H/T Gabe at Ace of Spades.
Let us stipulate, for the record, that no one enjoys seeing people further impoverished. That said, I can't help but indulge in some schadenfreude, here. If I had to guess, I'd say that the "single mother of three" was more than happy that she was going to be able to soak her bargain-basement employer for a high-speed health plan. I wouldn't even be surprised to find out she was an Obama voter.
Across the nation, economic reality is rearing its inevitable head, and Leftists are crying that "it's not fair!" Some are even threatening to boycott entire corporations because of the hard decisions franchise owners face. They are shocked, shocked that small business owners are cutting part-time employees hours to avoid them suddenly being considered "full time" despite not working full-time hours.
What, exactly, did they think would happen?
Well, honestly, most of them didn't. To most of them, especially rich actors, the economy is magic, and money is merely a talisman used to work that magic. They have no understanding of the economy, and they believe that it is not understandable. So when they heard "free health care," and "a right to health care," they never stopped to ponder economic realities like TANSTAAFL, or that the laws of supply and demand stem from the core fact of the scarcity of resources.
But then there are those who did think about it. Most of them, I will generously grant, really should have fallen into the first group. They don't understand economic reality. Unfortunately, they think they do. So when they heard "employer paid health care" they thought, "Yeah! Every worker deserves (oh, how I hate that word- DT) health care!" To them, those business owners are all just greedy jerks who want to become rich "on the backs of their employees."
Some few, however, thought about economic reality, and understood it. They are simply evil. They understood exactly what would happen. Indeed, they understood that this was the design of the law. Small business owners, especially restaurant owners (either family restaurants or franchise owners), tend to work on very small margins. That is, after they've paid their businesses' bills, including payroll, what they actually take home is fairly modest. Anything that cuts into that margin poses a very serious threat of putting them in a negative feedback loop which would end in bankruptcy and (and this is important) the closing of their business. What, exactly, do they think will happen to those workers?
See, the point of Obamacare is (as admitted by the Malignant Traitor himself) to be a "Trojan Horse" for single payer. The Democrats want more people forced out of their insurance and onto the Exchanges. That is the only possible outcome of all the mandates and fees baked into the law. Once enough people are forced onto the "Public Option," they'll be able to cry, "See?! We told you those evil capitalists were only in for the money! They don't care about you!" and enact single payer.
And once the Government controls your access to health care, the Government controls every facet of your life.
I'm curious if these people would suddenly start decrying if these employers chose not to hire someone because of ObamaCare.
ReplyDeleteIt's a similar economic decision (I can't afford more man hours because the incrimental cost of having those man hours is too much.) but there's no sob story to tell.
Of course this is the liberal method of arguing. Tell stories, particularly sad ones, enact laws to fix those stories, logic be damned.
Strangely HuffPo (spit) doesn't point out that Taco Bell isn't doing anything *illegal* (you could argue it's unethical, but that's an entirely different argument premised on various assumptions). They're perfectly within their right to act in this way. If the costs to split a 40 hour/week position into two 20hr/week ones (both monetary and opportunity) are less than keeping it, I supsect most companies will choose that.
Heck this decision making has gone on long before Obamacare existed, even by places that already offer insurance to full time employees!
Rather idiots like HuffPo choose to use strange language to mask an argument they aren't ready to have. (Like "stripping her of her rights" when in fact, she has no right to a 32 hour a week job, and certainly no right to Taco Bell providing her her healthcare.)
A shame too, we could have gone for actual reform, attempted to bring down healthcare costs...instead...well...SCOAMF.
Here's the thing. That particular story wasn't about an FTE anyway. The people who are having their hours cut aren't full time, except under ObamaCare. Full time employees already have to have insurance provided (if you're over 50 employees, which is the only time ObamaCare kicks in anyway).
DeleteSo this woman's sob story is that she's a partially employed single mother of 3, and her already part-time hours are being cut. She's not being moved from full-time to part time.
And people are already electing to hire two part time workers instead of one full time employee because of ObamaCare. As you say, there's no sob story, so you're not really hearing about it. But it is happening.
Well we're redifing full time, for lack of a better turn of phrase. (Well not "we" or rather "We" in the "Obama thinks he's royalty" sense.)
DeleteMy point remains I think.
With one caveat. Clearly these decisions were already being made (the fact that she's already part time would stand as evidence for that.) The liberal response was to move the goal posts of "full time" to try to "capture" more people in it (and thus undercut employers.) I'd be curious to see if the next plan is to call to move those goalposts even farther. (15 hours/week FTE here we come!)
I don't think they'll move the goal-posts again. I think this will have enough of the intended consequences.
DeleteSee, I really think they're pushing for Single Payer. And between reduced hours, stagnant pay, and increasing health care costs (all direct outcomes of ObamaCare), millions of Americans will be forced onto the Government Option.
Once that happens, Single Payer is almost a given.
Yes, I agree. Some of them *are* evil and know exactly what they are doing, and the end game is never what they profess.
ReplyDeleteAnd the evil ones would never remain in charge of anything were it not for the sea of fools who support them. The thought of how many fools we have in this country drives me nuts sometimes.
But, I do chuckle every time the law of unintended consequences bites them in the ass and the wail "But that's not what was *supposed* to happen!!!111!!!".
Be a rebel, work as illegally as Juan Valdez. Openly offer a small businessman to work under the table, or work for a 1099 per quarter at a flat rate. You can force the Healthcare compliance gestapo to blow a lot of money forcing compliance.
ReplyDeleteI'm self-employed so sadly there is no escape from Choom Doom for me, but I am also pondering honoring these last contracts and imploding my services.
If you don't make it he can't take it.
sven