MIT economist Jonathan Gruber has had a big influence on American life, much of it “behind the scenes.” He helped put together RomneyCare in Massachusetts, then Obamacare at the federal level. And he made a curious case for abortion that was picked up by Steven Levitt and made famous in Freakonomics.
But he wasn’t summoned before the U.S. House of Representatives’ Oversight Committee, yesterday, to talk about abortion. His boastings, in public, that the Affordable Care Act had been designed to deceive caught congressional attention.
And referring to voters as “stupid” doesn’t sit well with politicians — maybe because they’re living evidence.
Gruber started with some newfound humility. He had been bragging. In truth, he wasn’t that important to the process.
None of this was very convincing.
His explanations for his too-honest statements? Less than satisfactory: he chalked it all up to a spoken “typo.”
More entertainingly, when repeatedly asked whether he would give the committee his work product relating to his Health and Human Services contracts, he reiterated one simple answer: the committee should “take it up with my council.”
“You’ve been paid by the American taxpayer,” stated Rep. Jason Chaffetz, with escalating frustration. “Will you or will you not provide that information to this committee?”
But what was the Utah representative expecting?
Full disclosure?
Transparency?
Responsibility?
A straight answer?
Yeah, yeah, I know … talk to Gruber’s lawyer.
Even with the stonewalling, I think we’ve already seen enough of Mr. Gruber’s “work product.”
This is Common Sense. I’m Paul Jacob.
6 replies on “Stupid Before Congress”
15 minutes of admitting that the emporer has no clothes.
Nothing good will come of this for Gruber.
He is in full damage control mode to not go under the bus along with the rest of America, although he has already squeezed enough cash out of the system to live comfortably as long as he watches his spending.
Mr Gruber and Mr Levitt’s perverse mindset and warped logic to claim there is economic “value” occasioned by rampant abortion is appalling.
With the eradication of millions of human lives what productivity, genius and opportunity was lost?
Clearly Gruber nor Levitt read, or more likely were unable to comprehend, the lessons taught by Bastiat.
There is no gain in the destruction of potential productivity, especially when it is human life.
The only manner in which their theory can work is by first assuming the aborted could never have been able to produce more than their cost. This in a time when each individual, through the division of labor and the market economy, is more productive that ever in history. This is the Malthusian fallacy reborn.
I reject their false premise, and the abhor the entitlement society which the elitist, progressive statists created that caused it to seem to be an viable theory.
A warning, this false premise is just the beginning, and there will be additional, and at least equally abhorrent, justifications,
excuses and policy proposals coming from Gruber and his compatriots in the future.
Beware of those who believe that the end justifies the means.
I would like a consulting job where I “wasn’t that important to the process” and receive nearly half a million dollars in pay! Where can I find such a gig? Oh right, with the government! I’m available.
Aborting American lives then filling America up with impoverished youth from South America. Homegrown folks’d be less likely to vote democratic.
Too bad Gruber decided to “walk back” his truthful statements about how Democrats lied to the public to get Obamacare passed. Too bad he also supported lying to the public to get the law passed, because he prefers having Obamacare (I wonder if he likes the law because of the income he got from politicians trying to get it passed). Regardless of his motivation, he’s dishonest, like the Democrats he made his bed with.
If Gruber decided to be honest, he’d have some chance of getting more business from Republicans looking for health care solutions. As it is, he’s now avoided by Democrats and the GOP establishment, because he told the truth. And he’s ruined his reputation as well. If he told the truth, at least the GOP (the handful who are not big government statists who want Obamacare but claim they are against it, like Boehner who’s campaign web site claims “John is leading the fight to fully defund and repeal” Obamacare. http://www.johnboehner.com/issue/healthcare) wouldn’t be attacking him. Instead, the Democrats would be left trying to explain to the public why they lied to us, instead of trying to make Gruber the scapegoat, when they are the liars and the ones responsible.
“…take it up with my council” should be “…take it up with my counsel.”