ObamaCare is an Example of Groupthink Gone Wrong

09.26.2013 original publish date.
10.02.2013 Update. Added companies reporting business issues with ObamaCare.
10.24.2013 Update. More reports people losing insurance b/c of ObamaCare, 3 additional videos, clarification on the controversial passage of ACA.
12.02.2019 Updated video links.

"Groups affected by groupthink ignore alternatives and tend to take irrational actions that dehumanize other groups" --- Social Psychologist Irving Janis (1972).
“Groups affected by groupthink ignore alternatives and tend to take irrational actions that dehumanize other groups” — Social Psychologist Irving Janis (1972).

ObamaCare is an Example of Groupthink Gone Wrong

original article written by Net Advisor™

WASHINGTON, DC. Although there are almost an infinite number of progressive Democratic organizations, Democrats are OK with them as long as they support their political agenda. In other words, as long as we all agree and think alike, nothing can go wrong.

Democrats, specifically Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) refuse to discuss or debate any ideas that are outside of theirs. In psychology, this is considered a mental deficiency under what is called Groupthink.

“Groupthink, a term coined by social psychologist Irving Janis (1972), occurs when a group makes faulty decisions because group pressures lead to a deterioration of “mental efficiency, reality testing, and moral judgment”.

Groups affected by groupthink ignore alternatives and tend to take irrational actions that dehumanize other groups. A group is especially vulnerable to groupthink when its members are similar in background, when the group is insulated from outside opinions, and when there are no clear rules for decision making.”

— Source: Psychologists for Social Responsibility (PSYSR.org)

[1] Purpose of Debate

The purpose for Congressional debates is exactly that, to help reduce the risk of groupthink. When one group in power refuses to allow anyone outside the group to offer any contrary ideas to the debate, the controlling group in power is more likely to suffer from groupthink. This is exactly what happened with ObamaCare.

[2] ObamaCare Created under the Influence of Groupthink (updated)

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act or “ObamaCare” was first passed by a majority of the then Democratic House. The House leadership under Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) initially refused to allow the U.S. Senate of any party to even consider debating, let along voting on ObamaCare.

The House of Representatives has decided to use some ethically and controversial laws block the U.S. Senate to make Amendments to the House Health Care Bill, and thus, Democrats in the House seek to then pass a Trillion Dollar Health Care Bill without a single vote in the U.S. Senate.

— Source: Washington Post (PDF), 03-16-2010

The Democratic Senate did not have enough votes to pass ACA (“ObamaCare”), so the next move was to end debate on the ACA bill in December 2009:

Video: (D) Senate Ends Debate on ACA Despite Opposition

Senate Majority Leader, Harry Reid (D-NV) used an old and controversial budgetary legal maneuver to get the ACA (ObamaCare) legislation passed with only 51 Senate votes, when 60 votes were required. There was discussion of the ACA being subject to a deem and pass rule (nicknamed, the Slaughter House Rule) as it had to be approved by then House Rules Committee, Chairperson Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-NY).

After ACA was passed, it was quickly sent it to President Obama to sign.

The reason why the Democrats passed ACA this way, was because they lost a filibuster-proof (Cloture) control of the Senate when (liberal) Massachusetts, for the first time since 1972, elected Scott Brown – a Republican to the U.S. Senate during a 2010 special election to replace deceased Senator Ted Kennedy‘s seat until January 3, 2013.

Massachusetts elected Senator Brown with the intent that he would block ObamaCare in the U.S. Senate. The Dems lost their majority in the Senate after Scott Brown’s win. Democrats defied the voters, including Massachusetts, and deemed ACA passed in the Senate with a simple majority of 51 votes.

Video:
[NOTE: Media source has moved or deleted this video. Video no longer available.]

The public, with help from the Tea Party [Report, points 19-20], rose up against government controlled healthcare. In 2010, Democrats lost the most number of Congressional seats in U.S. history since 1928 (report).

[3] Self-Executing Rule: From Depression to Another Depression?

This House self-executing rule was first used in during the Great Depression in 1933 to maintain the credit of the U.S. government. Both parties have used this rule in many years past; but to use this rule for a piece of legislation that represents 17% of the entire U.S. GDP and may become 20% of the U.S. economy (story link gone) in just a few more years is dangerous.

[4] ObamaCare Creating Huge Economic Risks

Errors, failures, increased costs to families, costs overruns in government ran healthcare could be very damaging to the U.S. economy. The impact is already creating job losses to reduction in work hours which means decreased wages, loss or decrease of benefits, decrease consumer spending which together easily can lead the risk to a recession. Recessions don’t happen overnight; they build as ongoing conditions (new laws and rules) impact the economy, until it bursts.

“If you like your healthcare plan, you’ll be able to keep your healthcare plan, period.”

— President Obama (2009), Video:

[5] Reality Check: Sample Groups Losing Health Insurance Because of ObamaCare

[6] Groupthink Impact: More Groups Losing Health Insurance Because of ObamaCare

Insurance companies are dropping health-insurance coverage despite President Obama’s “grandfather clause (PDF)” that people are supposedly allowed to keep their health insurance.

Florida Blue: terminating about 300,000 policies, about 80% of its individual policies in the state.

Kaiser Permanente in California has sent notices to 160,000 people – about half (~50%) of its individual business in the state.

Insurer Highmark in Pittsburgh is dropping about 20% of its individual market customers

Independence Blue Cross, the major insurer in Philadelphia, is dropping about 45%.

— Source: NBC News (HTML) (PDF)

Three major insurance companies are dropping health insurance coverage and leaving the State of California (population about 37 million) because of ObamaCare.

“If you like you healthcare plan or your doctor you can keep it…”

— President Obama (Video below)

[7] Groupthink Impact: Hurting Business. ObamaCare Could Mean Higher Consumer Prices

[8] Groupthink Impact: Employers Cut Worker’s Hours to Avoid ObamaCare’s High Costs

“Under this plan it will be against the law for insurance companies to deny you coverage because of a pre-existing condition.”

— President Barack Obama (2009) (Video below)

[9] Groupthink Impact: Pre-existing Condition Clause *Suspended*

What Obama, Reid or Pelosi and the crew didn’t tell you is that government insurance plans have capped the number of people they will cover under ObamaCare. So you may not be dropped, but you may not be able to get insurance. Oops, and what are the costs?

“Beginning February 16, 2013, the federally-run Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan (PCIP) is suspending acceptance of new enrollment applications until further notice. State-based PCIPs may continue accepting enrollment applications through March 2, and will then suspend acceptance of new enrollment applications until further notice. PCIP will continue providing coverage to more than 100,000 people currently enrolled nationwide.”

— Source: Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan (PCIP.gov PDF)

Only 100,000 people or so covered, not the 17 million people with pre-existing conditions? That’s not what was advertised. Let’s fact check this one too: Video.

[10] Groupthink Impact: Study: Young People Save Money by Not Enrolling in ObamaCare

This assumes people who don’t have health insurance, tend to be young, in good health, and who don’t want health insurance:

[11] Groupthink Impact: Costs

[12] Groupthink Impact: Dems, Unions Don’t Want  ObamaCare “Nightmare”

If ObamaCare is so good for us, how come business, Congress, the IRS, and Unions don’t want it?

[13] Groupthink Impact: Exempted from ObamaCare

Video:

[14] Groupthink Impact: Misleading Savings (Obama Math)

‘Your (employer) premiums could fall as much as 3,000%, which means they could give you a raise.’

— President Barack Obama on the benefits of ObamaCare? (paraphrased from video above:)

Let’s see, say my health insurance costs are $2,400 a year. President Obama says we can save up to 3,000% a year on employer health insurance. If I can save at-least (the very low end of this scale) at say 101% a year, I will have free health insurance and get a 1% a year rebate!?

If I am really lucky and save 500%, 1,000%, 2,000% or even 3,000% as Mr. Obama says some will, it will be like winning the lottery and getting free health insurance every year!

A 500% savings on $2,400? Hmm, $2,400 x 500% is $1.2 Million. Gee thanks Mr. President. Please send the savings checks as soon as possible.

Let’s now take the population of the USA since “everyone” has to be covered now (exempt the fines), that’s about 316 million people times say just $1 Million ObamaCare savings each year, per person – [a fraction of Obama’s up to 3,000% savings]; equals $316 Trillion total in Obama rebates each year! Who needs a raise with that kind of money?

[15] Given the above, what is President Obama doing now?

Cartoon credit: Mr. Fish. Video credits by their respected owners where noted.
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