Yes, but that’s the way it’s always been if you think about it. The tax code has been used to punish and reward for decades now.
At least the legislators have to stand up and call whatever they’re trying to do a tax and face the voters.
“Yes, but that’s the way it’s always been if you think about it. The tax code has been used to punish and reward for decades now.”
Not to this degree. And also, to the best of my knowledge, this is the first time that the Supreme Court has specifically ruled that using the tax code to punish behavior not approved by the government is Constitutional.
“At least the legislators have to stand up and call whatever they’re trying to do a tax and face the voters.”
No, this ruling seems to clearly be stating that they can lie to the voters and the Supreme Court, which doesn’t face the voters, will retroactively change it to a tax.