"Republican Senate candidate Sue Lowden keeps pressing her cluck, I mean, luck."

[babylonsister]

:spray:

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2010_04/023448.php

LOWDEN TRIPLES DOWN.... I really didn't intend to do three posts about this today, but Republican Senate candidate Sue Lowden keeps pressing her cluck, I mean, luck.

To briefly review, Lowden, the favorite to beat Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D) in Nevada this year, recently encouraged voters to "barter with your doctor." On Monday, Lowden reiterated and expanded upon this, praising a health care delivery system in line with "the olden days" when those seeking medical care "would bring a chicken to the doctor." Despite the mockery this had already received, she added, "I'm not backing down from that system."

This afternoon, the Republican candidate's spokesperson told Greg Sargent that the campaign is sticking by Lowden's argument.

"Americans are struggling to pay for their health care, and in order to afford coverage we must explore all options available to drive costs down. Bartering with your doctor is not a new concept. There have been numerous reports as to how negotiating with your doctor is an option and doctors have gone on the record verifying this."

snip//

In a purely political context, campaigns are rarely lost in April, but Lowden's position has quickly made her something of a joke -- and once a candidate is a laughingstock, it's very difficult to recover. One Nevadan has characterized this as a "macaca moment" for the Republican hopeful, and that under the circumstances, that seems more than fair.

Sue Lowden could have walked this embarrassing incident back many times, but she's now tripled down on a position that simply doesn't make any sense.

Lowden has had a year to come up with a coherent approach to health care policy, and she's failed rather spectacularly. We saw our first hint about this last month, when Lowden praised Medicare and condemned "government run health care" at the same time, and we're getting an even better sense of her confusion now.

Sometimes, candidates just aren't ready for prime time. :D

—Steve Benen

[KingFlorez]

1. The word dumb isn't strong enough

She's talking as if going to the doctor is like going to some outdoor sale or something.

[Pyrzqxgl]

2. I asked my doctor if he'd take a Chicken for service & he told me he didn't service chickens,

only people.

[napi21]

3. You're sure right on the laughingstack point. I've heard EVERY

TV news person & every radio talk host talk about her & what a joke she is. Thom Hartmann mentioned her remarks and even played a clip, then he said "And people are worried about Reid loosing th HER?" Dillon Raddigan just quoted her & made some dry humor jokes about her.

[rurallib]

4. from the file labeled "you couldn't make this stuff up"

[babylonsister]

5. Exactly, and she's too dumb or stubborn to back down. nt

[Staph]

6. But is this playing in Nevada?

It won't affect the race if it gets big press in Washington. But if the Vegas papers and TV stations turn it into a joke, the lady is toast.

[babylonsister]

8. It is playing/being written about, but she's getting a lot of slack because

not many people like Reid. otoh, the comedians such as Leno are having a field day. I'm afraid her comments have gone viral. :evilgrin:

[tanyev]

7. Is she accepting chickens as campaign donations?

[formercia]

9. That would be too good.

:rofl:

[Lochloosa]

11. Just send the egg. The chicken came second.

Oh, and let the egg sit out in the sun for a week or so before mailing. It needs the heat to hatch.:evilgrin:

[cui bono]

10. I just heard about this today. When did it start?

She's already tripled down on it?

And does it have to be a live chicken or a cooked chicken? And what if the doctor is a vegetarian or vegan? And if you have a chicken, why not have chicken soup? That's supposed to help with a cold.

And why doesn't she recommend an apple a day??? It's supposed to keep the doctor away.

[Jennicut]

12. If I asked to negotiate with my doctors I would be laughed at. This lady is nuts.

Payment plans can be negotiated, I have done that at the dentist with my daughter who has needed extensive work done. But bartering for the price to begin with is laughable...this isn't a car dealership.

[Raven]

13. My grandfather was a country Doc back in the 30's. He took homemade

wine from the barber in return for delivering his kids. We found cases of it. Maybe these days chickens are too messy. Maybe we should try booze.

[handmade34]

14. a good idea gone awry

I love the barter system... but in the mainstream, in the 21st, in the arena that the vast majority of people work and live this is more than crazy talk. I have used the barter system lots in my life and yes even with Doctors... all of my children were delivered by doctors (and midwife) that accepted barter. That being said, my situation was much different and to even talk about bartering with doctors in exchange for services these days is ludicrous (within the general population).

I have nothing against bartering and with planning and cooperation we could use something other than the currency we now use in the United States. But what Ms. Lowden is doing is just making excuses and showing she has no real ideas about how to ameliorate the poor health care system we now have in place and she is showing how ignorant she is about reality.

[hvn_nbr_2]

15. How many chickens does a round of chemotherapy cost?

How many chickens will you have to give your doctor to pay for a round of chemotherapy after the WellPoint death panel cancels your insurance when you get sick? How many chickens for the ambulance ride when you have a heart attack? Do you have to pay cash chickens and actually give them physically to the ambulance driver? Or do they take MasterChickenCard? If you have a stroke or heart attack and can't take care of the chickens that you're using to buy prescriptions, then what do you do? What the hell is your doctor going to do with the 20,000 chickens that you paid him for brain surgery?

Jon Stewart has to be thinking, "So many fools to parody, so little time."

[ladywnch]

16. thank you! I posted a similar response yesterday when she

'doubled down' with this nonsense. And, I'm sure no physicians have college loan payments to make....and I don't think banks will accept chickens as payment.

Great, I can pay the doctor but the hospital, the labs, the pharmacy.....they all want cold hard cash....not chickens.

[tsuki]

17. I pledge one chicken and a gerbil to her campaign.