Absurd Fact of the Day
From a MoveOn email I received today (emphasis in original):
But Americans can't afford to wait: while the Senate is on vacation, over 400,000 people will lose their health coverage.
Really?
The source is here. Reading the text and the sourcing, it is a great example of how a wild-assed guess can be turned into a "fact" if one buries it in a long enough chain of sourcing. But the really funny part is that the Senate plan does not even begin to be implemented until 2013, and implementation is not complete until something like 2018. These dates will not change whether the legislation is passed before or after the recess, but if a single month is so devastating, one wonders why MoveOn has quietly accepted the 2013 implentation date (not conincidently after the next Presidential election).
Postscript: Number of extra people who will not, no matter what their insurance status, be able to get critical care in the next month: zero.
ilovebenefits:
Nice call on the implementation dates AND the next Presidential election. All of this and no improvement for 3+ years...I realize it takes time to set up giant bureaucracies, however we need to call them on their urgent call versus their delayed implementation. Follow the debate at http://www.ilovebenefits.wordpress.com
July 25, 2009, 4:27 pmDr. T:
"But Americans can’t afford to wait: while the Senate is on vacation, over 400,000 people will lose their health coverage."
Yeah, all those people who lose their jobs automatically lose their health insurance coverage. No, wait, there's that law known as COBRA that requires health insurers to continue covering former employees for up to 18 months while charging the same premiums as persons still employed at the company. (The ex-employees still get their ex-employer's group rate.) But, when the ex-employees see their full health insurance premiums, they usually balk and become members of the uninsured. And, if one of their kids gets cancer, the liberal lunkheads make sure it gets national TV coverage as an indictment of our current health care.
July 26, 2009, 3:53 pmMethinks:
Not until 2013? Awesome.
That gives me time to immigrate to France, where my tax rate will be lower (after the 10% increase imposed on me by 2011 as the Bush cuts roll off and the surcharge on the 1% is imposed to pay for the 99% and will doubtlessly be increased as the incentive effect takes hold), where the food is better, the population is thinner and healthier and everyone is taxed to pay for health care instead of just the very top few and true, free market private insurance is available to me to cover anything the government doesn't. The best part is that France, unlike the U.S., doesn't tax its citizens living abroad. So, I can be a French citizen, live in the Virgin Islands and pay 4% taxes.
I really never thought I would see the day when France was a better bet than the U.S.
July 27, 2009, 7:17 amVictor Morris:
There would be a couple more changes for you to make, I'm sure, based on my two visits to France. First, you have to learn to speak fluent French. Next, you will need three generations to overcome the immigrant social status. And you will need to express your disdain for the USA and Americans in general because of our debased culture. Oh, you already do this quite well...
July 27, 2009, 10:31 amMethinks:
First, you have to learn to speak fluent French.
Oui. Je sais.
Next, you will need three generations to overcome the immigrant social status.
Who cares? I will be in the Virgin Islands. Plus, social status is only important to posers and people living in socialist countries where that is the only upward mobility possible. Oh, like France.
And you will need to express your disdain for the USA and Americans in general because of our debased culture. Oh, you already do this quite well…
I used to be proud of my American citizenship, of the liberty held dear by American people and protected by the constitution. Now, over half the population is ready to exchange not only their own liberty but the liberty of others in exchange for "free" candy from Obama. These Americans uphold theft (laundered through the machine of government) as the ideal. You've become a country of thieves. Your culture IS debased.
July 27, 2009, 12:41 pmMethinks:
First, you have to learn to speak fluent French.
Oui. Je sais.
Next, you will need three generations to overcome the immigrant social status.
Who cares? I will be in the Virgin Islands. Plus, social status is only important to posers and people living in socialist countries where that is the only upward mobility possible. Oh, like France.
And you will need to express your disdain for the USA and Americans in general because of our debased culture. Oh, you already do this quite well…
I used to be proud of my American citizenship, of the liberty held dear by American people and protected by the constitution. Now, over half the population is ready to exchange not only their own liberty but the liberty of others in exchange for "free" candy from Obama. These Americans uphold theft (laundered through the machine of government) as the ideal. You've become a country of thieves. American culture IS debased.
But, I think my point sort of flew right over your head, Vic.
July 27, 2009, 1:13 pmMethinks:
Vic,
I think you missed my point. Still....explain to me how American culture is not debased when over half the people in America pay no income tax and vote for Obama to rob the other half (the most productive half) to give them free candy. Institutionalized theft is a debasement of the culture, IMO. You don't agree?
July 28, 2009, 6:16 amMethinks:
Okay....so now I know what happens to my comments when they don't show up right away. They get caught in the spam filter and then get vomited out again a day later.
July 28, 2009, 11:44 am