A Bad Idea – Bush Health Savings Accounts for the Poor

President Bush, once again with nice sounding thoughts about helping the poor with expanding Health Care Accounts, winds up doing nothing. What the poor really need is a higher minimum wage. Maybe if they had less stress trying to make ends meet with no money they would be healthier. Try living on $10,920 a year and see how much stress you would have.

In a just released study by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities in Washington DC, they say that Bush’s Individual Health Savings Account idea would actually result in a net increase in the number of workers without heath care insurance. The reason is that there would be a decline in the number of employers providing health care. This would offset any gain in individual coverage.

Once again Bush is looking out for corporate interests, decreasing their obligation to provide health care insurance. Places like Wendy’s which only start their store crew at minimum wage and add only dollar or two over time, really are shirking their social responsibility to provide people working for them with a decent liveable wage. By paying low wages they shift the burden of health care costs onto the taxpayers who pick up the increased medical costs through public assistance programs. They want people to work for them but they certainly don’t provide fair wages by paying minimum wage.

Some 33 states nationwide have a state minimum wage the same as the Federal minimum wage of $5.25 per hour. That’s the same as it was 9 years ago. Funny thing is you can’t buy a gallon of gas or a loaf of bread for what it cost nine years ago.

Compassionate conservatism? Hey I’ve got some tax breaks for the wealthy I’d like to sell you.
Don’t blame me if they trickle down on you, like a little warm and with a yellow tinge.