A New York Times columnist sparked outrage by suggesting JD Vance’s mother should have sold him to fuel her drug addiction, twisting a health care policy critique into a vicious personal attack.
Story Snapshot
- NYT columnist Jamelle Bouie mocked Vance’s family addiction story amid ACA policy debate, implying sale for drugs.
- Vance credited Trump for his mother’s Medicaid-to-private insurance shift, but it happened via Obamacare marketplace.
- Research clarifies no literal “selling” claim in original reports; user’s premise exaggerates media distortion.
- Vance’s 2017 NYT column opposed full ACA repeal, protecting low-income families like his own.
- Conservative values demand rejecting such smears, prioritizing personal recovery and policy truth.
Timeline of Vance Family Health Care Access
JD Vance’s mother, Beverly Aikins Vance, battled addiction detailed in his 2016 memoir Hillbilly Elegy. She relied on Medicaid during her struggles in Appalachian Ohio. The 2010 Affordable Care Act created marketplaces allowing transitions to private insurance for income-eligible individuals post-recovery. Beverly stabilized financially after overcoming substance abuse and enrolled in Ohio’s ACA marketplace sometime post-2017. This shift provided stable coverage without government dependency.
Vance Credits Trump in 2024 Debate
During the October 2024 vice presidential debate, JD Vance praised Donald Trump for helping his family escape Medicaid. He referenced his mother’s improved health care and a Florida cousin’s similar marketplace access. Vance argued Trump fixed Obamacare flaws through executive actions after 2017 repeal efforts failed. The Washington Post later reported details, confirmed by Vance’s campaign, highlighting the ACA marketplace role Vance omitted in his narrative.
New Republic article framed this as hypocrisy, noting Vance’s alignment with Trump despite GOP repeal attempts targeting ACA protections. Vance’s past opposition to full repeal preserved benefits his family used. Critics like analyst Andrew Sprung argued the Vance family should thank failed repeal efforts for their coverage security.
NYT Columnist’s Shocking Attack Emerges
Separate from policy debates, New York Times columnist Jamelle Bouie posted on social media attacking Vance’s addiction narrative. Bouie suggested Beverly Vance should have sold young JD to fund her habit, a grotesque distortion unrelated to health care facts. This vile remark ignited backlash across conservative media, exposing elite disdain for working-class recovery stories rooted in opioid crisis realities.
Common sense rejects Bouie’s assertion as baseless cruelty. Facts show Beverly overcame addiction without such extremes, accessing ACA aid for stability. American conservative values celebrate personal responsibility and family redemption, not media-fueled smears that undermine them. Vance’s silence on the policy report contrasts with deserved outrage over personal vilification.
Policy Hypocrisy Debate and Expert Views
Andrew Sprung, health policy analyst, noted irony in Vance praising Trump while benefiting from ACA marketplaces Trump sought to dismantle. GOP bills in 2017 preserved Obamacare structure but cut poor supports, as Vance himself critiqued in his NYT column. Pro-Vance views credit Trump fixes like expanded short-term plans. Critics warn future policies could reintroduce pre-existing condition penalties, harming ex-addicts and low-income Appalachians.
NY Times Columnist Says Vance's Mother Should Have Sold Him To Feed Her Addiction https://t.co/7bwqrhYI8P
— zerohedge (@zerohedge) February 9, 2026
Short-term, the controversy dents Vance’s authenticity on poverty and addiction. Long-term, it revives ACA fights, potentially raising premiums for vulnerable groups. Ohio’s marketplace success amid GOP opposition underscores policy complexities. Vance’s evolution from critic to Trump ally reflects pragmatic politics, but facts demand accurate storytelling over selective praise.
Sources:
JD Vance Awfully Quiet After Report on How His Mom Got Health Care
