Let them eat cake

Digby has a response to a complaint by a physician that poor people could afford health insurance if they just prioritized and quit spending their money on cigarettes and stuff...

Many lower-income employees can afford the premiums; it just means they may have to prioritize and possibly give up the cellphone, keep the used car another year or two or give up a $5 pack of cigarettes each day. Or, God forbid, develop healthful dietary and exercise routines.

Gordon Tagge MD.

Here's Digby:

Those poor people would be able to afford the four or five hundred a month in insurance premiums if they'd completely give up their car and walk. It's good exercise. And if only they stopped eating so much they'd lose weight and be healthier.

Clearly, being unable to afford health insurance is another bullshit socialist excuse for being lazy.

Of course, there is this:

Since 2000, the cost of employee health insurance has risen 59%, Kaiser found, and workers' share of their health insurance premiums has surged 57% for individual coverage and 49% for a family. During that period, wages increased just 12% — 2.2% this year.

Well, maybe they could give up shelter, too. There are plenty of gas station bathrooms to clean up in before they walk to work. There is simply no excuse for them to not pay for their health insurance.

And I like this reader's response:

Many MD's could afford malpractice liability insurance premiums; it just means they may have to prioritize and give up the 1.5 million dollar lakefront house, the Jaguar, the wife's Navigator, the kids' Excursions and BMW's, and the vacations in Fiji.

Update 12:12 pm: LaBelle forward this:

There are at least 5 million fewer jobs providing health insurance in 2004 than in 2001...

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