TPM Editor’s Blog

GOPer Tries to Ape My Snark

Sue Lowden

I’m not quite sure what to make of this. A couple weeks ago our Eric Kleefeld came up with video showing Nevada Senate candidate Sue Lowden suggesting that “bartering” for medical care would be a good way to rein in spiraling health care costs.

I mocked her with the headline: “I bid three chickens for that MRI!” But I sort of figured she’d rethink that plan after her advisors sat her down for a moment and explained the concept of a cash economy or maybe if she found out what ‘barter’ meant. But it turns out that she was serious. Not just serious. She was actually thinking about payment in chickens too.

Yesterday she told a local news program: “I’m telling you that this works. You know, before we all started having health care, in the olden days, our grandparents, they would bring a chicken to the doctor.”

I’m always troubled by these moments when my sarcasm and snark is outpaced by the ugly reality. See the video here.

PS. If you want to hear something really funny. This woman’s probably going to be the freshman senator from Nevada next January. Think she’ll be for repeal? I wager five chickens!

Josh Marshall

Josh Marshall is editor and publisher of TalkingPointsMemo.com.

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