Amanda Marcotte: Opposition to Obamacare about giveaways to blacks and “hot young sluts”
One of the unspoken but heavily insinuated arguments against Obamacare is that it’s a way for the federal government to steal health care from white people and give it to black people….
Ever since the HHS announced that contraception would be covered as co-pay-free preventive service, conservative media has gleefully portrayed the ACA as a program to give hot young sluts an opportunity to screw on the public dime.
~ Pro-abort Amanda Marcotte, as quoted by Newsbusters, March 6
[HT: Kelli]

Seriously, Amanda? Is there really an “unspoken but heavily insinuated” impression that healthcare is being stolen from whites and given to blacks?
Providing healthcare to the people who cannot afford it is one of the few, good things that most Americans are willing to pay for. Race has not entered the conservative discussion — which is why it is “unspoken,” and only “heavily insinuated” as liberals talk amongst themselves.
The primary arguments against the ACA is that it will cost everyone more money, provide everyone less healthcare, severely restrict our healthcare choices, and force us to violate our consciences.
As to publicly funded promiscuity: That image entered people’s minds with the first coming of Sandra Fluke.
I think she’s stretching it a bit.
I do think there is an element of the criticism that poor people just want free stuff, that insurance and good healthcare in the free market shouldn’t be for all – so poor people were infringing on the benefits of everybody else. The race aspect will be seen as a stretch. I see a lot of racist policy within modern day politics that are not overtly racist, but I think there is underlying racism within the policy (for instance, drug policies) – but I’m not going to go as far as saying I agree that people see Obamacare as stealing healthcare from whites and giving it to blacks. I would go as far to say that a lot of people see health care as a privilege, and that poor people should not share in that privilege as it might inconvenience the rest of us.
What is good news is, if the primary arguments are what Del is saying, I think the ACA is probably almost a settled argument at this point – that it is successful and is a better option than the previous status quo.
Amanda says in Newsbusters, “Ugly racial attitudes influenced the opposition to Obamacare in two major ways: Hostility to the black President that signed it into law and hostility to the black people who might get better healthcare through it…”
Why does Amanda feel the need to say ‘black President’? Amanda needs to get out her crayons and look at the crayon that says ‘black’ and put it next to a photo of our President. If you put his photo next to the crayon that is labeled ‘white’, that’s not right either. Tan is the closest I can come up with. The same beautiful color my husband is at the end of a summer working and fishing outside because he doesn’t always wear sunscreen like his wife tells him to.
Barack Obama has referred to his mom as “the dominant figure in my formative years … The values she taught me continue to be my touchstone when it comes to how I go about the world of politics.”
Barack’s mom had largely English ancestors, and given the fact that she was the parent who raised Barack, why do people continue to point out only his father’s race? Barack’s mom also had to rely on food stamps and help from her family to raise Barack. Why didn’t Barack’s dad help out?
To continue to point out over and over the parent who did little more than contribute his/her genetics to a child is quite racist and sexist in my opinion.
When will we ever get past seeing skin colors and just love each other? If you feel the need to point out anyone’s skin color, go buy the 152 box of crayons and start matching up. Maybe some of you are fuzzy wuzzy brown or an antique brass color.
Or you could get some color names from the make-up aisles. I’m a classic beige in the Covergirl section. When I used to lay-out and go to tanning beds as a young person, I could get to Revlon’s golden caramel color. Now I encourage my daughter to use sunscreen too and to love her beautiful Alabaster (Natureluxe’s) color.
Amanda looks to be apricot to me.
Sources:
http://www.biography.com/people/ann-dunham-434238#marriage-and-baracks-birth
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ann_Dunham
Regarding Amanda’s ‘hot young sluts’ comment, I am almost speechless. I think she could probably benefit from some sex addiction counseling though.
Obama’s race is irrelevant. Well, his race is not relevant to white voters. Black voters certainly feel a racial pride in his election, and
For six years, I have been listening to all the folks who hate Obama — because he is pro-abortion, because he is trampling over our conscience rights, because he is using the IRS as jackboots, because he has failing to reform our immigration failures, because he cannot even speak about the Islamic fascists who are terrorizing the world, because he is Chicago-dirty — but I have never heard anyone remark disparagingly about the color of his skin.
Obama’s race is not an issue…. And no one says so, except for extremists like Amanda. Even the Obama Administration has not made any comments about widespread racial hatred directed at Mr. Obama — because it isn’t here.
Del –
Do you want some posts of racists statements targeted at Obama?
Ex-GOP – There is a difference between documenting the fact that there are conservatives who are racist against Blacks, and believing that conservatives who favor and oppose the same things they have always favored and opposed, are racist now that those policies are coming from a guy who happens to be Black.
Usually, Ex-GOP, you are more realistic and rational.
You are off the map on this one.
Regarding the sex-on-the-public-dime comment:
Amanda gets it right!
I’m sure that a search of the internet could find some extremists.
I’m just saying that there is not enough anti-black racism to rate a blip in the opposition to Obama or Obamacare.
Del –
I can agree with that – conservatives aren’t against Obamacare because he is black.
Conservatives are against Obamacare because Democrats pitched it.
“The race aspect will be seen as a stretch. I see a lot of racist policy within modern day politics that are not overtly racist, but I think there is underlying racism within the policy (for instance, drug policies) – but I’m not going to go as far as saying I agree that people see Obamacare as stealing healthcare from whites and giving it to blacks. I would go as far to say that a lot of people see health care as a privilege, and that poor people should not share in that privilege as it might inconvenience the rest of us.”
Yeah she’s Stretch Armstrong with this one. A lot of the anti-universal healthcare and anti-ACA arguments seem to revolve around class, not race. I agree other policies can be implicitly racist, but I don’t think the opposition to the ACA has much to do with it. Like you said, people complain about poor people, not black people, getting “free” healthcare.
“Conservatives are against Obamacare because Democrats pitched it.”
It always amuses me that some of the same politicians who supported an individual mandate years ago are so vociferous at opposing similar legislation because it came from Dems.
“To continue to point out over and over the parent who did little more than contribute his/her genetics to a child is quite racist and sexist in my opinion.”
It’s the modern day “one drop rule” and it is racist. People classify others by looks, not culture or how they themselves identify. A biracial person with African features or simply darker skin will be called black no matter what side of the family they are closer to or identify as. It’s the same for Latino/as. If you’re a light-skinned Latino (and you speak English well), you’ll be perceived as Caucasian no matter what culture you’re closer to or your actual race. If you’re darker the opposite is true.
I don’t know about sexist though, if he looked the same but his parents races were flipped but they were still the same parents (involved loving mother, abandoning father), Obama would still be referred to as black.
“Obama would still be referred to as black.”
Yes, by many he would, but this is incorrect. Obama is biracial.
With his name recognition, he has the opportunity to educate many people on the subject and do much to get rid of the racist “one drop rule”. From what I can find, President Obama wanted to be referred to as a black man from early adulthood on.
To totally deny the ancestry of the parent who raised you (in spite of what you look like or what gender parent raised you), is sexist in my opinion.
Everything is “unspoken but heavily insinuated” to Pres. Obama’s cheerleaders.
Hmmm. Does Ms. Marcotte consider hot young slut to be a badge of honor? You have to wonder if she considers herself to be one. Sad really if this is your self view.
“From what I can find, President Obama wanted to be referred to as a black man from early adulthood on”
I don’t know Obama’s motivations for identifying as black. I do know many half-black, or half-Latino, or half-Asian biracial people who “identify” as what they are perceived as. If you have some African features and dark skin, you are going to be treated as and referred to as black, and even if you identify with your white ancestry far more you will still be subject to the racism that people who are perceived of as black are. A lot of biracial people feel forced into accepting the role they are perceived in. I’m biracial, but since I look white for the most part (I tan way darker than most people, but I have blue eyes!) I’ve always been treated as a white guy, and people are surprised and seemingly weirded out when they find out my ancestry. It’s often about perception of others, how biracial people identify imo.
I am in strong agreement with you that Obama could be talking about the issues with the one-drop rule and the denial of culture that biracial people experience (whether they choose it or not). I think it’s unfortunate I haven’t heard him speak of it. The amount of biracial and ethnically diverse people in this country is increasing, and we need a national conversation about old racist traditions and cultural awareness. It would be nice to have biracial people in high profile positions talk about it.
“To totally deny the ancestry of the parent who raised you (in spite of what you look like or what gender parent raised you), is sexist in my opinion.”
I can see your point. It could be sexist/racist, or both in combination. Often I think perception of people outside the family plays a role too.
“Conservatives are against Obamacare because Democrats pitched it.”
Some of us find it hard to support anything that pushers of child killing pitch. I personally can’t and won’t trust those who systematically support the killing of innocent humans. No middle ground. No grey area.
If our tan President started defending children in the womb, he’d get my attention.
Prax –
I actually agree with the base of what you’re saying – since Obama came into office, conservatives have simply lost their mind – their anger has overflowed and they go against everything regardless of if it makes sense.
Heck, 47 Republicans were even traitors today in writing Iran – I think the right has lost their collective mind. (though to be fair, some republican senators put country first and did not sign the letter).
“since Obama came into office, conservatives have simply lost their mind”
LOL. That’s about the time many conservatives started actually using theirs imo.