Well, Yes, Kevin, But…

by tristero

Kevin Drum on a recent Krauthammer call to have a serious, non-Palinized discussion about end-of-life counseling care:

The only thing that’s subtle here is Krauthammer’s faux evenhandedness. Up until two minutes ago, politicians and pundits across the political spectrum universally believed that advance care counseling was an entirely sane and uncontroversial practice, one that any compassionate society would encourage. Those same politicians and pundits knew perfectly well that it was never about guiding patients in any particular direction and has never been motivated by cost savings in any way. They knew that other countries reimburse for advance care planning — just like any other use of a doctor’s time — and it hasn’t led to any pressure, subtle or otherwise, to pull the plug on grandma.

They knew this. Until two minutes ago. But now they’re pretending — subtly, temperately — that maybe it isn’t true after all. And they’re doing this not because they’ve changed their minds, but because they want to kill healthcare reform for political reasons and they don’t care whether innocent bystanders get hurt in the process. Their “Yes, but” campaign might ensure that patients forevermore mistrust doctors who talk about advance care directives, but they also know that sober, serious, subtle op-eds endorsing this point of view are more likely to derail healthcare reform among the chattering classes than Sarah Palin’s Facebook maunderings. It is intellectual venality of the first order.

Well yes, but…they’ve been doing it the entire 6 plus years Kevin and I have been blogging, and far longer before that.

Lesson #1 about modern conservatism: You cannot have a serious conversation with movement conservatives.

Lesson #2 about modern conservatism: Lesson #1 plus About anything.

Lesson #3 about modern conservatism: Lesson #1 plus Lesson #2 plus Ever.