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September 20, 2009
The Magical Mendacity Tour
How do you know Obama is lying about health care reform? His teleprompter is moving. Apparently under the theory that if you lie often enough the lies start to sound true, the Magical Mendacity Tour kicked into high gear this weekend, with even more facepalming dishonesty: President Barack Obama says requiring people to get health insurance and fining them if they don't would not amount to a backhanded tax increase. "I absolutely reject that notion," the president said.Well, okay. Maybe we could just call it a "forced contribution to the welfare of others." Catchy? But of course if you don't carry insurance or pay the huge fine, the IRS shows up at your door demanding the non-tax. It would almost be worth going without health insurance and being arrested just for the chance to subpoena Barack Obama at my tax evasion trial. "Your Honor, he clearly said it wasn't a tax! He absolutely rejected the notion!" But it gets worse... much worse. Obama goes on to claim the absence of his plan to have young, healthy people subsidize everyone else's health care would force people to carry others' burdens: "What it's saying is, is that we're not going to have other people carrying your burdens for you anymore," said Obama.That's exactly the opposite of what it actually tries to accomplish. There are two kinds of people who don't carry insurance right now: the poor, who cannot pay for their care no matter what laws you pass, and the young and healthy, who as rational actors balk at the notion of paying tens of thousands of dollars in premiums over a period of their lives when they are unlikely to need much health care. The point of mandates is to drag the latter kicking and screaming into the system so that the system can have "community rating" under which they will pay even higher premiums in order to subsidize care for older, sicker people. And then we get hit with the tired false analogy of "auto insurance." "Right now everybody in America, just about, has to get auto insurance. Nobody considers that a tax increase."This is the most egregious lie of all. If you want to go without collision or theft insurance on a car you own, no one will stop you. The only reason you are required to carry auto liability insurance is the obvious fact that a car is a large, fast-moving, dangerous machine that could cause great harm to others' persons and property. There's no such thing as health liability insurance. It's an asinine analogy, but Slick Barry the used-car salesman hopes you won't figure that out. "I've tried to keep it digestible," Obama said. "It's very hard for people to get their arms around it. And that's been a case where I have been humbled and I just keep on trying harder."Again, the truth is exactly the opposite of what he says. The problem isn't that Americans are just too dim to grasp the brilliant Obama (notice he has the incredible gall to say he has "been humbled" by our stupidity) it's that too many people are figuring out a pig in a poke shouldn't be hissing and yowling. Some of us have got our arms all the way around this socialist monstrosity, despite your best efforts, and we say "You lie!" posted by Dave on 09.20.09 at 11:57 AM
Comments
Geez, haven't you been watching Dem spokestools lately? Every one says people who disagree have been lied to and they're here to set the record straight. Of course, some who disagree therefore have to be the liars, but that's just people like Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck and the snowbilly breeder, Sarah Palin. You see, people like you and I are just too darn stupid and gullible so we need our kind, political, moral, social, intellectual betters to educate us. Veeshir · September 20, 2009 02:30 PM I agree with the premise of your argument. However, with auto insurance, the bank or finance company where you finance the car will require insurance to protect their investment. LYNNDH · September 20, 2009 03:53 PM ""Right now everybody in America, just about, has to get auto insurance. Nobody considers that a tax increase."" well yea economic dimbulb the payment is to a private enterprise for a specific purpose with defined benefits not to you acorn slush fund. also there isn't 50 different state mandates on auto as there is with health ins. dumb as a box of boxers. newrouter · September 20, 2009 06:06 PM LYNNDH, Yes, that's why I added the qualifier that you own the car. TallDave · September 20, 2009 09:00 PM The closest and only similarity to auto insurance would be if everyone had to carry catastrophic illness/injury insurance since the care will be provided regardless of ability to pay. But the full coverage plans with routine and preventative (routine maintenance) care do not have a corollary in auto insurance. Unless someone has an auto plan that includes oil changes and quarterly diagnostics. JKB · September 21, 2009 12:14 AM Fining people for the "crime" of not purchasing health insurance without due process in a court seems unConstitutional. HeatherRadish · September 21, 2009 10:05 AM Post a comment
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"Right now everybody in America, just about, has to get auto insurance. Nobody considers that a tax increase."
You are absolutely right that this is a lie, as you stated, liability is to protect everyone else on the road, not the driver. In addition, there are a lot of people who don't drive at all, and they obviously don't need auto insurance. What is the health insurance equivalent, anyway? You won't be required to get health insurance as long as you don't breathe?