Washington Post business columnist Steven Pearlstein, last seen around these parts calling opponents of Obamacare "political terrorists," held a charming WashingtonPost.com chat yesterday. And by "charming" I really do mean "not charming at all." If the health care overhaul fails, get used to this kind of elite yapping at the proles' heels. Sample:
Fairfax, Va.: Why is it so many people believe illegal immigrants will receive coverage through the health-care reforms? I mean, why do seemingly so many people think illegal immigrants have the sort of political clout to get such benefits included in a bill?
Steven Pearlstein: Why do you say that? Where did you get that rubbish? Its just a lie, and you should go back to the place you got it and ask them why they are lying to you and trying to scare up an issue that simply doesn't exist. In fact, the bills make it clear that legal residency is required for participation in plans sold through the new exchanges. […]
NOVA: First, I am not a crowd disrupter at the health care town halls. I think those people really stage their protests because Limbaugh or Beck told them too. However, I have some questions about what is being proposed in Congress. Few people would feel the Post Office, the IRS, the Pentagon, Medicare, etc. are well run government organizations. How can we feel secure in the government running health care?
Steven Pearlstein: Okay, I tried to answer this once already. let me try again.
Your smear on government is unfounded, as is your fear that the government is going to run health care. […]
Moreover, who says government can't run anything? Those town meetings were full of old people who had been scared by right wing goons into believing that somebody was going to take away their Medicare. Obviously, they think its a pretty good program if they were demanding that nobody touch it. And I think if you ran on the platform that our boys and girls in Afghanistan were doing a lousy job, you probably wouldn't get many votes. As for the Post Office, if you think everyone hates it and nobody values its services, then why is there a public hue and cry whenever it is proposed to close one office or do away with Saturday delivery? Maybe you ought to rethink this knee-jerk, ideological view that government is always bad.
