CongressCritter Carol Shea-Porter keeps spinning the "public" option as Choice and Competition. From a report from a friend who listened to her interview at NHPR (and I on her Tele-Town Hall):
"Bowl of choices" – how come it has to be Government that makes the bowl? The whole idea of having a bowl of tickets (re: choices) means that your universe of choice is limited by the size of the bowl – and Carol seems to believe that the idea that Goverment should design the size of the bowl and the options that can go into it (e.g., Obamacare and its idea of "exchanges" with bureaucrats deciding what can be on those
After all, Carol has no concept of the 10th Amendment, does she? From NOW!Hampshire:
As opposed to David Hedrick who MARVELOUSLY told his CongressCritter
"it is not YOUR decision to choose"
Carol seems to not understand FREEDOM and the power of Free Markets failures stem from the constraints and strictures placed upon them by Government. Free Markets do not offer a "bowl of choices" –
IT SHATTERS THE BOWL! Unlimited choices!
Or it can – IF government and greedy (for power and control) politicians would allow it. She says that the "public" option will have to compete and that it will keep the private insurance companies "honest"
She’s spinning without giving us the details – and here are even MORE questions for her:
- If insurance companies can only compete at the state level, will the government option only compete within the strictures of each state (to make it fair)?
- Will the government option be limited to a 3% "profit margin" like industry standards?
- Will the government option obey the mandates established by each state – or not?
- Competition – one does this either by a lower price or with better offerings. Either way, the force and money of the Government will be used to "clear the field" of the private companies.
- How many people will have to be hired by the Federal Government to process all that paper work (e.g., like the Cash for Clunkers program being woefully understaffed) for payment purposes?
- Since the government option gets to use the IRS as the collection agency, can the independent insurance companies have that same advantage (so as to compete fairly)?
- What will happen if the "government option" turns out to be the healthcare equivalent of the USPS or Amtrak (loosing beaucoup bucks year after year after…you get the idea)? What then, Carol?
- Since the independent insurance companies have to pay taxes to the Government, will the government option pay a like fee to the private companies "to be fair"?
The biggest question (other than what Doug is also asking):
Why ARE you telling us what to do – shouldn’t it be the other way around?
I’ll have about as much chance of getting that question answered as I do why she wants to stick all taxpayers who aren’t union folks with a $10 BILLION dollar bill (snuck ever so carefully and quietly into the Healthcare Bill).
Hey Carol, is it "fair" to make us all pay the for the bad decisions of the union bosses’ for screwing up their members healthcare benefits?
Such a payoff to the SEIU and the other unions – the rest of NH Citizens thank you….
