Sales of Mark Halperin’s horribly-titled book Double Down: Game Change must not be as high as he wishes they were. That’s the only reason I can come up with for why he would say something this certifiably stupid.
via TPM
In an interview on Monday with the conservative Newsmax, Time’s Mark Halperin said that so-called “death panels” are enshrined in the Affordable Care Act. [...]
“So, you believe there will be rationing, a.k.a ‘death panels’?” host Steve Malzberg asked Halperin, the co-author of the 2012 election chronicle “Double Down.”
“It’s built into the plan. It’s not like a guess or like a judgment. That’s going to be part of how costs are controlled,” Halperin said before arguing that it’s necessary to ration care.
No, there are no death panels. The government isn’t going to control costs by killing granny. I’m not even going to elaborate on the Independent Payment Advisory Board’s mission because, frankly, I’m beginning to feel like a broken record as are those who trot out the death panel lie every few months.
Halperin is obviously trolling for book sales among conservatives. It’s not a coincidence that he would go on the record with Newsmax to talk death panels.
On the other hand, he may be just as ignorant of the law as this implies. I’m giving him the benefit of the doubt by assuming that he’s just trolling.
Anyone who bought his book should feel bad about it if for no other reason than having a title that reads like satirical parody.
Update… Halperin is walking his comments back and now quoting Howard Dean as an excuse.
In Mon intv I did not say "death panels" nor do I believe ACA contains them. Was speaking of political/policy challenge of IPAB cuts. My bad
— Mark Halperin (@MarkHalperin) November 26, 2013
Howard Dean: "The IPAB is essentially a health-care rationing body." Again, not endorsing that view, but shows coming political challenge
— Mark Halperin (@MarkHalperin) November 26, 2013
Howard Dean was among those who said that we should “kill the bill” back in 2010 and he is currently employed as a lobbyist for the healthcare industry. He is not someone you should be quoting to justify a “rationed care” meme.
His interest is in preserving the profits of his employer which the IPAB may threaten.