Miss USA Kara McCullough thinks healthcare is a privilege, not a right

2017 Miss USA Winner Kara McCullough

Last night, America elected a new Miss USA. And when I say that, I mean I think there was some Russian interference in this election too? For the second year in a row, the winner was the current Miss District of Columbia and for the second year in a row, the winner is an African-American woman. Last year’s Miss USA was Deshauna Barber, an active member of the military. This year’s winner is Kara McCullough, a nuclear chemist who gave terrible answers to questions about feminism and health care. McCullough is 25 years old and she works for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, so she’s a federal employee with federal healthcare, just FYI. Here’s what happened:

An African-American nuclear chemist from Washington, DC, won the 2017 edition of Miss USA on Sunday night after telling the audience about her conservative political viewpoints. Kára McCullough, a 25-year-old nuclear chemist who works for the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, told the audience how she doesn’t necessarily view herself as a feminist and said that health care is a privilege and not a right. She also won plaudits for wearing her hair natural and curly throughout the competition.

McCullough, the 65th crowned Miss USA, is a 25-year-old chemist working for the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission as a physical scientist. She graduated from South Carolina State University with a degree in chemistry and a concentration in radio chemistry.

‘I’m extremely thankful for this opportunity,’ she said after the event. ‘I just want to encourage so many women nationwide to find their passion in any subject possible and understand that nothing is difficult if you really, truly put the work in for it.’

During the final round of the competition, each competitor was asked what they consider feminism to be, and whether or not they consider themselves feminists. McCullough said she prefers not to use the word ‘feminist,’ and instead ‘transferred the word feminist to equalism.’
‘I don’t want to call myself a feminist,’ McCullough said. ‘Women, we are just as equal as men, especially in the workplace.’

After the pageant, McCullough expanded on her views on feminism.

‘I believe we’ve come a long way and there is more work to be done,’ McCullough, said. ‘I think domestically we are making progress and I do believe that we will become equal one day.’

In the questions portion, she was also individually asked if affordable healthcare is a right or privilege, responding that she thought that healthcare should only go to those with jobs.

‘As a government employee, I’m granted health care. And I see firsthand that for one, to have health care, you need to have jobs, so therefore we need to continue to cultivate this environment so that we’re given the opportunities to have health care as well as jobs for all Americans worldwide,’ she explained.

[From The Daily Mail]

Ugh. Just no. I mean, Kara seems like a perfectly lovely woman and I’m happy that another woman of color won the pageant, but her answers were not good. I feel like the pageant director probably knew that they were opening up a can of worms with those questions, right? And I would personally love to hear most of our actual elected leaders answer the questions “is healthcare a right or a privilege?” and “what does feminism mean to you and are you a feminist?” Like, most elected officials would not be able to answer those questions well. Healthcare is NOT a privilege, people. It is a right. And her answer to the feminism question is… struggling.

2017 Miss USA Preliminary Competition

Photos courtesy of WENN.

You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

131 Responses to “Miss USA Kara McCullough thinks healthcare is a privilege, not a right”

Comments are Closed

We close comments on older posts to fight comment spam.

  1. susanne says:

    “Nothing is difficult if you really put the work in and try hard,” says the black woman from dc. Wha>??? Does Trump own this contest?

    • detritus says:

      In fact, he did, but technically does not as of 2015.

    • ncboudicca says:

      But if it’s not difficult, then why do I need to “try hard”? Nothing about her statement makes any sense to me.

      • Erinn says:

        None of her statements make sense. “is health care a right?” “No, it’s a privilege – I have healthcare because I have a job, and I realized we need jobs, so everyone get a job – job job job – make America GREAT AGAIN”. It was Trump style word salad. She didn’t actually answer anything in a sensible way.

      • Darkladi says:

        Fembot says words, reveals faulty programming.

      • FLORC says:

        To answer without answering is the trick.
        They are given difficult questions here and there. World peace. Energy crisis. Hot button topics. But, if they can answer without insulting anyone and speaking like they have a grasp on world issues. That’s better. That’s all they need to do. She flopped this.

      • KB says:

        Lol faulty programming is right. Aren’t these women trained to be able to answer these questions eloquently? She made no sense. How is she a nuclear chemist? Maybe she was catering to what she thought the judges would want to hear. I have to believe she’s not that much of an idiot.

    • MyHiddles says:

      “the opportunities to have health care as well as jobs for all Americans worldwide,’ she explained. ”

      So America is the whole world or are we supposed to force other countries to give American ex-pats jobs? I’m confused.

    • Raina says:

      Beauty contests are a privilege. Health coverage Is a right. 5 bucks say she was trying to be atypical and act like not what people would expect. She probably has an upbringing where health insurance was a given. Why are so many technically smart people so dumb.

      • Zeddy says:

        Many tech. Smart people receive easy education, live sheltered lives from early life thru to cushy jobs. Have never had any cheat them, deceive them or scrounge for money. Not fair!

  2. Rapunzel says:

    If healthcare is a privilege, then living is a privilege, reserved for those strong enough to survive. How GOPers can spout this nonsense while crying over unborn babies in pro-life marches is… Enough cognitive dissonance to make my head explode.

    • LaraK says:

      That’s because if you are a woman, then it’s your fault.

      Get pregnant? Well, why did you have sex, you wh*re!
      Want an abortion? Well, you can’t have one you baby killer!
      Need prenatal care? Well, you should have been smart enough to be born wealthy or to marry wealthy!
      Oh, you are a single parent? See wh*re classification above.
      And God forbid you need healthcare or food or time off after the baby is born – then you really should have thought ahead and been born wealthy!

      You see how it’s your fault!

    • Belle Epoch says:

      Go get sick Kara – after you’ve lost your job. Then come back and give your expert opinion.

      • Beth says:

        +100 People like her don’t understand because them and their family have no health problems or have never had problems getting health insurance. One day they’ll understand life isn’t always so easy

      • Penguen says:

        Seriously! I was laid off with no warning when I was 3 months pregnant – and they left me with TWO DAYS of additional healthcare coverage. I don’t know what I would have done if I couldn’t have signed up for my husband’s insurance (which we can barely afford). I was lucky. ANYONE can lose their healthcare insurance in an instant – and if they get sick, injured or pregnant, they’re screwed.

    • doofus says:

      because they are pro-BIRTH, not pro life. just another way for the men to continue to (try) to control women, and punish them for having sex.

      how dare they try to take control of their sexual and reproductive rights!

      and Kara is DUMB. what about those who CANNOT work, Kara? those who are severely disabled from birth or are mentally ill to the point that they can’t work? or veterans who lost four limbs fighting in a pointless war?

      F ’em, I guess is her answer. though, we will give them access to handguns if not health care.

    • Llamas says:

      Technicallyyyy…it I see a privilege. It’s a right granted to only some people. That’s literally the definition of privilege. Idk the healthcare stuff is tricky. Do we give everyone care? If we do give everyone that does it mean basic healthcare or the healthcare the wealthy can afford? What constitutes a strong healthcare? I don’t have the answer.

      • Arpeggi says:

        It’s not really that tricky when pretty all the other industrialized countries (and many others that aren’t that much) have managed to find a way to provide affordable healthcare to all their citizens. There shouldn’t be a basic vs premium healthcare either. Basic healthcare is providing what is needed when it is required, whether it’s a heart and lungs transplant or pre-maternal care.

      • Amaria says:

        What? Like Arpeggi said, almost all other developed countries have healthcare available for every citizen. I work in healthcare, I’m also a patient… Sometimes we complain, because no system is perfect, but you’d be surprised how often we say “duh, at least it’s not like in America!”.

        I remember a situation when a non-European tourist ended up in my homeland’s hospital (where I worked at the time) – he had no EU travel health insurance, so he had to get a bill for the service. Our hospital clerks were almost ashamed to do this – give a guy a bill for an emergency treatment, something he desperately needed. It was very odd… It didn’t feel right. Maybe because it SHOULDN’T feel right.

        Life is human right, and so is its protection. The idea of some citizens getting “premium” healthcare is mindboggling – we’re equals, where would that “premium” come from? Money alone? That’s not humane. Should the poor get only an antibiotic once in a while, and rich – everything medicine has to offer? That’s immoral and frankly disgusting. USA has lost its way – I can’t see any country becoming great again if it treats its citizens like sh*t, sorry.

      • third ginger says:

        Amaria, no need to say “sorry” We American progressives believe health care is a right, but we have too many fellow citizens who live in terror that someone [usually someone female, of color, or LGBT] will get “something for nothing.” As long as a significant portion of the electorate thinks as this young beauty queen does, our healthcare system will remain unfair and unequal.

  3. littlemissnaughty says:

    She’s super educated but says things like “as equal as men”. What? Okay.

    I mean these woman aren’t role models, are they? Do kids listen to these answers and think oh, this sounds good? I assume not but correct me if I’m wrong.

    It’s nice that a woman of color with curly hair won but do we really think she would’ve won if she had come out as a raging feminist and advocate of universal healthcare? Do we?

    • V4Real says:

      She’s a prime example of book sense but no common sense. And as the saying goes common sense is not that common.

      And wow she’s only 25. Maybe it’s the makeup but she looks 35. And take this how you want but she should just shut up and look pretty.

    • swak says:

      Does anyone watch these pageants any more? I didn’t even know it was happening this weekend. As far as healthcare – good that she can work and get work but some people have health problems and disabilities that make it hard for them to work or get a job. And what about all of us that have put our time in working and are now retired? Just no. Hope she never loses that job because she’ll really understand what it means to pay for her own insurance and possibly not have all the benefits she has now with her gov’t insurance.

    • Crumpet says:

      Agreed. At 25 she shows an amazing lack of awareness of social issues. But then I guess she has been immersed in her studies which have nothing to do with said issues. Give her some time in the workplace and she will change her tune about men/women equality. As for healthcare being a privilege – unfortunately the system is so broken now that has become true. Doesn’t make it right.

      • Algernon says:

        In 10 years, when she has not advanced as far in her career nor is earning as much money as her male peers, she will start to rethink that “as equal as men” business.

        When you’re starting out it can be easy not to see the disparity because everyone is new and it feels like you’re all on the same field. But once the promotions start, the disparity reveals itself. I never thought I was on the same turf as the men I started my job with, but it became especially clear to me a couple years in, after the newbie gloss wore off, and the guys were getting opportunities for business trips and team leadership and I wasn’t. One former boss point-blank told me he didn’t think I was worth investing in because I would probably just get married and start having kids and quit anyway. What. Even.

        Anyway, Miss USA is a summer child who doesn’t know what winter means.

      • doofus says:

        Algernon, she’s probably already not earning as much as her male peers. and in 10 years, she’ll be earning less than the men who are just starting out in her current position.

      • Trashaddict says:

        This, this, this, this, THIS. 20 years at it, survived a shitload of administrators who have come and go, still holding my head up just as high. But not getting paid as much.

    • Who ARE These People? says:

      The thing is, she’s not super-educated. She has a bachelor’s degree. It’s in chemistry, but it’s still an undergraduate degree. Scientists almost without exception have PhDs. She’s more at a tech level. The media is so awed that a woman, nay a black woman, works in some kind of scientific or technical capacity that they make her out to be like Einstein.

      Listen to her. She’s no Einstein.

      • Menutia says:

        +1 WhoAreThesePeople. I was like- they’re calling her a scientist but they aren’t flaunting a PhD so she probably doesn’t have one….so then she’s actually a tech? Scientist is a term reserved for phds usually

      • littlemissnaughty says:

        Honestly, I didn’t even think about that. I assumed she at least had finished grad school but at 25 … I’m always confused how long these degrees take in various countries. So with a bachelor’s she’s probably not a researcher. I mean she doesn’t have to to be intelligent and educated but apparently … ugh.

      • LA Elle says:

        She’s a great example of the need for humanities and liberal arts education. There have been a few studies done about how only technical education may make people less compassionate and empathetic.

      • Jessica says:

        Wow, you have a point. A friend from high school has a bachelor’s in chemistry and got a job working as a 911 operator. You definitely need to have a PhD to be considered a scientist.

      • Arpeggi says:

        Humm, no. You are a scientist if you work in a scientific field and do science. I’m a scientist: I work in Academia, PIs (profs) will come to me for technical and scientific advices, I publish, go to conferences and teach at both undergraduate and graduate levels. Yet, I have a master and not a PhD. There are many reasons why some might not continue to grad school, the costs being one, and this won’t make you less of a scientist. Of course, having a bachelor and working as a tech means that she has a more general knowledge of chemistry than someone who has been in grad school, but it’s still fairly different than the stereotypical job of women in beauty pageants. Of course having some level of education doesn’t equate to being intelligent and considerate and she is a great example of that.

  4. Lightpurple says:

    Dear Kara: I put lots of work into fighting cancer but it was still really difficult. One of the really difficult challenges was getting into work enough hours to maintain my health insurance coverage. I could have done without the arguments with schedulers about how an 11 o’clock appointment was just not going to work for me.

    • BearcatLawyer says:

      PREACH. I had to take on a second job just to get the PPO I needed to stay with my oncologist.

      Also, Kara, you can thank the AMERICAN TAXPAYERS and all their jobs that DON’T offer decent health insurance as a matter of course for YOUR position and benefits. We’ll wait for the handwritten thank you notes.

  5. Moira says:

    I know it’s not the point but I don’t think she is even that pretty. Also I do not understand the reluctance to say the word feminist when they claim they want to be equal with men. Men have all the rights, women do not.

    • Neelyo says:

      Being pretty is the only point of Miss USA. At least Miss America makes them sing,dance or twirl a baton on their way to the crown.

    • Original T.C. says:

      Same here. The winner last year (Deshauna) on the other hand is GORGEOUS imo.

      https://mobile.twitter.com/AstasiaWill/status/863936539990122497/photo/1

    • Beth says:

      I agree. She’s not too pretty. Definitely not ugly, but there were probably better looking women

    • Naddie says:

      It is the point, since it’s a contest where looks are the most important. And I agree, she’s pretty but far from gorgeous.

    • Jordana says:

      I didn’t want to go and comment on her appearance or detract from the stupidity coming put of her mouth, but when I read ’25 years old’ my only thought was 25 isn’t what it used to be! Girl looks aged. She could easily pass for 10 years older. I think all these ‘beauty pageant’ contestants look aged though. Maybe it’s the layers of makeup. I don’t know. 25? I’m gonna need to see a birth certificate.

    • pinetree13 says:

      I don’t find her pretty either. Last year’s was MUCH prettier (if I”m going to be shallow!!!)

      Also, sure hon, women are treated as equals in the work place. You’ve got a rude awakening once you age-out of your looks. Than you start to realize that men giving you the time of day at work had a lot to do with your appearance. It’s sad but SO TRUE. I’ve known many a woman who truly didn’t realize how unequal things are until they reached an age where they were no longer considered ‘youthful’ by men. Then the REAL inequality rears it’s ugly head. She’s been blinded to it by her attractiveness.

    • Otaku Fairy says:

      Her dress is beautiful and I love her hair. Her beliefs, not so much.

  6. KJA says:

    I just…I woke up with such good intentions for this week. It’s only Monday and I’m being tested. So I’m just gonna say bless her cotton socks and move on.

  7. Nicole says:

    What an idiot. We are the only developed nation that thinks this way.

    • adastraperaspera says:

      I recently watched Michael Moore’s movie “Where to invade next.” The segment on health care was such a gut punch. It showed citizens of maybe Sweden, I think, who expressed shock and dismay that Americans do not seem to want to take care of each other. One woman said something like, “here we think of ourselves as a group, but Americans just think “me” or “I” only.

      • Jessica says:

        America is a nation of immigrants with a strong history and practice of slavery, white supremacy and segregation. So it’s no surprising that Americans don’t see each other as one but a conglomerate of various groups vying for power.

      • Who ARE These People? says:

        There used to be more of a sense of common good in the USA but something changed over the past couple of decades, even within somewhat homogenous communities. Really disheartening.

  8. DSW says:

    Believing women are equal to men IS feminism, dummy.

    I guess if having a job is a prerequisite to deserving healthcare, then by her logic children don’t deserve healthcare as they do not work.

  9. addie says:

    Just an over-privileged , selfish tit with an ugly crown. No doubt a disciple of Ayn Rand. Maybe she’s after a job in Trump Universe? What a fool. Ugh.

  10. Kyra says:

    So she’s not a “feminist”, but a “Kararist”, then?

    Next she’ll be going full Ben Carson and telling everyone born the social equivalent of waist-deep in quicksand how they should be pulling themselves up by the bootstraps…

  11. SusanneToo says:

    Sounds like she’s angling for a job with trump. She’s perfect for him.

    (And fvck these “I am not a feminist but I’m am more than happy to take advantage of all the opportunities they fought for and opened up for me, but I won’t thank them because I’m such hot sh1t it’s all about me, me, me.”)

  12. Who ARE These People? says:

    So far I’ve learned that she has an undergrad degree in chemistry (South Carolina State?) and works as a radiochemist. Weigh in: Does that make her a “scientist” or does it mean she works in a tech support position in a scientific field?

    Not downplaying her degree or her job – but wondering if the media over-playing her position because of their assumption that female + scientist + beauty is big news.

    Also – the NRC – is that now under the purview of Rick “Dancing with the Stars” Perry? This is reassuring.

    Good luck a) keeping health care tied to jobs with an increasingly contingent workforce, b) ensuring jobs for “all Americans worldwide.” Keep that global focus, honey.

    • third ginger says:

      I looked up this degree,also. Several of my daughter’s friends have the same degree [from William & Mary.] The articles are overselling the “scientist” label. It is the very definition of sexist to hype the “pretty scientist.”

    • Flufff says:

      Depends how you define scientist. It sounds like she’s a lab technician, so sort of lab grunt work: calibrating instruments, data entry, maybe running tests or preparing samples for testing.

      If she’s only got an undergraduate degree she’s certainly not engaged in her own research.

      I’m not dismissing her BSc, which is impressive, and of course she may be pursuing further education (possibly doing a research postgrad in the field). But within the scientific research field having an undergrad is kind of considered akin to having graduated kindergarten. Like it’s the most basic level and taken for granted everyone has it. You don’t even start to be taken seriously till you get your PhD.

      • third ginger says:

        We’re all humanities in our family. Thanks for the info. I figured as much.

      • Who ARE These People? says:

        Exactly. Thanks for amplifying on what I said.

        It’s so insulting – the implicit argument that a woman with a bachelor’s degree in a STEM field must be some kind of prodigy.

      • Kata says:

        In my country a lab techinitian would be someone who went to a chemistry high school.
        But then, here you’re basically unemployable with just an undergraduate degree, everyone has to have a masters.
        It’s so different in the states.

        Of course, the title “scientist” is just for those with PhD’s who work in reaserach.

    • Original T.C. says:

      I too have a science degree from Undergrad and have never been called a scientist. They use terms like researcher or working in the sciences when you start working post undergrad.

      The only people called scientists are PhD’s. Occasionally those with Masters degrees too in some fields like social sciences but still rare. Either way, graduate school level work is required to be called a Scientist.

      She should be embarrassed to call herself a scientists and not know the definition of feminism *is* about equality of the sexes. Major eye roll.

    • detritus says:

      As someone who has worked in a lab, and works in academia, a scientist is a position related to job duties, not conferred from a degree.

      Most scientist positions are offered to people with advanced degrees and significant post doctoral work, they are not positions for people with one undergraduate degree, or even a masters. It’s advanced degrees plus research, plus a position at a Uni, lab, or research facility.

      This wonky little fembot is not a scientist, she’s just completed a science degree.

      • PennyLane says:

        Also in the federal government it is not uncommon for people with master’s degrees and several years’ experience to be doing PhD-level work, but since this person has neither a master’s degree nor a decade of experience I agree it is likely that she is just doing things like setting benchmarks, prep work, and running other people’s experiments.

  13. Aiobhan Targaryen says:

    “In the questions portion, she was also individually asked if affordable healthcare is a right or privilege, responding that she thought that healthcare should only go to those with jobs.”

    Wait, so if you are a child who is sick, you are going to have to get a job so that you can get healthcare to take care of yourself? What if you are retired and live on a pension that you earned for 40+ years of service or you are the widow living off that pension? Should you go without healthcare as well? You can easily go bankrupt if you get cancer, then you cannot get a job because of ageism and you are too sick to work. This is short-sighted, selfish, and mean-spirited nonsense.

    She has special snowflake syndrome and will one day realize that talking like this is going to backfire on her hard. This is almost as bad as all those black people who willing decided to work at racist FOX NEWS who decided to sue for racial discrimination.

    • mermaid says:

      I don’t know that criticising people who sue work places for racial discrimination is terribly helpful.

      • Aiobhan Targaryen says:

        You are generalizing my comment. I am not criticizing people who sue for racial discrimination as a whole. I am specifically going after black conservatives who, like those suing fox news and the woman above, who believe their experiences are an exception to the patterns of oppression that exist. People like them think they’re special because they are not “that kind of black person”. They really believe that being Republican/Conservatives constantly spewing out the backward conservative spiel that it is going to make them special and equal in the eyes of the majority of Republicans, when the reality is, all the people she is trying to side with see her as “other”.

        Not that it matters much, but I am a black woman criticizing other black people.

      • K says:

        You don’t know a lot of those people suing politics, you know they got a probably much needed job as a office assistant or HR rep believe it or not since 08 those jobs aren’t that prevalent in NY know my staff lost a lot of ours and the jobs haven’t been refilled no matterhow good business gets. So they might have had no choice and assumed they wouldbe treated with respect

  14. Doodle says:

    So… when a woman has a baby that she doesn’t want because her access to an abortion has been removed, and she can’t afford childcare so she has to reduce her hours at work thus meaning she loses her healthcare… she’s losing the priviledge to stay healthy? Is that what you’re saying Kara? And the fact that most of these rules are made up by old white men sitting in offices completely disconnected to these struggles is something you’re ok with?

    Don’t even get me started on equalism.

  15. Patty says:

    She’s not even cute. Healthcare should not be tied to employment. It’s an awful system and people stay in jobs they hate for the healthcare.

  16. Aren says:

    Human Rights, she should research them.

    She’s also a misogynist, she’s the kind of weapon males who hate women use to say “See, why can’t you all be like her?”.

  17. DragonWise says:

    For those of you who remember A Different World, I feel like these are the answers Whitley Gilbert would have given before she got with Dwayne and got woke.

    This is CLEARLY part of a conservative narrative Miss USA is pushing, and they got themselves a perfect little Extra Milk Chocolate Barbie to help push their agenda. I’m sure there are orange fingerprints all over the receipts, even if he’s “stepped down.”

  18. FYIhc says:

    Just FYI, “federal healthcare” really isn’t a thing. I’m a federal employee and we pay the same for healthcare as everyone else. It’s not free. Certainly, your Agency, just like anyone else’s employer, pays a portion of your premium, but you also pay for your part of insurance, and it’s not cheap.

    • Chingona says:

      Just a FYI to you, not everyone’s employer pays for a portion of their healthcare and while you may pay a portion it is not the same as everyone else as you say. FYI!!

    • Veronica says:

      You do have access to it, though, and from what I’ve been told by most people I know who work government, it’s good insurance, too. And that portion your employer is paying is actually subsidized by the rest of the country – since government is run on TAXPAYER money. That’s probably more what Kaiser was getting at. The irony of suggesting that people shouldn’t have their lives subsidized by government while working a job that is created by taxpayer money.

    • Marion says:

      You absolutely do not pay the same as everyone else; you pay a much lower premium in part due to the large number of federal employees and you also have significantly better benefits/options. A doctor’s dream patient is a fed. In addition, you will not lose your healthcare when you retire, like most do, and be forced to make it work with Medicare and, if lucky, you can afford a supplemental plan (paid out of pocket). AND you will pay the same premium as when you were an employee.

    • BearcatLawyer says:

      I hope you never have to work in the private sector. Then you will learn how good federal benefits really are.

      • Who ARE These People? says:

        Amen. Health-care systems are defined by quality, cost and access. Without access, quality and cost don’t matter to the person who is sick. When nations guarantee access to all, cost comes down and providers can focus more on quality. That was happening under the ACA/Obamacare.

        Government workers have guaranteed access and it makes all the difference. They pay in, sure, but at better rates than workers in the private sector.

        In countries like Canada that guarantee access to all, everyone pays in through federal and provincial taxes. Some provinces charge a small supplement.

    • Algernon says:

      My husband is a federal employee and his insurance is *way* better than mine, and mine is considered to be above-average among private sector standards.

      • Veronica says:

        I work for one of the largest and wealthiest hospital systems in my region – one that owns its own insurance plan and offers it to employees (meaning that you’re literally dumping the money they pay you BACK into the system) – and even with the highest level “gold” plan, my friend (who is a mailman) has remarkably better insurance than I do. Mine isn’t awful by most private sector comparison, but it’s still nothing on par with his.

        (My hospital is a “non-profit,” by the way. They literally don’t pay taxes on anything. It’s actually driven up the income tax rate in the city for citizens because they own so much of the real estate but don’t pay any taxes on it.)

      • Hazel says:

        Simply FYI–postal workers have even better benefits than the standard federal employee.

    • Beth says:

      There’s lots of people who are disabled, elderly, or very sick and aren’t able to work making it “certainly ” IMPOSSIBLE to have employers to pay anything for our insurance. When my insurance is snatched away from me, I’m in deep trouble. You’re pretty lucky to only have to pay a portion no matter how cheap or expensive it is.

    • Sadezilla says:

      Not to mention that it’s generally easier to lose your job in the private sector, no? If I am mistaken, feel free to correct me, but that’s my understanding. Once you’ve been hired, it’s difficult to be removed. So I’d imagine federal employees are at a lower risk of losing insurance and being subject to underwriting due to loss of a job.

  19. Ann says:

    Competing in a “beauty pageant” automatically makes you a moron in my book. Can’t wait until these “pageants” are a thing of the past.

    • Most, not all, pageants are pretty rotten. I wouldn’t generalize people though. In my book being a moron makes you a moron.

    • LA Elle says:

      I’m not a fan of beauty pageants and do think they’re outdated, but maybe no name calling? I knew a couple of girls who competed, and they were all very driven, motivated women. The caveat is all of the girls I knew who competed planned to go into theatre and/or opera. To them, pageant experience gave them the opportunity to be on stage, to get used to working with the public in a professional manner, and a chance to exhibit their skills (they were all in the Miss America realm). It’s not something I would have done, but they all got scholarships and connections that helps them later on down the road.

  20. thaliasghost says:

    Maybe an organization could approach her about being sent out to people in need of care? Instead of just having a letter, she could tell them face to face that they will be denied treatment? She could also visit homeless shelters and do regular talks with people about how they don’t deserve health care? Put your money where your mouth is?

    • justcrimmles says:

      This sounds like an exceptional way to spend her time while reigning. Let this heifer eat cake. Rosemary had a better baby than her mom did 😒

      • I Choose Me says:

        Rosemary had a better baby than her mom did.

        Dead. I like calla lilies people. Put them on my casket.

  21. Margo S. says:

    This is going to sound stereotypical, but I’m not shocked that a beauty pageant contestant has those views on feminism and health care. Not. Shocked. It’s a beauty pageant! Basically a contest where woman just need to look pretty and have perfect bods and say/do everything that will make bros pleased.

    • TyrantDestroyed says:

      Unfortunately, I have to agree with you. They cater to a certain part of the population but we should encourage our young girls not to take them as role models.

    • This is a generalization. Again, not all pageants or pageant systems are alike. In the Miss America system good luck trying to get by on just your looks. If you’re not familiar with how they work you shouldn’t assume. Also girls should be taught to pursue their goals and dreams, pageant or no pageant.

  22. Sarah B says:

    I also think that contouring is a privilege, and girl, you’ve used and abused it.

    • BearcatLawyer says:

      You just won this thread.

    • justcrimmles says:

      BUT NO MENTION OF THE NINE LEVELS OF TARANTULA HELL CLINGING TO HER EYELIDS?! Demi- Arachnids, new from Ardell.

      • Beth says:

        I always wondered how Kim Kardashian could keep her eyes open with eyelashes like that. Kara’s definitely look heavy too

    • I Choose Me says:

      Justcrimmles killed me but my ghost came back just to lmao at this comment.

      • justcrimmles says:

        🌷🌷🌷 my phone doesn’t have lilies, so have some tulips instead.

        🕷🕷🕷

  23. Tan says:

    She works for the government
    I guess she was instructed what ti say if certain questions come up .

    I miss those days when career models would go for these pageants and stay limited to the entertainment fashion world

    Atleast there was no need to take the participants too seriously

  24. BJ says:

    She is a BEAUTY PAGEANT contestant.This pageant doesn’t even have a talent section.It’s obviously not about intelligence or even common sense.She WON after answering those questions so that shows the pageant is based on their appearances only.
    I do have hair envy,I love her curls.
    I also love that last year’s winner wore her hair in a natural style.

  25. FLORC says:

    I’m not a feminist. Woman are just as equal as men.
    It’s like saying..
    I’m not a misogynist. Men are inherently superior to women.

    She’s only stating she has no clue what she’s saying. Repeating uneducated thoughts heard in shallow conversation.
    Ah!

  26. Sonja says:

    OMG, she just said it, without ever thinking at all….women are as equal as men”!!!!! By the way, it does not make any sense to be “as equal as sth else), but I guess she wanted to say women and men are equal, and women are as good, which is just horrible. What if I said ” black people are as good as white people”!!!! So well educated and still ignorant.

  27. HK9 says:

    Sooo, they’ve crowned an idiot.

  28. Jennie Hix says:

    Wrong thread.

  29. Carmen says:

    Girl, bye!

  30. Cheryl says:

    So….. people are upset or surprised that she voiced this. I just don’t understand why. For many on this site they believe that all people of a certain race believe the same way. So you are “white” you act and believe this – you are “brown`and act and believe this. Many have not caught on to the fact that money is what forms people’s options not race or gender. What we all should be fighting is class wars not racial wars. Privilege regardless of the color of your skin creates the same type of people. I also seriously will never understand why someone would think that it is a good thing for a person of color to win a pathetic award such as Miss USA or Miss Universe. It is like if a person of color wins something that only whites used to win then it is a good thing and they have broken some kind of barrier – but never looks at the fact that the actual idea of the Miss USA is just ridiculous and anyone who actually wins this is just lame and sad regardless of the color of their skin.

    • Otaku Fairy says:

      “For many on this site they believe that all people of a certain race believe the same way. So you are “white” you act and believe this – you are “brown” and act and believe this.” I doubt that. Most people here would probably acknowledge that there are progressive people and conservatives in every race. You’re right that money is a big factor in a person’s options, experiences, and obstacles they may or may not have to deal with, but so is race (and gender). Rich people aren’t automatically shielded from racism or misogyny- their wealth just protects them from the economic and possibly some of the physical hardships and risks that come along with those experiences- and not every person of color/woman who gets money spouts GOP rhetoric (or votes that way).
      And yeah beauty pageants are trivial when you compare them to important accomplishments and needs people have. So are Oscars, emmys, golden globes, grammys, etc., in a way. But as long as those things exist, representation and PoC who are models, actresses, singers, etc, having the same opportunities still matter. I don’t automatically see a person in a pageant as sad or stupid, I just see them as making use of something that’s open to them.

  31. Ennie says:

    SHE looks like Helena Bonham Carter as Bellatrix Lestrange.

  32. Pumpkin Pie says:

    Imo she looks pretty average pageant-wise and doesn’t prove any kind of awareness about critical issues. Shame.

  33. detritus says:

    There is a specific type of privilege associated with being a young, hot woman.
    I think it often erases or diminishes the way these women view racism and sexism.
    It’s like the white male issue, where they can’t see it because it doesn’t impact them.

  34. Pandy says:

    Another embarrassment at the pageant circus! Especially the healthcare question (I’ve given up on the feminist question). She really believes you need to work to be a human. Can’t wait until she loses her job.

  35. Jessica says:

    If affordable healthcare is a privilege than so is public education. But if anyone said that they’d be burned at the stake.

  36. Zaratustra says:

    Ohh, somebody is sucking up to the Republicans? Is she looking to make a “career” out of her beauty queen title?

  37. april says:

    A privilege is working for the government and getting carte blanche health care which is paid for by all taxpayers. Come on privileged people, healthcare is a basic right! Let’s get rid of the carte blanche healthcare which government employees receive.

  38. Leslie says:

    “healthcare should only go to those with jobs.”

    Yeah, kids and elderly, how dare you not have jobs. No healthcare for you, you lazy slackers.

  39. kri says:

    I wonder how much we taxpayers would save if we took away gov’t bureaucrat benefits- (NOT our military) but senators,congressmen, etc…how bout they try it from our end? And they get it for LIFE??! While our veterans are dying on the streets ,getting horrible (mis) treatment in VA hospitals and killing themselves! And HOW THE HELL is she not able to calmly and proudly say “Yes, of course I’m a feminist.” It’s not hard!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ok, rant over but really.

  40. punkprincessphd says:

    Do you know who fully supports universal, single-player healthcare and is a proud feminist?

    Justin Trudeau for Miss America 2018!

    • Cheryl says:

      Um…….we don’t have single payer healthcare we have government run healthcare. I am not sure that this is what the USA wants.

      • punkprincessphd says:

        It was a pithy comment, but if you want to debate semantics..

        yes – we do have a single-payer system for primary healthcare (hospital and physician care). It is free at the point of access and funded by the federal government via block grants to the provinces as per the Canada Health Act. It is not a comprehensive single payer system, as dental, optical, and pharmaceutical coverage is limited. However, to call it “government run” is misleading. Yes, the CHA mandates that primary care must be publicly administered, but hospitals and physicians’ practices are private entities. And no, there’s a snowball ‘ s chance in hell that America would ever go for a similar system – the closest they could fathom would be a government subsidized 3rd party insurance program, or perhaps parallel private and public streams a la Australia. The point being, to all intents and purposes, Canada’s public health system is categorized as single -payer.

        My original point: it’s perhaps a bit much to expect a beauty contestant to score higher on the progressive meter than He of the Good Hair.

  41. Mysonsy says:

    Under her flawed logic chidren, the elderly, the disabled and ill do not have the right to healthcare and all working people are the only ones allowed to access that right even though a job does not equal healthcare in the USA. For someone so smart she is really ignorant the reality of the poor, the disabled and chronically ill. It’s too bad she subscribes to the belief that you are only of value if you are working.

  42. Jo says:

    People need ready access to both healthcare and education to create a functioning society. I get her point that paid-for healthcare should encourage employment, but there are better ways to incentivise this.

    I expected more.