When Government Stacks The Deck
Sep 7, 2009 Political
Suppose that the government decided that Mercedes makes a great and expensive car and that it is unfair to other car makers. Now that the government owns GM it might decide that it needs to compete in the car industry and since it is not supposed to run a business and since few in government have actually done just that, they would need some other plan to make the playing field level.
How about if the government decided to add a tax on all luxury cars sold and the money had to go to GM so it could compete. The luxury car companies would pass the increase on to their customers but it would not be long before the customers decided that the cost was not worth it and the luxury car companies would go out of business. Pretty soon, Government Motors would be the only game in town.
This would hardly be a fair way to do business and if any private company found ways to cause financial burden to competitors the government would soon be screaming monopoly and getting involved.
Most Americans would not think it right (or Constitutional) for the government to run a business much less impose unfair costs on competing interests.
And yet, this is exactly what government wants to do with insurance. The newest plan to come forward bumps out the government run care for co-opts (which will morph into government run) and then features a tax in insurance companies that sell high end policies. The government is looking to collect about $6 billion a year starting next year by gouging the insurance companies:
The bipartisan group also is considering a tax on insurance companies that provide expensive coverage plans. And one feature that might help satisfy the more liberal members of the committee is that insurance companies could face a separate new fee to help pay for the plan. It would be determined based on market share, and could raise $6 billion a year starting in 2010, the sources said. Ace of Spades HQ
So, like my auto example, the government will tax a competitor in order to fund its own venture. Nowhere else in the business world is one company forced to pay the capital for another company. This is a terrible idea and it will result in a few problems.
First of all, the insurance companies will have to increase premiums in order to cover the tax which will cost those with plans more money. They will eventually go somewhere else and the way the bill is currently constructed that someplace will be the government plan (or co-opt) because you may only keep what you have until you change and then you get the government option.
Once these insurance companies lose money they will go out of business and they will not be there as the cash cow to government. This means the government will have to find other ways to pay for its largess. This means other tax increases and there are not enough rich people to pay the bills so the tax increases will come to the middle class.
The government will stifle competition until it is the only game in town and then the politicians will have near total control over our lives. Once they control health care they will control us.
We need to defeat this horrible health care bill. They need to sit down with a blank slate and fix only the things that are in need of repair and leave the rest of it alone.
Wake up America.
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Tags: government option, health care, lies, Obama, taxes
The IRS Just Got a New Function
Aug 16, 2009 Political
I knew this was coming, after discovering the provision in HR 3200 that would mandate government the right to go into your bank account and extract the amount of your gubbmint health scare, but I thought it might need to form a new collection agency- what WAS I thinking? Of course it is a natural fit.
The IRS is already quite possibly the most hated agency in America, why should they create another? They already have most of the pertinent information, and they have a storied tradition of invading peoples’ live in search of the government lucre. And when they do not find it, they know how to put people in prison- just ask Al Capone.
Under both the House and Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee bills released to the public, the Internal Revenue Service will play a key role in monitoring and enforcing health care mandates against individual taxpayers. Yet the introduction of the IRS into the health care system has received scant attention.
The Senate bill imposes a new requirement that all persons who provide health care coverage to others must file a return with the IRS listing the names, addresses, social security numbers, and the coverage period for each person, and “such other information as the Secretary [of Health and Human Services] may prescribe.” (Section 161(b) starting at page 107). The bill does not limit what information the Secretary may request, so it is conceivable and likely that information as to the nature of the coverage, the family members included, and other details will be reported to the IRS.
The House bill contains similar provisions in section 401(b) (at pp. 175-176). The following information must be reported by the person providing health coverage:
(A) the name, address, and TIN of the primary insured and the name of each other individual obtaining coverage under the policy, (B) the period for which each such individual was provided with the coverage referred to in subsection (a), and (C) such other information as the Secretary may require.
This information is to be provided to the IRS for good reason. The House bill provides for a tax on people who do not have acceptable coverage at “any time” during the tax year. House bill section 401 provides for a new section 59B (at pp. 167-168) of the Internal Revenue Code:
(a) TAX IMPOSED.—In the case of any individual who does not meet the requirements of subsection (d) at any time during the taxable year, there is hereby imposed a tax equal to 2.5 percent of the excess of—
(1) the taxpayer’s modified adjusted gross income for the taxable year, over
(2) the amount of gross income specified in section 6012(a)(1) with respect to the taxpayer.
The Senate version is similar, although the tax is called a “shared responsibility payment” not a tax. Section 161 (at pp. 103-104) words new section 59B of the IRC to require lack of coverage for a month (subject to certain exemptions) before the tax kicks in, and does not specify a specific percentage, but instead, directs that annually
the Secretary shall seek to establish the minimum practicable amount that can accomplish the goal of enhancing participation in qualifying coverage (as so defined).
legalinsurrection.blogspot.com
Oh joy- more of our freedoms lost- well, this is ALWAYS to be expected under Democratic rule. Contrary to their “stated” goals and tenets, the Dems LOVE to exert control, and they are trying to exert with all their might, using every tool that they can bring to bear.
Now,the courts will have to determine whether the IRS has the legal right to delve into Healthcare monies, or whether a new agency must be formed. My thinking is that they are not legally empowered by the Constitution to collect these specific monies- but then I am not a judge- I can’t parse the Constitution as some of them can, but my feeling is that unless the Hussein buys off some judges, things will have to go another way.
I hope so, because it might give Congress time to come to their senses and deny the administration the unrestrained powers of this bill. This is a bad bill, and yes- NO bill is always better than a bad one.
This is a case of, “Go back home, and do it again.”
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Tags: healthcare, illegal powers, invasion of privacy, irs, taxes
24/7 Taxes
Aug 9, 2009 Political
Nowadays, every liberal is busy thinking of the most creative and intrusive ways to raise taxes- whether it’s on the “95%” that the Resident fervently lied about, claiming, (with fingers crossed, I am sure) there would be no tax increase for the middle class, to the rich- who, while admittedly being able to “afford” the hit, shouldn’t bear an inordinate burden, no matter if the libbies don’t like the rich. Or perhaps they are just guilty for being rich- who knows how they think?
I even think, like some after- school extra credit project gone awry, the Resident tasked his minions to come up with the most devious and Constitutional rights- breaking laws possible. I wonder what the prize is, because we might just have a wiener – I mean winner here.
An Oregon congressman says he wants to test having a government GPS unit in every car so a tax could be imposed on the miles driven.
The proposal, H.R. 3311, which calls for a test project costing $150 million-plus, was introduced by Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore.
“Oregon has successfully tested a Vehicle Miles Traveled fee, and it is time to expand and test the VMT program across the country,” he said in a statement on his website. “A VMT system can better assess fees based on use of our roads and bridges, as well as during times of peak congestion, than a fee based on use of our roads and bridges, as well as during times of peak congestion, than a fee based on fuel consumption .
His plan calls for the Department of the Treasury to study the idea with test GPS-equipped car projects in every state.
Blumenauer said the Oregon test “charged drivers for the number of miles they traveled rather the fuel they consumed. The test was convenient for drivers, protected personal privacy, and proved to be easily administrable.”
In a WND column, however, Henry Lamb raised several concerns unaddressed by the congressman.
For example, what other applications would there be for a GPS unit attached to each car in the nation?
wnd.com
That’s a great question- what else could they do with this power they want to give themselves, besides taxes, which would be onerous enough. Could they “snoop” on your whereabouts if they so desired? I think they might. Is this a potential power we want to give to anyone? I don’t think so. Also, does anyone think this would replace the gasoline tax, or just be in addition to it?
What about “shutting down the vehicle when its allotted emissions cap had been reached?”
“Why not?” Lamb wrote, “The current cap-and-trade bill would limit industrial emissions and force each business to pay an extra tax for the privilege of emitting additional carbon dioxide. Why not arbitrarily assign a weekly or monthly cap on auto emissions and shut down the vehicle when that limit is reached? The new Global Positioning Satellite device would have that capability.
“Every American ought to be outraged that such a system is even contemplated,” he continued. “This system is the tool that makes slaves of every person who depends upon a vehicle. Every person should consider just how his life would be changed if he were required to get approval from the federal government to start his car.”
Lamb said shutting down a vehicle would be among the less intrusive possibilities.
wnd.com
Oh yeah, there’s more to come on the intrusive front- the Resident wants to know where you are at all times, so he can reach into your pocket and grab mo’ money. With him, it’s all about the Benjamins. But wait- there’s more!
“The proposed GPS road tax system could easily be programmed to listen to and record conversations inside any vehicle. It could stop a vehicle, lock the occupants inside and notify the ‘jack boots’ that the occupants were en route to a tea party,” Lamb wrote. “We would hope that the federal government would never sink to the level of paranoia that gripped Nazi Germany. But then, we also hoped that the federal government would never sink to the level of labeling legal, peaceful assemblies, such as the recent tea parties, as gatherings of potential terrorists.”
wnd.com
These socialists we have in the government now are coming at us from all directions, and wanting control of our lives, because they are sure that they know how to rule us- they are the elites, after all- just ask Bill Maher, who believes that America is a “stupid” country. How enlightening of him to grace us with his wisdom. Here’s a guy who couldn’t survive outside of his studio for more than five minutes, and he looks down on America?
I hope that he is being taxed to the max, because I am telling the hospital that he is paying for my next surgery.
I’m sure he won’t mind- he is such a tolerant sort.
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Tags: communists, GPS snooping, invasion of privacy, taxes
It Will Not Be Single Payer Insurance
Aug 3, 2009 Political
The electorate is hopping mad about the out of control government and its plans for cap and tax as well as universal health care coverage. The people are out in force protesting and giving their Representatives and Senators holy hell. The people have a right to be mad because the government is working for a complete overhaul of a system so that about 12 million people who truly cannot afford health care are covered.
The government officials who discuss this boondoggle claim that it is not a single payer system and that the government will not put private insurance companies out of business. Obama tells us that if we like what we have we may keep it and that there are no plans for a government take over of the health care system. They deny that the goal is a single payer system.
The problem is, they really want a single payer system where the government runs health care. Watch this video and see how many of them have advocated for single payer in the past. look at how they tell us that the way to get to single payer is via the so called public option. These are their words and their words and they are telling us what the ultimate goal is:
The liberals commenting at Breitbart (where the video displayed) complain that the video is spliced together. To them this means that the video was chopped up to present the words out of context. This is untrue. There are clips from several different interviews that clearly provide us with the words spoken by Obama and other Democrats. These clips show us how their positions have been stated differently over the years but clearly indicate that the goal is a single payer system.
This video should add fuel to the fire because during this August recess the Democrats will be out in full force lying to us about this health care bill. They will tell us what they want us to hear but not what the truth is because the truth spells defeat for them and their plan to Socialize the country’s health care system.
Liberals never win when they present their true feelings. They win by pretending to be something they are not. Obama and the Democrats present a different picture of themselves when they are running for office because if they told us how they will actually do things they would not get elected.
They are liars and they will continue to lie to get what they want. They do not care about what we want.
Give them hell this August and make sure they know who the boss is. The links below are to meetings that have put the heat on Democrats over this issue. Continue that heat.
They need to have a miserable August.
Then they need to have a miserable election the next time they want renew their jobs.
Shout Down in Austin
Specter catches hell
Tim Bishop catches it as well
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Tags: august recess, catching hell, health care, reform, socialism, taxes
So Much For Only Taxing The Rich
Aug 3, 2009 Political
Two Obama administration officials, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and National Economic Council Director Larry Summers, were on the talk shows this weekend and they were asked about tax increases. Both of them left the door open to taxing the middle class in order to reduce the deficit and to pay for the expansion of health care.
During the campaign Obama promised that 95% of earners would see no tax increase. He made it clear that he intended to pay for his follies by taxing the rich. The top 1% of earners already pay more in taxes than the bottom 95% of earners and even if they took every dollar the rich earned they could not pay the bills. Besides, once the taxes increase the wealthy will find a way to avoid them. The wealthy stopped going through Sherwood Forest when Robin Hood started robbing them. The wealthy know how to protect their money.
Anyone with common sense knew that Obama was not being accurate (I don’t say he lied because he probably believes his own rhetoric) but people voted for him anyway. The electorate was happy when the money they would be getting was coming from someone else but how will they feel when they start getting hit with tax increases to pay the bills?
Geithner and Summers would not rule out the increases and made it clear that the administration is trying to balance campaign promises with reality.
I have no doubt that the taxes will increase for everyone who actually pays them. The suckers who bought into the Obama hype will be the ones surprised when they are taking home less pay.
Let’s hope that this will be the straw that breaks Obama’s back and limits him to one term.
The Democrats have always been the party of tax and spend and this time will not be different.
Sources:
ABC News
Yahoo News
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Tags: increases, lies, middle class, taxes, taxpayers