Sue Lowden: Asshat Of The Week

There's all kinds of funny in politics today. Sarah Palin "I can see Russia from my house" funny. Michele Bachmann saying, well, just about anything kind of funny. Then there's idiot funny. So funny because it's outrageous and stupid and, well, here goes: Sue Lowden is a Republican...naturally...Senate hopeful in Nevada who does not like the health care reform. Join the club, Sue; a lot of your fellow G-No-P'ers don't like it either, though they haven't come up with an alternative. At least you're thought of an alternative. The chicken. Or the goat. Lowden is being mocked, and rightly so, for sticking to her assertion that we go back to the good old days, "before we all started having health care, in the olden days our grandparents, they would bring a chicken to the doctor, they would say I'll paint your house....I mean, that's the old days of what people would do to get health care with your doctors. Doctors are very sympathetic people. I'm not backing down from that system." Now, a barter system is a good idea, for the most part. Two parties mutually agree to trade services rather than cash. But, um, Sue? How many houses would I have to paint for a round of chemo? How many chickens does an appendectomy cost? And, what about the doctor who doesn't take livestock? Can I sue him or her for malpractice? Are you suing the shrink that called you competent? Just a thought, because, maybe your chicken bounced. In response to Crazy Sue Lowden, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee has set up a subsequently set up a Chickens for Checkups website offering a fake form letter in which people could offer items in exchange for health care. And, what's funnier than Crazy Sue Lowden's "Chicken Health Care" is that she's not backing down. She's sticking to her guns. Lowden spokesperson Chrystal Feldman says, "Americans are struggling to pay for their health care, and in order to afford coverage we must explore all options available to drive costs down. Bartering with your doctor is not a new concept. There have been numerous reports as to how negotiating with your doctor is an option and doctors have gone on the record verifying this." Sure, it might work. But, um, Sue? Where do I get the chicken?