Mandatory health insurance? No sale
Jamie Court of Santa Monica, California's "Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights" has a frustrating editorial in today's L.A. Times.
He asks "Is it the right of the government to impose an obligation to buy a private product that costs $12,000 a year for a family of four?" and concludes:
mandatory private insurance on this scale will not work. Mandatory auto insurance, which has been in force in California for more than two decades, has failed miserably. That's why a portion of our auto insurance premiums today go to pay for "uninsured motorist" coverage.
One in seven drivers has no auto insurance, compared to one in five without health insurance under a nonmandatory system.
I think Mr. Court is right about this. Forcing people to buy what they do not want or cannot afford is nothing but a confiscatory tax that limits people's freedom to spend their own money and control their own lives. And, there will be massive non-compliance.
Mr. Court's "solution" to the problem, however, is totally off-base. He says:
Californians are ready for market reforms to make health insurance more available and affordable, including forcing insurers to price policies fairly and preventing them from denying coverage to less healthy patients. Sacramento legislators should make the system fairer, regulate healthcare costs, then expand subsidies for low-income families. They should fix the broken market, not foist it on the public.
What a mistake! How is government regulation of insurance pricing, "forced issue" mandates and regulation of healthcare costs a "market reform"? More government control is a prescription for socialized medicine, which will work just as well as the grand Socialist "experiments" in the USSR, North Korea, East Germany and communist China.
Why, oh why, don't more people realize that government already mucks around in the not very "free market" for healthcare too much? Why don't people realize that every time government mandates or regulates something, it prevents the market from offering value and options?
When government mandates force sober homosexual men to buy health insurance policies that cover pregnancy expenses, infertility treatments and drug and alcohol in-patient care, premiums for these patients cost much more than necessary. When government regulation prohibits health insurers from offering plans across state-lines, there is less competition in each state and prices are higher than they would be in a true open market.
It's simple economics, folks! Won't someone PLEASE take a refresher course in Economics 101 . . . and pay attention during class?
Posted by Blaine Greenberg
25 Sep 2007 @ 5:21pm
Announcement: Health Care Freedom Tour Comes To Colorado
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Contact:
Jon Caldara, president, 303-279-6536 or jon@i2i.org
Amy Oliver, operations director, 970-371-3413 or amy@i2i.org
Think tank hosts independent film maker and free market health care advocate Stuart Browning for the Colorado premiere of Free Market Cure
GOLDEN, Colo - The Independence Institute is proud to announce that it will be hosting the Colorado premiere of Free Market Cure, a series of short films that honestly depicts the dangers of socialized medicine. Independent film maker and producer of Free Market Cure Stuart Browning will be our guest of honor.
According to Browning, those on the left including Hollywood and many politicians "are gearing up to bring socialized medicine to the U.S. under the guise of 'universal healthcare.' Americans should be aware, however, that government-run health care means high taxes, medical rationing - and waiting lists to see specialists, get diagnostic tests and to receive surgery."
Free Market Cure is designed to counter Michael Moore's Sicko, which Browning called "a large dose of misinformation and propaganda."
The premiere will be on Wednesday, September 19, at the Shwayder in the Mizel Center for Culture and Arts at 350 S. Dahlia Street in Denver. The movies and Browning's commentary will begin at 7 p.m. and will be followed by coffee and dessert. The event is free and open to the public but seating is limited so reservations are requested. Please contact Kay at 303-279-6536 or kay@i2i.org.
"Anyone who is even remotely concerned about the direction in which medical care in Colorado is headed must see Free Market Cure," said President Jon Caldara.
Caldara issued a personal invitation to all of Colorado's 208 commission members. "I understand that members were invited to hear Donna Smith who was featured in Sicko. I invite all of them to hear another perspective." he added.
Visit the Independence Institute Web site for more information.
The Independence Institute is a non-partisan, non-profit public policy research organization based in Golden, Colo.
Posted by Stuart Browning
12 Sep 2007 @ 1:22pm
Radio Talk about Indoctrinate U
Yesterday I gave an interview about Indoctrinate U on KCOL-AM out of Loveland, CO. Today saw two more interviews with Greg Allen of Accent Radio Network and Bud Hedinger from WFLA-AM out of Tampa, FL.
Please listen for me talking about our important film on the Steve Deace show tomorrow (9/6/2007) on WHO-AM from Des Moines, Iowa and with Travis Jackson on Knucklehead Radio from Maine.
Then on Friday (9/7/2007) I'll be on Lynn Woolley's show on KTEM-AM out of Temple, TX. Finally, next Wednesday (9/12/2007) I'll be promoting Indoctrinate U on "Kelli's" show on WJON-AM out of St. Cloud, MN.
Please tune in -- on the radio or on the web -- if you get the chance. The discussions arising from the film and the entire topic of political correctness run amok on college campuses have been great.
Posted by Blaine Greenberg
5 Sep 2007 @ 6:23pm
Something's Fishy
A recent study says that the federal government has been restocking mountain streams in Colorado with the wrong species of an endangered trout for more than 20 years! President Bush's approval ratings are in the twenty-percent range. Approval ratings for Congress are wallowing in the teens.
But, hey, let's give the federal government complete control over our healthcare system.
Am I the only lunatic who thinks this kind of logic stinks like old fish on a hot summer day?
Posted by Blaine Greenberg
5 Sep 2007 @ 6:06pm
