If you have decided to go along with Chief Justice Roberts and agree that Obamacare is a tax, now is the time to contemplate the many things this reading will allow Congress to require you to do.
The list is literally endless, because of the endless number of things ideologues can come up with. But these are some of the top tunes.
1. Congress can force you to buy an electric car.
2. Congress can force you to buy solar panels.
3. Congress can force you to buy and install a remote-control thermostat for your home.
4. Congress can force you to buy internet service.
5. Congress can force you to buy particular kinds of food.
6. Congress can force you to buy contraceptives for yourself.
7. Congress can force you to buy biofuels, even if you don’t have any use for them.
8. Congress can force you to donate to political causes and “charities.”
9. Congress can force you to pay union dues.
10. Congress can force you to buy the New York Times.
11. Congress can force you to buy “green travel” packages.
12. Congress can force you to buy a 3-bedroom, 2-bath townhome with a 1-car parking spot for your electric car.
13. Congress can force you to pay for soccer, gymnastics, and ballet lessons for your children.
14. Congress can force you to pay for a gym membership.
15. Congress can force you to rent a 2-bedroom apartment with no parking space.
16. Congress can force you to borrow money.
17. Congress can force you to pay for a state-college education for your children, regardless of where or whether they actually attend college.
17. Congress can force you to buy a goat.
19. Congress can force you to hire people.
20. Congress can force you to buy mass transit passes, whether you use mass transit or not.
The list could go on and on. After all, if fining people for not buying health insurance is the same thing as a “tax,” then fining them for not spending on other things is also a tax.
We rarely make important distinctions in our politics anymore, and that is a great menace to our idea of liberty and limited government. We must not let our concept of the purpose and character of a tax be corrupted, precisely because taxing us is a power accorded Congress in the Constitution. The definition of “tax” is, in fact, the most important limit on what Congress can do with its power to tax. In the wake of the Obamacare ruling, defining “tax” is defending our liberty – or, from the opposite perspective, attacking it.
This is not a minor point. Definitions are central to the idea of constitutionalism. We have let government dig into our pockets in so many different ways that many Americans have lost sight of the importance of definitions, but it is fatal to our liberty if we accept that any old way the government might make us spend money is a “tax.” It’s not. Taxes produce revenue for the government as their primary purpose and first-order effect.
I recommend reading Federalist 30-36 to discern the prevailing view of taxes at the time of our founding, as a revenue-production measure for the expenses of government. Count the number of times you see the word “revenue.” In Federalist 30, Alexander Hamilton makes an illuminating distinction between having power over the people’s lives and having the power to tax:
In the Ottoman or Turkish empire, the sovereign, though in other respects absolute master of the lives and fortunes of his subjects, has no right to impose a new tax. The consequence is that he permits the bashaws or governors of provinces to pillage the people without mercy; and, in turn, squeezes out of them the sums of which he stands in need, to satisfy his own exigencies and those of the state. In America, from a like cause, the government of the Union has gradually dwindled into a state of decay, approaching nearly to annihilation. Who can doubt, that the happiness of the people in both countries would be promoted by competent authorities in the proper hands, to provide the revenues which the necessities of the public might require?
Read the whole paper; it is clear that Hamilton viewed federal taxation as a revenue-raising measure, and not as a means of exercising mastery over the people’s lives and fortunes (e.g., regulating, penalizing, or social- or environmental-engineering the people). If we have come to see federal taxation in the latter light, it is not because such a purpose can be read into the Constitution or the Framers’ intent. We have a choice to accept the statist-interventionist mentality on taxes, or not. The most important thing we can do today is affirm limits on Congress’s power to tax, by requiring narrow definitions.
I am encouraged that the Romney campaign has declined to agree that Obamacare is a tax. People need to read the Constitution. Whatever we accept as a “tax,” Congress has the power to make us pay. The Obamacare purchase mandate is not a tax, and neither is the fine for not buying health insurance. If we agree that they are taxes, the constitutional republic is lost.
31 comments:
While the fringe right flips out in hyperbole let's review what happened.
1. The health insurance system in America needed reform
2. A model devised by the conservative Heritage Foundation in the late 80's was passed in Massachusetts under then Governor Romney.
3. Barrack Obama adopted the same right of center model for his proposal.
4. The bill passes and the Baggers absolutely freak. Rather than accepting that progress was made and this is how government makes policy they showed their maturity and threw a tantrum.
5. Now they tell us they prefer no policy model and just want the SCOTUS to strike down anything they don't agree with.
1. The health insurance system in America could have been reformed in carefully planned steps rather than in a monster bill that its supporters never read. For instance, step one: allow competition over state lines. See how it works. Go to step two. Reform the medical malpractice industry. See how that works. Go to step three.
2-3. There is a huge difference between passing a test program in a small state and forcing it down the throat of an entire country of over 350 million people. Obama did not bother to see the faults in Romney-care, he just ran with it.
4. The bill did not pass. It was pushed through by a democrat majority who didn't care what the American people wanted. Republicans were totally shut out of any debate.
5. Once again, the MAJORITY of the American people oppose Obamacare. Democrats do not represent the American people, they represent their demi-god Obama.
Obama has created a country where every citizen will have to prove he has health insurance, but nobody will have to prove he's a citizen. That's insane.
Think that Obama is not a Marxist?
How about the facts ? Nothing but the facts!
Obama's father was a Harvard graduate, a self professed Communist who was perfectly fine with the government confiscating 100% of your income as long as it went to the better good of the people.
Obama admitted to seeking out communist professors while he was at Harvard. Obama started this whole "Communist sloganed" re-election campaign on May 5th, the birthday of Karl Marx ....
And, you guys want to believe this was unintentional or coincidental?
Was "Fast & Furious" unintentional or coincidental? Is that why Eric Holder refuses to testify about it and is now facing contempt charges?
Everything Obama does it very well thought out and calculated with a motive ..
Voted for TARP
*$787 billion stimulus redistribution bill
*Healthcare bill admittedly about ‘redistributing the wealth’
*Single Payer Healthcare proponent.
*President Obama now also President of GM & Chrysler
*President Obama seizes control of insurance giant AIG
*President Obama is leading America to single payer healthcare
*President Obama seized control of Student Loan industry in order to ‘cut out middle man’
*President Obama seizes control in massive land grabs
*Repeatedly vilifies ‘the rich’
*Obama believes race problems can be solved through redistribution of wealth… he said "race is still an enormous factor in our society. But economics can overcome a lot of racial division."
*Trying to regulate the Internet via FCC
*Forces mortgage co’s to cover people who aren’t paying mortgage (Link)
*Extends unemployment benefits to 99 weeks (Link)
*Told Joe the plumber ‘it’s better when you spread things around.
And how about his Friends & family..
Ever hear the term Guilty by Association?
Family, Friends, Advisors & Administration
*Wife Michelle Obama said “The truth is, in order to get things like universal health care and a revamped education system, then someone is going to have to give up a piece of their pie so that someone else can have more.”
*Jim Wallis, Obama’s spiritual advisor & forced redistribution of wealth advocate
*Van Jones, disgraced Green Jobs Czar & Communist
*Ron Bloom, Manufacturing Czar & anti-free market
*John Holdren, pro-redistribution of wealth
*Andy Stern, SEIU President & redistribution of wealth fan
*Anita Dunn, fan of Chairman Mao
*Mark Lloyd, FCC ‘Diversity Czar’
*Carol Browner, socialist
*Robert Creamer, socialist
*Admittedly sought out ‘Marxist’ professors!
*Admittedly attended ‘socialist conferences!
*Began attending a Marxist church – led by pastor Jeremiah Wright (attended for 20 years)!!!
Left Hawaii for Indonesia, Pakistan a very unusual thing to do, don’t you think?
*Attended a leftist church nicknamed the ‘little red church’ because of its Communist sympathies
His OWN Mother was a Communist sympathizer!
Now you non-brain-dead will be able to draw your own conclusions from the facts. As for you BRAIN-DEAD Moonies, I’m not even going to try to change your minds, you are too far gone in the Brain-Washed department for that!
LR: "Obama has created a country where every citizen will have to prove he has health insurance, but nobody will have to prove he's a citizen. That's insane."
It IS insane. And it fits right into the liberal, leftist mold. They, themselves, are insane.
The majority of people did not want Obamacare passed and Roberts shocked the nation and most conservatives and Republicans. I believe it is a tax and a mandate forcing people to purchase insurance and that may cause employers to let people go in order to afford to this ridiculous health care plan.
We need it repealed.
Lone Ranger; you rock.
4. The bill did not pass. It was pushed through by a democrat majority who didn't care what the American people wanted. Republicans were totally shut out of any debate.
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So what? It passed.
Dumbest thing you've ever written, Tonto's Catcher.
If I wanted to, I could post Idiot Quotes all day long. But to make things simple, just read the comments of "Ducky Here"
Ducky's here = IDIOT!
This Maddening World - What, you couldn't figure out a way to weave the Bilderbergers, the Rockefellers, The Illuminati, Freemasons, George Soros, The Trilateral Commission, Area 51, Baby-Eatin' Satanists and Nazi Moon Bases into your wacky conspiracy quilt?
You kids today! No imagination!
I mean seriously.
On one hand, you bigoted, ignorant racists sneak in ways to refer to him as "boy" and consider him to be completely incompotent and in way over his nappy little head.
On the other hand, you think he is part of some Massive Covert Conspiricy to overthrow the United States of America with some perverted hybrid of Islamic Sharia Law and Marxist Socialism.
In one scenario he's an ignorant buffoon, in the other he's a Brilliant, Diabolical, James Bond Villian out to take over the world.
Need I point out that your analysis of the situation does not stand up to close scrutiny?
Heck, it doesn't even pass the giggle test.
What a bunch of chuckleheads.
So what? It passed.
Another example of the total ethical bankruptcy of liberals. The end always justifies the means. Unless it's conservatives who do it. And is usual, 16-year-old ducky couldn't resist making a personal attack.
XO
I know you are, but what am I? Sheesh, how old are you? Is name-calling the only thing you have?
We bigoted, ignorant racists had to shoot a lot of democrats to end slavery. We bigoted, ignorant racists had to throw a lot of democrats in prison to smash the KKK and end segregation, lynching, black codes, Jim Crow laws and all the other evils you enlightened democrats unleashed on this country.
So far, the only person who has used "nappy headed" has been you. So far, the only person who has given "boy" racist overtones has been you. We call Obama a boy because he behaves like a spoiled, petulant kid. He blames everyone but himself for his shortcomings. He can't resist arguing with the occasional heckler. And he has nothing to offer but excuses, excuses, excuses.
"incompotent" Is that some sort of play on words to describe his sexuality?
XO: I have a hundred dollars in my pocket for you if you find a single incident when I ever referred to President BO (the child president) as "boy."
It makes me sick when you racist pigs project your obvious, blatant racism on others.
You still practice slavery by refusing to allow minorities to learn to live the proper American Dream, teaching them to expect hand-outs from the rest of society.
When one of them breaks rank and succeeds (except in "show" business) you ridicule him and castigate him for not being "black enough."
You are the very essence of racism and too ignorant to recognize it.
Sounds like XO is having a bad hair day!
And if he did? So what! Since when is being a bigot against the law?
I agree with the comment above, we have the right here in America to say what we want to say. And to be bigots if we so chose to. Although I doubt very mush if Joe here falls into that category. And you Liberals love to throw out these accusations.
Go ahead “Ducky here”and spin the blame on a Republican as you BRAIN-WASHED Libs always seem to do. You Liberal’s along with the whole Democrat Party, the unions and the Main Stream Media deserve all the blame for foisting this fraud and incompetent Socialist onto the American people. Obama didn't do all this damage on his own. It was only with the support and collusion of the groups mentioned above along with the Gimee, Gimee crowd, who I call the “Gimee Generation” that Obama created who created this mess. Who elected this
inexperienced, unaccomplished, and un-American individual who was ever elected president of the United States. Yes, the young people today are living the OBAMA dream of entitlement’s. They no longer want to Flip burgers like we did if we had to, because it doesn't pay enough to buy the newest pair of Air Jordan Nike’s. This Gimmie generation will be the downfall of America if they continue to think this way and vote for the one that BS’s them the way these Liberal politicians.
We've been on a down hill slide since the 1960s when the liberal teachers in our schools began their push to indoctrinate the youth, because the Liberal/Democratic Party had adopted the goals of the Communist Party..
Fortunately, and hopefully Obama will not be reelected. Neither should any other Democrat who is running for election. The New Democrat Party, now know as the “Progressive Party” who is really the Socialist Party poses a much larger threat to the future of America that any threat from the Islamic nuts who we fear so much.
Hey XO,
The child president doesn't have a clue about running this country, but he does have help ruining this country. Yes he is a socialist buffoon following the Cloward-Piven strategy - AS A MANCHURIAN PRESIDENT. He is just a puppet.
Hey XO,
The BOY doesn't have a clue about running this country, but he does have help ruining this country. Yes he is a socialist buffoon !
Well the Fake/Blind American Patriotism, has finally done it, they make me sick, why not? Today the right -wing Patriot called the President "BOY" just because he is Black! Here he is folks, another Obama-hating racist, bigot, extremist a “Patriot” talk about re-using a word till it losing all meaning..
This is because I am sick and tired of hearing brain-damaged people describe things as being socialist or Marxist or Trotskyite or whatever when they don’t have any clue what any of those words mean, they only call him that cause they can’t call him “n i g g e r” hey just , the Obama accomplishment is in regular text, followed by what it would have been had Obama been a socialist, in quote:
Obama has overhauled the food safety system – “Obama nationalized all farms.” Advanced women’s rights in the work place – “Obama implemented a single standard wage for all workers.” Ended Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell (DADT) in our military – “Obama implemented compulsive military or civilian service.” Stopped defending DOMA in court. – “Outlawed all religious marriage” Passed the Hate Crimes bill. – “Passed an antisedition act prohibiting all speech which is not glorifying to the state.” Appointed two pro-choice women to the Supreme Court – “Replaced all nine justices with suitable replacements.” Expanded access to medical care and provided subsidies for people who can’t afford it. – Nationalized all health insurance companies Expanded the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) – “Nationalized all health providers Fixed the preexisting conditions travesty [and rescission's] in health insurance. – Executed all insurance company executives for crimes against humanity” Invested in clean energy. – “Directed National Energy Corps to disassemble coal power plants and replace them with wind and solar.” Overhauled the credit card industry, making it much more consumer-friendly. – “Nationalized all banks.” He got help for people whose health was injured during the clean-up after the 9/11 attacks. – “Continued Bush-era cover-up of hazardous breathing conditions following 9/11 attacks” He’s got Osama Bin Laden – “Used Osama bin Laden as a bogeyman to convince people to do everything else he wanted.”
I just feel like it needs to be pointed out over and over again: Obama’s a capitalist. His economic advisers are all capitalists. His solutions for our economic problems rarely make it as far left as “liberal,” much less actually socialist.
You want to know who’s a socialist? Mitt Romney. Mitt Romney’s Bain Capital specialized in leveraged buyouts of companies with rich pension systems, which Bain then raided and left taxpayers holding the bag for. His $250 million cost taxpayers billions. But Mitt Romney, like other Republicans, is only a socialist when it comes to Mitt Romney. The rest of us get Mitt Romney capitalism, which consists of Mitt Romney stealing our retirement while telling us not to be so lazy.
You think? Jeb couldn’t run this year because George is still radioactive (the worst president ever according to Newsweek’s recent poll). A majority of voters still blame Bush more than Obama when they’re asked who’s responsible for the rotten economy.
Man I was right again, Anyone who hates Obama Is in fact a racist!
What a bunch of sick, ridiculous, hateful posts!
Calling the POTUS a BOY and a fraud seems to the the usual calling call for you right-wing racists and bigots like you!
You people are HILARIOUS! Oh my God! You actually believe this crap!
"Obama started this whole "Communist sloganed" re-election campaign on May 5th, the birthday of Karl Marx..."
"We've been on a down hill slide since the 1960s when the liberal teachers in our schools began their push to indoctrinate the youth, because the Liberal/Democratic Party had adopted the goals of the Communist Party."
"Yes he is a socialist buffoon following the Cloward-Piven strategy - AS A MANCHURIAN PRESIDENT. He is just a puppet."
"So what! Since when is being a bigot against the law?"
You people are INSANE.
They should make a reality show about Jo Joe's blog and the right wing nut jobs who flock here.
It would be like that "Hoarders" show. You know you're watching people with some serious mental health issues, but you can't not watch. It's like an intellectual train wreck.
There should be a team of mental health professionals monitoring this site 24/7.
And maybe a Secret Service agent or two.
XO: "...and the right wing nut jobs who flock here."
And how about the left wing nabobs who try to force their views on others?
Joe - "And how about the left wing nabobs who try to force their views on others?"
Not forcing anything on anybody. Just leaving comments on a blog that allows comments.
In case your readers missed the news.
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/07/07/barney-frank-marries-longtime-partner/?hpt=hp_t2
I'll let you know when I find out where they're registered, just in case you want to get them a little sumpin'.
If being a bigot were against the law, we would have to start locking up democrats AGAIN for crimes such as calling Justice Clarence Thomas a lawn jockey, calling Republican Michael Steele an Oreo, condemning black conservatives in the most vile, racist terms. And then there are the obscene, racist comments leveled at conservative Filipina Michelle Malkin. And let's not forget their unending Jew-hating. Democrats have not changed a whit since segregation.
Listen you stupid rightwing moron. It’s obvious you don’t read my blog, you are too busy lying and smearing the President with you bull stats. I will I’ll prove wrong later.
But when you called the Presided "Boy" because he is Black, you just proved my point, you racist dipstick..Read my blog..Racists, bigots, and extremists hate to read my blog because I expose them for what there are..In your case, your a brain-dead illiterate fraud. It’s obvious you can’t read. You must pay someone to write your bull here. . I mention in my blog how President is NOT a Marxist, nor a socialist, nor a communist, that he doesn’t hate America,etc.AS YOU AN YOUR FRIENDS HERE CLAIM. Can’t you read?
You can’t blame 1 person for the downfall of the economy. The whole worlds economy is pants at the moment.If to blame anyone, blame china: (Wikipedia- The earliest known oil wells were drilled in China in 347 AD or earlier.)If they never discovered oil, no-one would be using it today (If no-one else found it over time) therefore everything wouldn’t be slowly dying away.
You can’t blame Obama because the Republicans haven’t let him do anything that the legislature needs to approve the entire time he’s been in office. Even before the Republicans took control of the House, the Senate Republicans used the filibuster a record number of times. He only got a couple of laws passed early, the stimulus (which has done more to help the economy than anything else that’s happened in the last 4 years) and the ACA which hasn’t even gone into effect yet.You can’t do everything in your power to stop the President from doing anything, and then blame him for not doing anything. Unless of course you count on your base to be dumb enough not to notice your hypocrisy. Anyway, I thought the whole conservative line was that people fare best when the government stays out of their way. Well the government’s done jack squat the last 4 years. Why aren’t Americans pulling themselves up by their boot straps?
The GOP screwed America and has stood in the way of the President trying to fix it. You and the GOP are hoping for failure of the President so that you can win an election thereby screwing millions of job seeker just to defeat Obama. You and the GOP are sick. You are the American Haters!
Jesus Christ, you are mentally stupid, pathetic, and a liar. Yes the left criticized Bush, but that fact remains most dwelled on his policies only, you dipstick you! .
Was President Bush vilified by racists, bigoted, extremists on the left like Obama? NO!
Was President Bush questioned about his birth certificate, his religion, his ideology, his loyalty to America? NO!
Has President Bush’s victory caused hate groups to rise to great levels? NO!
Was President Bush called every single vile, and racist name in the book…maybe, but not like President Obama!
Has President Bush got 400% of racist e-mails and death threats, more than any other president in history? NO!
Were there an insurmountable list of racist tea party signs and rants against President Bush like there were with President Obama? NO!
Was Laura Bush racially insulted, vilified, compared to a monkey like Michelle Obama? NO! in fact. most left-wing people didn’t like Bush but STILL loved and respected the hell out of Laura Bush, you racists insult, smear, and attack Michelle Obama for every little thing.
IS BARACK OBAMA THE MOST DISRESPECTED PRESIDENT IN AMERICAN HISTORY? YES! HE! IS!
It’s obvious you’re a elementary school dropout. You barely made through middle school. Answer me, dipstick, How does pointing out how much BS you and you hate-filled site means I hate White people? Do you not know what “Racism” or the word “Racist” means. Hell, no. I’d be surprised if you knew what the word, idiot means (aka that is you!) and as for your retarded rant,…shove it! Black Americans ALWAYS vote democratic. Been that way since before I was born. Deal with it.! Or Don't! Who Cares? Go ahead and call the President of the United Stats "BOY" that only proves my point!
Everybody wants to talk about the 3.5 yrs of Obama but the Repubs don’t want to address the 8 yrs of Bush that made the country want to either elect a black man or a white woman, either way history would be made. People are just tired of the garbage the repubs have fed this country and then to offer us the 2 biggest idiots in America McCain and Sarah Palin? Come on people now its Mittens who dodged the draft but would send our kids to war, and hides his money in foreign accounts so he don’t have to pay taxes like the rest of us? And who send Jobs over seas.
Obama is further right than any of us would want and we’ve made that well-known. The head scratcher is how frenzied, wild-eyed, racist right wingers insist he is a RADICAL SOCIALIST and that he is on some mission to DESTROY AMERICA… in reality he’s just a little bit to the left of George Bush, and that’s mainly on social issues. The left may be playing politics but the right has completely lost its collective mind. And will do anything to regain the White House, even call the President of the United States of America a Socialist, a Marxist, a Communist and yes even call him "BOY".
This from the people who twice supported the worst President in US history, George W Bush. If Obama is a failure, then what do you call turning a $281 billion surplus into a $1 trillion yearly deficit, like Bush did? Words alone cannot describe the incredible damage Bush did to our country. Think of what great shape the US was in when Bush took over in 2001 and what horrible shape he left it in 2009. 4th quarter 2008, economy shrank 9.3%(!!). January 2009, 820,000 jobs lost. All the bad numbers you see now economically are a result of Bush disastrous reign of incompetence.
The comments here against Obama prove one thing and one thing only..Racism is on the rise, and America don’t want Black people in the White House! But you know anything to disgrace the first Black President of the USA! This is disgrace how they are going after President Obama and have the pathetic audacity to call him "BOY"
And please tell me, HOW IS THE COLORADO FIRE OBAMA’S FAULT? We didn’t blame Bush for Katrina, well all of us except Spike Lee.!
Obama is NOT a dictator! Common sense says that with our governmental system he can not be a dictator even if he does things you don’t approve of he can be removed at the next election. Can he be impeached? Once again I must point out to the rightwing idiots, conservative's that he can not be impeached for your stupidity. If that were the case you would have a very good point. It isn’t. But You Don’t!.
Barack Obama is not a secret Marxist class warrior who wants to redistribute wealth in America.
Barack Obama is the President of the United States.He is *supposed* to go to disaster areas and lend his support.It’s part of his job description!! If McCain was President right now and chose to visit the Colorado fires,would you complain that it’s just a political stunt? Did you call Bush's speech at the wreckage of 9-11 just a political stunt?
After just reading the above comment, it's a wonder that the liberals have such a hard time getting it through their dense heads that this is exactly why I have an issue with these Liberals..
Consider the following evidence that, indeed, we are all in this together.
--The TSA grabs your junk whether you voted Republican or Democrat.
--The drones fly over your backyard and aren't programmed to fly around you if you're a Republican or a Democrat.
--When they come to foreclose people's homes, they don't care if you're a Republican or a Democrat, you still get put out in the street.
--Studies show Republicans and Democrats both continue to file for bankruptcy.
--You must purchase health care insurance, or pay a penalty, regardless of whether you're a Republican or a Democrat.
Without freedom--you can't do anything--just what you're told to do.
I Want My Country Back--the video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=le7IV1ltgNE
NQM:: "...Racism is on the rise.."
Funny. You ignoramuses are the ONLY ones who EVER bring up the fact tht President BO (the child president) is black. The ONLY ones.
YOU are the racists.
Once again, the MAJORITY of the American people oppose Obamacare. Democrats do not represent the American people, they represent their demi-god Obama.
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Tonto's Catcher, what portion of the opposition are Dems who wanted stronger single payer?
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