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TERMS OF USE | PRIVACY POLICY

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BLOG July 11, 2017

Legacy of Death: Obamacare Shows the Unintended Consequences of Big Government

Since the passage of Obamacare, thousands of people have died. In February of this year, National Review reported the following:

Public-health data from the Centers for Disease Control confirm what one might expect from a health-care reform that expanded Medicaid coverage for adults: no improvement. In fact, things have gotten worse. Age-adjusted death rates in the U.S. have consistently declined for decades, but in 2015 --- unlike in 19 of the previous 20 years --- they increased. For the first time since 1993, life expectancy fell. Had mortality continued to decline during ACA implementation in 2014 and 2015 at the same rate as during the 2000–13 period, 80,000 fewer Americans would have died in 2015 alone.

One factor may be overdoses related to opioid consumption. Research shows that opioid use is on the rise in areas where formerly uninsured people now have insurance. As overdose deaths spiked, the theory is that healthy people previously uninsured gained access to opioids through the Affordable Care Act, and became addicted.

“It’s worse in places where you’ve increased and given away free insurance, whenever people can get the free drugs and they can start addictions or worsen them or free up money to buy worse things like heroin,” Co-host Stu Burguiere said.

While Obamacare didn't directly kill people, the unintended consequences of big government are, and always have been, severe.

"I'm not going to do what the left does. I just want to point out that when it comes to Medicaid . . . expansion, grandma is not going to lose her Medicaid. Who is going to lose --- and have to go on the government dole in another way --- are the only ones that were expanded. And those were for adults that aren't in a special [category]. They're not the elderly, and they're not the women and children. That's who was supposed to be covered by all of this," Glenn said.

Enjoy the complimentary clip or read the transcript for details.

GLENN: They're saying -- they're making up numbers. These are the actual numbers. Since Obamacare passed, there has been 80,000 more deaths. Since Obamacare passed, there is not a study out there that shows that anyone had any positive effect from expanded Medicare, except for women and children and women and children, that coverage was not expanded.

STU: And you know why -- it's bizarre, but you know why they think those numbers are like that? It's not because you go to the doctor -- like health care-approved. Are you going into this?

GLENN: No. Go ahead.

STU: It's because they believe -- what is happening is people who did not have insurance before who are healthy, okay? And don't really need insurance. You know, or would not have needed it. They would have gotten through the year. They would have been healthy. But they were previously uninsured. Now they are -- a good portion of these people have been able to get access to things like opioids, which are starting addictions, and they are overdosing.

PAT: Wow.

STU: The overdose rate is actually explaining much of the difference in the death rate. And there -- it's showing up in places where Medicaid was expanded at a higher rate than in places where it wasn't. So we know the opioid thing is really bad for everybody. However, it's worse in places where you've increased and given away free insurance, where these people can get the free drugs and they can start addictions or worsen them or free up money to buy worse things like heroin.

PAT: Isn't that fun? That's so fun.

STU: Again, you can never predict these things. There's always unintended consequences. Certainly, Obamacare was not passed with the idea to kill people.

GLENN: No. And, again, it's not Obamacare that has killed people. It is people choosing now what to do with their money or their doctor, that's killing 80,000 more people.

PAT: Although --

GLENN: And that was one year. I mean, I'm not going to do what the left does. I just want to point out that when it comes to Medicaid, there is -- with the expansion, grandma is not going to lose her Medicaid.

PAT: Uh-huh.

GLENN: Who is going to lose and have to go on to the government dole in another way are the only ones that were expanded. And those were for adults that -- that aren't in a special, you know, need. They're not the elderly. And they're not the women and children. That's who was supposed to be covered by all of this. They're the groups that grew -- there was no impact. The only impact and positive help was for women and children. And that part was not expanded.

PAT: It's really beautiful for you to put it that way. But I am going to do what the left does. And I am going to say that Obamacare is single-handedly killing 80,000 Americans a year.

STU: Oh, my God.

PAT: 80,000 Americans a year with its bare hands. Killing them. Murdering innocent Americans, Obamacare.

GLENN: Blood running in the streets.

PAT: Blood spewing -- piles of bodies everywhere.

GLENN: Yeah.

PAT: Women and children running for their lives.

GLENN: Heads on pikes.

(laughter)

STU: Cats and dogs living together.

It's really a bizarre thing to look at though.

PAT: Oh, man.

STU: Because this stuff happens all the time. How many other programs have we talked about, government programs that get implemented and do the opposite? We raise minimum wages --

PAT: So often.

STU: That just happened in Seattle. They raised the minimum wage to not even $15 an hour, and the initial studies are showing that people are actually making less money overall because of it. This is not a stunning thing to a conservative or a Libertarian. But it seems to just like mesmerize the public. All they can take at the time that these things break is what the government tells them. They accept every Obamacare thing: We're going to save $2,500. People would say, this is going to cost a lot of money. And they would say, fact-check, false. It will save $2,500.

That's just the president saying it. You can't just accept that. We would never do that. And it happens over and over and over again.

GLENN: Well, here's the problem: If -- if a car company did this, they would go out of business. Because the government would hold them responsible.

If Humana did this, the government would hold them responsible. If all the people that Humana went out with an advertising campaign and said, "You're going to save $2,500," and it ended up that your rate went up 141 percent. Everyone would have someone to run to, and they would run to the press. And they would run to the government. And the government would shut Humana down for false advertising.

But there's no one to run to. That's why our veterans are in such bad shape. Who are you going to run to? The government?

The press? The press doesn't want to show that socialized medicine -- because that's what that is. They don't want to show that socialized medicine doesn't work and show the hell that that really is. And the government isn't really going to do anything.

Do you know, yesterday, I congratulated the president for actually firing, what was it? 500 people at the VA. First of all, that is .9 percent of the -- those employed. But I'll take that. That's 500 more people than Barack Obama fired. So I'm thrilled.

However, one thing you should be aware of, is the government unions -- they are contesting all of those fires. And, in fact, the first guy he fired already has his job back. You are going to see these people sue the government, sue to make sure, with their union, to make sure that they were treated fairly, et cetera. They're going to be coming back into the system. And those who don't, I guarantee you, you will still be paying for, in a rubber room, just like the unions have in -- with teachers in Manhattan. Nothing -- nothing is being fixed here.

And that's the real tragedy. Because we all know that it can be fixed. We all know that. We all know that it should be fixed and can be fixed. It's just that people aren't serious. And the system is so big, that you don't even know how to get your arms around it. You don't even know what to do.

That's why the Founders wanted to keep things so small and so local. Because the local people, it would never get to be so big that the local people couldn't fix it. And if the local people couldn't fix it, the state would be able to fix it.

You've gone to the highest authority. And now they control everything. Where do you go when they can't fix it?

PAT: Nowhere to go. Nowhere to go.

GLENN: Nowhere. The UN?

PAT: Speaking of things that are so big you can't get your arms around them, did you hear Chris Christie on the radio yesterday?

GLENN: No.

(laughter)
THE GLENN BECK PODCAST

'They believe their job is to REMAKE your child': WSJ writer warns public schools may be LOST to woke trans activism

There's a new "reality" spreading, and the mere act of questioning it has become incredibly dangerous, Wall Street Journal investigative journalist Abigail Shrier told Glenn on the most recent episode of "The Glenn Beck Podcast."

Shrier's book, "Irreversible Damage: The Transgender Craze Seducing Our Daughters," exposes the radical gender activism that — like critical race theory — has overtaken our children's schools and culture. But even worse, she warned, it could end your parental rights for good.

Shrier made it clear she is by no means "anti-trans," but simply speaking up against the extremes of this new "reality" has made her enemy No. 1 to many activists. Her book has been bashed so hard by the Left that Target has stopped selling it twice, Amazon once banned ads for it, and the American Booksellers Association even called sending it to others "a serious, violent incident."

In the clip below, Shrier explained why she believes "there may be no hope for the public school system."

"You have teachers behaving like activists across the country who have no interest in actually teaching. They believe their job is to remake your child," she asserted. "We're seeing so much evidence of that, I think it's fair to say that it may be too deeply rooted in the ideology being taught in public school. I'm not sure that the public school system is redeemable at this point."

Watch the video clip below for more or find the full podcast with Abigail Shrier here:

Want more from Glenn Beck?

To enjoy more of Glenn's masterful storytelling, thought-provoking analysis and uncanny ability to make sense of the chaos, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution and live the American dream.
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RADIO

Is California ‘PURPOSEFULLY’ destroying this small business?

It seems like some politicians are purposefully trying to destroy the lives and dreams of certain Americans, specifically small business owners. Dave Foldes spoke to Glenn over six months ago after THIS audience raised thousands of dollars for his restaurant that refused to close: Cronies Sports Grill. Now, despite making progress in his administrative battle against LA, the city of Agoura Hills, California is coming for Cronies instead. And the reasoning is INSANE. But Foldes isn't giving up, and neither are his supporters. It's the ultimate David vs. Goliath showdown.

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THE GLENN BECK PODCAST

Trans Activism Will End Your Parental Rights | Abigail Shrier | Ep 110

There's a new "reality" spreading, and the mere act of questioning it is incredibly dangerous. Just ask Wall Street Journal investigative journalist Abigail Shrier. Her book, "Irreversible Damage: The Transgender Craze Seducing Our Daughters," exposes the radical gender activism that — just like critical race theory — has overtaken our children's schools and culture. But even worse, Shrier argues it could end your parental rights for good. She is by no means "anti-trans," but simply speaking up against the extremes of this new "reality" has made her enemy number one to the activists. Recently, the American Booksellers Association even called sending her book to others "a serious, violent incident." Abigail joins Glenn to lay out just how slippery this slope has proven to be and what we — conservatives and liberals — must do to protect our children.
TV

DEADLY Negligence: Exposing the REAL Origins & Coverup of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Who were the people and groups involved with coronavirus research, and what really went down before and after the pandemic began? On "Glenn TV" this week, Glenn Beck heads to the chalkboard to outline a tale of negligence and then, coverup. The elites of the world - the people calling themselves experts - trusted the Chinese Communist Party with one of the most dangerous weapons we can imagine on this planet--a virus.

Glenn reveals who was involved in a definitive timeline, and argues: If proof of a lab leak does come out, the worlds needs to know EVERYONE that was involved. We must expose the coverup and attempt to control the narrative of the pandemic origins. Everyone from Big Tech, the media, the Chinese and even our own government have been involved. What lies behind the coverup could reveal the dirty secret that, in order to cut corners, the academic elites and government entrusted Communist China with a civilization-killing virus.

Watch the full episode below:

Want more from Glenn Beck?

To enjoy more of Glenn's masterful storytelling, thought-provoking analysis and uncanny ability to make sense of the chaos, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution and live the American dream.