Wednesday, November 06, 2013
Demand-side
As stunningly tiny numbers continue to emerge from Romneycare, maybe it's time to ask a non-technical question.
Murkowski announced today that the Alaska version of the Romneycare Connector has so far enrolled EXACTLY THREE customers.
The federal version is still successfully enrolling DOZENS of people toward a presumed goal of 47 million.
Is this a technical problem? Supply restricted by website problems? Or is it simply that NOBODY WANTS THIS WHOLE FUCKING MESS?
Romneycare was NOT passed in response to popular demand. I had assumed that the insurers wanted it, but more recent info shows that they weren't excited about the idea. Only Joe Lieberman wanted it, and he doesn't need it.
Somewhat parallel to the criminal justification for QE and TARP and all that. Supposedly those counterfeiting projects were meant to loosen up credit, but borrowing for business investment hasn't increased despite zero interest rates.
Among the many absurd assumptions of economics is the notion that "everything will sell at the right price." This is obviously untrue in real life. Some houses and cars and jobs and employees and spouses remain untaken regardless of price or inducements.
ZIRP and Romneycare are good examples of the failed assumption. Even at zero interest, businesses don't want to borrow. Even with LOW! LOW! LOW! subsidized rates for "the right customers", people don't want this type of insurance. I sure as fucking shit don't want my ENTIRE FUCKING MONTHLY EXPENSES TO INCREASE BY 20 FUCKING PERCENT FOR EXACTLY NO FUCKING BENEFIT.
¶ 5:13 AM 
