You’ll be surprised to discover that Texas Lieutenant Gov. Dan Patrick’s (R) bold suggestion that grandma ought to let herself die from COVID-19 for the sake of the job market isn’t going over so well with most people.
Shortly after Patrick made the startling comments during a Fox News interview on Monday night, Twitter shredded the lieutenant governor over his morbid argument for rolling back social distancing measures that aim to protect the elderly and other vulnerable populations from contracting the coronavirus.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott: I have found a way to live with the logical fallacy of being both pro-life and pro-@NRA.
Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick: Hold my beer. https://t.co/Y4VqKiXXkc
— Shannon Watts (@shannonrwatts) March 24, 2020
2010: Conservatives freak out over “death panels.”
2020: Conservatives endorse reality version of “Logan’s Run.” pic.twitter.com/7SiDNL7VrM
— Daniel W. Drezner (@dandrezner) March 24, 2020
— pixelatedboat aka “mr tweets” (@pixelatedboat) March 24, 2020
We've sure come a long way from "Obamacare will kill our nation's cherished seniors" to "Okay we need the olds to die because the stock market is too low and we have an election coming up."
— Brian Tyler Cohen (@briantylercohen) March 24, 2020
This is the guy that blamed abortion for school shootings. Extremely pro-life, as long as we’re only talking about fetuses and not actual people https://t.co/ZxO4L9WRAN
— Laura Bassett (@LEBassett) March 24, 2020
The 'all lives matter' crowd is awfully quiet this morning about @DanPatrick's suggestion to sacrifice nana and tata to save Chipotle's stock.
— Gabe Ortíz (@TUSK81) March 24, 2020
The lieutenant governor of Texas, for example, is totally cool with letting grandma die to protect the stock portfolios of the future.
How is this pro-life? https://t.co/wEhw6X9YHE https://t.co/zsg8rtGy5l
— Kaili Joy Gray (@KailiJoy) March 24, 2020
This kind of numbnuttery will kill people in Texas. Young as well as old. We need a state-wide shelter in place order to stop the spread of coronavirus and save hundreds of thousands of lives. https://t.co/C8r9Q7t2vs
— Beto O'Rourke (@BetoORourke) March 24, 2020
I am so sad.
The argument that the elderly and weak may just have to die to enrich the young and strong — painted as some sort of sacrifice, rather than a horrific outcome that we should fight against — is so bleak and hopeless.
Lord, change hearts. Lord, protect the weak.
— Haley Byrd (@byrdinator) March 24, 2020
This is a ridiculous, dangerous and reckless statement by Texas Lt Gov Dan Patrick. We do not and certainly should not sacrifice people’s lives for the economy or anything else.
pic.twitter.com/QBK9f3pCsZ— Karine Jean-Pierre (@K_JeanPierre) March 24, 2020
so yea, sorry texas grandparents but the invisible hand demands a sacrifice
— Andrew Lawrence (@ndrew_lawrence) March 24, 2020
