Free-Market Jesus

via Crooks and Liars:

"People have no problem paying $900 for an iPad," the candidate explained. "But paying $900 for a drug they have a problem with — it keeps you alive. Why? Because you’ve been conditioned to think health care is something you can get without having to pay for it."

The mother replied that she could not afford her son's medication, Abilify, which can cost as much as $1 million a year without health insurance.

"Look, I want your son and everybody to have the opportunity to stay alive on much-needed drugs," Santorum insisted. "But the bottom line is, we have to give companies the incentive to make those drugs. And if they don't have the incentive to make those drugs, your son won't be alive and lots of other people in this country won't be alive."

"He’s alive today because drug companies provide care," the candidate continued. "And if they didn’t think they could make money providing that drug, that drug wouldn’t be here. I sympathize with these compassionate cases. … I want your son to stay alive on much-needed drugs. Fact is, we need companies to have incentives to make drugs. If they don’t have incentives, they won’t make those drugs. We either believe in markets or we don’t."

Listen, I would love it if your son could survive, but you have to remember what the Bible says about caring for the sick: it's not worth it if there's no money to be made.

I understand that you're poor, but I also understand that the poor person archetype that's been constructed to coincide with my sheltered, backwater worldview buys iPads, which are rather expensive. So my question to you, ma'am, is this: why are you buying iPads instead of medicine for your son? Of course he's dying! You poor people are so bad with money, it's no wonder you're destitute.

Everyone else here understands what America is all about: markets. Now, luckily for you, the market has seen fit to develop the medicine to treat your young child's illness to begin with, but are you thankful even for a second? No! Instead you bitch and moan about it "being too expensive." Yea, it's expensive because the market knows you'll pay out the ass for it to save your kid. That's supply and demand; have you ever even studied economics, lady?

The market has spoken, and it's decided you're child needs to die. So it is written; so it is done. Praise Free-Market Jesus!