DUPLICITOUS GOVERNMENT

Duplicitous Government

By now most of you have become aware that Athem Blue Cross of California (A part of the Wellpoint (WLP) insurance giant) is threatening to raise premium rates for California INDIVIDUAL policyholders some 39% (Indiana was also notified of a similar rate increase). Make note that the initial rate increase is for individual policyholders, not group policyholders. This is a very important distinction in the continuing political battle for Government healthcare, and we will see why later. Let me ask you something. Do you think that the Athem Blue Cross rate increase at this particular time is incredibly stupid? Really? Do you really think a for profit business like Wellpoint would raise rates some 39% while the Government threatens to take over the healthcare of all Americans and this “fortuitous” rate increase would dramatically prove to one and all that healthcare costs are completely out of control and in need of Government takeover? Do you really think that the Grand Pooh-bahs of these insurance conglomerates, who annually receive millions of dollars in bonus payments, could actually be that stupid? Of course there’re not. So what is really happening here? The fact is that the three largest Insurance Conglomerates, United Health Group (UNH), Aetna (AET), and Wellpoint (WLP) all have a major role in Government healthcare regardless how it finally comes down on our heads. At the very least, 50 million new healthcare customers will be forced by the Government to carry Health Insurance offered by these Companies. But wait, there’s more. These Companies (behind those famous closed doors) all had a major role in crafting the healthcare bill now before Congress and they stand to make untold profits under Government controlled healthcare without the constraints that competition imposes on the free market place. Brothers and Sisters, are you beginning to see the light? It is far easier to payoff politicians in the Government than to do business under the uncertainty of competition within the free marketplace. After all, payoffs are only a business expense while competition is a business uncertainty. So why make this announcement of a 39% rate increase at his particular time? It seems obvious to me that a Cass Sunstein “choice architecture” is being formulated here that can “nudge” the dumb-butt American people to make the correct choice on this healthcare matter. The threatened rate increase is one of the prime components for the “choice architecture” that will offer a contrived choice for the American people to determine which is better, (a) out-of-control healthcare costs by the money-grubbing, unscrupulous Insurance Companies and fat-cat wall street moneymakers (just dramatized by the unwarranted and massive 39% rate increase) or (b), Big Mama Government that is only concerned about healthcare for all citizens regardless of economic status, because after all, Big Mama Government is in the people caring business, unlike the healthcare industry that is only concerned about making obscene profits off of people’s sickness and misery, right? Besides, this is American and as an American you can always vote out the Government if you are unhappy with Government healthcare but you can’t vote out the money grubbing healthcare industry, right? This “choice architecture” will be presented to the public on C-Span television during the so called “Summit” meeting with the stupid Republicans on the healthcare bill, that, by the way, is now being rewritten behind even more closed doors. The insurance conglomerates have already been convinced that it is in their best interests to make a very large rate increase announcement at this time to support the “choice architecture.” You don’t think this is happening? Let me give you a similar local example. Some time ago, Indianapolis wanted a large trash-burning incinerator to satisfy the EPA and to reduce costs of landfills. The people said no thanks. City Government hurried out and surveyed multiple landfill sites within upscale neighborhoods and said that the new landfills would be required to take care of the trash in the coming years. Of course, the citizens went ballistic about landfills in their backyards and the City Government rebutted that a large incinerator would rescind the need for the new landfills. Voila, incinerator voted in with astonishing ease by the successful implementation of a “Choice architecture.” Come on now, don’t be surprised, if there is one thing we all should have learned by now is that all Governments speak with forked-tongue, i.e., that is in modern Americanspeak, they are duplicitous when dealing with the unwashed masses. Just keep in mind the timeless and universal maxim, to wit: All politicians lie, some just lie more than others.