Tinker, Tailor, Doctor, Spy

Ask not for whom the log rolls in the dealmaking behind the recent Medicare "reform" bill—it rolls for Dana Rohrabacher, who was promised a vote on a bill he'll introduce next year. The bill would require hospitals to report any illegal immigrants they treat to the authorities. As various others note, this has the potential to deter people with communicable diseases like AIDS or SARS from seeking treatment… or even testing.

Comments

[cw]

classic case of spiting your nose to save your face.

[Shultz]

"As various others note, this has the potential to deter people with communicable diseases like AIDS or SARS from seeking treatment... or even testing."

I'm getting ready to pay my taxes right now; I wish we could find a way to "deter" people with non-communicable diseases from seeking treatment...on my dime...too.

P.S. Damn it!

[Lilith]

Yes, I'm sure America would be a much better place to live if people who couldn't afford medical treatment just found some place to quietly die and not bother anyone. I'd suggest opening shelters for this purpose, but that would involve your taxes as well. Much cheaper to pick the dead bodies up off the streets, really. Though perhaps it would be more cost effective to herd the destitute and dying into one area? Oh, and let's include the destitute with communicable diseases as well. They're not dying, but they're infecting taxpayers and we can't have that! Hell, contract the dead body collection out to private industry and it's a win-win for taxpayers everywhere!

[Heather]

geez, i can't figure out what is the better idea, that or govenor arnies plan to repeal the measure which would have enabled undocumented immigrants in california to get drivers licenses.
wouldn't want those folks to be trained and tested in trafic safety, or be able to get their vehicals insured.
i'm glad big brother has my best interest in mind.

[Lonewacko: I've Almost Blogged]

Let's see, how do I respond to "Lilith?" Take it to the next level with a hysterical, all-caps rant? Or, just ignore her?

How's this: This law concerns illegal aliens, not all people. And, a country can only do so much, and it should do what's in its best interest.

It isn't in our best interest to extend our welfare state to other countries, now is it? If you think it is, perhaps you should consider donating to a Sally Struthers charity or something and let the rest of us only support the welfare state within our borders.

If we send the message that we won't be extending our welfare state to the citizens of other countries, perhaps it will send the message that they should stay in their own countries. That will obviate any hysterical, unreasoned arguments about Ebola cases going unreported.

[Lonewacko: I'm Still Blogging]

"wouldn't want those folks to be trained and tested in trafic safety"

It's never been about traffic safety, insurance, or all the other utter BS that Gil Cedillo and others emit.

It's all about votes, there is no other reason for these bills.

Your source for what's inside Gil Cedillo's mind is right here.

[joe]

Well, damn!

[Douglas Fletcher]

"As various others note, this has the potential to deter people with communicable diseases like AIDS or SARS from seeking treatment... or even testing."

Or maybe from coming here the first place?

[Heather]

Am I the only person who thinks that all this new California legislation stinks like Prop. 187.

[Russ D]

"Heck, I'll even let you sleep on my couch for free and drink my beer if I can show you all of this. "

Why not just extend your offer to an illegal alien?

[Trollumination]

The doctor as snitch isn't a big deal. We've already got that, like it or not. Show up at a hospital suffering from an overdose of narcotics, and you will probably wake up in jail - so ha!

I saw some awful case on Court TV where some poor woman got into an SUV rollover because of a blown tire, killing two of her passengers. She'd had a flat zero blood alcohol at the hospital - but when she regained consciousness after the accident, she foolishly admitted to the doctor that "I smokes me some weed". As far as I know, the Ebonics tense here implies some indefinite use in the vague past - any native speakers here want to verify this? - no matter. The prosecution alleged that this was an admission of very recent marijuana use, and that she could possibly have maintained control of the SUV had she been sober. The doctors tested her urine for marijuana and it came up positive, indicating that she'd been high sometime in the past few weeks. Naturally the prosecution got two counts of vehicular manslaughter and driving under the influence - the jury affirmed - the judge gave out the minimum sentence of 17 years. For an accident. For an unsafe fucking vehicle that the woman's employer provided in the first place. But hey, she was Black, she was screwing off at work visiting her friends instead of going where she was supposed to, so throw the book at her. Fucking jury. Fucking racist system. Fucking unsafe SUVs. And, oh yeah, fucking snitch doctors. They're already snitching people out every goddamned day!

Hey Californians, your state is a hellhole. You've created a class of fucking serfs over there. I've been down there, and I didn't like what I saw. Every fucking store they're demanding ID from their customers. Everybody made me prove that I wasn't a Mexican wherever I went. My Blockbuster ID doesn't let me rent videos, my credit cards don't let me buy things, I have to show my drivers license everywhere in LA. Must be my black hair that isn't sun-bleached or something like that, that makes everybody think I'm gonna scam them and run off to Tijuana. But hey, you've all got cheap gardeners who don't speak English making every lawn and shrub pretty. You've got under-the-table day labor markets going on right on the street. You've got a whole class of people who do all your damn work for you and don't get a damn thing or bit of respect in return. I'll bet they all live 20 to a van too, how are they gonna pay California rents at sub-minimum wages? You still have the "hacienda" system going on. Any Californians here want to tell me what they think?

About the doctors, though, I'm getting off topic here. About the doctors. Now a doctor has to check ID for every patient. So anybody who goes to the hospital without proper ID is going to end up in jail. That'll teach the poor white trash who can't pay their medical bills, who think they can show up at the ER without ID so that they aren't forced to choose between death and homelessness! Never mind the ethical obligation of a ER doctor to treat the indigent - spare me the libertarian philosophy here, doctors assume this responsibility when they get their damn licenses and it is a contract as valid as any other. Shit, this has little to do with citizenship - this is a bill collection initiative. Wake up!

[M. Simon]

Lonewacko,

I like your suggestion. If only the people crossing our borders without permission stayed home they wouldn't be a problem. So true.

The part you seem to forget is: they are crossing our borders as freely as drugs and like drugs they are a problem.

Now what? Perhaps we can have a war on unpermissioned immigrants. Ought to work at least as well as the war on impermissible drugs.

Personally I'd teach them the Constitution and make them Americans. The world needs more Americans.