"Consuming" Health Care and "Skin in the Game": Rep. (R-Kan.) Pompeo's Witless Choice of Words

[xocet]

This morning on C-SPAN's Washington Journal, Rep. Mike Pompeo was interviewed. His discussion of health care and free markets in response to a caller's question seems to indicate that he does not bother to consider the meaning or content of what he says; to wit, anyone "consuming" health care has "skin in the game" by definition.

Please see time index 27:43 in the linked C-SPAN video:

C-SPAN Host: "Congressman...."

Rep. Pompeo: "Well, I appreciate your question. It sounds like you have a little bit of free market belief in you, too. You think everyone should pay..uhh..something for their health care. I..I agree with that. I think that everyone needs to have...a...little bit of skin in the game...ah...in order to make good decisions for themselves and for their families when they're...ah...consuming healthcare...umm...as for the farm bill....(The congressman's answer continues, but is not transcribed here.)"

http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/306791-5

[surrealAmerican]

1. It's not a new argument.

This was a republican talking point during the discussions prior to the health care legislation. It is a particularly stupid argument. People's lives and well-being are at stake when they "consume" health care, yet the republicans figure that people have only one concern in life - their money.