Posted on 01/22/2007 9:39:26 PM PST by NormsRevenge
FREMONT -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said Monday that taking action is more important than semantics in the debate over whether the funding for his health care reform proposal comes from new fees or new taxes.
Speaking to reporters and more than 20 Silicon Valley business leaders at a conference room at a Seagate Technology office in Fremont, Schwarzenegger said, "We want success in addressing health care issues and we will solve them by moving forward."
Schwarzenegger said he wants to make sure that everyone in California is insured and that a plan is approved this year.
Critics say the costs associated with the governor's plan are really new taxes.
But Schwarzenegger insists that the costs are fees, according to a spokeswoman for the governor.
The distinction is crucial because new taxes require approval by a two-thirds majority in the state Legislature but a fee can be passed by a simple majority vote.
Schwarzenegger told the business leaders that California's health care plan is "broken" and he believes his plan would make the state's businesses more competitive.
Schwarzenegger's plan would call for requiring businesses with 10 or more employees to either offer insurance or pay 4 percent of their payroll into a fund for the uninsured.
It also would add new fees on doctors and hospitals to help pay for the state's estimated 6.5 million uninsured.
In addition, individuals would pay into the system on a sliding scale based on their income, according to the governor's office.
Schwarzenegger said, "We want to spread the costs among everyone."
This should be something to watch. Arnold has gone completely Oprah.
I guess it depends upon what the definition of tax is.
Arnold has been hanging around with liberals too long. When taxes are anything but taxes, you have your man pegged.
A fee is a payment for voluntary participation in an activity. I have seen nothing voluntary about participation in ArnoldCare for the doctors, hospitals or patients. If the payments aren't voluntary they are taxes no matter how Arnold tries to twist the English language.
The honorable thing to do would be to treat it like a new tax and try to meet the necessary majority vote requirements. After all, the plan should have no problem getting passed if it's truly as good as Arnold says. Unfortunately, politicians have no honor.
We already did this in Mn. Rino Governor Pawlenty did the Fee thing (Health impact Fee $.75 a pack fee) And the Mn. Supreme Court sided with the Rino. Pawlenty signed a no new taxes pledge. He is Arnolds Minnie Me.
Brimack34 wrote: "We already did this in Mn. Rino Governor Pawlenty did the Fee thing (Health impact Fee $.75 a pack fee) And the Mn. Supreme Court sided with the Rino. Pawlenty signed a no new taxes pledge. He is Arnolds Minnie Me."
Thanks for the info. I don't doubt for a second liberal judges will overlook the fee versus tax thing in California, too.
The problem with liberals is simple...they don't typically allow people the freedom and liberty to opt out of the great society. So, we all go down together. Talk about sharing the burden. They've certainly got that part right!
For anyone who thinks Socialized medicine is a good thing....tell them that you think that (insert their field of work here) should be a right. Then ask them if they would be Ok with the government setting their wages at a lower rate. They usually don't like that possibility!
originalbuckeye wrote: "For anyone who thinks Socialized medicine is a good thing..."
Alas, I fear the media, politicians, and citizens are already overwhelmingly in favor of (or at least not opposed to) socialized medicine. It's probably only a matter of time, and the government will likely require universal participation (except, maybe for members of Congress). It's mostly a matter of greed. Offer people something for nothing, and they'll leap at it without realizing the true, hidden costs. Why would someone sacrifice the necessities of life, like big screen TVs, cigarettes, DVDs, and cable, to buy private insurance when they can simply vote to force someone else to pay? I doubt they will like it when medical care is rationed, but that's one, highly probable result. As long as everyone suffers equally, I guess it's A-OK!
Marxist.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
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