‘Duck Dynasty’ Star Phil Robertson Slams Idea Of Universal Health Care, Says It’s Already ‘Given To Me By God’
Phil Robertson said he doesn’t need health care — God is taking care of it.
The Duck Dynasty star appeared on Fox Business Network on Tuesday to share his thoughts on the idea of government-sponsored health care. As the Daily Beast noted, Robertson said the idea championed by many of the 2020 Democratic presidential candidates isn’t necessary because “eternal life” has already been guaranteed by God.
“I already have health care. It’s given to me by God. Eternal health care,” he said.
“I’m guaranteed to be raised from the dead. I have life and immortality given to me by God through Jesus Christ… The temporary reprieve is not worth it. I’m telling [Kamala Harris], I have eternal health care, and it’s free! Doctors can give you a little temporary reprieve, but they cannot save you from physical death. The doctors who treat you, they die, too.”
The statement prompted some pushback from host Neil Cavuto, who said that people still need health care, but Robertson insisted. The Duck Dynasty star claimed that he “didn’t have health care for 50 years” and apparently believed he never would.
But Phil Robertson appears to be out of step with the views of the majority of Americans. The idea of universal health care has grown in popularity since the contentious passage of Obamacare nearly a decade ago, with a Reuters survey from last year showing that 70 percent of Americans support the idea of Medicare For All, as it has been branded by many Democratic candidates. The poll showed that the idea had the support of 80 percent of Democrats and even topped the 50 percent approval mark with Republicans.
Duck Dynasty’s Phil Robertson attacks Kamala Harris over Medicare for All: My insurance is ‘given to me by God’ https://t.co/0oqNRTHP8v
— Raw Story (@RawStory) February 5, 2019
Duck Dynasty star Phil Robertson went on Fox Business today and said we don't need healthcare because God gives us free healthcare.
"Doctors can give you a temporary reprieve, but they cannot save you from physical death. The doctors who treat you, they die too." pic.twitter.com/rbeJVC473k
— jordan (@JordanUhl) February 5, 2019
Americans also don’t agree with Phil Robertson’s blase attitude toward health care. A poll from Gallup found that Americans have been dissatisfied with the country’s for-profit health care system for more than a decade, and 71 percent said it was in a “state or crisis” or that it had “major problems.”
And many Americans are forgoing health care not because they believe God will take care of them, but because they cannot afford high deductibles and medical bills. A 2017 Bankrate survey found that a quarter of Americans said they or someone they knew had to skip out on necessary health care because they could not afford it.
Though Phil Robertson took aim at Kamala Harris in his appearance, the rising popularity of Medicare for All means it is increasingly likely to be a major plank of the platform of whichever Democrat should win the nomination in 2020.
