Sometimes I don't believe what I hear with my own two ears. Sometimes I find it even more incredible that people accept what we hear.
The other day the CBO issued a report claiming that ObamaCare will cost the US about 2.5 million jobs in the next decade. And the White House proclaims that's "a good thing." Huh? People not having jobs is "a good thing?" Yep, now, says the WH, people won't be bogged down with jobs to get what they want and will be able to "pursue their dreams." Does anyone really believe that stuff??????
And there was a good op-ed in the Det News yesterday about the costs of gov't regulations that require fast food places to list the calories in the good they serve. Estimates of those extra costs reach one billion dollars! First, it isn't the gov't's business to tell me what I can and can't eat or, rather, should and shouldn't eat. It's my choice! Second, is there anyone who doesn't know that a solid diet of fast food isn't particularly healthy? Third, when I see that a Big Mac has 600 calories, does some gov't bureaucrat really think that's going to dissuade me from getting a Big Mac if I want one? Hey, I know broccoli and spinach and that rabbit food is good for me; but I don't like it. Oh, I'll eat it, sometimes, but only because it's good for me. I don't and won't make it a habit, though. And what happens if and when the calorie count doesn't work, that people still order their pizzas and Baconators? I'd guess taxes are coming. There will be excise taxes on fast food to try to price them out of our diets. Yep, those arrogant elitists--bureaucrats and elected officials--know what's best for us better than we do. And that's not even my main point. It's none of their business what I eat.
Double Speak? How about that "Farm Bill" sponsored, or so she loudly has crowed, by Sen Stabenow. 80% of it has nothing to do with farms! Nope, it has to do with more food stamps, what almost $500 billion more? Perhaps I'm a bit touchy about this, but to call this a "Farm Bill" seems to be, if not out-and-out dishonest, at least disingenuous. But when was the last time you hear "honesty" and "politician" used in the same sentence--in a good way?
BTW, what are the US Postal Service and IRS doing buying weapons, lots of weapons??????
Grrrrrr......
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"The other day the CBO issued a report claiming that ObamaCare will cost the US about 2.5 million jobs in the next decade."
No. That is very clearly not what the CBO report said.
Here’s what CBO Director Douglas W. Elmendorf said in congressional testimony when he was asked about claims that jobs are being lost because of the law:
The reason that we don’t use the term “lost jobs” is there’s a critical difference between people who like to work and can’t find a job or have a job that was lost for reasons beyond their control and people who choose not to work.
If somebody comes up to you and says, “Well, the boss said I’m being laid off because we don’t have enough business to pay me,” that person feels bad about that and we sympathize with them having lost their job.
If somebody comes to you and says, “I’ve decided to retire” or “I’ve decided to stay home and spend more time with my family” and “I’ve decided to spend more time doing my hobby,” they don’t feel bad about it, they feel good about it, and we don’t sympathize. We say congratulations. And we don’t say they’ve lost their job because they have chosen to leave that job.
Now here is a direct quote from Jay Carney, the court jester at the White House: "Over the longer run, CBO finds that because of this law, individuals will be empowered [Now there's a word I've come to distrust!] to make choices about their own lives and livelihoods, like retiring on time rather than working into their elderly years or choosing to spend more time with their families. At the beginning of this year, we noted that as part of this new day in health care, Americans would no longer be trapped in a job just to provide coverage for their families and would have the opportunity to pursue their dreams." How nice! C'mon...... So, I was stupid to go out and have not one, not two, but five different jobs at one time so I could "provide" for my family--such as a college education? "Trapped in a job?" Poll after poll reports than a significant number of Americans, some say as much as 50% or more, don't like their jobs. So, now, with somebody else footing the bill--for health coverage and who knows hat else on the horizon?--we are "free to pursue our dreams." Ah, how self-indulgent, typical of our generations. Forget about taking care of our families by ourselves; let's just "pursue our own dreams." This reminds me of the many folks I know, who go on long vacations, have houses on lakes with boats, own two or more homes, build swimming pools,and more, but who constantly grouse about "the rich not paying their fair share." Why don't they give up their pools, one or more vacations, the bigger cars, etc. and lead by example, say, buying some other guy his health insurance so the guy can "pursue his dreams?" Nope, it's not them who should pay, but always the other guy. I don't care how people spend their money, if they've earned it legitimately and purchase legal goods and services. It's the grousing about the other guy and the self-righteousness of telling him how to spend his money.
Well, I think it is a bit off to conclude that "somebody else [will now be] footing the bill--for health coverage." Many people will still be footing the bill for their own health coverage but they are now ensured not to lose coverage if they leave their job or change their job and have a pre-existing condition. If I save a bunch of money, shouldn't I be able to not work and live off my savings and have insurance? Or is that too self-indulgent?
Yes, this will also lead to some overtly self-indulgent behavior that we will be paying for as a society but the fact is that we are already paying for those people anyway through higher medical costs. When someone without insurance gets sick now, we all end up paying for that. If the government subsidizes insurance for the poor, then we will also be paying people's medical costs but the hope is that, by bargaining as a group, the rise in medical costs will slow. Maybe that will work and maybe it won't but it is certainly worth a try since we are already paying for it anyway.
But, in the end, this was about your interpretation of the CBO report that ObamaCare will cost about 2.5 million jobs which is not what the report said. In reality, what the report said is that there will actually be about 2.5 million jobs that are empty now since people who would have filled them have decided to work less. You should be happy that they didn't take that as a chance to say they are going to create 2.5 million jobs. I certainly wouldn't put that kind of spin past them ... just like the cuts that aren't really cuts but a slowing of an increase.
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