]

1. Who did you vote for, lady?

Tennessee went for Trump. What did you do to make that happen?

[Sunlei]

12. It doesn't matter who she voted for. Americans are only on 3rd yr of 'guaranteed' insurance &

now because of Republicans insurance Corps can again dump sick people at will. Refuse to cover anyone they want.

people with no insurance who 'want to live' will lose everything they own to pay medical bills again..because of Republicans.

[Chasstev365]

27. It DOES MATTER!

If she voted Republican, maybe it will finally dawn on her family and friends that they get played by the GOP every time!

[Sunlei]

37. No, my heart goes out to all those who Republicans will screw by yanking insurance coverage.

[atreides1]

54. Not me!

My sympathy is reserved for those who will suffer, because of those who voted for Trump and Republicans!

As for those that voted for Trump and the Republicans who made it no secret that they planned to repeal the ACA, they can find sympathy in the dictionary...it's between stupid and syphilis!!!

[Grown2Hate]

61. As much as it goes against my instinct, I can't help

but to wholeheartedly agree with you. A thousand times this. Maybe wake the fuck up and pay attention to your vote rather than blindly pulling the lever for Republicans.

[Dustlawyer]

31. Death Panels!!!!

[Stellar]

43. Now THAT'S a term that we Liberals should be spreading around

to let them know about the death panels that the GOPee promised them that's coming from their own party. You know, GOPee: chemotherapy! Ha! so long sucker's.

[Dustlawyer]

45. Hang it around their necks and make them wear it!!!

[Stellar]

49. Amen to that!

[AirmensMom]

52. I live in Tennessee.

Are you going to assume I voted for Trump? IIRC, Hillary got almost 1/4 of our votes. Yes, we live among deplorables, but we are not all part of them.

[Eliot Rosewater]

57. Liberals exist to make things better for everybody.

We know why the other side exists, and it is a battle.

No matter how dumb they are with their votes we must as liberals do the right thing, always.

[uponit7771]

2. I'm still praying for how to have a PROGRESSIVE empathy towards people like this who voted for

... Benedict Donald but are now crying about ACA being taken away.

Letting them off the hook means they learn little, there's no fight and there's little appreciation

[Miles Archer]

6. A couple of responses on that

The tweet doesn't explicitly state that she voted for Trump...she's from the heart of his "base," but whether she did or not, she's feeling the payoff from those who did.

Second, this is the face of the next four years...take a good look, we will be seeing many more faces just like it.

No matter how this has been painted as a dire scenario, when the reality of it sets in and people start dying, it will be worse than anything that could have possibly been predicted.

This is why some Republicans are dancing around this. They know that it's career suicide. And if the American public is ever smart enough to realize that much of the rationale behind it is to funnel the money from Obamacare, Medicare, Medicade and Social Security into tax cuts for the 400 wealthiest families in the U.S., the "anger" that fueled Trump's support will pale in comparison.

It's all about wealth redistribution. Nothing more, nothing less. It's Paul Ryan bringing his beloved copy of "Atlas Shrugged" to life.

Unless, of course, the Republicans get away with it all, and somehow find a way to blame the Democrats, and then get away with that. You can bet your bottom dollar that they are orchestrating that as we speak.

[Doreen]

7. This should not be the face for the next four years.

The face(s) for the next for years should be the little children who either are dying from something that is no longer covered or the faces of little children who have lost mothers and fathers to something that is no longer covered. Young faces of children tend to drive the point home more than an older person who has lived a long life. We are going to be having a birth rate explosion because of no planned parenthood but no health care to keep the parents and children healthy.

[Trekologer]

18. There will be many faces

Here's a list of Congressmen and Senators that might be shamed: Rare Disease Congressional Caucus. My Republican Congressman is a co-chair and had prided himself on being an advocate for rare diseases, especially in children. But he just voted to make sure that survivors of rare diseases cannot get health insurance anymore.

[LuvLoogie]

28. You mean like the slaughtered children at Sandyhook?

[Delphinus]

21. Frankly,

we are *ALL* going to be the losers - no matter for whom we voted. So many posters in other threads have said We. Are. Screwed. Each new day shows us more to how screwed we are.

[RiverStone]

34. Well said! And all the wealth redistributors on The Hill have...

Have guaranteed insurance for themselves and their families.

How can they sleep at night?

[TrishaJ]

39. BUT, BUT, BUT

didn't Trump TELL them he was going to end the ACA? No, he said "Obamacare," and that's what they heard; and I just betcha many did not associate "ACA" with "Obamacare." They heard "Obama..." and they cheered and clapped.

[uponit7771]

44. This is true... So much of republican politics today is taking advantage of ignorance

[3catwoman3]

3. "Who did you vote for, lady?"

Let's give ourselves one guess.

[Thinkingabout]

4. So many stories are like this one, are the Republicans listenting? Shameful, the republicans talk

about pro-life but in reality they are pro-birth, they could care less about health care of Americans.

[Cracklin Charlie]

5. They don't care about birth, either.

They just fake that, too.

[Thinkingabout]

32. They want forced births

[Yavin4]

8. There are 11 congress people from TN. Two Senators and Nine House of Representatives.

Of that 11, only 2 are Democrats. TN has blessed us with Bob Corker and Marsha Blackburn. So yeah, your state has voted to kill you.

[NBachers]

9. Take it away from everyone else, just don't take it away from MEEE!

[SammyWinstonJack]

20. Nailed it!

[elleng]

10. Let's stop 'blaming' the people who we think voted for trump,

and are now concerned and terrified about the effects.

EVERYONE's been subjected to living with the dastardly repug propaganda for YEARS, and not many Dems have mastered overcoming it. Repugs have dumbed down our educational systems, and have bought the msm. And too many Dem candidates have not been successful in overcoming.

Dems have WORK to do.

[LuvLoogie]

36. Of course, blame the Trump vote. And those who voted Johnson/Stein 2016. And those that stayed home.

They threw women, immigrants, minorities, and the poor under the bus, when they voted/not voted. The GOP and Trump ran on repealing the ACA. I mean, WTF?

Maybe the heroine epidemic sweeping their communities is just karma, as their way of life breaks down. Well there's no TVA or WPA or government cheese left. Nor any government subsidized health insurance. That's what they voted for! That's what they ordered! That's what they wanted! They sent a big fuck you to everyone that wasn't a real American. These people aren't stupid or ignorant.

They don't give a shit about me, about my parents, about my kids or about this country. They want to "win" and are convinced that a single mother being helped by WIC is preventing them from being the next Martha Stewart.

BTW, has anybody seen my fucks?

[radical noodle]

53. Yes! They wanted it, they got it.

[BadgerMom]

11. First

be human before you're a Democrat. Otherwise you shouldn't be a Democrat. You might as well be a Republican. This is heartbreaking. And it's only beginning.

Next, 75 million voters did NOT vote for this. Of course, there's work for us to do. And do it we must. But our message isn't unheard and it's not rejected. Keep that in mind.

Finally, these tragic stories are what we build our 2018 and 2020 campaigns on--if there are elections going forward.

[GCP]

13. I agree

These snarky posts about who she *might* have voted for are beneath us.
Grow up, people. If she voted for Trump she was an obviously il-informed, under-educated woman, who nonetheless is suffering a possibly terminal illness. Curb your snark and get to work educating people.

[RBInMaine]

16. Wrong. IF she voted for the FREAK she knew just what she was doing and must OWN it. PERIOD!!!

[obamanut2012]

24. i agree with this -- nothing will ever change

if they don't.

[hatrack]

50. We don't know - that's the issue here . . .

Believe me, I'm as hard on Trump voters as anyone on this board, but we don't know who she voted for.

[SammyWinstonJack]

22. She voted for other people to lose their health insurance, thinking she would still have hers. She

didn't care about that then and betting she doesn't ...Sorry, but

[cwydro]

29. But we don't know who she voted for, do we?

Of course, it's more fun to assume that she did so we can make fun of someone with cancer.

DU is just too much lately.

The hate is really awful here.

[RBInMaine]

15. IF she voted for Trump she deserves exactly what she gets. Elections have consequences. PERIOD!

Enough of the bleeding heart sympathy for those who freely CHOSE, I say again, CHOSE, to vote for the FREAK who is Trump and for all the evil RePIGlicans who exist to give mansions to billionaires and don't give a damn about actual people.

I don't know if she voted for Trump, and if she didn't, then she deserves all the sympathy in the world. If she did vote for the FREAK and the other evil rotten disgusting PIGS who are the Republicans, then that was HER fault, sick or not. HERS! We make our beds in life and then have to sleep in them. People make choices in life and have to own them REGARDLESS of the circumstances. It's called being an adult.

[obamanut2012]

26. this

[cynatnite]

46. Fuck these whiners with cancer!

Who cares how sick they are and if they can afford it! They deserve to get cancer and die!



SMH

[Glitterati]

58. DU sounds more and more like a Republican freak fest every day.

It's why I have stayed away from here lately.

I hope all the posters in this thread are pleased with themselves - they sound just like freepers.

[NCDem777]

66. And what? Should we pretend that their behavior didn't happen?

We tried to tell them that all this bad stuff would apply to THEM too.

We were called "snowflakes" cucks, and slurs of every kind from racial to sexual, to anti-disability. Some left leaning activists were doxxed and threatened.

And now the same people whose first response to anyone ELSE with a preexisting condition was "Stop stealing from me snowflake!" are all scared that THEY'LL be on the chopping block.

These people don't deserve sympathy. They deserve death. They deserve to watch their loved ones die slowly and painfully from the policies THEY voted for. And they deserve to be reminded of their votes day in and day out.

[demmiblue]

30. +1

[ananda]

14. Here's the problem.

Trumpets are so selfish and hateful that they
do not want to share what they think they
alone as white people are entitled to.

Somehow they think the Reeps should give
them special rights and privileges while
somehow denying them to the groups
they hate. This was the con since the
Reeps only represent the very rich and
corporate.

[dembotoz]

17. her family need to spread her ashes at the next gop picnic

make this shit real

[Vinca]

19. Hey . . . lady. The GOP sez to pull yourself up by your bootstraps and earn enough money for your

chemo. You know, the old "health savings account" ploy. Now if only you can find an employer who doesn't mind you wearing your hospital gown and dragging your IV pole around . . .

Seriously, my heart breaks for her and the millions of others in a similar predicament. There's no need to totally repeal Obamacare. It can be tweaked and retained a whole lot easier than it can be repealed and replaced. Given the GOP history, it's unlikely to ever be replaced.

[SammyWinstonJack]

23. Medicare part E....everyone covered..ACA repeal weakens Medicare...just what ryans wants.

He's pure evil.

[Vinca]

25. That's the solution, but the GOP seems to want lots of people to suffer and die.

[Tanuki]

33. Nowhere does the report indicate that this lady is a Republican

or that she voted for Trump. She is getting ragged on by a lot of you because she lives in Tennessee, which seems like unfortunate guilt by association. I live in Tennessee and I have never voted for a Republican in my life. I did everything I could to support our Democratic candidates (Hillary won in my county, and my Congressman is a Democrat), and am still actively campaigning against several of Trump's cabinet selections and for preservation of the ACA. I would hate to think that if I get cancer and make a public appeal in support of affordable healthcare, I will be dismissed and branded a hypocrite on the basis of where I happen to live. I totally agree with the argument that many Republicans don't care about social issues until they or a loved one find themselves in that position, but I can't see making this suffering woman a poster child for that when none of us has a clue about how she voted. According to the news report, 68% of the people in her County voted for Trump, but she could very well be among the 32% who did not. We don't know.

[Miles Archer]

35. Just as I stated above.

We don't know. She's a "woman in Trump country," just as Sam Stein posted on Twitter. She's begging the guy who is going to rubber-stamp the end of her chemo not to rubber-stamp the end of her chemo. Those are the facts we have, not her voting record, which was neither explicitly stated nor implied.

[AirmensMom]

55. Thank you.

I live in Tennessee too and have never voted for a Republican. We are blue dots, but I have been surprised this year to find so many living nearby. It's unfortunate that we are overrun by churches, which tend to turn out Republican voters in droves but miss the message of the gospel. The ignorance in this area is astounding, but it doesn't excuse the vitriol in this thread.

[renate]

68. yup. it'd be hella embarrassing if it turned out she voted for Hillary

Sure, it's likely she did, but not SUPER likely. And maybe as a person who depends on Obamacare she was educated about it enough to vote accordingly.

It's one thing to talk about someone when we know certain facts about them, but it's embarrassing to act as if we know for sure when we certainly do not.

And anyway, I blame Fox News most of all for lying to people's faces and making it not just possible but likely that they would believe anything. Sure, Trump voters voted for Trump and they need to own that, but the seeds of that error in judgment were planted in ground fertilized by Roger Ailes.

[heaven05]

38. TOO f******LATE

now. Everything talked about, discussed is moot. This nazi maniac is POTUS now and all the trumpers and trumpettes can whine and plead till the cows come home. This POS does not care about the 'little people' who voted for him. The nazi con duped you and now all I will hear for the next four years is whining. How fucking pathetic is this?????? May all who voted for him suffer....it's called responsibility denied, consequence assured.

[maryellen99]

40. She maybe one of those who think ACA and Obamacare are two different things.

There are Trump voters who believe that the ACA was the GOP replacement for that "awful" Obamacare I kid you not.

[cynatnite]

41. The lack of compassion in this thread is just stunning. n/t

[NCDem777]

65. Never have compassion for those who have none for you

So many of these repukes think that all the bad shit Trump is proposing only applies to people they don't like. Ethnic/sexual minorities, anyone under 40, anyone with more than a 3rd grade education. anyone living in a major city. But soon, they're gonna see that all that shit like the return of preexisting conditions applies to THEM. Got plenty of old geezers with black lung disease freaking out because they'll lose their coverage that the ACA gave them because the private sector that they worship had no interest in covering them.

But they won't vote any differently. They'll still vote for Trump because he's a "manly man" or because the preacher told them to. I don't have compassion for stupid people who die after wandering off into the woods and pretend their survivalists after watching some Survivor Man or something.

I don't have compassion for Trump voters, even those in my family, for basically the same reason. And when the budget ax comes for THEM, I will not rally beside them. I strongly suggest that every anti-Trump voter, particularly if you're disabled, adopt the same tactic.

To be honest, all these people saying we should have compassion for Trump voters when the horrible shit they voted for happens to them sounds like that one person in just about everyone's family. The one that keeps making excuses for her husband and his hobby of trying to drunkenly cave her skull in every night.

Hell Trump supporters even talk like wife beaters. Their "I voted for Trump because I was mad at the SJW's for calling the racist crap I was saying racist" sounds suspiciously like "Why did you make me hit you?"

And if some troll from Breitbart is coming by looking for proof that liberals are intolerant, feel free to publish this comment so long as it's verbaitum

[cynatnite]

67. During my time in medical politics had no place...

I spent most of my adult life in healthcare. I have worked nursing homes, civilian clinics and hospitals, military clinics and hospitals. I've worked in three ER's and I've been an EMT in the back of an ambulance. I've been spit at and punched by patients. One came into the ER with a gun. Thousands of healthcare providers give of themselves no matter what we get back in return and let me tell you, we've gotten a lot of bad for our troubles. We still went to work the next day and kept at it.

I don't care who someone voted for or what their politics are, I will always give what I'm able to comfort and offer care.

I won't apologize for that.

I don't ask people what their political beliefs or who they voted for. That is not how I give care. I give care to those who need it and will give it with all the compassion I can muster.

There is too much suffering on this planet now and in this case, both sides want it for the other. I started a thread about this and I deleted it because the hate was too much. The wish for suffering and death on others was too much. I've seen too much of it myself.

For me, that's not a liberal by any stretch of the imagination.

You all can call me whatever you want...traitor or any other names you care to fling at me. I will give care to whoever wants it, help those who needs access to it. When it comes to healthcare, everyone deserves it no matter their vote.

I choose not to answer hate with the kind of hate that you and many are advocating here.

I sure as hell won't stand by and let someone die who might well be wearing a Trump shirt. That's not who I am and who I will never be.

If I'm in the minority here who feels like this, then DU may not be the place for me.

There was a time here at DU when compassion and empathy meant something. That love and caring meant something. I've got family who voted for Trump. I hate it, but shit, they're still my family and I love them. Why in fuck's name would I wish this kind of thing on them?

The idea that millions will lose their health insurance is a fucking nightmare to me. Dumping Obamacare is going to have the worst kind of repercussions. I'm not confident that there is one person in the US who will see what this will do to hospitals, clinics and all the other facilities that provide healthcare.

Sure, we can blame some voters for it. I'll curse up one side down and down the other.

But I will not in no way lock away my compassion because I wish ill on them or walk away if one has a heart attack in front of me.

I'm a fucking human being and I won't do any less for them than I would for someone completely the opposite.

That's who I am. If no one likes it, then fuck off and have a nice day.

[NCDem777]

69. But in this case, I think it's warranted

All these people say "Cut the government as long as you don't cut it away from ME!"

They're perfectly fine and dandy with inner city people getting lead poisoning. They're perfectly fine with people that are... A photo-negative of them... Not getting healthcare or food stamps when they fall on hard times They're perfectly fine with a black family having absolutely no other option but to place a severely disabled child in a nursing home.

As long as the government continues to work for THEM, they completely don't give a shit about what happens to anyone else. And that's why they hate the government so much. It can benefit people besides them. If someone proposed universal healthcare for rural whites only, they'd be all over that shit.

If these people had the capacity to have empathy for anyone else, I'd agree with you. I mean that with all sincerity.

But these are people seriously trying to bring back the term "useless eater" to describe disabled people such as myself.

There's a genuine limit to my compassion and to my patience. Believing that I am subhuman or supporting people with that belief, regardless of context, is that limit.

[cynatnite]

70. It's never warranted...

I may curse them and their ideology every step of the way, but they still should have the same rights as the rest of us. Plus it's not up to me to play god with their lives and pass judgment in such a way.

[NCDem777]

71. Oh I never said they shouldn't have rights

They just shouldn't get compassion or pity when the shit they voted for starts screwing them. I already have a relative in WV who is planning on setting up a GoFundMe if he and his wife lose Medicare. That $3,000 coupon Ryan proposes won't cover shit. He won't get a cent from me. I tried to warn him as did his daughter. He called us snowflakes. And he probably called her worse.

Oh he's worried now, as are a number of Trump supporting old fogies who voted Trump because they were mad about "political correctness" or some horse shit. And they may lose Medicare and his wife may lose her life. But they'll vote Republican till the day they die, cursing everyone from Dems, to atheists, to whatever Alex Jones says is the cause of them losing their Medicare (and it won't be Republicans). Because they, like dumbass spousal abuse victims, will rush back to the jackass bashing their skull in.

[JTFrog]

42. 68% of voters in her county voted for Trump. nt

[TrekLuver]

47. I retweeted this and said "Trashpot voters shall get what they wished for" ....

But no matter who she voted for...let's say Trashbag and she wants out..I for one will welcome anyone who wants to defect from Trashpot. I for one will still fight for people who voted for Trashbag and who need help...that's what makes me who I am...and that's what makes me "better". My coworker told me that I'm the most Christian Atheist he's ever met. If someone is in need we don't ask who did you vote for..we try to help..that is really who we are.

I don't want this woman's healthcare taken away and I don't care who she voted for.

If she voted for Trash and repents...she's realizing the gravity of her error
If she voted for Trash and is proud...she still needs help.

[ramapo]

48. Send Mitch McConnell your ObamaCare story

He openly solicits ObamaCare stories on his Senate website. You do not have to live in KY for your comments to be accepted.

Catch is your comments are limited to 500 characters which isn't much of a story. I just sent my story.

[radical noodle]

51. Who the hell did she vote for?

[kimbutgar]

56. If she voted for him and rethugs I have no pity for her.

[NCjack]

59. Time for GOPers to stop complaining to Ryan. He doesn't care about you.

GOPers must act in their own interests.

Change your registration to DEM, get active, and vote 100% DEM. Encourage your family and friends to do the same ("the ass you save may be your own&quot . And, write Paul, your GOPer governor, congressman, etc. "Dear John" letters saying what you are doing.

Regrettably, when so many are drained of cash due to medical bills, I can't help very many. My daughter is battling cancer and will soon lose her insurance. My wife and I expect to spend our savings helping her. If any is left over, the only ones I'm helping are DEMs who can convince me that they supported the party in the 2016 election. Why should I neglect them to help GOPers who voted to create this debacle?

If Ryan gets enough Dear John letters, he will develop some empathy.

[Tikki]

60. It's not so much what we are saying about this...most of us feel for this woman and want....

a program, at least as inclusive as ACA, to exist for all Americans.

What I want to know is what the deplorables think of her situation, but I don't have contact with the other side.

I won't go to alt-right sites and twitter responses are too scattered for me to understand.

I am assuming those who voted for trump want to make examples of this woman, those people who signed up
for the Affordable Care Act and now are losing it.
I feel they want those people to die because they got help from the government.

Tikki

[WillowTree]

62. And we know this lady is not one of the 870,000+ Tennessee Hillary voters.......how?

Way too many DUers are way too quick to jump to conclusions.

[GaYellowDawg]

63. Heartbreaking, no matter how she voted. With that said...

Begging for mercy from Republicans is like doing a belly flop into the Amazon and begging mercy from hungry piranhas.

[Buckeye_Democrat]

64. Very sad! By the way, I think she's a non-voter.

Not that I care that much, but it's apparently a big issue for others here. I also wanted to put my amateur investigative skills to the test.

The video clip named her Dee Dee Ward of Maury County, TN.

"Dee Dee" is often short for Denise, but the residences for people named Denise Ward in TN weren't a good fit.

I also found a TN obituary that named a surviving relative with that nickname despite a first name of Joydice. When I looked up the name Joydice Ward in TN, the woman's residence was in Maury County! She's 63 years old and married.

Neither she nor her husband are registered to vote in Maury County, TN. I went to the TN voter registration site and checked (trying both 1953 and 1954 for her birth year).

Now you know... assuming that I looked up the right people (and I think I did).

She apparently used to live in Michigan, if that matters to anyone who wants to generalize.