If 70 percent of all jobs created are by small businesses, shouldn't we help small businesses start, develop and grow?
If there is a would-be entrepreneur who is willing to invest the time and money necessary to start a business, shouldn't we find a way to help that person start that business?
If the only thing holding that person back is the cost of health insurance, shouldn't we attempt to do something about that as well?
Q: Why are health insurance costs are so high, and growing higher?
A: Fear is an easy way to keep the American worker in line.
In the immortal words of Bugs Bunny... "Could be"
Two candidates are up for the same job. Candidate 1 is a 35 year-old white male. He graduated from a state college. He has 2 small children and a stay-at-home wife. He has been out of work for 7 months. He has exhausted his unemployment benefits. Candidate 1 REALLY needs this job.
Candidate 2 is a 35 year-old white male. He graduated from a state college. He is single. He has no children.
The company they are interviewing with offers a modest pension plan, 2 weeks vacation and an employee participation health care plan, 75 percent of which is paid for by the employer. Each married employee costs the company $600 per month ($7,200 per year). Each non-married employee costs the employer $200 per month ($1,200 per year).
Two questions arise:
1) Who needs the job more?
2) Who is going to get the job?
Health
insurance for everybody creates jobs.
Scenario 1: A white-collar
professional (network engineer; software engineer; middle manager; etc) and
main breadwinner of a family loses his job. After exhausting 26 weeks of
unemployment insurance, COBRA payments and part of the family savings, he
decides that drastic measures are needed. The house is sold and the money is
used for every day expenses. The former professional is now mired in a
meaningless position (meaningless to him), lacks self-respect and is frequently
depressed. Worst of all, as time goes by, there is a feeling of surrender that
overtakes him. He gives up on finding a new position and the deteriorate. The
hole just gets deeper and deeper until all light disappears.
Scenario 2: A white-collar
professional (network engineer; software engineer; middle manager; etc) and
main breadwinner of a family loses her job. While collecting unemployment
insurance, less 10% for health care insurance, this head-of-the-family decides
to strike out on her own (network consulting; software services; management consulting;
etc) while still looking for a new position. She discovers the ability to
communicate with business decision-makers. One of these decision-makers likes
what he sees in the consultant and offers her a position. JOB CREATED.
Scenario 3: A white-collar professional network engineer; software engineer; middle manager; etc) and main breadwinner of a family loses his job. While collecting unemployment insurance, less 10% for health care insurance, this head-of-the-family decides to strike out on their own (network consulting; software services; management consulting; etc) while still looking for a new position. He discovers the ability to communicate with business decision-makers. One of these decision-makers likes what she sees and contracts the consultant to improve business. The consultant discovers a new market for the company’s existing product line and advises the decision-maker to hire sales people to address this new market. JOBS CREATED. By word-of-mouth, the consultant attracts more and more business. He finds it necessary to hire a salesperson and a receptionist. EVEN MORE JOBS CREATED.
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