1.
Lack of transparency is a huge political advantage. Call it the stupidity of the American voter or whatever, but basically, that was really, really critical for the thing to pass.
Jonathan Gruber
Concealment of information is a major benefit for politicians. Name it the naivete of the American electorate or whatever, but essentially, that was really, really crucial for the matter to prevail.
2.
If any American really believes that Obamacare is going to control costs, I've got some real estate in Whitewater, Arkansas I'd like to sell them.
Jonathan Gruber
If any American truly thinks that Obamacare will restrain expenses, I have a piece of property in Whitewater, Arkansas that I would be eager to dispose of.
3.
Exploiting the stupidity of the American voter is fun and easy: kinda like squeezing a lemon.
Jonathan Gruber
Exploiting the gullibility of the American voter is enjoyable and straightforward: similar to pressing a lemon.
4.
When we're done with employer-based health insurance, it will have as much life in it as Jimmy Hoffa.
Jonathan Gruber
5.
The typical American voter is so stupid, his dog teaches him tricks.
Jonathan Gruber
6.
Are you really questioning the wisdom of central planning? Because the happy citizens of Cuba and North Korea beg to differ.
Jonathan Gruber
7.
The stupidity of the American voter is exceeded only by its slovenliness.
Jonathan Gruber
8.
P.T. Barnum said a sucker is born every minute, but his estimate was laughably low.
Jonathan Gruber
9.
Ultimately, what may be needed to address the obesity problem are direct taxes on body weight.
Jonathan Gruber
10.
Obamacare's not imploding. The main goal of Obamacare was two-fold. One was to cover the uninsured, of which we've covered 20 million, the largest expansion in American history. The other was to fix broken insurance markets where insurers could deny people insurance just because they were sick or they had been sick. Those have been fixed, and for the vast majority of Americans, costs in those markets have come down, thanks to the subsidies made available under Obamacare.
Jonathan Gruber
11.
What's important to remember politically about this, is if you’re a state and you don’t set up an Exchange, that means your citizens don’t get their tax credits. But your citizens still pay the taxes that support this bill. So you’re essentially saying to your citizens, you’re going to pay all the taxes to help all the other states in the country. I hope that’s a blatant enough political reality that states will get their act together and realize there are billions of dollars at stake here in setting up these Exchanges, and that they’ll do it. But you know, once again, the politics can get ugly around this.
Jonathan Gruber
12.
Lack of transparency is a huge political advantage.
Jonathan Gruber
13.
If you're a state and you don't set up an exchange, that means your citizens don't get their tax credits.
Jonathan Gruber
14.
It's hard to know what you can do just on your own as a new administration.
Jonathan Gruber