Pataki Talks Turkey on ObamaCare, Update

As a follow up to my post on Madison discussing economic uncertainty, here's a good example in how it applies, and from a surprising source. Mr. Pataki made a number of - putting it as generously as possible - dubious moves as Governor of New York. [See, in particular, the paragraph about Cato's 'grade' on his fiscal policy.] Still, what he says here is unassailable.

We were told that most Americans would pay less for their health care. Yet the Obama administration's own Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services just reported that health care costs will instead go up by over $1,000 per year by 2019 for a family of four.

We were told that ObamaCare would drive down the costs of health care. Yet just this week health insurers asked for premium increases of up to 9% solely because of ObamaCare.

We were told — and how many times did the president say this? — that if you were happy with your current coverage, you wouldn't need to change it at all. Yet under rules issued in June, his own administration estimates that 51% of all employees and 66% of workers in small businesses would have their current plan changed within three years as a result of new mandates.

Faced with not only the certainty of higher costs but the uncertainty of new regulations yet to be written by the 157 new bureaucracies of ObamaCare, if I had a business I'd be looking for ways to fire existing staff, not hire more.

If the businessmen in America have any courage at all they'll band together and give a huge middle finger to the Federal Government.


Update [9/17/2010]: The founder of Home Depot just gave Obama and his gang a metaphorical middle finger. Excellent! I predict Home Depot's sales will now rise noticeably. Bravo, Mr. Marcus.