On Monday, Markos “kos” Moulitsas, founder of the highly trafficked Daily Kos website penned an article that many have found deeply offensive titled, Be Happy for Coal Miners Losing Their Health Insurance. They’re Getting Exactly What They Voted for. Here’s some of what he wrote:
Hillary Clinton won the election, but a system designed to let a powerful minority override the will of the majority selected some asshole. For now, we have to deal with that bullshit reality, and lots of good people will suffer serious consequences. But don’t feel sorry for the ones who enabled this nightmare by voting for the incoming Trump-Putin administration. For example, why should we weep for the retired coal miners who will now lose their health insurance thanks to the GOP majority—despite the best efforts of coal-state Democrats to change the outcome?
Don’t weep for these coal miners, now abandoned by their GOP patrons. They are getting exactly the government that they voted for. Democrats can no longer offer unrequited love and cover for them. And isn’t this what democracy is all about? They won the election! This is what they wanted!
While I’m as concerned as anyone that Trump is a fake populist who is likely to betray those who voted for him, I find the above extraordinarily offensive and devoid of all human compassion. After all, isn’t being a “liberal” supposed to be about compassion for others no matter the cause of their suffering?
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