Harry Reid Is Sentencing 210,240 Americans To Die

Harry Reid made a very interesting statement yesterday from the floor of the Senate, and I quote:

“Much of our attention this year has been consumed by this health care debate. And a Harvard study found that 45,000 times this year – nearly 900 times every week, more than 120 times a day, on average every 10 minutes, without end – an American died as a direct result of not having health insurance.”

What struck me as odd about this statement was how it can be spoken about the supposed “miracle health care bill” and the way it’s been structured. Though the tax increases proposed by the bill are set to begin next year, the benefits of the bill will not begin until 2013. Assuming the numbers he sited are accurate (I have neither the time nor desire to do the new media’s job today, yet again, and fact check this) I decided to do a little math:

24 hours in a day times 60 minutes in an hour equals 1440 minutes in a day.

An American dying every 10 minutes divided by 1440 minutes in a day equals 144 people dying every day.

144 people dying each day times 365 days in a year equals 52,560 people dead in a year.

52,560 people dying each year times the 4 years until the benefits ‘kick in’ equals 210,240 dead Americans before the health care bill does anything.

So I’m left to wonder, why doesn’t the benefits of the health care plan take effect right away like the taxes do? Why does it have to wait until the year after our Chief Community Organizer’s attempt at reelection to do any good? Does Harry Reid really care about those dying Americans? Every poll I’ve seen suggests that he’s not listening to them… So many questions that need answering…