In case anyone is interested, re: guns and health insurance.

[ADB]

The source website (Slate) appears to be down at the moment, so I'm linking to the Google cache.

Nonetheless, to pacify GOA, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (who represents the gun-loving state of Nevada) has inserted into his "manager's amendment" a section titled "Protecting 2nd Amendment Gun Rights." It states that no wellness program implemented under health reform may require disclosure or collection of any information relating to gun ownership. Since collecting information about gun ownership was the last thing health reformers wanted to do, this concession represents no particular sacrifice on the government's part.

But gun owners also won another provision forbidding private insurers participating in the bill's exchanges from charging higher premiums, or denying coverage, or denying wellness discounts on the basis of gun ownership.

http://74.125.93.132/search?q=cache:...om/id/2239294/

So in short, despite some of the more apocalyptic predictions, gun owners are actually better protected now against anyone trying to use guns as a public health issue than they were before. FYI.

[Bartholomew Roberts]

So in short, despite some of the more apocalyptic predictions, gun owners are actually better protected now against anyone trying to use guns as a public health issue than they were before.

People keep mistaking President Obama's priorities for his intentions. He has demonstrated his intentions in numerous votes and in his role as a member of the Board of the Joyce Foundation. The fact that his current priority isn't gun control shouldn't cause us to ignore his intentions.

If in the future either of those provisions are repealed, then gun owners will be faced with a mandate to buy insurance (along with whatever rules are attached to that) or pay 2.5% of their income for the "privilege" of being uninsured.

[Glenn E. Meyer]

Let's be careful here before we go off on some political rants.

As far as intentions - behavior is what actually gets to you.

[OLDPUPPYMAX]

Don't think for one moment that gun grabbers won't eventually use this to interfere with our right to keep and bear arms. Want to purchase a pistol some fine day in the future? Watch your insurance premiums climb 40%. Guns are, after all, "dangerous" and could lead to the necessity of medical care!!! That's exactly how these thugs will phrase things. Leftists are NOT finished with this unconstitutional legislation. Not by a LONG shot.

[KyJim]

I'm also concerned that, down the road, the government will use health care and insurance to discourage all sorts of "risky" behavior like owning firearms, eating fatty foods, etc.

As much as some Constitutional purists may grumble about the "prenumbra" of privacy rights, this may eventually be the only thing protecting us all from having to become vegetarians in the future.

[Glenn E. Meyer]

Ok, we get politically pointed little jabs - blah, blah.

When it happens, we can come back to it.

Closed.