Carol And Punishment

From Big Government.com.  Apparently there are criminal penalties (not just taxes) for refusing to participate in Carol's Health Care swindle.

(Link to Original Article)

 

Today, Ranking Member of the House Ways and Means Committee Dave Camp (R-MI) released a letter from the non-partisan Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT) confirming that the failure to comply with the individual mandate to buy health insurance contained in the Pelosi health care bill (H.R. 3962, as amended) could land people in jail.  The JCT letter makes clear that Americans who do not maintain “acceptable health insurance coverage” and who choose not to pay the bill’s new individual mandate tax (generally 2.5% of income), are subject to numerous civil and criminal penalties, including criminal fines of up to $250,000 and imprisonment of up to five years. 

In response to the JCT letter, Camp said:  “This is the ultimate example of the Democrats’ command-and-control style of governing – buy what we tell you or go to jail.  It is outrageous and it should be stopped immediately.” 

Key excerpts from the JCT letter appear below: 

“H.R. 3962 provides that an individual (or a husband and wife in the case of a joint return) who does not, at any time during the taxable year, maintain acceptable health insurance coverage for himself or herself and each of his or her qualifying children is subject to an additional tax.” [page 1]

- – - – - – - – - –

“If the government determines that the taxpayer’s unpaid tax liability results from willful behavior, the following penalties could apply…” [page 2]

- – - – - – - – - -

“Criminal penalties

Prosecution is authorized under the Code for a variety of offenses.  Depending on the level of the noncompliance, the following penalties could apply to an individual:

• Section 7203 – misdemeanor willful failure to pay is punishable by a fine of up to $25,000 and/or imprisonment of up to one year.

• Section 7201 – felony willful evasion is punishable by a fine of up to $250,000 and/or imprisonment of up to five years.” [page 3]

When confronted with this same issue during its consideration of a similar individual mandate tax, the Senate Finance Committee worked on a bipartisan basis to include language in its bill that shielded Americans from civil and criminal penalties.  The Pelosi bill, however, contains no similar language protecting American citizens from civil and criminal tax penalties that could include a $250,000 fine and five years in jail.

“The Senate Finance Committee had the good sense to eliminate the extreme penalty of incarceration.  Speaker Pelosi’s decision to leave in the jail time provision is a threat to every family who cannot afford the $15,000 premium her plan creates.  Fortunately, Republicans have an alternative that will lower health insurance costs without raising taxes or cutting Medicare,” said Camp.

Way to protect us from the government Carol.  You go Girl! 

October Unemployment

The most dramatic shift in employment picture has to be in the number of people not looking for work.  This figure has skewed the real unemployment picture all year but in October only  about 31,000  more stopped looking, according to BLS data.  The result is that the bulk of job losses appears more directly in the actual unemployment number. 

10.2%. 

The problem—and the solution—remain the same.  Businesses have to prepare for pre-Bush tax levels that will sap money that could have been invested in jobs or growth.  There is a significant threat of massive regulation and taxation from pending democrat legislation.  The growth of bureaucracy presents additional costs and challenges.  There is simply no incentive for the business community to take any risks with so many unknowns in the pipeline. 

Christmas hiring may take a slight edge off, but January looks precipitous.  And if the holiday season doesn’t deliver, 10.5-10.8% is likely. 

As for the stimulus creating or saving anything think of it more as bad policy.  Repaying it, along with all the other spending, will ultimately come on the backs of business and industry.  It can’t create anything without destroying something else in the process so a zero sum gain is the best we could ever expect.  But as we’ve seen, the stimulus is spending significantly more per job claimed no matter how many jobs they try to sell us on.  And with all the other costs on the way, unemployment will rise no matter how many jobs they think they’ve created or saved.

Government will never be able to create or save more jobs than the free market.  Ever.  Anyone who disagrees is lying or ignorant.

Defend This

Murtha at his finest.  I invite anyone who would like to the opportunity to defend Mr. Murtha.  I look forward to your responses.

Thursday Morning Musings 11-5-09 (Ok, So It's After Noon)

The only way to guarantee equality is to eliminate the risk of prosperity.

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The grow government first party needs to convince you that “No” is bad for you.  But like everything else the liberals say the truth is exactly the opposite.  “No” is the only word that can prevent the government from spending more than you can afford.  Only “No” can stop the over regulation.  “No” keeps the government small and local.    Yes, gives it all away.

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Carol’s Should Be Committed. 

Carol is committed to enacting a tax on “living.”   That’s got to be a power of the federal government right?  You know what I mean?  The health care bomb she’s’ about to vote for on Saturday will make it illegal to own your own health insurance in 2013.  (Page 95 I think).  And it also gives the government the power to tax you or fine you if you do not buy health insurance.  So by 2013 you pay the government for their mandated coverage or you pay the government a fine or tax.  The only way to escape paying is death.  And then they tax you again anyway.

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Nature Magazine had an interview with Michelle Obama.  She made a fool of herself but that’s not the best part.  National Review reports that she said, and I quote, … “Throughout my life…I’ve learned to make choices that make me happy and make sense for me.  Even my husband is happier when I’m happy….So I have freed myself to put me on the priority list and say, yes, I can make choices that make me happy, and it will ripple and benefit my kids, my husband, and my physical health.”

Does she know that her husband has a legislative agenda based on taking choices away from people and giving them to the government?  Does she know that this makes a great number of people very unhappy?

NY 23

Senator John Cornyn, Chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee has made a public statement.  The NRSC will not be giving money to Charlie Crist in the Republican Primary with Marco Rubio.

Mission Accomplished. 

Now if we can just get the NRCC to play along.  No word yet on whether they get it.  The citizens in the district pick primary winners, not national committees with deep pockets that use their influence to sway local committees.