Non-myths

Just for kicks, I always enjoy taking a gander at Fox News whenever there is some type of big news story so I can get a gauge on how they're playing it. And, with President Obama's press conference earlier today, I figured it was worthwhile checking into. Naturally they cheered the 'tougher talk' on Iran, even though it sounded a lot like the earlier talk coming from the president on Iran they had previously criticized as being too timid, but whatever.

Still, what drew my eye was Elizabeth McDonald's piece on 'Health Care Myths' which is one of the most baffling, ill-informed and flat-out misleading hit jobs perpetuated by conservative pundits in a long time. It's a staggeringly inadequate commentary that does nothing but address some supposed 'myths' (or non-myths in most cases), and then simply talk around them for three or four paragraphs in a woeful attempt to dismiss them.

For example, McDonald can't believe the numbers put forward by the Centers for Disease Control that lists the United States 29th globally in infant mortality rate. So, she completely reinvents what should constitute the mortality rate and determines that, instead, we're only 16th. Obviously, this is ill-advised for two reasons. The first one is that it's preposterous for her to determine what factors ought to be considered, while the other is she still comes up with a number that is absolutely shameful.

And it gets more fabulous from there.

The fact that more than 45 million people lack health insurance is refuted by arguing that everyone in the country is afforded the right to health coverage, which is true ... but a wholly other argument. For starters, the uninsured will then have to pay out-of-pocket to cover those costs without any help from insurance. And, if they can't, the cost is passed on to other consumers meaning higher costs for everyone else.

McDonald also argues that 38 percent of the uninsured make more than $50,000 a year, obviously meaning they can afford to pay for health insurance. Assuming a family of four brings home that much money, which would roughly equal $4,000 per month, let's starting dividing that income up ... $1,200 for mortgage, $500 for child care, $500 for groceries, $500 for existing debt, $500 for vehicle payment ... and we've got $800 left. And, assuming they lack an employer match, they're staring at roughly every remaining penny going toward health coverage. Plus, we're not even touching any other usual expenses that families face.

I particularly enjoyed the deliberate confusion surrounding the public option as McDonald argues that such a plan wouldn't help the international competiveness of U.S. companies. While there's actually some elements of truth to this line of argument, it's not relevant since the ongoing debate involves the impact of a public option on domestic private insurance ... something that both sides concede would result in private providers having to dramatically reform how they do business. Those opposed don't wish to see that happen, while those in favor, like me, very much want to see it happen.

It's just an arrogantly insulting piece that provides nothing to the actual discourse going on right now, which is par for the course for those who wish to preserve the unsustainable status quo.