“Sex offenders” (which includes criminals from serial child rapists to adult men with 17yro girlfriends) are some of the current boogey men in American politics. They are probably the one classification of people that the government is continually willing to twist or break the law in order to punish. In recent years, whenever the media pays attention to some little white girl who was killed by a “sex offender”, politicians rush to be the first to round up all convicted “sex offenders” and hand out new punishments, even if the convicts have already paid their dues to society.
Now comes the “shocking” revelation that sex offenders are getting Viagra paid for by the government. Of course politicians are rushing to denounce such policies and eliminate sex offenders from Medicaid. But can they legally do this? If erectile dysfunction is such an important health concern that Medicaid covers Viagra, then there is little justification for denying such important health care to convicts, especially after the fact.
If “sex offenders” don’t deserve government Viagra, then do any Americans? We don’t give welfare mothers government birth control pills.
Why stop at “sex offenders” and Viagra? Why don’t we just take all felons off of Medicaid? They already can’t vote, drive, or own a gun in many states. Take ‘em all off Medicaid, ban them from hospitals. That way they’ll die sooner and make the nation safer. (Or go to Canada, but it has the same effect.)
If “sex offender” registries are constitutional, let’s expand the policy to cover all felons. Heck, I wouldn’t mind it if we made all felons wear giant signs identifying their convictions for the rest of their life. That, to me, is the most effective way to publish such public information. Imagine all those corrupt politicians trying to write laws in sandwich boards.
