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The Spectacle Blog
A number of conservative commentators, including and especially those writing at this blog, have argued, correctly, that Obamacare is a hugely expensive enterprise that will likely add to the deficits over the next 10 years and beyond. Accordingly, repeal of the bill is a step toward fiscal responsibility.
Recently Yuval Levin restated this logic in a post for National Review, and for his efforts was promptly derided by Jonathan Chait of the New Republic, who concluded that “part of the extraordinary vitriol of the health care debate stems from the fact that, on the Republican side, even the specialists believe things that are simply patently untrue.” Among other objections, Chait claims that Levin was (improperly) counting the cost of the “doc fix” toward the overall cost of Obamacare, thus revealing his cluelessness.
Levin responded to Chait’s attack with a measured post in which he reviews each of Chait’s arguments against the fiscal wisdom repeal, and shows convincingly that, in his words, “Chait misrepresents what I wrote, misrepresents the facts regarding the doc fix question, and misrepresents both the CBO’s and the CMS actuary’s views about the effects of the health-care law.” Chait’s biggest misrepresentation, according to Levin, is suggesting that Levin counted the doc fix as a cost of Obamacare. He didn’t.
If you are interested in the details of the budgetary costs of repeal, which have been rehearsed here and elsewhere many times, I recommend Levin’s explication. One point that bears repeating, though, is that although the doc fix, which changes the reimbursement rates paid to doctors for Medicare services, would have been necessary irrespective of Medicare, that doesn’t mean that it shouldn’t be mentioned in reference to the new health care law. President Obama promised, and the Democrats continue to claim, comprehensive health care reform. If they want to make that claim to the public, fine — just as long as they don’t then complain when others bring up the aspects of health care crying out for reform that they failed to address.
View all comments (7) | Leave a comment
More Blog Posts by Joseph Lawler
http://spectator.org/blog/2011/01/19/we-have-to-repeal-this-bill-to
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Richard Baker| 1.19.11 @ 12:24PM
As I remember, during the debate, such as it was, on this monstrosity, many Conservatives had ideas to fix those portions of our health care system that needed it and substantially leave the bulk of the finest health care system alone. An example was selling insurance across state lines which was ignored by the lefties. God forbid when government CONTROL is within reach.
Bruce| 1.19.11 @ 2:01PM
What surprises me is that virtually NOBODY ever mentions the tax on home sales hidden in this atrocity after 2012. Like a 3.5% tax is somehow insignificant these days? If I sell my home for a rock bottom $300k, I will owe the government an additional $10,500.00. And this has WHAT to do with "health care" other than redistribution of wealth and putting the governments hand in the pockets of people who actually worked for a living to but a home?
Roy| 1.19.11 @ 2:34PM
http://www.factcheck.org/2010/.....your-home/
Dixie Pixie| 1.19.11 @ 2:16PM
The ObamaCare accounting books have been so cooked, scrambled, re-fried and recooked that no debate can come close to the true numbers.
Charles Martel| 1.19.11 @ 2:19PM
Repeal it, though that won't pass the Senate, much less get past the veto pen. Then defund what would then still remain the law. The Senate will resist, and Obama will veto (or at least want to), but stand your ground, House GOP: no money is no money. It couldn't be simpler.
Then start over in the 113th Congress, when the GOP controls the Senate and we have a real president.
+++
rudy| 1.19.11 @ 7:22PM
The thousand page health care bill is the perfect example of the kind of un-tethered legislative cargo that can sink the ship. This brain child of people with the best of intentions was kidnapped by an army of bureaucrats who religiously exploit delicious opportunities to expand their empires. Blue and Red both worship this temptress. Got to hope we can find strong leadership willing to enact tough laws that dare to define essential and non-essential legislative categories and prohibit mixing categories in a single bill
Roy| 1.19.11 @ 2:28PM
The "doc fix" argument is bogus unless we are going to repeal it along with Obamacare. Are we?