The Conspiracy of the Sarah Palin created "Death Panels"

A Forbes op-ed column brings attention, once again, to the conspiracy of death panel ideation created by Sarah Palin, as she attempted to discredit President Obama's Health Care Reform aka "Obamacare". In fact, "death panels" are figments of right wing zealous pro-life imagination, whereby they are convinced how dying people will be selected or de-selected for premature death based on certain, to be determined, medical criteria.  But, it's a myth.

Now, Time Magazine political reporter Mark Halperin, who's a regular on MSNBC Morning Joe and co-author of the book "Game Change", about President Obama's re-election campaign, has issued a "me bad" tweet apology about his part in continuing this "death panel" conspiracy theory.

It's amazing how Sarah Palin was able to create this deadly concept. She's masterful at soaking up the political oxygen in any debate. Her creativity is boundless. By conjuring up the image of "death panels", Palin was nearly able to put a stake in the heart of the entire health care reform initiative. It took a co-ordinated effort from medical, hospice and health policy experts to push back on her concocted theory.  

Regardless of the number of credible people who've declared "death panels" DOA, the concept took hold with righties who're quick to buy into other stupid ideas like creationism or who deny global warming. 

Incredulously, Mark Halperin jumped on this death panel myth in his recent interview on the Steve Marlzberg Show. Perhaps Halperin's books aren't selling well. It' no wonder.  He's certainly no Tom Brokaw. Nevertheless, to gain attention, he jumped on the Sarah Palin conspiracy train to create some buzz around his ego.

An op-ed in Forbes has now called into question Halperin's reporting credibility. Nice call.

It seems to me, Halperin has forgotten his journalism 101 mantra. He's supposed to report and analyze the news, rather than create it.

Perhaps Halperin's job at Time was already in danger after he was suspended from Morning Joe for using derogatory and incendiary language about President Obama.

Perhaps Halperin is hankering for another job and he thinks Sarah Palin might be hiring.

Whatever his motivation, the conspiracy of "death panels" continues to be used as a weapon against health care reform.

Unfortunately, "death panels" has now become a Palinism in the American lexicon.

People who believe in death panels are the creationists who deny global warming. It was Halperin's responsibility, as a journalist, to educate people, rather than feed the death panel conspiracy.

If Sarah Palin won't hire Halperin, he might join the recently let go 60 Minutes Lara Logan, to form a support group for discredited journalists. Obamacare health insurance might even pay for the therapy.