A new video ad released by a Democratic senator in Wisconsin’s election criticizes a Republican candidate who said obese residents should pay more for their health care.
The ad was posted on Platform X, formerly known as Twitter, by Ad Impact Politics, which says it has tracked $14.5 million in spending by Tammy Baldwin’s campaign.
“This is the dumbest ad I’ve seen this season.”
“Nobody cares how much I weigh,” a black woman says in the ad.
“But Eric Hovde wants it for himself,” says another woman.
“Eric Hovde thinks insurance companies should charge more for overweight people,” one man said.
The video then quotes Hovde as saying:
“There should be consequences for those personal choices. OK, you can have more health care costs if that’s what you want to do,” Hovde says in the video.
“That’s so insulting!” the black woman replied.
“Hovde will increase health care costs for 1 in 3 Wisconsinites,” the second woman added.
“Erik Hovde,” the man concluded. “What on earth happened to this guy?”
The ad cites a Daily Beast article slamming the Republican candidate for saying that some overweight people make decisions that worsen their health, a comment that the Daily Beast called “cruel” in its critique.
“Being obese means high medical costs,” Hovde told a local television station in 2012, according to the article.
“Right now, we’re seeing an explosion of type 2 diabetes. It’s exploding. Obesity is off the charts. We’re preventing people from taking responsibility for their own health,” he added. “If people suddenly start to realize that consuming tons of soda and fatty foods every day and not exercising is costing them money in health care, they might change their behavior.”
article Quote Some experts argued that obesity has nothing to do with personal responsibility or willpower.
“That’s a pretty gross and dangerous statement,” says obesity researcher Dr Melanie Jay.
“I wish all of you fat-shaming people were fat!”
The ad is Widely available It was widely mocked and ridiculed on social media.
“This is the dumbest ad I’ve seen this season.” read 1 Answer.
“Speaking as someone who weighs over 400 pounds… yes, medical costs should be higher if you’re obese.” read Another response.
“Overweight people should definitely pay more for health insurance.” read Another reply.
“Insurance is compensation for an assessed risk. If you have more body fat, you also have a higher medical risk, and therefore a higher premium.” Said Another commenter said.
But there were also people who wanted fat-phobic people to become fat.
“Lose weight and keep it off is not just a matter of dieting. Obesity is a very complex issue with many contributing factors. I hope all of you who are fat-shaming get fat!” read 1 Answer.
This pivotal election will determine which party controls the U.S. Senate, which is currently split at 50 seats each, with Democrats holding a narrow lead due to tie-breaking votes by the vice president.
Hovde is Baldwin’s Challenge Though she is scheduled to take part in three debates, her campaign has agreed to only attend one, refusing to send Baldwin to the other two.
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