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,,,,,,,,,, makes people do strange and stupid things.
Richard Mack, Sheriff Who Refused Obamacare, Now Begs Strangers For Cash To Pay Medical Bills
Richard Mack, former sheriff of Graham County, Arizona, who became better known as a virulent opponent of the national health care law known as “Obamacare,” is now begging for money from strangers online to pay medical bills for himself and his wife — because they refused to buy into an Obamacare health plan and as a result, have no insurance.
Mack, 63, drew national publicity in 2014 when he became an outspoken supporter of renegade rancher Cliven Bundy, in Bundy’s standoff with the government over the rancher’s unpaid fees for allowing his cattle to graze on public land.
At the time, Mack announced that if federal agents took armed action to end the standoff, Bundy and his supporters would have used women as human shields to take the brunt of the armed federal attack that never materialized.
But Mack is also a founder of the “Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association,” a radical group which believes that only local law enforcement officers such as sheriffs, and not the federal government, have the authority to decide and enforce what counts as constitutional.
As such, Mack also took an outspoken stand against the Affordable Care Act, the health care law also known as Obamacare, designed to make health insurance more accessible to Americans who may not otherwise have access to, or be able to afford coverage.
“The States do not have to take or support or pay for Obamacare or anything else from Washington DC. The States are not subject to federal direction,” Mack said, stating his position on his website.
But according to his site, Mack suffered a heart attack in January and his wife began experiencing ill health late last year. Unfortunately, because Mack refused to buy an insurance plan under Obamacare, he is now without any form of health coverage.
Mack has now started an online GoFundMe campaign, soliciting cash from anyone willing to give him some, in order to pay his considerable health expenses.
Mack’s site explains that he and his wife are “self-employed” and therefore have no medical insurance — even though the Obamacare law is designed specifically to allow self-employed Americans to obtain health coverage.
“It is difficult and humbling to say that we need your help, but we do,” the former sheriff wrote on the site.
The campaign elicited numerous responses from donors or potential donors who see a bitter irony in Mack’s current predicament.
“Here you go, Sheriff,” wrote one $5 donor.
“Sheriff Mack, I hope you and your wife and family do get healthy,” wrote a $5 donor. “But turning around and BEGGING FOR MONEY to pay for your health recovery, AFTER YOU staunchly tried to OBSTRUCT the ACA, is APPALLING, REPREHENSIBLE, AND OBSCENE!!!”
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Last edited by Goose (3/01/2015 9:10 am)
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Loosing your good health and not having health insurance is an eye opening experience as Mack and his wife have painfully learned.
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Some comments from the Go fund page which has raised $23,897 of $ 30,000!
There are lots of nasty comments posted. If you want to read them check out the go fund page.
"I am an anti liberal conservative. I guess the only reason anyone is donating to you right now, is because this has become somewhat of a political "trophy" for the liberals. They feel that you should be taxed for breathing, and if you disagree with them, you should be taxed some more. I am absolutely amazed at the volume of tolerance they are smugly showing, with comments like "I am donating because I am not like you" (as if you have never made any personal sacrifices for the community). Judgmental AND tolerant ... wow!!! Hope you get to feeling better soon."
"This is how we should help each other - VOLUNTARILY by our own free will and with what we can give - NOT by the government forcibly taking from us to give to others who have not earned it. We thank you, Sheriff Mack, for standing up for our Republic and for your work with the nation's sheriffs. And we stand with you against obamacare - it is an unconstitutional TAX and taking away our free will and freedom to choose over our own bodies and health care. That's not freedom, that's slavery. No thanks! It is our prayer that you and your wife fully recover and we are thankful that we can help a little with your financial challenges. We've been there - we know what it is like to have someone give to us to help when we needed it. We bless their memory to this day. Now it is our turn..."
"Dear Sheriff Mack and Family, I am making my second donation as I know the trouble you are going through. God bless you for standing up to federal illegality and protecting the citizens of your County. You are a great credit to law enforcement, and are a model for police officers and Sheriff's departments everywhere. My best wishes for you and your wife's fast recovery. I will be praying for both of you. With My Best Wishes, Stu Engelman"
"As a person who does not share your views, I want to apologize for some of the comments you have had to endure. I wish you good health and a speedy recovery. Best to you and your family."
"We are not in agreement on our politics, but that does not mean I do not value you as a person or feel empathy for your circumstance. I am horrified at many of the comments below; the lack of humanity is a reflection of people's worst selves, and hopefully not the whole of them. It took great courage to ask for help given your prior stance on Obamacare, and I am so sorry that people think its a good excuse to be hateful. May you and your wife get better, and I do hope you are able to get insurance soon in any way in which are you most comfortable getting it. Best to you and yours. You will get through this."
Go Fund Me provides funds for thousands of different needs. A novel and unique way
To obtain the necessary money to accomplish the task at hand.
But you darn well better be politically correct or you will be ridiculed by the comments posted. Give $5 bucks and let the non-PC guy have it! It seems the word was put out
to come and hammer Sheriff Mack.
Notice how this is “begging” but the rest of the requests are just fine!
Life in the PC times we live in.
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So Common, you think that the sheriff conducted his financial affairs wisely?
That rather than get health insurance, people should wait until they have huge bills and then attempt to cover them by asking strangers for money on the internet?
Is that your point?
And, why are you trying to put a "PC" , non PC spin on this?
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Richard Mack, former sheriff of Graham County, Arizona, who became better known as a virulent opponent of the national health care law known as “Obamacare,” is now begging for money from strangers online to pay medical bills for himself and his wife — because they refused to buy into an Obamacare health plan and as a result, have no insurance.
Well, I guess Richard Mack really showed those of us who believe in socialized health insurance.
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$30,000 would have bought a LOT of health insurance.
Some people just take a lot longer to learn the hard lessons of life.
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Right, and hey, what's this business about 'personal responsibility'? Mack gives new meaning to that little catch-phrase.
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Boy--do I feel like a fool paying out over 4 grand for my health insurance premiuims last year. Who knew I could go on the internet and beg money to pay my medical bills?
Hey--I need to buy a new stove. Will this internet begging bring in enough money?
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Common Sense wrote:
Go Fund Me provides funds for thousands of different needs. A novel and unique way
To obtain the necessary money to accomplish the task at hand.
But you darn well better be politically correct or you will be ridiculed by the comments posted. Give $5 bucks and let the non-PC guy have it! It seems the word was put out
to come and hammer Sheriff Mack.
Notice how this is “begging” but the rest of the requests are just fine!
Life in the PC times we live in.
Beg.
Verb
: to ask people for money or food
: to ask (someone) in a very serious and emotional way for something needed or wanted very much.
Just when did it become Political correctness to use words as they are defined in the dictionary?
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Just Fred wrote:
Right, and hey, what's this business about 'personal responsibility'? Mack gives new meaning to that little catch-phrase.
It's just loony.
This guy is so reflexively anti-Obama that he came to define freedom as the freedom not to take care of the needs of his wife and himself by buying insurance.
His politics led him to act completely contrary to his own best interests.