The current cost of employer-sponsored health care coverage is a "job killer"

[Kyle Curtis]

Let's see.  A recent Kaiser Family Foundation report (obvious liberal bias) shows that the average amount of employer-sponsored health coverage is $1,115 a month.  That's the equivalent of $13,375 a year- or roughly the equivalent of the annual salary of a minimum wage job.  That's what an employer pays on top of each employees' salary.  Little wonder why employers are transferring an increasing portion of health care costs on to their employees', eating into employees take-home pay.  Can you imagine if you were a small-business owner, trying to get your feet off the ground, and you had to factor in the costs of paying the equivalence of an annual employee salary on top of the salary you all ready pay out?

Why, that's madness.  But, that's also the current system status quo which some disillusioned and ill-informed individuals are fighting tooth-and-nail to preserve.  All that talk about how Obama's health care plan is a "job killer?"  Yet paying the equivalence of a year's worth of salary for each job somehow isn't a job killer? 

If the current health care system remains unchanged, then our country continues down an economically ruinous path.  All of these cynical pessimists that are opposing the attempts to health care reform- and support the current towards for national economic ruin- are treasonous, plain and simple.  Despite the undeniable fact that efforts need to be done, and we are looking at a comprehensive piece of legislation that deals with these issues in a systemic manner, these cynics keep braying about a "clean sheet of paper."  Consider how this extra $1,115 chokes the innovative efforts and the economic driving force of America's small businesses- how will a "clean sheet of paper" help them?  Consider the 45,000 unnecessary deaths that occur in this country this year due to the lack of health insurance, or health insurance that denies coverage.  How will a "clean sheet of paper" put an end to that?  And consider the outrageous premium increases that occur each year- at least double-digits regardless of where you're at, but in some locations reaching up to 39 and even 60 percent.  How will a "clean sheet of paper" put an end to those?

Boehner, Cantor, McConnell... I have an idea of what you can do with your "clean sheet of paper."  You better home you have a comprehensive health care plan that won't refuse coverage of what procedures would be needed to take care of you afterwards!

[Brent Wolters]

That is why most small businesses, that are "trying to get their feet off the ground" don't offer health coverage to their employees. 

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[Kyle Curtis]

Ah, so an unhealthy and unproductive work force is ideal?

Seriously, what is the possible argument in opposition to making health care affordable to be granted to your employees?

Besides the obvious one of insisting on being a d-bag....

[Kyle Curtis]

So, basically Brent's argument breaks down like this:

'When you're starting out a business, you should only have unhealthy unproductive workers to get your feet out from under yourself.  And if you're able to get past these unsurmountable odds, and have finally established yourself, then- WHAM!- you have to pay $1100+ per employee per month- call it a "successful business fee" if you will, but its certainly NOT any sort of tax at all- if you want to provide health care coverage, and not force your employees to be sucking off the teat of the U.S. taxpayer for health care coverage.  You know, like Walmart employees.  This is the status quo I support, and will call you a socialist if you dare criticize it.  Unless, of course, you have a clean sheet of paper.  That I will seriously consider..."

Btw, the health insurance companies are holding a conference today in Washington D.C. to plan out ways to continue the above described stats quo system which is so beloved and cherished by "a majority of the American people" -aka the Republican Senate minority.  The cost of attending this conference?  Only $1125- if you're a non-member.

Could they have picked a more ironic price for attendance?  Certainly these ticket prices will ensure a large gathering of the "grassroots" that are attempting to prevent health care reform.

[Kyle Curtis]

And all of those jacked-up premiums raised by private health insurance companies over this past year?

I wonder how much of the money that they tearfully pleaded they just need to raise so much, is going towards the $1 million pledged today in the luxurious D.C. Ritz Carlton on ads to defeat health care reform.

What if, here's a radical thought, they had spent $1 million in keeping rates low for their customers?  Gosh, I bet if they did that we wouldn't even be having this discussion...

Which is actually more of a monologue.  Because what does Brent have?  Oh yeah, nothing. 

[Juneau Smog]

Kyle, you don't mean like government subsidies keeping the free market from raising the rate per gallon of gas to $14/gal doing the same thing for health care do you? What are you some kind of socialist radical communist pig?

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Yes we can heal this nation.
Yes we can repair this world.

[Alex Romero]

Its the new US business model!...how exciting!...so it is a good business practice for new companies to not offer Health insurance to their employees?...good luck with the employee turnover!...how do you expect to keep any worth while employees?...You could hire illegals...But I doubt Brent would back that plan....Id love to see documentation that states this is the best practice...I doubt it exists.

[Kyle Curtis]

Of course it doesn't exist.  Why?  Because its Sarah Todd'd.

Hence the reason why Brent responded as such...