GOP’s “simple multiplication” goof: How a phony GOP budget season met its climax - Jim Newell

[swag]

http://www.salon.com/2015/03/26/gops_simple_multiplication_goof_how_a_phony_gop_budget_season_met_its_climax/

Did you know that under Obamacare, the federal government will be paying SEVENTY TRILLION DOLLARS PER BENEFICIARY next year? Hello? Why isn’t the liberal media abortion industry reporting on this!

Just kidding, no one said that. Rep. Pete Sessions, who is not a freshman Tea Party type but the chairman of the quite powerful House Rules Committee, did say that the federal government will be paying $5 million dollars per Obamacare beneficiary in the 2016 fiscal year. That’s still a lot. Five million smackers for some bum’s health care! What’s up with that. Let’s check out the “simple multiplication” by which Pete Sessions arrived at this figure. He was gracious enough to show the American people his work during a speech on the House floor this week.

“If you just do simple multiplication, 12 million [insured individuals] into $108 billion, we are talking literally every single [Obamacare] recipient would be costing this government more than $5 million per person for their insurance. It’s staggering….$108 billion for 12 million people is immoral. It’s unconscionable. ”

STAGGERING! IMMORAL! UNCONSCIONABLE!

Also: false, because $108 billion divided by (or “multiplied by,” if you use Pete Sessions’ fancy opposite-math) 12 million, you get $9,000. If he thinks $9,000 is a lot, he should say that $9,000 is a lot. What he shouldn’t do is pull a number like $5 million out of his ass and toss it around on the House floor. (The Washington Post’s Glenn Kessler, who caught this whole thing, puts the number at $4,130 by using the latest CBO figures.)

This may be the most acute instance of phony Obamacare math in the budget debate. It is a high comedic moment. And I hate to get all “this is symbolic of a bigger problem” on everyone here, but… this is symbolic of a bigger problem when it comes to GOP budgetary math surrounding the Affordable Care Act.

. . . more

[swag]

1. Wow, the GOP's budget leaders cannot even do simple math. N/T

[Galileo126]

2. Rep. Sessions - What shcule you went? LOL. -nt