Ask Jesse the Artist
Instead of focusing on Joe the Plumber and his tax phobia’s, perhaps the presidential candidates should talk to Jesse the Artist and ask him or her about health insurance. On Sunday, October 19th, I visited the Bethesda Row Arts Festival in Bethesda, Maryland. I did just that. In a very unscientific survey, I talked to a number of the artists about their health insurance.
Why should anyone else be interested in artists? Because they are small business people. They are also very creative. It is this creative entrepreneurship of small businesses that candidates like to support because it is the economic engine that drives the American economy.
Artists as Small Businesses
I was curious whether health insurance was a barrier to entry for these artists. Two of the artist referred to a study (but could not name the source) that 83% of artists had health insurance. That was consistent with my own unscientific study. I talked to close to 20 people. Only three had no health insurance. But, on the other hand, only three paid for their own health insurance.
Perhaps they asked the wrong question.
