Hello John,   
      
   On Sun 2012-Oct-14 13:53, John Massey (1:123/789) wrote to Richard Webb:   
      
    RC>> Perhaps Obamacare isnt what its cooked up to be..   
      
      
    JM>> It Isn't. It's worse.   
      
    RW> Of course it is.  The weight falls on the small business   
    RW> owners who, unlike Darden can't afford to manipulate   
    RW> schedules of employees,   
      
   JM> Sure they can. Small business shift peoples hours around all the   
   JM> time.    
      
   Right, but when you have to make further adjustments that   
   have nothing whatsoever to do with your actual business, but to avoid mandates   
   it's even a bigger pita.   
      
   I've lost two good part-time techs in the last 3 years   
   because I couldn't afford to pay health care benefits, or to pay them under   
   the table so that they could stay under   
   certain limits to get the care they needed for themselves or a family member.   
      
   ONe switched from two part-time gigs, me and somebody else   
   to a full-time job with medical.  The other had to quit   
   working altogether to qualify for the medical care he needed to sustain life,   
   because I wouldn't pay him off the books.   
   Both were good diligent workers.  SO it goes.   
      
    RW> Employer provided health care was a doable thing in the   
    RW> period post ww ii when there was less competition from   
    RW> foreign factories and most of us consumed American made   
    RW> products.  Mandates for employer provided health care just   
    RW> don't work now however.  OFten small businesses can't retain the best   
    RW> people, because they can't afford to provide them   
    RW> health care benefits.  NOt if they wish to remain   
    RW> competitive.   
      
   JM> Employers should not be forced to provide those services. Neither   
   JM> should it be Government owned or run.   
      
   Right, they shouldn't, but the expectation was created back   
   when it was workable.  IT's not anymore.   
      
   I'll tell you what, we can go back to 19th century levels of health care, and   
   the technology and knowledge base that was   
   available then.  See if you can barter a chicken for a ct   
   scan, or a cow to manage your diabetes, etc.   
      
              Richard   
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    * Origin:  (1:116/901)