'We'll never know if he could have been saved.' The gaps in Trump's rural health fund

[Dulcinea]

(NPR) WILLIAMSTON, N.C. — Two years after her brother's death, Debra Pierce still wonders whether the 50-year-old would have survived his heart attack if her local hospital hadn't closed.

"The sad thing is we'll never know if he could have been saved that night or not, because we don't have a higher level of care in this county," Pierce said as she stood outside the mobile home where she last hugged her brother.

Emergency crews from a neighboring town worked on Stanley Sears for a half hour but couldn't revive him for the long drive to the closest hospital, records show.

In the tall grass — which would be mowed if Sears were still alive — Pierce swiped through the photos on her phone. She stopped at a picture that showed Sears smiling. Pierce chuckled and then sighed: "Bless him."

https://www.npr.org/2026/05/22/nx-s1-5821038/rural-health-hospitals-50-billion-big-beautiful-bill-obbba

[Skittles]

1. courtesy of the "pro-life Christian" party

STOP. VOTING. FOR. REPUKES.

[wolfie001]

5. Funny how they obsess over the LGBTQ community

Pathetic hateful pigs.

[Skittles]

13. right?

I've confronted a couple of these MAGAt freaks, demanding to know exactly HOW LGBTQ folk affect their lives.....of course they end up mumbling shit about the Bible, as if they follow the teachings of JC in ANY fucking way

[Lonestarblue]

2. Democrats need to make healthcare a major part of their campaigns.

Rural hospital closures have become far more common with private equity investments and from closures of maternity wings in red states outlawing abortion and causing doctors to leave those states. Getting the message to rural voters that those to blame are the Republican legislators they continuously vote for seems impossible since most watch only Fox or Newsmax and have interest in real facts, only in blaming Democrats for all their problems.

[wolfie001]

6. Remember when the old white males were protesting and spitting on Dem Congresspeople in summer of 2010?

Stupid old fucks. All are thankfully dead by now. Though I'm discouraged with the upcoming white males that listen to jackasses like Joe Rogaine. America is one fucked up, racist and hateful country.

[Orrex]

3. Wonder how she'll vote next time around.

[sop]

4. Another "enjoy what you voted for" moment...

[LymphocyteLover]

8. I wonder what the exact % of MAGA folks who realize how bad the GOP is and then switch to voting Dem?

From what I can tell, it's very low

[Orrex]

9. I personally know zero who've done that

I’m sure that such rare creatures exist, but I’ve seen nothing to suggest that significant numbers of MAGAts are switching to Democrats.

At most, you’ll get some tepid hand-wringing and empty comments like “this isn’t what I voted for,” and then those same fuckheads will rush to pull the red lever again at their next opportunity.

[LymphocyteLover]

10. that's what my experience suggests

[RetiredParatrooper]

7. The hospital closed in 2023

Just sayin'.

[LymphocyteLover]

11. Hmmm-- so why does the article talk about trump?

[RetiredParatrooper]

12. It shouldn't

Therein lies the point. Trump damns himself - there is no reason to misrepresent facts.