Discussing the whole Ted Cruz thing with friends on Facebook today, I realized something that should have been obvious from the beginning, but for some reason it hadn't quite clicked with me until tonight.
Thanks to the individual mandate, ObamaCare is an increase in the cost of US health care. Please note: I do not mean to say that "ObamaCare will raise costs." What I mean is that, by definition, ObamaCare is itself an increase in the cost of health care.
Think I'm wrong? Hear me out.
Let's suppose tomorrow they passed RyanCare. RyanCare is a law that states all human beings in the United States must either purchase an autographed photo of me at the going rate of $500, or else pay a $500 fine. In exchange, I - as the lone producer of autographed photos of myself - agree not to increase the price of said photos.
Yesterday, before RyanCare was passed, my mom bought one of my photos for $1000, and that was the only one I had ever sold. The average cost of these photos is therefore $1000. The total cost of these photos nationally is $1000.
Tomorrow, all 300 million Americans will purchase one of my photos for $1000. The average cost of these photos will be... $500. Voila! RyanCare has reduced the average cost of autographed photos of Ryan! The legislation is a success.
Of course, the total cost of these photos, the total expenditure paid for autographed photos of me is now $150 billion dollars, a net increase of $149,999,999,000.
Thanks to the individual mandate, ObamaCare is an increase in the cost of US health care. Please note: I do not mean to say that "ObamaCare will raise costs." What I mean is that, by definition, ObamaCare is itself an increase in the cost of health care.
Think I'm wrong? Hear me out.
Let's suppose tomorrow they passed RyanCare. RyanCare is a law that states all human beings in the United States must either purchase an autographed photo of me at the going rate of $500, or else pay a $500 fine. In exchange, I - as the lone producer of autographed photos of myself - agree not to increase the price of said photos.
Yesterday, before RyanCare was passed, my mom bought one of my photos for $1000, and that was the only one I had ever sold. The average cost of these photos is therefore $1000. The total cost of these photos nationally is $1000.
Tomorrow, all 300 million Americans will purchase one of my photos for $1000. The average cost of these photos will be... $500. Voila! RyanCare has reduced the average cost of autographed photos of Ryan! The legislation is a success.
Of course, the total cost of these photos, the total expenditure paid for autographed photos of me is now $150 billion dollars, a net increase of $149,999,999,000.
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