Things became awkward during CNN’s The Future of Obamacare debate Tuesday night, as Senator Bernie Sanders appeared to become a little irritated with a small business owner who admitted to him that she was not providing health care for her employees. Texas salon chain owner La Ronda Hunter explained to the senator that because of Obamacare’s mandates she could not expand her business and could not pay for their care. Sanders’ reaction was tantamount to him saying ‘too bad so sad.’
“Let me give you an answer you will not be happy with,” he began as he started to lecture her on his beliefs about why businesses who employee 50 people or more needed to provide insurance. “I think that in America today everybody should have health care. And if you have more than 50 people, you know what? I think, I'm afraid to tell you, but I think you will have to provide health insurance,” he said frankly.
She tried to explain to the senator from Vermont that her profit margin is not large by any stretch and that it was common throughout the industry. “So my question is, how do I do that without raising my prices to my customers or lowering the wages to my employees,” she continued to inquire.
The Senator seemed to write her off, saying, “It may be. I certainly don't know about hair salons in Ft. Worth. But I do believe, to be honest with you, that if you have more than 50 people, yes, you should be providing health insurance.”
After Texas Senator Ted Cruz had a chance to respond, Sanders went back to Hunter and appeared to try and scold her for not insuring her employees:
Let me ask you a question. What happens if one of your employees becomes ill? What happens? What happens if one of your employees (as happens in every part of the country) gets diabetes, gets cancer? What do they do if they don't have health insurance?
Hunter diffused Sanders’ ridiculously explosive questions by informing him that she doesn’t even have health insurance for herself. “I don't qualify for any kind of government subsidies, I don't have, for the first time in my life, insurance. It's just not affordable. Unfortunately, the prices of my services just don't warrant it,” she stated, laying out her predicament.
The only solution Sanders seemed to have for the woman was for her to wait until she was 65-years-old so she could apply for Medicare. “Are you looking forward, by the way, I won't ask you your age, won't do that, but are you looking forward maybe when you get to 65 to get Medicare? Would that be of help to your family,” he asked her. Sounding reluctant, she agreed that that might have to happen.
“Good, I hope it does, and I hope Medicare is still there, despite the efforts of Senator Cruz and others. So that when you at least reach 65 you will be able to get a decent health insurance program,” Sanders concluded, as Cruz stepped in and mocked his colleague for suggesting he was trying “to kill the elderly.”
This encounter may go unnoticed by many in the media, but it’s very telling of the left’s attitude towards business in general and not just large ones. They pay little regard to those trying to make a living and that is partly why they lost in 2016.
Transcript below:
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CNN
The Future of Obamacare
February 7, 2017
9:39:21 PM Eastern…
BASH: Let's now turn to the effects of Obamacare on small businesses, and with us to discuss that is La Ronda Hunter who owns five hair salons in Texas. La Ronda?
LA RONDA HUNTER: Hello. Under the controls of my Obamacare, my business has been restricted from expansion. I'm from Ft. Worth, Texas. I own five Fantastic Sam's the hair salons, we employ between 45-48 employees. My original plan was to open more salons and employ more people. However, under Obamacare, I am restricted, because I, it requires me to furnish health insurance if I employ more than 50 people.
Unfortunately, the profit margin in my industry is very thin. And I'm not a wealthy person, so it's impossible for me to grow my business. My question to you, Senator Sanders is how do I grow my business? How do I employ more Americans without either raising the prices to my customers or lowering wages to my employees?
SANDERS: Ronda?
HUNTER: La Ronda.
SANDERS: You own five salons?
HUNTER: That is correct.
SANDERS: And you employ close to 50 people.
HUNTER: Just under.
SANDERS: And what kind of health insurance do you provide to them.
HUNTER: none.
SANDERS: You provide no health insurance to them.
HUNTER: Correct.
SANDERS: Let me give you an answer you will not be happy with. And that is I think that for businesses that employ 50 people or more, given the nature of our dysfunctional health care system right now, where most people do get their health insurance through the places that they work. I'm sorry. I think that in America today everybody should have health care. And if you have more than 50 people, you know what? I think, I'm afraid to tell you, but I think you will have to provide health insurance.
HUNTER: So my question is, how do I do that without raising my prices to my customers or lowering the wages to my employees?
SANDERS: The difficulty is also, and I'm not much of an expert on hairdressing in general and certainly in Ft. Worth.
HUNTER: I'm just one of small businesses.
SANDERS: I know, but my guess is one of the problems that we have is there may be somebody else in Ft. Worth who is providing decent health insurance to their employees, and they are in an unfair competitive situation regarding you. You can compete and maybe charge lower prices, get business, while they on the other hand may be providing decent health insurance.
HUNTER: I think you'll find the profit margin in my entire industry about the same.
SANDERS: It may be. I certainly don't know about hair salons in Ft. Worth. But I do believe to be honest with you, that if you have more than 50 people, yes, you should be providing health insurance.
BASH: Senator Cruz.
…
BASH: Senator Sanders?
SANDERS: Laronda, let me ask you a question. What happens if one of your employees becomes ill? What happens? What happens if one of your employees (as happens in every part of the country) gets diabetes, gets cancer? What do they do if they don't have health insurance?
HUNTER: I can't really answer that question, but I can tell you that because the premiums have gone up so much this year and because I don't qualify for any kind of government subsidies, I don't have, for the first time in my life, insurance. It's just not affordable. Unfortunately, the prices of my services just don't warrant it.
SANDERS: Let me just say this. Two things. Number one, as I mentioned earlier, it is absolutely true that the cost of premiums are going up. No argument. They went up even higher in the period of George W. Bush. So it’s not like oh gee for the first time in American history premiums are going up. Number two, Ted mentioned part time workers. The 29ers. There are fewer part-time employees today than there were before Obamacare, okay? So here is the point.
The bottom line is with the situation you've described is honestly absurd. You should not be going around without health insurance. Your employees should not be going around without health insurance. We should not be spending twice as much per person on healthcare as do the people of any other nation. Please join me. And fight for a Medicare for all program. Are you looking forward, by the way, I won't ask you your age, won't do that, but are you looking forward maybe when you get to 65 to get Medicare? Would that be of help to your family?
HUNTER: I expect that will probably happen.
SANDERS: Good, I hope it does, and I hope Medicare is still there, despite the efforts of Senator Cruz and others. So that when you at least reach 65 you will be able to get a decent health insurance program.
…
