Posted on 09/21/2008 10:10:35 AM PDT by MitchellC
North Carolina ranks up there with the most socialistic states in which I have lived, including New York State and Vermont. This state runs a liquor sales agency monopoly, an exclusive gambling organization and it controls private insurance companies.
For example, health insurance for most of us would probably be less expensive but for the state loading up required coverage that companies must provide to all clients regardless their needs. Further, as I understand it, the state restricts residents from being covered by out-of-state companies. Therefore, we have fewer choices. The “free market” does not operate in North Carolina.
State insurance czar Jim Long recently arbitrarily decreed that auto insurance companies must charge 16 percent less for premiums. Of course, we, the insured, celebrate, especially since the insurance companies wanted an increase of almost 13 percent in premium rates. But wait. Something doesn’t compute here. Are the insurance companies “greedy” or have state bureaucrats interfered with the market, thus, causing increases?
First we must ask if state agents decide we should be charged 16 percent less for the cost of our insurance, why not 20 percent? Why not 30 percent? How do they arrive at 16 percent? My guess? It’s probably the most they think they get away in self-serving political benevolence without doing major economic damage to companies, prompting some, or all insurers, to leave the state—and us with them.
Now, to the question of why did auto insurance companies decide to increase our premiums 13 percent? Maybe John Hood, president of the John Locke Foundation, has the answer. In his commentary column in the September issue of the Carolina Journal, Mr. Hood explains the need for auto insurance “reform.” The meddling state has created an unfair system costing most of us more than we should be paying. Hood says, we “can’t buy auto insurance on the open market.”
He backs up this claim with a recent study by the Competitive Enterprise Institute. In summary Hood writes that the state has concocted a “wacky” regulatory system that essentially subsidizes high-risk drivers—1.5 million of them careen carelessly around the state—by charging the rest of us higher premiums. Our money is distributed, by state decree, to give lower rates to the careless who are dumped into a “state-run insurance pool.” Hood says this “imposes a tax on most of us.”
I say this is an example of liberal fascism. Mr. Hood seems to agree and adds some historical perspective: “Insurance regulation is yet another area where North Carolina’s traditional blarney, our unfounded belief in our progressive superiority, ends up hurting us.” And he’s a native.
That is most all states. Most all control the booze industry. State run booze stores, yet allow beer and wine to be sold most anywhere. Why not hard booze? It gets people just as drunk as beer. Most are drunk on beer more than the expensive hard stuff anyway.
Bah, you’re free! Come to the People’s Republic of Washington where we have all that, the Central Party refuses to abide by passed initiatives, and in fact we tax the gross receipts of capitalist pigs (yes, there is a business tax on gross income, not net).
Welcome, Tovarishch MitchellC!
Deport Seattle!
Don’t forget the socialist State Park system. The state purchased private, Chimney Rock Park for $24,000,000 earlier this year to protect it from private developers and added it to the state park system.
The State is still charging the $14 fee to enter the park after spending public money on the acquisition. This is in direct competition with the Private Grandfather Mountain park that charges the same fee.
The Seattle effect on people is staggering as well. My 2 sisters and brother have all lived there now for several years. My brother held out the longest but is now backing Obama. I can’t even have a political discussion with them anymore. Sad to watch as they’ve become so darkly negative and more emotionally based decision makers.
You can blame Duke University and your Research Triangle for accepting grants from private foundations such as the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation for the specific purpose of changing North Carolina law and policy in the health insurance field. Look it up. It happened in the 90s and was meant to pave the way for Clinton’s National Health Reform, which never occurred. Kentucky got it too!
But, it is on its way. CA went one eyelash away from declaring bankruptcy. Vallejo, CA has declared bankruptcy.
NC is on its way there. Even the school curriculum is sliding the way CA's did more than 30 years ago.
And don't even get me started on health care and car insurance in NC. There are pros and cons to a "right to work state"; but the thugs are trying to bring UNIONS in. All kinds of "unions".
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Hmph.
I am a recent NC immigrant from Virginia, and because I came with my own health care and auto insurance I haven’t seen the things you mentioned. Virginia also controls hard liquor sales. What I did find bizarre was the DMV. It took me almost an entire day in the DMV to get my drivers license, then another half day in another building to get my plates. Seems like they have a system designed for a town of 100 people, trying to service millions.
That said, I truly love NC.
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