The story of Charlie Gard is horrendously tragic and sad, and should serve as a cautionary tale to anyone who really thinks socialized medicine is a good idea. This is exactly what you'll get. Cold, indifferent bureaucrats who care nothing for the feelings of parents and family members, and disdain what they consider the use of "heroic" measures to try to save a life when the cost is rising and it would be easier to just let the person die.
Remember when liberals said Sarah Palin's prediction of death panels had been debunked? Far from it. Behold the European death panel, collectively sentencing little Charlie to capital punishment in order to make a point about the utilization of medical resources. The fact that Charlie's parents are able to take him out of their system entirely and bring him to America - and have the money to do so - means not a thing to these people. They are only interested in asserting a principle that some people are too much of a hassle to try to save, and Charlie is one of them.
British health system is essentially holding Charlie as a prisoner
Thus we find ourselves with the heretofore unthinkable scenario in which the British health system is essentially holding Charlie as a prisoner, not even allowing his own parents to take him home or anywhere else, and insisting that nothing should be done to prevent his death.
And courts all throughout Europe are backing the health system in this play.
Astonishing.
But one man wants to do whatever he can to save Charlie's life, and you'll never guess who:
If we can help little #CharlieGard, as per our friends in the U.K. and the Pope, we would be delighted to do so.
That this child's parents are not permitted to take Charlie out of a health system that refuses to help him is beyond absurd. It's flat out evil
OK, I'm sure you guessed it because the headline gave it away. There are benefits and drawbacks to having such an unconventional president. We've seen some of the drawbacks in recent days. One of the benefits is that he can cut through the systemic nonsense that prevents some people from doing what's obviously right to do, and come down on the side of both common sense and obvious righteousness.
That this child's parents are not permitted to take Charlie out of a health system that refuses to help him is beyond absurd. It's flat out evil. And if this is the sort of thing bureaucrats and courts think is necessary to sustain a government-run health system, we have the most compelling argument yet against government health care.
Trump's position is greatly appreciated, as is the fact that he took it right off the bat instead of hemming and hawing for several days like the Vatican did.
But I don't know what Trump in particular or the U.S. government in general can actually do. There was never any question of America's willingness to welcome Charlie and his parents. And U.S. health care providers are always willing to provide a treatment if it's available and there are funds to pay for it. That's what makes America so attractive to the Gards in this situation.
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Trump found a way to get Aya Hijazi out of Egypt. Maybe he can find a way to get Charlie out of Britain
The problem is that Charlie's fate is tied up in UK and European courts. Unless Trump can prevail on Theresa May or other British authorities to overrule the courts - assuming that's even possible - I'm not really sure what we can do on our end.
I'm cheered by the fact that America's president has taken a stand for the sanctity of life, and for the right of Charlie's parents to be the decision makers in this case. I am 100 percent certain that neither Barack Obama nor Hillary Clinton would have done so. But this tweet is not going to get Charlie out of the British hospital that refuses to help him. Then again, Trump found a way to get Aya Hijazi out of Egypt. Maybe he can find a way to get Charlie out of Britain soon enough that he ends up like her and not like Otto Warmbier.
In the meantime, it would be nice if the powers that be in Europe had more respect for life than Bowl Cut Jr., but it doesn't appear that they do.
The story of Charlie Gard is horrendously tragic and sad, and should serve as a cautionary tale to anyone who really thinks socialized medicine is a good idea. This is exactly what you'll get. Cold, indifferent bureaucrats who care nothing for the feelings of parents and family members, and disdain what they consider the use of "heroic" measures to try to save a life when the cost is rising and it would be easier to just let the person die.
Remember when liberals said Sarah Palin's prediction of death panels had been debunked? Far from it. Behold the European death panel, collectively sentencing little Charlie to capital punishment in order to make a point about the utilization of medical resources. The fact that Charlie's parents are able to take him out of their system entirely and bring him to America - and have the money to do so - means not a thing to these people. They are only interested in asserting a principle that some people are too much of a hassle to try to save, and Charlie is one of them.
