Another Republican hypocrite

Another Republican hypocrite ? ? ?    Well, that certainly doesn't qualify as news, does it?  But that is what made the headlines, folks.  I'm just "calling 'em as I see 'em."

This one involves Tennessee Republican Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn, who infamously shouted at Sec. Kathleen Sebelius in the congressional hearing on the bad outroll of Obamacare.

What had Rep. Blackburn so het up was the news that people were getting letters from their insurance companies cancelling their health insurance;  and it is all the fault of Obamacare.  "They're taking away our choices," she yelled.

Well, it is true that some existing plans fell out of the grandfathering guarantee because the insurance company had made changes in the policy since 2010, as was specified in the ACA.  There was no surprise that was going to happen.  But as to "taking away our choices," what these people are losing is the right to continue to choose what columnist Jason Linkins calls "terrible insurance at cut rate prices that won't help them."

One example of this cited by Jonathan Cohn in The New Republic online:   a woman had an inexpensive policy but it paid a total of $50 for any doctor's visit and she paid the rest, even if it included x-rays, lab work, an MRI, whatever;   plus it did not cover hospitalization at all.  So it's no good if she gets really sick.

Instead, those whose plans are canceled will be able to choose another, better plan with their old company or go on the exchange and choose from any plan that is offered.  Yes, they may have to pay more for it -- or maybe not, because many will get government subsidies as part of Obamacare.  But they will be getting better coverage and helping to make a good program work for everyone.

So the outrage is really misplaced.  That's one point.   But here's what's hypocritical about Rep. Blackburn's outrage:   This same lawmaker wants to take away a woman's choices when it comes to pregnancy.   And probably contraceptives too, which is covered in Obamacare.

Outrage that the government won't let you choose to buy crappy insurance that's not worth even it's cheap price -- but beating the drums for taking away a woman's right to choose what happens to her body.   Now please tell me how that is not the height of hypocrisy.

Ralph