Open Thread

Arkady;

I think you are switching the argument. You are arguing for the safety net to be extended to the uninsured. We can argue about that if you will, but that is NOT what I’m talking about here.

Let’s be specific. Suppose you are a healthy 25 year old and as such, you wish to purchase only inexpensive, bare-bones catastrophic insurance. This is a logical move for many young people. Under the legislation being proposed, this person would not be allowed this freedom of choice. He would be mandated to buy a full-fledged policy at a much higher premium, or else face a penalty or jail. This is oppression.

If this health plan does pass, I predict it will quickly be scrapped because young people (such as the case I just cited) will quickly come to realize what happened: a new, stealth heavy tax had been imposed on them.

But wouldn’t a guillotine be period appropriate in some nabes? Where is Shillstoner when you need him?

Dave, Raj Rajaratnam asked the Court to lower his bond – by $75 million – and modify his travel restrictions, claiming he’s no flight risk:

http://www.cnbc.com/id/33535534

“PolPot, MaoZedong, Stalin, Hitler, Mussolini, Castro, Tito, Franco, Milosevic or Chavez to name a few.”

I doubt StevieB and his followers will be joining that list or getting any similar traction in the U.S. I just don’t see your concern that anything on that level of atrocity is going to happen here. I also think there is a lot of room to discuss income disparities, the advantages of wealth and problems of poverty without being lumped in with that illustrious crowd. Would you add teddy roosevelt to that list? RFK?

Benson,

I don’t see that the bills coming out of Congress have criminal provisions attached.