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The economy is a measurement of the productivity of the workers. By cutting 2 million man/hours, or whatever metric they use, you are cutting the economic prod

The economy is a measurement of the productivity of the workers. By cutting 2 million man/hours, or whatever metric they use, you are cutting the economic productivity that much. So, it will hurt the economy no matter how you spin it. Further, it is not like they are getting health care due to an efficiency in the system. The government is taking resources from the productive (taxes) and giving it to the unproductive (subsidies) in order to purchase insurance. This will further erode economic productivity.

byoung2 13y ago
I wonder if they have estimates on how many of those hours will move to the shadow economy as workers just work more hours for cash under the table.
- CWuestefeld 13y ago
  Few or none. The economic effect that the study is showing is not an increase in unemployment. What they're expecting is that fewer people will be motivated to work (or to work a second job, perhaps). Imagine someone self-employed who also works part time to get medical insurance benefits; with PPACA he wouldn't need to do this any longer. On the other hand, imagine someone who was working just to supplement the spouse's income. With PPACA's subsidies, the extra income (within certain ranges) becomes a liability, and it makes more sense for that person to stay home without the earned income, enjoying the healthcare subsidy instead. So this doesn't say anything about unemployment (as it's commonly defined).
  - byoung2 13y ago
    What they're expecting is that fewer people will be motivated to work (or to work a second job, perhaps) They should also expect that some people will appear to reduce their hours or quit that second job, when in fact they trade it for some off the books work. For example, the musician who used to work part time at Applebees might just teach guitar lessons for cash in his spare time instead. The person supplementing the spouse's income is not going to just stay home and watch TV...they might run an unlicensed daycare or become a basement hairstylist or freelance web designer for cash.
    - dllthomas 13y ago
      For what it's worth, the part time guitar teacher I know pays his taxes on the money.
mchristo34 13y ago
This reflects a misunderstanding of the study, the article written about the study, the words "productivity", "economics" and the phrase "economic productivity". Jesus christ.
- deleted 13y ago
  [deleted]

byoung2 13y ago

I wonder if they have estimates on how many of those hours will move to the shadow economy as workers just work more hours for cash under the table.

CWuestefeld 13y ago
Few or none. The economic effect that the study is showing is not an increase in unemployment. What they're expecting is that fewer people will be motivated to work (or to work a second job, perhaps). Imagine someone self-employed who also works part time to get medical insurance benefits; with PPACA he wouldn't need to do this any longer. On the other hand, imagine someone who was working just to supplement the spouse's income. With PPACA's subsidies, the extra income (within certain ranges) becomes a liability, and it makes more sense for that person to stay home without the earned income, enjoying the healthcare subsidy instead. So this doesn't say anything about unemployment (as it's commonly defined).
- byoung2 13y ago
  What they're expecting is that fewer people will be motivated to work (or to work a second job, perhaps) They should also expect that some people will appear to reduce their hours or quit that second job, when in fact they trade it for some off the books work. For example, the musician who used to work part time at Applebees might just teach guitar lessons for cash in his spare time instead. The person supplementing the spouse's income is not going to just stay home and watch TV...they might run an unlicensed daycare or become a basement hairstylist or freelance web designer for cash.
  - dllthomas 13y ago
    For what it's worth, the part time guitar teacher I know pays his taxes on the money.

mchristo34 13y ago

This reflects a misunderstanding of the study, the article written about the study, the words "productivity", "economics" and the phrase "economic productivity". Jesus christ.

deleted 13y ago
[deleted]