Red states may be dangerous to your health
30 September 2024
Republican (red state) trifectas may be hazardous to your health. I suggest that residents consider moving if they can or working to change their state government. A Republican trifecta means Republicans hold the governorship, a majority in the state senate and a majority in the state house (Nebraska has a combined state senate and house).
Why are these Republican trifectas dangerous?
They are dangerous to women and girls, particularly those who are pregnant. Physicians in these states cannot consistently deliver the standard of care to pregnant women or girls for fear of criminal prosecution. This is a problem even for pregnant visitors to the state. Even nonpregnant females may not get the standard of care because their healthcare providers may limit treatment that might be hazardous if they become pregnant. In addition, pregnant women and girls have been charged with murder for miscarriages and residents have been threatened with severe criminal penalties just for giving advice about abortions.
Red state governments have promoted false and deadly messages regarding COVID and other public health matters, leading to greater deaths from the COVID pandemic (see also here) and a marked increase in skepticism about other protective vaccines.
Red state politicians have endangered the lives of their residents to score political points. For example, the Tennessee government delayed requesting emergency care due to Hurricane Helene, preferring instead to call for 31 days of prayer and fasting to seek God’s hand of mercy healing on Tennessee, and blaming the delay on President Biden.
Of course, moving to another state is difficult and requires balancing many considerations. But residents of Republican trifectas or those thinking of moving there should consider the dangers of these governments to their health.
Related essays:
The danger of living in states with Trump's abortion bans, 30 July 2024
Republican states are dangerous for women and girls, 29 May 2024
Texas physicians, women and girls: it's time to consider moving, 13 December 2023
How red states are torturing pregnant women, 25 October 2023
Move to Michigan, where our government protects your rights, 10 July 2023
The inevitable decline of red (Republican) states, 24May23
Red states and cancer care, 5 March 2023
If you like these essays, please subscribe or share them with others. These essays will always be free. Instead of giving me money, please repost these essays, strive to make our world a better place and try to make yourself a better person.
The index to this blog is here.
I have another blog on Cancer and Medicine.
Follow me on LinkedIn, Threads and Instagram (npernickmich) and Tribel (@nat385440b).
Email me at Nat@PathologyOutlines.com.
I also publish Notes at https://substack.com/note. Subscribers will automatically see my notes.