March 23, 2017

Craig Moss was an ardent Trump supporter. He went to many rallies, even sang songs for him. He was all in, until the cruel Trumpcare plan was introduced. Then things changed.

Moss believed in Trump because he believed he was going to do something about the epidemic of opioid addiction, which killed his 24-year old son in 2014. During this interview with Jake Tapper, he explained why he's so disappointed in Trump and the Congress, particularly with regard to the cuts in opioid addiction treatment.

"[Trumpcare] takes away the only hope these kids and these young adults have," Moss explained. It takes away the hope that the only lifeline that they have to get off this drug -- we were supposed to add to the services that are currently available and what's happened is we're taking away what we're supposed to add to."

"It's a tragedy that they're even considering trying to put this thing through," he added.

Moss actually had an opportunity to ask Trump during the campaign about his plans for opioid addiction and healthcare, which he described with regretful fondness.

Describing one encounter, Moss said, "[Trump] consoled me, he comforted me. he told me we are going to work at putting facilities more available for these kids and to get these kids off opioids and get them off the heroin and do the best we can in order to combat the epidemic we find ourselves in."

One of the things he specifically said could be done is to make sure all fire departments -- volunteer and otherwise -- have cans of Narcan, a spray to stop opioid overdoses. As Moss explained, his son would be alive today if the first responders had had that.

"Trust many times takes a lifetime to achieve and one day to lose. So, to get the trust back, Going to take some doing," Moss warned on why he has abandoned Trump. And then he explained why he will not ever trust Trump again, as he responded to Tapper's invitation to tell viewers about his son.

Then Jake Tapper gave him the opportunity to remember his son. It was heartbreaking. Voice breaking, Moss told him, "My son was a good man. He was -- he had a big heart and he showed everybody his heart.

Every Republican voting on this godforsaken healthcare bill should have to watch his tribute to his son. Every one. They should see the pain on his face, they should have to actually feel how palpable his disappointment is with Trump and those soulless zombie Republicans in Congress.

Do not ridicule this man for supporting Trump. Think what you will about his decision to believe in Trump, but he did believe, and believed that Trump's election would have made things better for others. It's clear he sincerely believed, for whatever reasons.

Yes, Hillary Clinton had a clearly laid-out plan for treating opioid addiction and treating it. But he heard Trump. And he believed. Now he doesn't.

Discussion

We welcome relevant, respectful comments. Any comments that are sexist or in any other way deemed hateful by our staff will be deleted and constitute grounds for a ban from posting on the site. Please refer to our Terms of Service for information on our posting policy.
Mastodon