Let the Obamacare body count begin
There can be little doubt that by applying the logic of the left, the Obamacare body count can commence soon. David Henderson laid out the basics, rebuking lefty Matt Iglesias:
In comparing Bush on Hurricane Katrina and Obama on ObamaCare, Matt Yglesias writes:
The administration and the Democratic Party writ large had very high aspirations for the Affordable Care Act, viewing it as a legacy-defining major pillar of the American welfare state that would massively improve the lives of millions of people. If they can't make the basic infrastructure work, none of that will happen and it'll be a huge failing. But even in the worst case, they're not going to get anyone killed. That's a big difference.
Excuse me? In the worst case, where they don't get the infrastructure working and so millions of people will lose health insurance, they're not going to get anyone killed? How could that be? Surely some of the millions who lose health insurance will die without it. Maybe not many. But not "anyone?" Hard to believe.
On the same day, I noted:
It is already certain that on January 1st, 2014, people with sick and injured family members will be showing up in emergency rooms and told that they have no health insurance coverage. Bankruptcy, lack of treatment, and eventually, fatalities will result. Obama lied and people died. The slogan writes itself.
Tom Maguire, also on the same day:
And do let's note - a standard lib talking point during the promotion of Obamacare was that access to health insurance saves lives. Dare we presume that failure to implement Obamacare thereby costs lives, eventually if not by this weekend? Ezra Klein was talking about 15,000 to 20,000 lives per year, which dwarfs the 1,833 who died at Katrina.
I love the idea of using the arguments and "saved lives" rhetoric used to support Obamacare against it. Political jiu-jitsu of the highest order. But, Glenn Reynolds cautions:
Dude. Those talking points are only applicable against Republicans.
Historically, that is undoubtedly true. But with the Big Obamacare Lie exposed, a lot of old certainties about media treatment of Obama have been upended. I say that we should start compiling stories of people losing health care because they have lost insurance, all thanks to Obama. Let the bodycount begin!