‘Birthers,’ ‘deathers’ both spreading lies

The “birthers” are a fringe element who believe that President Barack Obama was not born in the United States, even though he has produced his birth certificate and Hawaii newspapers printed his birth announcement when he was born there in 1961.

The “deathers” say that Obama's health care reform contains a secret plot to kill old people. Sarah Palin recently indicated she agrees with them, and added that Obama's “death panels” would kill her Down syndrome child, Trig.

The deathers are basing their outlandish claims on language in the House bill that cites “advance care planning consultation.” It deals with medical practitioners helping individuals shape living wills, powers of attorney and the like. It's a long way from there to a death panel where bureaucrats decide who lives or dies.

Like the birther movement, the deather movement depends on a combination of gullibility and willful dishonesty. And, in fact, both movements are made up of the same fringe crowd.

As for Palin, I can't think of anyone off the top of my head who is more ruthlessly ambitious than that woman. And by the way, does the Quitter get to keep her Alaskan government health care, or is Palin now under private health care? What kind of coverage does a Down syndrome child get in the private sector, and at what cost?

Richard Vindante

Coralville