ObamaCare – All the Hallmarks of a Scam

MPatterson102209b.jpgA couple of summers ago, I moved from New York City to Washington, D.C.

Now, finding a new home long distance can be a tedious and enervating task — train rides to unfamiliar cities, cab rides in unfamiliar neighborhoods, lots of wasted time and money. Fortunately these days online real estate listings make the process somewhat easier; at the very least it is another resource available to the prospective renter/buyer.

But online offers pitfalls of its own. During my search, I would often inquire via email about an online ad for what seemed like a nice apartment, only to get a response along these lines:

“Dear Sir,

I am overseas, but will send you the keys for apartment as soon as you send me check.”

Of course, there was always a reason why I couldn’t see the apartment first; there was no one available to show it; the apartment was about to be sold and so I had to send the check right away in order to secure it, etc.

ObamaCare is me reminding more and more of these online swindles. Consider, for example, the staggered nature of the proposed Senate bill (if passed and signed into law, of course) — new taxes starting right away in 2010, with most of the costs and benefits delayed until after 2014. The Democrats seem to be saying: “Send us your money now, then you’ll get your health care.”

But it’s much worse than that, of course. With the real estate scammers, I had the choice to not send them my money — and then to report them to the authorities. Congress will not ask for our money — they will take it. And if the delivered program does not operate as advertised — if it busts the budget, or leads to rationed care — who do we report Congress too?

Unfortunately, thomas.gov does not come with a “flag” button for rotten or dishonest legislation.

Written by Matt Patterson, policy analyst at the National Center for Public Policy Research. Write the author at [email protected]. As we occasionally reprint letters on the blog, please note if you prefer that your correspondence be kept private, or only published anonymously.

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The National Center for Public Policy Research is a communications and research foundation supportive of a strong national defense and dedicated to providing free market solutions to today’s public policy problems. We believe that the principles of a free market, individual liberty and personal responsibility provide the greatest hope for meeting the challenges facing America in the 21st century.