Free coronavirus testing---oh no, SOOOOOOCIALISM!!!

In Oregon, such tests cost nothing, and the lab work is free, too. That's whether you're insured or not. That's because it's a liberal snowfake Hillary-loving socialist commie pinko tree-hugging state where people don't love our glorious leader as much as they should.

Oregon officials have stated that they're not going to wait around for federal agencies to do something and will obtain test kits from whatever markets they're available, absorbing the cost of those kits. Oregon is also researching a possible vaccine on its own.

Of course, Oregon has always done things differently. It's had universal health care since 1994, with no one being denied medical insurance, and maximum rates being capped at 134% of the state average regardless of age or medical condition. Anyone who qualifies for Medicaid or Aid for Families with Dependent Children gets it for free. Prescription coverage is included for everyone.

Yet, somehow, Oregon hasn't gone bankrupt, burst into flames, been taken over by zombies, or turned into Venezuela. Hmmm. Could it be that universal health care doesn't destroy human society after all???

Replying to Kevin Lewis:

> I think we're seeing now the tremendous cost of appointing political cronies to government positions rather than those who are best qualified for the job.

It was evident before in air quality, separation of children from their parents at the border, backsliding on climate change and dozens of other issues, but personal health and personal finances will not go unnoticed by even low information voters and/or those who don't care about matters beyond the tips of their noses.

> We're also seeing a not-well-considered consequence of the huge Trump deficit--it's that much harder for the government to raise emergency funds without serious financial consequences.

OTOH, if there is already a trillion dollar deficit, what's a few billion more? Another ten billion would only add 1% to the deficit.

>That [Trump's] failure of leadership won't be forgiven by the public.

The worry is that the pandemic could benefit Trump's reelection. I'm not saying it will, but I see it as a possibility. Suppose the epidemic is brought under control by factors having nothing to do with Trump or even in spite of  Trump, and things return to normal -- or at least get better -- before the election. Trump will take total credit for being the coronavirus slayer, and many will buy it.

The other possibility is that the virus will be Trump's Waterloo. If it is, the lives lost to the virus will not have been in vain. They will deserve a monument or memorial for their sacrifice, even though they never volunteered to save the world.

" Jeff says--The other possibility is that the virus will be Trump's Waterloo. If it is, the lives lost to the virus will not have been in vain. They will deserve a monument or memorial for their sacrifice, even though they never volunteered to save the world." -- That whole paragraph is just sick. Jeff, you deserve a monument for being an idiot.

Per the Oregon website the average premium for a family of 4 is $17k. 

It is appalling to constantly see comments by liberals calling for the death of people. 

Why this is tolerated is baffling. 

What is appalling to me is possibly millions of people dying that didn't have to. And then giving the guy who caused these unnecessary deaths a free pass. 

Two weeks ago this "was just the flu," "contained," "at 14 cases going to zero."  Now it's a national emergence--and today we found out that it was the fault of Obama.  Great leadership right there.

Let's get something straight here -President Trump has NOT caused any of these deaths. To insinuate so is a lie. Quit your lying rhetoric. 

Of course he did. Mismanagement of a life and death crisis by the person in charge of the crisis will inevitably increase casualties just as skillful management will decrease them. Everyone knows that.

With Trump only a fool could fail to notice a great deal more than run of the mill mismanagement. Minimizing the crisis for political reasons, lying, assigning blame to others, delaying action, saying it will go away magically in warmer weather, you know, the whole canon of typical Trump anti-science, self-serving, face-saving, rhetoric and inaction will have caused many preventable deaths that would not have occurred if the leader in the White House were competent and were not exclusively devoted to promoting his own short term interests to the detriment of everyone else's health and safety.

I'd normally call this "negligent homicide", but in this case it's more like "ignorance homicide," or "self-serving homicide," or "it's Obama's fault homicide."