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ABC News’ has an interesting excerpt from Jake Tapper’s interview with President Obama, in which the President tries to compare the requirement to purchase health insurance to the requirement that drivers purchase automobile insurance.

Says the President:

“What I think is appropriate is that in the same way that everybody has to get auto insurance and if you don’t, you’re subject to some penalty, that in this situation, if you have the ability to buy insurance, it’s affordable and you choose not to do so, forcing you and me and everybody else to subsidize you, you know, there’s a thousand dollar hidden tax that families all across America are — are burdened by because of the fact that people don’t have health insurance, you know, there’s nothing wrong with a penalty.”

What I find most interesting about this quote is that there seems to be a deliberate attempt to compare two requirements that are definitely not the same.

“Everybody” definitely does NOT have “to get auto insurance” in the United States.  DRIVERS have to get it and individual states set their own, minimum requirements.  If you do not own a motorized vehicle, you do NOT have to buy auto insurance.  Also, auto insurance is required not for your benefit, but for the benefit of others, who might be injured (or have their property damaged) by you.

The Health Care Insurance Reform bill passed by the House requires every man, woman, and child to have health insurance coverage.  The Health Care Insurance Reform bill passed by the House also lays out a framework for establishing the minimum coverage health insurance companies can provide.  Health insurance is something you get to protect yourself (or, your family) from financial ruin caused by injury or illness, not to compensate some random stranger whose car you totaled on I-95.

Does everyone see the distinction?

The part that I like the best, though is this:

“I think the general broad principle is simply that people who are paying for their health insurance aren’t subsidizing folks who simply choose not to until they get sick and then suddenly they expect free health insurance.  That’s — that’s basic concept of responsibility that I think most Americans abide by,” Mr. Obama said, “penalties are appropriate for people who try to free ride the system and force others to pay for their health insurance.”

“Penalties are appropriate for people who try to free ride the system and force others to pay for their health insurance”, huh?

You mean like forcing people to pay a 5.4% surcharge on their income to pay for the health insurance of others?

You mean like possibly driving up the average cost of health care for a family of four to approximately 19% of income by 2016 to help pay for the health insurance of others?

I had really hoped their would be sensible health care reform, but it doesn’t look like we are going to get it from Congress.

I think that the President is right, though: there will be a penalty to be paid.

It will come due next November.

Unfortunately, I think that it will come at the expense of Moderate forces in the Congress and it will leave us with an even more polarized and ineffectual legislative body in Washington.

If that does happen, Democrats will have no one to blame but themselves.

They shouldn’t have sold us on apples and tried to deliver oranges.

Or more often, lemons.

Related posts:

1. And Harry Reid Wants to Fix Health Insurance?
2. CNN’s Jack Cafferty Calls Out President Obama and Nancy Pelosi Over Health Care Reform Transparency
3. Ramblin’ Joe Takes on Health Care Reform.
4. Government Health Care at Work…
5. Senate Democrats to U.S. Workers: If You Want Tax-Free Health Benefits, Go Union