(August 24, 2017 at 7:24 pm)Cthulhu Dreaming Wrote: The reason for the penalty is in part there for the same reason that we penalize uninsured drivers. Who do you think is going to pay for your care, should you get sick or injured beyond your ability to pay? Your irresponsibility has a negative effect on everyone else and IMHO you damn well are going to pay for it.
We all pay for the uninsured. The alternative is unacceptable to people with an ounce of compassion and empathy.
It's not as if we don't incentivize and penalize other anti-social behaviors.
I pay as much for insurance as the fine would be. The only difference between me and some other people is that I pay it out of the retirement stipend I get from my former employer. So, I get half of what I could get for retirement, if I didn't buy my health insurance. I have other funds (SSA, etc), or I'd have to go and find another job. Of course, if I had open heart surgery, that ~$500k bill would be covered. People just don't get that part of it.
If you get to thinking you’re a person of some influence, try ordering somebody else’s dog around.
