Video: Who’s on first, Congressional-style
posted at 12:15 pm on March 25, 2010 by Ed Morrissey
It really does seem like a simple question that Bill O’Reilly asks Anthony Weiner in this clip from last night. All O’Reilly wants to know is which federal government agency hands out the fines to people who don’t buy government-approved health insurance. After all, even Rep. Weiner admits that someone is going to force taxpayers to pay if they access the system without proper coverage under ObamaCare. Who is that? Yes. Yes who? Who. Who’s on first? Right:
Look, this is really easy. Just go to pages 345 and 1573 of the Senate bill, which was signed into law, to find out which federal agency has to keep track of the data:
Senate Democrats’ Health Care Reform Bill
Here’s the relevant clause on page 345:
(c) NOTIFICATION OF NONENROLLMENT.—Not later than June 30 of each year, the Secretary of the Treasury, acting through the Internal Revenue Service and in consultation with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, shall send a notification to each individual who files an individual income tax return and who is not enrolled in minimum essential coverage (as defined in section 5000A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986). Such notification shall contain information on the services available through the Exchange operating in the State in which such individual resides.
It’s the IRS. The Democrats have sicced the IRS on every American and put the tax collectors in charge of enforcing our health-insurance mandates. Why can’t Weiner just man up and tell the truth about it?
Jim Vicevich has the more amusing “Who’s on first” routine at Radio Vice Online. My guess is that the IRS will be a lot more direct when fining refuseniks than Congressman Weiner.
Blowback
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I believe BOR was hitting on a real hot button for the libs. Weiner did not want to admit the IRS is the enforcement arm. This needs much more focus.
d1carter on March 25, 2010 at 12:18 PM
Great job, Ed. This exchange between Weenie-boy and BOR really deserved its own thread. This is an important issue for people to understand.
UltimateBob on March 25, 2010 at 12:19 PM
Anthony Weiner…obviously named appropriately.
mwdiver on March 25, 2010 at 12:20 PM
Nice job getting the public upset at the IRS now. It’s not like they are going to be on taxpayers minds in the next few weeks. :-0
highhopes on March 25, 2010 at 12:20 PM
The least informed people on the Healthcare bill are the congressmen who voted for it.
zmdavid on March 25, 2010 at 12:20 PM
Abbot and Costello also explains Congressional Math
Holger on March 25, 2010 at 12:20 PM
There are wieners and there are loosers and this Wiener is a Looser!
400lb Gorilla on March 25, 2010 at 12:21 PM
What is funny about this whole thing, is the idea that they Decriminalized the fine… somehow…
The fine goes onto your Fed Tax liability… they “say” that you can’t loose your house over it, but you CAN loose your house for not paying your Fed Taxes.
As there is no distinction between the money of the fine, and your regualar taxes (you won’t be writing two different checks), the fine will show up as a Tax Liability… thus the full force of the IRS will go after that Liability.
Smoke and mirrors…
Romeo13 on March 25, 2010 at 12:21 PM
Shazam! Who’da thunk it?/
Chewy the Lab on March 25, 2010 at 12:21 PM
I watched this last night and wanted to scream! I hope BOR has someone else on there tonight and he asks the same question! Anxious to see how long it takes before someone admits it’s the IRS!
Oink on March 25, 2010 at 12:21 PM
I saw this last night. Pretty condemning, won’t even admit the IRS is now a health insurance police force.
darwin on March 25, 2010 at 12:22 PM
Ha! Who’s on first is exactly what I thought last night.
BobH on March 25, 2010 at 12:24 PM
Weiner is a dick.
jaime on March 25, 2010 at 12:24 PM
Boy, that Wienie dude is a joke. I’m surprised he didn’t stamp his foot and take his microphone off. It was so obvious he did not want to answer the question.
bloggless on March 25, 2010 at 12:25 PM
He knows the answer, he is just too deceptive to admit it.
dentalque on March 25, 2010 at 12:25 PM
The least informed people on the Healthcare bill are the congressmen who voted for it.
zmdavid on March 25, 2010 at 12:20 PM
+1
Thanks, Ed, for posting this. I saw it last night and hoped you would give it the attention it deserves. The congressman’s refusal to answer such a simple question speaks volumes.
And they wonder why Americans are a wee bit ticked off.
NebCon on March 25, 2010 at 12:25 PM
I would love, LOVE to see someone ask Gibbs the question of who will be enforcing the fines, and watch him squirm.
Better yet, I’d like to see Obama himself try and dodge the question.
UltimateBob on March 25, 2010 at 12:26 PM
This clip is comedy gold. I see what everyone’s been clamoring about. Notice halfway into the clip, Weiner looks helplessly to the side contemplating running away. These people exasperate very quickly when pressed with hard answers. If what Weiner says was squared with the truth, I propbably wouldn’t have much beef with ObamaCare. He needs to go back and read that page of the bill Ed posted, be a man, and come back on o-Reilly’s program with a humble apology.
RepubChica on March 25, 2010 at 12:26 PM
Proof that God has a sense of humor…
ladyingray on March 25, 2010 at 12:26 PM
Anthony Weiner is a total idiot. Is he up for re-election anytime soon and if so who is running against him?
milwife88 on March 25, 2010 at 12:26 PM
I’m sure it’s only a coincidence that just lately, Democrats have taken to fillibustering interviews while refusing to answer direct questions and then constantly saying “let me finish” to try and make the interviewer look bad.
OxyCon on March 25, 2010 at 12:26 PM
the Secretary of the Treasury, acting through the Internal Revenue Service
…..
Ok.
Then the GOP can do away with the IRS by renaming it.
The “new” agency will not have any authority.
artist on March 25, 2010 at 12:26 PM
And a very small one at that.
UltimateBob on March 25, 2010 at 12:27 PM
I seen this last night. Just when I was getting ready to shut off Bill O forever and he pulls this little gem out of his @ss!
This demratf**k scum bag was pwn3d!
csdeven on March 25, 2010 at 12:27 PM
Just MAYBE Weiner DOESN’T know. Maybe he never READ the bill. But then, all the Democrats are living in NancyLand.
GarandFan on March 25, 2010 at 12:27 PM
Our vocabulary has changed so much since Sunday, with getting “Stupaked” and “Pelosi’d”, but thankfully the word “weiner” will remain the same.
AubieJon on March 25, 2010 at 12:27 PM
This was the same guy who gave a big buss to Stupak, at the bar. How proud, and happy he was, that they passed this crap of a bill.
But out in public, when put on the spot, they seem awfully ashamed, and embarrassed by the truths of it….don’t they?
capejasmine on March 25, 2010 at 12:28 PM
I watched that last night.
Is Weiner so clueless that he thinks no one knows the truth unless he tells them….?
Hell…I knew about this six months ago.
NeoKong on March 25, 2010 at 12:28 PM
This, the IRS, will be such a sore spot for Dems. MILK IT to November.
WashJeff on March 25, 2010 at 12:28 PM
I watched this interview last night also – Weiner truly lived up to his surname, though I could suggest a few that might be more precise.
He even sulked by turning his head to the right while BOr was asking the same question for about the 99th time – it’s truely amazing how the left, when avoiding a question – which is most of the time – spew the same rhetoric time and again and again and. . . .
karra on March 25, 2010 at 12:28 PM
What a TOOL… though we all new that already
phreshone on March 25, 2010 at 12:29 PM
Weiner couldn’t answer the question because Bill was making things up as he went along. Weiner is saying that it’s not against the law not to buy health insurance so then we shouldn’t be fined then.
Now if Bill would of asked him about Unicorns and Skittles Weiner could of answered that.
Weiner didn’t come out good in that interview and I don’t think the next dimwit that comes on his program will do any better.
2010 and 2012 commercials are writing themselves.
Brat4life on March 25, 2010 at 12:29 PM
Listening to Rush, and he’s talking about the violence claims by the left, and going over the list of violence from the left. lol
He also mentioned something about Eric Cantors office in Virginia, was shot at last night, I believe? I’m looking for info, but haven’t found anything yet.
capejasmine on March 25, 2010 at 12:29 PM
OT: Cantor says in Presser that a bullet was fired through his Richmond office. Claims others are using these reports for political gain. Give specific names. He has received threats for his work in Congress and because he is Jewish. Threats of violence has to stop.
d1carter on March 25, 2010 at 12:30 PM
How can something be decriminalized and fined at the same time?
I think I need a Doublespeak Dictionary.
Liam on March 25, 2010 at 12:30 PM
I always thought it should be called the Federal Department of Revenue (or FDR for short)
zmdavid on March 25, 2010 at 12:31 PM
When I watched this last night, that is exactly what I thought he was going to do. He stayed on camera but still didn’t give an honest and coherent answer.
UltimateBob on March 25, 2010 at 12:31 PM
Weiner has a problem understanding what voluntary compliance means. I’m sure it’s purposeful.
lorien1973 on March 25, 2010 at 12:31 PM
Interesting. Maybe not paying your taxes shouldn’t be criminal either, then.
AnninCA on March 25, 2010 at 12:31 PM
Don’t forget AnninCA’d…
ladyingray on March 25, 2010 at 12:32 PM
This has been a really interesting point. I’ve been arguing about similar points on some leftist blogs and I’m getting the same weird denials. There’s some weird talking points being handed out by the DNC as if they don’t want to own up to this.
IE
So I bring up jail time and what do I get?
But there’s prison time right in the bill.
They SIGNED the Senate Bill. Look, here’s the actual point in the bill that says that.
Very odd. Don’t like it. I can’t believe these guys are that logically stupid (regards to Michael Savage), which means there’s an intentional disinformation campaign going on here to deny what’s in the bill to make it acceptable to the masses.
Skywise on March 25, 2010 at 12:33 PM
Unbelievable lying sacks of excrement.
ornery_independent on March 25, 2010 at 12:33 PM
Should there be a Limit to what those taxes are?
Chip on March 25, 2010 at 12:33 PM
Oh.My.God.
While I don’t condone it, I could see how someone might be compelled to throw a brick in his direction after that little exchange.
jennifernaz on March 25, 2010 at 12:33 PM
Just what we need, a new federal police authority. Because, as we all know, the DEA has been such a stellar operation that we need MORE feds running around with police powers! I swear, all of this is enough to make you wonder why we’re
states at all.
ernesto on March 25, 2010 at 12:33 PM
Because he is a lying socialist weener.
farright on March 25, 2010 at 12:34 PM
And right on queue…
In case you missed it Ann… this isn’t a TAX. The government will put us in prison if we don’t buy products and goods they specify.
Skywise on March 25, 2010 at 12:34 PM
I saw this painful exchange. Weiner, the perpetual whiner, was at a complete loss and contemplated leaving in the middle of being completely stomped by a simple question.
What I learned from the exchange “if you don’t pay, no one will consider you a criminal”. Don’t feed this animal.
Schadenfreude on March 25, 2010 at 12:35 PM
I posted this in another forum as well, but O’reilly and Weiner were merely playing a semantics game, (although O’reilly may not have known he was playing) The IRS ,as it stands at present (Ihave no doubt it will change in the future), can not enforce anything in regards to the fines, that was why Weiner was dodging and refusing to acknowledge their presence. The IRS can only send a notice of the fine, and if you send a check they are happy, OR they can garnish your income tax refund. That is it, they can send all the sternly worded mail and notices they want but legally thats all they can do. So instead of 20 re-peated questions O’reilly just needed to ask it correctly.
Now the reality of what the IRS can and most likely will do is a completely different issue.
Koa on March 25, 2010 at 12:35 PM
FIFY
Insert witty screen name here on March 25, 2010 at 12:35 PM
Yeah. She called me “sexist” last night. Hilarious.
AubieJon on March 25, 2010 at 12:35 PM
Oh, oh Weeeeeeeeeeener…can’t admit the big bad IRS will be in charge of this scam? We wouldn’t want the sleeping public to find this out before they mail in their tax returns on April 15th, would we now?
yoda on March 25, 2010 at 12:35 PM
Per Obama’s mathematical prowess, 3000%.
Schadenfreude on March 25, 2010 at 12:35 PM
Weiner’s beak is like ski slope. That dude is hard on the eyes.
barrythrowslikeagirl on March 25, 2010 at 12:36 PM
Ugh. Weiner is my congressman.
JKahn913 on March 25, 2010 at 12:36 PM
FNC should replay this at the top of each hour…
phreshone on March 25, 2010 at 12:36 PM
I will not comply.
Ever.
Regardless.
Ragspierre on March 25, 2010 at 12:37 PM
BOR’s a winner, not a Weiner.
AverageJoe on March 25, 2010 at 12:37 PM
WTH does this mean? What is defined in the IRS Code of 1986? Minimum essential coverage? What?
MobileVideoEngineer on March 25, 2010 at 12:37 PM
;Q
mwdiver on March 25, 2010 at 12:37 PM
i truly belive that this tool doesn’t even know the answer.
max1 on March 25, 2010 at 12:37 PM
Spare me the crocodile tears, Shuster. Instances in which GOP Offices or Republicans have been attacked:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1232770/posts
http://www.wxii12.com/news/17815574/detail.html#-
http://www.nodnc.com/modules.php?name=news&file=article&sid=182
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1621977/posts
http://www.fredericksburg.com/News/FLS/2007/022007/02202007/261345
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,134278,00.html
http://www.seattlepi.com/local/194820_nwbriefs12.html
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/03/10/national/main679334.shtml
http://www.soundpolitics.com/archives/004010.html
http://www.clickorlando.com/politics/17858108/detail.html
http://www.opinionjournal.com/diary/?id=110005741
http://www.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/nation/president/2004-10-05-gop-office-attack_x.htm
http://www.channel3000.com/politics/3776992/detail.html
http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/1027042harris1.html
http://old.nationalreview.com/kurtz/kurtz200410070852.asp
http://wizbangblog.com/content/2005/02/18/lefty-loon-thro-1.php
http://www.sptimes.com/2005/03/10/news_pf/Hillsborough/Bumper_sticker_evokes.shtml
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1243497/posts
reshas1 on March 25, 2010 at 12:37 PM
That’s not what is being said. I’m sure you know this.
Taxes are filed under a system of voluntary compliance.
You file your taxes on your own, without and overlord watching you. Failure to file is subject to criminal penalties, upon being caught.
Same thing with this. You buy insurance on your own, without an overlord’s supervision (this is Weiner’s point). However, failure to buy is subject to criminal penalties (fines and possible jailtime) (This is O’Reilly’s point).
It’s exactly the same with with Weiner’s littering example. No, no overlord pursues you ever waking hour to ensure you don’t litter. However, if you do and are caught, there are fines. Weiner is telling you about part A (no overlord) without mentioning part B (failure of compliance).
lorien1973 on March 25, 2010 at 12:37 PM
Perhaps O’Reilly would have gotten a straight answer from Weiner if he had worded the question something like, “This is a big f**king deal, congressman!”
UltimateBob on March 25, 2010 at 12:38 PM
Millions are owed to the government, by government workers. They’re cheating us in more ways than one.
capejasmine on March 25, 2010 at 12:38 PM
Saw this last night. Hadn’t intended to watch but thought Laura Ingraham would be on.
OmahaConservative on March 25, 2010 at 12:39 PM
Every blog should bump this video and the Dingell video (control the people) to the top of the page until 2013
phreshone on March 25, 2010 at 12:39 PM
In this guy’s defense, he probably never read the bill.
TheUnrepentantGeek on March 25, 2010 at 12:39 PM
The minimum coverage limits that the HHS decides everyone should have.
lorien1973 on March 25, 2010 at 12:39 PM
I knew this was going to be a loser interview when I saw BOR was having him on. Weiner on speaks in far left talking points. He probably doesn’t know who would enforce the fine, just that some jack-booted thug would be knocking down doors to arrest those that don’t submit.
jack herman on March 25, 2010 at 12:39 PM
Dems were too cute by half. They went to such lengths to avoid creating a crime out of noncompliance with the mandate that they have probably the most unpopular agency enforcing it. I’m betting that they polled this issue and that the talking points are to get off the subject no matter how stupid and evasive you look.
We have Holocaust deniers, we have truthers, and we have birthers. Now, we need a new name on analogy to these to describe Democratic politicians and Obamacare supporters who will not own up to the specific bad parts of the bill.
How about takeover deniers?
BuckeyeSam on March 25, 2010 at 12:40 PM
Oh he knows….but he also knows answering honestly, is going to further the opposition to it. He’s a dishonest, disingenous spoiled brat of a gnome.
capejasmine on March 25, 2010 at 12:40 PM
Fox News has also obtained a threatening message left Friday on the voicemail of Rep. Jean Schmidt, R-Ohio.
FNC
artist on March 25, 2010 at 12:40 PM
IDEA! Why don’t we all call Mr.Wiener at 202.225.6616 and ask him why he didn’t just answer the question for us? We should probably ask him if he read the bill, too.
202.225.6616
bloggless on March 25, 2010 at 12:41 PM
Rush just said he was surprised the anger took this long to surface.
OmahaConservative on March 25, 2010 at 12:42 PM
I saw this live last night and requested a vid posting. HotAir delivers. [This should be labeled, "Comedy Gold" though.]
Is it possible Weinder actually believes his own BS?
toliver on March 25, 2010 at 12:42 PM
He [Rush] says the threats/violence are bogus too.
OmahaConservative on March 25, 2010 at 12:43 PM
I wouldn’t say that.
He understands that you need to put a smiley face on tyranny. So, you accentuate the goals without talking about the failure of compliance.
lorien1973 on March 25, 2010 at 12:43 PM
Letter campaign to weiner weiner with this relevant paragraph anyone? Anyone have his address?
journeyintothewhirlwind on March 25, 2010 at 12:43 PM
The point here is that its not a tax, there is a big difference between a tax and a voluntary fine in both definition and in what the federal government can do as far as enforcing and collecting bewteen the two. Look at the “Voluntary fine” and listen to how Weiner answers, or refuses to. He didnt lie, he just acked like the toads who wrote the bill.
Koa on March 25, 2010 at 12:43 PM
It sounds to me that a lot of people simply don’t understand how the IRS works. They won’t put you in prison for noncompliance and they don’t need an enforcement unit – they already have it. Jesus Christ! Has anyone heard of tax liens and levies? All they they have to do is enter your crimes into a computer, they don’t need some BrownShirt to pay you a visit! You’re toast! Why do think this thing went into the bill?! It’s your pocketbook, stupid! Now, back to the post; Weiner knows all of this hence his evasion. He spent most of his time criticising O’Reilly and avoiding the answer.
LarryG on March 25, 2010 at 12:44 PM
As annoying as BO’R can be, this is when he’s at his best: He asks a simple question, and demands a clear answer. Wiener tried everything he could to not answer it, and made the bizarre claim that BO’R was refusing to let him answer.
Q: If I don’t do what the law says I must do, what agency asseses the fine for noncompliance?
The Monster on March 25, 2010 at 12:44 PM
I like the sound of that…Takeover Deniers…..
d1carter on March 25, 2010 at 12:44 PM
ARRGGH.. it’s CUE…
“It’s make like a tree and LEAVE.. you sound like a frickin’ idiot when ya say it wrong” – Biff Tannen
Skywise on March 25, 2010 at 12:45 PM
Seen this yet?
Chewy the Lab on March 25, 2010 at 12:46 PM
Lol, @ Rush: “The real death threat is that piece of legislation, that abomination.”
OmahaConservative on March 25, 2010 at 12:46 PM
Q:How much is it?
A:Yellow.
Q:What do you mean?
A:Wagon Wheel.
Q:What?
A:Coconut Oil.
Q:What are you talking about?
A:If you’d let me finish you would understand!
portlandon on March 25, 2010 at 12:46 PM
Sorry I missed it. :(
ladyingray on March 25, 2010 at 12:46 PM
Weenie needs to go to the Marxists “Liar Academy”
notagool on March 25, 2010 at 12:47 PM
Hate crime since he is Jewish.
OmahaConservative on March 25, 2010 at 12:47 PM
Why have all the seminar callers hung up before Rush gets to them recently?
OmahaConservative on March 25, 2010 at 12:49 PM
Koa on March 25, 2010 at 12:51 PM
And 7 times 13 is 28.
Holger on March 25, 2010 at 12:52 PM
‘Cause they be yellow-bellied cowards…
ladyingray on March 25, 2010 at 12:52 PM
B.S. He knows it. This guy comes from the same school of New York Politics as Charles Schumer. He danced and weaved and outright lied during that interview, all while calling certain oppositions about the bill’s element liars. He is straight up Alinski.
The really f—-ed up thing about this is that he is a Representative. If I were a constituent of his and wanted to know the answer to that question, this punk would answer me the same way.
The whole, “we didn’t criminalize” not getting insurance was his “tell” that he knows full well the IRS is the enforcer and collector for this mandatory confiscation of wages since the original clause had a fine and/or jail time and was removed once the public found out about it months and months ago during the first round of this mess.
This guy is a crystal clear picture of the type of pure politician who has to get thrown out in November.
Opposite Day on March 25, 2010 at 12:53 PM
A perfectly named politician
50sGuy on March 25, 2010 at 12:53 PM
I’m glad you posted this, because I saw it last night and was very frustrated. Of course, the answer that Wiener couldn’t bring himself to say is “the IRS.”
The troubling followup is that the IRS is the only government agency not seriously subject to the constraints of the due process clause. In other words, they can fine, condemn, and confiscate without the bother of a court conviction for any wrong-doing. Scary, huh?
MassVictim on March 25, 2010 at 12:53 PM
Man, the ads just write themselves. Like the “green police” Audi ad during the Super Bowl, the “Health Police” can be shown swarming a home and demanding payment of your ObamaCare tax.
rockmom on March 25, 2010 at 12:53 PM
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