The 47 Million Uninsured Myth
Barack Obama and his Democrat minions would have us believe our health care system is in crisis. While this couldn’t be further from the truth, one of the biggest ’statistics’ they use to make their case is that 47 million Americans are without insurance. But when this number is actually scrutinized, the true number is closer to 10-15 million.
Mark Levin, in his essential book Liberty And Tyranny, explains:
It is said by the proponents of government-run health care that 47 million people go without health care in the United States. For example, during the so-called Cover the Uninsured Week event in 2008, Democrat Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi issued a statement declaring that this is the “time to reaffirm our commitment to access to quality, affordable health care for every American, including the 47 million who live in fear of even a minor illness because they lack health insurance…In the wealthiest nation on earth, it is scandalous that a single working American or a young child must face life without the economic security of health coverage.” This is more deceit.
In 2006, the Census Bureau reported that there were 46.6 million people without health insurance. About 9.5 million were not United States citizens. Another 17 million lived in households with incomes exceeding $50,000 a year and could, presumably, purchase their own health care coverage. Eighteen million of the 46.6 million uninsured were between the ages of eighteen and thirty-four, most of whom were in good health and not necessarily in need of health-care coverage or chose not to purchase it. Moreover, only 30 percent of the nonelderly population who became uninsured in a given year remained uninsured for more than twelve months. Almost 50 percent regained their health coverage within four months. The 47 million “uninsured” figure used by Pelosi and others is widely inaccurate.
Having 10-15 million or so uninsured Americans may well be cause for concern (assuming, of course, they are truly needy), but it is hardly sufficient enough cause to dismantle a system that most Americans are satisfied with and by measure is one of the best (if not the best) in the entire world.
Moreover, the statistics cited by Mr. Levin are hardly inaccessible. Surely, Obama, Pelosi, Reid, et al, must know these truths. As such, it is hard not to question their real motivation vis-a-vis healthcare.
If they truly wanted to reform our system they would focus their energy on helping those without insurance to obtain it, as well as finding ways to enable Americans to insure against catastrophic illness or injury.
Instead, what they are doing is using the issue to scare Americans and take advantage of their benevolent nature in order to grow government, obtain the utmost control our lives, and amass as much power for themselves as possible.
Cross-posted at Conservatives with Attitude!
