Aide: Romney sees mandate as a penalty, not a tax

Associated Press ^ | July 2, 2012

[Free ThinkerNY]

WASHINGTON (AP) - A top adviser says Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney doesn't see the health care mandate as a tax but as a penalty or a fee or even a fine.

That's a different view from Republicans who are condemning the individual mandate in President Barack Obama's health care law as a tax instead of a penalty, as Obama prefers to call it.

[noinfringers2]

I wonder who will enforce a tax or who will enforce a penalty. Will the USA have different entities being tax enforcers or will the USA have a different entity enforcing penalties.

[pistolpackinpapa]

But, Romney won’t be writing the new law; Congress will. People like Paul Ryan other staunch, young Republican Conservatives. Then they will say: “Here Mr. President sign this or we will kick your ass.”

[onedoug]

I see it as jizya. Aren’t muslims exempt?

[SoConPubbie]

But, Romney won’t be writing the new law; Congress will. People like Paul Ryan other staunch, young Republican Conservatives. Then they will say: “Here Mr. President sign this or we will kick your ass.”

Yea right.

As POTUS Romney is the head of the GOP. Furthermore, there are not enough Paul Ryans in congress to push through a true market-based approach without the socialistic Individual Mandate or paying for insurance for those who supposedly cannot afford insurance or paying for the insurance of Illegals.

All of which will be in the Replace part of Romney's "Repeal and Replace".

You're suffering from the GOP version of "Hope and Change". Hoping that Romney and the RINOS in both the House and Senate will change. THEY WON'T.

[dinodino]

...confirming conservatives’ deeply felt distrust of ORomney.

[Terry Mross]

Call it a tax or call it turn in a punchbowl, the republicans should introduce a separate piece of legislation removing congress’ exemption from obamacare. I’d love to see Pelosi and Reid and all the democrats be forced to defend their exemptions.

And I’m going to keep repeating this until maybe someone will get it to the media like Rush, Hannity, Beck, someone that will make the gop step up to the plate.

[dragonblustar]

I know. Romney is such a spineless turd but he’s the only chance to get the Kenyan rock sucker out of office. Damn this reminds me of 2008 and McCain’s weak ass approach towards Obama. Romney was vicious towards other republicans to get the nomination. If that bastard goes soft now, theres going to be hell to pay.

[HeartlandOfAmerica]

destroyed the boundary between the Judicial and Legislative Branches of Government last thursday.

And between the Judical, Legislative and Executive with the 1000 or so "as the Secretary shall designate" lines in that 2700 page pile of trash.

Congress and Roberts put 1000 blank checks into the hands of the Executive branch with very little oversight if past history is any guide.

The Secretary takes orders from the Chief Executive so that line just as well read, "As the President shall designate."

The Congress writing this trash, the Executive signing it and the Judicial upholding it, have all but destroyed the concept of checks and balances in the federal govt.

Things are going to get REAL dicey in the next decade.

[LibLieSlayer]

This romney jerk certainly likes striking his private parts with a hammer. Is he THAT stupid or is he just THAT liberal? I say BOTH! obamao or obamao jr... man what an election!

LLS

[LibLieSlayer]

romney has no power to declare it a penalty. The SCOTUS has ruled... the Constitution was dealt a severe blow... possibly a lethal blow... and mitt has to deal with that reality. Plus... his big mouth just removed one huge campaign attack on the party and candidate of the LARGEST TAX INCREASE IN AMERICAN HISTORY. It ain't a tax if it ain't a tax... but wait... Chief Justice roberts said it was not a tax... but it could be construed as a tax... so it is a tax... even if it isn't. Fits romney to a T. There was an article posted on FR today from back when mitt was pushing romney care. He said it WAS A TAX back then... and today he says it isn't. Seems that he and roberts come from the same school of illogical thought.

LLS

[LibLieSlayer]

It is NEVER good enough because he is not and never was good enough. He refuses to take a stance on obama’s illegal Amnesty program, by issuing a refusal to pledge to reverse it and when asked if he supported the Arizona immigration law... he ducked by answering that a State has the right to control its border... when asked directly again... he issued “no comment”. Then we have him doing a 180 on the tax issue when he said it was a tax before he said it wasn’t a tax. That is why some of us despise him... he is just as bad as these examples would indicate. On almost every issue of Conservative import... he has had a 180 degree change in his position. That is because he has to pretend to be something that he isn't, just to be elected by those willing to lie to themselves. Unless something changes in Tampa... we have the choice of bad or worse. It is what it is and romney will never be liked... even by those that vote for him. Even progressives hate him... because he lies about being one of them and since they know that he is one of them and that he lies about it... they are insulted by his deception and despise him for it. They think that he should be proud of and embrace his inner leftist. “Bubba” as reince calls us... will not vote for that guy so...

LLS

[LibLieSlayer]

48% of this country loves obama and will vote for him and support him no matter what. THAT is reality and everything else is delusional hope.

LLS

[LibLieSlayer]

I would love to hear him say, “If the American people will get behind us in solving these monumental challenges that we all face, if they want to see obamacare overturned and fiscal sanity and smaller government that actually works put back into place, then they need to work hard to help us fill the House and Senate with like-minded Americans and vote for republicans”.

Reality is that we have today's progressive party and mitch mcconnell is the next majority leader and mcconnell is... mcconnell... so we get defeat before the battle even begins. No winner ever won anything by going into the arena with defeat on his or her mind. Even against all odds... a winner always knows within themselves... that they will win. It is called "The Eye of the Tiger". obama has it... clinton has it... mcconnell... not so much.

LLS

[ballplayer]

He said for the Purpose of the Constitution its a Tax,For the Purposes of the anti injunction act it is a Penalty,Got that? So you figure it out,the Democrats can call it a Penalty,the Republicans can call it tax,what we can call it in either case is, WE ARE SCREWED! I believe its Known as Picking your own Poison,Do you want to be Shot or Get the electric Chair?
Im over sixty so I am Doubly Screwed,if you are under sixty you have a Slight reprieve until you reach the Magic Number

[ballplayer]

Roberts wrote that for the purpose of the Constitution it is a TAX!For the Purposes of the Anti-injunction act it is a Penalty. So Both sides can call it what they want.This is what is commonly know in the Military as A Clusterf..k!
Some say that There is no Difference between the Parties,they have been Proven right here, and it has now been enshrined by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court,call it what you want, but CALL Us all Screwed!

[commonguymd]

Roberts as a supreme court judge has been a depressing sellout. Yah I am depressed. He tossed the tax thing in as a bone but overlooked that it is an unconstitutional penalty. Even Kennedy got it right. Now we got a dilemma to run on a tax mantra or agree with four justices that it was an unconstitutional mandate. Depressing

Hope Roberts enjoys his party invitations. Maybe those gay rumors weren’t rumors after all. The gays like their parties. A freaking sellout and disappointment. No justice should have a lifetime appointment. That’s one mistake in the separation of powers. This clown might last another 30 years.

[rogue yam]

48% of this country loves obama and will vote for him and support him no matter what.

I think your estimate is high. Some percentage, yes, but not 48%.

[pistolpackinpapa]

You're suffering from the GOP version of "Hope and Change". Hoping that Romney and the RINOS in both the House and Senate will change. THEY WON'T.

I am so damn tired of so many people on here giving up; doing nothing but bitching with no suggestions and sure as hell no solutions. I'll tell you what. Why don't you just go ahead and give up; bend over for the Pubbies and the 'Rats and hope that they'll use lube and leave some change on the dresser for you? Hell, let's all just go ahead, let Obama, Boehner, Reid, Mitch McConnell.... all of them just rape us and do the best we can to enjoy it. Let's throw in the towel. Mitch McConnell already has.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2902169/posts?q=1&;page=101

You and Mitch have a nice 4th of July.

[BelegStrongbow]

Of course, if it is a tax, then how could it have originated in the Senate? Or has the Roberts Rule now empowered the Senate to initiate revenue bills, despite the clear text of the Constitution?

Sorry, my FRiend, and I do hold you in serious high regard, for your long service here and astute thought, with all due respect, we are well and truly shafted by this decision regardless of how the Senate rules in this case.

The door is now open for any tyrant to walk through and order us to do anything, so long as it is called a tax.

[greeneyes]

Of course, if it is a tax, then how could it have originated in the Senate?

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It was a convoluted process. IIRC, what I read at the time was that Pelosi took an existing bill that originated in the house. Stripped the bill and inserted the language of the Senate bill. Then claimed it originated in the house, and sent it to the Senate as a budget reconciliation bill so that it would only take a majority vote for passage (not 60 that it should have required).