As we know by now, there is very little, if any, competition in the health insurance industry. Some states have only one provider. Everyone and that would be everyone involved in the discussions about health care reform knows this is the case nationwide.
So why is the very notion of introducing competition into the health insurance industry such a big deal for Congress? It should be a no brainer. I mean, isn't capitalism and the belief in free markets as the be all and end all of everything perfect and sacred all about competition?
If members of Congress truly embrace the principles of competitive capitalism they would not obstruct health care reform that includes a public option. Indeed, by resisting a competitive force in the health insurance industry Republicans, especially, clearly demonstrate their unbending support for non-competitive monopolies.
Monopolies!? But I thought that is what Communism is all about.
This morning MSNBC's Dylan Ratigan had a debate with Betsy McCaughey, a well known Republican opponent of health care reform. Her remarks about health care reform and its impact on seniors have been so extreme that AARP found it necessary to call her out. The organization said her remarks bordered on the cruel.
Cruella McCaughey obviously did not like Ratigan's questions, especially when he described the current state of health insurance as
Corporate Communism.
Predictably, when a Republican does not like the questions, (s)he will hammer the interviewer. When an interviewer will not let a Republican hack spew talking point BS non-stop, the hack will always go for the jugular.
I would like to add to Dr. Krugman's assessment by including:
bratty bullying 13 year olds.
Krugman really nailed today's GOP. Indeed, my own so-called U.S. House "Rep" John Culberson (Houston-7) could not handle MSNBC host Lawrence O'Donnell's question about Medicare. Culberson had been railing against a guvmint takeover of health care. O'Donnell merely asked Culberson if he therefore wanted to abolish Medicare. Culberson's response? Don't like the question? Pitch a hissy fit.
Our U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison also called health care reform proposals as an evil doing government run health care program. But Kay has no problem with her own taxpayer funded government run socialist health care coverage.
I guess Kay Bailey is AOK with corporate communism, too.
And we all know how strongly our junior Senator John Cornyn feels about corporate communism. He will lie through his teeth to protect it. John also does not seem to have a problem with his own taxpayer funded government run socialist health care coverage either.
I think it the time for all of us to pay our U.S. lawmakers a very serious call to ask them a simple question. Which do they prefer?
