Quote of the Day: “It is the competition of profit-seeking entrepreneurs that does not tolerate the preservation of false prices . . .” — Ludwig von Mises, “Human Action” 3rd edition, pages 337-338
Subject: Have you noticed that there’s a rebellion underway?
* A majority oppose the bill — 53% to 42%
* That’s down 5 points from two weeks ago and 8 points from six weeks ago
The intensity numbers are even better — 44% strongly oppose the proposal while only 26% strongly favor it.
This intensity is being demonstrated in the rebellion members of Congress are facing at town hall meetings. While we dislike the rude tactics some citizens are using, we completely understand and agree with the anger.
One thing driving this is the spreading realization that the so-called “public option” is really a Trojan Horse that will lead to a “single payer” system . . .
* The “public option” is tax-subsidized government insurance that would charge lower premiums than private companies could afford to match — that’s the whole point of the tax subsidy
* This would eventually drive private health insurance out of business, leaving us with a “single payer” government system
* The so-called “single payer” would really be ALL taxpayers, because taxes would fund all health care
* In other words, public-option equals single-payer equals socialism
But here again, the news is encouraging . . .
Rassmusen reports that a whopping 57% oppose a single-payer system, while only 32% favor it.
And here’s the best news of all . . .
51% percent fear government health care more than they do the insurance companies.
We’ve long felt that public hatred of insurance companies is the main source of support for increased government involvement in health care. But now people seem to be realizing that the real reason to hate the insurance companies is because of . . .
The United States of Corporate Welfare
Big health care interests have used the coercive power of government to erect thickets of Corporate Welfare Regulation, to reward themselves, punish their competitors, and harm consumers.
Instead, the problem is that government regulations retard competition and consumer choice, leading to inefficient service and false prices.
We don’t need a 2,000-page bill that re-engineers our entire health care system. Instead, the first thing we need is a 1-page bill that restores competition between insurance companies by allowing you to sidestep the corporate welfare regulations erected by state-governments.
This is something the federal government can do using its Constitutional authority under the Commerce Clause.
A rebellion is underway, and we DC Downsizers need to give that rebellion a direction, not only by opposing the Trojan Horse health care bill, but also by promoting positive reforms that will restore consumer choice.
Tell Congress to give you a 1-page bill that allows you to buy health insurance regulated by the state of your choice.
If you want, you can use your personal comments to paste-in some of the poll results listed in this Dispatch.
To stay on pace to exceed the 50,802 messages Downsizers sent to Congress last month we must send 2,636 messages today.
Thank you for being a part of the growing Downsize DC Army. To see how fast YOUR ARMY is growing, please check out the Keeping Score Report below my signature.
Jim Babka
President
DownsizeDC.org, Inc.
KEEPING SCORE REPORT
We’ve grown by 34 net new members since Wednesday. This brings us to 3,484 net new members for the year. The Downsize DC Army now stands at 27,833 — 83% of the way between 27,000 and 28,000!
We can also grow faster by spreading the word through the media. Please help us do this by starting a monthly credit card pledge — it can be as low as $5 a month (which is just 17 cents per day). You can start your pledge using our secure online contribution form.
Please let us know if its okay to advertise your support here:
NEW MONTHLY PLEDGERS IN AUGUST: Gary J Leidy, David Bergland, Gary T Gorski, Don J Crites, 3 unlisted — 7 total. FROM JULY: Barbara Greenhouse, Henry Wood, Donald B. Fox, Mickey Adams, Mary E Sullivan, Raul A., Michael Jones, Alan Farrar, Emma Flores, Michael S Gerlica, John C Matthews, Cheston E Unnewehr, Val Grayson, Arlene Aquino, Susan Varey, Chris Sengenberger, John DiLiberto, 3 unlisted — 20 total.
NEW ONE TIME DONORS IN AUGUST: James Marranca, Kay Samalin, David Hyatt, Douglas Steinschneider, Lily Riker, Nicholas C. Beason, Mr. Marlin, Edward J. Krieger, Lynnette Thompson, 6 unlisted — 15 total.FROM JULY: Robert Lonaberger, Lucy Cole, Donald E Forward, Steven J Lavelle, Karen Glasgow, Brian Keith, Susan Thomas, Chelsea Moller, Michael Herman, Bonnie Hofer, Anita Binns, Brian O’Neill, Richard E Camp, Travis Walston, Donald Grahn, Sonja Thompson, 16 unlisted — 32 total.
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