I'm just inscreasingly astounded when listening to Democrats arguing that greater government control is going to "restore" competition to insurance markets. Here's John King's interview with Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius on this morning's "State of the Union":
Sebelius argues at one point that "it's good to have consumer choice ... to let people choose an option in the new marketplace .. and it's good to have competition for private insurers who will inherit a lot of new customers."
It's almost mindboggling to listen to this, Orwellian even. Governments do not promote competition in markets. Governments regulate markets. One of the biggest marketplace inefficiencies right now is that consumers cannot buy private insurance across state lines. As Michael Tanner has pointed out in his article, "Obama Kills Health Competition":
Obama's plan ... will ultimately result in less competition, not more ... Though few realize it, it's illegal to purchase health insurance across state lines. This effectively creates insurance cartels in each state. Tear down this barrier to interstate commerce, and you'd instantly increase competition.
See also, Michael Tanner, "PERILS OF OBAMACARE: THE THREE BIG LIES."
And note something else: The Democrats at taking one step back to allow two steps forward (a classic Leninist prinicple). Don't believe for a second that a public option is off the table. By demonizing insurance companies, the administration's hoping to deflect criticism of ObamaCare onto the "greedy insurance monopolies"
For more on that, see my piece yesterday, "Obama's Town Hall at Grand Junction, Colorado: 'Nobody's Holding Insurance Companies Accountable'."
Plus, CNN, "Sebelius: There will be competition with private insurers" (via Memeorandum).
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