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Tom Johnson's avatar

Hard to best Tommy Vietor’s catch-phrase.

“Trumpcare = Russian Roulette with Medicare”

“Algorithmic Death Panels”

“Medicare by Machine”

“Robo-Refusal Panels”

“Care Denied by Code”

“Medicare Kill-Switch”

“Computer Says No” Healthcare

“AI Guillotine for Grandma”

“Digital Death Panels”

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Steve's avatar

Is it? Like it or not, republicans own the term “death panel” in the minds of everyone millennial-aged or older. Just think about whether you want to be explaining, “oh no, these are the REAL death panels!” and sounding like a kook.

And let’s not try to be so clever. The effectiveness of “death panels” was that it is simple, pithy, and a wild exaggeration just on the edge of believability.

So call this killer robots. Call it algorithmic death. You just need to label the policy, not explain it.

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Carrie's avatar

There are some winners in there!

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Callie Palmer's avatar

Thanks for the heads up, Dan. Will share as far and wide as I can. I remember the whole Republican death panel BS, and here they have manifested it for real. Imagine that.

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Susanna J. Sturgis's avatar

My only quibble is that it's not *Trump* that's doing this. We really need to stay focused on the Project 2025 crowd and the others behind Trump. They were around before Trump and they'll still be around when he's gone. So keep emphasizing (as you do at least once in this column) that it's the Trump *administration* behind it all.

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Carrie's avatar

Or, my favorite and most accurate way to describe who is killing America(in this case literally): Republicans

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Susanna J. Sturgis's avatar

100%. This may not be the endgame they envisioned when they tried to trash the New Deal, opposed civil rights, invented Reaganomics, spawned Newt Gingri(n)ch and Mitch McConnell, and crashed the economy, but with a smidgen of hindsight it's so obvious. I wish it had been more obvious to more upper-level Democrats.

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Ginny K's avatar

This is really scary. Thank you for sharing this info. We understand the assignment. 👍🏼

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gwHornPlayer's avatar

Hate to admit it but this does tickle my dark humor funny bone much the same way as when Trump and his supporters—during the worst of COVID—were doing their best to convince their own base NOT to avoid crowds (RIP Herman Cain) or to employ masks and eventually not to avail themselves of the record-breaking, life-saving vaccine that was actually Trump’s only major policy achievement in his first term unless you count the giant tax cut for the wealthiest Americans.

We know these AI death panels will impact millions of Trump’s voters (who will naturally place the blame elsewhere!) while the Democrats focus on distancing themselves from Mamdani and his successful messaging and communications strategies.

But maybe word gets out at the family barbecue.

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debbie's avatar

I opened it, I read it, and I keep thinking "Trump isn't doing this. Stepen Miller and his creepy cohorts have their hands all over this." This is why this administration is so dangerous - when the feeble FOTUS is gone, we will still have this administration.

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Amy Dodge's avatar

I increasingly feel like I don’t want to continue living in a country with people this evil

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Susanna J. Sturgis's avatar

I've lived my whole life in a country with people this evil. (I'm 74.) So did my parents (both born in 1922). So did my grandparents. The only thing that's really changed is that now it seems more people know about it.

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victoria frisch's avatar

Thanks Dan. EXCEPT- Summer is NOT OVER until Monday, Sept. 22nd. Try to embrace it until then.

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Callie Palmer's avatar

100% agree.

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Tom's avatar

A new description for Medicare: “As efficient as bureaucracy, as caring as a computer”.

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Tom Johnson's avatar

I was really surprised to see Ohio and Texas on the list. I am vaery surprised it’s not all blue states.

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Michael Chaskes's avatar

I wonder if it’s based more on Medicare utilization rates (though then one would expect to see Florida on there too). At any rate, the Repubs have shown no compunction about inflicting grievous harm on their own base as well as their opponents.

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Carrie's avatar

Same here

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Madam Geoffrin's avatar

Dan, so impressed by your recent posts!! Keep bringing it on.

How’s “ Grandma’s Bot Killer” for framing the issue?

Ugh, it’s all so complicated. In the care of my elderly parents, including my father who was terminal, I saw wasteful treatments ordered by hospitals, all covered by Medicare. I don’t think that’s right. OTOH, an entire medical system based on a for-profit model is absolutely bat shit nuts. Can we all shout: conflict of interest???

AI will have a role in our lives, but it is nowhere close to ready. Human supervision is still required.

Trump neither cares nor understands the complexity of technology or healthcare delivery.

Will share with my spouse. On Medicare and NJ resident. Thx for the heads up.

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Bridget Bennett's avatar

Thanks Dan , am sharing in my world

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Paula B.'s avatar

I'm a little surprised that no one has mentioned Luigi Mangione. Apparently his message has not gotten through to the "powers that be."

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David Terry's avatar

Finally! The “death panels!” To my everlasting frustration somehow the party that manufactured the original, false death panel outrage, has delivered actual death panels. Not surprised. And not just here, btw, but also by putting judiciary and law enforcement in the middle of women’s health care (life & death) decisions.

Dan, this is a shining example of what The Message Box is uniquely positioned to do. I will restack and share. Please do everything you can with Crooked and beyond to amplify this message and specific 3-step plan.

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Stephanie Koser's avatar

This is chilling. Many thanks for sending this out before the long weekend! Have already shared with my neighborhood's informal "PAC" group and will continue to share with family and friends.

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Judy B's avatar

Sent it to friends & relatives in NJ, Arizona, & Texas. Thank you for the heads up, Dan!

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