Posted on 06/28/2012 8:59:15 AM PDT by Ernest_at_the_Beach
President Obama signaled in our interview that he was prepared to address some of the concerns raised by key Senator Jay Rockefeller, who called the Baucus bill a “big middle class tax increase” this week.
That means he’ll support more subsidies for middle class families.
But in our most spirited exchange, the President refused to accept the argument that a mandate to buy health insurance is equivalent to a tax.
Here it is:
STEPHANOPOULOS: You were against the individual mandate…
OBAMA: Yes.
STEPHANOPOULOS: …during the campaign. Under this mandate, the government is forcing people to spend money, fining you if you don’t. How is that not a tax?
OBAMA: Well, hold on a second, George. Here — here’s what’s happening. You and I are both paying $900, on average — our families — in higher premiums because of uncompensated care. Now what I’ve said is that if you can’t afford health insurance, you certainly shouldn’t be punished for that. That’s just piling on. If, on the other hand, we’re giving tax credits, we’ve set up an exchange, you are now part of a big pool, we’ve driven down the costs, we’ve done everything we can and you actually can afford health insurance, but you’ve just decided, you know what, I want to take my chances. And then you get hit by a bus and you and I have to pay for the emergency room care, that’s…
STEPHANOPOULOS: That may be, but it’s still a tax increase.
OBAMA: No. That’s not true, George. The — for us to say that you’ve got to take a responsibility to get health insurance is absolutely not a tax increase.
(Excerpt) Read more at abcnews.go.com ...
Roberts Nails Obama and Pelosi to the Public Bulletin Board!!!
I think he is getting even...
And The
I do think it is possible that Roberts framed this in such a way as to make it increasingly unpopular.
I love how the media cautioned against a 5-4 decision to repeal, but are satisfied with a 5-4 decision to uphold.
If Roberts nailed Obama, then so did Ginsberg, Stephens, Sotomayor & Kagan.
It’s waiver time!
did you vote for Barry?- you get a waiver!
in a union? - you get a waiver!
Yeah, we didn’t know Obama was a liar!
right.
*shakes head*
Maybe we shouldn’t be free in this country.....
If Obama was speaking truthfully in 2009 (a comical concept, I know) that the non-compliance penalty was NOT a tax, then five SC justices decided this case incorrectly.
Ping for later
Personally, I would rather they had taken the administration at its word, considered it a mandate and struck the whole mess down outright.
No sale on the Roberts thing.
The website for the text has a video but I couldn't get it to work.
” - - - OBAMA: No. That’s not true, George. The — for us to say that you’ve got to take a responsibility to get health insurance is absolutely not a tax increase.”
R Sc US Rep Joe Wilson was right, Obama’s nickname really is “You Lie.”
BTW, is it not a FELONY to misrepresent, falsify or otherwise LIE to Congress?
Should Dictator “You Lie” Obama be slapped with a Contempt of Congress citation for misrepresenting a vote on a FINE when it really was a TAX?
This decision guarantees that Onama in November MUST defend HIS TAX INCREASES, in order to WIN>
I don't think he can do it....and HE CANNOT AVOID THE ISSUE.
I'm just saying we owe nothing to Roberts - he could have voted with Thomas, Scalia, Alito & Kennedy and killed the whole thing, and Obama would STILL have to defend his record in November.
This ruling opens a huge can of worms beyond the health care law.
Just read Roberts’ opinion. He says that although Congress did not intend for Obamacare to be a tax, HE has decided that it is a tax. This is the greatest case of “legislating from the bench” that we’ve ever seen.
He knows better. The only thing that makes sense to me is blackmail. Is he gay? Were his children adopted illegally? Has to be something. Constitutionally, his opinion makes absolutely no sense.
Talk about a shot in the arm for the TEA Party!
That is where the focus needs to be.
A TEA Party Fourth of July.
SC found it to be a tax.
OK...
.
And he said that the legislature has the power to legislate tax increases....which is what this is,
What they cannot do is withhold FUNDS to the STATE GOVERNMENTs for current lawful agreements already legislated if they fail to meet the NEW REQUIRMENTS of the new Affortable Care Act.
That was the HAMMER that the 29 STATE AG's filed suit over.
Wow. What a waste of three years
Nice Graphics.
Was based on what I heard from some of the comments on Fox....
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