Alas, I am one of those folks who provided Our Rulers with their excuse for nationalizing the medical insurance industry: I do not have “health coverage.” (Nor do I want it, but of course politicians and bureaucrats never asked my opinion before foisting Obummercare on us.) And so I receive vastly entertaining snail-mail now as the deadline for the coercive purchase approaches.
The latest such arrived yesterday from EmblemHealth. They want me to know they stand ready to assist in forcing me to buy their product, then immediately soften the thuggery by promising “financial assistance in the form of tax credits and subsidies [sic for ‘thievery’] … for those who qualify. Eligibility is based on answers to questions like the ones below. If you’re unsure of the answers, don’t worry. We can help.”
Oh, really? And how would they know my responses to the four very personal questions they pose? To wit —
What is your annual income (dollars)?
Does your employer offer insurance?
How many adults (21 and older) are in your home?
How many children (20 and younger) are in your home?
Seriously? Emblem presumes I am such a moron I don’t know how many young’uns are running about underfoot nor how many adults inhabit my home? “Hello, Emblem? Um, yeah, could you tell me how many kids I birthed? Because gosh, you know, a gal tends to fergit, and I can’t count that high, either. Which is also why I don’t remember my annual income, climbing for the stratosphere as it does. Also, I think there’s a guy living in one of the bedrooms here, but who knows? He might be over 21; I’m not sure. Could you help me out?”
If they can, indeed, that’s about as spooky as it gets. Does EmblemHealth have a direct line to the NSA, or is the IRS feeding them our supposedly confidential tax-returns?
Ah, fascism. As creepy in its omniscience as it is totally offensive and arrogant.
8:38 am on November 19, 2013
