Sometimes we progressives are better at knowing THAT some GOP talking point is bullshit than at knowing WHY it is bullshit. We have good "bullshit detectors" but they only work for people like us, not your average low-information person. Sometimes, we don't even bother trying to refute arguments that can easily be refuted. Perhaps this is because we've never taken the time to understand why they're wrong.
Take, for example, Health Care reform. When the Democrats controlled Congress, they acted as though the Republicans had no solution to the problem. While it was true that they had no VIABLE solution, they did offer a sound-bite solution
Let Health Insurance Companies Sell Across State Lnes
For the most part Democrats acted as though this idea had never been offered, but that just not true. If we don't refute it, there's nothing to stop them from raising it over and over again. In fact, it's still being uttered by Republicans who, in the wake of the Supreme Court decision, have to answer the question, "if you repeal Obamacare, what would you replace it with"? The GOP plan may not be worthy of serious consideration.
But if confronted on it by a Republican acquaintance, could you answer it?
Answer below the fold.
First of all, let's try to suss out what this even means. What is stopping the companies from selling insurance across state lines now? Well, nothing. Doesn't it happen even now? Are Blue Cross and United Health Care only operating in your state? Of course not. Blue Cross operates in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia. And while UHC does not appear to have a similar listing on their website, it's clear that they view themselves as a national entity.
Clearly some insurance companies can compete across state lines. So what are the Republicans talking about?
The only thing this talking point could possibly mean is that there are other companies that are prevented from offering their products in certain states. Some states have REGULATIONS on what a health insurance plan must offer to pass muster as an insurance plan. Some states have laxer requirements than others.
Some states even have government agencies for insurance regulation - through which consumers of health insurance can appeal outrageous lack-of-coverage decisions by the insurers. I, myself, have made use of my state's Insurance Department on two separate occasions - and WON several hundreds of dollars each time. Most people don't even know such resources exist - and are jaw-droppingly amazed when I tell these stories.
So, if the GOP talking point means anything at all, it means striking down state regulations that let unscrupulous "insurance" scams that operate in a few states "compete" in every state.
Now, we also have to think about what "competition" means in the current context. Most people still get health insurance from their employer. "Competition" between insurers often means competition to see which available insurer offers something called "health insurance" at the lowest possible price to the employer buying it for their employees. And "letting insurers compete across state lines" means destroying regulations that prevent the more scamlike insurers - which now can operate only in the laxest states - operate everywhere.
In other words, the GOP talking point means, to the extent it means anything at all, that they want all states to allow the worst insurance plans from all states into every state, which, in the long run, can only make YOUR health insurance even crappier.
I'm not sure why more Democrats aren't willing to take that on.