Only the Democrats would think Obama Care isn't a new tax. Do you agree?

WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama says requiring people to get health insurance and fining them if they don't would not amount to a backhanded tax increase.

"I absolutely reject that notion," the president said. Blanketing most of the Sunday TV news shows, Obama defended his proposed health care overhaul, including a key point of the various health care bills on Capitol Hill: mandating that people get health insurance to share the cost burden fairly among all. Those who failed to get coverage would face financial penalties.

Obama said other elements of the plan would make insurance affordable for people, from a new comparison-shopping "exchange" to tax credits.

Telling people to get health insurance is absolutely not a tax increase, Obama told ABC's "This Week."

shoredude22009-09-20T15:08:31Z

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When the government at any level requires you to purchase something, that is the same as a tax.

My family has lived in our home for over 35 years. We never had a sewer system in our town, we all had septic tanks. The town came in and said that we were going to have a sewer system and all septic tanks had to be removed and everyone had to hook up to the sewer system. It cost us over $10,000 that the town forced us to pay out. No way you aren't going to tell me that was a tax, even though it went to contractors.

Doug B2009-09-21T00:41:53Z

It isn't a tax, ask any economist.

shoredude2: That was an assessment, which is not a tax, but a one time charge for material improvements. There are a couple of ways for a municipal government to pay for improvements. Pass a property tax increase, sell bonds, or apply a direct assessment. Since this seems to have been improvements to private properties, the assessment was probably the logical way to go.

BlackSunshine84: That quote actually came from Ronald Reagan. He attributed it to Lenin, but no one has ever found any work, speech, or letter where Lenin said it.

What was Reagan railing against? Medicare.

johninjc2009-09-21T00:29:43Z

Someone posted the video to the interview earlier and he starts out by saying that because insurance premiums rose by 5% last year that was a tax, he ended the video with the comments you have posted claiming that mandating that you spend your money on insurance is not a tax increase. Any time the government demands that you spend money in the way they choose and take away your right to spend the money the way you choose it is a tax.

ProllyMyFault2009-09-20T22:08:53Z

The fact of the matter is, Obama controls way too much already, and by unifying us under this Obamacare or taxing us more if we disagree he gets even more control over us. He is becoming a dictator it seems, and yes the Democrats seem to be the only ones who don't see it. And im not saying all Democrats are bad, because there are some, even liberals, that disagree with what Obama wants to do.

I Quit2009-09-20T22:15:15Z

What about the people who make to much for welfare health benefit,but not enough to pay for health insurance.Why should they be fined. Health insurance is increasing like crazy.In my area.....
2007...30% increase
2008...33% increase
2009...18.7 % increase in cost.
Something has to be done.

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