brandondawson.org

Freshman Congresswoman Lynn Jenkins, R-KS, thinks that insurance coverage is a magical gift bestowed upon working-class people by the wonders of the Invisible Hand. She evidently has failed, even in this environment, to learn the simple fact that there are millions of Americans caught in the middle of employers that do not offer health coverage, and insurance companies that make buying policies independently an expensive living hell. Which makes this exchange, at a town-hall between Jenkins and a working-class constituent, worth paying attention to.

The constituent, a waitress, has been forgoing all but the most critical health care for herself and her child, because her employer doesn’t offer insurance, and since she works (which is to say, she’s not a walking GOP talking-point Welfare Queen or illegal immigrant) she is ineligible for Medicaid or S-CHIP.

She proceeds to inform the constituent that under the plan she supports, “people should be given the opportunity to take care of themselves with an advanceable tax credit to go be a grown-up and go buy the insurance“.

Never mind that that young woman’s, or her child’s, pre-existing conditions would not be covered for a minimum of twelve months, nor that her policy could be rescinded for trivial oversights on the application. Never mind that the labyrinthine bureaucracy of insurance conglomerates, where 15-25% of premiums go to sheer overhead, before even shareholder profits, makes even the most byzantine governmental bureau look positively ruthless in their efficiency.

Apparently, Ms. Jenkins thinks that ideological principle cures disease.

But don’t take my word for it: Here’s the YouTube:

And here’s the transcript:

Elizabeth Smith: I’m a 27 year-old single mother. I work full-time. I do not have health insurance. My employer does not provide health insurance to me and I cannot afford it privately. Why shouldn’t my government guarantee all of its citizens health care?

Jenkins: Thank you. I’m sorry, maybe you missed my opening remarks, but absolutely. That’s why we have Medicaid in the current system and that’s why under the alternative proposal we have an option for low-to-modest-income people to be able to afford health care and then we’ve got the SCHIP program for children. I think we’ve got all of the bases covered.

Audience member: She’s not covered under SCHIP!

Jenkins: OK, if you’re not then you’re the perfect example for why we need reform and why we need it now but we have to do it right and if we can do an alternative proposal, as I’m suggesting, give you the money to go buy it in a reformed marketplace where it is affordable, that’s my preference rather than to saddle the nation with yet another government program when they can’t afford the government run programs we have.

Elizabeth Smith: I want an option that I can pay for. I work. I pay my bills. I’m not a burden on the state. I pay my taxes. So why can’t I get an affordable option. Why are you against that?

Jenkins: A government run program (laugh) is going to subsidize not only yours (laugh) but everybody in this room. So I’m not sure what we’re talking about here.

Jenkins: I think it comes down to the whole discussion of…

(The crowd erupts. At this point, it’s safe to say even they aren’t buying Jenkins position…)

Lynn: OK folks. Let’s be respectful. UH-OH (talking over crowd). We’re gonna make time for everybody. We’re gonna all listen to each other respectfully, even if we disagree. I think we can agree we need reforms, again it’s just how we gonna do it. I believe people should be given the opportunity to take care of themselves with an advanceable tax credit to go be a grown-up and go buy the insurance.