Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Jonah Goldberg UAA Preview - Part Two - Plumbing the Depths of FOX Dishonesty

The relationship between Jonah Goldberg and FOX News false fear tactics is nowhere more evident than in this video Progressive Alaska posted last month:


I'm a Veteran. I don't use the system very often, and have had mixed experiences, to say the least. But it is a far better system in many ways than what most insurance companies provide their customers.

This past weekend, I asked a couple of disabled Veterans with whom I was working on volunteer activities, about the Death Books and the current care they are receiving. They both laughed at Goldberg's notion, remarking that the kinds of counseling they obtain at the VA have never been better.

Talking Points Memo took up Goldberg's hysterical assessment when it came out. Here is what one commenter had to say, regarding the pamphlet's use at the only time it actually was used, during the Bush Administration:

Because when they were running the show, they were all on board to make sure it was published and passed out to all those returning disabled vets hoping they would get the hint they served their purpose and were no longer necessary. Also explains the dilapidated condition of Walter Reed too. They went into the war thinking only about a war victory and all the political gains that could be had. Causalities were expected, but who could have imagined people surviving with such debilitating injuries and then becoming a burden to society for the rest of their natural lives? The repuglicans have only room in their ranks for the victors.

Here's another commenter to the same article, this man a retired paratrooper:

Thank you so very much for linking the booklet. I just took 19 whole minutes to read it through and found the information very straight forward.


Typical of those liars on fixed noise, they have taken statements completely out of context and spun them to reflect their need to frighten people to maintain the status quo.


As a retired soldier, I'm happy to have this booklet at my disposal to help me make the choices I want for MY transition when it comes.


I'm easily more frightened of the lies coming out of fixed noise than I ever was of anything I faced in the 20 years I spent as a paratrooper and sapper. These liars are really dangerous.


And
another Veteran:

thanks, OGD. I read the pamphlet, and copied it to my hard drive because it will help me and others I may discuss these matters with. It is a good pamphlet, for veteran, non-veteran, everyone.


I also went beyond and did some more checking on the story, which led me to some pretty interesting documents. 'Til now, I did not know that Congress (in 1990, on a bi-partisan vote in the Senate and with the older Bush in the White House) passed the "Patient Self-Determination Act of 1990", which required that all providers who accepted Medicare or Medicaid funds give their patients information on advance directives. http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?c101:48:./temp/~c101mZx05o:: The VA, in their "handbook" on "advance directives" - that Chris Wallace misrepresented as a "directive" - says that it took its cues to talk to all of its patients from the PSDA of 1990.


So, this program has been going on now for nineteen years, but suddenly it is all about Obama's eugenics?


Here's another commenter, a hospice nurse:

Jeez, read the whole pamphlet last night. I can't see why they ever stopped using it. I was a hospice nurse for 15 years and decision by indecision results in far more instances of having one's own values overridden than thinking about things clearly in advance. I don't recall republicans having any special immunity to the often heart rending dilemmas that arise at the end of life. What are they thinking? In some ways its more difficult to watch the news now than it was when the crazies were in power.

And, one final commenter observing about the quality of care he has witnessed:

The Veterans Administration hospitals have consistently better health outcomes in all areas. They have the most sophisticated electronic health records of any system in America. Their doctors spend ZERO time memorizing ICD-9 codes or dealing with the gaggles of dishonest morons at insurance companies. They spend 100% of their time treating diabetes, heart failure, mental illness and a host of difficult diseases. What's more, their patient population has the highest rates of substance abuse, mental illness and homelessness of any health system in the country and they STILL get better outcomes for pneumonia, heart attack, drug addiction, and all the rest. They have a closed budgetary loop, only accept evidence-based medicine when prescribing drugs and recommending procedures, and STILL get better results.


They don't care about life? How about the fact that every voicemail in the VA has instructions about how to get help if you are considering suicide? They are proactively cleaning up the problems caused by Bush's Pentagon.


Veterans with private insurance are starting to DROP their private coverage and get care at the VA instead because the CARE IS BETTER with BETTER SERVICE.


Jonah Goldberg, of course, has no idea what it is to serve his country in our armed forces - he didn't. Meanwhile, he rakes in millions in right-wing un-think-tank WATB welfare, while he does nothing for our Veterans and serving military but create lies and distortions for his own sick enrichment.

18 comments:

AKjah said...

Tell me again why it's a good idea for UAA to spend 10,000 on hearing from this person with NO credentials. I am all for equal time on an issue. But could UAA just save us all some money and ask tea-baggers to march around and enlighten us of their contribution to society. Next time UAA screams for more money it will be falling on deaf ears!

Anonymous said...

Liberal Fascism=oxymoron like Jumbo Shrimp, Advanced Beginner, Compassionate Conservative, military intellingence, etc...

Anonymous said...

Well, Phil, as I read your description of Jonah Goldberg I thought it fit a couple of other ignorant, money-grubbing, bloviating liars who pretend to support the troops -- Rush Limbaugh and Sarah Palin. LOL

Anonymous said...

This subject was included for the simple reason that doctors who consulted with their patients on this could bill for it -- Yes, get paid. To further add that it be revisited every 5 years.

I've had my documentation completed for 20 years and I'm now only 54. Makes it easier on the family at a critical time as it's extremely hard for a family member to make a decision when you are critically ill. At that time, kids don't all agree. Some can think rationally, others can't as it means letting their loved ones go. You don't want your loved ones to suffer but it is heartbreaking to let them go and to have to make the decision and say the words to the professionals -- it totally rips many in pieces.

I'm disgusted how this has played out by the right and by the media. Celtic Diva wrote a great blog a short time ago on it from the prospective of the family as it is happening.

Never fear this. It is actually a relief knowing you are helping your loved ones at what will be an extremely difficult time.

Anonymous said...

Why are you people so hung up on sucking testicles ? Is this a recent thing for the Left or a relatively new past-time?

Anonymous said...

"I am all for equal time on an issue"

Sure you are. Like most Leftists y'all start squealing when conservatives start getting their views across to the American people. What is amusing is watching the liberal MSM becoming increasingly irrelevant while conservative alternative media just gets stronger and stronger. On 9/12 over a million conservaives rallied in Washington through word-of-mouth
and grassroots activism. That your leftist agenda is collapsing faster than ACORN is a joy to behold.

jim said...

Anon 6:45:

Who are "you people?"

And what differentiates them from you?

TiredOfThePhonies said...

"On 9/12 over a million conservaives rallied in Washington through word-of-mouth and grassroots activism"


What the poster would have said if s/he hand an honest bone in his/her body:

On 9/12, between 60,000 - 70,000 right-wing racist rallied in Washington through the urgings of racist-in-chief Glen Beck and low-information bascially uninformed, educationally lazy people.

Anonymous said...

jim said...

Anon 6:45:

Who are "you people?"

Um, I would guess "you people" refers to those on the Left who think that constantly repeating the infantile insult of "teabaggers" is the real way to solve the Healthcare debate. But maybe you don't think it's puerile to refer to a huge swathe of the American people in this derogatory fashion ?

Anonymous said...

"racist-in-chief Glen Beck"

It would be fascinating to see your direct evidence of Glen Beck's "racism". Let's really nail him with all the racist things he's said. Over to you "Tiredofthephonies" to get the ball rolling with hard evidence.....

Crickets chirping........

Anonymous said...

@7:30 p.m. - http://crooksandliars.com/david-neiwert/obamas-army-glenn-beck-sees-scary-bl

Anonymous said...

@7:30 p.m. - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0tgvWxC_6A

Anonymous said...

Crickets chirping..........

Anonymous said...

Anon, discussions of a person's race and prejudice against them due to a discussion of a person's race = racism. You can't deny what Beck has said and done. It is there for the world to see. Those 2 links above, which illustrate a discussion of race re: the lens through which to view Obama's character, took 10 seconds to find. There are many more clips of Beck discussing a person's race as related to their character, and ensuing judgement therein.

Do you have your hands over your ears or something? Or do you not understand the definition of racism?

Anonymous said...

"Jonah Goldberg, of course, has no idea what it is to serve his country in our armed forces - he didn't."

Huh? You count it as a honor to serve? I'm surprised at you! This being such a nasty country and all from the view point of the left. Besides I don't see you counting the dead military only the dead Iraqis. A bit odd don't you think?


Is your kid in the service? No? Gee...why not? I seem to recall Clinton never served and neither have most of the aging bozos from the Boomer group that that spent their time attacking the military from the Vietnam era. You rub elbows with them everyday but it doesn't seem to bother you. Must be a John Kerry thing with you. Sounds about right!

Philip Munger said...

anon @c 12:17 pm

I do and have counted our dead service men and women. I volunteer to serve them and our living service men and women and my fellow veterans. Often.

Had either of my children decided to join the military, my wife and I would have supported them in that decision.

I denounce militarism, but not those who honestly serve.

Anonymous said...

"Or do you not understand the definition of racism?"

You obviously don't or you wouldn't have posted such a lame attempt to smear Beck. By your reasoning because Bech accused Obama of racism that makes Beck a racist ?? By that convoluted logic EVERY democrat and liberal media hack who has called the anti-Obamacare protestors "racists" are themselves racist. It never ceases to amaze me that when the left loses an argument , they fall back on screaming "racism". Ain't working this time...you guys have worn it out.

Anonymous said...

Anon @ 7:13 - no. You should re-read the entry. Your reading comprehension skills seem to be lacking here, or maybe it is your lack of understanding of what racism is.

I'll try one last time with you: IF YOU BRING UP RACE AS A PRISM THROUGH WHICH TO DISPARAGE OR JUDGE A PERSON'S CHARACTER, THAT IS RACIST. I have posted 2 examples of Beck doing that re: Obama, one from 2007 and one from 2009. I found these examples in 10 seconds. If you took 30 minutes, you'd find many more examples. Now you can reply and say Beck is not racist, and neither are you.