Who pays for ObamaCare fees and excise taxes?
posted at 8:48 am on October 6, 2009 by Ed Morrissey
We hear plenty about how the White House and Congress have insisted that a health-care overhaul will get paid by either the rich or the insurers and pharmaceutical companies with massive new fees. But will they pay the costs of these fees, or will those fees get spread to consumers? It hardly comes as a shock that an industry with an average 3.3% profit margin won’t be able to sustain an excise fee of 35% without either rapidly downsizing or hiking insurance premiums, or going out of business altogether. A new analysis by the Joint Committee on Taxation and former CBO director Douglas Holtz-Eakin shows that the distribution of the excise tax and other fees on the health insurers will mean higher costs borne primarily by the middle class.
First, let’s look at the distribution of the excise tax impact. Excise taxes get imposed on insurance companies that sell so-called “Cadillac plans” that cost more than $8K per individual or $21K per family on an annual basis. Assuming that insurers don’t simply drop these plans and offer less expensive — and less robust — alternatives, the costs will not get passed along only to the people with the Cadillac plans, as the excise tax applies to their entire income. Holtz-Eakin shows how insurers would have to hike premiums in order to remain profitable, by income levels:
Those making between $40K and $200K would get hit with 72.6% of the costs of the excise tax in higher premiums in the first year of the program, 2013. That number goes up to over 77% in 2019.
The next government bite come from something called the Chairman’s Mark, a $6 billion excise “fee” applied to health insurers, apportioned by market share. As Holtz-Eakin explains, this is another tax; it gets applied by the government, and as an insurance company sells more policies, it rises with their market share. It essentially penalizes success. And again, this “fee” or “mark” would get passed along to the consumer, along with other such “fees”, with the middle class getting the brunt of the premium hikes:
In this case, 65.6% of all 2013 costs get passed to taxpayers in the $40K-$200K band. Because the fees stay relatively stable, that percentage remains the same in 2019.
Combining the two, Holtz-Eakin shows that 76.8% of the costs of these fees and excise taxes get passed to middle-class taxpayers making between $40K-$200K in 2013, and 74.7% of all costs in 2019:
Furthermore, the exchange credits — by which taxpayers get subsidized for purchasing health insurance — become a problem in themselves. As Thomas Barthold explains in a letter on the subject to the committee, 72% of the refundables will exceed the total tax liability of the recipients. That means only $130 billion of the $463 billion lowers taxes — and $330 billion gets spent by Treasury as an outlay.
Who will pay for that outlay? Everyone who doesn’t qualify for the subsidy, which gets scaled up to 400% of the poverty level. That means everyone who makes more than $88,000 will have to pay higher taxes as well as the higher premiums to fund this monstrosity.
Remember when Barack Obama said that taxpayers below $250,000 wouldn’t see one dime of tax increases?
Blowback
Note from Hot Air management: This section is for comments from Hot Air's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that Hot Air management agrees with or otherwise endorses any particular comment just because we let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with our terms of use may lose their posting privilege.
Trackbacks/Pings
Trackback URL
Comments
Comment pages: 1 2 Next »
Redistributionsim.
That’s all any of this is about.
Period.
drjohn on October 6, 2009 at 8:51 AM
OMG! Are these criminals in the WH and Congress for real? Why is this not general information? How are they being allowed to bankrupt us?
red131 on October 6, 2009 at 8:53 AM
yo mama.
moonbatkiller on October 6, 2009 at 8:53 AM
More importantly, who’s payin’ for the white coats?
misslizzi on October 6, 2009 at 8:54 AM
And feeding our ever-hungry federal bureaucracy — after all, where are all the “saved or created” jobs going to come from?
zenscreamer on October 6, 2009 at 8:55 AM
it is time for us to pick up our phones & jam up the SEnate switchboard.
and i want to apologize to the country now: the Commonwealth of Virginia has 2 yukky US Senators–Mark Warner & jim Webb.
but we need to influence maybe only one or two of the whole Senate. if we all work together, we can beat this thing.
kelley in virginia on October 6, 2009 at 8:58 AM
Joe Wilson was right.
HE LIES.
Good Lt on October 6, 2009 at 8:58 AM
Laughable.
Griz on October 6, 2009 at 8:59 AM
Ed,
I can think of an out for Obama and the Democrats that is a back door to a public option. They simply include in the wording of the bill that the cost of a premium can only be increased by 5% once the bill is in effect. This will prevent insurers from passing the costs along which will force them to cut services and eventually go out of business. The government has no choice but to offer a public plan because all of the greedy insurance companies are trying to rip-off the little guy by raising their premiums through the roof. Obama keeps his pledge and Nancy gets her public option. It is a win-win for everyone except the people they claim to represent.
txaggie on October 6, 2009 at 9:00 AM
Scores and scores of dimes, but not one dime.
Damn, haven’t we caught on to liberal double-speak yet……in other words, they LIE.
Jerome Horwitz on October 6, 2009 at 9:01 AM
Let me be clear. I’m completely full of $hit. Suckers.
Monica on October 6, 2009 at 9:03 AM
Obama Promises Middle Class He Will Only Tax “Their Credulity”: http://optoons.blogspot.com/2009/07/obama-promises-middle-class-he-will.html
Mervis Winter on October 6, 2009 at 9:06 AM
I wish I could help — I’m a hostage of the People’s Republic of Massachusetts — represented by “what does cap and trade mean?” cap-and-trade bill sponsor John “loser” Kerry and the Democratic senate Kennedy-crony placeholder appointed by our own clean-and-presentable-looking reduced-expectations affirmative-action hire Governor “tax-it-all” Deval Patrick.
I just want to put my head under the covers and wake up when it’s all over.
zenscreamer on October 6, 2009 at 9:06 AM
Yep, time to call our senators to…oh wait, I live in New York. My opinion doesn’t matter to my senators. I’m just a racist for disagreeing with them, right?
But at least I live in NY-29, and my congressman (Eric Massa, remember him?) has pledged to vote against this bill. Oh wait, he’s going to vote against it, he said, because it DOESN’T GO FAR ENOUGH! He wants a total single payer.
Such are the trials and tribulations of a conservative New Yorker.
Pope Linus on October 6, 2009 at 9:07 AM
This eventually will be played out as involving 1) greedy insurance companies, 2) the “well-off” (“rich” will be dropped) who won’t pay their “fair share,” and 3) the usual parade of heart-tugging, sad medical crisis stories (with a good deal of racial and ethnic diversity to include the implied racism of the presumably WASP “well-off”).
Wethal on October 6, 2009 at 9:08 AM
I think that in I-bama’s mind, at least, it’s actually about reparations, of which redistribution, of couse, is a subset.
TXUS on October 6, 2009 at 9:08 AM
you can call the Senate switchboard & ask for your Senator. after you waste that 30 seconds of breath, call a Senator that might be on the bubble.
we all need to fight this one.
kelley in virginia on October 6, 2009 at 9:10 AM
I believe the party line is still that Obamacare is going to insure 40M additional individuals without is costing any more with the real powerhouse for funding rising out of “eliminating inefficiencies.”
highhopes on October 6, 2009 at 9:10 AM
This is not the way I wanted to start my morning. These health reform plans are designed to put private insurance out of business, plain and simple. If health insurance premiums double, people will flee to the public option. Mission accomplished.
bopbottle on October 6, 2009 at 9:10 AM
We all need to descend on DC en masse and demand an end to this nonsense. But calling is a good second option, particularly if you can get past the first gatekeeper.
highhopes on October 6, 2009 at 9:11 AM
I do. And I recall thinking to myself, “Yeah, it won’t be one dime, it’ll be a whole lot of dimes.”
I look forward to the creative columnist who actually counts up how many dimes its going to be….
ted c on October 6, 2009 at 9:12 AM
I hate to be a pessimist, but I think they are going to find a way to cram this through in the dark of night. They will pile on the pork to sway some blue dogs and get their way.
bopbottle on October 6, 2009 at 9:13 AM
FIFY
zenscreamer on October 6, 2009 at 9:14 AM
And fraud. Don’t forget fraud. Never mind that the most one can save if 100% of all fraud cases were chased and the money returned is 4 to 6 billion dollars. Apparently the Obama Administration is MAGIC and can find more fraud than there is. (I work in healthcare fraud investigations. Trust me, there’s not much more than that).
As for “waste”, I’m still not sure what constitutes “waste” in healthcare to a politician. I know what it means to a nurse like me, but I doubt you can turn THAT into cash….
mjk on October 6, 2009 at 9:14 AM
The Democrat “plan” will force insurance companies to provide more care to beneficiaries, not less.
Democrats will force insurance companies to take people with pre-existing conditions.
How exactly are these two items suppposed to lower costs?
Since insurance companies aren’t in the business to lose money, my guess is that they’ll all ditch the business, which is what the Democrats want.
Then we’ll get lousy care in dirty hospitals, provided by indifferent, underskilled third world denizens who don’t speak english.
But the good news is that we’ll have to pay sky high taxes to fund the entire mess. Thanks, Democrats!
NoDonkey on October 6, 2009 at 9:15 AM
Any time a politician promises not to raise taxes, they are lying. Especially when they also promise broad social program changes like the ONE is still rambling on about. Perhaps people should remember that.
mjk on October 6, 2009 at 9:16 AM
I just don’t get it.
Eighty Percent have Health Care,
Most without hand-outs.
Reform saves money,
But Eighty Percent need grants,
For the “cheaper” care.
Haiku Guy on October 6, 2009 at 9:17 AM
The best part of the whole thing is the insurance company I work for has:
1. made a profit of 0.5% last fiscal year
2. in the past seven of ten years LOST money
If health insurance were run like a regular business, we’d be cut due to our inability to make money. (to be fair, we are a non-profit)
mjk on October 6, 2009 at 9:18 AM
I think they’ll be a little more subtle or indirect about the premium increase limitation, but you’re exactly right on their plan to ultimately stoke public demand for a government insurance option.
TXUS on October 6, 2009 at 9:18 AM
Thanks, swing voters.
People such as Obama, his cronies, Pelosi, Reid, Frank, Schumer, Waxman, et al. should never be allowed to exercise any authority outside of their little fiefdoms. But now they’re running the country.
Have nice lives sharing your earnings and savings with ACORN workers solely because Obama & Co. believe that they’re entitled to your stuff.
BuckeyeSam on October 6, 2009 at 9:19 AM
This is RAPE-rape.
Shiny_Tiara on October 6, 2009 at 9:19 AM
Get off HotAir and contact your Senator and congressman. Smooth on the verve and the persuasion. Make it weight upon their conscience. Remind them that they hvae families that will have to endure the pain and the cost of this usurpation of freedom and liberty.
Go now, strike hard.
ted c on October 6, 2009 at 9:19 AM
It’s not about healthcare! It’s about making us all slaves of the Democrat Party. Period.
Akzed on October 6, 2009 at 9:20 AM
Wasn’t this why there was a Revolution some scores of years ago?
publiuspen on October 6, 2009 at 9:20 AM
SEIU will also unionize those third world denizens, so we’ll be paying union wages plus benefits.
Wethal on October 6, 2009 at 9:21 AM
Thank you enlightened voters, you have given away your freedom and liberty to this wonderful totalitarian, Marxist regime.
rplat on October 6, 2009 at 9:22 AM
and i want to apologize to the country now: the Commonwealth of Virginia has 2 yukky US Senators–Mark Warner & jim Webb.
kelley in virginia on October 6, 2009 at 8:58 AM
I see your two and trump: Menedez and Louseyberg(NJ).
red131 on October 6, 2009 at 9:23 AM
mjk on October 6, 2009 at 9:18 AM
I have my Masters in Health Administration and I haven’t worked in a hospital in 20 years.
When people ask why, I tell them that hospitals are losers. The government and the patients want gold-plated care and no one wants to pay a dime for it.
Hospitals have unbelievably complex technology and the people who staff hospitals go through years of painful, difficult training.
You’re not going to get that on the cheap.
Law firms make an average margin of 14%, is that “greedy” Mr. President?
But then again, law firms allow parasites and leeches to sue productive people, so they contribute that to society.
I work in health care IT now. They haven’t figured out a way to get electronic health records for free – yet.
NoDonkey on October 6, 2009 at 9:25 AM
Speaking truth to power.
Monica on October 6, 2009 at 9:27 AM
Remember the days of back alley abortions? Soon coming is the back alley GP dispensing blackmarket antibiotics.
How stupid are we as a nation that this looks like a good idea?
ROCnPhilly on October 6, 2009 at 9:29 AM
These are not taxes. I looked it up in the Merriam-Obama Dictionary. According to the M-O, these are actually “dietary cupcakes”; they taste good but don’t cause any health problems. /sarc
BKeyser on October 6, 2009 at 9:30 AM
The only thing more infuriating than this is the certainty that we’ll pay more and have to wait longer for subpar care as older doctors retire earlier and bright young people look for careers elsewhere.
Laura in Maryland on October 6, 2009 at 9:33 AM
Laura in Maryland on October 6, 2009 at 9:33 AM
Exactly. Law school is a breeze compared to medical school and you don’t have dissect cadavars.
You just have to memorize a bunch of boring cases and learn how to swindle people in a system rigged to maximize the income of lawyers. Big deal.
And you can get as rich as croesus as even a mediocre lawyer. Look at John Edwards in his 27,000 square foot mansion.
So why go to medical school? Why not take the easy way out, go to law school and contribute nothing to society?
NoDonkey on October 6, 2009 at 9:36 AM
I got cut off in traffic about a month ago by a bimbo with an O sticker on her HUMMER. I couldn’t figure out which was dumber; her lane switch or her choice of candidate??
Laura in Maryland on October 6, 2009 at 9:36 AM
This is a timely piece by Ed for me and my family. My husband is a salaried engineer for G.E. (yes, I know, it pains me these days to admit he works for them) and they are changing their healthcare beginning Jan. 2010. I believe that what they are changing to will be common throughout the country since G.E. is heavily intertwined with the federal government now. What G.E. is offering/forcing upon the employees is the following:
1. Our current paycheck deduction for our family is approx. $3,000.00 per year. We also pay a nominal co-pay for doctors visits & prescriptions.
2. The new plan will change things significantly. Under the guise of “choices” we will have 3 options.
Option 1: Have $3,500 deducted from our check PLUS meet an annual deductible of 2,000 PLUS an insurance co-pay of 20% until you reach the maximum co-pay of $3,500. Folks, this means our potential out-of-pocket expenses would be approx. $9,000 before G.E. starts paying a significant portion.
Option 2: A slightly less version of the same but with less taken out of the paycheck and more of an annual deductible and co-pay deductibles.
Option 3: $600 deducted from pay, but with annual deductibles of $4,000 PLUS annual co-insurance of 20% up to $5,500. This is potentially $10,000.00 out-of-pocket costs before G.E. would start paying the lion’s share.
Mind you, G.E. only starts paying %80 AFTER you’ve reached the annual deductible of between $2,000 to $4,000 IN ADDITION to what they automatically take out of your check. You still pay 20% co-pay until the annual out-of-pocket maximum is reached. This varies from between $9,000 and $10,000 for our situation.
Options 1 & 2 come with a GE Health Reimbursement Account where they will deposit $1,000 per year (for a family) to help pay for medical costs. You access the account with a debit card they will provide. You can also put money aside in an employee-funded account, but any money you do not use is forfeited at the end of the year.
Option 3 will have a lot less money taken out of your check, but the deductibles are higher and GE will NOT put any money into a health reimbusement account for you. You can, however, have your own employee HSA (Health Savings Account) where you contribute money (after taxes) and it earns interest thereafter tax-free and can be rolled-over from year to year. It will work similar to an IRA.
If you smoke, add $625 to the totals above.
Regular check-ups and screenings for breast, colon, prostate cancers will be FREE.
However, if you have tests or expenses out of regular wellness (such as a development of carpel tunnel syndrome or a kid breaks a leg) you will have to pay for it yourself until the deductibles are met.
This is the future of healthcare. Overall, our costs are going to at least double starting next year.
I’m beginning to suspect that the plan to socialization is to BREAK the middle class financially until we are begging for the government’s help.
Sorry for the long post – it’s complicated – the way the powers-that-be like it.
KickandSwimMom on October 6, 2009 at 9:37 AM
This report totally neglects the secret pot of gold that all corporations have tucked in the board room.
I swear you never see a troll in a tax-based thread. Need a headline that includes “Gay Marriage” or “Levi Johnston” and they may come like flies to sh*t.
WashJeff on October 6, 2009 at 9:37 AM
If everything you see that involves Obama, just immediately say reparations, and you are starting off on the right foot.
tarpon on October 6, 2009 at 9:38 AM
You’ve been to Great Britain, I gather?
mr.blacksheep on October 6, 2009 at 9:39 AM
I can’t help with Senators either but will contact anyway.
I have a comment though. I, too, am out of health care and have no intention of going back. Here’s the reason. A person with a lumbar herniated disc was just telling me that they were not going to continue with treatment because their co pay was 25 dollars a visit.
Enough said.
ORconservative on October 6, 2009 at 9:40 AM
Wow on option 3. My perception is that companies contribute funds to your HSA if you take the high-deductable plan. This is almost like taking a voluntary pay cut. They are not passing on any of the savings of the company contributed portion to your husband.
WashJeff on October 6, 2009 at 9:41 AM
red131: Virginia has horrible Senators, but at least some of the Congressional districts could change hands in 2010. “as God is my witness” (channelling my inner Scarlett O’Hara), we will rid ourselves of Dem Tom Perriello, 5th CD, Va. i plan to work against him every single day.
kelley in virginia on October 6, 2009 at 9:42 AM
Mikulski and Cardin – game over I win! Yeah!
hey…wait a minute, can I take that back?
*hangs head in shame*
Laura in Maryland on October 6, 2009 at 9:42 AM
I want to know if we, the taxpayers, paid for all of those white lab coats that Obama passed out to those ‘doctors’ at his photo op.
I want a refund.
bridgetown on October 6, 2009 at 9:42 AM
KickandSwimMom on October 6, 2009 at 9:37 AM
That is basically what we have now. The deductable is high which makes it tempting not to carry insurance at all. My son had a broken bone and the ER visit was 3000, which we were responsible for since our deductable was not even close to being met.
Part of me thinks this whole debate is insane. OK, all of me. If supporters of Obamacare would put down their unrealistic view of people with so called Cadillac plans, we might get somewhere. The only ones with truly Cadillac plans are big unions. Pure insanity.
ORconservative on October 6, 2009 at 9:46 AM
So, the solution for me personally is to substantially lower my income level then. OK, I can do that.
Going Galt may become a trend.
MikeA on October 6, 2009 at 9:47 AM
Well, them and Congress.
MikeA on October 6, 2009 at 9:49 AM
I don’t count Congress as human.
ORconservative on October 6, 2009 at 9:53 AM
Thanks all for your responses. I’m still dealing with the anger issues this change has brought upon me! I am loathe to contribute to G.E. with payroll deductions at all since it basically is paying the company to pay others claims since they won’t start contributing to my family until after the deductibles are met (except for regular check-ups). Also, hourly employees are not subject to this – hmmm . . . Isn’t that just another form of redistribution?
Right now, we’re considering Option 3 and upping what we contribute now to insurance and put it in the HSA (employee health savings account). Also, the HSA is owned by the employee and is kept even if you leave the company.
What this is heading to is that employees will be paying G.E. so G.E. can pay on catastrophic claims. Am I seeing this wrong? G.E. seems to be making out very well here. This is the thanks that my husband who has put in 23 years with the company gets.
KickandSwimMom on October 6, 2009 at 9:54 AM
Well, he didn’t ASK to have lumbar pain, did he?
I mean really.
We should only have to pay for the things we want. Like luxury cars, designer clothes and bling in general.
The things we don’t want, but have to have, the government should pay for.
Our personal money should only be used for fun stuff, it’s in the Constitution.
NoDonkey on October 6, 2009 at 9:55 AM
So you consider SEIU human?
MikeA on October 6, 2009 at 9:57 AM
Oh, and these health premiums are scaled according to pay. If my husband gets a raise, it will basically be wiped-out from the additional health insurance premiums.
KickandSwimMom on October 6, 2009 at 9:57 AM
I live in SW Ohio. My district (R-Jean Schmidt) and Boehner’s district) border a swing district currently represented by a first-term Dem tool. As a result, we’re bombarded with health-care ads, especially an ad talking about insurance company CEO pay.
For the life of me, I simply cannot explain why the GOP hasn’t put together an ad featuring Edwards as the sleazy poster boy for lawsuit abuse reform. What am I missing? The the affair, the out-of-wedlock kid, the promise of having The Dave Matthews Band perform at a wedding after his wife dies, and now (apparently) the wife filing for divorce and seeking $53 million (which suggests that there’s probably twice that). All courtesy of lawsuit abuse.
Where’s the fricking outrage? We won’t have OB-GYNs in a decade because of retirements and few going into the specialty.
I see it happening, but I just can’t believe that more than 30% to 35% of this country is buying into this nonsense.
BuckeyeSam on October 6, 2009 at 9:58 AM
The CBO is apparently wrong with there numbers, because BHO made a statement similar to this: “Let me be clear, no higher taxes on anyone making under $250,000.”
la.rt.wngr on October 6, 2009 at 10:00 AM
MikeA on October 6, 2009 at 9:57 AM
Now, that is a good question. I think that we’ve created a monster in this society where people feel entitled to shit. I do not see the leadership in any union any more human than I see Congress or Obama. But the workers have this wacked out entitlement mentality that goes back generations. Human? maybe not. I don’t know but I’m am increasingly sad for what used to be America.
ORconservative on October 6, 2009 at 10:01 AM
Off topic,in case you missed that they are real doctors.
It’s come to this.
Drudge has a link on Obama’s botched photo ops with doctors.
maynila on October 6, 2009 at 10:03 AM
BuckeyeSam on October 6, 2009 at 9:58 AM
The only thing I can think of is that many current GOP politicians are lawyers as well.
Which is why we need to get new GOP politicians.
We need to completely turn over Congress and throw nearly every incumbant out on his or her ass.
No lawyers. No race-baiting poverty pimps. No “he was Senator Kennedy’s kid and that’s good enough for me!”.
Personally, I think a Congress full of retired military officers and senior enlisted, would turn this country in the right direction and on a dime.
NoDonkey on October 6, 2009 at 10:03 AM
These people are nuts! The world is talking about stopping the use of the doller as their trading currency. The war, unemployment, the economy, Iran, So. Korea, Russia, on and on and these fools are spending all of their time, wasting precious time, and resources on taxing us to death for health care we don’t need or want!
It is almost like they are trying to destroy us on purpose. Gee I wonder….Naaaaaa
patriotparty1 on October 6, 2009 at 10:03 AM
Part of me wishes he’d pass this and cap and trade. After the economy dies I get to go road warrior in post apocalyptic USA. I think video games and movies have prepared me for a total economic collapse pretty well.
I’d get to use a cool road warrior name and wear a bandanna. I don’t see what the big deal is really, that sounds fun.
jhffmn on October 6, 2009 at 10:05 AM
If I’m reading your name correctly and you are in the People’s Republic of Oregon, you are probably even more disgusted with the union and liberal stupidity than most of us. Last time I was there I was nearly attacked by a service station attendant because I got out to pump my own gas. The screaming moron told me that was against the law there and that I had to allow him to pump it. I just drove acroos the river to Washington and bought gas there.
MikeA on October 6, 2009 at 10:07 AM
Our parents and grandparents will be the ones who really pay for this pos, with their lives. Medicare will be cut to help fund health care for illegals and others entitled to free care. Meanwhile the Won and Ms. O jet off to another speech, vacation or shopping somewhere in the world.
Kissmygrits on October 6, 2009 at 10:10 AM
That is also how it works in New Jersey. I sometimes forget that when I travel through NJ on my way somewhere and get a verbal smackdown from the guy standing there.
Johnnyreb on October 6, 2009 at 10:11 AM
Yep, am in the People’s Republic of Portland. Am a transplant from the midwest.
The pumping gas thing is just one in a very long list of insane government control. The drivng skills too are insane. Liberalism sucks the independent thought right out of people.
ORconservative on October 6, 2009 at 10:12 AM
Reagan put it simply:
from their customers and employees. The “progressive” tax rates designed to “soak the rich” instead are borne by the “rich” people’s customers.
But once people believe that Other People’s Money (as Sarah Palin puts it, “OPiuM”) is involved, they don’t mind wasting metric buttloads of it on graft and corruption, in exchange for the few crumbs of ostensible benefits they get.
The Monster on October 6, 2009 at 10:12 AM
ORconservative on October 6, 2009 at 10:01 AM
You have the best craft brew there in the world and the last I heard, the Democrat brain-trust was thinking of slapping a 4% tax on it, effectively putting the entire industy at a huge disadvantage.
Did those idiots ever pass that?
Another example of Democrat brilliance.
NoDonkey on October 6, 2009 at 10:14 AM
The biggie at the moment is the recall of the pedophile mayor failed and the legistlator in Salem is shocked, literally, that the latest tax increase is going up for a vote because enough signatures were collected. There are people with brains in other parts of the state but not in the People’s(and pedophiles’) Republic.
The beer is amazing.
ORconservative on October 6, 2009 at 10:20 AM
I was there last a few years ago, interviewing for a job that I ended up refusing to take because I did not think I could live and work in that environment.
Here’s another event I witnessed that trip. I was running late due to a flight delay, and went into a McDonald’s to grab something to eat on the road. As I walked in I saw a very angry looking woman dragging a little girl up to the counter; where she accosted the poor teenager working there. She screamed, and that is not an exaggeration, something to the effect of “How DARE you assume that my daughter would want a “girl” toy in her happy meal? She is just as capable of wanting a car or other “boy” toy and anyone!”
I was stunned and felt sorry for the little girl, who was crying and seemed to really want the girl toy her mom took away from her. But the bigger surprise to me was that the worker there was not fazed by this and just exchanged the toy without a second thought. That told me this was not a onetime occurrence there in Coos Bay.
I have to run but I’ll watch for you here at H/A in the future.
MikeA on October 6, 2009 at 10:22 AM
Tax it then!
WashJeff on October 6, 2009 at 10:22 AM
Basic micro-economics:
If a market is perfectly elastic, any taxes (even if imposed on consumers) are borne by suppliers. If a market is perfectly inelastic, the tax burden – even if imposed on suppliers – is shifted 100% to consumers. In between, the proportion is related to elasticity.
The penalties proposed on those who refuse to buy insurance makes the market almost perfectly inelastic. Hence, despite any [totally dishonest] claims to the contrary, there are no taxes being imposed on the insurance companies. The taxes will be paid completely by the consumer.
great unknown on October 6, 2009 at 10:25 AM
Obongo’s tax pledge
flyfisher on October 6, 2009 at 10:27 AM
Sacry stuff…
BREAK:
BuckeyeSam: IS THIS TRUE!? Where did you hear about this?!
Khun Joe on October 6, 2009 at 10:35 AM
“This isn’t an increase in taxes – it’s just an increase of everyone doing their fair share!”
- Our Dear Leader
gwelf on October 6, 2009 at 10:37 AM
Interesting that Democrat policies, whether by intention or not, will end up eroding the middle class…I guess they really do worship Europe.
gwelf on October 6, 2009 at 10:38 AM
And ObamaCare will get rid of the anesthesiologists.
gwelf on October 6, 2009 at 10:40 AM
Obongo’s tax pledge
flyfisher on October 6, 2009 at 10:27 AM
That no taxes pledge was made before he knew how bad the economy really was.
la.rt.wngr on October 6, 2009 at 10:42 AM
OT:
I arrived at my ex’s home at 8pm, (to drop him off after we ran an errand) one night last week, to find a car parked half-way across his driveway. I couldn’t pull into his driveway and there was nowhere to park on the street close by. The Obama stickers on the car were glaring.
That person is lucky that it wasn’t my home–I would’ve called tHE police to tow the car away. Plus, my ex is an Obama supporter (why do you think he is my ex?), so he only left a polite note…
lovingmyUSA on October 6, 2009 at 10:53 AM
This is going to happen to us unless the opposition becomes very vocal. Where are our leaders?
GaltBlvnAtty on October 6, 2009 at 11:01 AM
Soetoro the Storyteller said it a long time ago: ‘The courts will never go far enough in handling reparations.’
This is just one way that Soetoro will redistribute wealth.
Ricohoc on October 6, 2009 at 11:04 AM
If I understand these schemes correctly, folk begin to pay these new fees before they get to take advantage of the new crappy services offered…do I have that right?
JIMV on October 6, 2009 at 11:04 AM
Same thing in N.J.–I don’t live there, but visited, and had to wait until the attendent finally came to pump–I could’ve been done and gone, by the time he got there!
lovingmyUSA on October 6, 2009 at 11:04 AM
Damn, I really didn’t want to break into my whiskey today….
lovingmyUSA on October 6, 2009 at 11:08 AM
Option is to escape the PRM and head for Montana or Wyoming, lay in a supply of food, firearms and ammo and prepare for a firm application of ‘States Rights’.
Yoop on October 6, 2009 at 11:09 AM
You are already paying for the redistribution of wealth. They just haven’t changed the name on the form yet to ObamaCare.
The “fees” you are paying, in advance, are being turned into fuel for Airforce One, Airforce Two, Airforce Three, Airforce Four, Airforce Five…
Yoop on October 6, 2009 at 11:15 AM
Here is the big problem even Repubs haven’t mentioned.
Medicare is insolvent. It is draggin in less revenue than when unemployment is higher. Obama is slipping re imbursement cuts. (cardiology and oncology 1.4 billion).
If he can push federal healthcare taxes, he can divert some of the dollars to cover medicare shortfalls and no one knows the difference. We think he is just covering the foreignors and the unemployed. No he is diverting money to cover senior shortages and then they don’t have a clue and don’t revolt and rise aginst him.
Bush didn’t have to confront medicare shortfalls because he had 4% unemployment and people were paying taxes. Obama got millions laid off and now the shortfall for medicare is covered by diversion of funds from the health care taxes.
seven on October 6, 2009 at 11:55 AM
Where’s Peggy Joseph now? Oh, wait…
GrannyDee on October 6, 2009 at 12:20 PM
I’m going all in: Feinstein, Boxer AND Pelosi.
Gag.
LASue on October 6, 2009 at 12:27 PM
What happen to the cut of Waste and Fraud?
LIAR!
BigMike252 on October 6, 2009 at 12:45 PM
Technically G.E. is paying a significant portion ( 80% ) after your out-of pocket expenses reach $5500.
agmartin on October 6, 2009 at 1:01 PM
So much for the campaign promise of no new taxes. We all now know that if Obama’s lips are moving, he’s lying.
TrickyDick on October 6, 2009 at 1:26 PM
agmartin on October 6, 2009 at 1:01 PM
But that does not include the $3,500 deducted from the check over the year. I don’t know about your, but that it out-of-pocket for us.
KickandSwimMom on October 6, 2009 at 1:35 PM
Comment pages: 1 2 Next »