Health care tax-apalooza: It’s here!

By Michelle Malkin  •  July 10, 2009 01:23 PM


Photoshop: Reader Rachael in Ky

I wrote on Tuesday: Get ready for health care tax-apalooza.

Well, the pain has arrived. Politico has a list passed around by Democrats last night.

Cha-ching, cha-ching, cha-ching:

— Broaden the 1.45-percent Medicare tax on earned income to “passive income,” which could include money from capital gains, rental properties and businesses that do not require direct participation. This could raise $100 billion.

— Levy a five-percent surtax on individuals who earn more than $500,000 and couples that make $1 million.

— Tax health benefits at a higher level than had been considered. Two scenarios are in play. Taxing plans worth more than $20,300 for a family and $8,300 for an individual could raise $240 billion. Increasing the cut-off to plans worth more than $25,000 would bring $90 billion.

— Capping the tax break on itemized deductions at 28 percent, as President Barack Obama had proposed, or freezing the top deduction rate at 35 percent when the Bush tax cuts expire in 2010. The first scenario would raise $168 billion, while the second would collect $90 billion.

— Issue tax credit bonds to pay for the proposed Medicaid expansion, raising $75 billion.

— Charge fees to pharmaceutical manufacturers, bringing in as much as $20 billion, and insurance providers, raising $75 billion.

– Raise taxes on sodas and sugary drinks. A 3-cent hike could pick up $30 billion, and a 10-cent hike could make $100 billion. This one already appears out of favor: Many senators have specifically ruled out the sugar tax, and a Senate Democratic source said it was the one option that was clearly not gaining traction with committee members.

As always, more “options” are on the table. Plus: Peter Suderman points out that Sen. Max Baucus is desperately trying to persuade the CBO to cook the books and count some health care programs as “cost-savings.”

Higher taxes and government book-cooking: The Democrat prescription for everything.

***

Hey, did this one jump out at you:

Issue tax credit bonds to pay for the proposed Medicaid expansion, raising $75 billion.

More generational theft: Borrow now. Your kids and grandkids pay later.

***

A refreshing alternative: The Senate GOP Doctors have a better plan.

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Posted in: Health care

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Comments


  1. #1
    On July 10th, 2009 at 1:30 pm, sonofdy said:

    So much for not taxing people earning less than 250,000. This is another set of taxes that violate that pledge. And my math shows that this will in no way cover the costs of the plan.

  2. #2
    On July 10th, 2009 at 1:32 pm, sonofdy said:

    Broaden the 1.45-percent Medicare tax on earned income to “passive income,”

    Expect an increase in your home/appartment rental.

  3. #3
    On July 10th, 2009 at 1:32 pm, d1carter said:

    So, Dear Leader lied?

  4. #4
    On July 10th, 2009 at 1:34 pm, tbear44 said:

    More taxes. Wonderful. Just what we need. :roll:

  5. #5
    On July 10th, 2009 at 1:36 pm, rambler said:

    Ok, so they are going to tax us on way or another. As the economy goes further into the dumper and the unemployment rate goes up there will be less to tax. Now is the time that the employers are evaluating benefit packages. If the employee pool has gone down, the price for healthcare packages will go up and the company will be forced to seek out plans which cost less because less is offered. Again paying more for less. Or maybe the company will go with a cheaper plan to avoid paying a high tax rate. Work hard – get screwed!

  6. #6
    On July 10th, 2009 at 1:38 pm, sonofdy said:

    The only tax they will not increase is the income tax, unless you count limiting tax returns as a tax increase. Most people however will miss that one.

  7. #7
    On July 10th, 2009 at 1:39 pm, shooter said:

    Fix Medicare
    Fix Medicaid
    Exclude illegals

    problem solved.

    How mush is lost/stolen every year in fraudulent gov’t medi- programs? Billions and billions.
    (jail for ALL those who break the laws and/or steal from the current programs in any way)
    Again-
    Problem solved.

    p.s. how come those numbers of people considered ‘uninsured’ keeps rising?
    It should be about 12 to 15 million but obama and company started whining that it was 30 to 40 million and now I hear 50 to 60 million????

  8. #8
    On July 10th, 2009 at 1:40 pm, sonofdy said:

    shooter, the unemployed go on the list.

  9. #9
    On July 10th, 2009 at 1:43 pm, ajmontana said:

    They should have an IDIOT TAX of $100.00 for all the Dumba$$es that voted for Odopey. :shock:

  10. #10
    On July 10th, 2009 at 1:43 pm, Flyoverman said:

    Massive, massive spending that will result in only one third of the uninsured actually getting insurance and diminish the coverage for everyone else.

    The term ROI is utterly lost on these idiots.

    If you add up all of the tax proposals from the Democrats to fund their various programs, has anyone calcualted the total tax impact on a person making $250,000 or more?

    Remember they are taxing INCOME related things, not wealth. If you are rich, like ted Kennedy, your wealth is being taxed at a low rate, but your income is already through the roof and getting higher.

    Someone needs to put forth the bottom line numbers on our incomes if all of Obama’s initiatives pass.

  11. #11
    On July 10th, 2009 at 1:44 pm, shooter said:

    Remember that if this passes in any form we will NEVER get our old system back. The gov’t would be forever deeply entrenched in the health industry.

    Imagine trying to start all over again…it would take a century, if possible at all.

  12. #12
    On July 10th, 2009 at 1:46 pm, Flyoverman said:

    On July 10th, 2009 at 1:32 pm, d1carter said:

    So, Dear Leader lied, lies, and will lie?

    Just wanted your statement to be fully complete.

  13. #13
    On July 10th, 2009 at 1:46 pm, bradley said:

    Wouldn’t it be far easier for the IRS to just audit every Democrat in Congress and in the Obama administration? Making them all pay what they owe could solve the financing problem overnight.

  14. #14
    On July 10th, 2009 at 1:56 pm, shooter said:

    1:43 pm, Flyoverman; Someone needs to put forth the bottom line numbers on our incomes if all of Obama’s initiatives pass.

    Everyone keeps mentioning the ‘passing along all of the debt to our children and grandkids’….but it is WORSE than that.
    Obamas plans in total will destroy all of our retirement goals/plans. Unless you have millions (3-4 net) you will not be able to retire as you think. We’ll all end up in obama retirement homes run by the gov’t (and maybe malia as the oldperson czar) and the cost of that ( $80,000.00 per year minimum in today’s dollar) will mean we won’t have anything left to LEAVE to our kids.
    Inheritance will only be for the very wealthy.
    Old age will suck and our kids will start life at a huge deficit. That deficit is already figured at $90,000.00 per person and $123,000.00 for all 22 year olds as of today.
    This is the obamacare plan.

  15. #15
    On July 10th, 2009 at 2:00 pm, Socky said:

    If Obama’s reforms are going to make health care more efficient, and Max Baucus’s reforms are going to result in “cost savings,” then shouldn’t they be able to cut taxes?

  16. #16
    On July 10th, 2009 at 2:00 pm, Flyoverman said:

    On July 10th, 2009 at 1:56 pm, shooter said:

    Excellent post!

  17. #17
    On July 10th, 2009 at 2:03 pm, jsmiddleton4 said:

    We as voters also need to insist that all elected officials and their families, all government employees, participate in the government program.

  18. #18
    On July 10th, 2009 at 2:05 pm, forest said:

    On July 10th, 2009 at 1:38 pm, sonofdy said:

    The only tax they will not increase is the income tax, unless you count limiting tax returns as a tax increase. Most people however will miss that one.

    You betcha. They will do everything they can to raise taxes without changing income tax rates. They will broaden the application of taxes. Limit deductions. Increase FICA and apply it to all S-Corp income. Tax everything imaginable as “imputed income” and on and on and on.

    And as usual, small businesses and self-employed/1099 workers will get the worst of it.

  19. #19
    On July 10th, 2009 at 2:07 pm, happyscrapper said:

    On July 10th, 2009 at 2:03 pm, jsmiddleton4 said:
    We as voters also need to insist that all elected officials and their families, all government employees, participate in the government program.

    Oh, if only we could get that to happen by “insisting”. Hasn’t worked for anything else, has it? We won’t get anywhere that way. We need to run them out of DC and put them in jail. That way, their healthcare will be paid for by the prison system.

  20. #20
    On July 10th, 2009 at 2:08 pm, RogersUmp said:

    They have spent all of our money. Now they are inventing ways to legally steal it from us. This is worse than Madoff ever was because you had a choice to say no to Madoff.

  21. #21
    On July 10th, 2009 at 2:12 pm, sonofdy said:

    I am sure you are racist in some whay for saying that.

  22. #22
    On July 10th, 2009 at 2:18 pm, nail49 said:

    They should have an IDIOT TAX of $100.00 100% for all the Dumba$$es that voted for Odopey

    ajmontana: After all, the gubmint will provide their every need, they don’t need to have any $$$ of their own.

    /sarc not intended!

  23. #23
    On July 10th, 2009 at 2:21 pm, inspiredhome said:

    My mom’s insurance recently denied coverage for her morphine. So the next best thing to manange her pain will probably consist of taking her out back and putting her out of her misery. If this is what current insurance looks like I’m sure Obamacare will be even better!

  24. #24
    On July 10th, 2009 at 2:24 pm, BlameAmericaLast said:

    This is beyond massive taxation. It’s unacceptable considering the majority of these “uninsured” aren’t even legitimate US citizens.

    I don’t want to pay for someone else’s coverage. Sick and tired of freeloaders.

  25. #25
    On July 10th, 2009 at 2:26 pm, inspiredhome said:

    and by the way, I know government is really screwed up. In the earlier part of the year they dropped my mom’s Social Security disability claiming she worked approx 4 full-time jobs at the same time, in different states no less, and to companies that don’t even exist. They told her she had two weeks to pay back about 10k in disability payments. My mom hasn’t worked in well over a year, only took temp jobs and rarely worked more than a few months at a time. Drug addicts and alcholics of course get a free pass.

  26. #26
    On July 10th, 2009 at 2:27 pm, Madam President said:

    Shooter, you forgot to mention Tort Reform.

  27. #27
    On July 10th, 2009 at 2:28 pm, sonofdy said:

    inspiredhome: Someone may have been working using her SSN.

  28. #28
    On July 10th, 2009 at 2:31 pm, Rogue Cheddar said:

    All this Healthcare stuff is making me queasy. That can’t be right. :roll:

  29. #29
    On July 10th, 2009 at 2:32 pm, nail49 said:

    Someone may have been working using her SSN

    sonfody: and is now claiming her SS benefits — along with yours, mine and everyone else’s!

  30. #30
    On July 10th, 2009 at 2:32 pm, spaceycakes said:

    See? I told my husband jewelry for me was the way to go.

    Spend it!!

  31. #31
    On July 10th, 2009 at 2:33 pm, cheapseat said:

    inspired, have your mom turn herself in to the sherriff and demand she be put in jail for her fraud. she’ll get free health care, and all the morphine she can stand.

  32. #32
    On July 10th, 2009 at 2:34 pm, spaceycakes said:

    Ok, well, jewelry and ammo.

  33. #33
    On July 10th, 2009 at 2:35 pm, Ragspierre said:

    The political class question is most revealing. Those who consider themselves apart from the political class trust Republicans more on the economy by a wide margin (58%-28%), while those inside the political class support Democrats … 99%-1%. No, that is not a typo. It’s a demonstration of the slavish devotion to Democrats within the political class, and the breakout indicates that the Democrats have more trouble than even this poll shows on voter trust.

    Rasmussen poll

    OPERATION OVER-REACH…separating the wheat from the chaff…

  34. #34
    On July 10th, 2009 at 2:38 pm, inspiredhome said:

    Yeah but she’s a Christian Republican disabled woman. They’d probably euthanize her instead.

  35. #35
    On July 10th, 2009 at 2:38 pm, Ragspierre said:

    All this Healthcare stuff is making me queasy. That can’t be right.

    ObamaCare will kill Americans.

    But, so will CRAP & RAID…

    THE ONE’s national security “policy”…

    THE ONE’s EPA regs…

    Etc., etc., etc.

  36. #36
    On July 10th, 2009 at 2:43 pm, frontierguy said:

    Social Security disability claiming she worked approx 4 full-time jobs at the same time,

    I brought this up before. Her SSN was used by illegals, they get numbers and sell them to each other and use them all across the country. This is exactly what happens, everyone should get a statement from the SSA, I had to get one 10 years ago and still get them every year. It tells you how much you have paid in and what your benefits would be if you needed SS payments for disability.

    If someone is using your number, it is your fault according to the SSA. They look for any excuse to not give you your money. It will be up to you to clear it up and attorneys will not do this work pro bono, no matter how down on your luck you are.

    As far as Obamacare goes, what in the world do you think Obamacare is about? The older population has done their jobs, they are no longer needed. If you are over 65, you will not be getting life saving health care. It is much more cost effective for you to die.

  37. #37
    On July 10th, 2009 at 2:43 pm, California Red said:

    Capping the itemized deductions at 28% is going raise my taxes and I don’t make more than $250k.

    Mortgage interest and property tax deductions for me in California will put me close to that threshold. How will that help create a housing recovery?

    Or maybe that means I wont get to deduct my tuition expenses. Thankfully I am already a senior all paid up.

    Perhaps that means my deductions to charity won’t help me on my taxes. I wont be able to be as generous as in the past. That is ok, this administration wants the government to be the provider of all charity.

    The only thing I can hope for is that these tax and spend liberals get thier own words put in thier face in the next two election cycles. This is Obama’s “Read My Lips” downfall.

  38. #38
    On July 10th, 2009 at 2:57 pm, oldcollegeguy1980 said:

    I

  39. #39
    On July 10th, 2009 at 3:00 pm, sonofdy said:

    I brought this up before. Her SSN was used by illegals, they get numbers and sell them to each other and use them all across the country.

    I actualy met a women who said she would let them use her SSN for working just to help them out.

    oldcollegeguy1980

    J

  40. #40
    On July 10th, 2009 at 3:01 pm, Rogue Cheddar said:

    On July 10th, 2009 at 2:57 pm, oldcollegeguy1980 said:
    I

    “Say a few syllables! Utter a few adjectives!”
    - Moe (BEER BARREL POLECATS, 1946)

  41. #41
    On July 10th, 2009 at 3:02 pm, happyscrapper said:

    On July 10th, 2009 at 2:21 pm, inspiredhome said:
    My mom’s insurance recently denied coverage for her morphine.

    Why? How about medical marijuana? Would that help her? Is your Mom terminal, or just disabled. If she is terminal, she could get everything free through hospice. I hope that is not the case for her, but if it is, you can check into it. My Mom was in hospice care at her home for 6 months and got morphine and in-home nurse visits.

    I tend to think that those folks who have worked hard all their lives, raised their families, and paid into the system for 30-40 years deserve to be cared for in their old age. Not charity, but certainly not be left to die because they are no longer contributing to society!! That is deeply immoral and God will judge harsly those people who advocate that. Every life is precious, both pre-birth and very very old.

  42. #42
    On July 10th, 2009 at 3:04 pm, oldcollegeguy1980 said:

    I swear the keyboard just went crazy…
    Ok maybe not…

    Back to what I really wanted to say.

    As a college student I spend a lot of time around young people. Someone somewhere is selling this to them as “UNLIMITED HEALTHCARE”.

    So much so that I have now come to the thought that we should push that label also.

    If it isn’t unlimited health care, then let’s make the proponents spell it out. And when that message finally makes it though the young voters heads, maybe we can get some traction on what it is they are throwing away just to empower liberals.

  43. #43
    On July 10th, 2009 at 3:10 pm, spaceycakes said:

    HAHAHAa–a stupid tomb that works next to me was just singing the praises of Spain’s healthcare. She said ‘it’s all free.’

    LOL

    And before you ask; no, I didn’t enter into a conversation with it.

  44. #44
    On July 10th, 2009 at 3:14 pm, frontierguy said:

    I actualy met a women who said she would let them use her SSN for working just to help them out.

    Dumb thing to do and illegal. Believe it or not, aiding and abetting illegals is still illegal, even though that seems to be a law so many like to ignore. That woman will end up with that person letting others use the number as well and will end up like inspired’s mother, with the number being used in 4 different jobs meaning 4 different cases to clear up. Hopefully she will not need disability or does not think she might want to collect when it is time for her to retire.

  45. #45
    On July 10th, 2009 at 3:16 pm, Rogue Cheddar said:

    On July 10th, 2009 at 3:10 pm, spaceycakes said:
    HAHAHAa–a stupid tomb that works next to me was just singing the praises of Spain’s healthcare. She said ‘it’s all free.’

    LOL

    Was she blonde? Sounds like the punchline of a blonde joke.

  46. #46
    On July 10th, 2009 at 3:17 pm, jsr said:

    How about a national lottery to pay for health care for the poor? People that buy lottery tickets in large quantities usually aren’t the brightest people (i.e. Obama voters.) Also, since they would probably be the most likely users of the system this would be a great way to trick them into paying for it with their own money.

  47. #47
    On July 10th, 2009 at 3:19 pm, spaceycakes said:

    Rogue–as a blonde, I take no offense at all.

    And, no, she’s not blonde. But she is an idiot that worships the Marxist-in-Chief.

  48. #48
    On July 10th, 2009 at 3:35 pm, sonofdy said:

    frontierguy said:

    She shut up after I asked her who she thought the IRS would audit.

  49. #49
    On July 10th, 2009 at 3:45 pm, Ron said:

    But His Serene Highness promised not to raise taxes on the middle class! How could this be?

  50. #50
    On July 10th, 2009 at 4:08 pm, Ragspierre said:

    Cracks in the Collectivist wall…

    But keep in mind that health-care reform is supposed to save money. Its premise is that the current path is unaffordable. In that sense, a “mere” $600 billion extra is total defeat.

    M. Kinsley

    Like I’ve said…the mantra needs to be:

    WE CAN’T AFFORD IT…!!!!

    People are scared. They should be.

  51. #51
    On July 10th, 2009 at 4:32 pm, LOBOMAN said:

    If only they could be half as creative in actually fixing the problem as they are in figuring out ways to screw us, we would be a lot better off.

  52. #52
    On July 10th, 2009 at 4:55 pm, Ragspierre said:

    If only they could be half as creative in actually fixing the problem as they are in figuring out ways to screw us, we would be a lot better off.

    “They” have less than no interest in fixing the actual problems. That would cost them power.

    The way to “fix” this…and other problems…is to get government distortions out of our markets. There is IMMENSE medical innovation that is just around the corner, and NOTHING will kill it more effectively than government take-over of our system…crippled as it currently is by existing government meddling.

  53. #53
    On July 10th, 2009 at 5:00 pm, Khyris said:

    The British tried to tax our sugar in 1764… go ahead Dems… try it.

  54. #54
    On July 10th, 2009 at 5:01 pm, madmonkphotog said:

    I believe I recall that the colonists rebelled against the British Crown over a stamp tax.

    I wonder if the masses are ready to do the same over all of these new taxes.

  55. #55
    On July 10th, 2009 at 5:20 pm, Ragspierre said:

    The British tried to tax our sugar in 1764… go ahead Dems… try it.

    Hate to tell you, but they already essentially do.

    There is a tariff on sugar. That means that all sugar we use is more expensive than it should be.

    This has led to the loss of several American candy companies…the law of unintended consequences.

  56. #56
    On July 10th, 2009 at 6:57 pm, Jeff said:

    Taxing plans worth more than $20,300 for a family and $8,300 for an individual could raise $240 billion.

    I’m sure Obama and Congress will share the pain on this. They would not dare to exempt themselves, would they ?

  57. #57
    On July 10th, 2009 at 7:01 pm, Jeff said:

    the law of unintended consequences.

    Is the ONLY one they follow…

  58. #58
    On July 10th, 2009 at 9:34 pm, Ragspierre said:

    Is the ONLY one they follow…

    Have you ever wondered why corn syrup is nearly ubiquitous in our food as a sweetener?

    Now you know. It is the economic “law of substitution” at work. Refined sugar is too expensive, due to the government interference in the markets.

    Chicago used to be known as “the candy capital of the world”. Not any more.

  59. #59
    On July 10th, 2009 at 11:20 pm, Papa Louie said:

    They are sure putting a lot of effort into coming up with a tax that they think we will be too stupid to figure out is a tax. Deceptive little bunch of weasels, aren’t they?

    Here’s a democratic idea. Let those who want government run health care provide the funds necessary. If it’s such a great idea and the majority of the people want it, plenty of donations will come in. If not, then it should die a quick death because nobody really wanted the program in the first place.

    But that won’t happen because it’s not about what the people want. It’s about what the liberal elite want. And these control freaks want to manage every inch of our lives so they can cram their harebrained ideas down our throats.

  60. #60
    On July 10th, 2009 at 11:52 pm, Ragspierre said:

    Deceptive little bunch of weasels, aren’t they?

    Hey… they’re known for it…

    It’s like a talent, or something…

  61. #61
    On July 11th, 2009 at 12:59 am, frontierguy said:

    Have you ever wondered why corn syrup is nearly ubiquitous in our food as a sweetener?

    I was told that they used corn syrup because sugar was rationed in wwII and the people got so used to the taste that they did not want sugar back and wanted to keep the sweetener of choice as corn syrup. I bought it because when I go to Mexico or the times I have been overseas, the local taste of things like sodas seemed foreign. I was told it was because they use sugar to sweeten their food stuff.

  62. #62
    On July 11th, 2009 at 9:31 am, graysonret said:

    They are in a rush to pass all these new regulations (taxes) and programs, hoping people will forget them when the 2010 elections come around. If the dems continue to control the government after that, watch it get even worse. Also, don’t forget, the sugar lobby has been very prominent in D.C., for decades. That’s why we pay way more than the rest of the world, for sugar.

  63. #63
    On July 12th, 2009 at 7:02 am, Bruce said:

    I think MM lied when she said,

    A refreshing alternative: The Senate GOP Doctors have a better plan.

    The Republicans have no plan at all except for a “Democrat-Lite” alternative that will lead us down the same road to destruction. They kind of remind me of how Pharaoh’s magicians – rather than do something to solve the problem – worked to hard to replicate the plagues brought upon Egypt by Moses. So, rather than just a single-dose of the plague, the Egyptians had to suffer through double.

    I think the Republicans should get-a-pair and start opposing the criminal, immoral, and unconstitutional actions of the fraudulent Obama regime.

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